The Miami football team had the 10th best pass offense in the country in 2021 under former offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee. In the new offense led by new coordinator Josh Gattis Miami has fallen to 48th in 2022. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has regressed under Gattis compared to how he played under Lashlee in 2021.
Van Dyke threw for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns in each of the last six games of 2021. Only 2019 Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow had a six-game streak of 300 yards and three TDs during the college football playoff era. In 2021 Van Dyke has not thrown for 300 yards or three TDs in any of the four games.
Miami threw for 300 yards for the first time this season in the 45-31 loss in an attempt to rally from multiple 21-point deficits. Two TDs in the season-opening 70-13 win over FCS Bethune-Cookman is the 2021 high for Miami. The season-long regression by Van Dyke caused him to be benched versus Middle Tennessee State.
Van Dyke has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 801 yards, four TDs, three interceptions and a 122.45 passer rating in 2022. In a breakout 2021 season, Van Dyke completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,931 yards, 25 TDs and six interceptions with a 160.10 passer rating. The Miami season high is 29 TD passes.
In limited playing time in three of the four games, backup QB
has completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 272 yards, no TDs or interceptions 149.46 pass rating. The question for the Miami football team going forward is who will start at QB when the Hurricanes come off the bye on October 8 versus North Carolina.
The Miami offense was more explosive with Garcia at QB versus Middle Tennessee State. Garcia came in for Van Dyke and was 10-19 for 169 yards with no TDs and no interceptions versus the Blue Raiders. Garcia led three TD drives and another into the red zone that ended on downs versus Middle Tennessee State.
Miami is going to need an efficient offense against North Carolina who is eighth in the country in scoring. Middle Tennessee State was able to make the Miami football one-dimensional offensively by stacking the box and forcing the Hurricanes to throw. In 2021, the Miami offense was dependent on the pass with a subpar running game.
Miami has flipped in 2022 with an efficient run and below-average pass. After Miami had success on the ground the first three weeks, Middle Tennessee State held the Hurricanes to 1.58 yards per carry. Gattis, QB coach Frank Ponce and head coach Mario Cristobal need to figure out to fix the offense by next Saturday.