The 5-1 start for the Miami Hurricanes 2020 season can be attributed in large part to the transfers added over the past two seasons.
The top five Miami Hurricanes players in 2020 according to Pro Football Focus are dominated by transfers. Quarterback D’Eriq King, kicker Jose Borregales and defensive end Quincy Roche were graduate transfers to Miami this year, DE Jaelan Phillips and punter Lou Hedley signed in 2019.
Those five are the highest-ranked Miami Hurricanes this season according to PFF. King and new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee have brought an identity to the Miami Hurricanes offense. King has completed upgraded the play and leadership at QB for Miami this season. King is the sixth-ranked QB overall by PFF.
King received a grade of 89.1 overall as the sixth-ranked QB, an 81.9 grade to rank 15th as a passer and an 82.1 grade to rank third as a runner at QB. With a passer rating of 140.98 King ranks 45th nationally and is 58th with a 61.2 completion percentage. Miami had a 58.5 completion percentage in 2019.
Roche and Phillips have stabilized the Miami defensive line with a lot of inexperience at defensive tackle and the edge rushers behind them. Roche is the 24th ranked edge rusher with an overall grade of 78.2 a run grade of 68.0 to rank 72nd and a pass-rush grade of 80.2 to rank 20th. Roche also had a pass coverage grade of 90.4.
D'Eriq King on passes 20+ yards downfield vs Virginia
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 26, 2020
🏈 6 completions (1st)
🏈 156.3 passer rating
🏈 1 TD pic.twitter.com/4p4X8UnwtB
Phillips has been outstanding this season with Miami after transferring from Miami in 2019. Phillips ranks 33rd overall with a grade of 75.8, 30th with a grade against the run of 74.7 and a 75.2 grade as a pass rusher to rank 40th. In pass coverage, Phillips graded out at 76. There were not enough snaps to rank in pass coverage.
The Miami specialists were subpar in 2018. Miami upgraded from Zach Feagles to Hedley in 2019 and Bubba Baxa to Borregales for 2020. Hedley is the top-ranked punter in 2020 according to PFF with a grade of 84.7. Borregales is the second-ranked kicker grading 88.7 on PATs and field goals and 82.1 grade on kickoffs.
Hedley ranks seventh nationally with an average of 46.78 yards per punt. Hedley has helped Miami rank ninth nationally with an average of 44.39 net yards per punt. Borregales has made 10 of his 11 field goal attempts with the only miss being blocked on Saturday against Virginia. Borregales has made all 28 PATs.
Borregales is 13th with an average of 64.55 yards per kickoff. With Borregales kicking off, Miami ranks 48th nationally allowing an average of 19.78 yards per return. The Hurricanes are 26th with an average of 29.7 yards per game in kickoff returns. Miami is 5-1 largely because of the five highly ranked players by PFF.