Miami’s season debut versus Miami of Ohio provides Hurricanes defensive coordinator Lance Guidry with an opportunity to clash against a team he used to coach.
Guidry began his Division I coaching career at Miami of Ohio, serving as the Redhawks’ defensive backs coach for the 2009-10 season. He helped orchestrate the second-largest turnaround in college football history, as the Redhawks went 10-4 after going 1-11 in the season prior. Guidry was also the interim head coach for Miami of Ohio’s 35-21 win over Middle Tennessee State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl to conclude the 10-win season.
“Being a Louisiana boy, I really didn’t know much about Miami of Ohio. I remember watching Ben Roethlisberger in a bowl game one time, and when I got the call to go there with Mike Haywood, I found out a lot about it … really good institution, very good academically. It attracts a lot of kids from the Cincinnati and Ohio area,” Guidry said to reporters on Monday about his time at Miami of Ohio. “We had a good football team. I enjoyed my stay there.”
Since then, the RedHawks have been unable to replicate this level of success. This could change this season, however, as Miami of Ohio returns a strong nucleus from last year’s six-win team, including redshirt junior quarterback Brett Gabbert, who was named to the Pro Football Focus 2023 Preseason All-Mac Second Team.
“The quarterback’s real shifty. He’s a competitor. He’s what I call a gym rat if he was a basketball player. He’s a guy that would be a point guard. He really runs the show,” Guidry said about Gabbert. “He doesn’t throw a lot of bad passes. He’ll tuck the ball and run, and because he’s not a real big guy, you lose him sometimes in there. He’s a general.”
Gabbert, whose brother Blaine has played in the NFL since 2011, threw for 2,648 yards, 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions in his last full season with the Redhawks in 2021. The veteran signal-caller endured an injury-riddled year in 2022, as he played in only four games and threw for 816 yards and four touchdowns.
As a passer, Gabbert is accurate, especially when throwing to the middle of the field. Gabbert has also shown throughout his collegiate career that he can make plays with his legs when scrambling out of the pocket.
Veteran defensive lineman Jahfari Harvey noted on Wednesday that Miami will “have to do a good job of containing [Gabbert]” because of the quarterback’s scrambling ability.
Harvey, along with Miami’s other pass rushers, may also have an opportunity to generate pressure on Gabbert. The RedHawks’ offensive line struggled in pass protection last season, giving up 3.2 sacks per game against FBS opponents, which was tied for 110th nationally.
At running back and wide receiver, Miami (Ohio) rosters a blend of key returnees and new talent.
Kenny Tracy, Kevin Davis and Keyon Mozee, three of Miami of Ohio’s five leading rushers from 2022, are back on the team. The Redhawks also added South Carolina transfer running back Rashad Amos, who at 6-foot-2 and 234 pounds, is expected to add power and physicality to that position.
Miami of Ohio turned to the transfer portal this offseason in an attempt to replenish the vacated production by departing wideout Mac Hippenhammer, who led the Redhawks in receiving yards last year.
Highlighted by the acquisition of Notre Dame transfer wide receiver Joe Wilkins Jr., Miami of Ohio also added Southeastern Louisiana transfer Gage Larvadain and Michigan State transfer Cade McDonald, who will combine with returning pass-catcher Miles Marshall to shape a formidable unit.
Here’s Miami of Ohio’s offensive depth chart for Week 1 as of Aug. 25:
Quarterback:
Brett Gabbert
Aveon Smith
Running back:
Kenny Tracy
Rashad Amos
Kevin Davis
Keyon Mozee
Wide Receiver:
Joe Wilkins Jr.
Javon Tracy
Wide Receiver:
Gage Larvadain
Cade McDonald
Wide Receiver:
Miles Marshall
Reggie Virgil
Tight End:
Jack Coldiron
Nate Muersch
Left Tackle:
Will Jados
Eric Smith
Left Guard:
Sam Vaughan
Ben Jackson
Center:
Charlie Nank
John Young
Right Guard:
Kolby Borders
Caleb Siech
Right Tackle:
Reid Holskey
Drew Terrill
Left Tackle:
Will Jados
Eric Smith
Left Guard:
Sam Vaughan
Ben Jackson
Center:
Charlie Nank
John Young
Right Guard:
Kolby Borders
Caleb Siech
Right Tackle:
Reid Holskey
Drew Terrill