Miami receiver Jacolby George, young QB and vibrant offense excel in second scrimmage

The Hurricanes spring game is at 7:30 p.m. April 14 — one week from Friday — when fans will finally get a glimpse of the 2023 Canes in the finale of their 15-session spring season at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

UM had its second of three NCAA-permitted scrimmages on Saturday, and though the situational scrimmage was closed to the media, what we learned from first-hand viewers was that the offense is humming under new coordinator Shannon Dawson — and that receiver Jacolby George continues to shine, with freshman quarterback Emory Williams impressing and veteran slot receiver Xavier Restrepo continuing to forge a strong connection with close friend and starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Receivers in general are looking much better this spring.

George, who missed three games with a hand injury last season, is a 6-0, 176-pound junior who has mostly been at first-team receiver this spring, along with Colbie Young and Restrepo.

On Saturday, George scored at least two touchdowns, one from starter Van Dyke and the other from Williams early during a goal-line play.

George, known for some of his acrobatic catches, is a Plantation High graduate who caught 13 passes last season for 140 yards, with no touchdowns. He also returned five punts for 71 yards. In 2021 he caught seven passes for 183 yards and a touchdown.

New UM receivers coach Kevin Beard, who was part of the Hurricanes last national championship team in 2001, also starred at Plantation High School. “It’s easy for him to listen to me because he knows that I’ve been down this road,’’ Beard said of George last week. “And so everything he does, I already know the process before he did it.”

Beard said if George gets frustrated, “because he’s a competitor, I can talk him through that frustration and say, ‘Boom. This is how you learn.’

“...That’s the exciting part. And that’s where he feels like whatever coach says next, ‘I’m gonna eat it. I’m gonna, I’m gonna take it and I’m gonna go apply it as much as I can.’’’

Freshman QB progressing

Quarterback Williams, who just arrived at UM as a three-star early enrollee from Milton near the panhandle, is a mature, big-bodied freshman who is adapting well to Dawson’s offense without having to readjust from what the past two coordinators (Josh Gattis last year and Rhett Lashlee in 2021) taught.

Second-team quarterback Jacurri Brown, a sophomore, scored a touchdown on a designed run. Brown also threw a long touchdown to true freshman slot receiver Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph.

We were told Dawson’s up-tempo offense moved the ball well Saturday, incorporating lots of shifts and motions. Dawson is creating ways for Van Dyke to deliver the ball to Restrepo. We learned third-year junior Brashard Smith also played well. He caught a deep pass from Williams.

Running back Don Chaney looked very good and had some nice runs, a source said, but fumbled once.

Offensive line excelling

UM’s starting offensive line of left tackle Jalen Rivers, left guard Javion Cohen, center Matt Lee, right guard Anez Cooper and right tackle Francis Mauigoa is molding into a force, but keep in mind that UM is missing several of its top defensive linemen this spring.

On defense, linebacker Francisco Mauigoa continues to excel, as well as fourth-year junior defensive end Chantz Williams. Nickelback Te’Cory Couch also had a good day.

And as expected, All-American safety Kam Kinchens is standing out. He picked off Van Dyke on Saturday, after the ball was tipped into the air by a defender.

UM baseball

The Hurricanes baseball team (19-9, 8-4 ACC) just passed the midway point of 2023 with a three-game weekend sweep of downtrodden Florida State (12-15, 3-9) and moved up in Monday’s newest rankings.

The Canes went from No. 23 to No. 20 in D1Baseball’s rankings, and from No. 16 to No. 14 in Baseball America.

LSU, at 24-4, is the nation’s No. 1 team in both polls, while the ACC’s Wake Forest (26-3, 10-2) is No. 2 in D1Baseball and No. 3 in Baseball America.

UM hosts UCF (17-11, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Mark Light Field, and travels to Charlottesville, Virginia, to face No. 7 UVA (24-4, 8-4) Friday through Sunday. The series was supposed to begin Thursday but was altered because of expected inclement weather.

▪ Miami right-hander Karson Ligon was named ACC Pitcher of the Week on Monday. In the series opener on Friday against Florida State, sophomore Ligon threw eight scoreless innings and tied his career long in innings, scattering three hits. He struck out six.

Ligon retired FSU on five pitches in both the second and fifth innings, and recorded a seven-pitch third.