Miami Hurricanes young stars need more playing time

We are just two weeks into the 2021 college football season and the Miami Hurricanes have struggled mightily.  They won their week two matchup against Appalachian State, but the win was very ugly. The Hurricanes defeated the Mountaineers 25-23 in a game they were favored by nine points at home.

If not for a game-winning field goal from freshman kicker Andres Borregales, the Miami Hurricanes would be 0-2 and could cause major concern. A big problem of the Canes has been the defense’s struggles in the first two games.

After being blown out by Alabama and giving up 44 points and 501 yards of offense (including five touchdowns), the Canes gave up 326 yards and three touchdowns. Against Appalachian State, Miami Hurricanes “star” safety Bubba Bolden was the second-lowest graded defender on the team.

Five-star 2021 safety signee James Williams played just one snap and four-star Kamren Kitchens, who forced a fumble against Alabama, played just two snaps. The two freshmen (Williams and Kitchens) did see action on special teams and head coach Manny Diaz said that the two would see more playing time moving forward.

"“Those guys are getting experience on special teams where they have a chance to impact victory or make mistakes that cost us.”"

Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, the other five-star 2021 signee for the Miami Hurricanes did not see any time on the field against Appalachian State, about which Diaz was quoted by the Miami Herald said:

"“LT is learning what to do; he’s got four veteran guys ahead of him. We expect him to get more reps as the season [goes along]. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”"

With Miami struggling defensively, it is time for these young stars to get onto the field for the Hurricanes, starting this Saturday against Michigan State. A spark defensively from young players with fresh legs could go a long way.

Another important aspect to think about is the lack of film that other players have on these young stars, especially Taylor. Playing on the defensive line, Taylor has the skill to give the Spartans fits up front, showcasing why he was one of the top recruits in the entire nation as a high schooler.

The Hurricanes have another tough test coming up against a Michigan State team that has defeated its first two opponents by a combined score of 80-35. Miami is going to have to be very sound defensively if they want to win this game, and playing their young recruits is going to be the way to go to make this happen.