Two of the top transfer portal QBs visiting UM. And ten notes on the Hurricanes offense

Ten offensive notes, as UM continues searching for a veteran quarterback to supplement Emory Williams and (possibly) Jacurri Brown and commitment Judd Anderson in 2024:

▪ The quarterback search has involved calls to multiple veterans, with Washington State’s Cam Ward among UM’s top targets.

[Update: Ward will visit UM on Tuesday, per 247 Sports. It will be his first visit to a school since entering the portal. He threw 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season, threw for 3736 yards and completed 66.6 percent of his passes.

Also, ex-Kansas State QB Will Howard is visiting UM today, per Yahoo. He threw 24 TDs, 10 INTs, 2643 yards this season]...

Here’s where UM stands at running back:

Gone: Don Chaney Jr. (entered transfer portal).

On the roster: Mark Fletcher (249 offensive snaps this season), Chris Johnson (22), Henry Parrish (239), TreVonte Citizen, Ajay Allen (153).

Who’s committed for 2024: Alabama-based Kevin Riley, 247 Sports’ No. 5 running back in the 2024 class, and three-star Hollywood South Broward High’s Chris Wheatley-Humphrey.

What Class of 2024 players are still in play: St. Thomas Aquinas’ Jordan Lyle, who remains committed to Ohio State but has shown some interest in Miami.

▪ Here’s where UM stands at receiver:

Gone: Colbie Young (transfer portal), Frank Ladson (transfer portal) and Tyler Harrell (eligibility expired).

On the roster: Xavier Restrepo (622), Jacolby George (584), Isaiah Horton (230), Brashard Smith (212), Robby Washington (9), Nathaniel Joseph (55), Shemar Kirk (no offensive snaps) and Michael Redding (12).

Who’s committed for 2024: Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna four-star prospect Joshisa Trader, Georgia-based four-star receiver Ny Carr and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas four-star prospect Chance Robinson.

Who’s still in play: UM reportedly has a small chance to land elite five-star Jeremiah Smith. The Chaminade-Madonna star remains committed to Ohio State and reportedly also is considering FSU.

▪ Here’s where UM stands at tight end:

Gone: Jaleel Skinner (transfer portal).

On the roster: Elijah Arroyo (47 offensive snaps after missing most of the season because of a September 2022 knee injury), Riley Williams (299), Jackson Carver (6).

In question: Cam McCormick, who played 530 snaps on offense, has received a ninth year of eligibility but hasn’t said if he plans to remain at UM, or at all. PFF rated McCormick as UM’s worst player on offense this season.

Who’s committed for 2024: Four-star Las Vegas-based Elija Lofton, who could immediately compete with projected starter Elijah Arroyo and Riley Williams for playing time.

▪ Here’s where UM stands on the offensive line:

Gone: Javion Cohen and Matt Lee (both declared for NFL Draft).

On the roster: Jalen Rivers (812), Samson Okunlola (30), Francis Mauigoa (800), Anez Cooper (812), Michael McCoy (112), Tommy Kinsler (2), Ryan Rodriguez (57), Logan Sagapolu (29), Luis Cristobal (29), Zion Nelson (didn’t play in 2023 because of a knee injury that limited him to 61 snaps in 2022), Jonathan Denis (didn’t play), Chris Washington (didn’t play), freshman Antonio Tripp (didn’t play), freshman Frankie Tinilau (didn’t play).

Who’s committed for 2024: Several three-star 2024 linemen: Kavion Broussard, Juan Minaya, junior college player Markel Bell, Nino Francavilla and Deryc Plazz.

▪ Most of UM’s offensive linemen graded out very well in pass protection.

Lee allowed just four pressures and no sacks in 434 pass blocking chances. He will be difficult to replace.

Rivers, who returns at left tackle, yielded 14 pressures and two sacks in 442 pass blocking snaps.

Anez Cooper, who returns at right guard, permitted just nine pressures and one sack in 442 chances as a pass blocker.

Mauigoa, who returns for his sophomore season, allowed 24 pressures and five sacks in 437 pass blocking snaps.

Beyond Rivers, Cooper and Mauigoa, others who yielded sacks, per PFF, were Cohen (one) and Sagapolu (one in 10 pass blocking chances).

▪ PFF said Lee and Mauigoa were UM’s top two run-blockers, in that order. Lee will be missed in that area, too.

NFL-bound Cohen was rated UM’s worst run-blocker among the offensive line starters.

▪ PFF’s overall highest-graded players on the Canes’ offense: Restrepo, Tyler Van Dyke (who entered the transfer portal and visited Wisconsin over the weekend), Fletcher, Chaney, Parrish, Lee, Allen, George, Rivers and Smith.

▪ Here’s what the running backs averaged in yards after contact: Fletcher (3.81), Parrish (3.53), Chaney (2.88) and Allen (2.79). Johnson averaged a team-high 5.79 in yards after contact but had just seven rushing attempts.

▪ Among the receivers who played a lot, George averaged the most in YAC (yards after contact) at 9.3, followed by Horton (8.6), Smith (7.9), Young (5.2) and Restrepo (4.5).

▪ George led the team in dropped passes, with five, followed by McCormick (three), Restrepo (three) and Williams and Young (two apiece). Joseph, Fletcher and Parrish each dropped one.

Among players thrown at least 15 passes, the highest percentage of passes were completed to Young (74.6), followed by Restrepo (72.5), Smith (68.8), George (65.5) and Horton (56.3). McCormick was last at 53.5 (8 for 15).