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The Miami Hurricanes haven’t signed a lot of five-star prospects over the past decade. Actually, Lorenzo Lingard is the first since Chad Thomas back in 2014. While Clemson and Alabama sign multiple five-stars per year the ‘Canes have landed on every four years. That’s a major reason why Lingard has to bounce back from a leg injury that derailed his freshman campaign.
Lingard signed with Miami out of University High School in Orange City, FL. The six-foot, 202 pound athletic freak won the 110 meter hurdles while in high school, played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2018, and was the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year as a prep star. That’s the kind of speed and burst Miami needs to liven up the offense.
In six games as a Hurricane Lingard ran for 136 yards, while averaging eight yards per carry and scoring twice. In the book, “What is Open?” by Dub Maddox, the R4 creator discusses the need for “explosive” plays in an offense. He defines explosive plays as a 16-yard pass or a 12-yard run. The data supports his claim. On average NFL drives (6-6.5 plays) ones without an explosive play score a touchdown 0% of the time and a field goal only 9% of the time.
Teams that have one explosive play per drive score a touchdown 20% of the time and a field goal 29% of the time. Teams that have two explosive plays score a touchdown 52% of the time and a field goal 25% of the time. Where am I going with all of this? Miami needs the speed of Lingard creating explosive plays to increase the likelihood of scoring at all but especially touchdowns (What is Open? Pg 59-60).
Lingard is a bit buried on the running back depth chart by Deejay Dallas and Cam’Ron Harris but he brings a different dimension to the backfield with his elite speed. Where Dallas is a jack of all trades and Harris is a hard nosed runner, Lingard could be that big play spark that moves Miami from non-scoring drives to getting into the end zone with his explosive play ability.
Stat Prediction: 500 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns, 9 yards per carry