Miami Football: 2017 Game-by-game predictions
Miami football enters 2017 with a ton of hype, especially on defense. Can the Hurricanes return to national prominence this season?
Head coach Mark Richt and the Miami Hurricanes went 9-4 in his first season at the helm. It was their first nine win season since 2013. Both sides are off to a great start since Richt was let go as head coach of SEC powerhouse Georgia.
The 2017 season will show if Richt can develop a quarterback that can battle for the ACC Coastal crown. Quarterback Brad Kaaya is off to the NFL after passing for a career-high 3,532 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns. He also had a 62.0 completion percentage.
Despite the loss of Kaaya, the Hurricanes offense still returns seven starters. On defense, they return eight starters. Linebacker Shaquille Quarterman returns after a strong campaign as a true freshman. He finished second on the team in tackles (84).
The 2017 season should be an interesting one for Miami. Here’s a look at some early predictions on how they’ll fare next season.
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats serve as the Miami Hurricanes season opener. The Wildcats finished 2016 with a 4-6 record under third-year head coach Terry Sims. They’re an FCS team and a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The two teams last meeting came during the 2015 season which the Hurricanes won handily 45-0. Bethune-Cookman still finished that season with a 9-2 record but Miami is on to bigger things.
They have an ACC title on their mind entering 2017. They’ll need to play tough in their season opener. Considering they started 2016 with a 4-0 record, slow starts aren’t something this team has to worry much about.
It’s the middle of the conference schedule that historically gives them trouble. The defense will need to work out the kinks early. Bethune-Cookman will serve as a good tuneup game for Miami and whoever the new quarterback may be.
Among the potential starters at quarterback are redshirt junior Malik Rosier, who has appeared in nine games over the past two seasons. He has just 370 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions under his belt.
Incoming recruit N’Kosi Perry is another player who fans could see get a lot of reps in the season opener. Perry is a member of the 2017 recruiting class, ranked a four-star dual-threat prospect on 247Sports. He is expected to push for the starting job this fall.