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| ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year Brad Kaaya(Photo Credit: Associated Press) |
Written By: Nathan Skinner
Canes Rising Contributor
The 2014 season may have been disappointing, but offensive coordinator James Coley oversaw an offense that was anything but disappointing. Miami's offensive unit was exciting and relied on a multitude of playmakers to average thirty points per game in the regular season.
Final Grades
Quarterback--Brad Kaaya is the best Miami quarterback since Ken Dorsey and he has at least 2 more years of eligibility remaining. Kaaya was outstanding at times this year, throwing for 2,962 yards and 24 touchdowns. This young man was steady, mature, and emerged as a team leader. While the end of the season was rocky for Kaaya, Miami fans can rest easy, knowing that the most important position on the team is in capable hands. Grade: B+
Position Coaching--James Coley should get some credit for developing Kaaya, but some of Kaaya's issues late in the season can be attributed to Coley. The inability to correct Kaaya's mechanics when needed is a major point of contention. Grade: C+
Running Backs--Duke Johnson has run for more yards than any other player in Miami history. Johnson doesn't have the size of Ottis Anderson or the blazing speed of Clinton Portis, but he has been a consistent performer during his time in Coral Gables. Duke had another outstanding season this year, rushing for over 1500 yards, and scoring ten touchdowns. Johnson wasn't the only player to make an impact as Joe Yearby emerged as a future player. Yearby averaged over 6 yards per carry this season, and should be the player to fill Johnson's shoes if Duke decides to leave Miami early. Gus Edwards had a huge game against Virginia Tech, but wasn't a factor for most of the season. Grade: B+
Position Coaching--Ice Harris was forced into a tough position, due to the sudden resignation of Micheal Barrow. Ice didn't recruit these players and he had never coached at the collegiate level, but he proved to be a solid coach. Harris did a great job with the backs this season, and Yearby showed growth during the season. Grade: B
Wide Receivers--This unit underachieved something awful this season. Stacy Coley was invisible for most of the season, showing none of the talent that captivated Miami fans last season. Braxton Berrios was a fixture early in the season but faded late. The major contributor was Phil Dorsett, who averaged 26.6 yards per catch. Malcolm Lewis finally looked healthy after suffering a horrific injury in 2012. When one looks at this position group, it's hard to believe that this group could be so underwhelming. Grade: C-
Position Coaching--Brennan Carroll isn't a viable coach. Anyone who watched this receiver corps would come come to that conclusion within seconds. Carroll's group can't block, run precise routes, or make timely catches. This isn't because of a lack of talent, this is a classic case of players not being developed or coached. Grade: F
Tight Ends--Clive Walford came to Miami as an athlete with only two years of football under his belt. He leaves as one of the best receiving tight ends in Miami history. Walford had an outstanding 2014 season making 44 receptions, and scoring seven touchdowns. Clive also improved his blocking, and looked every bit the complete tight end. Standish Dobard flashed his immense talent at times, making a couple of big catches. The one game in which this unit failed was FSU, a game that saw both Walford and Dobard fumble after making important receptions. Compared to the wide receivers, these young men overachieved compared to preseason projections. Grade: A-
Position Coaching--Larry Scott did an outstanding job with this unit. Walford leaves as a likely NFL player thanks to Scott's coaching, and Dobard looks like a player with immense potential. If you are an athletic tight end with NFL aspirations, Miami is the place for you. Grade: B+
Offensive Line--This group did an outstanding job of protecting Brad Kaaya, and gave Duke Johnson wide holes to run through. What's amazing about this group is that every week, it was a different player stepping up. Miami rarely had the luxury of trotting out the same lineup, thanks to the injury bug. Expected contributor K.C. McDermott was injured early in the season, and unable to participate. Ereck Flowers suffered a knee injury that limited his effectiveness, and Jon Feliciano was dinged all year. Despite the injuries, this unit performed admirably. Grade: B
Position Coaching--Art Kehoe has spent most of the last decade characterized as an over the hill coach living off of past accomplishments. This year, Kehoe proved his worth by keeping this unit together, and finding a way to protect Kaaya. This unit had some rough patches, but didn't back down from the challenges posed to them. This unit reflected their leader, who is a tough, scrappy man who isn't afraid to fight. The next challenge for Kehoe is rebuilding the line, for linchpin Jon Feliciano has exhausted his eligibility. Grade: B+
Offensive Coordinator--James Coley calls the plays, and while he improved as the season progressed, his complete inability to grasp the obvious hurt the offense. Miami struggled to adjust on the fly, and Coley failed on multiple occasions to play to Miami's strengths. However, Coley did call some outstanding games, and had a solid gameplan against FSU. While Coley couldn't have forseen Duke Johnson's injury during that game, his unwillingness to take chances led to Miami's collapse. Miami had to keep Jameis Winston off the field, yet Coley chose to call screen passes on 3rd and long. It's very likely that Coley will return in 2015, but Miami shouldn't be afraid to upgrade at this position. Coley has potential as a playcaller, but Miami can't afford to wait for Coley to become consistent. Grade: C+/B-
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