Tyler Van Dyke explains how Miami leaders rallied around Mario Cristobal in offseason: 'Nobody wants to be 5-7'

Tyler Van Dyke gets it. After a grueling 5-7 season in 2022, the Miami quarterback didn’t get discouraged. Instead, he found motivation with his fellow Hurricanes.

“I’ve had immense trust in Coach [Mario] Cristobal throughout this entire process. The guys he’s brought in to help our team. Just the coaches he brought in to help us as players. It’s been great. This offseason, we’ve worked hard.

“[There] a lot more guys in our leadership council, and a lot of the guys stepped up. Nobody wants to be 5-7. So it set a fire under us. And now, like I said before, we’re just excited to get things going. I think we have a lot of talent, and we just got to take it day by day and a game at a time,” Van Dyke said at the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff.

Van Dykes’ strategies worked last season. The 6-foot-4 quarterback started all nine games in which he competed, leading the Hurricanes in passing yards (1,835), passing touchdowns (10) and completions (160). These figures are only more impressive when you realize Van Dyke missed parts of six games due to a shoulder injury.

With a revamped offense, experts expect an even better season from Van Dyke in 2023.  After all the Hurricanes added a pair of five-star addition in Samson Okunlola and Francis Mauigoa to their offensive line, along with Javion Cohen (Alabama) and Matt Lee (UCF) in the portal.

Additionally, Cristobal folded in highly-touted running backs Mark Fletcher, Christopher Johnson and Nebraska transfer Ajay Allen. To pile on, at wide receiver, Miami brought in Alabama transfer Tyler Harrell and JUCO arrival Shemar Kirk.

While Cristobal admits Miami didn’t reach the levels it wanted to last season, he believes the team can be special.

“I think whenever you start up at a program again, and it has a rebuilding aspect, you have to sometimes go through a season like that and not make any excuse or sugar-coat it, but you go directly at the things that need to be addressed, and it starts with people,” Cristobal said. “People in the locker room, people on the coaching staff, people in a support staff role.

“Now, we’re eager to get to camp so we can put all of that to good use, and the bottom line is just to get to work. Not worry about anything or anyone and just get to work and put to good use this hard work that we have done,” Cristobal said.

Van Dyke will be right by his side. The Hurricanes will kick off their season when they take on Miami (OH) on Sept. 2 in Hard Rock Stadium.