New Hurricanes coordinators maximizing these players. And Larranaga assesses his team

It’s rewarding for everyone — a team’s head coach, players and fans — when coordinators and position coaches maximize the skills of players.

We’re seeing new UM offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson and new defensive coordinator Lance Guidry bringing out the best in several Hurricanes early in the season, as well as their units as a whole.

At the top of any list: quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who has thrived in Dawson’s (power) spread offense; receiver Xavier Restrepo, who seems perfectly suited to a Dawson system; and safety James Williams, whose role has been refined by Guidry to seize on what he does best.

Just look at Van Dyke’s 2023 numbers compared to 2022:

Last season: 63.2 completion percentage, 7.3 yards per attempt, 10 touchdowns, five interceptions and an 89.1 NFL passer rating.

This season: 74.7 completion percentage, 10.5 yards per attempt, 11 touchdowns, one interception and a 141 NFL passer rating.

Pro Football Focus rates him the best quarterback in the country through four weeks.

Van Dyke is 10 for 15 for 332 yards on passes that travel at least 20 air yards — which is exceptional.

How has Dawson’s system maximized his skill set, beyond spreading the field and allowing Van Dyke to change plays at the line of scrimmage?

“It all comes down to trust,” Van Dyke said. “I trust him; he trusts me. [And he’s] maximizing explosive plays downfield. You don’t want to miss your shots; that’s what he harps on all the time.”

And Van Dyke is maximizing his draft stock. Here’s what Pro Football Focus said about him this week:

“Last summer, Van Dyke was a projected first-round pick for many draft analysts. Following a disastrous 2022 for both Van Dyke (66.8 grade) and the Hurricanes (5-7 record), that hype died down and he returned to school.

“The redshirt junior is once again flashing the tools that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place. His 94.2 grade leads all quarterbacks in the country. Van Dyke is tied for second in the nation with 13 big-time throws and has only produced two turnover-worthy plays so far. While a Day 1 result is unlikely at this stage, Van Dyke is playing well enough to garner some Day 2 buzz.”

Restrepo, meantime, has 24 catches for 355 yards and two touchdowns in four games — compared with 21 for 240 and two TDs in seven games last season.

“It’s just him being healthy and showing what he can do,” Van Dyke said.

Pro Football Focus ranks Restrepo as the fourth-best receiver in the country.

Dawson said Restrepo has been “very consistent since Day 1. He’s been the same guy every day. His understanding and football IQ are very high. His ability to get open underneath is very important to our offense, but he’s made plays down the field, too. All our games this year, when it came time for someone to step up and make a play, it’s been him.”

Restrepo said something interesting before the season: “Every single time I step on the field, I feel like I can’t lose. I’ve always felt that. I have literally zero doubt when I step on the football field.

“If someone lines up in front of me, I’m going to destroy them. … Whoever you put in front of me I’m going to try to embarrass somebody else’s child.”

Restrepo smartly studied tape of former Houston Cougars receiver Tank Dell, who played in Dawson’s system last season.

Williams, meanwhile, is making a bigger impact because he’s playing closer to the line of scrimmage and less as a deep safety. Guidry is using him as a pseudo linebacker in some games and more of a safety at others.

In coverage, he has a sterling 70.1 passer rating in his coverage area — five completions in nine throws against him, for 47 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions.

Last season, Williams allowed five touchdowns in 35 throws (and 22 completions) against him in coverage and yielded a 105.6 passer rating in his coverage area.

Against Texas A&M, “James played as good a game as you can play,” Cristobal said. “That guy plays the game the way it should be played — physical and hard. This scheme is perfect for him, and he’s perfect for this scheme.”

Guidry said Williams is “really into the game plan, really smart” and was the leader helping make the checks on defense with Kam Kinchens sidelined.

GAME TIME SET

UM’s Oct. 7 home game against Georgia Tech has been set for 8 p.m. ACC Network will televise it.

HOOPS TALK

In an interview with Jon Rothstein, UM coach Jim Larranaga said: “Two guys I expect are going to be either Player of the Year or first team All-ACC are [Norchad] Omier and [Wooga] Poplar. I can throw in Nijel Pack and Matthew Cleveland in there because they are both terrific players as well.”

Appearing on Rothstein’s “College Hoops Today,” Larranaga said: “Wooga has made a real jump. He has the potential to fill the shoes that Isaiah Wong has left behind.”

Larranaga said guard Bensley Joseph will be the team’s fifth starter: “He’s had a major role coming off the bench, and now he’ll move into the starting lineup. He’s a catalyst, a guy that will make things happen. He has the ability to put tremendous pressure on the other team’s ball handler, can also guard a [shooting] guard. He can defend, and he can rebound.

“On the offensive end he is an exceptional, high-percentage three-point shooter. He’ll be given more ball-handling responsibility, will share that with Nijel Pack, who is also an outstanding point guard.”

And Larranaga said guard Christian Watson and center AJ Casey will have a “major role” off the bench.

“Our bench needs experience,” Larranaga said. “We have some good solid players but they haven’t played enough college basketball to really produce at a very high level. My job, my assistant coaches’ job is prepare these guys who are the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth man to really contribute.

“We have to develop a bench. Hopefully we can develop that bench. … We have to have some of these freshmen and sophomores really step up.”

UM people have been raving about freshman wing Kyshawn George. Also new this year, besides FSU transfer Cleveland and George: Paul Djobet (6-7 with a versatile skill set), wing Kyshawn George and 6-10 center Michael Nwoko.

UM will again play a lot of small ball with an undersized frontcourt, Larranaga said.