Miami Hurricanes Stock Report Following Week 3
It's been a few days, but Hurricanes fans are likely still reeling after Miami's crushing loss to Texas A&M on Saturday. It's the first loss the Hurricanes have suffered under head coach Mario Cristobal, and it was a less than inspiring performance.
Still, there's plenty of football left to be played and the conference schedule has yet to commence for the Canes. Take a look at which players improved their standing despite the loss, and which ones have taken a slide backwards.
Stock up
S James Williams
Week 3 Stats: 7 tackles, two passes defended
Even facing a blue-chip-loaded Aggies squad, there were times when Williams looked like the best player on the field. The sophomore led Miami in tackles, showing impressive strength in one-on-one, wrap-up situations, and batted down two passes as well. At 6-foot-5, Williams' length is a huge asset in Miami's secondary.
With his speed-size combination, he's able to make plays that other defensive backs can only dream about. Williams was a huge factor in holding A&M's quarterback Max Johnson to just 140 yards passing on ten completions. His stock is rising, both on this team and in the eyes of NFL scouts.
OL Jalen Rivers
Week 3 Stats: 0 sacks allowed
Although Miami's offense looked abysmal in College Station, the front five played physically and performed well against the Aggies' highly touted pass rushers. They didn't let up a single sack and only allowed three tackles for loss. Rivers looked especially proficient up front, mowing down Aggie defenders while moving as nimbly as a tight end. The third-year freshman has quickly become one of the most impressive players on this line. Rivers, who was named ACC offensive lineman of the week in Week 1, missed most of last year with a leg injury, but he's not showing any signs of rust here in 2022.
TE Will Mallory
Week 3 Stats: 6 rec/56 yds
Mallory was the leading receiver for Miami and led all players on both sides in receptions. He accounted for nearly 30% of the Canes' receiving offense and looked like quarterback Tyler Van Dyke's most trusted target. Without the Hurricanes' go-to receiver Xavier Restrepo, who has been ruled out for at least six weeks, and the reported loss of wideout Jacolby George to a thumb injury, Mallory looks like he'll be seeing even more targets going forward. It will be interesting to see if he becomes a feature in OC Josh Gattis' offense moving forward.
Stock down
HC Mario Cristobal
Let's start by making it clear that Cristobal isn't even in the same zip code as the proverbial "hot seat". But that doesn't mean he "wowed" anyone with his game management skills against A&M. The Hurricanes got 27 first downs (11 more than the Aggies), outgained A&M significantly by yardage, and had four trips to the red zone.
These stats equated to nine total points in the game on three field goals. The Canes had drives of 65, 71, 73, and 84 yards all end in field goal attempts.
Perhaps it was that devastating muffed punt that essentially gave the Aggies a free score, but after that Miami looked content to avoid any potential blowout mistakes, even if that meant packing it in for a probable loss.
To say the play calling near the goal line was conservative would be an understatement, and to be fair, some untimely penalties and drops did mar Miami's efforts. It's extremely early in the Cristobal era and this loss is in no way indicative of the future, but there are still some question marks that he'll have to answer before the verdict on his coaching prowess is in.
QB Tyler Van Dyke
Week 3 Stats: 21-for-41/ 217 yds
Obviously, wide receivers are a huge factor in a quarterback's success and the Canes' receiving corps was subpar on Saturday. There were drops, yes, but also, missed throws to wide-open targets. If Van Dyke is the Heisman candidate that so many believe he is, there are plays that he just has to make. Miami threw the ball 41 times and didn't score a single touchdown.
In Van Dyke's defense, he didn't throw any interceptions, which is key against a defense like A&M's. He did have eight passes deflected though, which speaks to both route running and ball placement. The play calling was extremely safe and it looked like Miami just didn't trust him enough to let it rip on the road in a tough environment.
The passing game needs to improve, and it's not solely Van Dyke's fault, as coaches and the receivers also displayed some glaring issues in the loss. As the quarterback and captain though, he's going to have to do the heavy lifting if the Canes are to re-establish their high-octane offense.
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