This summer, The Clemson Insider is taking a closer look at Clemson’s opponents heading into the 2022 season. The series will be rolled out in the order in which each opponent appears on the Tigers’ schedule.
After previewing Georgia Tech, Furman, Louisiana Tech, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Boston College, Florida State, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Louisville, Miami is up next.
In one of the more notable coaching moves this offseason, Miami hired one of its own to try to bring The U back.
Mario Cristobal, who led Oregon to a pair of Pac-12 titles during his four-year tenure with the Ducks, is back in South Florida as the Hurricanes’ head coach. A native of Miami, Cristobal played for the Hurricanes in the late 1990s and was an assistant there under Larry Coker in the mid-2000s.
Now he’ll try to get a program that’s on its fourth coach since 2011 back to those glory days. Clemson will host Miami, which hasn’t won more than eight games since 2017, on Nov. 19.
Offense
Cristobal has as good of a starting point as a first-year coach could ask for with one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks in the fold. Tyler Van Dyke took over for an injured D’Eriq King early last season and took the conference by storm as a freshman, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of more than 4-to-1 (25-6). Leading receiver Charleston Rambo is off to the NFL, but Clemson transfer Frank Ladson, a Miami native, could help pick up the slack if he can stay healthy. Question is, what kind of help will Van Dyke and the passing game have around them?
The Hurricanes struggled mightily to hold up along the offensive line last season, finishing among the worst teams in the FBS at allowing teams into the backfield (6.75 tackles for loss allowed per game). As a result, the offense lacked balance with a running game that rarely went anywhere (127 rushing yards per game). But with multiple starters back up front, the line has the potential to be much better, and Ole Miss transfer Henry Parrish has the talent to be Miami’s featured back. Jaylan Knighton, who led the Hurricanes in rushing last season (561 yards, 8 rushing TDs) is also back, making for what should be a heated RB1 competition.
Defense
Former Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will have some experienced pieces to work with in the same role at Miami. The Hurricanes are returning four of their top five tacklers from last season, including linebackers Corey Flagg and Waynmon Steed. Safety Kamren Kinchens is back in the secondary after posting 44 tackles and four pass breakups last season, and Tyrique Stevenson, entering his second season at Miami after transferring from Georgia, is the Hurricanes’ top cover corner.
But Miami needs some immediate answers along the defensive line after being ravaged by the transfer portal at the position. The coaching change resulted in a wave of outgoing transfers up front, including starting defensive tackle Nesta Silvera, while rush specialist Zach McCloud has moved on to the NFL. But Leonard Taylor is back after logging 9.5 tackles for loss and two sacks last season, and the Hurricanes have brought in a slew of Power Five transfers as potential replacements for the departed. Former Maryland defensive tackle Darrell Jackson – all 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds of him – is a plug-and-play candidate in the middle after logging more than 200 snaps for the Terrapins last season.
Special teams
Miami has its top two specialists back in placekicker Andres Borregales (17 of 21 on field goals last season) and Lou Hedley, who should be one of the ACC’s top punters after averaging nearly 45 yards per boot a season ago. Brashard Smith and Jacolby George are also back as the top kick returners.
Hurricanes at a glance
Head coach: Mario Cristobal (first season)
2021 results: 7-5, 5-3 ACC (2nd in Coastal Division)
Last meeting: Lost to Clemson, 42-17, in 2020
Key departures: RB Cam’Ron Harris, WR Charleston Rambo, WR Mike Harley, DB Amari Carter, DL Nesta Silvera, LB Zach McCloud, LB/EDGE Deandre Johnson
Key returners: QB Tyler Van Dyke, RB Jaylan Knighton, WR Keyshawn Smith, WR, Xavier Restrepo, DL Leonard Taylor, LB Corey Flagg, LB Waynmon Steed, DB Kamren Kinchens, DB Tyrique Stevenson, DB Te’Cory Couch
Key additions: RB Henry Parrish, WR Frank Ladson, DL Darrell Jackson, DL Antonio Moultrie, DL Akeem Mesidor, DL Jacob Lichtenstein, DL Mitchell Agude
Photo credit: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports
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