Although they finished 7-6 with a Pinstripe Bowl loss to Rutgers last year, the Hurricanes have high expectations around them this season.
Those expectations were reflected by Miami’s placement in the preseason coaches poll, which was released Monday afternoon. The Hurricanes were ranked 19th in the nation in the preliminary poll.
Miami ended last season unranked.
The Hurricanes are one of four ACC teams ranked in the preseason poll. Rival Florida State is ranked 10th, Clemson is 14th and N.C. State is 22nd. Of those teams, Miami only plays FSU. North Carolina, Louisville, SMU, Virginia Tech and Syracuse also received votes.
Miami coach Mario Cristobal is not a voter in this year’s coaches poll.
Ward makes top preseason watch list
Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, fresh off being named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, earned a spot on the Walter Camp Award preseason watch list.
Ward was one of 50 players named to the watch list and was the only UM player to make the cut. The award is given annually to the college player of the year.
Ward threw for 3,736 yards and 25 touchdowns with just seven interceptions with Washington State last year. He transferred to Miami instead of entering the NFL draft.
Two Miami players have won the award: quarterback Vinny Testaverde in 1986 and quarterback Gino Toretta in 1992.
Fletcher cleared for practice
After a breakout freshman season, Mark Fletcher Jr.’s season ended on a sour note with multiple injuries: a lisfranc injury in one of his feet and a shoulder injury.
Those injuries kept Fletcher out of spring camp, but the American Heritage alumnus returned to the field for the first week of practice.
“I know I’ll get some good reps in because I’m healed for it and I’m ready for it,” Fletcher said at UM’s media day on Tuesday.
Fletcher said his recovery process was difficult, he his support group kept him going.
“It was definitely one of the most hardest things I ever did,” Fletcher said. “Like I said, I had such great people around me, (they) never let me just stay down. My spirits were always lifted.”
Fletcher had 514 rushing yards and five scores on 105 carries last year.
Restrepo shouts out walk-on receivers
Nick Thomas is a 5-foot-8 freshman walk-on wide receiver from Missouri. He’s new to UM and is going through his first fall camp with the team. But that did not intimidate him into keeping quiet around a veteran star.
“Today, I had my helmet off during walk-through,” wide receiver Xavier Restrepo said. “(Thomas) said, ‘Hey, X, put your helmet on.’ Of course. Let’s do it. I have total respect for that guy because coming in, knowing I’m the guy at the slot right now, … to be able to tell me that takes some courage. I have unlimited respect for the kid.”
Restrepo praised Miami’s other walk-on receivers on Saturday, as well.
“We have depth,” Restrepo said. “Even our walk-ons: Nick Thomas, (Kolby) Luna, (Andrew Cohen). All those guys. Those guys are busting their tails every single day. Any opportunity they get, they’re taking advantage of it.”
