New-look UM offense stokes excitement
The story of the day Wednesday at the second University of Miami spring practice might become the story of all 15 sessions through April 13.
The Hurricanes can only hope. New transfer quarterback Cam Ward and his backup, transfer Reese Poffenbarger, looked so good that their receivers — some just out of high school, such as JoJo Trader and Ny Carr — turned money passes into money catches.
If only every game were limited to 1-on-1 receivers versus defensive backs.
“It should be a surprise if we don’t do something right,’’ said slot receiver Xavier Restrepo, the soon-to-be fifth-year senior who led all pass-catchers with 85 receptions for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns during UM’s 7-6 season in 2023.
“That’s just one heck of a room,’’ Restrepo said of of the quarterbacks who also include rising redshirt sophomore Jacurri Brown, sophomore Emory Williams and true freshman Judd Anderson.
Memories of former starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who had another unfortunate, injurymarred season last year before transferring to Wisconsin, are likely fading.
One reporter asked Restrepo about his “best friend’’ and how Restrepo “worked through that’’ and the receiver’s ability to embrace “the next guy coming in, who looks pretty good.’’
Restrepo laughed. “I mean, he’s not my girlfriend or anything,’’ he said of Van Dyke, who threw for 2,703 yards, with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. “I’m not crying about it. But definitely, he is my guy. I wish the best luck to him. He’s going to do great over there at Wisconsin.”
Restrepo praised the former
Washington State signalcaller Ward, who last season passed for 3,735 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions, and also rushed for eight scores.
“He and all the quarterbacks have this work ethic that’s contagious,” Restrepo said. “We all want to be around him all day, every day, whether that’s film room, weight room, out here just chilling.’’
Restrepo didn’t “chill’’ Wednesday. He made a spectacular catch during media viewing of a Ward long-distance launch while being closely defended by former Washington defensive back Mishael Powell. “X” contorted his body, and, as he often does, fell to the ground clutching his prize.
“He’s as constant as you get,’’ offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said of Restrepo after practice. “Week in, day in, game in. That play he made today, he makes a play like that almost every day. He plays hard. We don’t have everybody playing hard.’’
Dawson said Ward will “organically’’ be involved in UM’s running game.
“There were a couple times today he scrambled and you could see he could get 15, 20 yards,’’ the coach said. “The biggest deal with me in scrambling is keeping your eyes down the field and throwing — just extending plays. That’s really where the game is played today, because D-linemen are so good and coverages are so complex.
“He has the ability to get out of trouble and save plays, which to me is liberating.’’
FUMBLING PROBLEM
Ward is certainly not perfect, as evidenced by dozens of fumbles during his four-year college career, including the first two seasons at Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Last year, he lost eight of his 12 fumbles.
“Focus,’’ Dawson said of the fumbles. “I watched all of them, so I know. That was one of the red flags coming in, but if you watch all of them, it’s pretty clear it really isn’t a ball security issue as much as a focus issue. He knows, put it that way.”
Asked about the transition to Ward as the Hurricanes’ new leader, Dawson said it “doesn’t happen overnight. But ultimately, if you’re good at what you do, typically locker rooms accept you pretty quickly. The quarterback room is talented.’’
It’s also crowded, which is why Dawson wants to make his quarterbacks “uncomfortable’’ with competition that at least initially limits their snaps.
“... I don’t think I’ve been through a spring where you’ve repped that many quarterbacks,’’ he said.
MORE FROM DAWSON
On Poffenbarger, who also was slinging some beauties Wednesday and pumped his arm intensely every time he made a pretty pass, including two to sophomore Ray-Ray Joseph: “Talented kid. Competitor, man. He’s got a live arm. Football IQ very high . ... Very serious about playing football. I like guys like that.’’
On tight end Elijah Arroyo, who appears to be healthy after being limited to six games last season, with one reception: “If he’s healthy, he’s the dude . ... ” Dawson told reporters. “Maybe you all won’t be asking me this year about getting the ball to tight ends.’’
On what he expects to be different from last season (despite the Canes finishing 31st in total offense at 431.2 yards a game and “taking huge jumps’’ in categories such as yards per play): turnovers and red zone offense.
“Turnovers were glaring, and glaring when they happened,’’ said Dawson of UM’s 105th ranking of 129 FBS teams in turnovers lost (22). “Teams that are top 10 in the nation, there’s one clear thing they didn’t do — turn it over [in the red zone]. We turned it over seven times down there, two times on the 1-yard line . ... Not only does that crush your morale, it takes points off the scoreboard.’’