How Miami Hurricanes QB Tyler Van Dyke Can Bounce Back in Start vs. UNC
When sophomore quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was benched against MTSU just over a week ago, it changed everything that everyone thought they knew about the Miami Hurricanes.
Sure, the team had its question marks to start the season, but it felt like the one certainty would be Van Dyke leading this Miami offense. When redshirt freshman Jake Garcia took over in the second half of the MTSU game, all of that changed.
Fans and experts alike debated who should and would be the Canes first string field general. Now, a week removed from the MTSU disaster, we have our answer. Head coach Mario Cristobal has declared that Van Dyke will remain the starter for this weekend's game against North Carolina. With that settled, the question still remains: What does Van Dyke need to do to elevate the Hurricanes' offense and keep the job?
Limit Turnovers
Van Dyke's not off to a great start statistically, having thrown only four touchdowns to three interceptions. Two of those scoring throws came against (FCS) Bethune-Cookman as well, so that anemic stat line is even more unsettling. It may seem like a different Van Dyke than we saw last year, who posted 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions, but that may not exactly be the case.
While he only let six picks slip in 2021, five of them came in his first two FBS starts, which followed a solid performance against (FCS) Central Connecticut State. Sound familiar?
There's a good chance he bounces back as the season goes on, but offensive coordinator Josh Gattis' system is going to need to flex a little bit to fit Van Dyke's deep-throwing style. That will largely depend on finding a true deep threat at receiver.
For what it's worth, Van Dyke played his worst game against North Carolina last year, throwing only one touchdown and three interceptions. He did, however, answer that the following week with four TDs and no turnovers against NC State.
It could be argued though that he's likely played his worst game of this season and is due for that bounce-back game here. The Tar Heels have given up 40-plus points to two of the three FBS teams they've played this year. Their porous defense might be as good a shot as Van Dyke will get at an easy recovery.
Trust His Receivers
It's painfully evident that Van Dyke doesn't trust his remaining receivers, and he has some reason not to. The Canes lost their top two pass catchers from 2021, and then their main target this year, Xavier Restrepo, was injured. That doesn't leave much familiarity for the sophomore gunslinger. Whether it's a hitch in his mechanics or just a lack of faith in his receiving corps, Van Dyke has held onto the ball too long on more than a few occasions this fall, resulting in sacks or dirt-bound balls.
It's probable that Van Dyke's fear of turnovers is playing into this. One of the worst ways to throw an interception is to throw a perfect pass and watch it bounce off the hands of the receiver and careen into the arms of an ill-positioned defender. Van Dyke, who has the arm talent to sling it downfield and squeeze into tight windows, might be less likely to put the ball up for grabs with unproven hands on the receiving end. He'll have to get over that, or this offense is dead in the water.
Key'Shawn Smith has proven to be the Canes' most explosive receiver, particularly when in the open field, and Brashard Smith looks like the most reliable set of hands on the roster right now. There's also the tight end pair of Will Mallory and Elijah Arroyo that provide outlets at a slightly shorter range.
Take Shots
As the saying goes, shooters shoot, and Van Dyke needs to let it fly to play his best football. Cristobal says the offense will do a little more to cater to his huddle caller's strengths, which means he'll probably have a chance to use his cannon arm a few times.
He's only thrown eleven passes deeper than 20 yards this year, so we're hoping to see that number increase some this weekend against North Carolina. It'll help if Gattis spreads the offense out a bit more as that seems to be Van Dyke's comfort zone. His arm talent is undeniable, but he hasn't been put in the best position to shine thus far.
It will also be on the receivers to get separation when Miami needs a big play. Van Dyke can do everything right, but if nobody gets open, it won't make much difference. The Hurricanes will have had two weeks to nail down the route tree and their timing, which means there's a good chance this will be the best we've seen the offense look against real competition all year.
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