Chris Fowler offers update from Miami Hurricanes spring practice

Chris Fowler likes what he sees from the Miami Hurricanes. The longtime ESPN college football analyst made an appearance at the Hurricanes spring practice Monday, then took to Twitter to offer his thoughts on what he saw.

“Fun, useful day with the new-look (Miami Hurricanes) team and impressive, energized staff of (Mario Cristobal),” Chris Fowler wrote in his post. “Roster has holes, of course. But also standouts to build around. And the transfer portal work isn’t done. Tyler Van Dyke looks commanding.”

A Miami alumnus, Cristobal is set to enter his first season as the Hurricanes head coach after four years with Oregon. He inherits a team that finished just 7-5 this past season under third-year coach Manny Diaz, the latest in a trend of disappointments.

After claiming five national titles between 1983-2001, Miami has made one major bowl game in the past decade (the Orange Bowl in 2017). Its last conference championship came in 2003. It’s up to Cristobal to change that, though the task is easier said than done.

So far, however, it’s hard not to like the way he has started. Despite the coaching change, Miami signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the ACC for 2022 according to On3 Consensus, highlighted by four-star running back Trevonte’ Citizen. The Hurricanes also brought in talented transfer players in Mitchell Agude, Frank Ladson and Henry Parrish. Perhaps the most important thing Cristobal did this offseason, however, was convince Van Dyke to return for another season.

Van Dyke took over as the Hurricanes starting quarterback this past season after D’Eriq King suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He finished with 2,931 yards passing, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions this past season, and once again projects as the starter entering 2022. He loses his top two receivers Charleston Rambo and Mike Harley to the NFL draft, but the addition of Ladson, who played at Clemson the past three seasons, should help ease that transition.

The Hurricanes are nearing the end of spring practice soon, and will get the chance to show fans what they’ve been working on in the annual spring game on Saturday. After that, Cristobal will make his debut as Miami’s coach against Bethune-Cookman in the season opener on Sept. 3.