ESPN names Tyler Van Dyke player with most to prove
Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was named during a roundtable among ESPN college football reporters that asked “Which player has the most to prove?” in 2023. Bill Connelly who became famous for his analytics running SP+ was the ESPN analyst who named Tyler Van Dyke as the player with the most to prove.
Tyler Van Dyke had a breakout 2021 season completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. During an injury-plagued 2022 season, Van Dyke completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 1,835 yards for 10 TDs and five interceptions. Miami needs more offensive consistency in 2023.
Led by Van Dyke Miami was 10th nationally averaging 321.2 passing yards per game in 2021. Miami dropped to 60th nationally averaging 239.1 passing yards per game in 2022. The 2022 passing yardage numbers were inflated in a three-game stretch when Miami threw for 1,154 yards.
Miami only threw for 1,715 yards in the other nine games. Jacurri Brown and Jake Garcia who has since transferred to Missouri were unable to overcome the loss of Van Dyke to injury. Miami needs Van Dyke healthy and productive in 2023. New offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson brings a modified Air Raid to Miami.
"“(Bill) Connelly: Van Dyke was 11th in Total QBR as a breakout star in 2021; Miami won five of six down the stretch after he got his footing, and he went into 2022, Cristobal’s first season as the Hurricanes’ head coach, as the program’s marquee star.And then he proceeded to plummet to 82nd in Total QBR, stuck between (former Wisconsin quarterback Graham) Mertz and Temple freshman E.J. Warner. He was banged up and benched and one of the major reasons Miami scored more than 31 points just once against FBS competition.Can new coordinator Shannon Dawson, his third OC in as many years, get both Van Dyke and the suddenly moribund offense back on track? The answer will determine whether Miami can inch its way back up the ACC totem pole, or whether the Cristobal era is going to start with back-to-back disappointments.”"
Entering the 2022 season some mock drafts projected Van Dyke as a first-round pick. Dawson led a Houston offense that finished 10th nationally averaging 314.0 passing yards per game in 2022. Under Dawson, Miami should return to a more aggressive and open offense under Dawson than they did under his predecessor Josh Gattis.
Dawson should potentially be more comfortable in a Dawson offense that likes to push the ball downfield. Van Dyke was among the leaders nationally in deep completions. Van Dyke was 13th with 26 completions of 30 or more yards and in at least the top 15 in increments of 10 beginning with 30-yard completions.
Next. ESPN analyst names Cristobal as coach with most to prove. dark
Miami needs the wide receiving corps to improve significantly in 2023 to help Van Dyke return to his 2021 form. Miami has yet to hire a WR coach eight days before spring practice starts. Expect Miami to add at least one WR transfer when the spring window is open in April. Miami needs an impact WR in 2023.