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Two Miami (FL) football players join the basketball team (UPDATED)

Damiere Byrd, Corn Elder

South Carolina wide receiver Damiere Byrd (1) is unable to get the pass as Miami defensive back Corn Elder (29) defends in the second half of the Independence Bowl NCAA college football game in Shreveport, La., Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014. South Carolina won 24-21. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

AP

Damiere Byrd, Corn Elder

South Carolina wide receiver Damiere Byrd (1) is unable to get the pass as Miami defensive back Corn Elder (29) defends in the second half of the Independence Bowl NCAA college football game in Shreveport, La., Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014. South Carolina won 24-21. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

AP

Update (Monday, 9:15 a.m.): Miami head coach Jim Larranaga confirmed with the Miami Herald‘s Michelle Kaufman that two members of the Hurricane football team -- 5-foot-10 sophomore cornerback Corn Elder and 6-foot-4 sophomore wide receiver D’Mauri Jones -- will walk-on with the basketball team.

“One of the keys to our success is game preparation,’' Larranaga told Kaufman on Sunday. “Corn Elder and D’Mauri Jones can really help us in that category. They are two terrific young men and great athletes. We greatly appreciate Al Golden and his staff for allowing them to join us at this time.’'

According to Mike Organ of The Tennessean, Elder and Jones practiced with the team for the first time on Sunday. A Miami spokesperson told the Miami Herald that Elder and Jones won’t travel with the team to Duke on Tuesday.
Elder and Jones likely won’t see many minutes of game time for Miami this season, but as Larranaga noted, they give the program more depth in practice and should make for some great scout team additions.

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Miami (FL) is off to a solid 11-4 start this season and the Hurricanes are currently battling for position in the ACC along with a potential spot in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. The basketball team could be in position to pick up an interesting addition this week as sophomore Cornelius “Corn” Elder will meet with head coach Jim Larranaga after completing his football season as a cornerback.

According to a report from Mike Organ of The Tennessean, Elder will meet with Larranaga on Monday about his status with the men’s basketball team. The 5-foot-10 Elder was actually listed on Miami’s basketball roster last season as a guard but didn’t play basketball after tearing the meniscus in his knee."It’s a lot tougher playing both sports because the football season is so much longer in college than it is in high school,” Elder said of playing basketball to Organ. “It’s just something I’m going to have to really think hard about.”

Elder isn’t your typical potential walk-on. The Tennessee native was regarded a three-star prospect for basketball in high school and had multiple mid-major scholarship offers before deciding on Miami. During his high school basketball career, Elder helped Ensworth (TN) High School to three basketball state championships as he amassed 1,521 career points.

The Hurricanes have a good amount of guard depth this season with Angel Rodriguez, DeAndre Burnett, Sheldon McClellan, James Palmer and Ja’Quan Newton, but Elder is tough and physical guard and could make for a competitive addition to the roster.

On the gridiron, Elder started one game and made appearances in every game for the 6-7 Hurricanes. Elder had 34 tackles (three for loss), recovered two fumbles, defended four passes and had a sack in his sophomore year.

If Miami can convince Elder to join the basketball team he might not get many minutes in games this season, but it never hurts to add a good athlete with a winning background to your daily practices to push everyone else to stay sharp.

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