By Scott Salomon
Gameday has finally arrived, and Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal still has not released his two-deep lineup. The question remains as to who will line up for the Hurricanes at 7 p.m. EST when they kick off their 2023 season against the RedHawks of Miami (OH) on the ACC Network.
Our captains for Game 1 ?#GoCanes pic.twitter.com/0WXd7iXQlP
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) August 31, 2023
Miami has won its home opener at Hard Rock Stadium by an average of 38 points and is 15-0 all-time at HRS in home openers. They are a 16.5-point favorite at press time against the RedHawks.
Things are going to have to change from last season, however, where Miami lost home games to Middle Tennessee, Duke, and Pittsburgh en route to a dismal 5-7 season. Those were all games that Miami was projected to win.
But that was then, and this is now. Cristobal is coming into his second year at Miami and is lining up his own players.
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One thing that is guaranteed is that there will be a lot of fresh additions seeing playing time and trying to bring “The U” back to relevancy.
The Hurricanes had 15 incoming freshmen and seven transfers join the program in January as early enrollees. The 22 players are all fighting for playing time. There are 40 new Hurricanes on scholarship that were not on the team to start last season.
“Whenever you start up at a program again, and it has a rebuilding aspect, you have to sometimes go through a season like that and not make any excuse or sugar-coat it.”
— Mario Cristobal
Cristobal’s first recruiting class was the best-ranked class in program history. Miami’s 2023 class was the top-rated class in the ACC and in the state of Florida.
One thing that Cristobal had to do was shore up the holes in the offensive line. They had to get some beef up front to protect the quarterback and open holes for their speedy and shifty running backs.
The Hurricanes brought in two projected starters via the transfer portal: former Alabama guard Javion Cohen, and former UCF center Matt Lee, the number one center in the portal. These guys are plug-and-play athletes that are physical and are expected to dominate the line of scrimmage.
“I think me and Javion coming through the portal and also guys like Jalen Rivers and Anez Cooper and the new freshman Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola and a couple of other guys as well. We’re tough. We’re going to get after it,” Lee said.
In addition to Mauigoa and fellow five-star player Samson Okunlola, the Canes signed three other dominant offensive linemen Tommy Kinsler IV, Frankie Tinilau, and Antonio Tripp, Jr.
Mauigoa is penciled in at the right tackle position based on those who have witnessed the last few practices where he was running with the starting offense. The top-rated guard in last season’s graduating class, Okunlola might not be starting, but he will see plenty of playing time in different packages.
Miami also brought in speed. They surprised everyone just before signing day and got a commitment from speedster Mark Fletcher, from Plantation American Heritage High School. The former Ohio State commit will add shiftiness to an offensive backfield that thirsts for a breakaway back that the Canes have not seen since Duke Johnson.
With new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s Air Raid Offense being implemented this season, it was important to get shifty and speedy players on the perimeter who can score from long distance.
Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who was plagued by a shoulder injury for most of last season, is a big fan of the Air Raid and is looking forward to running the offense with his new “toys.”
“The thing I love about Coach Dawson’s offense, I mean, you guys saw what he did at Houston. Threw for almost — did throw for 4,000 yards, over 2,500 yards rushing,” Van Dyke gushed at the ACC Media Days last month.
“So, just gives the quarterback a lot of freedom. It allows you to put the ball in the hands of the playmakers. That’s my job to do,” Van Dyke stated.
Relentlessly working. All focus on 2023. 100% CANE!#GoCanes pic.twitter.com/AOdLDYhqol
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) April 20, 2023
The Hurricanes will have plenty of playmakers and will feature former JUCO transfer Colbie Young, who had an outstanding season last year. Freshmen Robby Washington and Nathaniel “Ray-Ray” Joseph will see playing time early, and they will be looking for the rock. Both players can dial long distance with the best of them. Look for the Air Raid to feature them on go-routes or simple bubble screens so they can run behind their Wall of Mirabal and find their way to big yardage. Add in Alabama transfer Tyrell Harrell and former Clemson transfer Frank Ladson, and you have an extremely speedy wide receiving corps.
Cristobal changed everything from the top down, and failure is not an option for this group. The attitude in the locker room is to win now.
“In other words, the steps that you cannot skip, those things have been in full force since the end of last season, and it’s led to a great offseason, a great signing day, class of best in our school’s history, a top-ten portal class,” Cristobal said. “Most importantly, the retainment of our top players and top leaders led to a great spring and now has had a great summer.”
The Hurricanes should win tonight fairly easily, but we said that about Middle Tennessee, too. The last thing that Cristobal wants to see is the RedHawks dancing on his field when the clock hits 0:00.
