Lashlee explains what’s changed in UM’s offense. Plus Silvera update, Williams’ big honor
It’s easy to split this season into two halves for the Miami Hurricanes’ offense.
For three consecutive games at the start of the season, Miami’s offense — which came into the year with massive expectations after ranking in the top 40 in most major categories last year — never averaged more than 5.2 yards per play and the Hurricanes never scored more than 25 points. In Week 4, Tyler Van Dyke took over with quarterback D’Eriq King injured and the offense transformed.
The freshman has now started five consecutive games, and Miami has averaged more than 5.2 yards per play and scored at least 28 points in all five. The Hurricanes, particularly in the past two weeks, finally look like the team they expected to be at the beginning of the season and Rhett Lashlee passed a ton of the credit onto his second-year quarterback.
“He’s played really well the last two weeks. You can’t deny that,” the offensive coordinator said. “He’s played like a guy who’s a veteran, played a lot of ball. I think that’s why we’ve had success and been able to do enough on offense to help us win the game.”
In his last two games, Van Dyke is 57 of 75 for 751 yards, seven touchdowns and just one interception, and Miami (4-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) has back-to-back wins against top-20 opponents.
His turning point, Lashlee said, came in the second half of a loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels last month. Van Dyke went 15 of 30 for 205 yards and a touchdown, and nearly led a game-winning drive before he threw an interception in the red zone. Since then, he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country, grading out as the fourth best in Power 5 Conferences in the last two weeks, according to Pro Football Focus.
“Once he realized ... OK, I belong, it gave him a lot of confidence to just go out and play,” Lashlee said. “I’ve gained a lot of confidence in him.”
It was obvious in the play-calling Saturday when the Hurricanes upset the then-No. 17 Pittsburgh Panthers. Van Dyke completed seven passes of at least 20 yards, including a pair of 57-yard completions. Van Dyke’s arm strength is his greatest tool, and Lashlee’s trust in it has opened up the offense.
It was even evident in Van Dyke’s two losses. Lashlee conceded he was too conservative in the first half against the Virginia Cavaliers and Miami nearly mounted a comeback when he became more aggressive out of necessity, then a similar script played out in North Carolina.
It’s not entirely about Van Dyke, though. The Hurricanes are running the ball better in ACC play — they’re at 3.6 yards per carry after they ran for 2.5 in their two nonconference games against Power 5 teams — and the offensive line, particularly the interior play, has been much improved.
Offensive lineman DJ Scaife, who started the year at right tackle, is now at right guard and playing the football of his career, according to Pro Football Focus. Jakai Clark, who has now started five straight games at center since fellow offensive lineman Corey Gaynor went down with a season-ending injury, also drew praise from Lashlee as the turnaround has coincided with his ascent.
“We’ve been better both running and protecting,” Lashlee said. “I think we’ve protected [Van Dyke] really well the last few weeks.”
Michael Redding out for season
Michael Redding III hasn’t been in uniform for Miami’s past three games and Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz gave an explanation for the wide receiver’s absence Monday: Redding sustained a labrum injury earlier in the season and requires season-ending surgery.
Redding remained part of the Hurricanes’ two-deep depth chart even in his absence, although he played sparingly prior to the injury. The second-year freshman had just one catch for 3 yards this year, in Miami’s season-opening blowout loss to the then-No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in September.
In the weeks since, freshman wide receivers Romello Brinson and Brashard Smith passed Redding in the rotation.
The Hurricanes are hopeful they will have defensive lineman Nesta Jade Silvera back Saturday against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, though. The junior did not play Saturday because of an illness — not COVID-19, a team spokesperson said — after starting at defensive tackle in each of the two previous games at defensive tackle.
Silvera was in a team meeting Sunday, defensive line coach Jess Simpson said. With Silvera out, defensive linemen Jared Harrison-Hunte and Jonathan Ford started in the interior.
Williams, Van Dyke get honors
Another week, another couple of freshmen taking home ACC Player of the Week honors for Miami.
Tyler Van Dyke repeated as the ACC Rookie of the Week for his performance in Pittsburgh and safety James Williams, a true freshman, earned ACC Defensive Back of the Week recognition for his.
It was the first weekly honor for Williams, who has now started five straight games and led the Hurricanes in defensive snaps Saturday at Heinz Field. He led Miami with nine tackles and six solo tackles, and helped seal the Hurricanes’ 38-34 win by intercepting star quarterback Kenny Pickett with 3:43 left and Miami clinging to a four-point lead.
Van Dyke got beaten out by Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman for ACC Quarterback of the Week honors, but was the conference’s freshman of the week for the second straight week. After throwing for a career-high 325 yards two weeks ago, Van Dyke followed it up by going 32 of 42 for 426 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in Pennsylvania. His 426 passing yards were the ninth most in a single game in program history.
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 4:01 PM.
