WR speed (Harrell), size (Young), ‘insane’ YAC (Kirk) and depth. will UM flip the switch?

Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is back.

So, possibly, is the University of Miami receiving corps.

Until fall camp unfolds and the season gets started Sept. 1 against Miami of Ohio at Hard Rock Stadium, “possibly” is about as close as we’ll get to being confident about a position group that has underwhelmed for several years, but is deeper this camp.

“We got competition across the board, which, we’re going to keep it that way,’’ new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said Saturday. “I would anticipate a lot of guys playing skill here. I would anticipate a lot of rotation. We are not sitting here with a guy returning with 100 receptions. So hey, let’s see who can play when they turn the lights on.”

One of those receivers, starting slot man Xavier Restrepo, has been strong through the first several days of fall camp, according to several people who have observed full practices. The other starters through this past week’s partial media viewing were Colbie Young and Jacolby George.

“We’ve always had the athletes,’’ Restrepo told the Miami Herald. “It’s just about staying healthy — and, you know, executing everything the way we need to execute.

“Last year we failed. We know what it’s like. We’ve learned so much.’’

UM’s two transfer receivers — former Louisville/Alabama wideout Tyler Harrell, a Miami native and former Columbus High four-star prospect; and Reedley (California) junior college star Shemar Kirk, from Nashville — have added considerable talent.

Harrell has one remaining season of eligibility and caught 18 passes for 523 yards in 2021 at Louisville, with a team-best six touchdowns and astounding 29.1 yards per catch. He missed the first half of 2022 with an injury, and finished last season with only two catches for 18 yards.

Harrell is know for his speed, and said he has been timed in the 40-yard dash at 4.2 seconds. He predicted a 1000-yard season in 2023, and his teammates are believers.

“Blazing fast,’’ Restrepo said. “Fast, fast, fast!”

And Kirk? “His run after the catch is insane.’’

New receivers coach Kevin Beard said Harrell “is as fast as they’re saying.’’

‘Crazy fast’

“He is crazy fast, and he knows he is,’’ Beard said. “Like I told him earlier, he has to learn how to control that speed because somebody that fast can find themselves being out of control.”

Kirk, 22, who said he has two seasons remaining, had impressive numbers at Reedley: 31 catches for 664 yards last season and 45 catches for 782 yards in 2021.

“I’m very excited,’’ the 6-0, 188-pound Kirk said. “Every receiver we have is working hard. They see my worth on and off the field. I try to carry myself as a great person off the field and great player on it. I think I can do it all.’’

The Hurricanes had difficulty in just about every offensive category last season. They finished 2022 ranked 95th of 130 FBS teams in rushing offense (128.1 yards a game), 59th in passing offense (239 yards a game), 85th in total offense (367.1 ), 86th in red-zone offense, 96th in scoring (23.6 points a game) and 108th in sacks allowed (three a game, with 36 total).

Restrepo back

Restrepo, a hyper-focused, intense fourth-year junior who appears to put his body on the line for every play of practice, said a broken fifth metatarsal of his left foot kept him out of five games last season after catching five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in the opener, followed by a six-catch, 72-yard game against Southern Miss. He returned sparingly at Virginia on Oct. 29 and is now completely healed.

“It’s a real explosive offense,’’ Restrepo said. “I’m just glad to be a part of it.’’

And they’re glad new receivers coach Kevin Beard, who started for the last UM national championship team in 2001, has returned to the U.

“He’s awesome,’’ Restrepo said. “I love coming here every single day because of him. He’s so patient with us. He basically devotes his entire life around us.’’

Beard said true freshman slot receiver Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph, out of Miami Edison High, reminds him of fellow former UM great Santana Moss “from a standpoint of he’s really fast and really explosive.”

“From January to now he’s done a really good job transforming himself into a wide receiver instead of an athlete — catching the ball more consistently, catching the difficult balls and using his hands more than his body,’’ Beard said of Joseph. “...He can pluck the ball out of the air and still make moves with his feet on the ground. Expect a lot of good things from him.’’

Big body

Back with Restrepo and fellow slot talent Brashard Smith, a junior, are outside starter Young, last season’s big-bodied Lackawanna College transfer who caught 32 passes for 367 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns in eight games. The 6-5, 213-pound junior and the rest of the receivers have been working out with Van Dyke this summer three times a week at Greentree Field to improve their route-running and timing.

“Right now I just feel more confident, more comfortable,’’ said Young, who had “a little hamstring problem” this time last year. “The guys are hungry. The freshmen came in very driven to try to compete against the starters.’’

“We’ve all done a great job of getting closer,’’ said Van Dyke, now fully recovered from last season’s should injury. “Last year we kind of didn’t know what we had. Colbie Young came in late in the summer last year and now he’s one of our top guys. Jacolby George broke his thumb last year at Texas A&M and was out for awhile. Xavier broke his foot and then I got hurt. So, we couldn’t really get that connection all together at once.

The others include 6-3 fifth-year former Clemson transfer Frank Ladson Jr.; fourth-year wideout Michael Redding III; true freshman Robby Washington; and Large, physical veteran Isaiah Horton, who looked good in the spring but has been inconsistent this fall, Dawson said.

“It was a struggle not having everyone out there last season,’’ Van Dyke said. “I’m excited for our receiving group — and for them to stay healthy.’’