College Football Top 25 projections after 2018 spring practices

What will life yield for Miami after the first ACC Coastal title in team history? The Hurricanes finally broke through for a division title in 2017, their first since leaving the Big East. Mark Richt‘s team didn’t have the weapons to fend off Clemson in the conference title game. And the sting of three straight losses to close out the year will linger through the offseason.

That is the lingering image that will stick with pollsters, who are likely going to put the Hurricanes somewhere in the mid-teens of the AP Top 25. Malik Rosier continued to fight through growing pains this spring, with his performance in the spring game ostensibly inconsistent. (Unfortunately for fans of spring football the Hurricanes scrimmage was not televised.)

Rosier at least has a brilliant new target in Brian Hightower. The freshman is poised to become the next great Canes receiver after catching four passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game. It won’t be enough to push Miami into the top 10, but they will be somewhere in the low teens of the preseason AP Top 25 as they begin their division title defense.