Miami Hurricanes football is back this Friday against MAC opponent, Miami (OH), in the home opener for the 2023-2024 season. After a 5-7 debacle last year, this is the first opportunity to change the narrative of 'Group of Five' struggles for head coach Mario Cristobal and staff.

Here is what you should expect going into the game this weekend.

When: Friday, September 1st

Time: 7:00 PM

Where to Watch: ACC Network

Line: Miami -16.5

Over/Under: 45.5 -110

Moneyline: Miami -880; Miami (OH) +550

- Miami (OH) went 6-7-0 ATS last season.

- The RedHawks were an underdog by 17 points or more once last year, and covered the spread.

- Miami (FL) won just two games against the spread last season.

- The Hurricanes were favored by 17 points or more three times last season, and covered the spread in one of those games.

Miami may be without starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke in this game due to a finger injury from practice. However, Cristobal stated that Tyler is practicing at full speed and is 100 percent. Nonetheless, this gives us a reason to examine the backup quarterback situation honestly.

After the transfer of former blue-chip signee Jake Garcia to Missouri, Miami's depth at the quarterback position has dwindled to Jacurri Brown, who is expected to redshirt this season, and true freshman Emory Williams, who is seen as more of a project than a player who is expected to come in and start.

Brown has played significant snaps in three games, and Miami is just 1-2 in those matchups. He did show some promise in a homecoming for the Georgia native against Georgia Tech, completing over 70 percent of his throws while running for 87 yards and scoring three times. Still, he struggled mightily against quality opponents at Clemson and Florida State.

Williams could be the better option if Miami was looking for more of a prototypical passer and a chance to look at the future. He shinned in the spring game and has drawn rave reviews during fall camp - to the point where there are genuine questions on who the backup will be this season. Still, both players are unknowns and leave results up in the air, especially after last year's Middle Tennessee State game.

Miami (OH) quarterback Brett Gabbert is a pre-season All-MAC selection who comes into 2023 as a multi-year starter and in a similar situation to Van Dyke. In 2021, he totaled nearly 3,000 yards and scored 27 touchdowns, leading his team to a top-two finish in the conference. In the fourth game of 2022, he was lost for the season due to a shoulder injury, derailing what could have been a conference-winning season.

He returns this year with high expectations as the focal point of the RedHawks offense & one of the better passers in all of the ‘Group of Five’ ranks. His experience, decent mobility & an obvious chip on his shoulder (check out his press conference comments on the ‘real Miami’) make this a trap game similar to past opponents who saw the Hurricanes as a highlight opportunity for their season.

Last season was a nightmare defensively at times. Miami allowed opponents to score 27 or more points in six different games last year, and in five of those games, quarterbacks totaled over 200 yards and three or more scores. North Carolina's Drake Maye passed for over 300 yards and scored twice against the Hurricanes last season.

This is a different regime in 2023. In comes former Marshall defensive coordinator Lance Guidry to the rescue. Miami has juiced up the front seven via the transfer portal with linebacker Francisco Mauigoa and defensive tackle Branson Deen, plus added a litany of cornerbacks to pair with top-ten-rated safeties Kamren Kinchens and James Williams. Everything is in place on all three levels of the defense for this group to make a huge jump.

Guidry comes in with a strong resume, especially in the last two years, where his defense ranked in the top five nationally in multiple categories, including third-down defense, pass efficiency defense, defensive efficiency, yards per play, and turnovers. That should limit the vast plays that plagued Miami's pass defense last year under former defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.

The offensive line was a tragedy, to say the least, last year. At one point, the group was down to just six scholarship players and moving guys from position to position just to patch five linemen on the field at one time.

Before the season, offensive line coach Alex Mirabal made an audacious statement: "I'll cut off my arms and my legs before anybody considers the offensive line here to be a weakness."

Unfortunately for him, it became the central weakness for the 2022 Miami football team. Quarterbacks had no time to make throws. Running backs rarely had lanes to run through. There were very few positives in his unit.

Things have changed majorly since December. In the 2023 cycle, five offensive linemen were signed, including two five-stars - one of which (Francis Mauigoa) is expected to start. Then, Mirabal and Cristobal followed that up by signing two of the best in the Transfer Portal players in Alabama offensive guard Javion Cohen and UCF center Matt Lee.

By all accounts, this group fits the mold physically of the nation's best programs, and there is quality depth behind what could be an excellent first five.

Miami (OH) edge rusher Corey Suttle was named preseason All-MAC by PFF and had six sacks in 2022, so he will be a solid first test to open the year. Overall, Miami (OH) possesses one of the better defenses in their conference, ranking first in scoring defense and run defense last season.

On top of Suttle, the RedHawks bring back pretty much their entire defensive trench unit from last year & Suttle combining with Brian Ugwu (43 tackles, ten tackles for loss & five sacks in 2022) makes this a tough matchup for Miami.

The latest reports coming out of practice is that Van Dyke is ‘100 percent’ for this game. Whether those are rumors, coach speak, or the program putting out fires, it is still calming news on what people should expect from the Hurricanes offense in week one.

In 2021, Van Dyke was expected to be the next great Miami quarterback. Heisman Trophy hopes were even floating around, and first-round pick projections from experts in way-to-early mock drafts. That was all derailed during the former offensive coordinator Josh Gattis experience on top of a shoulder injury that plagued him throughout the year.

However, Cristobal is bought in with his veteran passer. He brought in Shannon Dawson as the new offensive coordinator, and his 'Air Raid' concepts are similar to the scheme that helped him succeed just two years ago. Multiple transfer receivers were added, plus a significant upgrade at running back, and along the offensive line, has this unit looking stable once again.

Barring injury, the excuses are out the window for the junior quarterback. There is no competition for him to look over his shoulder like last off-season with Garcia, and he has seemed to mesh well with his new play-caller, who also serves as his position coach.

Miami (OH) is a respectable bowl team with multiple players capable of all conference campaigns, including several on the defensive side of the ball. A 120-plus tackler, an experienced defensive line, and a physical defensive back group that features five of the team’s eight leading returning tacklers means this shouldn't be easy for the Hurricanes.

If TVD looks like his old self, this should be the start of a program shift. If turnovers and miscommunication in coverage happen, another ‘Group of Five’ scare could be in the cards.

With the questions surrounding Miami's quarterback situation, this game will not be the blowout many expect it to be. This will be offensive coordinator Dawson's first game with a young, inexperienced group that could be without his starting quarterback.

With Miami's historical struggles offensively and the tough battles against 'Group of Five' opponents, there is not much to breed confidence in a tremendous opening week performance.

I still see Miami kicking the season off with a victory, but I think this will look like Miami's game against Southern Miss last season, where they scored just ten points in the first half. There will be struggles, and there will be some bright spots, but I do not think this is the game that is going to showcase what Miami will be capable of in 2023.

I suppose Miami can suffocate a potentially solid Miami (OH) offense and utilize the overwhelming talent difference on offense. In that case, they can hit the spread and go into Texas A&M with much to build from.

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