Xavier Restrepo reveals what feels different about this year's Miami team

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo has plenty of experience with the team and knows that this year is already feeling different for Miami.

As Restrepo explained during fall camp, he feels like this team has something to prove and is working on getting to the point where the program feels like it should be able to compete.

“I feel everyone’s ego is just thrown out the window,” Xavier Restrepo said. “You know? Everyone has something to earn. Something to prove.”

Restrepo has been with Miami since 2020, initially coming to the team when Manny Diaz was the head coach. He has since seen the staff turnover and is in his third season playing under Mario Cristobal. After going 15-8 in his two seasons playing under Diaz and 12-13 to this point under Cristobal, Restrepo knows that he wants this season to go better.

“We haven’t won like we’ve wanted to win here lately,” Restrepo said. “So, I mean, we’re coming to work every single day. Hair on fire and a fuse lit up under us. So, we’re ready to make something happen this year.”

In his four seasons with Miami, Restrepo has played in 39 games. In that time, he has 131 receptions for 1,717 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s also returned punts at times for the Hurricanes. After losing time in 2022 with a foot injury, Restrepo bounced back in 2023 and had a phenomenal year that culminated with him being named an All-ACC First Team selection.

This offseason, Miami has looked to bolster the offense to help take a step forward in 2024. That includes adding Damien Martinez at running back and Cam Ward at quarterback. How Restrepo and Ward are able to work together will, in turn, go a long way in deciding how much success Miami has this season. Already, that appears to be a growing relationship and Ward has seen underrated aspects of Restrepo’s game.

“The biggest thing about Strep that I think he gets mistaken for is he doesn’t get the recognition of how he runs his routes,” Cam Ward said. “The way he can stem, the way he can win versus man. Me and him have built a connection where he knows what space I like to get to, when I like to get there. He knows when to bend his routes off flat. He knows when to keep them higher. So you know, he sees space how I see space.”

That connection and the Miami Hurricanes as a whole are going to be tested early in 2024. Miami opens its season on August 31st with a road game against the Florida Gators.