Miami Hurricanes rising junior wide receiver Dee Wiggins was one of the best deep threats in college football in 2019 in a limited role. In a more open offense, Wiggins could become one of the most explosive players in college football in 2020.
Miami Hurricanes rising junior wide receiver Dee Wiggins had 20 receptions for 335 yards and leads all returning receivers with four TDs in 2019. In a far more wide-open offense in 2020, under new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, Wiggins is on the verge of a breakout season. Wiggins had three receptions over 50 yards in 2019.
The three receptions of 50 yards or more were 23rd in FBS in 2019. With K.J. Osborn graduated and Jeff Thomas moving on to the NFL following his junior season, Wiggins will be the primary deep threat for graduate transfer quarterback D’Eriq King in 2020. Miami needs more consistency from Wiggins this season.
The majority of Wiggins stats came in arguably the three best games of the 2019 season for the Miami Hurricanes offense. Against Virginia Tech in October and in back to back games against Florida State and Louisville in November, Wiggins recorded 10 receptions for 223 yards and three of his four TDs in those games.
The remainder of the season, Wiggins had 10 receptions for 112 yards and one TD. In the Lashlee offense, Miami is going to need Wiggins to be a big-play threat in the passing game. With Osborn on to the NFL, Mike Harley will likely become the go-to WR for King. Harley leads returning Miami WRs with 38 receptions for 385 yards.
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will work the middle of the field to create mismatches on linebackers and safeties and the running backs will also be utilized in the passing game. That leaves Wiggins to take on the primary role that he shared with Thomas last season to take the top off the defense.
Wiggins did not find the end zone against Virginia Tech, but he finished with four receptions for 84 yards. The sophomore had a breakout game against Florida State. Wiggins and former Miami QB Jarren Williams teamed up on what might have been the play of the game against the Seminoles.
With Miami leading 17-10 after a missed field goal (surprise, surprise) on the previous drive, Williams and Wiggins connected on a 56-yard touchdown less than three minutes into the fourth quarter to stretch the lead back to a two TD game. That is the kind of big-play ability Miami needs consistently from Wiggins in 2020.
The difference between Wiggins and the elite WRs in the country was nearly three-to-one in receptions over 50 yards in 2019. Ja’Marr Chase of LSU led FBS with nine receptions of over 50 yards and CeeDee Lamb of Oklahoma with second with seven. Working with new WR coach Rob Likens should help explosive plays on offense.
Likens was the offensive coordinator at Arizona State in 2019. Brandon Aiyuk tied for fourth nationally playing in the Likens offense with the Sun Devils with six receptions of 50 yards or more. LSU led the nation in 2019 with 15 plays of 50 yards or more. Led by Lashlee calling the plays SMU was 15th nine plays 50 yards or more.
With D’Eriq King at QB, the Miami Hurricanes should have a more proficient offense in 2020. King finished 10th nationally with eight pass plays of 50 yards or more in his last full season in 2018. The shifty signal-caller is also a threat on the ground which opens the passing game. The Miami offense will be more explosive in 2020.