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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes will have the chance to show everyone who has been cooking this spring without their star quarterback, Carson Beck.
Quarterbacks Emory Williams, Judd Anderson, and Luke Nickel have all taken quality reps during spring practice, and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson loves what he is seeing out of the room.
What he likes most is the development of freshman quarterback, Nickel. He believes that he can throw the ball at an 'elite level' and that, over time, he will be a massive part of the program.
"You can see that over time, reps matter," Dawson said. "Luke has the ability to throw the football at an elite level. That helps the learning curve, having high ability. Overall, when you first get somewhere as a quarterback, it's like learning a new language. When you learn a new language, it doesn't necessarily come instinctively when you're rattling off things in the huddle, and you have to communicate nonverbally and verbally. As time goes on, you can see how those instincts start clicking. The play starts moving smoothly in terms of communication. Communication is the hardest part to get over as a young quarterback, to learn the flow of the offense as far as verbiage goes. Not only calling the play, but you might have to signal a different play. You might need to signal a different route to a receiver. Doing all that within a 15-second window after you break the huddle- that's the process. So the last week and a half with that has been really smooth with him."
Nickel will get to show what he has been working on during spring practice at Miami's spring game. This won't be a televised event like last season, so being there to witness the future of the Hurricanes will be a good experience.
Read More Football News From Miami Hurricanes On SI:
More must-reads:
- Oregon suspends former five-star WR recruit indefinitely
- Notre Dame believed to be trending toward surprise choice at quarterback
- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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Rory McIlroy Reveals Why He Didn’t Go To St Jude Championship
Last week, the playoffs for the FedEx Cup officially began. The top seventy players of the season have been selected, and they are now off to the races. The first of four events was the St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. Although it was supposed to have seventy players, there was a notable absence. Rory McIlroy, despite occupying the no. 2 spot in the FedEx rankings, was nowhere to be seen. The decision has led to confusion and criticism. The main question was why he had done it, and now McIlroy has answered that question. Recap On McIlroy And St Jude Fallout Rory McIlroy’s decision has brought him some criticism. Some were calling it disrespectful to the sport and players. People like Johnson Wagner were calling for rule changes to keep such an absence from happening again. He proposed mandatory attendance with wiggle room for emergencies, given that the FedEx Cup has an elimination aspect to it. McIlroy was able to skip the event without any kind of repercussion. Going into the playoffs, he was second in the FedEx Cup rankings, just behind Scottie Scheffler. He was so far ahead of most other players that some people did the math and concluded that he could skip St Jude and the BMW Championship and still be in the race. After the St Jude Championship, McIlroy’s FedEx Cup standing did not change. He remained in second but he will be attending the BMW Championship. McIlroy’s Explanation Ahead of the BMW Championship, Rory McIlroy attended a press conference to answer some questions before the tournament. One of the questions was on his absence from the St Jude Championship, and McIlroy answered that he just needed an extra week off ahead of a very busy schedule. “I just think that extra week off will do me good with the events coming up. Some big events that are important to me—the Irish Open, Wentworth (BMW PGA Championship), obviously the Ryder Cup. I want to try to win my seventh Race to Dubai over in Europe as well. There’s some things that are still important to me that I want to go play in. That was a big part of the reason why I wanted to take that extra week off last week.” During this same conference, McIlroy addressed the need for a rule change after his absence. Mostly questioning if it was even necessary, but ultimately saying that he would support it if need be. McIlroy also pointed out that any rules change would need to keep a lot of people happy, including the media rights partner and the sponsors. Those two like to see big names on the field. Up Next: The BMW Championship Rory McIlroy may have skipped the St Jude Championship, but he’s not skipping the BMW Championship. Nor is he skipping the Ryder Cup, Irish Open, Wentworth, or the Race to Dubai. It was a calculated move, as suspected, but it is for much-needed rest right before McIlroy goes into several big tournaments. McIlroy has nine very busy weeks ahead of him, and he needs to save his strength before each one. For now, though, he is focusing on retaining his position during the BMW Championship this week.
Patriots have big Drake Maye concern surface at Vikings' joint practice
Defense ruled the day during the joint practice between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, the Patriots defense did a masterful job of disrupting Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Wednesday's practice. However, New England's offensive line was unable to allow Drake Maye to have enough time to finish plays. "Even with four new expected starters up front following last year’s debacle, Wednesday suggested that there will likely be some bumps ahead for this offensive line," Graff wrote. "Sure, going up against the Vikings was always going to be a difficult task. Greenard has been wrecking his own team’s practices in training camp, and everyone in New England knows how good Flores’ scheme can be. But the domination was so thorough by the Vikings’ front seven that three straight plays at one point would’ve resulted in a sack." Maye showed flashes of promise when he had time to throw downfield or was able to use his legs to buy time or scramble when pressure came. The concern is that the offensive line won't allow Maye enough time to even scramble so he can make throws. Graff has noticed the same issues that happened on Wednesday have been a constant at training camp against the Patriots defense. With a new-look offensive line that includes first-round pick Will Campbell at left tackle, the Patriots are expected to have some bumps at training camp and in September. New England's offense probably won't look great out of the gate while the offensive line develops in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' scheme. If and when the offensive line improves, Maye will have a chance to show off the arm that made him the No. 3 pick in 2024. For now, the offensive line is a concern much like it was last season.
Commanders have major hang-up preventing them from paying Terry McLaurin what he's due
It’s been two weeks since Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin publicly revealed his trade request, and a resolution doesn’t appear to be in sight. Thanks to ESPN’s John Keim, we’re starting to get more insight into how the Commanders are approaching negotiations…and how they run counter to their star wide receiver’s financial desires. As we’ve assumed all along, the Commanders are wary of giving McLaurin a lucrative contract that would extend well into the player’s 30s. As Keim notes, the Commanders “rely heavily on analytics,” and those numbers aren’t particularly kind to receivers on the wrong side of 30. They may be onto something. Per ESPN Research, over the past five years, only three receivers 31 years or older have played at least 10 games and averaged 70-plus receiving yards per game (that number jumps to six players if you adjust for 60-plus receiving yards). Further, the team can simply point to the NFL landscape, as other teams are also clearly wary of paying aging wideouts. Among the 24 active wide receivers who are attached to the most guaranteed money, only Tyreek Hill was older than 30 when the deal was signed. McLaurin has continually pointed to his lack of mileage despite his age; he barely played during his first two years at Ohio State, meaning he may not have the same wear and tear as similar players his age. McLaurin is also naturally pointing to the stat sheet, as the receiver has continually produced despite uncertain QB play, uncertain ownership and a handful of different coaching staffs. Per Keim, the Commanders don’t want to pay McLaurin based on his past performance, with the front office preferring to shape any future contracts based on his projections for age-31-plus seasons. The organization also doesn’t want to set a new precedent by paying McLaurin, as it could convince future veterans to push for lucrative deals in their 30s. While McLaurin has taken the drastic measure of requesting a trade out of Washington, the organization is still convinced they have leverage in this showdown. After all, the player is still under contract for the 2025 campaign, meaning McLaurin will have to forfeit game checks if he sits out games. The team could even choose to slap him with the franchise tag next offseason (which could come in north of $30M), meaning they’re in full control of the player’s fate moving forward. The team is also skeptical that another suitor is going to willingly pay McLaurin the type of money he’s seeking. Per Keim, there’s doubts around the league about whether another team would be willing to meet the receiver’s demands. Even if a clear suitor does emerge, Keim makes it clear that Washington’s front office won’t give the star away without receiving a haul. We heard recently that McLaurin wasn’t necessarily seeking a deal that matched fellow 2019 draftee D.K. Metcalf‘s deal with the Steelers. However, Keim says Metcalf’s contract has generally served as a guide for McLaurin, but it’s uncertain whether the Commanders wideout is looking to match the AAV ($33M) or total guarantees ($60M). Ultimately, one source believes the Commanders may agree to pay McLaurin a contract that will pay $28M per year. Of course, it’s uncertain if the player would even accept that offer. If that hypothetical maximum offer doesn’t end in a signing, a divorce may be the logical next step.
Patrick Beverley backs LA Lakers signing to have ‘stunning year’, he’s seen exciting signs
Former NBA star Patrick Beverley believes the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason moves set them up for success. Free agency began with a wobble for the LA Lakers when they lost Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets. But after fixing the center position with a move for Deandre Ayton, signing Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia, the good vibes are coming back. Add in a Mark Walter led takeover and Luka Doncic extending his contract, not even LeBron James’ usual cryptic messages can spoil the mood. Marcus Smart backed to make an impact Amid the changes at the LA Lakers over the summer, the move for Marcus Smart has been tipped as one of the most influential. Former LA Lakers player Patrick Beverley backs Smart to have a major impact for the team. He says he saw signs with how Smart was playing for the Wizards last season that give him confidence, even if many in the NBA world were not paying attention. “Marcus Smart has something to prove,” Beverley began. “People don’t understand past the trade deadline, Marcus Smart was playing some really good basketball with the Wizards. And he has motivation to get a new contract, to get back to the Marcus Smart he knows he is. “I think he’s going to have a stunning year, don’t sleep on the Lakers.” What happened with Marcus Smart in Washington Marcus Smart began last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, but injuries restricted him to only 19 games, and at the trade deadline he was sent to the Wizards. Smart’s role in Washington was important behind the scenes, offering a valuable sounding board for the young team, with the organization tanking. The former Celtics star ended up playing in only 15 games for the Wizards, who were battling to try and land the best chances of top lottery odds. Smart averaged 9.0 points per game, shooting 44.0 percent from the field. Now with the Lakers, he has a little more to fight for, playing for a team in the spotlight who have their sights set on achieving a top playoff seed.
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