STATE OF THE U 2024: Introducing this year’s series, with hopes high program is on verge of a major turnaround

There can no longer be any doubt.

We have seen the boost of back-to-back Top 10 recruiting classes. That was accompanied by the continued slaying of the transfer portal that included the signing of Washington State quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon State running back Damien Martinez among many others and finally Louisville edge Tyler Baron.

Across the board, Miami is slowly starting to look like what Miami is supposed to look like – minus the superstars who once glorified The U.

But what does that mean?

Isn’t there still an appropriate reality check in order that Miami is more likely just midway through its recovery from two decades of non-relevance in college football?

Yeah, that reality is certainly there if you are expecting Miami to suddenly morph into Georgia this season. But the Hurricanes don’t play anybody close to the Bulldogs’ level of excellence during the regular season and that is why expectations are ratcheted up in a big-time way for this 2024 season which begins August 31 at Florida.  

Can Miami win the ACC this season and qualify for the College Football Playoff? That absolutely is the bar determining success or failure after all the great work that has taken place from a personnel standpoint and the accompanying financial investment by the University in its football program.

Mario Cristobal certainly won’t be shying away from those kinds of goals.

“I (feel there is) strong progress in the form of culture, form of roster and the form of people, work ethic,” Cristobal said. “Our staff, our program has worked really hard at acquiring some high-level competitors, some really high-caliber talent and bettering the depth of our program. It has been our focus —  just getting to work, increasing our levels of discipline, effort, of performance.”

Over the next 18 days, CaneSport will break down every aspect of the Miami program in our annual State of The U series.  

We will explore each of the recruiting classes which make up this year’s Miami team.

We will examine how Year 3 can be a flashpoint for success for coaches at new programs.

We will evaluate where Miami stands in the college football landscape.

We will look at the biggest question facing the team this year.

We will evaluate every position on the roster.

And then we will attempt to pull it all together and form a conclusion.

By the time you are done reading each of these installments, you will have a complete understanding of the 2024 Miami Hurricanes. You will also likely have a firm idea of where you think the complete puzzle will take us this fall.

Nine wins. 10 wins. 11 or 12 wins. Isn’t anything on the table when you factor in a very favorable schedule this season?

When you take a look at the roster that Miami will take into training camp, it’s pretty solid and deep. The combined work over two-plus years in traditional recruiting and use of the transfer portal is absolutely very significant.

The offense now includes a potentially-great quarterback in Cam Ward, a proven 1,200-yard rusher in Damien Martinez, a strong offensive line and plenty of playmakers at tight end and receiver — established guys like Elijah Arroyo, Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo and newbies like freshmen Elija Lofton, JoJo Trader and Ny Carr.

The defensive line depth has been enhanced around Defensive Freshman of the Year Rueben Bain with the addition of CJ Clark and Simeon Barrow, who could both start. End Akheem Mesidor is expected back and Marshall rush end Elijah Alston and Baron should help a lot. That gives Miami’s defensive line six players with double-digit career starts.

Starting linebackers Francisco Mauigoa and Wesley Bissainthe are back and joined by Louisville starter Jaylin Alderman, and while there are losses in the secondary (safeties James Williams, Kam Kinchens, CBs Jaden Davis, Te’Cory Couch) there also is the addition of Washington nickel/safety Mishael Powell and Marshall CB D’yoni Hill.

There are still questions about depth at linebacker and the defensive backfield. But there is a lot of hope here that the defense can be good enough to allow the team to stay ahead on the scoreboard and put up double-digit victories. If the Hurricanes can do that, they will be right there at the top of the ACC and a strong contender to make the College Football Playoff.

Our annual State of the U series tries to stay grounded in reality.  Paper champions run rampant in the spring and summer months. And Miami detractors will be quick to point out the 12-13 record since Cristobal arrived at Miami and the fact that there has been just one 10-win season here in 20 years regardless of the level of talent in the program.

So how does Miami reverse that cycle?

It isn’t very complicated.

The onus is on the coaches this season to maximize what they have. Ward gives offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson one of the top returning quarterbacks in college football. How good is Ward? Right now it depends on who you talk to. The NFL scouts, for example, are waiting to be convinced. But he certainly is better than those who have been playing at Miami for a long time. And he has the experience of 44 career starts, 13,874 passing yards and 119 touchdowns. Quarterbacks at this level are expected to produce more than 10 wins with quality teams.

When you add in the proven commodities of Restrepo, George and Brown you get the best receiver group in the ACC even if it lacks a proven No. 1 Alpha. With Martinez in the fold to complement a quality offensive line, Miami could also end up with the best run game in the conference.

Defensive coordinator Lance Guidry has more holes to cover up. But Miami also doesn’t play an elite passing quarterback or offense.

“We’ve been at this for two years now, building this roster, building this culture,” Cristobal says.

No excuses.

A lot of people are talking about how much Cristobal has to prove himself, no doubt influenced by the massive mistake he made in not taking a knee against Georgia Tech.

Many are also calling this a make-or-break season for Miami.

I’m not sure it really needs a label like that. There is enough urgency here to win.

The State of the U series will show that things are obviously getting better while also substantiating why the Hurricanes have been missing from the national stage for a while.

Miami may be starting to look like what Miami is supposed to look like again. That’s undeniable. But it doesn’t mean anything until the Hurricanes learn how to win games. That quest begins August 31.

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