After a magical season, the Hurricanes look to reload and storm once more behind talented offense
Adriana Edwards - Dynasty Sports Staff Writer
If things had gone a little differently in Atlanta, Miami would have ended the season having beaten four top-two teams. Instead, the Hurricanes are more than happy with slaying three dragons en-route to their first national championship since 2001.
Miami lost a lot to the draft, including it's entire secondary, it's best defensive tackle and the right side of its offensive line. Manny Diaz's staff has been recruiting at an elite level and with now a fully formed quarterback in Tyrone Williams and the addition of a new offensive coordinator in Neal Brown, Miami's ready once more.
Ten Best Miami Players
1. QB Tyrone Williams, Jr.
2. LB Kevin Jones, Jr.
3. DE Greg Rousseau, RS Sr.
4. CB Christian Williams, Sr.
5. DT Jason Blissett, Sr.
6. WR Eddie Clark, Jr.
7. HB Brett Sharp, Jr.
8. LB Sam Brooks, Sr.
9. HB Randy Battle, Jr.
10. G Cleveland Reed Jr., RS Sr.
Schedule
Aug. 27 vs. SMU
Sep. 3 at #13 Texas A&M
Sep. 10 at #20 Washington
Sep. 17 vs. Wake Forest
OPEN
Oct. 1 at NC State
Oct. 7 at #7 Florida State
Oct. 15 at Virginia
Oct. 22 vs. Duke
OPEN
Nov. 5 at #25 Georgia
Nov. 12 vs. #4 Virginia Tech
Nov. 19 at North Carolina
Nov. 26 vs. Pittsburgh
Miami Hurricanes Starters
QB Tyrone Williams, Junior :: 97 ovr, 78 spd, 97 thp, 90 tha
HB Brett Sharp, Junior :: 92 ovr, 98 spd, 99 acc, 75 car
WR Eddie Clark, Junior :: 93 ovr, 87 spd, 93 acc, 98 cth
WR Sean Johnson, Sophomore :: 86 ovr, 99 spd, 96 acc, 81 cth
WR Kenneth Kent, Sophomore :: 82 ovr, 91 spd, 93 acc, 83 cth
TE Larry Hodges, Senior :: 87 ovr, 77 spd, 94 acc, 79 cth
LT Zion Nelson, Senior :: 87 ovr, 89 str, 87 pbk, 87 rbk
LG Cleveland Reed Jr., RS Senior :: 95 ovr, 94 str, 93 pbk, 93 rbk
C Ty Murray, RS Junior :: 88 ovr, 94 str, 89 pbk, 85 rbk
RG Ousman Traore, RS Senior :: 88 ovr, 95 str, 83 pbk, 92 rbk
RT John Campbell Jr., RS Senior :: 88 ovr, 92 str, 93 pbk, 85 rbk
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DE Jahfari Harvey, Senior :: 92 ovr, 82 spd, 81 str, 87 bsh
DE Greg Rousseau, RS Senior :: 94 ovr, 77 spd, 87 str, 89 bsh
DT Jason Blissett, Senior :: 93 ovr, 67 spd, 89 str, 84 bsh
DT Jordan Miller, RS Senior :: 95 ovr, 57 spd, 94 str, 79 bsh
LB Kevin Jones, Junior :: 90 ovr, 89 spd, 98 acc, 89 tkl
LB Sam Brooks, Senior :: 91 ovr, 91 spd, 96 acc, 77 tkl
CB Christian Williams, Senior :: 94 ovr, 90 spd, 93 acc, 99 mcv, 99 zcv
CB Donald Washington, Junior :: 85 ovr, 92 spd, 92 acc, 91 mcv, 92 zcv OR CB Te'cory Couch, Senior :: 87 ovr, 92 spd, 97 acc, 90 mcv, 90 zcv
S Tommy Green, Freshman :: 77 ovr, 88 spd, 81 acc, 85 zcv, 64 tkl OR S Kevin Whitlock, Sophomore :: 78 ovr, 92 spd, 92 acc, 80 zcv, 73 tkl
S Keontra Smith, Senior :: 92 ovr, 90 spd, 98 acc, 90 zcv, 74 tkl
STRIKER Gilbert Frierson, RS Senior :: 93 ovr, 92 spd, 99 acc, 87 zcv, 71 tkl
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K/P Curtis Carter, Freshman :: 84 ovr, 84 kp, 85 ka
Preseason All-Americans
QB Tyrone Williams, Junior
DT Jason Blissett, Senior
LB Kevin Jones, Junior
LB Sam Brooks, Senior
KR Brett Sharp, Junior
Preseason All-ACC
QB Tyrone Williams, Junior
HB Randy Battle, Junior
HB/KR Brett Sharp, Junior
WR Eddie Clark, Junior
WR Sean Johnson, Sophomore
G Cleveland Reed Jr., RS Senior
DE Jahfari Harvey, Senior
DT Jason Blissett, Senior
LB Kevin Jones, Junior
LB Sam Brooks, Senior
CB Christian Williams, Senior
What to watch for on offense: Neal Brown's offense favors quarterbacks and with Williams having two seasons under his belt, the table is set for him to have a Heisman campaign of a junior season en route to the draft.
What to watch for on defense: Miami's new look secondary lost two All-Americans in Gurvan Hall and Bubba Bolden. Can they retool behind some talented but unproven players?
The team will be far better if... the defense doesn't drop off from last season. Miami lost a lot on defense, specifically the secondary. Bubba Bolden cleaned up a lot of things and with him gone along with Hall, Miami needs their young guys to keep this unit playing at an elite level.
The Schedule: Miami fans will known just how good this team is very quickly.
SMU is no push-over as an opener and they follow that up with road trips to Texas A&M and Washington. It is not inconceivable that Miami is 1-2 after that stretch.
It doesn't get easier after that with a home stand against Wake Forest and then three straight conference road games, including at No. 7 Florida State. The schedule eases up following that with a road trip against Virginia, a home stand against Duke, back on the road at Georgia Tech. Those are all games that Miami will be heavily favorites before they clash off against Virginia Tech for the third time in a calendar year.
Best offensive player: Williams. This is an easy answer after the season Williams put together but Eddie Clark might have something to say about this come season's end.
Best defensive player: LB Kevin Jones. The junior has swept the defensive awards his first two seasons and is poised for a third run at what has been an historic college career.
Key players to a successful season: Offensively, WR Sean Johnson. Former OC Jonathan Smith used Johnson in a variety of ways with the receiver having more rushing attempts than catches. Neal Brown's offense is more straight forward and they'll need Johnson to become more of a pure receiver alongside Clark.
Defensively, it's true freshman Tommy Green who is likely to get the nod at free safety. Miami runs a lot of single high and back there the last few seasons has been Gurvan Hall, a seasoned safety. With Hall gone, Miami is now putting that trust into a true freshman that was playing quarterback in high school a few months ago.
The season will be a success if...the Hurricanes win the ACC and finish in the top five. Asking for another national championship with a revamped secondary and half the offensive line gone is too much.
Key game: at Florida State. Miami beat Florida State twice last season but not at home.
Game by Game Predictions
Aug. 27 vs. SMU: W
Sep. 3 at #13 Texas A&M: L
Sep. 10 at #20 Washington: W
Sep. 17 vs. Wake Forest: W
OPEN
Oct. 1 at NC State: W
Oct. 7 at #7 Florida State: W
Oct. 15 at Virginia: W
Oct. 22 vs. Duke: W
OPEN
Nov. 5 at #25 Georgia: W
Nov. 12 vs. #4 Virginia Tech: W
Nov. 19 at North Carolina: L
Nov. 26 vs. Pittsburgh: W