Mark Richt creating lasting legacy for Miami Hurricanes

The previous staff also had to deal with sanctions regarding the Nevin Shapiro scandal. They finally got back to being allowed the 85 scholarship limit in October of 2016. The Hurricanes are still trying to fill that out.

Richt spoke about the difficulty of recovering from the probation.

"“When I got here, Miami was still on probation,…We still haven’t gotten our [scholarship] numbers up to 85. Last year we were at 73 but could have been higher. It just takes time to get your numbers back. You have a max in any given year, and that can only get you so far, and then you have attrition. You can’t make it up in one year. We lost kids to the NFL, lost kids who knew they weren’t going to play here and wanted to go someplace else and play, which happens everywhere. “You will also have some discipline issues: not guys who were bad guys, but guys who weren’t going to do what they were supposed to do — go to class, be prepared, be respectful and do your best. That’s really all I’m asking.”"

The Hurricanes have lost several players who transferred and others who have been kicked off the team due to various disciplinary reasons. They have also had some attrition with players leaving early as Richt said. Miami enters the 2018 season without star defensive tackles Kendrick Norton and R.J. McIntosh who left a year early for the NFL.

Next: What to expect from Miami Hurricanes early enrollee Freshmen this spring

All that attrition means that younger players need to play. Miami was lucky last year to sign graduate transfer cornerback Dee Delaney. They bring in two graduate transfers this season. Defensive tackle Tito Odenigbo from Illinois and offensive lineman Venzell Boulware from Tennessee.