As the Hurricane football season approaches quickly, we can’t forget to take a look at the team’s most promising feature — the offense.
With many talented athletes returning on the offensive side of the ball this season the Hurricanes should be able to score with ease. They should be able to exceed 30 points per game as they averaged 27.80 last season.Spearheading the Canes potent offense will be preseason Heisman candidate, quarterback Brad Kaaya. Although he has already proven himself with two outstanding seasons, he looks to bring his game to new heights under new head coach Mark Richt who has shown that he can bring the best out of his quarterbacks.
Along with improving the offense, Kaaya also will try to show that he is worthy of being a first round pick in the 2017 NFL draft that many analysts have predicted him to be.
Complimenting Kaaya will be the plethora of young talented receivers that the Canes have on this year’s roster. Returning starters Stacy Coley and Braxton Berrios look to carry the receiving corps as they have proven track records of performing under the spotlight. They will have to increase the amount of clutch and highlight plays they made for Miami as they lose the services of Herb Waters and Rashawn Scott who were consistent players for the Canes at the position.
Luckily, to assist Coley and Barrios will be two true freshmen who are absolute studs. Sam Bruce, and Ahmmon Richards, who were high school All-Americans this past year, will have to step up and perform right away for the Canes in order for Miami to have a solid passing game this season. Hopefully they can create some chemistry early on with Kaaya.
Assisting Kaaya and the receivers with the task of transforming into one of the nation’s top offenses will be the three-headed monster Miami has at the running back position. Miami has three studs that will each share the workload this season. Listed as the starter in the position is incoming sophomore Mark Walton, who led the team with 10 touchdowns last season. His ability to perform as a true freshman last season was beyond impressive and showed that he has the potential to join the large list of UM’s legendary backs.
Next in the depth chart is junior Joseph Yearby, who lead the team in rushing yards and yards per carry last season with 1,002 yards and 4.9 yards per carry. If the depth chart could have 1a and 1b, it would because both Yearby and Walton produced a tremendous amount for the Canes last season, and will produce even more this season. As Yearby has grown in age, he also has in talent and performance, so expect to see him shine in his third season as a Cane.
The third head to this monster will be the bruiser, senior Gus Edwards, who was sidelined last season due to a foot injury he suffered during preseason workouts. Standing at 6-foot-2, and weighing around 230 pounds, Edwards will be the perfect complement to Walton and Yearby, who are on the smaller side for running backs. Edwards’ size will be extremely beneficial to the Hurricane offense, but it isn’t all that defines his abilities.
In his career at the University of Miami, Edwards has averaged 5.4 Yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns in 19 games played. Although he has nothing to show for from last season, he will look to bounce back from his injury and prove that he still is a beast of a back.
Lastly, we can’t forget about the centerpiece of every offense, the offensive line. With the entire group of offensive lineman returning from last season, the Canes should have a wall up front to protect Kaaya all season long. Considering the hard work that the Canes have been putting in throughout the offseason under new strength and conditioning coach Gus Felder, the offensive linemen should be stronger than ever this season.
Hurricane fans should be excited to see their team score at a staggering rate this season.
