HurricaneVision
Staff Writer
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 943
I wanted to take a day and evaluate the class before I posted my thoughts on this years class.
First, let me say my philosophy is that I'm not concerned with who we DON'T get, but only the guys we DO. Recruits with talent are available every year, and how do you evaluate a class based on kids not on the team.
I'm also not as concerned with the things that a player doesn't do, but rather the things that he does well and how does that fit into our scheme? It's the coaches job to put the players in a position to accentuate those strengths while masking anything they may not do well.
Kevin Olsen- QB- An Elite 11 player with size, anticipation skills and enough arm strength. He never wavered on his commitment and has Miami bloodlines. Fits our pro-style scheme and is probably as good a QB recruit as we've had in a while.
Augustus Edwards- RB- In 2012, Miami converted 67 of 170 3rd downs, for a percentage of 39.4%, good for 68th in the country. They converted 8 of 17 4th downs, for a percentage of 47.1%, good for 82nd in the nation. Only BC and VT were worse on 4th down in the ACC. 3rd down was more middle of the pack with the usual suspects Duke, VT, BC, Maryland, Virginia worse. One way to improve on 3rd down is by picking up short yardage downs at a higher frequency. Edwards is blessed with quick feet for a big man and is decisive in his reads. He can be used in a variety of packages, including pass protection with Duke in shotgun, split wide, FB in I-formation, deep back in I-formation and is versatile. After next season as he grows into the role, he can be used as hybrid FB/TB. This season he can expect to be on the field for 15-20 snaps a game and fills a role that currently no one on the roster can fill.
Stacy Coley- WR- Perhaps the most unexpected recruit to commit to Miami if you look back at November, Coley is an explosive weapon who glides on the football. He's tall and lean and has fantastic body control. He's the type of WR who can make big plays and help with the 3rd down woes by simply putting the ball into the end zone before any more downs are needed. He has the tools to be a #1 WR down the line, but can expect to play a complimentary role this season. The Canes do not currently have a kid with the frame and athleticism that Coley possesses. I foresee him getting 15-20 snaps a game next year. The U was built on playmakers on both sides of the ball, and this kid fits the bill.
Beau Sandland- TE- Perhaps no kid in this class will make more of an impact in 2013 than Mr. Sandland. Blessed with violent hands that attack the ball while in the air and the short area and vertical explosion to take the ball away from the defender, Sandland is another piece of attacking the 3rd down issues of last year. Too many times the middle of the field was not an option for our offense due to unreliable TE's and a QB who lacked trust in them. Sandland is practically built for this role and will convert more than half of his catches for 1st down IMO. He'll be a beast in the red zone and will form an excellent duo with Clive. He's already in school and will benefit from getting reps in Coley's new offense. I foresee him playing 45-50 snaps a game.
Standish Dobard- TE- A bit of a raw prospect, Dobard is a long and lean athlete who will need to add weight and strength to block in-line he offers versatility in the ability to split out wide in the slot or matched up on an island with a defender. Football on offense is all about getting your athletes matched up in favorable situations, and Dobard has the potential to develop into a matchup issue for the defense. For this upcoming season, I'd like to see him take a 'shirt, but if he doesn't he can be utilized on special teams and certain packages. Your special teams core is generally made up of TE's and LB's who are big, fast and strong. I like seeing Miami getting back to bringing in multiple TE's and LB's to fill out both depth and special teams. He's already in school and will get a chance to jump ahead of a few TE's on the roster due to UTough and a new offense with all TE's starting at the same point learning the differences. I don't see Dobard filling a large role this year, but sets up perfectly to contribute in a few years after Sandland leaves.
Alex Gall- G/C- Gall is an OOS kid who earned quite a few fans with his tough attitude and his true Cane demeanor in which he remained loyal to his commitment from jump street, even recruiting for the Canes for several months. Gall is a kid who could develop into a solid college C after he goes through a few UTough seasons and learns how to use his hands better.Gall is a tough kid who is known as a worker, and will even be a little nasty if needed. We all think our under the radar kids are the ones who will develop, but I do think this kid has a big future because of his demeanor. I see him taking a shirt this year.
Sonny Odogwu- OL- A Nigerian born kid the Canes had been watching for two years, he is a bit of a tools bet due to being new to football and being blessed with raw physical skills. He transformed himself in one year at a prep school and definitely looks the part. This is one to judge Kehoe on in a few years and I think it is hard to judge him based on limited film at this time. What Odogwu can do is move like a tackle, have the length of a tackle and the desire to be great. This type of prospect more often than not fills a depth role rather than a starring act, but I like that Miami has moved towards more athletic types at T who need to develop their bodies moreso than the sloppy overweight types who have to lose weight and get in shape. I see Odogwu taking a shirt, or being involved in very limited snaps in blowouts etc. this upcoming season and hope he learns to use his hands better, keeps his weight over his toes and bends his knees better. All coachable and all things that just take time. You can't teach the size, strength and movement skills. Already in school, he'll get much needed reps and UTough during the Spring.
Hunter Knighton- T- Another kid who embodies the word of this recruiting class of "versatile," Knighton can play OT and DT. Long and lean at this point, he's another OL with good movement skills. Naturally strong and with a violent punch, he just needs time to fill out his frame and learn to use his hands better as an OL. I think his ceiling is higher as a T, but he's currently a better player as a DT. If Odogwu pans out and the 2014 class goes as planned at OT, I could see making the switch to defense, where he would make an excellent 5-technique DE in a 3-4 scheme. Already in school, he'll benefit from UTough. He'll 'shirt this year.
Alquadin Muhammad- DE I watched quite a bit of film on pass rushers this season, what with Miami's glaring need there after all, and I did not see another high school pass rusher, outside of Nkemdiche, more ready to compete for snaps than this kid. Blessed with great length and the awareness to use it to keep OL's hands off him, Muhammad has a good, not elite, first step and solid strength. He already has developed a counter pass rush move and terrorized the best competition he saw. An excellent athlete, Muhammad was a coup for this staff and helped to establish that New Jersey connection our coaches have hoped for. Getting Olsen out of New Jersey was one thing, but getting Muhammad out of powerhouse Don Bosco Prep was quite another. Miami finished tied for 115th in the nation with 13 sacks all season. I envision Muhammad playing 15-20 snaps a game in a pass rushing role. When he's getting those snaps, that takes the less effective pass rusher Shayon Green off the field. Expect Muhammad to make an impact in the neighborhood of 4-5 sacks next season.
Ufomba Kamalu- DT- On the surface, this might be the most head scratching commitment Miami took in a small class of 16. However, if you go back to the versatile looks that Miami has talked about wanting to implement, you can see the rationale behind him. Playing on a stacked Juco team that won the national title, Kamalu didn't always play the second halves of games and that hurt his opportunities to shine. He did that in the national title game and garnered more interest for himself. I think Kamalu will make an instant impact as a 5-technique DE in the 3-4, where his length and ability to control blockers will make him most effective. He can move inside on the 4-3 and play the "under" tackle role as a one-technique DT. He's only in the 270 lb range at 6-5 or so, but should be able to add weight to his somewhat lean frame. A Juco kid with three years to play three, Kamalu will play next season. I see him as a meat and potatoes type recruit who does the dirty work so others can make plays. If you read the tea leaves, you can see Miami looking to play more 3-4 fronts next season. Their recruiting has centered on many of the aspects needed to run the scheme, and they even were chasing a NT type late in the game. Ivery and King and Porter can play that role in the 15-20 snaps I expect to be in the 3-4 front. Scheme versatile, decent upside (though I do not see him as truly an "upside" guy), and played his best against the best. This is another case of a team looking at roles we need to fill for our scheme and not taking an overarching view of things. Can the kid do this, this, and this? Yes, we need a kid to do that, regardless of rating. It's smart, and how you build a team on defense and not simply assemble individuals.
Jermaine Grace- LB- This kid is an old school Canes type LB'er. Take the 195-200 lb athlete at LB and let him gain weight and strength and make plays on the field. He's a perfect 4-3 WLB, but he can play anywhere honestly due to his explosive first step and his instincts on the football field. In today's game with all the spread principles, you need kids who can run and cover, and this kid does that perfectly. What has Miami been doing throughout this class? Filling specific roles with players who have the strength to do so. Grace is a complete LB'er in the run and passing game, but you want DL who can keep blockers off of him and let him run to make plays. Our scheme is specifically designed to do just that and I'd expect Grace finds his way on to the field in certain nickel and dime situations. He'll play specials right away where his speed and athleticism will be a nightmare for opposing teams. Love this kid, and while I worry he will have a hard time keeping weight on, as long as he is placed in the best position to succeed, I think we have an all-conference player here. 10-15 snaps a game next year outside of specials.
Alex Figueroa- LB- I'll admit it, when we first took this kids commitment I was a little upset. Then I started doing research on the kid and started to see the length, athleticism and explosiveness of a true four-star OLB. This kid is perfect as a rangy, aggressive OLB'er in a 4-3 and will fit well as a SAM backer in our scheme. He can rush the passer, but is best in space and already has developed some physically. This kid runs to the ball and arrives with bad intentions. I think he fills another role and is even versatile enough to rush off the edge if the coaches so desire. More I watched, the more I liked. Good player who will play on specials next year and add depth.
Devante Bond- LB- I list Bond here with the LB'ers, but in reality, I see his role as a rush LB'er/hybrid DE. The Juco All-American possesses an elite first step and actually has an inside move, rather than simply flying upfield against overmatched Juco linemen. I saw him jab step outside and then put his foot in the ground and rush inside the tackle. He is a bit shorter than you'd like, and he doesn't have the length to keep linemen out of his body and will have to rely merely on quickness and power to attack the QB and set the edge on run defense. I see Bond as a kid who will have a decent impact next year and will play rush LB'er in the 3-4. I think he plays 15-20 snaps a game and contributes 3-4 sacks next year. Along with Muhammad, he is a kid who will take Shayon Green off the field on passing downs and maximize both players value, as well as help Chickillo improve by reducing his snaps and allowing more of a rotation with our returning DE's who step up as well.
Artie Burns- CB- An elite athlete the U has become known to produce, Burns is sprinter fast, strong, athletic and quick. He has the look of an impressive boundary CB or perhaps a great coverage S who can use his eyes and feet to make plays on the ball. Burns is not getting the attention he deserves in my view, because he didn't crave the attention of recruiting like so many others. With the depth that Miami took at CB last year, they needed to focus on grabbing an elite type this year and they did that with this kid. Another kid who is scheme versatile, he can play a variety of fronts, and will do well with the zone look we ran last year that places an emphasis on the CB being able to tackle and be physical. Love this kid, and think he plays more than expected next year.
Jamal Carter- S- Miami needed another S badly after the performance of the deep secondary last year. First, Deon Bush was a revelation, but his playing style puts him at risk of injury on every play. Rayshawn Jenkins stepped up last year as well, but is still prone to mistakes. It was imperative that Miami add depth to this position with a kid good enough to play right away and they did that here with Carter. Carter is a thumper who will intimidate players who come into his zone. He fits well with what Miami needs and is an excellent complement to Jenkins' coverage skills. Carter can get on the field early as an in-the-box safety that hits people and helps save the wear and tear on the other safeties at the same time. Will be a special teams demon and make an instant impact in my view.
Ray Lewis III- S- Miami needs depth and the legacy athlete can come in, bulk up, play special teams and offer versatility in a variety of roles. I think his best fit will ultimately be at S, and don't be surprised if the hard worker eventually earns more snaps than some more heralded teammates.
In looking at this class, you can get caught up in what they didn't do- which was land an impact 4-3 DT- but it's important to take a look at the overall recruiting picture and what they're trying to accomplish. I think they wanted to find more 3-4 pieces, and they did that with Bond, Kamalu, Figueroa. Adding Hamilton, Pierre, Hoilett to the mix you can see the front seven for a defense like that taking shape. It also lessens the need for a true impact 4-3 DT. I don't think they're looking to move to that style of defense full-time, but rather for 15-20 snaps a game, and you can see the pieces taking shape to move players into that scheme at times and still have a role in the base defense.
Miami was 116th in total defense last year, and everyone knows about the issues with the run defense, but there are pieces to this defense to take a step forward and the coaches did a good job of focusing on getting players who fill a role needed for the team to take the next step. I'm excited for the versatility shown by these recruits on defense.
On offense, things really weren't as rosy as they seemed. Miami went through a horrific stretch on 3rd downs after their 4-1 start, and that really held them back on the season. Adding Sandland and Edwards will immediately improve that area by not just their contributions, but by moving other players into roles they're more suited for. Miami was only 81st rushing the football last year, and averaged only 4.68 yards per carry, good for 44th in the country.
Focused on what we did land, I think we helped address several deficient areas on the team on both sides of the ball, and I think can be described as more of a meat and potatoes class than a true flashy class. When you really evaluate each player and what they can bring to the team, you see that each has a unique skill to bring that the team can really use.
First, let me say my philosophy is that I'm not concerned with who we DON'T get, but only the guys we DO. Recruits with talent are available every year, and how do you evaluate a class based on kids not on the team.
I'm also not as concerned with the things that a player doesn't do, but rather the things that he does well and how does that fit into our scheme? It's the coaches job to put the players in a position to accentuate those strengths while masking anything they may not do well.
Kevin Olsen- QB- An Elite 11 player with size, anticipation skills and enough arm strength. He never wavered on his commitment and has Miami bloodlines. Fits our pro-style scheme and is probably as good a QB recruit as we've had in a while.
Augustus Edwards- RB- In 2012, Miami converted 67 of 170 3rd downs, for a percentage of 39.4%, good for 68th in the country. They converted 8 of 17 4th downs, for a percentage of 47.1%, good for 82nd in the nation. Only BC and VT were worse on 4th down in the ACC. 3rd down was more middle of the pack with the usual suspects Duke, VT, BC, Maryland, Virginia worse. One way to improve on 3rd down is by picking up short yardage downs at a higher frequency. Edwards is blessed with quick feet for a big man and is decisive in his reads. He can be used in a variety of packages, including pass protection with Duke in shotgun, split wide, FB in I-formation, deep back in I-formation and is versatile. After next season as he grows into the role, he can be used as hybrid FB/TB. This season he can expect to be on the field for 15-20 snaps a game and fills a role that currently no one on the roster can fill.
Stacy Coley- WR- Perhaps the most unexpected recruit to commit to Miami if you look back at November, Coley is an explosive weapon who glides on the football. He's tall and lean and has fantastic body control. He's the type of WR who can make big plays and help with the 3rd down woes by simply putting the ball into the end zone before any more downs are needed. He has the tools to be a #1 WR down the line, but can expect to play a complimentary role this season. The Canes do not currently have a kid with the frame and athleticism that Coley possesses. I foresee him getting 15-20 snaps a game next year. The U was built on playmakers on both sides of the ball, and this kid fits the bill.
Beau Sandland- TE- Perhaps no kid in this class will make more of an impact in 2013 than Mr. Sandland. Blessed with violent hands that attack the ball while in the air and the short area and vertical explosion to take the ball away from the defender, Sandland is another piece of attacking the 3rd down issues of last year. Too many times the middle of the field was not an option for our offense due to unreliable TE's and a QB who lacked trust in them. Sandland is practically built for this role and will convert more than half of his catches for 1st down IMO. He'll be a beast in the red zone and will form an excellent duo with Clive. He's already in school and will benefit from getting reps in Coley's new offense. I foresee him playing 45-50 snaps a game.
Standish Dobard- TE- A bit of a raw prospect, Dobard is a long and lean athlete who will need to add weight and strength to block in-line he offers versatility in the ability to split out wide in the slot or matched up on an island with a defender. Football on offense is all about getting your athletes matched up in favorable situations, and Dobard has the potential to develop into a matchup issue for the defense. For this upcoming season, I'd like to see him take a 'shirt, but if he doesn't he can be utilized on special teams and certain packages. Your special teams core is generally made up of TE's and LB's who are big, fast and strong. I like seeing Miami getting back to bringing in multiple TE's and LB's to fill out both depth and special teams. He's already in school and will get a chance to jump ahead of a few TE's on the roster due to UTough and a new offense with all TE's starting at the same point learning the differences. I don't see Dobard filling a large role this year, but sets up perfectly to contribute in a few years after Sandland leaves.
Alex Gall- G/C- Gall is an OOS kid who earned quite a few fans with his tough attitude and his true Cane demeanor in which he remained loyal to his commitment from jump street, even recruiting for the Canes for several months. Gall is a kid who could develop into a solid college C after he goes through a few UTough seasons and learns how to use his hands better.Gall is a tough kid who is known as a worker, and will even be a little nasty if needed. We all think our under the radar kids are the ones who will develop, but I do think this kid has a big future because of his demeanor. I see him taking a shirt this year.
Sonny Odogwu- OL- A Nigerian born kid the Canes had been watching for two years, he is a bit of a tools bet due to being new to football and being blessed with raw physical skills. He transformed himself in one year at a prep school and definitely looks the part. This is one to judge Kehoe on in a few years and I think it is hard to judge him based on limited film at this time. What Odogwu can do is move like a tackle, have the length of a tackle and the desire to be great. This type of prospect more often than not fills a depth role rather than a starring act, but I like that Miami has moved towards more athletic types at T who need to develop their bodies moreso than the sloppy overweight types who have to lose weight and get in shape. I see Odogwu taking a shirt, or being involved in very limited snaps in blowouts etc. this upcoming season and hope he learns to use his hands better, keeps his weight over his toes and bends his knees better. All coachable and all things that just take time. You can't teach the size, strength and movement skills. Already in school, he'll get much needed reps and UTough during the Spring.
Hunter Knighton- T- Another kid who embodies the word of this recruiting class of "versatile," Knighton can play OT and DT. Long and lean at this point, he's another OL with good movement skills. Naturally strong and with a violent punch, he just needs time to fill out his frame and learn to use his hands better as an OL. I think his ceiling is higher as a T, but he's currently a better player as a DT. If Odogwu pans out and the 2014 class goes as planned at OT, I could see making the switch to defense, where he would make an excellent 5-technique DE in a 3-4 scheme. Already in school, he'll benefit from UTough. He'll 'shirt this year.
Alquadin Muhammad- DE I watched quite a bit of film on pass rushers this season, what with Miami's glaring need there after all, and I did not see another high school pass rusher, outside of Nkemdiche, more ready to compete for snaps than this kid. Blessed with great length and the awareness to use it to keep OL's hands off him, Muhammad has a good, not elite, first step and solid strength. He already has developed a counter pass rush move and terrorized the best competition he saw. An excellent athlete, Muhammad was a coup for this staff and helped to establish that New Jersey connection our coaches have hoped for. Getting Olsen out of New Jersey was one thing, but getting Muhammad out of powerhouse Don Bosco Prep was quite another. Miami finished tied for 115th in the nation with 13 sacks all season. I envision Muhammad playing 15-20 snaps a game in a pass rushing role. When he's getting those snaps, that takes the less effective pass rusher Shayon Green off the field. Expect Muhammad to make an impact in the neighborhood of 4-5 sacks next season.
Ufomba Kamalu- DT- On the surface, this might be the most head scratching commitment Miami took in a small class of 16. However, if you go back to the versatile looks that Miami has talked about wanting to implement, you can see the rationale behind him. Playing on a stacked Juco team that won the national title, Kamalu didn't always play the second halves of games and that hurt his opportunities to shine. He did that in the national title game and garnered more interest for himself. I think Kamalu will make an instant impact as a 5-technique DE in the 3-4, where his length and ability to control blockers will make him most effective. He can move inside on the 4-3 and play the "under" tackle role as a one-technique DT. He's only in the 270 lb range at 6-5 or so, but should be able to add weight to his somewhat lean frame. A Juco kid with three years to play three, Kamalu will play next season. I see him as a meat and potatoes type recruit who does the dirty work so others can make plays. If you read the tea leaves, you can see Miami looking to play more 3-4 fronts next season. Their recruiting has centered on many of the aspects needed to run the scheme, and they even were chasing a NT type late in the game. Ivery and King and Porter can play that role in the 15-20 snaps I expect to be in the 3-4 front. Scheme versatile, decent upside (though I do not see him as truly an "upside" guy), and played his best against the best. This is another case of a team looking at roles we need to fill for our scheme and not taking an overarching view of things. Can the kid do this, this, and this? Yes, we need a kid to do that, regardless of rating. It's smart, and how you build a team on defense and not simply assemble individuals.
Jermaine Grace- LB- This kid is an old school Canes type LB'er. Take the 195-200 lb athlete at LB and let him gain weight and strength and make plays on the field. He's a perfect 4-3 WLB, but he can play anywhere honestly due to his explosive first step and his instincts on the football field. In today's game with all the spread principles, you need kids who can run and cover, and this kid does that perfectly. What has Miami been doing throughout this class? Filling specific roles with players who have the strength to do so. Grace is a complete LB'er in the run and passing game, but you want DL who can keep blockers off of him and let him run to make plays. Our scheme is specifically designed to do just that and I'd expect Grace finds his way on to the field in certain nickel and dime situations. He'll play specials right away where his speed and athleticism will be a nightmare for opposing teams. Love this kid, and while I worry he will have a hard time keeping weight on, as long as he is placed in the best position to succeed, I think we have an all-conference player here. 10-15 snaps a game next year outside of specials.
Alex Figueroa- LB- I'll admit it, when we first took this kids commitment I was a little upset. Then I started doing research on the kid and started to see the length, athleticism and explosiveness of a true four-star OLB. This kid is perfect as a rangy, aggressive OLB'er in a 4-3 and will fit well as a SAM backer in our scheme. He can rush the passer, but is best in space and already has developed some physically. This kid runs to the ball and arrives with bad intentions. I think he fills another role and is even versatile enough to rush off the edge if the coaches so desire. More I watched, the more I liked. Good player who will play on specials next year and add depth.
Devante Bond- LB- I list Bond here with the LB'ers, but in reality, I see his role as a rush LB'er/hybrid DE. The Juco All-American possesses an elite first step and actually has an inside move, rather than simply flying upfield against overmatched Juco linemen. I saw him jab step outside and then put his foot in the ground and rush inside the tackle. He is a bit shorter than you'd like, and he doesn't have the length to keep linemen out of his body and will have to rely merely on quickness and power to attack the QB and set the edge on run defense. I see Bond as a kid who will have a decent impact next year and will play rush LB'er in the 3-4. I think he plays 15-20 snaps a game and contributes 3-4 sacks next year. Along with Muhammad, he is a kid who will take Shayon Green off the field on passing downs and maximize both players value, as well as help Chickillo improve by reducing his snaps and allowing more of a rotation with our returning DE's who step up as well.
Artie Burns- CB- An elite athlete the U has become known to produce, Burns is sprinter fast, strong, athletic and quick. He has the look of an impressive boundary CB or perhaps a great coverage S who can use his eyes and feet to make plays on the ball. Burns is not getting the attention he deserves in my view, because he didn't crave the attention of recruiting like so many others. With the depth that Miami took at CB last year, they needed to focus on grabbing an elite type this year and they did that with this kid. Another kid who is scheme versatile, he can play a variety of fronts, and will do well with the zone look we ran last year that places an emphasis on the CB being able to tackle and be physical. Love this kid, and think he plays more than expected next year.
Jamal Carter- S- Miami needed another S badly after the performance of the deep secondary last year. First, Deon Bush was a revelation, but his playing style puts him at risk of injury on every play. Rayshawn Jenkins stepped up last year as well, but is still prone to mistakes. It was imperative that Miami add depth to this position with a kid good enough to play right away and they did that here with Carter. Carter is a thumper who will intimidate players who come into his zone. He fits well with what Miami needs and is an excellent complement to Jenkins' coverage skills. Carter can get on the field early as an in-the-box safety that hits people and helps save the wear and tear on the other safeties at the same time. Will be a special teams demon and make an instant impact in my view.
Ray Lewis III- S- Miami needs depth and the legacy athlete can come in, bulk up, play special teams and offer versatility in a variety of roles. I think his best fit will ultimately be at S, and don't be surprised if the hard worker eventually earns more snaps than some more heralded teammates.
In looking at this class, you can get caught up in what they didn't do- which was land an impact 4-3 DT- but it's important to take a look at the overall recruiting picture and what they're trying to accomplish. I think they wanted to find more 3-4 pieces, and they did that with Bond, Kamalu, Figueroa. Adding Hamilton, Pierre, Hoilett to the mix you can see the front seven for a defense like that taking shape. It also lessens the need for a true impact 4-3 DT. I don't think they're looking to move to that style of defense full-time, but rather for 15-20 snaps a game, and you can see the pieces taking shape to move players into that scheme at times and still have a role in the base defense.
Miami was 116th in total defense last year, and everyone knows about the issues with the run defense, but there are pieces to this defense to take a step forward and the coaches did a good job of focusing on getting players who fill a role needed for the team to take the next step. I'm excited for the versatility shown by these recruits on defense.
On offense, things really weren't as rosy as they seemed. Miami went through a horrific stretch on 3rd downs after their 4-1 start, and that really held them back on the season. Adding Sandland and Edwards will immediately improve that area by not just their contributions, but by moving other players into roles they're more suited for. Miami was only 81st rushing the football last year, and averaged only 4.68 yards per carry, good for 44th in the country.
Focused on what we did land, I think we helped address several deficient areas on the team on both sides of the ball, and I think can be described as more of a meat and potatoes class than a true flashy class. When you really evaluate each player and what they can bring to the team, you see that each has a unique skill to bring that the team can really use.
