great job grid!!!

Bad ***!

That was AWESOME! And I forgot about missing on 4th and 1, stupid play! It was a great game...

University of Miami QB Daniel Yazzie will be benched in favor of Senior QB Michael Abdullah. In Yazzie's last outing (@Syracuse), he threw 4 interceptions and lost a fumble, posting a dismal 33.05 QBR.

On the season, Yazzie's statline was:
214 completions / 432 attempts (49.5%) - 2,762 yards (6.39 yards/attempt) - 15 TDs - 14 INTs - 6 Fumbles Lost - Sacked 68 times (551 yards)

Miami Hurricanes 2017 Season Report Card

Quarterbacks - F
Running Backs - C+
Wide Receivers - C
Offensive Line - C+
Defensive Line - A
Linebackers - B
Secondary - C+
Special Teams - C+

Overall - C

2017 Team MVP: P - Roy Moore

In the inaugural season, the Florida Gators' fifth signing was QB Otis David. David started all 16 games in his 5th year graduate season, completing 61.5 percent of his passes. Throwing 21 TDs and 12 INTs, David only put the ball on the ground twice. The NCAA has deemed that David has one more year of eligibility and he has decided to play one more season in the Sunshine State. Transferring to Miami, David is the favorite to be under center @Clemson in Week 1.

QB Otis David

Miami is unlikely to keep three quarterbacks on the roster and rumors are already surfacing that Michael Abdullah will have his scholarship revoked. The move comes just one day before Miami is slated to sign it's first blue chip player of the 2018 season. The move at signal caller was not the only transfer of the off-season. A few days prior, former Alabama punter Dominic Moats transferred in after Ray Guy nominee Roy Moore decided to transfer to Stanford.

Punter Dominic Moats

The U's first recruit to sign in the 2018 season was QB Paul Johnson. The four-star recruit was added on the heels of graduate transfer Otis David's addition at signal caller. The Gator transplant is the odds on favorite to start under center, affording the freshman signee a red-shirt season.



Scouting Report

Pros

• Quick Release
• Mobility
• Decision Making Ability
• Discipline
• Hard Count

Cons

• Poor First Step
• Off-Field Distractions
• Poor Check Down Ability
• More Potential Than Substance

Regarded as one of the top two quarterback recruits, what skills Johnson has developed are superb. His pass release is elite and he has good speed, which will help keep him on his feet in the blitz-heavy ACC. Attending Miami on an academic scholarship, he will surely grasp the playbook without issue. He has no ceiling and can develop into one of the great QBs in NCAA history. The 'Canes coaching staff will be working with him in training camp and are confident that he is the quarterback of the future. If he can maintain his focus and be content with waiting a year before being handed the reins, Johnson could single-handedly take Miami to the promised land.

The futures of QBs Michael Abdullah and Daniel Yazzie appear to have dissipated when ink met paper. Head Coach Joseph Graham has been quite vocal with his displeasure of Yazzie, especially his ball handling ability. Interceptions and fumbles plagued the red-shirt senior's 2017 campaign. Many students and alumni were calling for his removal, to which Graham obliged in their visit to Tallahassee. In the rivalry game, Abdullah tossed four interceptions in the game. Quarterback was a priority in the off-season and Miami has definitely taken steps to address the issue.

More signings are expected in the coming days, stay tuned for more Miami Hurricanes news!

Miami Hurricanes 2018 Recruiting Class

QB Paul Johnson - 4 Star Recruit - 6'3" 214 lbs.
Widely considered as the #1 QB prospect with the other consideration being Cash Cannon (Rutgers). The latter was deemed "more game ready", but the graduate transfer of Otis David will allow the 'Canes to red shirt their top recruit. Johnson is primed to be the "future of the U" and all eyes will be on him during training camp.

WR/RB James Jenkins - 3 Star Recruit - 6'2" 196 lbs.
The dynamic weapon played at WR in high school, but is expected to line up at HB with the 'Canes, adding depth at the position, especially with the departure of Jeffrey Santacruz. Santacruz declared himself draft-eligible in his junior year. Barring injury, Jenkins is not expected to be a starter, though he may contribute on special teams and 5WR sets.

TE/FB Robert Delong 6'3" 257 lbs.
Delong can contribute in the passing game and in blocking schemes. The versatile player was brought in for his combination of natural talent and "game smarts". Whether he remains at TE, is utilized as a FB, or split wide at WR remains to be seen. The 'Canes will be developing him in training camp with a "wait and see" mentality. Delong isn't expected to make an impact in the 2018 season, but will be a key player in future years.

LB James Retzlaff - 1 Star Recruit - 6'0" 219 lbs.
Moving from Strong Safety to Linebacker should come easily to Retzlaff. He has the unique ability to play at all 11 positions on defense and the tenacity to play well at all of them. WLB is where he will likely end up and provides the depth that the 'Canes were lacking at the position. A hometown product, Retlaff grew up a 'Canes fan and said that he "dreamed of this moment growing up". A true athlete, Retzlaff will surely become a fan favorite, just maybe not this season.

DT Christopher Thrower - 1 Star Recruit - 6'2" 295 lbs.
Able to play at any position on the defensive line, Thrower has the size and strength to plug holes and bully his way into the backfield. Adding depth to an aging corps of players, Thrower will likely see spot duty throughout the 2018 campaign and may see his workload increased if injuries crop up. Not a flashy signing, but a solid role player that Miami will regularly lean on.

LG/FB Paul Fisher - 3 Star Recruit - 6'0 209 lbs.
Playing WR in high school, Fisher's proficiency in blocking schemes caught the eye of Miami scouts. Undersized, Fisher will be working extensively with Miami nutritionists as well as the strength and conditioning staff. Ideally, Fisher will bulk up enough to move into the left guard position, but may end up playing FB. Fisher is an intriguing signing and only time will tell how well he develops and acclimates to the position change. If he is unable to contribute on the O-Line, his prospect grade is more likely to be in the 1 Star range.

RB/WR Vincent Oneil - 1 Star Recruit - 5'10" 248 lbs.
Oneill is another prospect that will be converting to another position. The high school FB will be shedding weight in hopes to move outside as a receiver. If he does not develop as expected, he may find a role in the backfield either at HB or his native FB position. Definitely a "project player", Oneill possesses some great raw tools and the Miami coaching staff will be looking to fine tune his skill set and find a way to get him on the field.

Overall, Miami signed some versatile players in the off-season and none are expected to compete for a starting role. Their main priority was at QB and the front office made several moves to address their weakness at the position. There is no doubt that they brought in a talented recruiting class, though besides Johnson - none really generated a lot of buzz from the pundits. Head coach Joseph Graham remarked, "You don't have to be flashy to win games. We are confident in the playmaking ability of our guys and most of the time games are won or lost in the trenches and on the backs of the role players. We had some unlucky breaks last season and are returning the majority of our students. We'll be looking to build on what we started last season and added pieces that will help us overcome injuries and other adversities along the way. During this signing period, we had our eye on the future. These guys may not make their names this season, but I believe that in a couple of years - they will be household names."

The Miami Hurricanes added three graduate transfers, all from UCLA. SS Jarrod Bridges, RG Bruce Garcia, and WLB Charlie Lombardo will all be attending the 'Canes training camp and are expected to be competing for starting roles. Bridges and Garcia are the hands on favorites to win their position battles, while Lombardo will have to outperform WLB Morris Newman for the starting nod.

The three late signings solidify a potent Hurricanes team and may be the finishing touches required for the 'Canes to make a push for a bowl bid. Bridges strengthens a questionable secondary, giving the fans on South Beach a breath of relief. The 'Canes failed to bring top recruits in at the position and the graduate transfer looks to play a big part in stopping their opposition's vertical game. Garcia will plug in perfectly at RG and completes one of the better O-Lines in the NCAA. Equally adept in pass and run blocking, th signing will allow RG Edmond Sanchez to line up at LT. The 'Canes saw many injuries last season and the addition of Lombardo gives Miami some much needed depth at the LB position and will afford some of their younger rising talent more time to develop.

Miami Hurricanes training camp was anxiously awaited by the coaching staff and fans alike. Many students and fans were in attendance to get the first glimpses of the 2018 team. Miami is returning 43 players and added five graduate transfers, all of which were known commodities, so this report will focus on the seven new recruits that were added to the roster this off-season. Comparing the prognosticated grades before and after camp, the pundits evaluated these players as follows:


A more in depth look at these additions and their training camp performance follows below.

QB Paul Johnson



The highly anticipated signal caller impressed coaches with his presence and decision making ability. Putting to doubt a few of his perceived knocks, Johnson's check down ability was amrkedly improved and his accuracy showed significant strides, though coaches would like to see a bit more improvement in the area. Johnson has digested the playbook and ran the drills to perfection. Johnson will be red-shirted in his freshman year, but definitely has the talent to lead the 'Canes squad for years to come.

WR/RB James Jenkins


Jenkins was brought in to provide depth in the backfield, but his training camp left a lot to be desired. The coaching staff believes that Jenkins can still be an asset to the squad, but will be focusing their efforts in returning him to the outside and his more familiar role at WR. Jenkins has the speed and hands to produce outside, but struggles a bit getting off the line and shedding coverage. The 'Canes are a bit thin at WR and use have been using a "next man up" approach behind WR Allan Hudak. Jenkins may see a handful of targets in the upcoming season and performance warrants, his workload should increase.

TE/FB Robert Delong

Delong had an impressive camp and will be battling TE Courtney Robinson for the #2 spot behind TE David Scott. The battle between Delong and Robinson will only fuel them both to realize their full potential and in a few seasons when Scott moves to the NFL, these two will keep true to the "TE U" moniker that Miami has earned.

LB James Retzlaff


There's no way to sugar coat Retzlaff's performance in training camp. Disappointing is an understatement and Miami coaches are scratching their heads in how to utilize him. Retzlaff is the personification of the addage "jack of all trades, master of none". There is no doubt that Retzlaff has excellent athletic ability, but he has really struggled at nailing down any one position. Coaches aren't giving up on Retzlaff... yet. However, Retzlaff will need to step up and prove that his camp was a fluke to have a future on South Beach.

DT Christopher Thrower



Johnson and Thrower recieved the most buzz after training camp. With Johnson, it was to be expected as exepctations were high. Thrower was a lesser known commodity but those days are surely behind him. Thrower showed great strength and presence, plugging holes and stifling the run. There are still concerns in his pass rush ability and his tackling form, but he definitely made an impression. Luckily for the 'Canes, they have a glut of talent on the D-Line and Thrower will have the time he needs to flesh out his skill set. Fans may see him in spot duty throughout the season, but when some of the studs inevitably declare for the draft, Thrower will be licking his chops to get take their spot.

RB/WR Vincent Oneil



Oneill looked good in camp but didn't really stand out above the rest at the WR position. He still needs to shed some weight and doesn't have the surest of hands, but he will likely make the roster. Coaches aren't sure if they will leave the big man outside or move him to FB or TE. If anything, he will provide competition for others at the position while trying to carve out a notch for himself.

All in all, it was a productive training camp and the 'Canes are confident in their squad entering the 2018 season. Spirits are not only high for the upcoming season, but the talent displayed deep on the depth chart is undeniable. An interesting side note on training camp... QB Daniel Yazzie seemed to be working on his clipboard holding skills. He only dropped it twice... baby steps.