Miami Hurricanes notes, by position: Grades, how playing time was allocated and more

Miami Hurricanes nuggets, by position, in the wake of Saturday’s 41-17 shellacking of the Gators:

▪ Quarterback:

Cam Ward’s big day (26 for 35, 385 yards, three touchdowns, one interception) computed to a 126.4 NFL passer rating, which would have easily led the NFL last season (for a season, not a game). He also had three passes dropped by receivers or running backs.

He was very good with a clean pocket and when pressured. When facing a Gators pass rush, he was 8 for 12 for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

After his first of two seasons at Washington State, Ward received NFL feedback telling him that he needed to improve on deep throws.

He responded last season with a 112.8 passer rating on throws that traveled at least 20 yards in the air, with 10 TDs and two interceptions. Against Florida, he was 5 for 7 for 133 yards and two touchdowns on such throws.

▪ Running back:

Snaps were allocated this way: 34 for Damien Martinez, 22 for Mark Fletcher, 13 for Jordan Lyle and 2 for Ajay Allen.

Among 29 players who appeared on offense for UM, Pro Football Focus rated Martinez sixth and Fletcher 10th.

▪ Wide receiver:

Xavier Restrepo (seven catches, 112 yards) played 54 of UM’s 69 offensive snaps, and PFF rated him the Canes’ fourth best player on offense on Saturday, behind Ward and tight ends Cam McCormick and Elijah Arroyo.

Isaiah Horton, Jacolby George and Sam Brown each played exactly 42 offensive snaps. PFF rated Horton fifth, George 12th and Brown 28th among all UM offensive players in the game.

Ray Ray Joseph logged eight offensive snaps and Shemar Kirk played three snaps late in the game.

It will be interesting to see if freshmen Ny Carr, JoJo Trader and Chance Robinson are redshirted. Each can play in four games without burning their redshirt.

▪ Tight end:

Hurricanes tight ends accounted for 136 receiving yards on Saturday – just 18 less than UM’s tight ends produced overall in 13 games last season.

Arroyo (four catches for 89 yards), played 44 snaps, McCormick logged 14 (and caught the game’s first touchdown), while Riley Williams played 25 snaps, freshman Elija Lofton 6 and Jackson Carver 2.

▪ Offensive line:

PFF rated UM’s offensive linemen in this order: Center Zach Carpenter, right tackle Francis Mauigoa, right guard Anez Cooper, left tackle Jalen Rivers and then Ryan Rodriguez and Matthew McCoy, who split left guard.

Rodriguez played 23 snaps and McCoy 18. Rodriguez, who was rated UM’s best blocking lineman in the game by PFF, left in the second half with what Mario Cristobal said is likely a sprained ankle.

PFF said Rivers, Rodriguez and McCoy each gave up two pressures. No UM offensive lineman was blamed for a sack.

▪ Edge players/defensive tackle: We looped them together because there was overlap, with edge player Akheem Mesidor opening the game at defensive tackle.

As for the edge players, among 24 players who appeared on defense for UM, PFF rated Elijah Alston second, Tyler Baron sixth, Malik Bryant 15th and Mesidor 16th.

As for the natural defensive tackles, among 24 players who appeared on defense for UM, PFF rated Simeon Barrow 11th, Anthony Campbell 12th, Josh Horton 13th, CJ Clark 18th and freshman Justin Scott 20th.

As for snap counts, Reuben Bain was limited to only three before his soft tissue injury that will sideline him for a week or two, according to Cristobal.

Among edge players, Baron played 42 snaps, Mesidor 37, Alston 33 and Bryant 13. (Bryant transitioned from linebacker to defensive end this past offseason.)

Among defensive tackles, Barrow played 29 snaps, Clark 26, Moten 18, Campbell and Scott 9 and Horton 5.

▪ Linebacker:

PFF rated Francisco Mauigoa third and Wesley Bissainthe fourth among all 24 players who appeared defensively in the game.

Mauigoa played 50 snaps, Bissainthe 47, Jaylin Alderman 17, Chase Smith 11 and Raul Aguirre Jr. 2.

▪ Safety:

PFF rated Mishael Powell best among all UM defenders on Saturday and fellow starter Jaden Harris 14th.

Powell played 56 snaps, Harris 45 and Markeith Williams 11. Freshman Zaquan Patterson, Brian Balom and Isaiah Taylor did not play.

Per PFF, Powell intercepted the only pass thrown in his coverage area.

Two of the four passes thrown against Harris were caught for 16 yards; another was intercepted.

The only pass thrown against Williams wasn’t caught.

▪ Cornerback:

Here’s how snaps were allocated: Daryl Porter Jr. played 48 snaps, Jadais Richard 38, OJ Frederique 29, Dyoni Hill 24 and Damari Brown 14. Brown left with a soft tissue injury and is expected to miss a week or two, according to Cristobal.

Porter permitted the only pass against him to be caught for 11 yards.

Richard allowed three of four targets to be caught for 39 yards.

Frederique yielded two completions in three targets for 24 yards.

Brown allowed two of four to be caught for 22 yards.

Hill wasn’t targeted.