Miami fires offensive coordinator Josh Gattis after 1 season

Associated PressJan 28, 2023, 12:24 AM EST

Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami fired offensive coordinator Josh Gattis on Friday, ending the former Broyles Award winner’s time with the Hurricanes after only one season.

The school announced the move in a one-sentence press release, with no other detail: “Josh Gattis has been relieved of his duties as offensive coordinator, Miami head football coach Mario Cristobal announced Friday,” read the release, sent from a university spokesman.

The Hurricanes went 5-7 in Gattis’ lone season. He was brought in by Miami only a few weeks after winning the 2021 Broyles Award – given to the nation’s top assistant coach – while serving as Michigan’s offensive coordinator and helping the Wolverines reach the College Football Playoff.

But Miami’s offense, for a number of reasons, failed to meet expectations in 2022. Part of that was injuries; starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke battled a shoulder injury, and the Hurricanes turned to Jake Garcia – who has since transferred – and Jacurri Brown for much of the season.

Miami scored 100 points in its first two games last fall, overpowering Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss. The Hurricanes averaged only 18.3 points the rest of the way, and finished the year 5-0 in games where the defense allowed no more than 14 points – but 0-7 when opponents scored more than 14.

Miami was 86th nationally in total offense last season, averaging 367.1 yards per game, and 97th in scoring offense.

Gattis played at Wake Forest and worked at North Carolina, Western Michigan, Vanderbilt, Penn State, Alabama and Michigan before coming to Miami.

Report: Miami QB Jake Garcia enters transfer portal

Associated PressJan 17, 2023, 11:02 PM EST

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Miami quarterback Jake Garcia has entered the transfer portal, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Garcia had not revealed the decision publicly. Garcia threw for 950 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions over parts of two seasons with Miami.

ESPN first reported Garcia’s decision.

By NCAA rule, players had until Wednesday to enter the portal in this 45-day cycle that started in early December. Garcia appeared in eight games for the Hurricanes in 2022, completing 68 of 115 passes for five touchdowns and four interceptions.

He debuted for the Hurricanes in 2021 and was 11 of 14 for two touchdowns in a win over lower-division Central Connecticut State, but did not play in any other games that season because of injury.

Garcia replaced starter Tyler Van Dyke in Miami’s two easy wins to start 2022 against Bethune-Cookman and Southern Mississippi. He appeared in six more games later in the year, most of that time coming because Van Dyke was dealing with a shoulder injury, and Miami went 1-5 in those contests.

Miami unveils plan for $100M football operations center

Associated PressJan 4, 2023, 12:31 PM EST

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami unveiled its plan to build a $100 million football operations center, plus a bridge that will connect the new building to its current practice facility.

The Hurricanes did not release a budget, but the $100 million figure was what the university listed in planning documents filed with the city of Coral Gables late last year. Construction is expected to begin later this year, with a completion target date of mid-2025.

Plans include “dedicated spaces for training, recovery, nutrition and relaxation as well as support spaces for academic services, recruiting and professional development,” the university said. The project also includes a six-story garage, with a 350-seat dining facility for Hurricanes athletes on the first floor.

“The University of Miami wants to enroll the very best students in all walks of life and investing in facilities is critical to recruit and retain the very best,” athletic director Dan Radakovich said. “Facilities serve as a tangible, transformative representation of our overall investment and commitment to success, and this new football operations center speaks to the promise of Miami building championship programs.”

Radakovich oversaw the upgrade of several athletic facilities during his time at Clemson, including a new football complex that has helped the Tigers become one of the nation’s perennial powerhouses. A similar move has been his top priority since taking over at Miami in December 2021.

“The Football Operations Center is a state-of-the-art facility that Will House both the administrative and player development functions of the UM Football team,” university vice president Jessica Brumley wrote in the application packet sent to the city of Coral Gables. “The building will support student athletes and the University’s goal of recruiting the best talent in the nation.”