Mixed news for Hurricanes at wide receiver: Where things stand. And UM personnel notes
As the Miami Hurricanes continue their pursuit of wide receivers in the transfer portal, coach Mario Cristobal offered a measured assessment of where UM stands at the position.
“We’ve seen some really, really good days and others we’ve been inconsistent,” Cristobal said Thursday, on the eve of UM’s spring game at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (7:30 p.m., ESPN App).
“The most important thing is you see buy-in, and you see effort. If you get that, you can live with the rest and get a better performance.
“There are days, ‘Man, that’s what we need to look like on Saturdays.’ And then you’ve seen some inconsistencies. That needs to get cleaned up. The group has a very good mentality and vibe to it…. There is progress but we have to keep our foot on the gas and go.”
Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George and Colbie Young have been the first-team receivers for most of spring practice.
The Canes believe Young is ready to emerge after a strong second half to last season.
“I really connected with him a lot this spring; he’s come a long way since he got here last summer,” quarterback Tyler Van Dyke said. “He’s going to play a very important role this fall for us.”
Freshmen receivers Nathaniel Joseph and Robbie Washington will push for playing time.
“They’re actually very similar players, very fast,” Van Dyke said. “They might be one of the fastest guys that we’ve brought in. They’ve been good, have great separation on the routes, are very savvy with it. They’re not robots. They just play ball, which is good to see. [They] catch the ball really well. They’re going to have a bright future.”
Isaiah Horton, the second-year receiver, improved this spring. But has he improved enough to earn playing time?
“He’s definitely going to help us,’ Van Dyke said. “He’s a big-bodied receiver, fast, good hands. He’s definitely come a long way since he came in last summer. I’m excited to see how he develops. He’s already done some really good stuff in the spring. I just have to make sure I stay on him.”
Besides the aforementioned six receivers, Brashard Smith, Frank Ladson and Michael Redding also are on scholarship. Ladson and Redding were sidelined by injuries this spring.
In the meantime, the Canes will continue to seek receiver help in the transfer portal. They have pursued three transfers who remain uncommitted — Southern Cal’s Gary Bryant Jr. (who visited UM earlier this spring), Alabama’s Tyler Harrell and Division II All-American JaQuae Jackson, who’s visited UM last weekend.
Another window for players to open the portal begins Saturday and continues through April 30.
VAN DYKE ROLE
There’s a healthy partnership between Cristobal and Van Dyke, who spoke for a while after Thursday’s practice.
Cristobal has included Van Dyke in the pursuit of at least some offensive players in the transfer portal.
Asked if he likes to be involved in that process, Van Dyke said: “Definitely. If he likes a guy, then he’ll give me his number and I’ll definitely go reach out to him, talk to him, tell him what it’s about here and try to get those guys to come in here.”
Van Dyke flew down from Connecticut when center Matt Lee visited UM’s campus before transferring from UCF to Miami earlier this year.
“I didn’t know he was coming down at first,” Lee said Thursday. “And when we met up at dinner and spent those two nights and days together, it was awesome. He’s the starting quarterback and he’s on vacation in Connecticut and he’s like, ‘Damn I’m going to fly down and visit this guy.’ It also showed me that Tyler is a mature, serious, smart, good dude, that I would love to have as my quarterback.”
▪ Who finished second in the competition for Lee?
“I don’t think there really was a second,” he said. “There were thoughts here and there. From the start to the time I committed, and through now, it was always Miami. It was always a no-brainer for various reasons.”
Lee did not permit a sack at UCF last season and graded out as one of the nation’s best centers, per Pro Football Focus.
▪ Lee said freshman right tackle Francis Mauigoa, who has been with the first team for much of the spring, is “a wide, big, strong guy, athletic as hell. He’s like 325, 330 pounds. He doesn’t look like that. He’s big, but he doesn’t have the [big] stomach. “He’s a physical specimen. What separates him.. is he plays with big eyes.
“He doesn’t play with blinders. From a mental standpoint, being able to point out [defensive looks] and get us on the right page if it’s something he has to do, he’s a lot more advanced than you would think as an early enrollee, 17-year-old freshman.”
Cristobal was noncommittal when asked if Jalen Rivers will remain at left tackle and whether Mauigoa will enter August with the leg up to start at right tackle.
“We’re not going to award positions and starting spots today,” Cristobal said Thursday. “Those guys have performed really well. We’re moving them around. They need to be moved around and be versatile.” Rivers can play every position on the line.
This story was originally published April 13, 2023 at 3:03 PM.
