by Jorge Milian
PalmBeachPost.com

Workouts at UM begin at 6 a.m.

Jordan Futch wakes up at 4 a.m. to make sure he's on Greentree Practice Field by 5:30. Heading into his final season at UM, Futch isn't taking any chances.

Jordan Futch (Miami Herald)

"This is my last shot," Futch said. "It's my senior year coming up. There's no redshirt for me. This is it."

Like all of UM's players, Futch is starting over with new coach Al Golden. Futch grew somewhat disillusioned under Randy Shannon, feeling like he didn't get a fair-and-square opportunity for playing time. That frustration caused Futch to request a move to tight end during UM's preparations for the Sun Bowl in December.

"I did feel like that," Futch said. "But things happen. It's a new regime now and coach Golden has everything on track."

A new coach isn't the only thing that marks a fresh start for Futch. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Hollywood native has been moved to middle linebacker after playing on the outside throughout high school and during his first three seasons at Miami.

Futch will enter spring practice on March 5 competing with sophomores Kelvin Cain and Jimmy Gaines for the starting job. Of the three candidates, the only one to have started a game in the middle for UM was Cain, who was in the starting lineup against Duke last season but didn't play much otherwise. Sean Spence, who may have been moved to middle linebacker if Shannon had been retained, is staying at weakside linebacker for now.

"That's something new for me," Futch said about his shift inside. "I'm embracing the transition. Whatever is best and helps the team win."

Futch said he's happy to be back at linebacker after spending December practicing at tight end. He did not play in the Sun Bowl at his new position and may have found it difficult to earn game action at a spot that he hadn't played since his days at Hollywood Chaminade Madonna.

"I'm comfortable," Futch said. "I feel loved. The best thing is I'm competing for a starting job. Nothing is going to be given to Jordan Futch or anybody else on the linebacking squad. Whoever is playing is going to have earned their spot. I love that. I'm ready to knock some heads off. At tight end, it was hard to do that. But at linebacker I can knock helmets off and put on a show for the fans and help us win."