The Miami Hurricanes have a top seven offense and a top twelve defense so far this season, but we might only be seeing the tip of the iceberg so far.
The games will get consistently tougher now that the ACC schedule is beginning, but a handful of peripheral Canes players appear ready to take center stage and add important depth.
“We found ourselves six to eight more players,” Mario Cristobal said. These are players who who have emerged in practice and made a case for more playing time in games.
Cristobal brought up safet offensive linemen Matt McCoy and Ryan Rodriguez, tight end Riley Williams and defensive linemen Jared Harrison-Hunte,
, Jake Lichtenstein and Thomas Gore as players who have already stepped up when needed.
Who would we like to see earn bigger roles from the Georgia Tech game onward?
TE Elijah Arroyo
Arroyo is yet to play this season. Mario Cristobal says his 2023 debut could happen as soon as this Saturday against Georgia Tech. Arroyo was trending toward the starting tight end job before apparently suffering a setback in fall camp.
WR Brashard Smith
He’s already stepped up big time on special teams, returning a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against Texas A&M. I’d love to see Smith make even more plays on offense. The junior wide receiver has 83 receiving yards and a touchdown on 5 catches so far. He’s Miami’s 4th leading receiver, but reps have been hard to come by with the top three of Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George and Colbie Young playing so well. I believe his opportunities will come during the dog days of the season, and he’s explosive and versatile enough to make the most of it.
WR Ray Ray Joseph and RB Chris Johnson
These are two of the fastest players in college football. Both have seen their roles increase since the Bethune-Cookman game. As these true freshmen continue to adapt to the speed of the college game and to their playbook, the only direction they can go in is UP.
I asked offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson about this duo.
“Those guys are getting more comfortable and making plays. The ball is hitting their hands more.”
Dawson added, “As the season goes, you’re going to see more and more guys make plays. People are going to step up. People are going to get more opportunities, too. There’s gonna be times when injuries happen and other people will get opportunities. I do feel like we’re at the point of the season where there’s gonna be some peripheral people that haven’t necessarily gotten overly involved are going to start getting more involved. We’re at the point where the ball needs to start moving around a little bit.”
TE Riley Williams
He’s already earning significant reps, but I am expecting so much more impact from Williams as the season progresses. The freshman tight end only has one reception for 18 yards. He’s one of my favorites to watch in practice because of his fluid route running and soft hands. He’s the ideal receiving tight end 6-6, 240 lbs. He’s blocking well but I expect more receptions to come.
WR Tyler Harrell
Just two catches for 28 yards so far. Eventually, the graduate transfer will have a breakout game. He runs a 4.24 in the 40-yard dash. You can’t teach speed like that. As said earlier about Brashard Smith, it’s not been easy to take reps from any of Miami’s top three receivers. The longer the season goes, the more breathers they’ll need.