Miami football 7th in way too early ACC power rankings
Sam Marsdale of 247 Sports ranked the Miami football team seventh in his “ACC football: FSU headlines way-too-early power rankings heading into 2023.” After a vastly underachieving season in 2022, Miami enters the 2023 offseason with a considerable amount of skeptics. Miami has to prove itself in 2023.
Head coach Mario Cristobal and the Miami football staff have started the process of remaking the Hurricanes’ roster. Miami lost 19 players to the transfer portal in 2023. The Hurricanes have added seven transfers and 25 freshmen who signed national letters of intent last month to join Miami for the 2023 season.
The 2022 season was the last for the ACC with the Atlantic and Coastal divisions. Instead of each division champion earning a berth in the ACC Championship Game, the top two teams overall in the conference will play in the title game. Miami faces a far more difficult path to the ACC Championship game in the future.
The Atlantic Division was far more competitive in 2022 than the Coastal Division that Miami played in since 2005. Miami played in its only ACC Championship game in 2017 after winning its sole outright Coastal Division Title. Miami will play Boston College, Louisville and Florida State annually in the new ACC Football schedule format.
Miami football ACC Power Rankings entering offseason
"7. MIAMI HURICANES (5-7, 3-5 ACC)“The Hurricanes struggled on both sides of the ball, failing to reach 20 points on offense for the fourth time this season while allowing at least 40 points in five games in their season finale against Pittsburgh. Pressure will be on Mario Cristobal to fix this in Year 2. Expect the Hurricanes to be a bit better.”"
An injured shoulder to starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke hindered Miami offensively for most of the second half of the 2022 season. True freshman Jacurri Brown and redshirt freshman Jake Garcia who is transferring were inconstant for Miami at QB behind Van Dyke. Miami will look different offensively in 2023.
Miami QBs coach Frank Ponce was hired for the same position and offensive coordinator at Appalachian State. Ponce held the same position for the Mountaineers in 2021. There has been a lot of speculation that current Miami OC Josh Gattis will not return to the Hurricanes for the 2023 season.
The Miami football team needs Van Dyke to return to the form that earned him the ACC Rookie of the Year and offensive rookie of the year in 2021. The question remains if Miami has enough playmakers surrounding Van Dyke to produce offensively. Miami should have an improved offensive line in 2023.
Next. ESPN reports Miami QB Jake Garcia entering transfer portal. dark
Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is expected to return for Miami in 2022. The 40 points allowed five times by Miami defensively in 2022 was the first time that happened in program history. Miami allowed far too many big plays defensively in 2022. Miami needs vast improvement to surpass its ranking of seventh in the ACC.