Quarterbacks, recruiting and conference future: Five Hurricanes New Year’s resolutions for 2024

Miami ended the 2023 season with a 7-6 record — better than 2022’s 5-7 campaign but still not where UM wants to be.

Last year, we made five New Year’s resolutions for the Hurricanes. Of those five, they accomplished some: they got talented players in the transfer portal (offensive linemen Javion Cohen and Matt Lee are headed to the NFL after one year at UM) and they developed young talent into quality players (hello, ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year Rueben Bain Jr.).

But like most of us, Miami did not do everything it set out to do at the start of 2023. But don’t worry; there is always the next year!

1. Find a quarterback

The first thing Miami needs to do this year is find a quarterback. The most obvious place to find one is in the transfer portal. UM pursued former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward, but Ward opted to enter the NFL draft. Miami’s potential options are dwindling, but the portal is not devoid of quarterbacks. But if UM does not land a quarterback they like before spring begins, the Hurricanes will go into spring camp with third-year Jacurri Brown, second-year Emory Williams and true freshman Judd Anderson. In March and April, one of those quarterbacks will have to separate himself. Otherwise, UM will have to look for a quarterback in the spring transfer window, and that opens a new world of unknowns.

2. No major coaching mistakes

The Hurricanes’ 2023 season can be divided into two segments: pre-Georgia Tech and post-Georgia Tech. Before that game, Miami was riding high. The Hurricanes were a top-20 team and were poised to improve to 5-0 entering a key game against UNC. In their eight games following the still-wild decision not to wrap up a win with a quarterback kneel, UM went 3-5. Other problems led to those losses, of course. But the final minute of the Hurricanes’ loss to the Yellow Jackets is the indelible image of the season; a victory snatched away because of an inexplicable coaching decision. If UM wants to compete at higher levels, the Hurricanes need to cut out those errors.

3. Crack top three in recruiting rankings

Mario Cristobal and the Miami staff put together an excellent 2024 recruiting class, flipping key prospects at the wire to push UM’s class to No. 4 in the nation. The Hurricanes’ class is behind only Georgia, Alabama and Texas, and Miami is not far behind the No. 3 Longhorns. Cristobal has long had a reputation as an ace recruiter, and he has lived up to it since arriving at UM. Competing at a playoff level requires high-level recruiting. Improving on this year’s class with a top-three 2025 class would be an impressive achievement. At this point last year, the Hurricanes had only one player in the 2024 class, kicker Abram Murray, committed. Now, Miami already has a solid base in the 2025 class with three commitments: wide receiver Waden Charles, quarterback Luke Nickel and linebacker Elijah Melendez.

4. Sort out conference future

The wave of conference realignment is flowing into 2024. The PAC-12 already crumbled. Is the Atlantic Coast Conference next? Florida State wants out, and if the Seminoles leave, the conference could be in major trouble. Other big programs like Clemson and North Carolina could follow. The Hurricanes could, as well. Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich said UM would be an “interested observer” in how FSU proceeds, but in the meantime, they are a “proud member” of the ACC. If Florida State paves the way for a relatively clean break from the conference, the Hurricanes could follow that path to a bigger conference. Alternatively, legal battles could continue for a while, and conferences like the Big Ten and SEC could hold out on inviting Miami to their parties. Either way, the Hurricanes’ future in the ACC seems as tenuous as ever.

5. Win a postseason game

The Hurricanes’ postseason struggles continued right up to the end of 2023 as UM fell to Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Hurricanes have now lost their past five bowl games and have fallen in 11 of their last 12 bowl games. They really need to break that streak this year. If they improve significantly and make the new, 12-team playoff, that will be a major accomplishment. But if Miami makes a standard-issue bowl game, it would behoove UM to snap this skid.

Bonus: Start the new football facility

A lot of people re-use the same resolutions from years past. This was one resolution from last year that did not come to pass. Radakovich said plans are moving forward for UM’s new football operations center and they will “look to get the final approvals put together and hopefully, we’re going to break ground very, very shortly.”