Tyler Van Dyke looks ahead but keeping Heisman talk on back burner with focus on team and winning ACC

It’s a new year for Miami Hurricanes QB Tyler Van Dyke.

A new offense under coordinator Josh Gattis.

And renewed hopes of this team reaching the ACC title game and perhaps upsetting a Clemson.

But for Van Dyke it’s still about the same old mentality: Working hard and getting better.

All that potential Heisman talk? Not even a thought in his mind.

“I try not to pay attention to it,” Van Dyke said. “Obviously I see it, see all the good, all the bad. But you can’t pay attention to it. Stay focused on the task at hand.”

That task?

“Just win, you know?” Van Dyke said. “Our goal is to win the ACC championship, that’s where it starts for us. I think we’ll do a good job of getting to that goal right now.

“There’s a lot of hype – this summer we really worked hard as a team. We came together as a team. We really hadn’t in the past. All those 7 on 7 practices and teawm drills we did outside, we never did before. We’re coming together as one, and I can’t wait for the season.”

When the season comes around Van Dyke will have several offensive weapons at his disposal.

There are talented receivers waiting to break out like Xavier Restrepo (373 yards, 2 TDs), Clemson transfer Frank Ladson (former top recruit had injury issues with the Tigers), JUCO arrival Colbie Young, Jacolby George (183, 1) and Brashard Smith (199, 2), plus starter Key’Shawn Smith (405, 3) returns.

“I think there’s a bunch of guys (that can step up),” Van Dyke said. “All those guys had a great summer, working hard in 7 on 7. I don’t think it’ll just be one guy, I think as a group all those guys will do a good job. I’m excited to see what they can do this year.”

A good sign for Restrepo is that Van Dyke today called him “My security blanket.”

They are roommates.

“He’s going to have a huge season, I can feel it,” Van Dyke said.

The tight end room should be better with the return of Will Mallory plus Elijah Arroyo in Year 2 and the expected role for top freshman prospect Jaleel Skinner. And running backs Jaylan Knighton (280 receiving yards, 3 TDs) and Ole Miss transfer Henry Parrish (553 rush yards, 173 receiving) are also excellent pass catching backs.

“There are 10 guys I can go out there and trust,” Van Dyke said.

New coordinator Josh Gattis has a lot of options at his disposal, and it will all start with Van Dyke.

“We had the whole spring to kind of get (the offense) down, how coach Gattis likes to call plays,” Van Dyke said. “We’ve been up here the entire summer studying plays, going over the first five installs we went over in spring, keep adding stuff from that. Will add more stuff in the fall. It’s been smooth so far. I’m excited to see how coach Gattis gameplans.”

The bottom line is there are a lot of options for Van Dyke, and this should be an outstanding offensive attack. A wildcard here is Gattis, who likes to run more of a balanced spread attack, and he also won’t go at the same frenetic pace as Rhett Lashlee. But we just don’t see UM’s total yards or points taking a hit given the level of talent returning and the expectation that the offensive line should be improved.

So the sky is the limit.

And it will all start moving forward at rapid pace with fall practice No. 1 on Friday.

“Very excited,” Van Dyke said. “Getting back here with my teammates, working out all summer with them, I’m happy we had a good summer and excited to get back on Greentree.

“I feel like we have one of the best teams in the ACC if not the country. We just have to be more disciplined and just show we are capable of it. I’m just excited.”