Miami football schedule, roster, recruiting and what to watch in 2018

Bill Bender

Miami football schedule, roster, recruiting and what to watch in 2018 image

Mark Richt put Miami back on the national radar with a 10-3 season in 2017, which included the Hurricanes' first ever trip to the ACC championship game and a New Year's Day Six bowl berth.

The program, however, isn't quite back to being "The U" just yet. Consecutive losses to Pitt, Clemson and Wisconsin to end the 2017 season proved that. Richt, however, does have the program trending in the right direction, reemphasized with a top-10 2018 recruiting class. The Hurricanes also play in one of the biggest opening-weekend games with a trip to Jerry World to face LSU on Sept. 2.

MORE: 2018 ACC conference primer

Miami fell back to No. 11 in Sporting News' updated way-too-early top 25. Here's closer look at the Hurricanes heading into 2018:

Miami schedule 2018

DateOpponentLocation
TBDMiami Spring GameMiami Gardens, Fla.
Sept. 2No. 13 LSU (Sunday)Arlington, Texas
Sept. 8Savannah StateMiami Gardens, Fla.
Sept. 15at ToledoToledo, Ohio
Sept. 22FIUMiami Gardens, Fla.
Sept. 27North Carolina (Thursday)Miami Gardens, Fla.
Oct. 6No. 19 Florida StateMiami Gardens, Fla.
Oct. 13at VirginiaCharlottesville, Va.
Oct. 20ByeOff
Oct. 26at Boston College (Friday)Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Nov. 3DukeMiami Gardens, Fla.
Nov. 10at Georgia TechAtlanta
Nov. 17at No. 15 Virginia TechBlacksburg, Va.
Nov. 24PittsburghMiami Gardens, Fla.
Dec. 1ACC championshipCharlotte, N.C.
Bold denotes ACC game

Miami recruiting 2018

Miami's 2018 recruiting class ranked eighth nationally according to 247Sports' Composite team rankings, and Richt brought in a class heavy on skill position players. Five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard (University, Orange City, Fla.) is the highest-ranked player in the class, which taps into that rich recruiting base in Florida. Miami grabbed two four-star wide receivers, two four-star tight ends and a four-star quarterback. With Florida and Florida State making transitions, this is a golden opportunity to accumulate national championship-caliber talent at The U.

MORE: One big thing for each top 10 class

Miami football roster 2018

No.NamePos.Year
1Lorenzo LingardRBFr.
2Trajan BandyDBSo.
3Gilbert FriersonDBFr.
3Mike HarleyWRSo.
4Jaquan JohnsonDBSr.
4Jeff ThomasWRSo.
5Amari CarterDBSo.
5N'Kosi PerryQBR-Fr.
6Jhavonte DeanDBSr.
7Brian HightowerWRFr.
8DJ IveyDBFr.
8Daquris WigginsWRFr.
11De'Andre WilderLBSo.
12Malik RosierQBR-Sr.
12Malek YoungDBJr.
13DeeJay DallasATHSo.
15Gregory RousseauDLFr.
15Jarren WilliamsQBFr.
17Waynmon SteedLBR-Fr.
17Cade WeldonQBR-Fr.
18Lawrence CagerWRR-Jr.
18Zach FeaglesPSo.
19Augie DeBiaseQBR-Fr.
19Scott PatchanDLR-Jr.
20Robert KnowlesDBR-Jr.
22Robert BurnsRBR-Fr.
22Sheldrick RedwineDBSr.
23Terry McCrayLBR-Sr.
24Travis HomerRBJr.
25Derrick SmithDBSo.
26Gurvan Hall, Jr.DBFr.
27Marshall FewWRSo.
28Crispian AtkinsRBR-Jr.
28Michael JacksonDBSr.
30Romeo FinleyDBJr.
31Demetrius JacksonDLR-Sr.
32Trayone GrayRBR-Sr.
32Tyler MurphyDBSr.
34Elias Lugo-FagundoWRR-Fr.
34Charles PerryLBSr.
35Mike SmithLB/FBR-Sr.
37Colvin AlfordDBSo.
38Danny DominguezFBR-Sr.
39Jordan ButlerLSSr.
40Will HugginsWRFr.
41Michael ParrottFBSo.
41Darian StephensonLBFr.
43Brian MillerWRFr.
43Jack SpicerPR-Jr.
44Bradley Jennings Jr.LBSo.
45Jack PopeFBSr.
46Nicholas DucheineTER-So.
46Daniel Ferguson-McAllisterDBR-Jr.
47Turner DavidsonKR-Fr.
48Thomas BurnsLBR-Fr.
48Calvin CarrieWRR-Fr.
49James MurphyRBR-Jr.
49Shawn WalkerLBR-So.
50Sam YorkLSR-Sr.
51Delone Scaife, Jr.OLFr.
53Zach McCloudLBJr.
55Navaughn DonaldsonOLSo.
55Shaquille QuartermanLBJr.
56Michael PinckneyLBJr.
57Kai-Leon HerbertOLSo.
61Jacob MunozLSR-So.
62Hayden MahoneyOLR-Jr.
65Corey GaynorOLSo.
67Zach DykstraOLR-Fr.
68Zachary LermanOLR-Fr.
70George Brown, Jr.OLR-Jr.
72John Campbell, Jr.OLFr.
74Tyler GauthierOLSr.
75Zalon'tae HilleryOLR-Fr.
76Tre JohnsonOLR-So.
77Jahair JonesOLR-Sr.
78Tyree St. LouisOLSr.
79Bar MiloOLR-Jr.
80Dayall HarrisWRR-Sr.
81Darrell LanghamWRR-Sr.
82Ahmmon RichardsWRJr.
83Evidence NjokuWRR-Fr.
85Marco BaezaKR-Jr.
87Michael Irvin IITEJr.
88Brian PolendeyTESo.
90Tyreic MartinDLR-So.
91Gerald Willis IIIDLR-Sr.
93Pat BethelDLJr.
96Jonathan FordDLSo.
97Jonathan GarvinDLSo.
99Joe JacksonDLJr.

What to watch in 2018

1. What's next for Malik Rosier?

Miami's quarterback made clutch plays in victories against Florida State and Georgia Tech and starred in the blowout victory against Notre Dame, but his three-game slide against Pitt, Clemson and Wisconsin was noticeable. In those games, Rosier completed just 44.9 percent of his passes for 500 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Redshirt-freshman N'Kosi Perry and true freshman Jarren Williams figure to challenge Rosier, but it would be an upset if the veteran isn't under center for the opener against LSU.

2. Will the D-line reach next level?

Defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski reportedly left for the same position at Alabama, creating pressure for the next assistant to continue that development up front. Joe Jackson ranked second at Miami with 6.5 sacks last season, and Jonathan Garvin could be a breakout player in this defense. This unit will be tough again.

3. What about the Turnover Chain?

Miami's Turnover Chain became the most popular sideline accessory in college football last season, and the secondary returns Jaquan Johnson, Sheldrick Redwine, Michael Jackson and Trajan Bandy, who helped Miami account for 31 turnovers last season. Will that number go up in 2018? 

Bill Bender

Bill Bender graduated from Ohio University in 2002 and started at The Sporting News as a fantasy football writer in 2007. He has covered the College Football Playoff, NBA Finals and World Series for SN. Bender enjoys story-telling, awesomely-bad 80s movies and coaching youth sports.