Mark Richt is now the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, and a new regime is just what the doctor might have ordered to get Miami back in the nation’s elite. Richt inherits a terrific quarterback in Brad Kaaya. However, he is in the ACC, which means he will have to get past Clemson and Florida State — not to mention North Carolina in the other division — to win the conference. Let’s take a look at their prospects in this NCAA football betting preview.
Taking a Look at the Miami Hurricanes 2016 College Football Betting Preview
The Hurricanes need an offensive line that can give Kaaya time to pass the ball. He finished in the ACC’s top three in passer rating, fewest interceptions, yards per passing attempt and yards per game. Richt hasn’t gotten to call plays since he gave up that part of his job in 2007 at Georgia. He also has Mark Walton, Gus Edwards and Joe Yearby to choose from in the backfield. Stacy Coley (47 receptions for 689 yards and four scores) thought about entering the draft but wanted to finish college. David Njoku is a terrific tight end — but the Hurricanes have two more. The problem is that line, though — last year the Hurricanes only ranked #112 in the nation in yards per carry, and the spring scrimmages features more sacks than the checkout stand at a grocery store. Is this a solid Miami defense, or another porous offensive line?
Manny Diaz is the new defensive coordinator for the Hurricanes, and he is replacing the 3-4 scheme from last year with a 4-3, that hearkens back to the days when Miami was winning national championships. Ends Al-Quadin Muhammad and Chad Thomas will go high in the draft, and tackles Courtel Jenkins, Kendrick Norton and Gerald Willis are all solid talent. However, after that, there are only linebacker Jermaine Grace (who led the Hurricanes with 79 tackles last season) and a trio of freshmen. Sophomore Darrion Owens has talent at linebacker, but he lost most of last season to a knee injury. There are three solid safeties (Jamal Carter, Jaquan Johnson and Rayshawn Jenkins) return, but there is only one solid corner in Corn Elder. Diaz’s scheme features plenty of blitzing, but that can open up the defense for big plays if the secondary can’t match up.
Elder was also a beast on special teams, averaging 13.8 yards on punt returns and 33.8 yards on kickoff returns. He scored touchdowns on both types of returns, and he had a pair of other scores called back because of penalties. Placekicker Michael Badgley nailed a 57-yard field goal and went 25 for 30 for the season, earning him a semifinalist berth for the Lou Groza Award. Punter Justin Vogel had a solid year, booting one 73 yards for his longest.
Richt brings revitalization to a program that had stagnated under Al Golden. Richt graduated from UM and was Jim Kelly’s backup quarterback. He has had a lot of success in three decades at Florida State as an assistant and as the head coach at Georgia. I don’t see them getting past Clemson and Florida State this year to win the division, but this is going to be the start of a solid program on South Beach.
