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Hollywood, FL- After a disappointing initial campaign for first-year head coach Manny Diaz and the Miami Hurricanes, there’s reason for optimism in Coral Gables, even after a dismal (6-7) 2019 season. The optimism is due to a series of shake ups that have Hurricane fans enthused for the first time in at least a season about the direction of their program. Out are offensive coordinator Dan Enos, the former University of Alabama quarterbacks coach turned offensive coordinator and an offense he directed which struggled to put up points. In walks Southern Methodist University’s former offensive coordinator, Rhett Lashlee to take over for Enos with the promise of an explosive spread offense.
Lashlee led the 7th ranked offense in the entire country while at SMU and promises to invigorate the Hurricane offense that has play makers already in tow. The issue for the Hurricanes in 2019 seemed to be the production of their quarterbacks. Both Jarren Williams and N’Kosi Perry took turns starting games, Williams got the lion’s share of the work but struggled late after a promising first half of the season.
The ineffective play and leadership at the most crucial position on offense caused Miami to struggle as a team overall. Those struggles led to unforgivable loses to Florida International and Louisiana Tech in the post-season bowl game. Enos would subsequently lose his job as it was evident to all, even the athletic administration and overall leadership that changes had to be made offensively.
In walk Lashlee.
And head coach Manny Diaz and the Hurricane staff wasted no time upgrading the quarterback position through the transfer portal as he pledged to do in the post game presser after the loss to Louisiana Tech in the bowl game. Diaz hired Lashlee then used his reputation for an explosive offense to lure D’Eriq King, the former University Houston quarterback, to Miami and out of the transfer portal. King was recruited by dozens of schools across the nation.
How significant were those two moves to those who calculate these things?
Well, the initial 2021 National Championship odds had Miami at +10000 (100/1), on average. After early sharp money came in, the Canes dropped to +12500 (125/1). But, according to SBD, inserting Houston transfer D’Eriq King into new OC Rhett Lashlee’s spread offense has spurred some hope among bettors, and Miami is now +9300 (93/1) to win its first title since 2001.
Add to that, just yesterday, the University of Miami announced that former safety and NFL Hall of Famer, Ed Reed, has been hired by Diaz as the Canes new ‘Chief of Staff.’ The addition of Reed will lend credibility to the young head coach Diaz and link Miami’s storied past to the present team with championship aspirations.
According to Miami, “as Chief of Staff, Reed will serve in an advisory role to Diaz in all aspects of the football program, including strategic planning, quality control, operations, player evaluation and player development. Reed will also provide assistance in team building, student-athlete mentorship and recruiting, as permissible under NCAA rules.”
And to top everything off, the Hurricanes added graduate transfer kicker, Jose Borregales from Florida International to solve their woeful kicking game that cost them several wins last season. Borregales is the all-time points leader at FIU and comes to Miami after he helped his former school beat the Hurricanes by sinking three field goals with a long of 53 yards in their 30-24 victory over Miami on November 23, 2019.
With all the off-season moves made and a few more to follow, the challenge for the Hurricanes will now be blending all of these pieces together and putting out a product that will lead to eventual success, possibly even championships.
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