Looks like Howard Schnellenberger isn't the only person who thinks the Miami Hurricanes will impress in 2012. UM wide receivers Rashawn Scott and Allen Hurns said Monday that the Canes will surprise anyone who counts them out.
"I feel like it's going to be shocking," Scott told the Sun Sentinel Monday. "They think, because we lost everyone, that we're not going to be a good team. I feel like we're going to come out and shock everybody. It's going to look like we're an experienced team."
Indeed, the Canes must figure out how to replace most of its offensive output from 2011. Starting quarterback Jacory Harris graduated, and running back Lamar Miller and receiver Tommy Streeter left a year early for the NFL Draft.
Miller and Streeter accounted for 48% of Miami's yards from scrimmage in 2011, while Harris threw for 2,486 yards in 11 games. Even with those three on the roster, Miami could only manage to win 6 games last season.
Fellow receiver Allen Hurns, who caught 31 passes for 415 yards in 2011, thinks Miami's offense will still be potent without them. "I grade our offense real high right now," he told the Sentinel. "There’s a lot of people doing a lot of good things. With [offensive coordinator Jedd] Fisch, he lets a lot of people touch the ball and things like that so we can spread it around and our quarterbacks can get us the ball. So I’m really excited about our offense this season."
Also on Monday, former UM coach Howard Schnellenberger called the Canes "the best-looking squad I've ever seen in my life physically including the Miami Dolphins, the University of Alabama, anybody." So far, he, Hurns and Scott are the only people to publicly proclaim big things ahead for Miami this season.
The Canes did not receive a single vote in either the Associated Press or USA Today coaches polls this preseason. At the ACC Media Days event this summer, UM was picked to finish fifth out of six teams in the ACC Coastal division.
Local
"Yeah, we just use that as motivation," Hurns said. "There’s always going to be doubters, so we’re just ready to go out there this season and show everybody and prove them wrong."
Miami's first game of the season is on Saturday, a road trip against Boston College.
