Miami Hurricanes Stock Report Following Week 9
Head coach Mario Cristobal took a turn towards righting Miami's ship in the Hurricanes' 14-12 quadruple overtime win over Virginia. Offensive woes aside, the Canes have established a defensive identity and have plenty of young players making an impact on that side of the ball.
If they're going to string together more wins in 2022, it'll have to be on the back of that unit.
In the meeting with Virginia, we learned a little bit about this team's resolve. Going four extra periods with a backup quarterback is no easy feat, regardless of the opponent. They will, however, face a more daunting challenge this coming weekend when they host Florida State.
Here are the Hurricanes who saw their stock change as we approach their showdown with the Seminoles...
STOCK UP
DL Leonard Taylor
Game Stats: 6 tkls/4 TFLs/1.5 sacks
Taylor was impressive last season as a true freshman, and his trajectory has steadily continued upward in his second campaign. He's looked unstoppable at times and may have the most upside of any player on this extremely talented defensive line. Cristobal has said that Taylor and Darrell Jackson have given The U solidified starters at the defensive tackle positions.
Despite his strong rookie showing, the sophomore run-stopper has certainly had to earn his spot this season. Taylor started the fall third on Miami's depth chart, but has catapulted to the top of the list, a spot he won't soon vacate.
RB Henry Parrish Jr.
Game Stats: 24 car/113 rush yards/1 rec/4 rec. yards
Saturday's victory over Virginia was the third instance where Parrish has rushed for over 100 yards this season. No, the offense didn't score any touchdowns, but the running game looked more formidable than usual. Parrish looks like he'll be the feature back in the offense going forward, especially with fellow ball carrier Jaylan Knighton seemingly shelved for the moment.
With Tyler Van Dyke's injury leaving him questionable at quarterback and not many other runners on the roster, Parrish is going to have the ball in his hands a lot over the next few weeks. The Ole Miss transfer has made the most of his chances at The U and this weekend's home game at Hard Rock Stadium should be a welcoming atmosphere for the Goulds, Fla. native.
QB Jacurri Brown
Game Stats: 5 rush/28 yards/0-for-3 passing
Brown didn't complete a pass on any of his first collegiate throwing attempts, but he continued to display a knack for running the football. He picked up over 5 yards per carry and proved to be a difficult weapon for the Cavaliers to stop. OC Josh Gattis said this week that Brown is one of the team's top playmakers and that he may be the fastest player on the offense.
Miami's preparing to potentially play all three quarterbacks this weekend, depending on Van Dyke's status and that means we'll probably see Brown running the ball as per usual. If Van Dyke can't go the length of the game, though, it will be interesting to see if Brown sees a more increased role or if Miami sticks with Garcia as the full-time backup.
STOCK DOWN
Stock down gets a break this week. Sure, some players may have seen their stock take a slight dip, but overall, there's not much to complain about after getting back in the win column. The offense struggled and that's a glaring issue, but is not unexpected really at this point.
If the Canes can't put up a good fight against Florida State, though, the stock report will be looking much different next week.
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