In head coach Mario Cristobal’s second season at Miami, the Hurricanes improved from the season before. That being said, a 6-2 start ended with a disappointing 1-4 finish, mired by close losses and struggles on offense. Led by star transfer quarterback Cam Ward, the ’Canes are stepping into 2024 with a potential light show on offense.
Starting with Miami’s most notable change, last year’s starter, Tyler Van Dyke, transferred to Wisconsin, and Ward steps in as the new starting quarterback for the Hurricanes. Van Dyke struggled last season after Miami’s 4-0 start, finishing the year with eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions through his last seven games.
Between the games Van Dyke, Emory Williams and Jacurri Brown started, Miami’s offense at times looked extremely conservative and predictable, especially in games when the running game was not explosive. Four of the five games where they averaged less than four yards per carry resulted in losses. Though not all those were poor passing performances, without an explosive ground game, Miami struggled to close out and finish games.
In comparison, Ward’s previous team, Washington State, only eclipsed the four-yards-per-carry average mark twice last season. Despite that, Ward still managed 33 total touchdowns with only seven interceptions and two fewer wins.
As a thrower, Ward has quick release and a strong arm, which is perfect for Miami’s passing game. He can also zip throws into tight windows. He’s shown an ability to process quickly pre- and post-snap to decipher and dice up defenses.
Behind what Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks as the eighth-best offensive line in college football, Ward will have time to sit in the pocket behind returning standouts like Francis Mauigoa and new faces like center Zach Carpenter, who at Indiana allowed a pressure rate of 1.9% in 2023.
Ward, though a pass-first guy, will bring a dual-threat element to Miami with his legs. He has solid speed, and at a strong 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he’s shown to be useful in the red zone with 13 touchdowns on the ground in his two seasons with the Cougars.
Miami, through the offseason, made other changes to ensure that Ward wouldn’t be held down by a poor supporting cast. The Hurricanes added spring transfer recruit Damien Martinez Jr. to their already strong running game, averaging five yards per carry.
Considered to be one of the best backs in college football, Martinez has put up over 2,000 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns over his last two years on an explosive six yards per touch. Paired up with explosive sophomore Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami’s ground game should be extremely formidable, especially considering the strength of the offensive line and the potential impact Ward could have with his running ability
Miami has also taken its talent up a notch in the receiving room. Another top spring transfer, Sam Brown out of Houston, brings explosive playmaking and elusiveness, having forced 20 missed tackles after the catch, second in the Big 12 last year. He will be paired with smooth route-running slot receiver Xavier Restrepo, who, at 1,092 receiving yards, was second in the ACC. Jacolby George, who had the second-most yards after catch in the ACC last year, also returns for the ‘Canes.
The trio is instantly one of the best in the ACC, as it is the only group with three receivers coming off 500-yard seasons, let alone at least 800 yards each recorded. Alongside them are players with breakout potential, including receiver Isaiah Horton and tight end Elijah Arroyo, or freshmen like the highly anticipated wideout Joshisa Trader.
Looking at the offense in totality, there are only a few questions. The biggest is if offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson will effectively use this group to the best of its abilities.
As previously mentioned, the offense last year did seem somewhat predictable at times, but that could be attributed to a lack of trust in the quarterback’s play that resulted in conservative playcalling. Also, there is a slight concern following the departure of Colbie Young about whether there is a true boundary x-receiver on the team who can win against press-man coverage and make contested catches on the perimeter.
While the team does have a lot of continuity at many important spots, the addition of transfers along the offense does raise questions about whether those players can step in and perform as they did elsewhere or if there will be adjustments or struggles with that transition. Some of the biggest quarterback transfers in recent college football history took a year to truly step in and dominate.
Looking at just the 2024 NFL Draft Class, first-round picks Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix took a year to adjust to their new teams before launching themselves into Heisman contention. That being said, all of them were still solid in that first year, so if Cam Ward could have a season of that caliber, it would still be a catalyst for massive improvements for Miami this upcoming season.