Highlights, standouts and numbers from Miami Hurricanes 2023 spring game

Spring football is over at the University of Miami, and it ended with some serious fun Friday night at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

The 2023 Miami Hurricanes offense faced the 2023 defense in the spring game that traditionally is open to fans who want their first taste of what this team might be able to accomplish next season — might because there are several players who still haven’t arrived, fall practice doesn’t begin until early August and coaches made sure not to truly open the new playbooks.

“We set out to get a lot of competitive situations,’’ coach Mario Cristobal said. “I thought we did that. We played physical in spurts, were successful in spurts on both sides of the ball and showed some inconsistencies. But overall progress. We really feel like we have progressed and we’ve got to continue progressing from here.’’

Breakout players

Breakout players on offense included junior receiver Jacolby George, who had two catches for 46 yards and an acrobatic 15-yard touchdown catch in the right rear corner of the end zone, beating cornerback Daryl Porter on the fade pass by starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Defensively, true freshman end Rueben Bain was a Hurricane all the way, blowing through the first half with 3 1/2 tackles — three of them sacks.

“Hurricane Bain, man!’’ said All-American safety Kamren Kinchens after the game. “It went on display today.’’

Another standout: kicker Andy Borregales, who hit field goals of 27- and 51 yards.

Van Dyke completed 13 of 19 passes in the first half for 184 yards and the beautifully executed touchdown.

“He was sharp,’’ Cristobal said of Van Dyke. “We had a achance to make a couple other plays — we gave some guys opportunities to make plays. We made a couple and a couple got away from us. That’s OK. We’re getting better at that. But he continues to take ownership in the offense, feeling more and more comfortable with it.

“We gotta work on some things. We gotta get the ball out sometimes a little bit faster, we gotta protect a little bit better and we got confused on a couple formations and routes that we had called. We had opportunities to make big, big plays. But overall he’s doing a great job as a leader, great job progressing... and making this thing go forward.’’

The game was broken into two, 15-minute conventional quarters for the first half, with the clock running for the second half. Tackling was allowed the first half, but not in the second half (thus, unofficial statistics are cited, unless otherwise mentioned, for only the first half). The defense got points for big plays and takeaways, and the offense got points for scoring. Players, as usual, were not allowed to hit or tackle the quarterbacks.

TVD-Restrepo

It was clear that Van Dyke, the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and fourth-year junior who was hurt the second half of the season with a right-shoulder injury, has reestablished his connection to roommate and top slot receiver Xavier Restrepo.

Restrepo had three catches for 69 yards in the first half, including a 23-yard shovel pass.

“The work that we’ve put in together is finally coming together,’’ Restrepo said. “God’s timing is perfect, that’s how I look at it. ...Even on long downs, like third-and-longs, fourth-and-longs, being able to have that chemistry — he’s expecting me to be open and I”m expecting him to throw me the ball. There’s no better feeling.

“...Coach [Shannon] Dawson is doing a great job,’’ Restrepo said of the new offensive coordinator known for his quick tempo and prolific passing offenses. “His offense speaks for itself. I’m excited to be in an explosive offense like this.’’

Second-team quarterback Jacurri Brown started the scrimmage with four incomplete passes and finished 5 of 11 for 55 yards.

“Look, Jacurri was off tonight and I get it,’’ Cristobal said. “That guy has had an unbelievable spring. It’s a shame that tonight didn’t go as well as we hoped it would go.’’

Emory Williams impresses

And true freshman early-enrollee quarterback Emory Williams impressed in his UM debut and lone drive in the first half. Williams completed all four passes in that drive for 42 yards — and threw a second-half 79-yard touchdown pass to speedy freshman Nathaniel Ray Ray Joseph, who motored down the field near the end of the scrimmage.

Williams’ second pass in his first-half drive was a 32-yard completion to Isaiah Horton.

“He’s a special football player,’’ Cristobal said of Williams. ”He did a really good job.’’

Added Cristobal: “Ray-Ray is a diehard Cane through and through, a must-have guy. Tonight he showed why. You see the catches, but you should see him block, you should see him throw his body around. The guy really is a tremendous competitor and he’s an elite, awesome, incredible human being that has an incredible impact on his teammates.’’

Other first-half receiving efforts: Colbie Young, with three catches for 38 yards; Horton, with two catches for 41 yards; and freshman Robby Washington and Joseph, each with two catches for 21 yards.

First-team tailback Henry Parrish Jr. had seven carries for 26 yards in the first half, with Don Chaney Jr. adding four carries for 17 yards, plus one catch for six yards in the initial half.

Defensive standouts

On defense, Washington State transfer linebacker Francisco Mauigoa was constantly around the ball. He had four tackles and one tackle for loss. Defensive end Chantz Williams added a sack.

Porter had 2 1/2 tackles and two pass breakups.

Linebacker Rocky Shelton had four tackles and a tackle for loss.

Defensive tackle Jacob Lichtenstein also had a sack.

The spring game format was first-team players vs. first-team players, with second-teamers sometimes mixed in with the spring starters, and second-and-third teamers mostly facing backups of the same level.

The defense has been missing most of its starting defensive line this spring, as players were healing from injuries or offseason surgeries.

Pregame injury

Of note: Alabama transfer and first-team left guard Javion Cohen stepped awkwardly while warming up before the game and couldn’t play. Cristobal said he was “nicked up.’’

Also: Cristobal said right guard Anez Cooper “did not play and had to be pulled’’ before the game. The coach did not elaborate.

The players who filled in for the two guards were third-year sophomore Laurance Seymore on the left side and fourth-year junior Logan Sapapolu on the right.

The stadium, which seats 19,100, was about one-third full.

Sidelined players

Here are 15 players we saw on the sideline who haven’t participated in spring while recuperating from injuries or rehabbing from surgery: Linebackers Chase Smith, Corey Flagg and Malik Bryant; defensive linemen Jahfari Harvey, Leonard Taylor, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Thomas Davis and Collins Acheampong; safety James Williams; offensive linemen Zion Nelson, Jonathan Denis, Matthew McCoy and Antonio Tripp; tight ends Elijah Arroyo and Cam McCormick.