Mark Richt pleased with Miami Hurricanes offense in final Spring Scrimmage
The Miami Hurricanes offense showed improvement in the Final Scrimmage of the Spring on Saturday. They were able to move the ball with more efficiency against what had been a dominant defense.
The Miami Hurricanes offense still has plenty to work on including red zone offense heading into the 2018 season. Several Miami Hurricanes players this Spring have emerged as future stars. Freshman defensive end Greg Rousseau has gotten more of the attention, but a few players have shined on offense as well.
Freshman wide receiver Brian Hightower had four receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s Spring scrimmage. He added another catch for 25 yards in the third scrimmage. Freshmen quarterbacks N’Kosi Perry and Jarren Williams have shown glimpses of their immense talent.
One of the most couraging things that came out of the last scrimmage of the Spring was tight end Michael Irvin II. The former three-star recruit has not been the playmaker that many expected him to be when he signed with Miami. Irvin had five receptions for 55 yards in the final Spring scrimmage.
Richt spoke with HurricaneSports.Com about how the offense performed in their final scrimmage this Spring.
"“We got down in the red zone and did not get in a couple of times, which is a little disappointing,…As far as making plays, moving the ball, throwing and catching, really a pretty good day…We did some situations. Third downs first. Then we did a one-minute [drill] with each group. Then we did overtime, practiced overtime. A couple two-point plays…then we scrimmaged for a little while, about 27 plays, I think it was, after that. That’s what it turned out to be.”"
The biggest positive to come out of Saturday’s game was the improved play of the offensive line. Richt and OL Coach Stacy Searles have had to do a lot of juggling up front this Spring to find the right combination. Time will tell if they have, but for now, they have seemed to find the first team unit.
"“We protected better…We probably went 50-50 on third downs, ones versus ones. We did third-and-three, [third-and]-four, [third-and]-five and [third-and]–six, then we did [third-and]-seven, [third-and]-eight, [third-and]-nine and [third-and]-10.We had a guy wide open on one that we just barely missed that would have probably put it at advantage offense, with the ones…it was good competition. We did have better pockets to throw out of today. It was, overall, a better job by the offensive line, protecting.”"
Next up, the Miami Hurricanes staff will conduct Spring exit interviews with the players to discuss the five weeks of Spring Practice and what to work on this summer.
Next: Who Shined in the Miami Hurricanes Final Spring practice
The Hurricanes improved from 8-5 the year before Richt arrived to 9-4 during his first season in 2016 and 10-3 last season. Another one game improvement could mean a first ACC Championship for the Miami Hurricanes.