Pressure Points: Several Miami Hurricanes will have to step up to maintain/have big roles in 2024
The Miami Hurricanes added portal pieces in the first window and again this past weekend. Today we look at some of the returners who have the most pressure on them to maintain/have big roles in the coming season:
5. CB Jadais Richard
With Marshall CB D’yoni Hill on board, the pressure is on Jadais Richard. He is arguably one of the best practice cornerbacks Miami has – he always seems to be on the receiver and is the most physical corner in the room (not including nickel/safety Mishael Powell). But Richard, who transferred in last year from Vanderbilt and was a backup who played 187 reps per Pro Football Focus, has to step up this summer to see the field with Daryl Porter, Jr. a returning starter, sophomore Damari Brown looking to build on his four starts of a year ago and then Hill coming in. The pressure will be on this offseason and fall for Richard.
4. LB Wesley Bissainthe
With Jaylin Alderman’s commitment, it’s no longer as much a sure thing that Bissainthe will simply waltz away with the starting job all year. Remember that a year ago the team brought in another Louisville transfer, KJ Cloyd, who wound up starting over Bissainthe early in the year. Alderman is experienced and has enough talent that Bissainthe needs to continue to show the same progress we saw him make this spring. Otherwise he may be coming off the bench.
3. Every running back not named Damien Martinez
The addition of Martinez means that Mark Fletcher doesn’t need to be rushed back … and even if Fletcher were healthy he might be hard-pressed to steal reps away from the Oregon State star transfer. Martinez has all the tools you want in a running back – explosiveness, physicality, speed and good hands as a receiver. Now the question is what running back can step up to spell him when he needs a breather. Assuming Fletcher isn’t 100 percent, Ajay Allen and freshman summer arrival Jordan Lyle are more physical options. Second-year Chris Johnson and true freshman Chris Wheatley-Humphrey are speed options who could provide quality reps as change-of pace options. And let’s not forget the X factor – freshman Elijah Lofton – who saw extended reps as a running back this spring. So it’ll be all-out competition to try and get reps behind Martinez in the running backs room.
2. TE Riley Williams
A year ago as a true freshman Williams got a lot of reps (316 per PFF) with Cam McCormick not a receiving option and Elijah Arroyo injured. And Williams did have some bright moments. But now Arroyo’s back healthy, McCormick also returns, and on top of that true freshman Elija Lofton showed this spring that he’s a guy that will get a lot of reps. So where does that leave Williams? Well, he’ll have to really step up this fall and prove he can help this tight ends room. He certainly looks the part as a tall, physical guy, but he has to show coaches he can be consistent.
1. WR Isaiah Horton
With Sam Brown on board, the pressure is on Horton to find some kind of role for himself in Year 3. Can he push Brown to be the third starter alongside Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George? Sure. But the assumption before Brown was added was this could be Horton’s breakout season. Now he’s got a lot to prove if that’s going to be the case given Brown seems to have a bond with Cam Ward and already was familiar with Shannon Dawson’s system at Houston. It’ll be a great fall battle here.
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