Stepping Up: Edition No. 2 2013 | Hurricane’s on the Rise

The Miami Hurricanes are 5-0 (1-0 ACC) and things couldn’t be going any better for the University of Miami football team.  The interesting thing about the program right now is that even though the Hurricanes haven’t lost on the field, the fan base seems to be holding back major excitement.  It could be due to the fact that there are still some opportunities for this team to improve and be much better than they currently are.  We should see once the team takes the field next Thursday on the road against North Carolina in a nationally televised game if there’s a continued growth and maturity for this edition of the Miami Hurricanes football team. Here’s who’s stepping up this week: Dallas Crawford: You won’t believe this but Crawford is actually scoring more than Duke Johnson.  To date, he’s got 7 TDs and has managed two touchdowns a piece in the Savannah State, USF and Georgia Tech games.  The only game he didn’t score (or get a carry in) was against Florida.  He’s basically become Miami’s goal line back, a spot that had been reserved for Gus Edwards, but that may take some time to develop because of how much time in camp that Edwards missed and his growth and maturity as a college runner (he needs to lower his pad level).  Crawford’s now the goal line hawk as Duke Johnson gets the team in position and Dallas comes in and finishes the job.  It’s worked like a charm thus far.  He’s really stepped up. Here’s what coach Al Golden is saying about Dallas: But Dallas Crawford is clearly pushing Johnson and is making a big contribution to our offense. He’s become very valuable to us. He does a lot of different things for us which is great for him. Allen Hurns: Better known as ‘Mr. Yards After the Catch,’ to you.  Isn’t it amazing, Allen Hurns has recreated himself this past off season going from a relative lock as a possession guy and safety blanket for Stephen Morris to a YAC monster.  It’s so wonderful to see him growing and maturing in this offense (heavily influenced by former UM offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch) so he’s had lots of time in it.  What isn’t readily evident is what the difference is between the 2013 Hurns and the 2012 version.  Coach Golden shed light on it this past Sunday.  He’s already eclipsed his yardage total for all of last year (though injured during part) and he doubled his career long in reception yardage already.  He’s not the same guy, he’s stepped up. Here’s what coach Al Golden is saying about Hurns: “Everything that he’s doing right now, he’s doing it at a different speed for him. Allen is a big receiver, so for Allen to play as fast as he’s playing, it took a lot of work,. He’s as lean and strong as he’s every been, He goes full speed all the time in practice. While we’re on the topic of unselfish players. He’s a guy that will play all three wide receiver positions. He’ll block for anybody. You can see it with the little screen passes out there. He’s difficult to bring down. He can make you miss, stiff arm you or lower his pads. I’m so happy to see him have success because he’s putting in so much time and effort and he and Stephen have a great chemistry, they’re on the same page. He’s a guy that we have guys chipping away on him, and he’s raising the bar on them. Allen is setting the bar there and guys are continually trying to chase him down and it’s great to see that competition every day.” Justin Renfrow: Did you see the Georgia Tech game?  Once he figured out what was going on, he was a beast.  He finished the game with six tackles (five solo) and a forced fumble.  But more important than the sacks, he really provided a key big, nimble body up front against the Tech triple option.  It doesn’t hurt that he’s played three years at Virginia and it wasn’t his first rodeo.  That was a nice secret weapon the Canes employed.  Renfrow’s now No. 9 on the team in tackles and has make a solid contribution to the team as a fifth year senior.  They needed a D-Lineman to step up and he’s certainly done just that. The post Stepping Up: Edition No. 2 2013 | Hurricane’s on the Rise appeared first on CaneInsider | Miami Hurricanes Athletics and Recruiting.