MIAMI HURRICANES

Palmetto High School’s Jack Allison never publicly wavered from his commitment to Miami when Mark Richt replaced Al Golden as the Hurricanes’ head coach. Any hesitance within the Allison family faded quickly. The quarterback may not get a chance to play for the coaching staff to which he originally committed, but he has a mentor with unique perspective — another former Miami quarterback.

Richt played quarterback from 1979-1982 at the U, where he backed up future-Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. In the nearly three and a half decades since he left Coral Gables for the first time, Richt has earned a reputation for his success working with quarterbacks. Allison will have a chance to grow with one of the best.

First, though, it will be Brad Kaaya’s turn.

Kaaya has started for the past two season at the U, first taking the reign as the program’s signal-caller of the future as a true freshman from California. He’s viewed as a potential first-round pick with two strong seasons under his belt. He hasn’t yet had the transcendent, All-America-type year prognosticators feel he’s capable of. A full season under Richt could finally bring that to fruition.

“I still have things to learn,” Kaaya told the Associated Press shortly after Richt was hired at Miami. “I haven’t arrived yet. I haven’t hit my ceiling. I still think I have a ways to go and I can get better and make the team better.”

Comparing Kaaya’s freshman and sophomore campaigns is a unique exercise. His touchdown numbers were way down during his second year, but so were his interceptions. He didn’t throw for many more yards, but his completion percentage spiked from 58.5 to 61.2. His quarterback rating, however, slipped 3.8 points. Finding a balance between the trigger-happy gunslinger he was as a freshman and the cautious, precise game-manager he was last year could finally elevate him into the ranks of the nation’s best quarterbacks.

DB to watch

Corn Elder, sr.

Elder is the only tested cornerback on Miami’s roster and will have to be a lock-down option for the Hurricanes with three sophomores surrounding him to make up Miami’s top four. Elder grabbed two interceptions last year, including a game-clinching pick against Nebraska in overtime last September.

Impact newcomer

Sam Bruce, RB

The wide receiver was part of the St. Thomas Aquinas High School offense that knocked off Braden River in the Class 7A semifinals last year. Bruce was limited to one catch during the game, but the 5-foot-8 Under Armour All-American should be a factor in Miami’s slot. He’s one of two freshmen on the two-deep depth chart at wide receiver and could also be the Hurricanes’ punt returner.

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 5:21 PM with the headline "MIAMI HURRICANES."