“I’m ready to go,” Brad Kaaya said. “I think we’re going to do big things.”
Kaaya’s Freshman season included 3,198 passing yards, and 26 touchdowns, all of which set UM freshman records. Kaaya was named ACC Rookie of the Year.
“He is bridging from being a leader to being a commander,” UM Head Coach Al Golden said. “He’s comfortable in his own skin. It was very difficult to ask him to be the leader of a team (last season), especially considering some of the vets he was around. No question about it, this year he’s the leader of the offense, if not the whole team. All the guys are supporting him.”
And why not?
Along with the on-field production Kaaya brought last year, he won the respect of his teammates with a hard-working offseason. “There’s a lot of different ways he connects with guys individually,” Golden said. “He’s not a screamer. He’s very respectful. His work ethic is elite. He backs it up every day. He studies the game like nobody else. He’s quicker, faster. His arm is stronger. He’s operating a lot faster and his decisions are better.”
The complete package is necessary if Kaaya hopes to be mentioned in the same breath with Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Craig Erikson, Ken Dorsey and other elite UM quarterbacks. If Kaaya successfully navigates this season’s obstacles, he could be ready to help UM back to its past glory. It has been 10 years since UM’s last 10-win season.
Yet, for University of Miami coach Al Golden, the Win and Lost numbers of 2014 were sobering.
The Hurricanes lost four straight games to close last season, finishing 6-7 for only UM’s third losing mark in the past 35 years. Entering his fifth season, Golden is 28-22. He had to withstand a lengthy NCAA investigation at the start of his tenure, but the fact remains that UM hasn’t played for an ACC title since joining the league in 2004.
“I’m grateful to be at the University of Miami,” Golden said. “I wanted to be part of the tradition and the legacy. It’s incumbent on us to get it back to where we want it to be. Not just get it back, but have a model that is sustainable and can endure.”
The numbers can be discouraging. But when Golden wants to feel good, he can focus on Hurricanes sophomore quarterback Brad Kaaya.
“We certainly threw him to the wolves,” Golden said of Kaaya, who started last season as a freshman. “That was a tough deal we put him through. We’re glad he’s our quarterback.”
Since the Hurricanes lost running back Duke Johnson to the NFL draft, plus wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and left tackle Ereck Flowers, Kaaya’s presence means even more. Kaaya said he’s ready for the additional responsibility, adding that a primary goal is inspiring his teammates.
“It isn’t just my show. It’s not just the Brad Kaaya show. It’s going to take the offense, defense, special teams, all that. Just inspiring those guys to play hard and knowing that everyone is a factor.”
Kaaya, who weighed about 230 pounds last summer, is more physically equipped to lead a treacherous season, Golden said. Kaaya has reduced to 209 pounds, which adds an imposing athletic dimension to his 6-foot-4 frame.
“I don’t feel pressure,” Golden said. “I wake up and I’m in a great organization. Right now, we have a group of guys that are staying focused. We’re eliminating distractions.”
The biggest distraction could be the withering expectations that always seem to surround UM’s football program. It’s essential for UM to get off to a good start and contend for the ACC’s Coastal Division title.
Kaaya’s presence is the biggest positive.
