Shannon Dawson leads new Miami football explosive offense
The Miami football team beat Texas A&M on Saturday by creating big plays, mostly through the passing game. Miami is far more explosive offensively under offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson. Miami had nine pass plays of 15 yards or more that generated 298 yards and added another four runs of 10 yards or more for 55 yards.
Miami is 25th nationally with 36 plays of 10 or more yards. Miami finished 67th nationally in 2022 with 176 plays of 10 or more yards. Xavier Restrepo led the Miami WRs with four receptions of 15 or more yards. Colbie Young had two receptions of 15 or more yards and Jacolby George, Isaiah Horton and Cam McCormick had one.
Henry Parrish had three runs of more than 10 yards and Ajay Allen had one. George and Restrepo are tied for 25th nationally with seven receptions of 10 or more yards. Restrepo is also tied for eighth nationally with five receptions of 20 or more yards. Tyler Van Dyke is tied for 32nd nationally with 20 completions of 10 or more yards.
Pushing the ball downfield, Van Dyke rises up the list of explosive completions. Van Dyke is 13th with 10 completions of 20 or more yards, 15th with five pass plays of 30 or more yards, fourth with four completions of 40 or more yards and fifth with two completions of 50 or more yards.
Miami has been able to establish a downfield passing game without speedy transfer Tyler Harrell making an impact. George, Restrepo and Young have established themselves as the top three receivers for Miami. Horton had a big 52-yard TD reception on Saturday to help bring Miami back versus Texas A&M.
Parrish who is not known for being explosive ranks 13th nationally with seven runs of 10 or more yards through the first two weeks. The Miami football team ranks fourth nationally as a team averaging 8.21 yards per play. The Hurricanes are 11th nationally averaging 43 points per game versus FBS teams.
The numbers the Miami football team is putting up are stark compared to the 2022 offense that struggled immensely. Miami was 114th nationally in 2022 averaging 19.4 PPG against FBS teams. The Hurricanes were 104th nationally averaging 4.8 yards per play in 2022 versus FBS opponents.
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The Miami offense appears to have returned to the level they produced in 2020 and 2021 under former offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee. Van Dyke looks far more comfortable in the Dawson offense than he did in the West Coast offense that Miami ran last season. Miami should continue to be productive offensively this season.