FIRST LOOK: Miami WR Coaching Candidates
The Miami Hurricanes wide receiver coaching board that people see below will include some names quite familiar to Hurricanes fans; it will also include others that hold specific ties to South Florida.
Here’s the first look with a list that’s honestly somewhat similar to the Miami running back coaching list. Keep in mind, this list could go in numerous directions, just like any coaching search, i.e. extremely unpredictable.
List in alphabetical order
Kevin Beard - Toledo Rockets recruiting coordinator
As a player: Beard came out of Plantation (Fla.) High School in 1999 and signed with Miami (1999-2003), and was a part of the 2001 national title team as a wide receiver.
He was in the Arena Football League (2005-2007) for three seasons.
Coaching experience: Beard has coached Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) University School (2010-2013), was back with Miami (2014-2015) as assistant director of football operations his first year, and then wide receivers/passing game coordinator the next.
He also went to work for the Georgia Bulldogs (2016) as offensive quality control, Tennessee Volunteers (2017) as wide receivers coach, and then Toledo Rockets (2018-current) as the recruiting coordinator.
Recruiting background: Having played and coached in Broward County, Beard would hit the ground running working for the Canes. He’s also worked in the SEC, so he’s accustomed to going after elite prep talent.
James Coley - Texas A&M Aggies wide receivers coach
As a player: He attended Miami (Fla.) Senior High School and played quarterback.
Coaching experience: He was at his prep alma mater (1997-1999) and then Miami (Fla.) Norland (2000-2002) before joining Nick Saban’s LSU Tigers (2003-2004) coaching staff as a graduate assistant. LSU won the 2003 national championship while Coley was there.
He went with Saban to join the Miami Dolphins (2005-2006) and stayed thereafter for a season as an offensive assistant. Coley was the Florida International Panthers (2007) quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for one year. That's also the first year that current Miami head coach Mario Cristobal led the FIU program.
Coley then went up to Tallahassee to be the recruiting coordinator for the Florida State Seminoles (2008-2012) for two seasons, and then transitioned to the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for three seasons at the same school.
From there he came home to Dade County to be a part of the Miami (2013-2015) staff as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. From that point, Coley went to Georgia (2018-2020) where he worked as the receivers coach, as well as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Coley’s latest coaching transition took him to College Station where he’s been with the Texas A&M Aggies 2020-current) as the tight ends coach for two seasons, as well as the wide receivers coach since this past season.
Recruiting background: Coley has long since been considered one of the top recruiters in the country. He’s from Miami, and he’s coached at The U and other peer institutions. He’s as close to an A+ recruiting hire as any school in Dixie could achieve.
Leonard Hankerson - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver coach
As a player: Hankerson played at Miami (2007-2010) and was a third round draft pick of the Washington Redskins in the 2011 National Football League Draft. He was with the Redskins for four seasons (2011-2014), and then split his fifth and final NFL season with the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and Buffalo Bills (2015).
Coaching experience: He’s been coaching since 2016, with high school, college, and NFL experience. Hankerson was at the University of Massachusetts (2017-2018) as a graduate assistant his first year there, and then took over the wide receiver position the next season.
He moved on to Stephen F. Austin (2018-2019) for two years prior to making the jump to the 49ers, where Hankerson has still been coaching. The San Francisco offense has been considered one of the most unique in the NFL under the direction of head coach Kyle Shanahan, and Hankerson’s wide receiver corps has featured the multi-talented Deebo Samuel.
Recruiting background: Hankerson played for Saint Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, so he’s going to know the high school scene well. That point would be a huge help to the Miami recruiting efforts.
Bobby Engram - former Wisconsin Badgers quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator
As a player: Penn State (1991-1995) was Engram's home after coming from Camden (S.C.) High School as a big-time recruit. Engram was a part of the Nittany Lions famed 1994 undefeated team. Engram caught 167 passes for 3,026 yards and 31 touchdowns while in Happy Valley.
During the 1996 NFL Draft, he was selected with the 52nd pick, in Round 2, by the Chicago Bears (1996-2000). He also played for the Seattle Seahawks (2001-2008) and Kansas City Chiefs (2009), before joining the Cleveland Browns (2010) practice squad for one season.
Engram’s NFL career concluded with 650 receptions, 7,751 yards, and 35 touchdowns.
Coaching experience: Mostly a professional background, but Engram has also now ventured into the college ranks. He’s been with the 49ers (2011) as an offensive assistant, the Pittsburgh Steelers (2012-2013) as the wide receivers coach, the Baltimore Ravens (2014-2018) as the wide receivers coach as well as the tight ends coach (2019-2021), and with the Wisconsin Badgers (2022) for his only year of college football as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
Recruiting background: Engram has never coached down South, so that’s the one question mark. Like any former long-time NFL player, however, Engram would hold prestige with recruits because of his NFL background.
Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis Colts wide receivers coach
As a player: Was a Hurricane (1997-2000) and big-time contributor for four seasons, including catching 48 passes as a freshman, which broke the prior record set by NFL Hall of Fame inductee Michael Irvin.
He was a part of the Miami resurrection that eventually led to the 2001 national title the year after Wayne’s departure to the NFL.
Wayne went on to be the 30th pick of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts, and his actual on-field game day playing opportunities came with only that organization (2001-2014), and 11 of those seasons with NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. Wayne's last NFL season was with the New England Patriots (2015) practice squad.
Wayne accumulated 1,070 receptions for 14,345 yards, and 82 touchdowns during his NFL career. He’s been nominated to be included in the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame class.
Coaching experience: Just one season of experience, but it has been at the highest level. Wayne played his entire NFL career with the Colts and that’s where he’s continued on as the wide receivers coach (2022-present).
Recruiting background: Wayne has none, but he’s also, well, Reggie Wayne. How many high school wide receivers would not take his phone call? Wayne came to Miami from New Orleans (La.) John Ehret, one of the better programs in the state of Louisiana. Therefore, he will have recruiting cache as being a former Cane in South Florida, as well as someone that knows the Big Easy quite well, too.
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