Tag Archive for: Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Program expected to name Rob Likens as WR coach

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The Miami Hurricanes are going to get a new wide receivers coach. Rob Likens is expected to be named the new wide receivers coach.

The past two seasons, he has been the offensive coordinator at Arizona State. The role of wide receivers coach is not something new for him. He has also served the role at Arizona State and Temple. Arizona State was second in the entire PAC-12 in points last year. The program was also second in first down conversions with 233. Tied with three other teams, Arizona State had a 91% red zone conversion percentage.

Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels ranked fifth in the conference with 245.3 yards per game. Running back  Eno Benjamin also performed well last year. Rushing for 90.3 yards per contest, that ranked him third overall in the conference.

Likens brings experience to Miami Hurricanes

Likens certainly brings with him a bevy of experience to Miami. The Pac-12 as a conference is very fast-paced.  Miami could definitely use that type of offense. The conversion numbers and the amount of points scored by Arizona State is also a positive trend for Likens. Although he will be dealing with entirely different personnel, it bodes well for a Miami Hurricanes team that has reloaded this offseason.

It will be interesting to see if the Miami Hurricanes offense will have a Pac-12 feel to it. They certainly need to improve in many areas. They are taking steps to improve and are heading in the right direction. Just a look at the fact that the D’Eriq King is coming to the program. That says something right there.

The program has been rebuilt in what feels like a matter of weeks. The turnaround has been quite impressive. Now, we’ll have to see if all the pieces are able to form a fluid, cohesive unit on the field next season.

Miami Hurricanes: Ed Reed to join program as Chief of Staff

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A familiar face is coming back to Coral Gables. The Miami Hurricanes have hired Ed Reed as  Chief of Staff for the program.

According to the program’s official press release, Reid will serve in an advisory role to head coach Manny Diaz. Reed will take on duties that include strategic planning, operations, quality control, and player evaluation and development. He also serve in an athletic mentor role and help recruit players as much as the NCAA allows.

A smart move for the Miami Hurricanes

This is certainly an impactful move for the program. Reed was one of the best Miami Hurricanes players of all-time. Playing from 1997-2001, he was part of the most recent golden age for the program. He led the nation with nine interceptions in the 2001 season and was named the 2001 co-Big East defensive player of the year. He was undoubtedly the heart and soul of those great defensive teams. That is certainly saying something when you consider who else was on the roster.

Reed was a  first-team All American in 2000 and 2001. Those Miami Hurricanes teams posted a 23-1 record. They were at the pinnacle of the college football mountain. Some still talk about that 2001 Hurricanes team to this day, and they are continually in the conversation as one of the best college teams of all time.

Having Reed on the recruiting trail would be  tremendous for Miami. When you consider his body of work both at Miami and at the professional level, there is no denying he was successful. A Pro football Hall of Famer in 2019, he has been successful everywhere he has went. His role with the program certainly checks off many boxes. It will be interesting to see where he contributes most.  Just having his name attached to the football program is a huge win for the Miami Hurricanes.

Miami Hurricanes: Jarren Williams to transfer from program

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A member of the Miami Hurricanes is entering the transfer portal. Quarterback Jarren Williams has decided to move on from Miami according to a report from Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated.

,Williams played quite a bit last season. He threw for 2,187 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His best game came against Louisville. In what was a 52-27 win on November 9, Williams went 15-of-22 on the day throwing for 253 yards and six touchdowns. A 67-yard throw was his longest of the afternoon.

Williams finishes his Miami career throwing for 2,204 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

King changed quarterback room for Miami Hurricanes

With D’Eriq King now in the fold, this does not come as much of a surprise. King should figure to be in the starting quarterback conversation when the Hurricanes take on Temple in the season opener on September 5. With the commitment of King, the quarterback room got a lot deeper, and the dynamics changed quite a bit. Based on what he did in Houston last year alone, King certainly looks to be primed for the starting role. Last year for Houston, King threw for 2,982 yards and 14 touchdowns. He rushed for 674 yards and 14 touchdowns.

N’Kosi Perry will also be part of the quarterback room as well. Last season, he threw for 1045 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions.  There is an option for Miami there as well. However, there is no reason to think that the job would not go to King.

The outlook of Miami’s  offense is certainly a bit different than even a couple of weeks ago. It will be interesting to see how the new-look offense performs during spring ball . As different pieces get adjusted, Miami will certainly have a lot more work with than they did at this time a year ago.

 

 

Miami Hurricanes: Program picks up commitment from Keyshawn Smith

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The Miami Hurricanes picked up another commitment on Tuesday. This time, it was from 2020 three-star wide receiver Keyshawn Smith.

Smith is the 152nd overall wide receiver in his class and the 84th overall receiver in the state of California per the 247 Sports Composite Rankings.

In addition to Miami, other teams were vying for his services. Washington State, Boise State, Colorado State, and Fresno State all extended offers his way. He received 15 in total. It has been a wild recruiting process for him over this to past month or so.

He took an official visit to Washington on December 6 and committed to the program on December 12. He officially signed with Washington on December 18. He then  decommitted from Washington on Tuesday, electing to start fresh with Miami.

As a senior for Lincoln High in San Diego last season, he scored 13 total touchdowns. He caught 46 passes for 808 yards and a touchdowns as a receiver. He also rushed the ball 16 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns.

Smith brings speed to Miami Hurricanes

What can he bring to the Miami Hurricanes? Measuring in at 6 feet, 185 pounds, Smith has tremendous hands and speed. Furthermore, he is not afraid to leap up and make difficult catches. He should be another weapon for Miami in what is  already a crowded receivers room. Spring ball  will be a good first-look in regards to the position. Miami has several playmakers at its disposal.

With this commitment, Miami only has two spots left in this recruiting cycle. Currently, there 2020 class ranks 16th nationally and second overall in the ACC per the 247 Sports Team Rankings.

Miami has done very well in recruiting over the past couple of weeks. Time will tell how they will use those remaining two spots on the roster in this recruiting cycle.

Miami Hurricanes: Team lands playmaking defensive end in Quincy Roche

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The Miami Hurricanes have been on fire on the recruiting trail lately, and they picked up another commitment on Monday. The team received a commitment from former Temple defensive end Quincy Roche. As a graduate transfer, he has one year of eligibility remaining.

Playing for Temple the past three seasons, Roche had a solid year last year. He recorded 49 tackles and 13 sacks in addition to a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. His best game last year came against Tulane on November 16. In that contest, he recorded 12 tackles and three sacks on the day. For the year, he finished fifth in the nation in sacks per game last season.

It is worth noting his success in 2018 as well. That year, he recorded 57 tackles and six sacks in addition to forcing two fumbles.

As a prospect, he was the 36th overall player in the state of Maryland and the 84th weak-side defensive end in his class per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

For Miami, this puts the icing on the cake at the defensive end position. Now, they have both Gregory Rousseau and Quincy Roche. Rousseau was second in all of college football with 15.5 sacks in 2019. This brings instant production to Miami’s defensive end position. Furthermore, it stabilizes the position and shores up the defense.

On top of all this, Jaelan Phillips is also eligible to play this year. A former member of the UCLA Bruins, Phillips recorded 12 tackles and a sack in the 2018 season. He should be able to bring an additional boost to the defensive line for the Miami hurricanes.

Miami was sixth in the country with 48 sacks on the season. The addition of Roche will definitely change that number. It will be interesting to see if he can continue to produce. If he can play at a high level consistently, Miami should be in good hands.

Miami Hurricanes

Wait is Over: Hurricanes Officially Land D’Eriq King

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After much anticipation, quarterback D’Eriq King is officially a Miami Hurricane.

The Miami Hurricanes have addressed a major issue at quarterback, as D’Eriq King will enroll this week.

Timing was crucial as he had to enroll by Tuesday in order to participate in Spring practice.

 

New offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee has found someone that fits his up-tempo spread offense perfectly.

King sat out all but four games last year after choosing to redshirt to save his last year of eligibility.

In 2018 while with the Houston Cougars, King set the AAC total touchdown mark with 50 scores (36 passing 14 rushing).

Those 36 passing touchdowns came against just six interceptions, and King put up those numbers despite missing nearly three games with a knee injury.

 

His 2018 totals were astounding – 219-of-345 passing (63.5%) for 2982 yards, He added 111 carries for 674 yards (6.1 YPC) on the ground.

King’s dual-threat capabilities will be utilized heavily in Lashlee’s offense.

Miami has once again utilized the transfer portal to their advantage, having also signed kicker Jose Borregales from FIU.

Rumors of King’s arrival swirled after his two day visit to Coral Gables this past weekend but uncertainty still loomed as nothing was made official until Monday.

The Hurricanes have addressed major needs at quarterback and kicker, along with perceived upgrades on the coaching staff.

Manny Diaz has started to right the ship of public perception somewhat, first with the Lashlee hire and now with finding a new dynamic signal caller.

Expectations are once again high after a disastrous ending to the past season.

It will be interesting to see how all of these new additions mesh in what may no longer be perceived as a rebuilding year.

That sure happened fast.

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Photo credit Tony Capobianco.

Miami Hurricanes: Receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield bolts to Penn State

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The Miami Hurricanes receivers coach is off to Happy Valley.

A Miami Hurricanes coach is headed to the Big Ten. Wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield is headed to Penn State to serve the same position.

Stubblefield played football for a number of years, beginning at Purdue in 2001. A consensus All-American in 2004, he began his professional career in 2005. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers in April of that year.

After bouncing around for a couple of teams throughout the 2000’s, he began his coaching career. He came to Miami in January 2019, following two years coaching the same position at the Air Force Academy.

Taking stock of the Miami Hurricanes receiver room

Miami’s receiving group was led by K.J. Osborn and Brevin Jordan statistically. Osborn recorded 50 catches for 547 yards and five touchdowns to lead the team. He averaged 10.9 yards per reception. Jordan caught 35 passes for 495 yards and two touchdowns. Averaging 14.1 yards per reception, he was able to give Miami production out of the tight end position.

Jeff Thomas was also a big producer for the offense in 2019. He was second on the team in touchdowns with four. Catching 20 passes for 335 yards, Thomas averaged 16.8 yards per reception. Nevertheless, there were concerns that the Miami wide receivers did not develop enough in the 2019 season.

Stubblefield also did some work off the field in recruiting. He was able to get four-star wide receiver Romello Brinson to commit to the program. A four-star recruit, Brinson had promise for Miami. However, he decommitted from the program on November 24.

The coaching turnover for the Miami Hurricanes continues, and this is just yet another move and change for the program in what has been a very busy offseason. Now, it will be interesting to see who fills the vacancy left by Stubblefield’s departure. One has to wonder if they will find a coach before spring ball begins, and whether it will be an in-house hire or from somewhere else.

Miami Hurricanes: D’Eriq King set to visit Coral Gables this weekend

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The Miami Hurricanes will have a big-time visitor this weekend. Former Houston quarterback D’Eriq King will take a two-day tour at the University of Miami, beginning Friday.

King would be eligible to play right away and that would be great news for Miami. He is just one of three quarterbacks with 35 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns in a season.

As noted in a report from Andrew Ivins, a recruiting guru who is a regular contributor to the 5 Rings Canes podcast on the Five Reasons Sports Network, the quarterback has been talking with Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee.

King is exactly what the Miami Hurricanes need

This would be a much-needed upgrade for the Miami Hurricanes. Poor quarterback play has plagued them throughout the last couple of seasons. King would have a chance to add stability to the program for at least two seasons. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.  Perhaps even more exciting, he would be eligible to play right away.

Miami is going to have to compete with other big-time schools for King. LSU, Oregon, Arkansas, and Ole Miss have also been on his radar. The Hurricanes certainly have their work cut out for them when it comes to battling with other teams for King.

This would be a huge get for Miami just in terms of production. The Hurricanes ranked 99th in the country in 2019 with 22.3 points scored per game. They also ranked 103rd in the country with 348.3 yards per game. With 7.2 yards per pass attempt, that ranked 73rd in the country.

King would provide an instant splash to the Miami offense and would electrify a passing game that is struggling at the moment. Not only that, it would be the first big development for Lashlee since joining the staff. It would certainly provide a jolt into the Miami quarterback room, and would make the ACC a lot more interesting come the fall.

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Miami Hurricanes won’t bring in Alonzo Highsmith for role

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This is a missed opportunity for the Miami Hurricanes.

Any thoughts about Alonzo Highsmith returning to the Miami Hurricanes football program have been put to bed. According to a tweet from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the door is closed for a Highsmith-Miami reunion.

Highsmith is currently the director of player personnel with the Cleveland Browns. As Jackson also notes, the University of Miami did not have any interest in hiring him, or anyone for a GM-type of role. The GM-type of role was proposed by a key trustee. Highsmith did talk to Diaz and athletic director Blake James about the potential role. The conversation never left its initial stages.

A stellar career for the Miami Hurricanes

Highsmith played four seasons at the University of Miami from 1983-1986. In total, he carried the ball 387 times for 1,873 yards and 18 touchdowns. His best season came in his sophomore year. He played in 12 games, carrying the ball 146 times for 906 yards and nine touchdowns. As he progressed later into his Miami career, he also became a very adept receiving back. He averaged 13.6 yards per reception in 1985 and 13.9 yards per reception in 1986. He was an extremely talented all-around back.

It’s interesting that an offer was never made. Highsmith could have helped the program. He was definitely a key part of the Miami past. Being a director of player personnel, he could offer a lens that others in the organization probably couldn’t. The fact that talks couldn’t even get off the ground is rather interesting and a little disappointing.

As Miami enters the 2020 season, changes may still need to be made. It will be interesting to see what the program does to make those changes. However, they certainly missed the mark with this one. Hopefully, they can find somebody who will be able to add value and a helpful eye into the program.

Miami Hurricanes running back Lorenzo Lingard enters transfer portal

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Lingard is no longer a member of the Miami Hurricanes.

A former member of the Miami Hurricanes has entered the transfer portal. According to a report from Matt Zenitz of Alabama.com, running back Lorenzo Lingard has entered the portal.

Lingard certainly had promise as a recruit. He was ranked the 25th overall player in the 2018 class, and the second overall running back per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He was also the sixth ranked overall player from the state of Florida. The running back committed to Miami on February 9, 2017.

He never really became a star out of Miami’s backfield. He carried the ball 17 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns in 2018. A 64-yard dash was his longest of the season. He did have a great game for the Hurricanes on against Savannah State. In that game, he carried the ball four times for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Appearing in only three games on the season, his final contribution would be against Florida International. Rushing the ball 10 times for 50 yards, a 17-yard rush would be his longest of the game.

Running back depth strong for Miami Hurricanes

Currently, the Miami Hurricanes have four running backs on their roster. They have also managed to get  some impact commitments 2020. Don Cheney Jr. headlines the 2020 class as a four-star recruit. He is the fifth overall running back and the sixth overall running back in the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Jaylan Knighton also figures to be a big part of the class. He is ranked the 10th overall running back in his class, and the 19th overall player in the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Although the position is relatively young, the Hurricanes do have talent at their disposal. The departure of Lorenzo Lingard should not hurt them much, if at all. It will be interesting to see which of the other players steps up. I think Cheney and Knighton will play big roles in the backfield in the coming years.