Five questions as the Miami Hurricanes get set to start fall camp

Miami Hurricanes football is on the horizon.

The Hurricanes start fall camp on Wednesday, exactly one month before they open the 2024 season against the Florida Gators on Aug. 31 in Gainesville.

At that point, a pivotal third season under coach Mario Cristobal begins after the team went 12-13 in his first two seasons at the helm.

Here are five questions surrounding the team.

Will Cam Ward live up to the hype?

The answer to this question will very likely determine whether the Hurricanes are a contender in the Atlantic Coast Conference and a dark horse for the 12-team College Football Playoff or if 2024 will be another season where they fail to live up to preseason expectations.

Ward transferred in from Washington State after spurning the NFL Draft for one final season of college football. The quarterback is an early name in Heisman Trophy talk and Miami hopes he will be the catalyst for their offense.

Just how deep are the Hurricanes at running back and receiver?

Miami has some names to watch at both positions. Oregon State transfer Damien Martinez is expected to get the bulk of the work at running back and the Hurricanes return Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George at receiver to give them a balance of short-yardage work out of the slot (Restrepo) and big-play potential (George).

What happens beyond that trio will be key.

Miami returns both Mark Fletcher and Ajay Allen at running back, but both missed spring camp with injuries. Sam Brown transfers in from Houston and should give Ward another viable option at receiver.

Which younger players step up beyond that group — Chris Johnson, Chris Wheatley-Humphrey and Jordan Lyle at running back; Bobby Washington, Michael Redding III and Ray Ray Joseph, Joshisa Trader and Ny Carr at receiver — will help determine the Hurricanes’ depth.

How will Miami’s new-look secondary fare?

The Hurricanes are replacing essentially their entire starting secondary.

Gone are Kamren Kinchens (NFL), James Williams (NFL), Jaden Davis (NFL) and Davonte Brown (transfer to FSU).

Fifth-year senior cornerback Daryl Porter Jr., who has five pass breakups and 34 tackles in two seasons with Miami after beginning his career in West Virginia, returns. The group will also get a boost from defensive back Mishael Powell, a redshirt senior who transferred in from Washington, and junior Marshall transfer Dyoni Hill.

Beyond that, the group is relatively young. Cornerback Damari Brown and safety Jaden Harris are both sophomores. Incoming freshman Zaquan Patterson could also get some looks.

The Hurricanes last season finished 55th nationally in passing yards allowed per game (216) and tied for 53rd in yards allowed per passing attempt (7.3). They had 12 total interceptions. Only three are by players who returned to the team this season — and zero by their current secondary, although Powell did have three interceptions last season at Washington.

How will the interior of the defensive line stack up?

The Hurricanes will have fresh faces at defensive tackle this year after losing three key players at the position in Jared Harrison-Hunte (transfer to SMU), Leonard Taylor III (NFL) and Branson Deen (NFL).

Among the group: NC State transfer C.J. Clark, Michigan State transfer Simeon Barrow Jr., Middle Tennessee State transfer Marley Cook, all of whom are seniors.

Justin Scott and Armondo Blount, both five-star recruits from the 2024 class, could see time as freshmen as well.

The rest of the front seven should be stout. Defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is primed to follow up a fantastic freshman season. Francisco Mauigoa will anchor the linebackers. And the Hurricanes are slated to get back defensive end Akeem Mesidor after he missed almost all of 2023 with injury.

Will they Hurricanes be able to integrate tight ends into the passing game?

Miami tight ends accounted for just 18 of 283 receptions (6.4 percent) and 154 of 3,354 yards (4.6 percent) in 2023. Cristobal and Ward both said at ACC Media Days last week that they want the tight ends to be incorporated into the passing game more this season.

That starts with Elijah Arroyo, who missed significant time the past two seasons with injury. Miami also has ninth-year tight end Cam McCormick and true freshman Elija Lofton among pass-catching options at the position.