Brad Kaaya
If it wasn't apparent already, the Miami Hurricanes have an "ELITE QB"! Couple that with the mind of Mark Richt and ............yeah you get the picture! The disparity between Kaaya and the other QBs on the roster is quite astounding and that is more of an indictment on Kaaya and how good he is. The strength and conditioning seemed to not only have an affect on the lineman but Kaaya as well. His throws were crisp and Mark Richt described him as "Deadly Accurate". In a matter of weeks he has already mastered the Mark Richt playbook and has a full command of the offense. To the point where he is actually correcting Coach Richt at times. If there is any hope for the 2016 Miami Hurricanes they lie clearly on the arm of Brad Kaaya. Cane Nation should be excited about a Kaaya led offense in 2016
The Defense
After the hiring of Mark Richt, next on the agenda of Hurricane fans was the Defensive Coordinator hire. That is where Manny Diaz comes in. The fans got an introduction and early glimpse of the newly implemented 4-3 one gap defense and by all accounts it was a successful transition. The hire of Coach Kool from Missouri was also a big deal for Cane fans as he is regarded as one of the best Defensive line coaches in America. Players have lamented how exciting it is to be playing for Coach Kool and this style of defense. "He's teaching us technique and aggression, just get after it. Stop guessing and get after the quarterback. That's what he likes. Get to the quarterback." said Gerald Willis. Expectations are high for the defensive line led by Alquadin Muhammad. As we saw this spring the front seven is now attacking the line of scrimmage attempting to create negative plays and stop plays before the can develop. If this defense rises up to the occasion the 2016 Miami Hurricanes could have a big year.
Freshmen LBs
Shaq Quarterman, Miike Pickney, and Zach McCloud have been a real revelation this spring. Since their arrivals they have demolished everything in their paths! From the offseason conditioning program, to their playbooks, to their fellow counterparts on the other side of the ball. Since being elevated to the 1st and 2nd teams they have yet to relinquish their roles and have made their imprint on the defense. Shaq Quarterman in particular looks the part of a division 1 MLB. He has picked up the defense exceptionally fast and it was really a treat watching him calling the defense this spring and making plays. His forced fumble in the 1st scrimmage was a thing of beauty and shows what he brings to the table. His efforts have led to him earning a leadership award and from the look of things that might be the first of many awards he brings home for the Canes.
Depth Concerns
Maybe the biggest issue this spring was the lack of depth at certain positions. Especially at the WR position. At The University of Miami, depth at the skill positions should never be an issue. Unfortunately the previous regime did not do their due diligence recruiting and that was very evident this spring. Once the second teams were on the field you could easily see a drop in performance and how devoid of scholarship players there was. Mark Richt and his staff luckily have some reinforcements arriving in the summer to help. With the help of freshmen's Sam Bruce, Ahmmon Richards, Malik Young, Cedric Wright, and transfers Adrian Colbert and Dayall Harris the Canes should be okay for now.
Play Calling
Gone are the days of the infamous bubble screens and soft zone coverages and enter a fullback and lots of blitzing. One thing that was evident this spring is the flexibility of the offense and the aggressiveness of the defense. Mark Richt (taking over play calling duties) has implemented his pro style attack which has brought back the fullback and play actions passes. It was really a treat watching Kaaya play action and rolling out the pocket. The TE position really flourished this spring and the Canes appear have one of if not the best group of TEs in the country led by David Njoku and Chris Herndon. The possibilities of the Mark Richt led offense that was on display this spring should leave Cane fans salivating. Manny Diaz has brought an aggressive style defense and has a propensity to blitz..... A lot! It really is refreshing to see the defensive line and LBs attacking the line of scrimmage getting TFLs and the DBs on the line playing press man coverage. This defense will be fun to watch at the very least which can't be said about Miami defenses the past couple of years.
