Will the ‘real Miami’ please rise? Miami Hurricanes not biting other Miami’s bravado

It was bound to happen.

A reporter covering Miami of Ohio RedHawks football earlier this week asked quarterback Brett Gabbert: ‘The real Miami is where? In Coral Gables or...?”

Replied a grinning Gabbert: “No. Oxford, Ohio.”

The reporter wanted to know why.

“I think we’ll show ‘em Sept. 1,’’ Gabbert said.

The added spice for the Miami Hurricanes vs. Miami of Ohio RedHawks season opener at 7 p.m. Friday (ACC Network) at Hard Rock Stadium was delivered, as likely expected, in a game that will pit the two Miamis for the first time since 1987. That year, the No. 3 Hurricanes, coached by Jimmy Johnson, beat the RedHawks 54-3 en route to their second national title.

Even before 1987, after the Miami of Florida team beat the Miami of Ohio team 27-13 in their first meeting on Oct. 26, 1945, the former Atlanta Journal nicknamed the game the “Confusion Bowl.’’ UM won again in 1946 — 20-17.

This one is not in any way similar except for the two opponents. Home team UM of the Atlantic Coast Conference enters its opener after a 5-7 season, its worst in 15 years. Miami University, from Oxford, enters after finishing 6-7 in the Mid-American Conference.

Hurricanes All-American safety Kam Kinchens on Tuesday was told about Gabbert’s statement. “Is that something you’ll use as motivation?’’ Kinchens was asked.

“No, we don’t need any extra motivation,’’ a straight-faced Kinchens said. “I think we’re motivated enough.” He then said UM head coach Mario Cristobal, defensive coordinator Lance Guidry and secondary coach Jahmile Addae had the Hurricanes plenty motivated. “As far as Sept. 1,’’ Kinchens added, “we’ll just go out there and play.’’

A day later, true freshman defensive end Rueben Bain, about to play in his first college game, was asked basically the same question.

“We’re not really paying attention to that,’’ Bain said. “We’re just ready to focus on the game Friday, show the work we put in all week, get ready for this new season and show why we’re the Hurricanes.’’

New schemes

The Hurricanes enter the game with second-year coach Cristobal and several new assistants changing the offensive and defensive schemes. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson came to UM from a prolific passing attack at Houston and is expected to throw the ball plenty to a deeper, seemingly more talented receiving corps, as well as to a sturdy group of highly rated running backs. And with one of the nation’s top projected offensive lines, UM’s backs should find a lot more holes than last season, which will make it that much easier for quarterback Tyler Van Dyke’s aerial attack.

Van Dyke, who told the Miami Herald during fall camp that he thought it was “pretty cool’’ to be playing another Miami in the opener, had a tough season last year, as did the RedHawks’ Gabbert.

Van Dyke sustained a third-degree AC joint sprain of his right shoulder on Oct. 22 against Duke and missed most of the last half the season. Gabbert, a 6-0, 210-pound redshirt junior who is the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs reserve quarterback Blaine Gabbert, started four games last season but sustained a clavicle injury in the opener against Kentucky, per The Miami Student newspaper @miamistudent, that required surgery. He returned to the field Oct. 22 but sustained an ankle injury in early November that ended his season.

In 2021, both quarterbacks had their best seasons. Gabbert started 10 games and finished with 2,648 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only six interceptions. Van Dyke, now a 6-4, 224-pound fourth-year junior, was named ACC Rookie of the Year in ‘21, starting the final nine of his 10 games and completing 202 of 324 passes for 2,931 yards and 25 touchdowns, with six interceptions. Van Dyke’s shoulder didn’t require surgery and is fully healed. But a report by CaneSport last Sunday said, through sources, that he hit the thumb side of his throwing hand and at that point was “50-50” to play in the opener.

Cristobal the next day said Van Dyke was “100 percent” and had been practicing. His top slot receiver, Xavier Restrepo, said Wednesday that Van Dyke’s “hand is 100 percent, and he’s looking really good.’’

Van Dyke was not made available to the media this past week.

On Monday, Cristobal praised Van Dyke’s backups: No. 2 Jacurri Brown, a sophomore; and No. 3 Emory Williams, a true freshman.

“I love the fact that both Emory and Jacurri have stepped up big time where those guys have shown that they can play winning football,’’ Cristobal said. “And their grasp of the offense, their ownership of our scheme and their approach to the game is continuing to take steps, continues to elevate, which makes you feel good about the present God forbid there’s a situation — and makes you feel really good about the future as well.”

Cristobal said he knows how much his players have invested into the program since last season, “whether it be in the film room or at practice,’’ he said. “It’s consistently just getting better and better. But we need to go play football.

“Miami will be ready,’’ he said of his Hurricanes.

UM players

The Canes are no doubt excited for the challenge.

“I feel 10 times more confident,’’ said 6-5, 215-pound starting receiver Colbie Young. “We’re definitely going to try to take some shots downfield.”

Asked about the general team enthusiasm for opening the season at home, left tackle Jalen Rivers said, “Who wouldn’t be excited to play their first game of the season? But our biggest thing is to not let the excitement get to us and focus and dial in on our task at hand — winning this game.”

Tyler Harrell, the sixth-year speedster transfer receiver out of Alabama-via-Louisville, graduated from Miami Columbus High and said this opener is one that has played repeatedly in his mind.

“I’ve been having dreams about it, man,’’ Harrell said. “I can see myself making plays out there, going deep, catching every ball and just cheering my teammates on and having a victory at the end of the night.”

Kinchens said he had a message for the fans in the city of Miami.

“Come support us,’’ he said. “It’s the beginning of a long journey. We’re just here to show everybody what we earned.’’