Toss the depth chart for these Canes. And one area where Miami’s offense has soared
Throw out the depth chart for good — at least if you’re intrigued with the University of Miami receivers.
Hurricanes offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said Wednesday, two days before the road game at NC State, that coaches have decided to continue what they started before the last game by putting “OR” between all nine wide receiver spots at three wideout positions on the depth chart.
Apparently, even the receivers won’t know who runs out first until game day.
“We’re kind of learning that’s how our guys tick even more so than normal,’’ Lashlee said, repeating the “competition is always going to make us better” theme. “But that’s going to be who we want to be, because when guys are uncomfortable in a good way it makes you bring your best every day. It doesn’t allow you to relax. And I think that’s good.
“So, yeah, we’ll continue that — really across the board.”
No. 11 Miami (5-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) is ranked eighth of 15 teams this season in passing offense (244.2 yards a game), led by senior Mike Harley’s 57.3 receiving yards a game. Harley is 13th in the conference in receiving.
The Wolfpack is ranked 12th in pass defense, allowing 265.5 yards a game.
Lashlee was asked in particular about the receiving corps’ intention to become more explosive, as well as senior Harley’s spectacular day against Virginia on Oct. 24 — a performance that encompassed a career-best 10 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown.
“We just got to make that who we are,’’ Lashlee said, “gotta make that a consistent habit and not make it a onetime thing. I was really excited for Mike, kind of feel like he stepped up and led that group.”
Lashlee, like receivers coach Rob Likens, said he disagreed with Harley saying after his big game that players had not been practicing as diligently as they could or had not chosen to stay on their own to work on their skills after practice.
“I think sometimes guys get excited after a game and they say things,’’ Lashlee said. “Look, our guys haven’t been working any harder since the Clemson game than they were before. They weren’t staying after [practice] after the Clemson game and not before. They’ve been really working hard.
“I think the Clemson game really gave those guys some eye opening of it’s one thing to work really hard, but at some point we have to go out and do it. We have to go out and take what we feel like we’re working on and make it who we are. It became a mind-set of we’re extremely determined and extremely competitive and let’s go out and show we are capable of being a good receiving group.
“We talked about that against Pitt. We thought it was getting closer. They made some big plays against Virginia. We are going to have to continue that so people don’t think that was just a good night. We want that to be who we are. We don’t want this to be a deal where we come in and we’re talking about how great we did. We want that to be who we are. We got a lot of work to get there but I know that’s what those guys are striving for. Hopefully we can build on that this week.”
Third-down conversion increase
The Canes are now ranked fifth of 15 teams in the ACC with a 44 percent third-down conversion. Last season they finished with a 27 percent conversion rate, which was next to last of 130 FBS teams in the NCAA rankings.
“In fairness,’’ Lashlee said Wednesday, “I don’t know the best way to tell you what’s been the biggest reason for improvement because I’m not totally sure what happened a year ago. I do think when we’ve been successful this year, when we’re good on early downs, we’re in third-and-manageable situations. We weren’t great on third down against Pitt or Clemson and you look back at the end of the game and you go, ‘Well, why?’
“We had like five or six third-and-11 [or more] in both those games. It doesn’t matter who you are. You get third-and-11-plus, you’re going to really struggle. Having a quarterback who can get the ball out and obviously can make plays with his feet helps. Obviously last [game] we had some guys on the perimeter make some big plays. We’ve been able to run the ball, too, on third down at times which has helped us not be quite as predictable.”
What is the third-down percentage goal for the Hurricanes?
“Overall, our goal in every game is to be 45 percent or better,’’ Lashlee said. “And the reason we have our goals and statistics lined up is most years 45 percent or better is going to get you somewhere around the top 25 in the country in third-down percentage — whether it’s 23 one year, 28 one year. That’s kind of a good measuring stick, and so any game you go 50 percent or better on third down you feel really good.
“It all works together. Third-and-1 to 2 you expect to be 80 and 90 percent effective, whereas [third-and] 3 to 10 it’s more in that 50 percent range and 11-plus you go into the 20, 15 percent range.”
This story was originally published November 4, 2020 at 2:16 PM.
