Miami football ranked preseason 24th nationally by Bleacher Report

The additions of offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and quarterback D’Eriq King during the 2020 offseason have propelled the Miami football program to 24th in the preseason rankings from the Bleacher Report.

There has been a lot of excitement during the offseason for the Miami football program. The hiring of new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and the addition of former Houston quarterback D’Eriq King as a graduate transfer were cited as the main reasons by the Bleacher Report for them to rank the Hurricanes 24th nationally.

The transfer portal has become a staple for Manny Diaz and the Miami football program in the last two offseasons. The 2019 transfer portal additions other than wide receiver K.J. Osborn did not perform up to expectations. The 2020 additions in the transfer portal for the Hurricanes were quality more than quantity.

Miami added five players during the 2020 offseason. Four of those players were graduate transfers. In addition to King, the Hurricanes have added defensive end, Quincy Roche, from Temple, offensive tackle Jarrid Williams joining King at Miami from Houston and former FIU kicker Jose Borregales.

Miami also signed freshman offensive tackle Issiah Walker after he left Florida to return home following one semester with the Gators. The focus on the Miami football team this fall will be how well Lashlee and King can integrate the new offense with the returnees the Hurricanes have from 2019.

"24. Miami HurricanesNew offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and transfer quarterback D’Eriq King are the foundation of the ever-present offseason Miami hype. The change to a spread-based attack is a long-awaited move, and King figures to be dangerous in Lashlee’s system.Special-teams breakdowns and fourth-quarter meltdowns crushed Miami in 2019; will Manny Diaz and Co. avoid a repeat in the fall?"

The change to Lashlee’s up-tempo, spread offense has been asked for by the Miami fanbase and media what has seemed like an indefinite period of time. The system Lashlee runs is much simpler than the pro-style offense Miami previously conducted. The Lashlee system is about the tempo more than anything else.

Miami is expected to be able to wear down opposing defenses in 2020. SMU, where Lashlee coached 2018-2019, ran about 15 more plays per game than the Hurricanes did in 2020. The short summary from David Kenyon of the Bleacher Report surprisingly did not mention Roche and redshirt sophomore DE Greg Rousseau.

The Hurricanes pass rush is as much a part of the“ever-present offseason Miami hype” that Kenyon spoke of as Lashlee and King will be. The comment was clearly a shot at the Hurricanes often being lauded during the offseason and failing to live up to expectations during the season.

The 2020 season will not be make or break for Diaz. If the Hurricanes want to keep the nation’s 11 ranked recruiting class for 2021 they need to live up to the hype that has been awarded them for the past six months. Diaz has made the necessary changes on the Miami roster and coaching staff now they have to prove it on the field.