Candid talk from Jacurri Brown on addition of Cam Ward, coaching staff, 2023 redshirt reasoning and more

Speculation has swirled around Miami Hurricanes QB Jacurri Brown almost ever since true freshman Emory Williams was the backup quarterback this past season with Brown redshirting. The question: Would Brown stay or go?

The redshirt sophomore QB is staying, and will compete with Williams and transfer Reese Poffenbarger behind transfer star Cam Ward this season.

“If I leave, stay, I have to compete wherever I go,” Brown said on the Momentum Podcast. “Before the bowl game there were rumors I’m going to leave. What are you talking about? This is my opportunity. I’ve been waiting all year to play, my shot to play.”

For those that now think Brown might leave after the spring?

He says “I’m definitely going to come back for another year. … I’m about loyalty and relationships.”

Brown requested the redshirt last year, starting in the bowl game as the only healthy scholarship QB. Brown completed 20 of his 31 pass attempts for 181 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception against Rutgers in that game, adding 57 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns.

Brown says he asked for the redshirt after it seemed Miami was going to use him more as a runner and not a passer in games as a backup to Tyler Van Dyke.

“I was thinking bigger picture,” he says. “This past year I dove into myself, asked `Can I go scout team?’ I’m not going to sit there and get a tan all day. So I went scout team. It was fun, I’m ripping. On scout team you have to be exactly accurate or those boys aren’t going to catch the ball.”

Brown also said watching some of the offensive issues during the season that his mindset was “Dang, I can do this, do that.”

“You don’t know what it would look like if I got 12 games of reps,” he says. “Even the Rutgers game, I started off slow. That pick, they never showed that (defense on film). … After that we got it rolling fast.”

Looking ahead, Brown says “I feel good going into the spring and competing.”

Prior to the 2023 season Brown got plenty of reps as a true freshman at Miami sharing reps with Jake Garcia after a Tyler Van Dyke injury. But Brown struggled with accuracy and ended with 230 total passing yards on the season with three TDs and three INTs. He also had 223 rush yards including a long of 40 yards. Brown says he knew he was not a good QB as a true freshman. And the process continues to keep improving.

“Me personally, I just have to get better,” Brown said. “I can’t focus on what people are saying. … I like playing ball.

“I have to work on accuracy. That comes with time, live reps.”

Brown spoke more about Ward on the podcast. Brown says all the addition will do is increase the level of play in the room.

“Anybody who asks me “How you feel about Cam coming in?’ (I say) `We’re just going to get better,'” Brown said.

Brown praised the current Miami coaching staff, saying “People buy in, are way happy to be there. The program, we’re taking steps. 9-3, just a couple of plays away (from that). That’s just consistency, everyone on the same page. Everybody locked in. … It takes time to build. Develop your players, put them in position to win, it’ll take care of itself. Put the right people in the room, it’ll be straight.”

Of coordinator/QB coach Shannon Dawson, Brown said, “Coach Dawson, inside the meeting room he isn’t doing all that screaming. We watch our film – he’s very anal about overthrowing deep balls, not throwing posts across the field. Just give the guy a chance (to catch it). Just put the ball in play and play ball. That’s what I like.”

Brown said of former coordinator Josh Gattis that “He’s a character, brought his craft, I can respect that, but at the same time there are certain ways you come at people about stuff. … I can take coaching … but if you are coming at me as a person instead of player. He really tried me – the relationship just shattered.”

Brown said former QB coach Frank Ponce was also too much of a micromanager.

“Coach Ponce – (off the field) he’s a great guy. Within ball, it’s his way or no way,” Brown said. “It got to the point it was how I stand before I take a snap. I’ve been playing, you recruited me, so why are we talking about my stance?”

Back to the present, Brown indicated that Miami will add another WR. He pointed to Jacolby George, Xavier Restrepo and Isaiah Horton, adding that “behind him is Ray Ray (Joseph) and another freshman, Ny (Carr), Joshisa (Trader).”

“I think we might get another one,” Brown said. “A guy that will take the top off you.”

He added “They were trying to get me to get (friend Isaiah) Bond here, and I was like `nah, he’s going to the highest bidder.’ He went to Texas.”

Brown said he wants to get on the team’s Leadership Council this year, and he says he has a great relationship with Emory Williams as they get ready to compete this spring. Brown’s mentality is simple: “Just keep working, keep pushing.”

“Emory is a baller,” Brown said. “That’s my dawg.”

Brown also said he deals with Attention Deficit Disorder but doesn’t take medication for it and that it doesn’t affect his schoolwork or football.

“I will stand up and walk (in QB meetings), start doodling,” he said. “I’m into it, know what’s going on.”

The end game for Brown?

“I want to retire, move to Texas, have a ranch, a big-ass ranch” Brown said. “To get there, the card is football.”

*Brown said he went from 195 pounds when he first arrived at Miami to his current weight of 235 pounds. He’s also grown an inch, to 6-5. He’s at 10 percent body fat. Brown also said he hit 22.7 miles per hour on the practice field last year. Brown says he’ll use a breathing trainer, essentially a breath constrictor, so that when it’s not in he’ll have even better conditioning.