Tag Archive for: Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Program picks up commitment from Keyshawn Smith

/1 Comment/in /by

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

/0 Comments/in /by

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

/0 Comments/in , /by

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.

Subscribe to the 5 Rings Canes podcast for exclusive Miami Hurricanes content.

Photo credit Tony Capobianco.

Miami Hurricanes: Receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield bolts to Penn State

/0 Comments/in /by
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

/0 Comments/in /by

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.

Download the 5 Rings Canes podcast for more, wherever you get your podcasts.

Miami Hurricanes won’t bring in Alonzo Highsmith for role

/1 Comment/in /by

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

/0 Comments/in /by

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.

Hurricanes Find Rock Bottom After Independence Bowl

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Miami Hurricanes established a new rock bottom after an embarrassment in the Independence Bowl.

Nine punts.

Nine completions from their starting quarterback.

These are some of the numbers that defy logic from the Hurricanes performance in the Independence Bowl Thursday.

Somehow, Miami was a favorite going into the game.

That optimism was quickly thwarted by an offense that simply did not want to be there.

Coached by a man who wasn’t expected to be much longer.

There was not a significant change in plans.

The departure of Enos was a welcome inevitability, but it is a drop of water in an ocean of bad decisions.

A Game to Forget

Miami had their share of forgettable (unforgettable?) games this year.

Georgia Tech.

FIU.

Duke.

Louisiana Tech.

All with a common theme.

On paper the Hurricanes could be perceived as playing down to the competition.

In the real world, between the lines, they were simply outclassed.

Louisiana Tech did not play a great game either, thanks in part to an inspired Miami defense.

Shaq Quarterman left it all on the field over four seasons and did not take this one off either.

 

Meanwhile for some of his teammates, it was pretty obvious that the offense checked out after the news about Enos leaked.

That leak in itself is also a problem, the timing of which reeks of internal discord.

Which in turn seeped into the product on the field in Shriveport.

Miami managed 227 yards of total offense while being kept off the scoreboard.

Those results against a Louisiana Tech defense that surrendered over three touchdowns per game this season.

The Miami Hurricanes Are At DEFCON 1

Pick a quarterback, any quarterback, and the results were the same.

 

Cue the Benny Hill music.

The three-headed monster of Martell, Jarren Williams, and N’Kosi Perry completed less than half their passes (15/34).

Both Williams and Perry gave the ball away, while Martell played just one series and completed his only attempt.

The indecision regarding who should be under center this entire year was a glaring indictment on the coaching staff.

Running on Fumes

A quarterback’s best friend is a solid running game.

Miami’s QB group has no friends, not even an acquaintance in the backfield.

Without DeeJay Dallas there was no rushing attack for the Hurricanes.

Cam Harris (12 carries, 31 yards, 2.6YPC) could not get anything going, Miami loses the battle up front too much which throws the whole thing into shambles.

Harris filled in admirably at times for Dallas, he was simply a part of an offense lacking identity or cohesion in any phase.

On the day the Hurricanes would manage just 74 meaningless yards on the ground.

The Hurricanes lack of any running game throughout the season (122nd nationally) exposed the deficiencies at quarterback.

To be fair, no signal caller was granted reprieve from pressure by their offensive line.

Louisiana Tech had four more sacks against a front five who allowed 51 on the season, 127th in the nation.

Down and distance killed a dysfunctional offense with a methodical cadence, the script never changed.

The 2019 Walk-Ons Independence Bowl was simply a culminating effort, an unnecessary curtain call for an apathetic tragedy of a season.

 

A regression of this magnitude unfolding in the final month of the season is cause for much speculation.

Is Manny Diaz the right coach for a rebuild that he was not intended to steward?

What other organizational changes are in store?

You could call a game with the stature and allure of the Independence Bowl meaningless.

Yet that designation would only apply to the illusion of the current Miami Hurricanes football team.

There is no standard any more in Coral Gables.

Blake James has continually accepted mediocrity over his tenure, what will be the cause for change now?

 

Supporters of the Hurricanes program need to reset expectations.

In his first season as CEO, Diaz could not have expected this much turmoil.

Much of which he manifested himself.

From the yachts-  to the very wishful it turns out – 7-5 tackling dummies, Diaz spoke of culture and a return to a bygone age of dominance.

Turnover Chains and touchdown rings were tools of engineered swag deployment lacking substance.

A futile attempt in recreating an era so cherished by those who were a part of it.

“The New Miami” was just a recycled attempt to be the old Miami.

The good Miami.

All this pomp and circumstance created to capture the essence of days gone by.

Yet those days were defined by one element.

Winning.

A glaring failure to adapt, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, put the entire team in disarray.

That must be fixed immediately with an offensive system that puts skill position players in position to succeed.

Nothing less can be accepted.

Lack of preparation defined the 2019 Miami Hurricanes.

Diaz must prepare for career altering decisions in order to survive another year.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, such as another solid recruiting class.

The running back group in particular is loaded with talent – the ground game can rebound with an improved scheme and offensive line.

Hopefully it is not impacted by this year’s performance.

In a mediocre ACC Coastal a quick turnaround is possible.

Until next season however, fans need to be prepared for the inevitable fallout of a lost 2019 campaign.

Miami Hurricanes: Offensive coordinator Dan Enos to part ways with program

/0 Comments/in /by
The Miami Hurricanes will be in the market for an offensive coordinator in 2020.

As the Miami Hurricanes take on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the Independence bowl, news has come forth that Miami may have a new offensive coordinator come next season. According to a tweet from Tim Reynolds  of the Associated Press, offensive coordinator Dan Enos will part ways with the team following the game.

The offensive numbers hadn’t exactly been spectacular for Miami in the regular season. The Hurricanes struggled moving the ball at times. Miami  ranked 41st in the country in passing yards with 257.2 per game. They rushing attack ranked  120th in the country with 121.8 rushing yards per contest. They scored 27.8 points per game offensively. For comparisons sake, the defense allowed 20.8 points per contest.

To say that the offense hasn’t looked great over the past couple of weeks would be an understatement. At the time of publishing, Miami was scoreless in the Independence Bowl , trailing the Bulldogs by a 7-0 margin. The departure of Enos may give the Hurricanes an opportunity to find a fresh voice offensively. It will be intriguing to see who the new offensive coordinator will be in 2020.

 Dan Enos had success prior to Miami Hurricanes

This was Enos’ first season with the Hurricanes, as he joined Manny Diaz’s staff following the 2018 campaign. Prior to this, he served as the quarterbacks coach for Alabama. While there, he coached Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa was extremely successful in 2018, throwing for 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Starting all 15 games, he had a completion percentage of 69%.

Unfortunately, that success could never seem to translate this season. There was a ton of inconsistency and many peaks and valleys throughout the course of the season. A fresh voice may be able to help the Miami Hurricanes’ offense find an identity and give them a better chance to compete in what is a crowded Atlantic Coast Conference.

Hurricanes Won’t Lose Independence Bowl…Right?

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Hurricanes should win the Independence Bowl, right?

You would hope that the Miami Hurricanes would have learned their lesson.

After another long layoff they will close out a disappointing 2019 campaign December 26th, in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl.

The Hurricanes (6-6) will face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (9-3) from Conference USA, where they finished with a 6-3 mark.

Louisiana Tech has never beaten the Hurricanes in four previous matchups, could this Miami team be their first conquest?

 

We’ve Been Here Before

Miami has one prior trip to the Independence Bowl in 2014 under Al Golden. That team finished 6-6 during the regular season and entered the game on a three game losing streak.

Sound familiar?

Granted, this current Miami losing streak is only two games but those two should count for more.

The Hurricanes would lose the 2014 game to South Carolina 24-21 despite being the favorite.

This time around the Hurricanes are again the favorite and cannot afford another slow start which has doomed them repeatedly.

Miami was outscored 72-20 in their six losses, five of which were by single digits.

Diaz Must Have Team Prepared

The Hurricanes were dreadful after bye weeks, losing all three of their games after extended hiatus.

Including the FIU debacle.

Lack of preparation defined their season, and they will once again have to gain focus or the results will be similar.

Louisiana Tech averaged 34 points per game this season and should not be taken lightly.

The Bulldogs have an excellent quarterback in J’Mar Smith who threw for 2814 yards with 17 touchdowns against just four interceptions.

Smith shares the wealth as Louisiana Tech has three receivers with at least 500 receiving yards this season.

 

They are succeptable to the pass rush as they allowed 26 sacks (76th in NCAA) and only average 3.8 yards per carry on the ground.

Gregory Rousseau should be primed for a big day, along with Miami’s top-20 run defense.

 

Louisiana Tech has an opportunistic defense which had 15 interceptions, whoever starts at quarterback for Miami must make the easy plays.

The Hurricanes are not good enough to overcome a turnover deficit, we have seen that movie before.

Cam Harris should be a focal point of the running game against a Bulldogs defense that surrenders over 142 rushing yards per game.

Dan Enos has one more opportunity this season to prove he should get another year.

While Manny Diaz has to ensure his team comes out firing on all cylinders and does not overlook Louisiana Tech.

If Miami somehow manages to have another FIU-type performance and lose, the offseason in Coral Gables will be a rocky one.

The Independence Bowl can be seen on ESPN December 26th at 4PMEST.