’Canes roster will look different
10 players departing, won’t be taking part in Pinstripe Bowl
The Miami Hurricanes who’ll suit up Dec. 28 for a Pinstripe Bowl date against Rutgers will look significantly different from the team that ended the regular season with a blowout win against Boston College last month.
Seven Miami players are publicly known to have entered the transfer portal so far, and three other key players have announced their plans to enter the NFL draft, meaning younger players will have their time to shine at Yankee Stadium.
“You look at it for what it really is,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “Every single one of these opportunities, whether it be a defection, someone you asked to move on, someone declaring for the draft, all it should be in everybody’s mind is an opportunity to upgrade.
“That’s what (Rutgers coach Greg Schiano) taught me. That’s how we look at it. I think what was an ominous cloud early when this portal came on, now it’s an exciting time.”
The most glaring difference in the bowl game will be Jacurri Brown taking snaps at quarterback.
Brown, a sophomore, did not play all season after making his college debut in 2022. But after freshman Emory Williams suffered a season-ending arm injury and starter Tyler Van Dyke entered the transfer portal, Brown remained as the only healthy scholarship quarterback on the roster.
“He’s played a lot of football throughout the course of his high school career,” Cristobal said. “He’s been playing football since he’s been knee-high. We expect him to play his very best, and that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.
“He’s excited about the opportunity. He’ll be well-prepared. His
only focus is this football game and this team . ... He has the confidence of his teammates and the entire coaching staff.”
In addition to Van Dyke, at least nine other players are leaving the team: six through the portal and three to the pros. Key contributors like defensive lineman Jahfari Harvey and running back Don Chaney Jr. are among those who have announced their plans to find a new school.
Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III and safety James Williams both announced they were entering the NFL draft, and left guard Javion Cohen accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl, which is tantamount to an announcement that he is entering the draft. Safety Kamren Kinchens is also expected to leave for the draft, though he has not announced his plans yet.
“I expect a handful of guys to go pro,” Cristobal said. “We certainly have to keep supplementing our roster and find ways to sign a certain number of members from the 2024 class, from high school and the portal.
“Hopefully, we’ll achieve that number and be able to make that room on our roster and find opportunities for guys on our roster to find a place that suits them and their future.”
Miami is in the market for transfers at numerous positions, especially quarterback. None of those players would be eligible for the Hurricanes’ bowl game, but it would set them up for next season. Cristobal declined to say whether UM plans to bring in one or two quarterbacks via the transfer portal, but he is confident the Hurricanes will be in a good spot for 2024.
“We have a great plan in place,” Cristobal said. “We certainly built the roster in a short amount of time to the level and the expectation, the caliber of what Miami football should look like . ... We feel extremely confident that by the end of the recruiting cycle, we’ll be exactly where we need to be.”