Wanted: Innovative Offensive Coordinator At Miami

If you haven’t heard already, the Hurricanes parted ways with offensive coordinator Dan Enos after a miserable year for the Miami offense. Following a dreadful 2019, in which UM ranked near the bottom in several offensive categories, Manny Diaz now has to find the programs next OC, its 10th in the last 15 years.

In 2019, the Hurricanes offense under Enos took a nose-dive, averaging just 25.8 points per game, as UM finished the year 6-7. Miami’s offense also ranked 99th in total offense, 88th in scoring offense, 122nd in both rushing offense and redzone, and 129th in 3rd down conversions.

The Miami Hurricanes offense has been one of the lagging aspects of a once historic program, and that’s putting it nicely. While other teams around the country have innovated their offense to a more modernized approach, Miami has fallen behind in that category, failing to get with the times in college football.

Now, as UM looks forward to 2020 and beyond, coach Diaz has the opportunity to point Miami in the right direction offensively. Does he go with another pro-style OC like Enos? Or does he do what previous Canes coaches have failed to do, and choose someone who runs an innovative spread offense?

To all who keeps up with UM football, you’re well aware of the fact that the spread offense has been talked about in depth with the Canes, mostly because it has failed to make its way to Miami. With all the talented and fast players that the Hurricanes have on their team, a system that utilizes speed seems like it should be in place, but it’s not.

Chip Kelly did it with Oregon, Urban Meyer with Ohio State, Rich Rodriguez with West Virginia, even Nick Saban has become a fan of the spread offense. More recently, Ed Orgeron and LSU switched to the spread when Joe Brady joined the coaching staff, and now they’re in the College Football Playoff, and quarterback Joe Burrow captured the Heisman Trophy.

I'm not saying the spread offense will automatically turn the Hurricanes into national championship contenders in 2020, but if all of college football is evolving and trying it out, and if your pro-style attack isn’t working, shouldn't you at least give it a try?

Good news for coach Diaz, the names of offensive coordinator candidates floating around, most of them run the spread and have had success. One of those names is Rhett Lashlee from SMU.

Dan Enos was obviously not the right man for the job as OC at Miami, so Manny will have another shot at choosing someone to run his offense. However, coming off a 6-7 record, Diaz better make the homerun hire if he wants to last in Coral Gables.