Van Dyke and Rambo dominate in Miami’s second spring scrimmage. Spring Game on tap
Two down and one big one to go.
The University of Miami had its second spring football scrimmage Friday night, and this time it was second-year freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and Oklahoma transfer receiver Charleston Rambo who played huge under the lights at Hard Rock Stadium.
Van Dyke, who also played well in UM’s first scrimmage March 27, finished the night completing 13 of 17 passes (76.4 percent) for 190 yards and three touchdowns. Freshman Jake Garcia, Van Dyke’s biggest competitor for the backup job behind starter D’Eriq King (rehabbing from a torn ACL), finished 18 of 27 (66.6) for 164 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Rambo, from Cedar Hill, Texas, and listed as 6-1 and 175 pounds, pulled in seven catches for 107 yards. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
If Garcia threw the only interception, then safety Bubba Bolden was the player who earned it.
In UM’s first spring scrimmage, Van Dyke was 10 of 15 (66.6) for 114 yards and a touchdown, while Garcia was 15 of 19 (78.9) for 188 yards and a touchdown.
All of Friday’s statistics, plus several more, were reported by coach Manny Diaz in a UM-produced video at the end of the scrimmage.
Trick play TD
“We started off with a long touchdown [58 yards] on a trick play — Van Dyke to Rambo,’’ Diaz said. “Rambo...just looked explosive all night. I thought we showed explosion in the passing game.”
Some other numbers:
▪ Receiver Dee Wiggins had five catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns.
▪ Receiver Mike Harley had three catches for 34 yards.
▪ Second-year freshman running back Jaylan Knighton was UM’s leading rusher with 66 yards on 12 carries — 5.5 yards a carry.
▪ Running back Cam’Ron Harris rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on eight carries — 4.8 yards a carry. “Tonight he kind of leaped over a defender on his way to the end zone, which was impressive,’’ Diaz said.
▪ Freshman Andres Borregales hit all three of his field goals of 44, 52 and 43 yards.
“I thought they reacted very well — Friday night under the lights,’’ the coach said. “It’s just a different atmosphere than what you see on Greentree Practice Field or any other places that we get to travel to scrimmage. You especially see it in the younger guys. The game moves a little faster out there and it was a little tough on them. But I think everybody, as the night wore on, got comfortable in the environment and it ended up being a pretty good tug of war.”
Diaz said cornerback DJ Ivey “had a couple” pass breakups. “DJ has been so ball disruptive this entire week in practice,’’ Diaz said. “He had a really good week.”
Young defenders excel
Added the coach: “It’s fun to see some of the young guys. [DE] Cam Williams broke up a pass on a screen, had four tackles overall. [LB] Avery Huff had six. [S] Kam Kinchens had five, which was good to see. Overall, we were able to play a lot of people and I didn’t see a big dropoff — especially once the young secondary kind of got their sea legs.
“After the first couple drives both groups went out there and competed hard.”
Diaz said the defense in the first half “really dominated the line of scrimmage, similar to the first scrimmage. The offensive line did a nice job as the day went on, opening up some holes for the backs in the second half.’’
The Hurricanes revealed on Twitter just minutes before the scrimmage began that it would take place at their home stadium. For some players, such as Rambo and cornerback transfer Tyrique Stevenson, it was the first time seeing Hard Rock as Hurricanes, according to UM on social media.
“Words can’t even explain,’’ Stevenson posted on Twitter a couple hours after the scrimmage ended.
Three practices left
Just two practice sessions and the April 17 spring game at Hard Rock Stadium (11 a.m. ACC Network) remain, hopefully giving coaches whatever they’ll need to solidify a pecking order for each position going into fall camp in August.
Next week the Canes are scheduled to practice Tuesday and Thursday before coming together Saturday for the spring game. The game, though televised, will be closed to most of the public, with only invited guests attending.
“We’re obviously looking forward to coming back here Saturday with a game that’s on ACC Network for all our fans to see,’’ Diaz said. “We wish we could have our fans here at the stadium. That’s hopefully the last reality of the pandemic. But we will be here. We gotta get healthy. We got a couple guys nicked up. Get our team healthy and maybe look at a couple schematic things this last week and come back here for a great spring game on Saturday.”
This story was originally published April 9, 2021 at 10:29 PM.
