Kosar on what he sees in Van Dyke. And could Shemar Stewart eventually end up at UM?
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Monday:
▪ During this century, the Canes haven’t produced a single quarterback who has started more than 13 NFL games.
That’s quite a change for a school once dubbed “Quarterback U,” a program that produced 1980s/90s standouts Vinny Testaverde (214 NFL starts), Bernie Kosar (108), Steve Walsh (38), Craig Erickson (36) and Gino Torretta, who started no NFL games but won a Heisman Trophy.
Tyler Van Dyke has a chance to change that, if he can duplicate or build on his 2021 season, while continuing to display all the qualities that NFL teams seek.
Kosar, who attended UM spring practice last week, said Van Dyke “absolutely” looks like he will be a successful NFL quarterback.
Kosar said he has all the ingredients: “The arm, the growth, the maturity, the thirst for knowing, his foundational abilities to throw right now, his good mechanics in terms of core foundation, in terms of reading concepts, reading defenses. He’s in good shape.”
Kosar recalls seeing Van Dyke in person for the first time last year, a Thursday night loss to Virginia when Van Dyke struggled badly in the first half but went 11 for 18 for 140 yards and a 24-yard run in the fourth quarter to bring Miami to within 30-28, before Andres Borregales missed a 33-yard field-goal attempt as time expired.
“We did the memorial for coach [Howard] Schnellenberger on a Thursday night game and we were ready to go out on the field,” Kosar said. “That was a terrible first half. And Tyler, how he played in the second half and how he played the rest of the season, getting better like he did and how he’s growing with his confidence, it’s fun to watch.”
▪ Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace’s Shemar Stewart, rated by Rivals as the No. 30 overall player and No. 4 defensive end in the 2022 class, ultimately chose Texas A&M over Miami.
But Moe Marquez — a Pace High defensive coach who guided Stewart through the recruiting process — said last week that Stewart was torn over whether to go to the Aggies or Hurricanes and didn’t decide until the day of the news conference. What’s more, there’s a decent chance he could end up at UM at some point.
Asked if he would be surprised if Stewart someday ends up playing for the Hurricanes, Marquez said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens. Miami is his home. Right now, he’s focused on getting to A&M.”
Marquez said NIL deals did not tilt his decision toward A&M.
In fact, his NIL “market would be better down here,” Marquez said. “He’s a Miami kid.”
So why did Stewart pick Miami?
“He had more of a relationship with that staff for longer,” Marquez said. “The staff at Miami wasn’t put together as yet. They hired [defensive coordinator] Kevin Steele the night prior” to signing day.
And though Marquez spoke with Steele before Stewart announced his decision, Miami hired Steele during a dead period and Steele could not speak directly with Stewart.
▪ Marquez, for his part, has become a serious player in the South Florida recruiting world. He’s entering his fifth year at Pace and 13th year in high school coaching, having had previous stops at Davie University School and Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson. He also has helped run West Pembroke Optimist Club.
He has become a trusted mentor for several top South Florida high school prospects during the years, including Georgia’s Kenny McIntosh, Stewart and Indiana’s Josh Sanguinetti.
“I’m here trying to help kids,” Marquez said.
What has he noticed about this UM coaching staff?
“They’re being more vocal; they hit social media a lot more,” Marquez said. “Coach [Mario] Cristobal is taking the bull by the horn and being hands on. Dealing with Shemar’s recruitment, I know he texted Shemar at 6 in the morning. What some may have seen as taking too long, he did a great job with putting his staff together.”
Marquez, who will coach the defensive line at Pace this season, is helping guide four-star defensive lineman Dimitry Nicolas, a class of 2024 prospect. UM is among six schools that have offered him a scholarship, and Marquez said the Canes — who made an offer before anyone else — are the front-runners.
The 6-4, 270-pounder “probably will end up being a tackle,” Marquez said. ”He’s going to be a great run-stopping guy and can pass rush.”
Cristobal is good at cultivating relationships, and Marquez is an important one among many in the South Florida prep/recruiting ranks.
▪ UM — with a light group of pro prospects this year — will hold Pro Day on March 30. Alabama also is holding its Pro Day that day, and you know the Canes are genuinely back if they get to the point where as many coaches and general managers attend UM’s Pro Day as Alabama’s Pro Day.
One advantage to UM holding its predraft event that day: That’s the final day of NFL owners meetings at The Breakers in Palm Beach, and executives and coaches can drive two hours south to check out UM’s prospects if they wish.
Safety Bubba Bolden, a potential mid-round pick, is considered UM’s best prospect in this group. He ran a 4.47 at the NFL Combine.
▪ Jason Taylor, commenting publicly for the first time since UM hired him as a staff analyst, told his sister Joy Taylor and Colin Cowherd last week:
“Really excited about the opportunity. Mario Cristobal has really afforded me a great opportunity to come in and help work with a great, great staff. Our defensive coordinator, Kevin Steele, has been around forever, so much experience.
“Charlie Strong, linebacker coach. Jahmile Addae just won a national championship with the University of Georgia this past year. Joe Salave’a came over from Oregon to coach the d-line. It’s a powerhouse coaching staff and really looking forward to trying to get The U back to where it should be.”
Taylor said he loves Cristobal’s “energy. He’s a tireless worker. Obviously, a great, great recruiter. He got me over there, so he did a great job recruiting me, too.”
Taylor, who played at Akron before a Hall of Fame career with the Dolphins, said that “back when UM was high-flying and rolling and beating up on people, it’s just like a rock-star mentality. It’s kind of like when the Miami Heat were great when LeBron [James] was there and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were in Miami, and it was like the Beatles were traveling around all the time.
“That’s kind of the aura that The U had when they were winning championships and running through college football. One thing you notice very quickly is how big of a fan base the University of Miami has in all sports but in particular in football. They love their football.
“There’s an expectation, there’s a standard, there’s a way of life that people expect the Miami Hurricanes to play to and carry themselves to. We’ll embrace it, but I think that one of the great things Mario is doing is just changing the entire culture, just accountability-wise, being responsible and doing everything the way it’s supposed to be done at all times.”
▪ Among those Cristobal has retained from Manny Diaz’s staff: chief of staff Ed Reed, who spent time with at least one UM defensive back in practice last week.
This story was originally published March 14, 2022 at 1:32 PM.
