Miami Football place in Preseason Athlon Sports 2023 Power Rankings

Athlon Sports has the Miami football team fourth in its “ACC Football: Preseason 2023 Power Rankings” which were published on Thursday. Miami enters the 2023 season with 41 new players and seven new coaches on its staff. Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports expects Miami to improve with the revamped roster.

The 41 new players on the 2023 Miami football roster are anchored by signing the seventh-best recruiting and transfer classes. Athlon Sports ranks Florida State first, Clemson second and North Carolina third. Miami plays the Seminoles, Tigers and Tar Heels this season over the final seven weeks of the season.

The 2023 Miami football schedule is back-loaded. Miami will be favored in four of its first five games. Virginia seems to be the only game Miami is guaranteed to be favored in its final seven games in the preseason outlook. The 2023 Miami schedule is mostly bereft of teams in the middle of the ACC Power Rankings.

Athlon Sports has Virginia 14th in its ACC Power Rankings. Boston College which Miami plays on November 24 in the final game of the 2023 regular season is 13th in the Power Rankings. Other Miami opponents are Georgia Tech which is 11th, Louisville eighth and North Carolina State which is sixth.

"4. Miami“The ‘Canes are too talented to repeat last year’s disappointing 5-7 mark in coach Mario Cristobal’s debut. Right? A revamped staff and a standout recruiting haul are two reasons for optimism in Coral Gables, and the returning talent features one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks in Tyler Van Dyke.A much-improved offensive line should also take the pressure off of Van Dyke. Lance Guidry is one of the ACC’s top coordinator hires for ’23, and with seven returning starters (plus a few portal additions), Miami has the pieces in place to improve after giving up 26.8 points a contest.”"

Van Dyke anchors the Miami offense under his third coordinator in as many seasons as a starter. Miami is expected to be far more diverse and explosive under new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson in 2023. Expect Dawson to tailor the system around the strengths of Van Dyke and the rest of the offensive personnel.

Guidry is expected to bring a more aggressive approach on defense. Marshall was ranked in the top 10 in multiple categories under Guidry in 2023. Guidry left Marshall for Tulane before being hired by Mario Cristobal. Several transfers and freshman Francis Mauigoa are expected to start for Miami in 2023.