Previewing the Miami Hurricanes Special Teams Entering 2022
Miami has yet to record a special teams touchdown since 2018.
With the hiring of veteran NFL special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf as a member of Mario Cristobal's Hurricanes coaching staff, it is anticipated that the special teams will make a positive jump in development in every phase. Bad field positioning by the return teams is something Miami has often found itself trying to battle back from in the three-year stretch.
Poor physicality while blocking and missed blocking assignments in the return phase have contributed to the bad field positioning, but discipline is a staple for a Cristobal-coached team. There are not many changes to anticipate as many of last year's faces are still on the roster, meaning Miami has the perk of consistency in its special teams.
Projected Depth Chart
Punter: Lou Hedley
Kicker: Andres Borregales
Kickoff Return: Brashard Smith, Xavier Restrepo
Punt Return: Jacolby George, Brashard Smith
The Breakdown
Lou Hedley has been a bright spot in the Canes' special teams ever since he punted for the first time wearing Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's No. 94 jersey. Hedley announced he would return to Miami for his final year last December. The Australia native has averaged over 43 yards per punt over his Miami career.
Andres Borregales lived up to the hype in his first year as Miami's kicker, hitting 17 of his 21 attempts in 2021. Borregales showed no signs of being a step down from his brother, Jose Borregales, who kicked at Miami the year before him. Many people believed Andres was a better kicker in high school than his brother, who's now in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Between Xavier Restrepo's elusiveness and Brashard Smith's straight-line speed, Miami has a nice pair of athletes to bring back kickoffs. The stats certainly won't show it, but there's potential in that phase to improve. Both have the right traits to return kicks, but getting the offense set up in better field position is a point to hammer home this year.
Jacolby George and Smith are the two favorites to be the lead punt returners. George had the most opportunity to field punts last year, fielding 13 for 142 yards. Smith wasn't used on punt return last year, but he could be utilized because of his athleticism Restrepo could also receive burn on punts as well.
Overall Thoughts
The group, since nobody has left, should be in good shape for this season. While Maalouf will be in more of an off-field role, his knowledge and expertise are invaluable to a team that desperately needed improvements from its special teams. It's also worth noting that many of Miami's returners were freshmen in 2021, so most if not all of the freshman mistakes should be weeded out before the season gets underway.
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