South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Restrepo, young QBs come up big in first spring scrimmage
The quarterbacks had efficient outings and second-year slot receiver Xavier Restrepo put up big numbers in the Miami Hurricanes’ first spring scrimmage, according to UM coach Manny Diaz in video released by the team shortly after conclusion of the scrimmage on Saturday.
Tyler Van Dyke went 10 for 15 for 114 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Jake Garcia, an early enrollee this spring, went 15 of 19 for 188 yards and a touchdown.
“I thought both Tyler and Jake did a good job,” Diaz said. “They both moved the ball well when they were in there . ... They made really nice throws. It’s going to be fun to watch those guys battle it out.”
Restrepo had nine receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
“He’s willing himself into becoming a guy,” Diaz said. “He’s got such great competitive spirit, and those were not easy yards, normally. He’s making great catches and run after catches and breaking tackles.”
Senior receiver Michael Harley, in limited reps, had two receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Second-year running back Donald Chaney Jr. had 52 total yards and a touchdown on a long run, but Diaz, for the most part, was pleased with the way his firstteam defense stopped the run.
“More often than not, though, the defensive line did a good job controlling the line of scrimmage,” he said.
Linebackers Corey Flagg and Avery Huff were noted as defensive standouts.
“Corey Flagg has continued to make strides,” Diaz said. “The guy that is really getting better and better is Avery Huff. He made a nice play on a screen and just seeing the game better and better.”
Freshman striker Chase Smith had an interception, as did second-year safety Avantae Williams in his first spring scrimmage after sitting out last season.
On special teams, freshman kicker Andres Borregales, the younger brother of last year’s UM kicker, Jose, connected on a 42-yard field goal to close out practice at the end of a one-minute drill situation.
Diaz also reacted to the death of legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger, who brought Miami its first national championship in 1983, on Saturday.
“I don’t know that there is Miami football without Howard Schnellenberger — not the way that we know it,” Diaz said. “It’s hard to imagine the state that this program was in when he came here. If you look, historically, throughout college football, there are the blue bloods, and it’s very, very hard to join that group. Howard Schnellenberger came to the University of Miami, and he took down the establishment.
“He elevated — you can talk about the football program — he elevated the entire university to a different status in the country, and the entire Hurricane community will forever be in debt to him.”
Diaz wrapped up his comments by noting that the basics and fundamentals were most important in the team’s first scrimmage.
“We’ll advance now into some more situational stuff as we get into the second part of spring practice,” he said. “What I liked to see today, though, I thought the team played hard. I thought the team played for each other, and you want to see the identity of an offense and a defense start to grow.”
The Hurricanes have their spring game scheduled for April 17 at Hard Rock Stadium. Diaz previously called it “unlikely” that Miami will allow fans at the intrasquad game that caps the spring practice slate. UM is expected to hold a second scrimmage before that.