10 thoughts on Mario Cristobal’s best Miami team to date as camp begins (2024)

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Shannon Dawson prides himself on being the kind of offensive coordinator who can evolve, and he isn’t above some good old-fashioned play stealing.

“I’m not hard-headed at all,” said Dawson, the 46-year-old play caller entering his second season at the University of Miami. “I will steal offensive stuff like the biggest thief in the world.”

The Hurricanes, who enter their third season under Mario Cristobal and open camp Wednesday, have added six new transfers since the end of the spring including 1,000-yard rusher Damien Martinez (Oregon State) and 800-yard receiver Sam Brown (Houston).

That’ll adjust how opponents prepare to face Miami this fall, but also how Dawson tweaks the Hurricanes’ attack.

Miami’s offense will not only be a mesh of the Air Raid system Dawson brought over from Houston and the balanced rushing attack Mario Cristobal ran at Oregon, but it will also include the best stuff Martinez, Brown and quarterback Cam Ward ran at their previous stops.

“This is not my offense. This is our offense — the Miami Hurricanes offense,” Dawson said. “Our identity will obviously evolve. With that, what are those guys good at? When Cam came here, there were certain things he loved to do. I’d be dumb not to (adjust to what he likes).

“I know the players on the field are the ones that matter.”

Dawson said he’s open to player suggestions on what to install because “they have to be comfortable. They’re the ones executing the play.” But there’s also a balance to strike when weaving it all together.

“Ultimately, am I going to do everything? No. Because I also know with offensive football there’s a tipping point if you’ve got too much stuff,” Dawson said. “You can’t lose your identity, and we have to get good at what we’re good at. But if it fits, heck yeah I’ll absolutely do it. And we have.”

What Miami’s playbook has in it when the Hurricanes take the field in The Swamp against Florida on August 31 will be decided by Dawson over the next couple weeks. But he has a pretty good grasp of what it should look like.

We can say the same for the entire team, which should be Cristobal’s best to date and Miami’s most talented in some time.

1. Any excuse of not having had enough time to flip the roster is completely out the window for Cristobal moving forward.

With offensive tackle Zion Nelson medically retiring from football, there are only eight players on the roster who were signed under Manny Diaz: receivers Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George and Michael Redding, tight end Elijah Arroyo, offensive linemen Jalen Rivers and Ryan Rodriguez, linebacker Chase Smith and safety Brian Balom.

“I’m happy with the progress,” Cristobal told The Athletic last week of how much the roster has changed since his arrival in December 2021. “We were not happy with our starting point upon arrival. It wasn’t a Miami roster. Not all of it. Some players are good players, good people and good workers. But we’ve worked really hard at it to get the right people in. To find appropriate places for other people. I feel we have more competitive depth. We have some big league players in some spots and we’re developing big league players.

“Our trenches have taken a tremendous step in two years. The quarterback position — we haven’t played a game yet — but certainly in a really good place. The backfield is strong, powerful, fast. The tight end room is staggered the right way (by graduating class) and capabilities. The receiver position has certainly gotten better. Defensive line, linebacker. You can’t find a position where we haven’t gotten better.”

2. There’s only one spot on the field where you can question if Miami has enough talent and proven depth: Safety.

With Washington transfer Meesh Powell taking one of the two starting spots left behind by Kam Kinchens (third-round pick) and James Williams (seventh-round pick), the Hurricanes open camp still looking to determine who else should take the bulk of the snaps at the other spot.

Defensive coordinator Lance Guidry identified redshirt sophom*ores Jaden Harris and Markeith Williams and freshman Zaquan Patterson as the three players who can rotate opposite Powell. Cristobal said Harris reminds him of the kind of players Miami “used to have in its secondary” in its heyday.

3. Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal does not yet want to declare Matthew McCoy the team’s new starter at left guard, but it’s safe to say the redshirt sophom*ore is well positioned to open the season between left tackle Jalen Rivers and center Zach Carpenter.

“Let’s just say this: Whoever ends up at left guard is gonna be talked about as much or more than those other guys,” Mirabal said. “There’s about eight to nine guys I completely believe in when they get on the field being able to perform and help the Hurricanes win. The gentleman who I think is in the lead for the left guard spot, I believe in him as much or more than those other guys. He knows that. And because I know he’s not gonna let himself down. He’s not gonna let me down or let his family down.”

It’ll be interesting to see how McCoy’s emergence affects former five-star recruit Samson Okunlola, who returned from injury this spring. Okunlola’s brother transferred from Pittsburgh to Colorado and you can bet the Buffaloes would love to swipe a talented offensive lineman.

4. Cristobal downplayed reports Simeon Barrow considered leaving Miami after transferring in from Michigan State this summer.

“More drama outside than inside,” Cristobal said. “Kind of like everything else. The offseason is too long. Sometimes people feel a need to create.

“Great young man and he’s an exceptional player. College football is a lot more complicated than it used to be. Sometimes you’ve got to give people space. Simeon is a good dude. He’s with us and all the way in with us.”

Barrow, a 30-game starter with the Spartans at defensive tackle, said he’s looking forward to building better relationships with his teammates and winning this fall. Barrow said he’s adjusting to the South Florida heat and humidity. He moved to Georgia in the seventh grade from New York and is reacclimating to the weather in the south.

Barrow said he’s 6-foot-3, 288 pounds.

5. Miami’s collection of veteran edge rushers — Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, Tennessee transfer Tyler Baron and Marshall transfer Elijah Alston — might be the best in the ACC. Guidry said it’s the deepest position on the team. It’s hard to argue.

Miami’s depth and experience on the defensive line is the team’s strength. Camp will determine who starts, but all the veteran acquisitions will play.

At tackle, Guidry noted N.C. State transfer C.J. Clark was really consistent this spring. Guidry views Middle Tennessee transfer Marley Cook as more of a pass rusher who is athletic enough to play outside. Redshirt sophom*ore Ahmad Moten and freshman Justin Scott, a former five-star recruit, are expected to contend for Miami’s fourth defensive tackle slot.

“Moten has the potential to be just as good as any,” Guidry said. “I’m not gonna say Scott is gonna flash as much as Bain, but he has potential.”

6. I don’t agree, but Guidry and Cristobal feel Miami is deeper at cornerback this season than last despite the fact two veteran starters in Jaden Davis and Te’Cory Couch must be replaced.

“Damari Brown has no ceiling. He’s a real one,” Cristobal said. “Jadais Richard is special. Daryl Porter Jr. is as consistent and dependable as it gets. He doesn’t give up many plays. He’s very smart, savvy.”

Miami picked up transfer Dyoni Hill in the spring, a Gainesville, Fla., native who started nine games last season at Marshall for new defensive backs coach Chevis Jackson. Hill said he’s taken 85 percent of snaps at outside corner, but could play inside if needed. Guidry said Miami’s nickel back spot will be manned “by committee” with Brown, Richard, Powell and Hill all capable.

Guidry is looking for a fifth cornerback to emerge this fall. Asked if there’s a freshman who has the physical traits to make an instant impact, he identified South Florida native O.J. Frederique Jr.

“He’s making some plays on some balls against older receivers,” Guidry said. “But you won’t know until you present the whole playbook to him and see him against really good receivers.”

7. Sam Brown’s speed and ability to beat man coverage will be valuable in Dawson’s offense. Ward wasn’t necessarily criticizing Restrepo and George when he told me last week Miami needed someone capable of doing that.

He was just trying to emphasize Brown’s value. Brown said he was timed running 22.3 miles per hour — elite speed. He ran the 100 meters in 10.8 seconds in the past and was a champion long jumper.

When he played for Dawson two years ago at Houston, Brown played mostly outside receiver. But in this scheme, he’s expecting to line up all over the field. Brown grew up in Georgia and his father is a tennis coach. Brown said he played tennis until he was 15 and said it really helped him develop his hand-eye coordination.

Credit Ward for helping convince Brown to come to Miami this spring. They worked out together in Houston six weeks before Brown committed to Miami over Texas A&M and Alabama. Brown said he’s spent two months playing catch with Ward and said he appreciates him because he takes advantage of matchups.

8. Miami’s backfield has legitimate depth with a healthy Mark Fletcher in it.

Fletcher will start camp being slowly ramped up so he’s ready for the season opener. He suffered a serious lisfranc foot injury in the bowl loss to Rutgers and started running two weeks ago. He was off his foot for five months.

Despite the injury, Fletcher said his body fat percentage is down from 15 to 12 percent even though he still weighs 225 pounds.

Fletcher said he was excited about the arrival of Martinez because it helps take a load off his body. He helped recruit him from Oregon State.

“Two trains coming at you. You better get out of the way,” Fletcher said.

Martinez, who has been clocked running 20-plus miles per hour, said he and Fletcher spend a lot of time together. Their lockers are next to each other.

“You don’t want to go to a hostile environment,” Martinez said. “Mark is a cool dude. He reached out to me a lot. Knowing I can help someone like that who was in my position before definitely played a part.”

9. Don’t underestimate the value of ex-Louisville linebacker Jaylin Alderman’s addition to the roster. The Canes needed to replace Corey Flagg Jr.’s production and he could be better.

Alderman provides a third veteran linebacker that will allow Kiko Mauigoa and Wesley Bissainthe a chance to catch their breath, and first and second-year players like Popo Aguirre and Bobby Pruitt time to grow. Alderman can play middle or weakside linebacker and has really good instincts like Mauigoa, Guidry said.

He visited Arkansas before Miami and chose the Hurricanes because of his previous relationship with former Louisville assistant Derek Nicholson. Alderman played more on the edge last season with Nicholson at Miami. Last season, Miami plucked KJ Cloyd at linebacker from Louisville. Alderman said Cloyd told him he’d love the culture at Miami.

10. We probably won’t see a true freshman emerge on Miami’s defense the way Rueben Bain did last season. But there are a few who have a chance to contribute early. Pruitt is one to watch in special packages.

“Really fast. He can do a lot of things. I’m excited about the different ways we can use him,” Guidry said. “He’s got some things you can’t teach, instincts. He plays bigger than he is. He comes off blocks you think he shouldn’t be able to come off. He’s athletic like a safety, a really good hybrid player.”

(Photo: James Gilbert / Getty Images)

Manny Navarro has been the University of Miami beat writer for The Athletic since September 2018. He's also the host of the "Wide Right" podcast. Manny's career started at The Miami Herald in October 1995 when he was a high school senior. He covered the Hurricanes, Heat, Marlins and high school sports for 23 years at the paper. He makes occasional appearances on WSVN's Sports Xtra on Sunday nights and is on the "Big O Show" with Orlando Alzugaray at 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Follow Manny on Twitter @Manny_Navarro