Matt Lee sets expectations for Miami entering Week 1 game

Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Matt Lee is setting the expectations for the program entering Week 1.

Regardless of the result, Lee believes in the process. Speaking with the media prior to gearing up to face Miami (OH) on Friday, the Hurricanes starting center elaborated on his expectations for the showdown.

“The expectations for the game, you know, I think just as a team, go out and play hard-nosed. Good effort. Miami Hurricanes classic. Hard as we can. Play-in and play-out, until the end of the game,” explained Lee. “Just try to play smart. Run our offense how we need to. On our side of the ball, run our offense how we need to do it.

“Whatever plays we’re calling. Whatever plays (Offensive Coordinator) Coach [Shannon] Dawson wants to get into. Whatever the situation is. Just do everything how we know how to do it, and how we’ve been developing it through camp.”

If Miami is to have the resurgence many are expecting them to in 2023, Lee will be a big part of it. He’ll be counted upon heavily within the Hurricanes offense, to keep the run game churning and the pass game swirling.

Time will tell if the Hurricanes can pull off a bounce-back season, but it all begins on Friday for Matt Lee and his teammate.

Matt Lee believes offensive line chemistry has helped Miami running game

Continuing, Lee believes that the Hurricanes running game has improved throughout the offseason. Part of the reason why is the development of the team’s offensive line as a group. Part of it is understanding the system. Part of it is the talent of the team’s running backs.

For Lee, what is making the offensive line tick right now is the chemistry they have built over months of practicing.

“First off, with the offensive line, us five, the starters out there, it’s gotten better cause our chemistry and communication,” Lee said during a media availability Wednesday. “Run it back all the way to spring to now throughout all the camp, throughout the last couple of weeks when camp has kind of ended, school started back up and leading up to game one. I think just the communication, the chemistry between the five of us and understanding each other, knowing what we’re going to do. We’re going to communicate regardless as much as we can but being on the same page even without the verbal communication a lot of time makes a big difference.”

Lee, who is a transfer from UCF, is one of three expected newcomers to be starting on the offensive line. But all three have been on campus since the start of the calendar year.

The other two are former five-star recruit and true freshman Francis Mauigoa and Alabama transfer Javion Cohen. But it is not just the offensive linemen that are going to help make it possible for the run game to succeed. Lee had high praise for the running back room as well.

On3’s Peter Warren contributed to this article.