Hurricanes taking new approach in this key playing time area. And a receiver on the rise
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes note on a Thursday:
▪ When you have three returning running backs on your roster who were high school stars and coveted recruits — and two more on the way this summer — it’s difficult to give everyone the workload they covet.
And that’s why I found offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee’s comments to Joe Zagacki this week to be particularly noteworthy.
Apparently, Lashlee isn’t the least bit concerned about keeping his backs happy and the carries fairly even.
Instead, Lashlee believes the carries might need to be more imbalanced.
Lashlee said on WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline that he’s looking for a running back that can carry it “20-plus times a game,” instead of splitting the reps as he did last season.
Last season, Cam’Ron Harris averaged 13 touches per game, Don Chaney 7.2 and Jaylon Knighton 7.
“We have to be better in the run game,” Lashlee said. “It’s kind of hard when you play three backs. Those guys understand they’re competing to be the starter.”
Even though Chaney and Knighton are terrific young backs, Harris will enter as the front-runner to be the “bell-cow” back.
Harris last season averaged 5.0 per carry, Chaney 4.7 and Knighton 4.0.
But…
Harris cannot afford another midseason slump like last year’s when he had 35 yards on 28 carries in three games.
And keep in mind that Knighton (12.3 yards per reception last season) is the most elusive receiver of the group, with Chaney (13 yards per catch) also dangerous in the passing game. (Both had 11 receptions.) By contrast, Harris averaged 7.3 yards per reception on 18 catches.
Lashlee said he sees “loads of ability” in Knighton and Chaney but that he wants more consistency from them.
“They’re not freshmen anymore,” Lashlee said.
Lashlee said of Harris: “At times he was really, really effective last year.”
What’s clear is that UM’s running game last season wasn’t good enough, and the offensive line certainly shares a large part of the blame for that.
UM averaged 4.2 yards per carry, which was 73rd in the country, and averaged 162.5 rushing yards per game, which was 68th.
Meanwhile, freshman running backs Thad Franklin and Cody Brown arrive on campus in the months ahead.
▪ Lashlee was pleased to add receiver Charleston Rambo, the Oklahoma transfer.
“He’s long, he’s an outside receiver, he can win vertically down the field, he can win in space,” Lashlee said. “He wanted this opportunity. Seeing D’Eriq King and what we can do offensively, it attracted him. And the U attracts people. We’re really excited to see what he can do this spring, add competition to the wide receiver room.”
▪ UM quality control analyst Jonathan Brewer has compared Tyler Van Dyke to former Rams and new Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
“Tyler is obviously a pretty athletic dude, but he’s tall, big, has that stereotypical NFL quarterback stature,” Lashlee said. “The best thing I can say about Tyler is he’s very similar to D’Eriq. He’s consistent. He has incredible intangibles.”
▪ It’s a big recruiting weekend for UM; four-star quarterback Jacurri Brown and receiver/cornerback Isaiah Bond are scheduled to fly to Miami on Thursday and spend two days on campus.
The two Georgia-based prospects don’t play at the same high school but are on the same 7-on-7 team.
Rivals rates Brown, who attends Lowndes in Valdosta, as the sixth-rated dual-threat quarterback and 213rd-best prospect in the 2022 class, while 247 Sports ranks Brown as the 12th-best quarterback in this upcoming class.
He previously announced a top five of UM, Florida, Arizona State, Auburn and Texas A&M. He told The Athletic he already knows where he will commit and is set to announce on March 26.
Bond, who attends Buford High, is a speedy three-star cornerback and also plays receiver. He has named a final five of Miami, Alabama, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pittsburgh.
UM is considered to have a good chance to land both, but it’s not certain. Alabama is of particular concern with Bond.
During this dead period that runs through May 31, players cannot meet with coaches while they’re on campus but can speak with them on the phone.
Lashlee, speaking of no player in particular, said UM’s style of play on offense can “only help” in recruiting.
“Winning and success attracts people,” he said. “We haven’t been out recruiting because of COVID. These kids haven’t been on campus. But I know what coach [Manny] Diaz’s vision is and what we’re building. We have a lot of really talented players down here and there’s no reason they shouldn’t want to come to The U first.”
▪ UM has high hopes for receiver Keyshawn Smith, who has been studying NFL receiver Julio Jones and Stefon Diggs.
“I need to get stronger — I’ve gotten stronger but other dudes are way bigger than me,” Smith said Thursday. “I have to be able to block, help my teammates out.”
Smith said he has run 22 miles per hour during practices this week. (UM monitors that with tracking devices.)
“I’ve been impacting on deep balls,” he said. “I’d say I’m a deep ball threat. I love to outrun people. Deep balls are my thing ever since high school. [And] I’ve improved on the top of my routes, staying low, because coach [Rob] Likens is always on us about that,” Smith said.
Diaz said this week that Smith “is really making strides at wide receiver.”
▪ Jim Larranaga has asked his players to tell him by April 1 whether they intend to remain with the program. That includes six seniors who have an opportunity for a bonus year of eligibility due to the NCAA’s COVID-19 rules.
It also includes underclassmen who have a rare opportunity to transfer and be immediately eligible to play elsewhere.
Larranaga told Zagacki on WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline that sophomore guard Isaiah Wong “has an interest in being an NBA player so he’ll explore that as an option but we’re counting on him being back next year.
“That’s my hope. Kam McGusty, he’s a senior, he has an opportunity to return because the NCAA made that possible for all seniors. So that goes for Nysier [Brooks], Elijah [Olaniyi], Sam Waardenburg, all of these guys who are seniors who are going to consider all of their options.
“I have a target date of April 1 to let their intentions be known — are you going to go, stay, play pro ball? Whatever their decision, they’re going to let us know by April 1. We might have more guys” depart.
Larranaga added that: “Our staff is keeping their eyes and ears open if schools lose quality guys we want to have transfer to our program. I think we’re going to be in good shape but it’ll take some time before the roster is solidified.”
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 5:13 PM.
