Miami football: two participants Hurricanes must aim for on the transfer portal following Tyler Van Dyke’s exit.
Tyler Van Dyke’s entry via the transfer portal renders Miami football’s quarterback position vulnerable in 2024. Here are a few transfers to pursue.
Among the numerous issues Miami football has had in the past 20 years, the most conspicuous has been the deficiency of quarterback output. Coral Gables hasn’t seen dependable quarterback performance since Ken Dorsey, the last quarterback to be considered for the Heisman Trophy. And the Hurricanes once again have a hole at the position after Tyler Van Dyke, who spent three seasons in Miami, entered the transfer portal.
Among the numerous issues Miami football has had in the past 20 years, the most conspicuous has been the deficiency of quarterback output. Coral Gables hasn’t seen dependable quarterback performance since Ken Dorsey, the last quarterback to be considered for the Heisman Trophy. And the Hurricanes once again have a hole at the position after Tyler Van Dyke, who spent three seasons in Miami, entered the transfer portal.
After two seasons marked by injuries, inconsistent play, and a high turnover rate, Van Dyke is switching from orange and green to other colors. Mario Cristobal and Miami football will only have sophomore Emory Williams, who started two games in his career before getting hurt in the Florida State game, and junior Jacurri Brown for the team the following season.
Miami football urgently needs assistance at quarterback.
Williams performed admirably in the Hurricanes’ victories over Clemson and Florida State this season, but he fell well short of the level of quarterback the team needs to advance. The transfer portal is still an option, which Cristobal has utilized extensively since joining Miami to take care of a few urgent issues throughout the previous two seasons.
Fortunately for Cristobal, there are a ton of excellent quarterbacks in the portal this time around, including Riley Leonard of Duke, Cam Ward of Washington State, Will Rogers of Mississippi State, Will Howard of Kansas State, Kyle McCord of Ohio State, DJ Uiagalelei of Oregon State, and Dante Moore of UCLA, among others.
However, it appears like Miami football is already taking action. According to Ross Dellenger, Howard was scheduled to visit Miami on Monday, and Ward on Tuesday. Let’s examine the reasons why the Hurricanes should consider signing one of these quarterbacks.
QB Cam Ward of Washington State
Dynamic and experienced quarterback Cam Ward offers a special combination of dual-threat skills and pro-style throws. Ward completed an astounding 65.5% of his completion attempts during his two seasons at Washington State, amassing 6,968 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Ward’s skill set is enhanced by his ability to contribute in the running game, as evidenced by his 202 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, in addition to his reliability as a thrower. The Hurricanes would benefit from his expertise at Wazzou and the FCS school Incarnate Word.
Ward completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 3,736 yards, 25 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in the 2023 season alone. Not only would Miami be getting a quarterback with great stats, but they would also be getting a player who was named to the Pac-12 Honorable Mention team in 2022 and 2023. Ward’s acquaintance with Miami middle linebacker Francisco Mauigoa—a former Washington State teammate—may make the transfer easier for him to the Hurricanes’ system.
Will Howard, QB, Kansas State
However, third-ranked (per ON3) among quarterbacks in the portal, Will Howard, shows promise as a dual-threat quarterback and may be a good fit for offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s scheme. He completed 61.3 percent of his passes for 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in his 2022 season at Kansas State. He also gained 351 running yards and nine touchdowns. Howard is an invaluable addition to any team because of his demonstrated ability to succeed in both passing and running.
Not only would Howard or Ward fill the immediate void created by Van Dyke’s retirement, but their accession to the Miami football program would also greatly improve the team’s future. Securing an experienced and good quarterback becomes even more important, since Miami currently has the sixth-ranked 2024 recruiting class in the 247 Sports composite rankings.
Leave a Reply