USC transfer Lichtenstein home at UM: "It's open competition"

The Miami Hurricanes brought in USC DL transfer Jacob Lichtenstein as a versatile threat who can play end or tackle. So far this spring the majority of his reps are at a tackle spot that doesn’t have much depth given an injury to Jared Harrison-Hunte and UAB transfer DT Antonio Moultrie.

Lichtenstein’s gotten a lot of first team work.

“I feel it’s open competition, and that’s what you want,” Lichtenstein said after the team’s Tuesday practice. “It’ll push everyone to get better.”

The last USC transfer that chose the Miami Hurricanes out of the NCAA transfer portal worked out pretty well - that was Bubba Bolden.

Lichtenstein hopes to have a similar impact.

At USC? He redshirted as a Trojans freshman in 2017, then played in 11 games in 2018 and started against Oregon State and Cal. He finished with 15 tackles and two tackles for losses. He hurt his shoulder at UCLA and missed the Notre Dame game. He had 3 tackles against UNLV, a tackle at Texas, 2 tackles (1 for a loss) against Arizona State, 6 tackles (1 for a loss) and a deflection against California and 3 tackles at UCLA. He had post-season knee cartilage surgery which forced him to miss 2019 and then had hernia surgery after the season and was granted a sixth year of eligibility as a result. In 2020 he opted out of the first four games, then was on the bench the final two and didn't play.

This past season he played primarily DT in 12 games and had 28 tackles, six TFL and four sacks.

Asked the differences between UM and USC, Lichtenstein responded, “I think there are a lot of similarities. I think the biggest difference - I don’t know what’s going on up there right now, but I can see this program we’re really committed to it, putting all the resources into it, everything that we need. I’d say that’s a big difference. In terms of weather, history - pretty similar.”

For the Canes, Lichtenstein adds a physical presence at end and a veteran at tackle who can help out as an every down lineman at all four spots. He says his first task is to stop the run (“if you can’t stop the run, the defense is never going to do anything - we say `stop the run, have some fun,’” Lichtenstein said).

Lichtenstein was brought in to be a physical playmaker in Kevin Steele’s new defense.

“His defense is very hard-nosed for the D tackles, you have to stuff it inside,” Lichtenstein said. “Just be quick with our movements, don’t necessarily engage with your guy, use your footwork, hands a lot. I really like his defense.”

* Lichtenstein reflected on how when he was in high school that he would have committed if Miami offered him.

“That was back in the (Mark) D’Onofrio era, which seems like the dinosaur era,” Lichtenstein said. “They recruited me, never pulled the trigger on me.”

* Lichtenstein praised DE Jahfari Harvey, saying “That guy’s got a motor like no other. It’s fun to work out there with him.

“He can take the tackle out wide with a speed rush, it opens up the B gap for me to use an outside move on the guard. Playing with him opens a lot of things for me, and I notice it.”

Lichtenstein also spoke about another end, Thomas Davis, saying he’s “really emerged.”

“He was a little bit questionable to me during winter workouts, I didn’t know how he’d be, but man he’s impressed the heck out of me,” Lichtenstein said. “He comes off hard every single time, has bend, can really turn the corner. Man, he’s going to be a great pass rusher for us.”