Previewing the Miami Hurricanes’ special teams entering the 2023 season | Summer camp series
The Miami Hurricanes struggled in Mario Cristobal’s first year, going 5-7 and missing out on a bowl game. But newcomers and returning players could give Miami fans reasons for hope as the 2023 season gets closer.
Each week, we’ll take a look at Miami’s position groups and see where they stand as the college football season rapidly approaches.
Last week, we previewed Miami’s safeties. This week, we conclude our look at the 2023 Hurricanes with a preview of their special teams.
Who left
The Hurricanes’ special teams unit took a big hit with the departure of punter Lou Hedley.
The Australian spent four seasons with Miami, punting 198 times and averaging 42.8 net yards per punt. Hedley dropped 77 of those punts inside opposing teams’ 20-yard line.
Last season, Hedley had 47 punts for a net average of 42.5 yards. Pro Football Focus gave him an 80.3 punting score, which was 11th in the nation. He was named to the All-ACC first team.
Miami also lost wide receiver Key’Shawn Smith, who returned 35 kicks for UM last season. He had 644 return yards last season, including a 91-yard touchdown return against Middle Tennessee State. He transferred to SMU in the offseason.
Who returns
Although Miami lost its punter, it does return its kicker, Andres Borregales.
Borregales enters his junior season as one of the top kickers in the ACC. He hit 17 of 20 field goals last year (including four field goals on four attempts in a road win over Virginia) and did not miss an extra-point attempt.
Borregales, who has been an All-ACC honorable mention the last two seasons, earned a 90.7 field goal score from Pro Football Focus.
The Hurricanes’ junior kicker also gives Miami an advantage on kickoffs. He averaged 65.1 yards per attempt and had 37 touchbacks.
Borregales said in the spring that one of the things he was working on in the offseason was adding height to his kicks.
“My height is just going a lot more second nature,” Borregales said. “I don’t have to force it as much now. That also comes into play with me just doing repetitions over the offseason.”
Miami also returns fourth-year redshirt sophomore punter Will Hutchinson, who could replace Hedley at that position. Hutchinson is well-traveled in his college career. He was on the roster at Iowa Western Community College in 2019 before transferring to Santa Barbara City College in 2020. Hutchinson went to Oregon in 2021 before following Cristobal to UM last year.
Hutchinson made his Miami debut with three punts against Middle Tennessee State last year, averaging 47.2 yards per punt.
The Hurricanes also bring back most of the players who returned kicks and punts last year. Wide receiver Brashard Smith looked good at times in the return game, racking up 270 kick return yards and 19 punt return yards (he had an excellent punt return negated by a penalty against North Carolina).
Wide receiver Jacolby George fielded the most punts for UM last season, returning five punts for 71 yards. Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo could factor in on special teams, though he was limited on special teams last year.
Who arrived
Miami added a few players who could make an impact on special teams this season.
Wide receiver signee Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph brings blazing speed to Miami, and he could be an option to return kicks. Additionally, new cornerback Jadais Richard and walk-on wide receiver Kolby Luna lined up to return kicks during UM’s open scrimmage on Aug. 12.
Additionally, the Hurricanes signed one dedicated special teams player: punter Dylan Joyce. Like Hedley, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Joyce is Australian.
“I think we’re not going to miss a beat in our punting game with Will and Dylan,” Borregales said.