Canes Deliver Big Plays During Spring Game

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – For six weeks, they toiled on Greentree, preparing for this moment.

On Friday night, the Hurricanes finally took the field at DRV PNK Stadium for their annual spring game and in the process, gave Miami fans their first glimpse at this year’s new-look team.

Those fans saw quarterback Tyler Van Dyke – who was hampered last season by a shoulder injury – slinging passes down the field and looking comfortable in a new offensive system.

They saw why freshman defensive lineman Rueben Bain, Jr. a four-star prospect coming out of Miami Central High School last fall, was one of the most coveted recruits in the country.

They saw receiver Xavier Restrepo, who last season worked through an injury of his own, diving for catches and making multiple big plays for Van Dyke, his friend and roommate.

And they saw kicker Andres Borregales, one of Miami’s most consistent performers last fall, pick up right where he left off, connecting on a pair of field goals, including one from 51 yards out.

There were highlight-worthy plays on both sides of the ball and there was, Miami head coach Mario Cristobal noted, indications that the Hurricanes have grown during their 15 spring workouts.

But, the coach pointed out, the work of preparing for the 2023 season is far from finished.

“We set out to get a lot of competitive situations. Thought we did that,” Cristobal said of Friday’s scrimmage. “We played physical in spurts. We were successful in spurts on both sides of the ball and showed some signs of inconsistency. But overall, progress. We really feel like we have progressed. But we’ve got to continue to progress from here.”

Many of the Hurricanes echoed that sentiment.

“We can’t take our foot off the pedal,” said safety Kamren Kinchens, who had a pair of tackles in the first half Friday night and is coming off an All-American campaign in 2022. “Our bodies need to rest now, but the thing is, we can’t let the mental side go. We can get treatment, let our bodies take a break, but we’ve got to make sure our minds are in-tune 24/7, that can be off the field, with school, anything like that. We have to be on point with everything.”

Added Restrepo, “It’s about staying healthy now, enhancing our bodies, getting faster, stronger and smarter. Studying defenses, all of that stuff. Football IQ, everything.”