Receiver/return man Brashard Smith of UM enters transfer portal
Another valuable member of the Miami Hurricanes is in the transfer portal.
University of Miami slot receiver and the nation’s fourth-ranked kick returner Brashard Smith, a third-year junior out of Miami Palmetto High, has entered the NCAA portal, his mother, Monica Hennigan, confirmed to the Miami Herald on Saturday morning.
Hennigan said Smith loves Miami and would rather not leave, and could still end up staying at UM. But she said he has one more year left and wants to be utilized more.
“Everything’s fine,’’ his mother said. “It’s his last year so he wants to make it his best year, and he wants to be on the field.
“He loves Miami and doesn’t want to leave Miami. Unless a miracle happens and they talk to him and convince him to stay, he’s transferring.’’
The 5-10, 200-pound, do-everything Smith could catch, run, return kicks and, if needed, throw passes. He did not travel to New York for Thursday’s Pinstripe Bowl. UM lost to Rutgers 31-24 and finished the season 7-6.
The speedy Smith returned 20 kickoffs this season for 579 yards and a touchdown — a 29-yard average.
In mid-September he became the nation’s No. 1 kick returner and stayed that way for more than a month, at one point averaging 33.9 yards, which included a scintillating 98-yard touchdown return against then-No. 23 Texas A&M.
Smith started four of his 12 games, catching 22 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran nine times for 132 yards and a touchdown for a 14.7-yard average.
“I’m a playmaker, so I just want to make plays,’’ Smith said earlier this season.
UM’s soon-to-be fifth-year senior, Xavier Restrepo, the starting slot receiver who led UM with a season-record 85 catches for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns, announced Friday that he’s returning for 2024.
Starting receiver Colbie Young (47 catches for 563 yards and five touchdowns) already has transferred to Georgia.