A very early preview of the 2018 Miami Hurricanes Football season
The Miami Hurricanes and Head Coach Mark Richt expect to be in contention again this year for the College Football Playoffs. Miami broke through last year with an ACC Coastal Division title and a trip to the Orange Bowl.
The 2017 Miami Hurricanes made a statement. ESPN ranks Miami eighth in their post Spring Practice rankings. The U looks to get back in a bowl game and make some noise.
The season didn’t end the way Miami Hurricanes fans wanted it to. Miami lost 34-24 in the Orange Bowl to the Wisconsin Badgers. However, Richt has the boys on the right track. Miami is is expected to have a remarkable season.
The Miami Hurricanes have many offensive weapons, the turnover chain should make repeated appearances once again this year. The question that always lingers is the quarterback job. Having all the right pieces, Miami just needs to put them together.
Malik Rosier is coming off a 10 win season with the Canes. The fifth-year senior has struggled with inconsistency. His inconsistency has led to a lack of support from the Miami fanbase. During the three-game losing streak, the Hurricanes had to end the 2017 season, Rosier’s completion percentage was 44.9 percent.
Redshirt Freshmen N’Kosi Perry and Cade Weldon and true freshman Jarren Williams are ready to take his job this season. If Rosier’s accuracy doesn’t play up to par, there will likely be some changes under center.
In spite of the quarterback play, the Miami offense has weapons. Coming off knee surgery and looking better than ever, Ahmmon Richards is back along with speedsters Jeff Thomas and Mike Harley.
The backfield includes Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas. We have all seen what they can do.
Freshman tight ends Will Mallory and Brevin Jordan have high expectations coming into this program and making a name for themselves. Other players like Freshman running back Lorenzo Lingard and wide receivers, rising Junior Lawrence Cager and Freshman Mark Pope also are going to have a big impact on this offense.
The offensive line has not been great. The only sure things are seniors, left tackle Tyree St. Louis and center Tyler Gauthier. Sophomore Navaughn Donaldson has right tackle locked. The rest of the O-Line is up for grabs. The summer is long and this coaching staff will put something together to protect the line.
The dazzling turnover chain caught the country’s attention last year 30 times. With 13 fumbles and 17 interceptions, the Canes should repeat this number of turnovers.
Miami’s defense didn’t play well during the three-game losing streak. The Hurricanes coverage struggled as opponents completed 70.1 percent of their passes in the final four games and only picking it off once.
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The D-Line is looking solid though. Ends Joe Jackson and Jonathan Garvin and tackles Gerald Willis and highly anticipated Freshman Nesta Silvera all have NFL talent. This line should hold it down and go to work in the trenches for the Canes.
The rest of the defense should improve with the players who are returning and the Freshmen coming in. Seniors, Safety Jaquan Johnson and cornerback Michael Jackson and Sophomore cornerback Trajan Bandy lead the secondary. Michael Pickney, Shaq Quarterman, and Zach McCloud lead the linebacking squad with other competitors in line.
With kicker Michael Bagdley out the door, Freshman Bubba Baxa will fill his shoes in a big role for this Canes team. Punter Zach Feagles struggled last year. With a lot of offseason work, he should grow and make this season better than last. Also, expect Jeff Thomas or Deejay Dallas replace Braxton Berrios returning punts.
With work to do this offseason, Miami will look to get back into the College Football Playoff discussion and the ACC title game. Mark Richt is building a championship caliber team little by little.
Next: Miami football kicks off against LSU in 100 days
There have been signs and it has been proven last year. Opening up against LSU, Miami’s goal to come out with some fireworks and show the world the U is back.
Prediction:
National Ranking: 4
ACC Coast Prediction: 1