Not many surprises on Miami football offensive depth chart

The Miami football team depth chart on offense for Saturday’s game against Florida first-team was as expected. There are a few surprises on the second-team.

The surprises with the release of the depth chart on offense for the Miami football team came with some of the backups. No decision has been made between Tate Martell and N’Kosi Perry on who the second-team quarterback will be. They were listed as 2A and 2B.

The starters were as expected. Jarren Williams is the starting QB as named last week. DeeJay Dallas at running back, K.J. Osborn as the X-wide receiver, Jeff Thomas as the Z, Mike Harley in the slot and Brevin Jordan at tight end.

The offensive line will have from left to right, Zion Nelson and John Campbell at the tackles, Corey Gaynor at center and Navaugh Donaldson at the guards. The only players returning at the same positions they started at in the Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin are Dallas and Thomas. Donaldson started at RG and Scaife at RT against Wisconsin.

The surprises other than maybe no decision being made yet for the second team QB were other backups. The depth chart only went two-deep. Graduate transfer Tommy Kennedy who was projected to be the team’s started left tackle in 2019 when he signed in December 2018, was not on the depth chart.

Junior college transfer Ousmane Traore is the backup to Scaife at right guard. Redshirt sophomores Kai-Leon Herbert and Zalon’tae Hillery are the backups at left and right tackle. Campbell is a player to keep on eye on against Florida. Andrew Ivins of Inside the U stated that Campbell is “a serviceable run blocker, but struggles in pass protection.”

Osborn, Thomas and Harley are expected to get the majority of snaps at wide receiver. Osborn has brought a veteran presence and strong work ethic as a graduate transfer from Buffalo. He has become the leader of the wide receiver corps before playing a game for the Miami football team. True Freshman Jakai Clark is the second-team center.

Thomas led Miami in receptions and receiving yards in 2018 despite being dismissed from the team before the last regular-season game. He is an explosive player. Thomas was on pace early last season to set the Miami football records for All-Purpose and receiving yards in a season. Harley is Miami’s third-leading returning receiver.

The backups at wide receiver are sophomores, Mark Pope at the X, Brian Hightower and Dee Wiggins at the Y and former walk-on Marshall Few in the slot. The omission of true freshman Jeremiah Payton from the two-deep depth chart was a surprise.

Jordan is backed up at tight end by Will Mallory and Michael Irvin II. A lot is being expected from Jordan and Mallory this season. They will be used often as dual tight ends. Jordan finished third on Miami in receptions and receiving yards and second in TDs in 2018. He leads the Hurricanes returnees in receiving touchdowns.

Dallas and Cam’Ron Harris will see a lot of snaps against Florida. With Williams starting his first game and seeing his first significant playing time, the Hurricanes will likely rely heavily on the ground game against the Gators. Dallas is ready to move up to first-team RB. He ran for 617 yards and six TDs as Travis Homer’s primary backup in 2018.

Harris is stepping into a much larger role this season after flashing his talents against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in 2018. Harris ran for 166 yards and two TD and added a TD receiving last season. He ran for 125 yards and both TDs and added the receiving TD against the Hokies and Yellow Jackets. Harris needs to maintain that consistency in 2019.