Mario Cristobal has remade the Miami football roster less than two years after being hired. Over 20 former Miami players left via the transfer portal and 16 players have transferred to Miami since the end of the 2022 season. Only 11 offensive players remain on the Miami roster since Cristobal was hired in December 2021.
Offensive linemen Laurance Seymore, Zion Nelson, Jalen Rivers and Chris Washington, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, running back Donald Chaney, Jr., tight end Elijah Arroyo and wide receivers Jacolby George, Michael Redding III, Xavier Restrepo and Brashard Smith all preceded Cristobal on the Miami football roster.
When Cristobal was hired he stated that the “line of scrimmage needs to look a certain way….you cannot compromise” Nelson and Rivers project as starters in 2023 on the Miami offensive line if they are healthy. Both Nelson and Rivers are returning from injuries that cost them almost all of the 2022 season.
Seymore played in six games and started three as a redshirt freshman in 2022. In 2021, Seymore played in two games and was able to maintain his redshirt. Washington played in two games as a true freshman in 2021 and one in 2022. Two of the three games were versus Florida State. Washington likely just adds depth.
Chaney Jr. has missed most of the last two seasons because of injury. When healthy Chaney made an impact as a true freshman in 2020. Under former offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, Chaney had 68 carries for 322 yards and three touchdowns and added 11 receptions for 143 yards.
Van Dyke returns for his third season as the Miami starting QB in 2023 under his third different offensive coordinator. After being the ACC Freshman of the Year and Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2021, Van Dyke regressed in 2022 in the new offense and with a shoulder injury that limited him to nine games.
With Shannon Dawson hired as the new offensive coordinator, Van Dyke is expected to return to his 2021 form in the modified Air Raid system. Van Dyke will have fewer and quicker reads under Dawson. Expect Dawson to encourage Van Dyke to throw deep more often than was expected in 2022.
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Arroyo showed promise in limited action as a true freshman in 2021 with five receptions for 86 yards with one touchdown. Arroyo added five receptions for 66 yards in four games as a sophomore before suffering a season-ending injury in 2022. Entering his redshirt sophomore season Arroyo will compete to start at TE.
George, Restrepo and Smith are all projected to be in the Miami WR rotation in 2023. George has 20 receptions for 313 yards and one TD in two seasons with the Miami football program. Restrepo had 13 receptions for 172 yards and a TD in the first two games before an injury sidelined him for seven games in the middle of last season.
Restrepo finished last season with 21 receptions for 240 yards and two TDs. Smith provides Miami with excellent speed backing up Restrepo in the slot. Expect Smith to be pushed by true freshman Nathaniel Joseph for playing time. Smith has 47 receptions for 507 yards and two TDs in two seasons with Miami.
George should eclipse his career numbers in 2023. Restrepo projects to be the leading receiver for Miami in 2023. Smith could take a step back in numbers with Restrepo healthy and Joseph competing for a spot in the rotation. Redding has struggled with injuries throughout his Miami career and likely adds depth.