Big opportunity for Tannehill
Mike Harley finds success in deep Hurricanes receiving corps
Kelly: Dolphins have never been better suited to dethrone Pats.
CORAL GABLES — As the Miami Hurricanes went through their preparations last week for their matchup against South Florida rival FIU, Mike Harley looked around the practice field and realized things were off.
His teammates were somewhat going through the motions, not giving the kind of effort he knew they should be giving. So Harley — a sophomore out of St. Thomas Aquinas — decided to say something, even if there had been times in the past where he would have been hesitant to speak his mind.
His message was delivered and days later, against FIU, the Hurricanes offense was dominant, building a 31-0 lead in the first three quarters with Harley helping lead the way and picking up some of the slack when fellow receiver Jeff Thomas left the game due to dehydration.
Harley went on to finish with a careerhigh seven catches for 76 yards, No. 16 Miami picked up its third consecutive win and the young receiver who seems to be coming into his own earned not only praise from teammates and coaches, but the right to be a captain for the Hurricanes this week as Miami opens ACC play against North Carolina.
“He wanted to hold his teammates accountable,” Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said of Harley after the Hurricanes’ 31-17 win over FIU. “And quite frankly, he has got
a right to do that because of the way he practices. It paid off for him today. We’re glad to see him be productive.”
Sometimes, productivity can be hard to find when playing in a receivers corps as deep as Miami’s. Through four games, 15 different players have caught passes from either Malik Rosier or N’Kosi Perry and five of those players are averaging at least 18 yards per catch.
After his career day against FIU, Harley became Miami’s team leader with 13 catches on the season. How long he can hold onto the team lead in receptions is unknown, especially with Thomas set to return to action Thursday against North Carolina.
But there’s no doubt Harley capitalized on his opportunity.
“I love the dude. He’s got a phenomenal attitude, a phenomenal mentality. You can tell he loves the game, the way he prepares himself. He comes to every single meeting, has juice,” Hurricanes offensive coordinator Thomas Brown said. “Some guys, because we’re a morning team, at times it takes [them] a while to get up and get going. He has juice all the time. He brings it on the field. [He’s doing] a better job of holding his teammates more accountable. If we all take on the mentality he has, we would be a championship-type
football team.”
Last season, Harley — who played behind former Hurricanes standout Braxton Berrios in the slot — played in 11 of Miami’s 13 games, but had just nine catches for 91 yards. He already has 103 yards and says he’s confident he’s growing into the player the Hurricanes will need him to be as they move into the heart of their schedule.
“I’d probably say I’ve matured a lot. I started trusting the process more, like trusting the technique more,” Harley said. “I’ve been studying the game more. I watch a lot of film of Braxton because he was in my position last year. I just basically study the game more instead of just trying to go out and beat the man with talent.”
Johnson, Richards still out
As the Hurricanes continue preparing for North Carolina, they are still without two of their veterans.
Neither receiver Ahmmon Richards nor safety Jaquan Johnson practiced Tuesday, both working to the side with members of the Hurricanes’ athletic training staff.
Richards hasn’t played since suffering a bone bruise on his knee in Miami’s opener against LSU, while Johnson hurt his hamstring in the Hurricanes’ Sept. 15 game at Toledo.