Standards to set
In regular-season finale ’Canes seek to break records as likely changes await
Even in the midst of a slow start to the season, Miami Hurricanes receiver Mike Harley didn’t doubt that he’d have a shot at approaching UM’s all-time receptions record by the end of the season.
Now with one regular-season game remaining and Miami (6-5, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) expected to close out the season with a bowl game, Harley is on the cusp of breaking the record.
Harley (169 receptions for his UM career) is five catches away from breaking Reggie Wayne’s program record of 173 catches entering Miami’s regular-season finale against Duke (3-8, 0-7 ACC) on Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.
For a moment it looked as if the fifth-year senior — who entered the season with 125 receptions — wasn’t going to have a realistic shot at breaking the record after struggling with drops and being targeted less than last year earlier in the season. But after a recent uptick in production, Harley is close to having his name at the top of the list.
“Never in doubt — that’s like giving up on myself,” Harley said. “I know [offensive coordinator Rhett] Lashlee and [wide receivers coach Rob] Likens believe in me. I had a couple of talks with them, like, ‘I get to get that record, so let’s make something happen.’ ”
Harley isn’t the only Hurricane on the verge of setting a UM record.
Fellow receiver Charleston Rambo has 71 receptions for 1,071 yards during his lone season with the Hurricanes.
His receptions are second on UM’s all-time single-season list, only behind Leonard Hankerson (72 catches across 13 games in 2010). Rambo’s receiving yards are fifth in UM history for a single season behind Allen Hurns (program-high 1,162 yards in 2013), Hankerson (1,156 in 2010), Eddie Brown (1,114 in 1984) and Andre Johnson (1,092 in 2002).
With averages of 6.45 catches for 97 yards per game on the season, including an average of 7.2 catches for 129.8 yards over the last five games, Rambo’s on pace to break both single-season records against the Blue Devils.
Both Harley and Rambo have the option of playing in UM’s bowl game if they don’t break the records they’re chasing. But Rambo was noncommittal to postseason play, while Harley said he’ll play.
“History will be made,” Rambo said when asked whether he’d play in a bowl game, “and we’ll see Saturday.”
Lashlee said he’s “very aware” of what both Harley and Rambo need to do to break the respective records they’re going after.
“That’s an important goal for our offensive unit,” Lashlee said. “We’re very aware of what [Harley] and Rambo need. Winning’s the ultimate goal, but we’re on it.”
Starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke more directly said the Hurricanes will make sure the receivers will break the records.
Van Dyke (22 passing touchdowns in eight starts) is also inching closer to Steve Walsh’s 1988 program record of 29 passing touchdowns with a maximum of two games left in his season.
“We’re going to get it for them, 100%,” Van Dyke said. “We’ve got a game plan prepared for that.
“It means a lot for guys on the team like that to break school records. We’re going to get it for them.”
The Hurricanes could also be playing their final game under coach Manny Diaz regardless of Saturday’s outcome as Miami is a mediocre 20-15 over the last three years.
Diaz’s potential departure has been speculated since the season’s 2-4 start, with then-athletic director Blake James — who hired Diaz as coach in late 2018 after Mark Richt’s sudden retirement — not guaranteeing in late October that coaching changes wouldn’t be made during the season..
Changes were made since his comments, with James parting ways with UM on Nov. 15, two days after the Hurricanes lost to in-state rival Florida State for the first time since 2016. Now Diaz’s job security is as uncertain as it’s been during his time with Miami, with 247Sports’ Inside The U reporting Friday that Diaz’s future likely won’t be determined until after the new athletic director is hired.
“It’s not [about] letting it enter your mind,” Diaz said when asked about his uncertainty. “The question is, do you allow it to stay there and take up residency?
“The way our mind works, thoughts are always going to come into our minds. We have the choice of whether to allow them to become permanent residents or not. One thing I’ve been fortunate about is the ability to stay present.
“We tell the players this all the time. We can’t demand it from the players if we don’t live it as coaches.”
Even if Diaz does return next season, he’d likely have to find a new offensive coordinator.
Lashlee is expected to be the top candidate for the potential head-coaching opening at Southern Methodist University if Sonny Dykes leaves SMU for Texas Christian University as he’s expected to do, according to multiple reports.
Before joining Miami in January 2020 as its offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Lashlee held the same position under Dykes at SMU for two seasons (201819).