All rise for the Miami Hurricanes receivers. A maestro couldn’t have timed it better

The drops kept coming.

Then they stopped.

A maestro couldn’t have timed it better.

After a fall camp in which the only consistent theme was the inconsistency of the University of Miami receivers, the Hurricanes delivered a performance in their season-opening rout of Bethune-Cookman befitting a group whose quarterback is a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Ten UM pass-catchers, including four tight ends, had receptions Saturday in their 70-13 win over the Wildcats. Nobody dropped the ball.

“No drops today,’’ said starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who completed 13 of 16 passes (two he purposely threw out of bounds) for 193 yards and two touchdowns — followed by backup talent Jake Garcia, who was a perfect 8 of 8 for 107 yards and a touchdown. “We started off fall camp not great in that category. I’m proud of those guys how they played. They’re going to keep getting better, too.’’

The most impressive: slot receiver and team captain Xavier Restrepo, who caught five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown and produced 41 yards after catches.

“It sure felt great, man,’’ Restrepo said. “It’s really all falling back on the coaches, even the scout guys, giving us great looks all week. Amazing game plan. Coach Gattis did a great job, put me in the best position possible and I felt comfortable the whole game.

“There wasn’t one look we didn’t see all week.’’

Josh Gattis

The Hurricanes scored touchdowns in nine of 10 possessions, the only mishap a lost fumble during an exchange.

New offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, who had a strong running attack last year at Michigan, all along wanted a more balanced offense than UM’s pass-heavy one last season. On Saturday, the Canes rushed more than they passed (42 rushes to 24 passes), but ended with almost identical numbers: 305 yards rushing and 300 yards passing.

“That’s what we’re supposed to do as receivers,” Restrepo said, “catch the ball. Nothing too special but definitely proud of our guys. We’re going to stay on them. Coach Gattis said, ‘Don’t ever get too full. Stay hungry. Get to work tomorrow and improve.’”

The offensive line, which rested standout left tackle Zion Nelson another week as he recuperates from athroscopic knee surgery, was stellar, allowing no sacks and opening holes for the runners. The starters, left to right, were tackle John Campbell Jr., guard Jalen Rivers, center Jakai Clark, guard Justice Oluwaseun and tackle DJ Scaife.

“Those big guys, they set the line of scrimmage,’’ said Ole Miss transfer and leading rusher Henry Parrish, who had 108 yards and three touchdowns rushing for a hefty 7.7-yards-a-carry and caught three passes for 25 yards. “It’s the trenches. They get dirty down there. We gotta give all the credit to those big guys moving the guys backwards and creating opportunities for us.”

Van Dyke left the field completely clean.

“I don’t think I got hit or touched at all,’’ he said. “It was a good day for pass protecting [and] over 300 yards rushing — that’s really good.”

Van Dyke was asked if he foresees the Hurricanes being this balanced the rest of the season. Is this the Hurricanes’ new identity?

“I mean if we have to throw the ball we’ll throw it,’’ he said. “This season in certain types of games we’re going to have to throw the ball. It’s going to be a good balance. I don’t think it’s going to be more run heavy than pass heavy or pass heavy than run heavy. It’s going to be 50-50. I’m not worried about it at all. As long as we win I’m good with it.”

Heavy participation

On a team that has about 110 players, including walk-ons, 74 Hurricanes played in the opener, according to the participation chart.

“Definitely,’’ Van Dyke said. “It’s really good. You got a lot of freshman, younger guys who go out there in real live snaps. It’s definitely different on the field here than Greentree [Practice Field]. It’s definitely good to have those young guys get those reps and understand how it is out here.”

Coach Mario Cristobal spoke of the importance of getting plenty of players in the game, as long as they earned it.

“The valuable part is the validation of, if you work hard enough and earn playing time, you are going to play at some point in time, whether you’ve earned first team reps or second and third team reps,’’ Cristobal said. “And then, what is also validated is the fact that when they did get in there, they executed. You know, they moved the ball down the field and got after the quarterback on the other side and covered down pretty well.

“It’s positive and it’s progress and the best part about it is that we are going to get in there [Sunday] and start really highlighting the things that aren’t good enough. You don’t want to feel your consequences, right? You want to learn your lessons along the way and film like this is a good opportunity.”

▪ The Hurricanes host Southern Miss at noon Saturday (ACC Network) at Hard Rock. Southern Miss lost 29-27 to Liberty in four overtimes in Saturday’s opener.

Suspensions

After the game, Cristobal said receiver Jacolby George was serving a two-game suspension, receiver Isaiah Horton was serving a one-game suspension and safety Jalen Harrel was serving a two-game suspension. He did not specify the reasons.

Injuries

The coach said Jaylan Knighton (hamstring) was close to returning. He said defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, who was injured late in the third quarter and lay on the ground for an extended time, had “a stinger” but that “all indications in the locker room are that he is going to be good to go.’” Center Jakai Clark, who went down with an apparent ankle injury in the first half, later returned but didn’t play in the second half. Cristobal said Clark should be fine also.