Miami Hurricanes Football: Interim Report, Offense

This is shocking but true: we’re halfway through the Miami Hurricanes football season already! Well, the regular season, at least. And, halfway through the 12 game regular season, the Canes are undefeated at 6-0, and ranked in the top 10 in the country.

With half the games already played, and half still ahead of us, I decided to lean back on my teachering roots and give some interim reports for the team. AND, like the good teacher that I was, I’ll also give some tips to end the year with an “A” — in our case, a playoff berth.

You ready? Let’s get it!

Offensive Grades

Quarterback – A+++++

Cam Ward is accounting for just under 4 TDs per game — 23 total TD’s through 6 games — leads the country in passing yards (2219), and touchdowns (20), and has directed the Miami offense to the top of the charts: most yards and points and first downs and highest 3rd down conversion rate and, most importantly, undefeated. Sure there have been a couple of bad throws (like that cross-body stupidity for a pick-6 at Cal), but c’mon. Miami’s QB is a legit Heisman Trophy candidate, if not the front runner. What grade did you expect me to give here?

I will have to mention that Ward has had some things that aren’t perfect. 5 interceptions, including 2 cross-body/thrown back into the middle of the field that were quite bad. And he holds the ball a LONG time hunting big plays (which he normally finds). And, even with a 69.2% completion rate, he’s still missed some open throws, and had no fewer than 4 touchdowns called back due to penalty. But, that’s nitpicking the nation’s best QB through 6 games. And, it’s true. It’s scary to see the numbers Ward and Miami have put up and realize that they could be much better with a few minor tweaks.

I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the backups. Reese Poffenbarger is fine, but his real value is allowing Emory Williams to redshirt this year. Williams is in line to potentially start next year, and went 11/12 passing in his only game action. The backups haven’t really been needed, which is a blessing, but they’ve earned passing grades in the limited action they’ve seen. There’s talent behind Ward, but let’s make things clear: this team goes as Cam Ward goes.

Running Back – B

This grade takes everything in account for the RBs. Running the ball, catching the ball, and pass protection. The rushing numbers have been a bit lower than we would optimally like through half the season — Miami is 44th in the country averaging 183.8 yards per game (wait, really that much?!) — but it’s been a bit feast and famine. With 5 backs who can play at this level, there’s plenty of talent to go around.

Damien Martinez has been a bit underwhelming on the whole, but he’s shown up in big moments in several games. Mark Fletcher Jr looks like the franchise guy here, and his future as the feature back is bright. Jordan Lyle is stellar as a true freshman, and had the longest TD run in Miami history against USF. Chris Johnson Jr. is electric, but seldom used. His game-breaking speed is a weapon Miami needs to figure out how to use in a way other than the “one-play, the-ball-is-definitely-going-to-him” thing they’re doing now. Oh, and he’s gonna break a KR for a touchdown this year. He’s been 1 step away several times and he’s gonna break one soon, I feel it. And lastly, Ajay Allen is kind of forgotten, but he makes plays and flashes elite speed when he gets in the game.

183.8 yards rushing per game is WAY more than it feels like Miami averages, but the run game has worn down opposing defenses through the course of games. The exception was the Cal game, where Miami was imposing their will on the Bears, but had to start throwing when the score got way out of whack. Still, I think this run game has been better than initially thought, and should become a real weapon for this team in the second half of the year.

Advertisement

Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

Advertisement

Wide Receiver – B+

When you have the #1 passing offense in America, you have very high levels of performance by the QB (already talked about that) and the receivers. In Miami’s case, the QB is outplaying the WRs a bit, but both are playing to a very, very high level.

Leading the way is Xavier Restrepo. He’s always open, Cam Ward’s go-to read on every key play (multiple 3rd and 4th down conversions have gone to Restrepo so far this season), and he’s putting his name all over Miami’s all-time record book. He holds the record after posting his 9th 100-yard receiving game at Cal, and is sure to be atop the list in career catches and yards, likely before the end of the regular season.

Isaiah Horton is stepping into stardom right before our eyes. He’s big, strong, and fast, and has the athletic profile of a big X receiver that Miami has sorely needed for many years. Sam Brown and Jacolby George have made some plays, but their inconsistency and idiocracy — we’re STILL getting the every-game personal foul for hitting another player or something similar, Jacolby? — has been frustrating to watch. Both players are talented, to be clear, but they need to lock in and play to the level of their talent more consistently, in all phases of the game.

Behind those 4 at receiver, there hasn’t been many snaps played, or stats generated, by the rest of the group. Ray Ray Joseph is a dynamic slot receiver, but there’s no way he’s taking snaps from Restrepo. Joshisa Trader has rotated in for Brown and George at times, and could play his way into more snaps the rest of the season. He needs to develop his body more to deal with the physical demands of high-major CFB though.

With Restrepo leading the way, this group should continue to excel. The rest of the group could stand to see their performance, mainly their consistency, improve to take things to an even higher level through the rest of the season.

Tight End – A+

The return of Elijah Arroyo has been truly transformational for the Miami offense. Canes TE’s caught 18 passes, total, in the 2023 season. The group has nearly doubled that through 6 games with 31 catches, and Arroyo himself has 14 catches and 4 TDs — including the game-winner at Cal — through 6 games. When you take into account the fact that TE’s were pretty much absent from the offense entirely last year and compare it to what Arroyo, and others, have added to the team so far this season, the difference is mind-blowing.

Cam McCormick, the famously old player in his 9th year, continues to be a value add to the offense. Mainly known for his great run blocking, McCormick has added 2 touchdowns — the first score of the year at Florida, and a late TD during the comeback run against VT. He can be paired with Arroyo to make a formidable duo on the field, and that should continue.

Youngsters Riley Williams and Elija Lofton have made some key plays — Williams with the improvised chest-pass and run against VT and Lofton with a huge catch up the seam against Cal — and played well overall in limited roles. They’re good part-time players now and should develop into starring roles in the future.

Offensive Line – B+

When you have the offensive production that Miami has posted to this point of the season, the offensive line has to be playing at a very high, if not elite level. Such is the case for Miami this season as well.

As I stated in the QB part of this piece, Miami’s offense is atop the country in points, yards, passing yards, touchdowns, points scored, first downs, third down conversions, and undefeated at 6-0. And a “challenged” running game is averaging nearly 184 yards per game.

One of the downsides statistically are the 9 sacks allowed so far this season. That’s only 1.5 per game, but such has been the levBut, when you have a QB who holds the ball as long as Ward does — intentionally as he surveys the field and hunts down explosive plays — that will happen from time to time. Additionally, there have been several holding calls that have taken points off the board, most notably the terrible call/non-hold called against Markel Bell in the Virginia Tech game.

Starting on the right side, Right Tackle Francis Mauigoa continues to raise the already-high level of his performance. A Freshman All-American after being a 5-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class, Mauigoa has the look and play of a future first round pick. He hasn’t allowed a QB hit or sack this season, and routinely buries defenders in run blocking and pass protection. He’s a monster. Enjoy him while he’s here. It won’t be much longer.

Right Guard Anez Cooper continues to prove himself as one of the biggest internal evaluation and recruiting wins of recent memory. He’s lost the bad weight he came to Miami with, and has cemented himself next to Mauigoa on the right side of the line. His present is great, and his future is bright, too.

Center Zach Carpenter has been another homerun transfer portal addition to the line. He’s stepped in and answered the question of “what will Miami do at Center now that Matt Lee is gone?” and passed every test with flying colors. He’s been in control of the calls at the line, worked with Cam Ward to get Miami into the right protections time and time again, and he’s bridged a necessary gap on the OL.

Left Guard was a battle out of camp between Ryan Rodriguez and Matthew McCoy. After starting the opener at Florida, Rodriguez hasn’t played in any other game due to injury. McCoy has been pretty solid at that position (and is a more physically imposing player which I prefer over Rodriguez) and has grown a lot in his performance. Though McCoy’s performance has been a hot-button topic on social media and in the SOTU comments, he has gotten praise from Mario Cristobal on multiple occasions. I’ll side with Coach on this one.

Left Tackle has been another position affected by injury. Returning starter Jalen Rivers was also injured in the Florida game and has missed the other 5 games this season. He’s on schedule to return for the second half of the season, starting with the Louisville game, and he’ll be needed to help raise the level of Miami’s OL.

Markel Bell, the monster 6’9” 340lb JUCO transfer, has stepped in for Rivers and played well at Left Tackle. No, he hasn’t been perfect, and yes, he struggled at times with Antwuan Powell-Ryland from Virginia Tech, but other than that he’s actually been good. And, when that mountain of a man gets his hands on smaller defenders, which is pretty much everyone, he buries them easily. Bell still plays a bit too high, but he’s 6’9” and bending is hard. But, his play through the first half of the season portends great things for him on the Left Side of Miami’s line in the years to come.

Kicker: A

Andres Borregales has gone 7/8 on FGs, 30/30 on PATs, and has 34 touchbacks on 46 kickoffs so far this season. So, basically, he’s 1 kick from perfect. Yeah, that’ll work.

Those are my interim reports for the Miami offense. Leave your grades in the comments below. Defensive grades coming soon!

Go Canes