Game 1: Miami Hurricanes
June 24, 2014 | Football
June 24, 2014
2013 record: 9-4 overall, 5-3 ACC
Returning starters: Offense - Six (LT Ereck Flowers, LG Jon Feliciano, C Shane McDermott, TE Clive Walford, WR Philip Dorsett, RB Duke Johnson) Defense - Seven (DE Anthony Chickillo, DT Olsen Pierre, OLB Thurston Armbrister, OLB Denzel Perryman, CB Tracy Howard, CB Ladarius Gunter, S Rayshawn Jenkins)
Returning lettermen: 55
Key players:
Duke Johnson, RB: Before suffering a season-ending ankle injury against Florida State, Johnson was the marquee playmaker for the 2013 Hurricanes and quietly one of the most productive backs in the country. In just eight games of action, Johnson compiled 920 yards and six touchdowns, all while averaging 6.3 yards-per-carry.
Stacy Coley, WR: An explosive receiver, Coley caught 33 passes for 591 yards in his freshman season. His seven receiving touchdowns led the team. A threat to go the distance any time the ball is in his hands, Coley averaged 17.9 yards-per-catch, scored on an 81 yard catch-and-run, and also reached the end zone one time apiece by way of a kickoff and a punt.
Denzel Perryman, LB: A three-year starter, Perryman's 108 total tackles were tops on the team in 2013. Perryman's performance last season earned him a first team All-ACC nod and an honorable mention All-America by Sports Illustrated.
Tracy Howard, CB: An honorable mention All-ACC at his cornerback spot, Howard started twelve games for the Hurricanes last season, amassing 35 tackles and leading the `Canes with four interceptions. He is a preseason candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Overall outlook: Entering the fourth year of head coach Al Golden's tenure at Miami, the Hurricanes are coming off of their most successful season since 2009. With a 9-4 record in 2013, the program made its first postseason appearance since 2010 with its berth in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The 2013 season continued the upward trend that the `Canes have experienced under Golden's guidance- improving from six, to seven, to nine wins in his first three seasons. Given the program's rich football history, last season's success is not unprecedented, but is impressive nonetheless. The Hurricanes started the season by railing off seven consecutive victories, and rose as high as No. 7 in the BCS standings. The team also had nine All-ACC selections, four of whom will return for the Hurricanes this season. Miami will look to continue their progress in 2014. With six starters returning on offense and seven on defense, the Hurricanes will have plenty of experience to form a solid foundation of leadership for an otherwise young team. Breaking through the double-digit win threshold, which the program hasn't done since 2003, will be a challenge, given their schedule. Their trek through the ACC's Coastal division includes games at Louisville, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Teach, a home meeting with defending national champion Florida State, and a home game against upstart Duke. The `Canes also face a couple of tough games out of conference, as they'll travel to Nebraska on Sept. 20, and welcome Cincinnati to Coral Gables on Oct. 11.
Offense: Although the return of running back Duke Johnson and wide receiver Stacy Coley will provide the Hurricanes with enough playmaking to disrupt opposing defenses, the team has a number of production gaps that will need to be filled- starting with the departure of wide receiver Allen Hurns. Hurns set the program's single-season receiving yards record with a 62-catch, 1,162-yard, six-touchdown output in 2013. The Miami receiving corps is not without hope, but it may have to rely on a number of players for Hurns-like production. Along with Coley, whose breakout 2013 earned him freshman All-America honors, the Hurricanes return tight end Clive Walford. The 6-foot-4, 263-pound senior caught 34 passes last season, good for the team's second-highest total. Walford reached the end zone twice and gained 454 yards. Herb Waters (28 receptions, five touchdowns) and Philip Dorsett (20 receptions) also add depth. Duke Johnson's return provides Miami's ground attack with some familiarity and productivity. Just as importantly, though, the `Canes also bring back junior Dallas Crawford, who picked up the bulk of the carries after Johnson's mid-season ankle injury. Crawford's 12 rushing touchdowns led the team, and his 616 rushing yards were second only to Johnson's 948. The backfield also returns Gus Edwards, a 235-pound bruiser who carried 66 times for 346 yards and five scores. Perhaps the biggest question mark for the Hurricane offense lies at quarterback, where Stephen Morris has departed. Senior Ryan Williams was expected to replace Morris, but that plan was derailed when Williams suffered an ACL tear during spring practice. Redshirt freshman Kevin Olsen is the supposed next man up for the `Canes, unless a true freshman proves himself worthy before Williams' return. Whoever ends up throwing passes for the team will benefit from the depth returning to the Hurricanes' offensive line. The team returns the entire left side of their line in tackle Ereck Flowers and guard Jon Feliciano. Also returning is center Shane McDermott, who has started 23 games in his career at Miami. The right side of the line is up in the air, with true freshman KC McDermott and Trevor Darling both in contention for starting slots.
Defense: The Hurricanes had a pedestrian defense last season, and improvement in 2014 will have to start up front. The team surrendered an average of 176.5 rushing yards to opponents in 2013, ranking No. 12 in the conference and No. 77 nationally. Luckily for the `Canes, the return and improvement of defensive linemen Anthony Chickillo (3.5 sacks in 2013) and Olsen Pierre (33 tackles) should help to foster better pass pressure and run-stopping. At linebacker, Denzel Perryman, the ACC's fifth-leading tackler in 2013 with 108 stops, returns to anchor the defense. Perryman will be moving from outside linebacker to middle linebacker for his senior campaign. Also returning is Thurston Armbrister, who tallied 33 tackles in six starts last season. All projections point to Tyriq McCord starting at the other outside linebacker spot. Despite not starting a single game, McCord notched 13 tackles and lead the team with four sacks. The Hurricanes struggled mightily in stopping the run last season, and did much of the same against the pass. The Hurricanes, on average, allowed 249.8 yards-per-game through the air, which ranked No. 13 in the conference and No. 90 nationally. The team does return three starters to the secondary in cornerbacks Tracy Howard and Ladarius Gunter, along with safety Rayshawn Jenkins. The trio combined for 12 takeaways last season, with 10 interceptions and two forced fumbles between them.
