How UM replaced one of its best players. And Canes personnel notes, as QB search continues

A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Thursday, as the Canes continue their search for a veteran quarterback:

▪ What exactly is UM getting in Indiana transfer center Zach Carpenter?

At the very least, a decent replacement for NFL-bound Matt Lee, but a player who hasn’t performed at the elite level of Lee, either.

Lee was exceptional for UM last season; PFF rated him the seventh-best center in FBS and gave him sterling grades of 89.1 as a pass protector and 73.7 as a run blocker.

Carpenter was rated above average – 132nd overall (among 295 qualifying centers), with a 71.2 pass blocking grade and a mediocre 61 run-blocking score.

Lee and Carpenter had very comparable snap counts as pass protectors this past season.

In 434 pass-blocking snaps, Lee allowed no sacks and just four pressures. In 444 pass blocking snaps, Carpenter allowed three sacks but just eight pressures.

Carpenter permitted a sack against Michigan but didn’t allow one against Ohio State.

Barring another portal addition, he will enter 2024 as the front-runner to start at center, with Ryan Rodriguez pushing him.

Carpenter’s experience is an asset. He has played 1,895 offensive snaps, including 154 at Michigan before transferring to Indiana in 2021.

It’s awfully early in the offseason, but here would be my concern: You want the replacements for your top departures (Lee, Javion Cohen, Kamren Kinchens, James Williams, Leonard Taylor III) to be as good or nearly as good. It’s not yet clear if that will be the case.

▪ The pickup of Savion Riley in the transfer portal marks the second consecutive season that the Canes targeted and landed a Vanderbilt defensive back.

Jadais Richard, added last offseason, didn’t make a big impact as a freshman. But as was the case with Richard, UM sees upside and versatility with Riley, who redshirted as a Vanderbilt freshman in 2022 and then played 343 defensive snaps in seven games (including two starts) last season.

Riley’s numbers in coverage weren’t anything special: 14 of 19 targets caught for 150 yards and two touchdowns — equal to a bloated 131 passer rating in his coverage area.

But he had 48 tackles in just seven games, including 12 in a lopsided loss to Florida. At 6-2, he can play cornerback or safety.

With a deeper front office of personnel evaluators — led by longtime NFL executive Alonzo Highsmith — UM seems better positioned to identify diamonds in the rough.

UM hopes Richard and Riley develop from Vanderbilt backups to productive starters in Coral Gables.

▪ If you missed this, add UNLV’s Jayden Maiava to the list of available quarterback portal options reportedly on Miami’s radar, according to Canesport.

But according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, another quarterback linked to Miami by On3.com — Southern Cal’s Malachi Nelson —- is visiting Boise State and that school is the front-runner for him.

Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa, who has been loosely linked to Miami, would need to apply for another year of college eligibility if he wants to play college football elsewhere.

Kansas State quarterback Will Howard visited UM previously, but he plans to visit Ohio State and he’s reportedly expected to sign with the Buckeyes.

Several recruiting sites, including On3.com, have identified Miami as a team with interest in Maiava, who threw for 3,085 yards this past season (his first playing time at UNLV) with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Liberty’s Kaidon Salter might be the best quarterback in the portal; he had 2,876 passing yards with 32 touchdowns and six interceptions this season, completing 61 percent of his passes. He also ran for 1,089 yards and 12 touchdowns. It isn’t yet clear which schools he’s considering.

For those wondering why UM didn’t simply keep Tyler Van Dyke, one associate said Van Dyke also was looking for a fresh start, especially after being benched before the FSU game. He landed at Wisconsin.

Unless UM gets Howard (which would be a surprise), Tagovailoa, Salter or perhaps Maiava, I’m not sure there’s anyone left in the portal that should come in as the unquestioned starter.

If UM needs to settle for a middling veteran starter, opening the competition with Jacurri Brown and Emory Williams seems reasonable. Another batch of portal quarterbacks could become available in the spring transfer window.

Without an addition, Brown and freshman Judd Anderson could be UM’s only healthy quarterbacks for spring football. Williams is expected back from his injury at some point in the months ahead.

From all indications, UM never got a promise from NFL-bound Cam Ward, but someone involved in the process said UM was very optimistic he was coming, especially after the sides agreed to terms on an NIL deal two weeks ago. He ultimately tied up UM for nearly a month, but he didn’t necessarily cost the Canes another portal quarterback.

According to a source, there was no aggressive UM pursuit of Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson, who committed to UCF.

▪ UM’s biggest victories so far this offseason were keeping receiver Xavier Restrepo and linebacker Francisco Mauigoa.

ESPN’s Matt Miller said Restrepo has developed into a legitimate pro prospect.

“Caught myself really liking Miami wide receiver Xavier Restrepo watching tape today,” Miller said on X in mid-December. “Really good body control, burst, concentration. Makes tough catches underneath and on option routes. Think he can be a WR3 in the pros.”

▪ ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid rates departing UM safety Kinchens as the 38th overall prospect in the 2024 draft.

“Kinchens is one of the few true centerfield safeties in this class,” Reid said. “He has great range on the back end to complement a knack for finding the ball as he had 11 career INTs.”

▪ Quick stuff: UM running back Don Chaney Jr. transferred to Louisville, while defensive end Jahfari Harvey joined SMU and linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. committed to Missouri....

If you missed this, former Canes All-American Warren Sapp joined Deion Sanders’ Colorado staff...

A year after leaving Miami for Missouri, quarterback Jake Garcia is in the portal again after not playing a snap for the Tigers last season.