Miami Hurricanes coordinator Josh Gattis after Monday drills: Work is ongoing, says no player on offense is quite where he wants them to be

There was nothing wrong with the Miami Hurricanes offense a year ago, when Tyler Van Dyke threw 25 TDs in 10 games (averaging 293.1 passing yards per game) and the Rhett Lashlee attack averaged 34.1 points and 448.8 yards per game. This year, with a new coordinator and Van Dyke returning, the hope is the pass-happy Lashlee attack can be even more effective as more of a 50/50 run-pass combo in Josh Gattis’ system.

After the team’s third practice on Monday, Gattis weighed in with his thoughts on how things are looking so far.

“It’s been good, but it’s a process, you know?” Gattis said. “It’s a work in progress, just getting back to learning how we want to practice with the intensity we want. And getting back into football shape. Everyone is in the best shape they can possible be in till that helmet comes on – humidity sets in, the shoulder pads go on, and we have to continue to push. That’s what training camp is all about, create an identity for your team, and that physicality standpoint is a mentality.”

Van Dyke, of course, is the centerpiece of it all. But Gattis wants a strong run game to support him. And he has several weapons there with the likes of returning starter Jaylan Knighton, Ole Miss transfer Henry Parrish, a healthy Don Chaney, bruiser Thaddius Franklin and highly touted newcomer TreVonte’ Citizen.

Gattis says the running backs will determine who plays most and the rotation.

“We want to play as many players as possible that can help us, contribute to win games,” he said. “If it’s two, four, five guys – we’re not going to hand out playing time just to hand out playing time. … We will play the best guys that can give us a chance to win. We want competition at every position.”

The tight end room is also stacked with veteran playmaker Will Mallory and up-and-coming younger players Elijah Arroyo and Jaleel Skinner, who chose UM over Alabama last signing day. Right now Mallory and Arroyo are working ahead of Skinner.

Gattis said today that Skinner is still learning and “the game is still coming at him.”

“He has to continue to develop his body from a physical standpoint,” Gattis added of Skinner. “Taking the steps, learning the offense.”

Which brings us to a couple of areas some aren’t quite as confident in: The offensive line and wide receiver spots.

At receiver, the team lost Charleston Rambo and Mike Harley, who combined for 136 catches and 1,715 yards. Someone has to step up out of Frank Ladson, Colbie Young, Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George and Key’Shawn Smith, who we see as the top five receiving threats. Or maybe a Brashard Smith or Mike Redding, or even freshman Isaiah Horton, could surprise.

A scary thought is that none have put up more than 405 yards in a season (that was Smith last year in a starting role).

The hope is perhaps a new arrival like Young can really step up – he has the size and speed to present mismatches.

“Colbie is getting adjusted to the way we do things,” Gattis said. “Colbie had to come the furthest, showed up in the middle of the summer. Every day is a new day for him, so he’s continually learning, getting adjusted to this South Florida heat (coming from a Pa. JUCO). We’ve got to continue bringing him along.He’s got a lot of work to make up.”

As for the O line? Gattis says the DL is testing that group and that it remains to be seen who the best five will be … and what spots they’ll play.

There’s a lot of moving around, and today it was John Campbell and Jalen Rivers getting looks today at left tackle with Zion Nelson coming off cleanup surgery.

“Those two have something different from a size standpoint – Jalen came back a little earlier than John did (off injury this offseason),” Gattis said. “His flexibility, he can really play all five positions, is really that Swiss army knife up front. With the depth we have, we’re asking guys to be unselfish and play multiple positions.

“John has been playing left tackle and now it’s getting him caught up with the speed of the game.

“Hopefully these first two weeks of camp we get it solidified, the best five, because then we want to move forward from a chemistry standpoint.”

The bottom line from Gattis?

“I don’t think we have one player on offense that’s quite where we want them to be,” Gattis said. “And that’s a good sign, because if they were where we want them to be we wouldn’t need training camp. We have to keep coaching these guys, developing these guys and pushing these guys along the way.”