Manny Diaz encouraged by progress of Miami Hurricanes QBs
The hiring of The New Miami offensive coordinator quarterback coach Dan Enos was specifically made to improve the Hurricanes passing game in 2019 and beyond. Manny Diaz likes the progress the Miami QBs have made in the offseason.
Who will the Miami Hurricanes Quarterback on August 24 against Florida was one of the main focuses for Manny Diaz at the ACC Kickoff during his main question and answer session and during his other media appearances in Charlotte. Diaz likes the progress that the three candidates to start have made in six months under Enos.
Diaz commented at ACC Kickoff last week that Miami went from not having a QB they could win with when 2019 began to three QBs they are confident in as training camp begins on Friday night. With 30 days until Miami opens the season against Florida, the Hurricanes are expected to make a decision on the starter in about two weeks.
Enos has done an exceptional job with QBs throughout his coaching career. The QBs that Enos has coached and passing offenses he has overseen during his coaching career have frequently been among the best in the country. That was never more apparent than with Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts and Alabama in 2018.
Tagovailoa barely surpassed Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray of Oklahoma to set the all-time passing efficiency record last season and Alabama the FBS team passing efficiency record in 2018. No one is expecting any of the Miami QBs to reach those heights in 2019, but improvement is expected.
The Hurricanes had one of the most abysmal
in the country last season. Miami averaged 167.1 passing yards per game last season. It was their lowest since
when the Miami Hurricanes averaged 96.7 in their last season under Lou Saban. That was a year before Howard Schnellenger was hired.
Enos has come in and made a difference during the 2019 offseason. His addition to the Miami Hurricanes coaching staff and Tate Martell joining the football team have changed the approach for the QBs. Martell, Jarren Williams and N’Kosi Perry have all worked hard and improved in the offseason.
The QB race is the biggest question mark entering training camp. Everyone wants to know which signal-caller has the edge to start. Diaz spoke about the impact that Enos has made on the QBs during his seven months with Miami.
"“The natural concerns everyone is going to have for Miami, everyone is going to want to talk about the quarterback position. I think the best recruit we signed this off-season was Dan Enos. The minute Dan walked on campus, I think all of our quarterbacks improved. I get the opportunity to sit in his meetings every day.Dan is outstanding with the way we mentors and tutors those guys. They have all improved. They all showed during spring practice they all can be the quarterback for the University of Miami Hurricanes.We went from January 1st not having a quarterback on our campus we could win with, to on April 20th we had three quarterbacks on our campus we could win with.We had to go into the summer, let those guys be on their own, when coaches around allowed to watch, really found out who would take control of the football team.Two of the guys want to be the quarterback at Miami, one of the guys has to be the quarterback at Miami. I don’t know which guy that is here. I’m going to find out here in the next two or three weeks. Whatever guy that is, he’ll take the first snap against Florida at Orlando on the 24th.”"
Manny Diaz disappointed in N'Kosi Perry's off field behavior. dark. Next
The expectation is that Enos and Diaz will narrow the QB race to two players quickly. Following reducing the race to be the starting QB from three to two, Miami is expected to decide on a starter about two weeks before they play Florida. There is no indication when the starting QB would be named publically.