The last time Miami Hurricanes football put together a truly great season was 2003, when the last of the great teams of the early part of this century was still intact. Miami reached the Orange Bowl and defeated rival Florida State in one last great conquest of the Seminoles, who struggled against The U toward the latter part of Bobby Bowden’s decorated coaching career. Not since then has Miami played in a featured bowl game or been part of the national championship conversation. The Hurricanes are still searching for their very first appearance in an ACC Championship Game. They are still looking for a first division title. This could be the year they will get it. Hype is back in South Florida, as head coach Mark Richt seems to have assembled one of the best defenses in the United States under coordinator Manny Diaz, who has been a recruiting force.
Is this the year The U returns to the big stage? Everyone is eagerly waiting to find out.
How Did They End 2016
The Hurricanes had three seasons in 2016. They went 4-0 out of conference in the first third of their season. Then they lost to Florida State due to a missed extra point, 20-19. Their game against Florida State is always the most important game of their season, and since they have lost it the last several years, they have consistently failed to carry positive momentum from it, which has regularly sabotaged their seasons. After the Florida State loss, Miami lost its next three games – to North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame. However, just when everything seemed bleak, the team recovered to beat Pittsburgh. This revived the team and started a five-game winning streak which carried through to the bowl game, a smackdown of a 10-win West Virginia team. A dominant performance by the defense in that game provided the true catapult to the wave of offseason hype surrounding this team.
Offseason Changes
Quarterback Brad Kaaya must be replaced. He was always a subject of debate in Miami. On one hand, he could make several impressive throws. On the other hand, he was sometimes injured and could not play to the ceiling of his potential. In between those two extremes, he didn’t always read the defense properly and did not come up with season-defining drives when given the chance to rewrite his Miami legacy. He was a complicated player, but also a talented one. Now Miami needs someone new to boldly take hold of the quarterback position and give this team both fresh leadership and dynamic performance to make the offense worthy of past Miami offenses. Can Mark Richt find the next Ken Dorsey, the player who can lead this program to greatness?
Team X-Factor
Receiver Lawrence Cager needs to step up in support of No. 1 receiver Ahmmon Richards. Miami needs its pass catchers to support the man who emerges as the starting quarterback. It is hard to expect starting quarterbacks to dominate in their first seasons, so the new guy needs his receivers to make him look good.
What To Expect From The Hurricanes This Year
Florida State will host Miami, and the Seminoles have too much firepower for the Canes. The really big game for Miami outside of FSU is the Virginia Tech game, and since the Hokies are retooling at a lot of positions. Georgia Tech is starting over at quarterback, and North Carolina’s defense is weak. The idea of Miami winning its first Coastal Division title is not laughable at all.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 9-4
2015: 8-5
2014: 6-7
2013: 9-4
2012: 7-5
Schedule & Outlook
Miami has a relatively easy first half of their schedule…outside of their showdown with Florida State. If they’re worth their salt, they should be 6-1 with the lone loss being at Florida State. However, it’s hard to trust this unproven team. They’re bound to trip up at least once or twice along the way in their first seven contests.
Miami has to guard against a post-Florida State letdown, should it indeed lose to FSU, which it is likely to do. Until this team shows it won’t allow a loss to its rival to hijack its season, it’s hard to trust Miami in the ACC Coastal. The Canes will fall short.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Under 9
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