The CaneSport On3: Ranking Miami’s position strength on offense

With spring practice set to begin next month, the Miami Hurricanes will use the 15 sessions to learn a lot more about their team, v. 2024. Among the most important lessons will be the level of depth at each position … and there will, of course, be plenty of competition for spots at every level of the roster.

With that in mind, today we rank each offensive position by how strong we see it entering the spring:

5. TIGHT END

Hopes were high at this time last year that Miami’s tight end position would be a strength. The idea was that Elijah Arroyo would emerge, and that Oregon transfer Cam McCormick would be a physical force as a blocker with Jaleel Skinner perhaps able to be a receiving threat. Instead the team saw Arroyo injured for virtually the entire season, Skinner continue his problem with drops (he’s since transferred) and McCormick struggle as a receiver but help out as a blocker. True freshman Riley Williams was pressed into action, but aside from a TD grab didn’t have much of an impact. When Tight End U has a total of 154 yards from the entire position, a lot more is needed. So now the team is back to hoping Arroyo can finally emerge, and Miami’s bringing back McCormick for an unprecedented ninth year. It’s hard to expect this position to suddenly become a major force based on what we saw a year ago, hence it getting ranked last among the offensive groups.

4. WIDE RECEIVER

When you have a 1,000-yard receiver in Xavier Restrepo returning as well as a No. 2 threat who had 864 yards and eight TDs in Jacolby George, perhaps you’d expect this position to be higher on the list. A reason it’s not? George struggled with personal fouls and an off-season legal issue, and Restrepo was a constant target of best friend Tyler Van Dyke to the point that fans were actually asking for the QB to find some other guys down the field (Restrepo typically runs underneath routes out of the slot). Meanwhile the third- and fourth-leading receivers are gone as transfers – Colbie Young (563 yards, 5 TDs) to Georgia, Brashard Smith (263 yards, 2 TDs) to SMU. Miami can’t thrive with just Restrepo and George, which is why Miami was targeting receivers in the first portal window … but struck out. Look for UM to be active again in the second portal window, but for now this position has some question marks with unproven depth that includes Isaiah Horton (168 yards) and second-year Ray Ray Joseph (36 yards) probably the next two guys up. Perhaps one of the talented true freshmen could be ready for a role in Year 1 as well.

3. RUNNING BACK

The bad news here is it’s expected second-year back Mark Fletcher, who emerged as the starter late last season, will miss spring practice due to injury and may wind up missing the start of the season as well. He is a physical, downhill force who ran for 514 yards and five TDs. The good news? Henry Parrish is an experienced back who has started games the last two years and had a team-high 625 rush yards in 2023. He may not wow you, but he’s dependable. Ajay Allen also had some bright moments when he was on the field (361 yards, five TDs), although he’s a guy that has to keep his head on straight to get on the field. Speedy second-year back Chris Johnson could also start to see some real action, and we would not be surprised if Jordan Lyle works in as a true freshman. To be determined is if TreVonte’ Citizen can show he’s all the way back from a devastating knee injury that cost him the last two years. We really like the talent in this room, especially when Fletcher is back in form.

2. OFFENSIVE LINE

Was Miami’s offensive line dominant last year? Perhaps not, but the group did improve from averaging 3.7 yards per carry to 5.1 while cutting down from 36 sacks to 16. So vast improvement. Even with center Matt Lee and left guard Javion Cohen gone to the NFL we expect this to be a very solid group. Returning starters are LT Jalen Rivers, RG Anez Cooper and RT Francis Mauigoa. Plus the team added Indiana veteran starting center Zach Carpenter to replace Lee. We will see how Matthew McCoy looks at left guard this spring, since he is likely the next guy up. It’s also possible that the team will hit the portal in the second transfer window since UM already chased some guards in the first window. Another option would be to move Rivers back to guard, where he started prior to last season, and perhaps Samson Okunlola can be ready off injury to emerge as a tackle. There’s also decent depth here with guys like guard Tommy Kinsler and JUCO tackle addition Markel Bell looking to make their mark. Overall a very strong group, including a lot of young, promising talent, which is what you’d expect under the Cristobal/Alex Mirabal coaching combo.

1. QUARTERBACK

This position struggled in 2023 with 14 interceptions, 12 from Tyler Van Dyke. Now Van Dyke is at Wisconsin, and the team added Cam Ward from Washington State as a massive addition. Ward was projected by many as a top four-round NFL pick if he turned pro now, and he almost passed up the Canes to do so. Now he will be looking at 2024 to springboard himself into Round 1, and don’t bet against him doing it. The 6-2, 221-pound senior was No. 4 in passing yards in college football last season, finishing hitting on 66.7 percent of his throws for 3,732 yards (311.0 yards per game) with 25 TDs and seven INTs (adding eight rushing scores). He threw a touchdown in every game except against Arizona, and had four TD passes vs. Northern Colorado and Oregon State. He had over 400 passing yards against Colorado State, Oregon State and at Oregon. His arm talent is unquestioned, and he’s also mobile. Then there is the return of dual threat QB Jacurri Brown, who continues to work hard and could become a major weapon down the road with some accuracy improvements. The team also will have back Emory Williams, who went 1-1 starting against Clemson and FSU and had some bright moments in those games – he is coming off a broken arm suffered against the Noles. Plus there is anther portal addition, Reese Poffenbarger out of Albany. He led the Great Danes to the FCS semifinals and on the year completed 58.7 percent of his passes for an FCS-best 3,603 passing yards along with 36 TDs and 13 INTs (adding five rushing scores). True freshman arrival Judd Anderson will be able to spend the year learning from the guys ahead of him. It will be interesting to see how the backup QB job shakes out behind Ward. Regardless, there’s overall really good depth in this room and a top end star with the addition of Ward. QB U is in good shape.

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