The Miami Hurricanes will hold its spring game at noon on Saturday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets for the game are sold out. Miami enters the game with a lot of players out or limited by injury. Linebacker Tirek Austin-Cave and running back Cody Brown announced their decisions to transfer this week.
The Miami Hurricanes will be extremely limited at RB in the spring game. With the decision to transfer by Brown, Thad Franklin and Henry Parrish are the only scholarship RBs who will play in the spring game on Saturday. Miami will have Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton back from injuries for August training camp.
Miami will also have incoming freshman TreVonte’ Citizen for training camp in August. New Miami RB coach Kevin Smith worked with Parrish at Mississippi. The Hurricanes have an entirely new offensive staff except for tight ends coach Stephen Field. Expect Miami to have a more physical running game in 2022.
Can Jake Garcia or Jacurri Brown push Tyler Van Dyke?
Barring unforeseen circumstances Van Dyke will be the starting quarterback when Miami hosts Bethune-Cookman on September 3 in the 2022 season opener. The question in the spring game is how much can Brown or Garcia push Van Dyke in the spring game. Garcia was 11-14 for 147 yards and two touchdowns in 2021.
Garcia suffered a season-ending injury against Central Connecticut State in the only game he played last season. Brown has looked good this spring. Brown is the prototypical dual-threat QB. He will sit behind Garcia and Van Dyke this season. The spring game will be the first time fans will view Brown in a game.
How will Franklin and Parrish handle the load on Saturday?
As the only scholarship RBs on the roster, Franklin and Parrish will be backed up by walk-ons on Saturday. The Spring Game is not an indication of how the carries will be split up this fall. Parrish has surged this spring after transferring from Mississippi. August training camp will give us a better idea of the 2021 RB depth chart.
How will the Miami Hurricanes linebackers play?
Linebacker play has been inconsistent since the last season of four-year starters Michael Pinckney and Shaq Quarterman in 2019. The new Miami defensive staff has taken a new approach to how the Hurricanes will tackle in 2022. Miami needs to stop the run better in 2022. The LBs are the biggest question mark.
Corey Flagg, Keontra Smith and Waynmon Steed return as the primary LBs from 2021. True freshman Wesley Bissainthe has been challenging Flagg, Smith and Steed this spring. With the stars of the Miami defense in the front and back four, the LBs will be scrutinized this weekend.
The spring game will provide fans their first look at Mario Cristobal on the sidelines leading the Miami football program. An intimate crowd should provide a good atmosphere at DRV PNK Stadium. With many players out, multiple players will have a chance to emerge in the Spring Game.