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Miami Football: 5 early bold predictions for 2018 season

By Justin Dottavio

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Shaquille Quarterman #55 of the Miami Hurricanes recovers a fumble for a touchdown during the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Shaquille Quarterman #55 of the Miami Hurricanes recovers a fumble for a touchdown during the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 01: Shaquille Quarterman #55 of the Miami Hurricanes recovers a fumble for a touchdown during the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 01: Shaquille Quarterman #55 of the Miami Hurricanes recovers a fumble for a touchdown during the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

2. Shaquille Quarterman turns the corner

“Shaq” Quarterman is a Miami Hurricanes linebacker that is cut from an old school cloth of Miami football. His frame and stature remind Hurricanes’ fans of Mike Barrow, the middle linebacker of the 1990-92 teams that only lost three games over a three year period, and won the 1991 National Championship.

Quarterman is a former four-star middle linebacker from Oak Leaf High School in Orange Park, Fla., who was thrust into starting duty as a true freshman in 2016 after suspensions and transfers shook the Miami linebacking corps. Quarterman stepped up to the challenged and picked up 84 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in Richt’s first year as the head coach.

The Miami trio of linebackers, called “The Bermuda Triangle 2.0” (after Barrow, Jessie Armstead, and Darrin Smith of the 1989-1992 crew), all took a step backwards in 2017.

Zach McCloud and Mike Pinckney were in and out of the lineup however Quarterman held on to his job while having an up and down season. Quarterman looked a little banged up and slow at times, but still logged 83 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and sacked the quarterback twice in 2017. He is a captain and leader of the Miami football program heading into the spring of 2018 and will be relied on to bounce back not only himself, but the entire program from the three consecutive losses to end the season.

Quarterman will have a stand out junior year and push Miami back into the ACC Championship spotlight once again in 2018. I predict he is All-ACC first team and makes the All-American lists as well.

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