24 Days until Miami football: Travis Homer 2018 preview

Jaquan Johnson won the Miami football team MVP in 2017. No one might have been more important to the Hurricanes than running back Travis Homer.

Graduated wide receiver Braxton Berrios was named the 2017 Miami football offensive MVP after leading the Hurricanes in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last season. If it wasn’t for Homer the Hurricanes offense might have fallen apart in 2017.

Homer carried the ball just 25 times in the Miami football team’s first four games. Eleven of those carries for 103 yards came in a 41-13 Hurricanes blowout in the season opener over FCS school Bethune-Cookman.

Mark Walton was the returning starter at running back in 2017 after having over 1,300 yards of total offense and 15 touchdowns in 2016. Walton was off to a good start in 2017 with 500 yards of total offense and three touchdowns until he reinjured an ankle against Florida State that would require surgery and end his season.

Homer stepped up as the starter the remainder of the way. In his first game as the first string running back, Homer ran for 170 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown and added another 18 yards on two receptions and another touchdown in a victory over Georgia Tech.

There were many questions outside the Miami locker room and program if Homer could be more than a third-down back. Offensive Coordinator Thomas Brown told the Miami Herald that the Hurricanes Coaching staff was more concerned with the lack of competition behind Homer.

It’s clear to Brown and the Miami offensive staff that Homer is the starter at running back.

"“Travis has by far separated himself as the number one guy; he does everything from a three-down tailback standpoint, does well in pass protection.”"

Homer was exceptional for most of the remainder of the 2017 season. He had four more games with at least 95 yards rushing. Three of those games Homer had over 100 yards in total offense.

Homer finished the season with 966 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He caught 18 passes for another 219 yards and touchdown. After the season Homer was named second-team All-ACC. That’s an incredible accomplishment for a player that began the season as second-string.

Homer enters 2018 with a different set of expectations. We saw what he can do in 2017. Homer struggled in the final three games of the season, all Miami losses. Some of that can be attributed to the offensive line struggling.

When Walton sustained the season-ending injury, DeeJay Dallas was moved from wide receiver to running back to help Homer with the carrying the football. Miami quarterback Malik Rosier also helped out with 468 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Miami brings in a loaded backfield in the 2018 recruiting class. Five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard is expected to challenge Homer and Dallas for carries.

In most programs, a four-star running back would have a chance to be a starter. With the depth that Miami has, four-star Freshman running back Camron Davis could be a candidate to redshirt this season.

Richt said during the ACC Kickoff Media days that 2017 was the first season in his nearly 30-year coaching career that he didn’t have a true fullback in his offense. Miami will return to utilizing the fullback as a lead blocker in 2018.

Trayone Gray was moved from halfback to fullback for the upcoming season. Brown likes Gray’s straight-line speed. Miami also brings in the top fullback in the Class of 2017, Realus George.

Homer’s quick rise was unlikely. He might have had to wait until his Senior season to become a starter if Walton had stayed healthy in 2017 and returned for his Senior season in 2018.

Homer has been rewarded by being named to the watch lists for the Maxwell Award honoring the Nation’s best player and the Doak Walker for the best running back. If Homer can stay healthy and consistent throughout 2018, the awards and accolades should come rolling in.