2018 Recap: The Hurricanes entered last season with such high expectations after a strong 2017 campaign which saw them seem to return to the spotlight. They disappointed and finished 2018 with a 7-6 record overall and a 4-4 record in conference play. The Hurricanes are a team that’s built to play a physical brand of football. I didn’t see a down year coming from them. To win your division, you must win within your division and that’s exactly what hurt them last season.
Notable Losses: C Tyler Gauthier, T Tyree St. Louis, S Jaquan Johnson, DE Joe Jackson & DT Gerald Willis.
2019 Outlook: I like “The U” to bounce back in 2019 and win their second division title in three seasons. Mark Richt announced his retirement which led Manny Diaz back to the university after first deciding to take the job with Temple. The situation is different at running back, as the Hurricanes are in good shape with the return of Lorenzo Lingard and DeeJay Dallas. I expect the running game to carry the offense until the quarterback can get comfortable within the scheme. Tate Martell transferred from Ohio State. This offense must show consistency to challenge for their division. You must be able to score. Miami opens with Florida in Orlando to start the 2019 season and travels to Pitt, North Carolina, Florida State and Duke in conference play. However, key matchups against Virginia and Virginia Tech take place in Hard Rock Stadium.
