‘Match me’: Xavier Restrepo aims to be Miami’s ‘thermostat’ in final Hurricanes season
Excuse Xavier Restrepo if he gets a little bit excited at practice. He only has so many more days like this ahead of him on the University of Miami’s Greentree practice fields.
Restrepo is getting ready for his final season with the Miami Hurricanes, his last chance to leave his mark on the program and do his part to turn years of expectations into tangible results.
After a personal breakout season in 2023, Restrepo is yearning for more both out of himself and his teammates.
With that, comes a challenge.
“I’m gonna be the thermostat,” Restrepo said Saturday. “Everybody: Match me.”
Restrepo, a fifth-year senior, knows how critical this time of year can be. Miami has a month from the start of camp to kickoff on Aug. 31 against the Florida Gators. At that point, Restrepo’s final season with the Hurricanes begins.
Miami has yet to take off during Restrepo’s tenure, with the Hurricanes going 27-21 in his four seasons in Coral Gables. That includes a 12-13 mark the past two years under coach Mario Cristobal.
With his last season on the horizon, he wants to make sure he’s doing everything in his power to make a difference.
“I‘m not gonna take a single day on Greentree or the [indoor practice facility] for granted,” Restrepo said. “I’m gonna come every single day and just give my all, pour everything I have into this final year.”
‘Setting the tone’
For Restrepo, that starts on the practice fields. It has to. He’s not the flashiest player, but his work ethic has carried him through his college football career to this point and put him in a position to be a key contributor on the Hurricanes’ offense.
“I make sure I’m the first one in line,” Restrepo said, “leading by example basically and just setting the tone.”
The perseverance and commitment finally paid off last season. After recording just 46 catches for 625 yards and four touchdowns through his first three seasons, Restrepo had a breakout year in 2023.
He set the Hurricanes’ single-season record with 85 catches and with 1,092 receiving yards became just the sixth Miami player to post at least 1,000 receiving yards in a season. The other five: Charleston Rambo (1,172 yards, 2021), Allen Hurns (1,162 yards, 2013), Leonard Hankerson (1,156 yards, 2010), Andre Johnson (1,092 yards, 2002) and Eddie Brown (1,114 yards, 1984).
He’s hoping his lead-by-example approach rubs off on the next generation of Hurricanes receivers.
“I’m just trying to pave the road for them, create a culture for them,” said Restrepo, who also had six touchdown catches in 2023, “because I talked to some of the old receivers that were here and they all said, it starts with the upperclassmen showing the way for the freshmen and the sophomores and just allowing them to continue the team culture. I’m just gonna pave the road for them and hopefully they catch on and take this place to another level.”
And that’s where the “Match Me” mantra comes into play. Restrepo said that mindset came
Restrepo said there are about 10 players on the team’s leadership council, but he wants every player on the team to be comfortable holding his teammates accountable.
An example: A walk-on receiver, Nick Thomas, saw Restrepo without his helmet on during a walkthrough early in camp. The freshman approached the fifth-year senior
“Hey, X, put your helmet on,” Restrepo recalled Thomas telling him.
“Of course, let’s do it,” Restrepo replied.
Restrepo said that simple exchange was all it took for him to have “total respect” for Thomas.
“Coming in and knowing that I’m the guy in the slot,” Restrepo said, “for him to be able to tell me that takes some courage.”
Restrepo’s spot in Miami Hurricanes lore
As he reflected on his time at Miami so far, Restrepo said the mental side of his game has improved the most.
“I know what the defense is running before they run it,” Restrepo said. “Just being a student in the game ever since I’ve been here, playing a lot of football and seeing a lot of football has helped me become a better athlete.”
As as he enters his final season, Restrepo has his chance to stake his claim in Hurricanes history.
For his Hurricanes career, his 131 catches are already tied for eighth in school history and his 1,717 receiving yards are 15th.
He needs just 52 catches this season to break the school’s record for career receptions of 182 held by Mike Harley and 831 yards to pass Santana Moss (2,547) and become Miami’s all-time leader in receiving yards.
And Restrepo should have his share of looks.
He’s set to returns to his spot as Miami’s starting slot receiver. Miami will have a pair of deep ball threats in Jacolby George and Houston transfer Sam Brown on the outside. Couple that with quarterback Cam Ward leading the charge as well as a potent rushing attack in the backfield that should keep the offense balanced and the opposing defense honest, and Restrepo very well could end up with more one-on-one opportunities in the middle of the field.
“There’s no cap to this offense. The sky is the potential,” Restrepo said. “We have so many amazing athletes, amazing weapons. Even the backups —the twos and threes — could start anywhere else in the country. We have so much depth this year, and I think we’re just gonna skyrocket as a team.”
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