We continue our series previewing the Seminoles’ 2017 opponents with the Miami Hurricanes.
In case you haven’t heard, the ’Noles have beaten Miami seven times in a row. Since Jimbo Fisher took over as head coach in 2010, the Seminoles have not fallen to their archrivals from down south. Last year, a blocked extra point in the closing seconds helped Florida State escape with a 20-19 win in a game known as the “Block at the Rock.”
This year, Miami comes to Doak Campbell Stadium pretty early in the season. Florida State will face off against the ’Canes in a primetime game on ABC, only two weeks after squaring off against Alabama in Atlanta.
Does Miami have a QB?
On paper, Miami has all the pieces on offense it needs to compete in an unpredictable Coastal division.
Running back Mark Walton returns after rushing for 1,117 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. The Hurricanes lost Joe Yearby to the draft, but they still have some depth at the position. The offensive line was jumbled last year, but it returns some starting experience.
As Bill Connelly notes in his preview, the receiver position might be the strength of this unit.
Miami is without Coley, Njoku, and Kaaya, but the Canes still have Richards, who may have been the best freshman receiver in the country. He broke Michael Irvin’s school record for freshman receiving yards, and Herndon averaged 9.2 yards per target. If they’re healthy, Miami’s receiving corps is one of the better ones in the ACC, especially considering the return of Walton, slot man Braxton Berrios, and reserves Dayall Harris and Lawrence Cager.
The only problem is that Miami doesn’t know who its quarterback will be.
Brad Kaaya turned pro, which leaves Mark Richt and the Hurricanes deciding between three competitors for the job. Malik Rosier has been the backup for a few seasons now, Evan Sherriffs is a former walk-on, and N’Kosi Perry is a true freshman.
Regardless of its talented pieces, this offense will live or die based on the play of a first-time starting quarterback.
Their defense could be great
Last year saw Miami take a big step forward in terms of defensive play, and now most are back for another round.
Up front, talented linemen like Chad Thomas, Joe Jackson, and Kendrick Norton anchor the Hurricanes. Jackson quietly had 8.5 sacks as a true freshman last year and their defensive line as a whole should be dangerous this year.
Their trio of young linebackers in Shaquille Quarterman, Michael Pinckney, and Zach McCloud is back after going through the ups-and-downs of true freshman play. When combined with the talent in their defensive line, this makes for a very good front seven down in Coral Gables.
The secondary is where we start to see questions arise. It lost some players to the draft, including Corn Elder and Rayshawn Jenkins, and there are some concerns at cornerback. The Hurricanes made a splash in the offseason by adding FCS All-American Dee Delaney from The Citadel at corner, but Miami needs some of its younger guys to step up if it wants to shore up this weakness.
What will happen
Florida State faces Miami at a very opportune time. Whoever the Hurricanes trot out at quarterback will be traveling to Tallahassee in the third week of the season, a tough task for a first-time starting quarterback.
This one should be a defensive slugfest, with two great defensive lines making life hard for the opposing offenses. Expect a low-scoring affair in this one, as FSU attempts to extend the winning streak to eight consecutive games over the Hurricanes.