Dawson talks offense after spring practice #2

Miami’s offense jumped from abysmal to above-average last year under offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson. The team moved from 114th (19.4 ppg) to 38th (30.1 ppg) in scoring offense and 104th (4.8) to 25th in yards per play. But all of that improvement was lost in extended droughts and turnovers. Much of that was caused by inconsistent quarterback play. Dawson hopes to turn that around this year with the addition of Washington State transfer Cam Ward. He spoke on his leadership after the team’s second spring practice.

"Even before he started practicing, his leadership was clear," Dawson said. "He's played a lot of football, so he knows how to inject himself as the new guy, very humbly."

As is common for spring practice, the timing is imperfect. "Are we on the same page all the time? Obviously not," he conceded. "But ultimately, there are signs of routes ending up in good places, and that's encouraging."

Dawson noted that his teams usually experience a substantial jump after the first year due to improved familiarity and cohesion. "It should be exponential year-to-year," he said. "Typically, you see significant progress."

Many onlookers, myself included, have been impressed by freshmen JoJo Trader and Ny Carr’s ability to get open and adjust to the ball. Dawson couldn’t help but smirk when discussing his newest weapons. "They can run, and their body control is what you think. Their skillset is what you want it to be.”

Dawson praised his senior WR Xavier Restrepo for his consistency, noting that he is consistent every day. “The best players I’ve been around have been the same player every day. I can give ‘Strep that- he’s the same player every day.”

Miami has five scholarship quarterbacks in camp, including four guys who have started games. "It's a good problem to have," he admitted. "The quarterback room is talented, and competition breeds improvement."

Albany transfer and FCS All-American Reese Poffenbarger has impressed Dawson with his competitiveness and intelligence. "Talented kid. He's a competitor with a live arm," Dawson remarked. "He’s very serious about playing football and I like guys like that."

Elijah Arroyo has created a ton of buzz in the offseason, and Dawson had a one-word answer when asked about his impact. “Huge….If he’s healthy, he’s a dude.” He also noted that Riley Williams had huge upside and "that young kid Elija Lofton is talented, too." Dawson laughed and said, "Maybe this year you won't be asking me about getting the ball to the tight ends."

Miami resumes practice on Friday. CanesInSight will have you covered with a daily podcast and recap.