Miami Football: Depth Chart Analysis, Complete 2014 Preview and Predictions

Game preparations will soon return for the Miami Hurricanes, signaling the beginning of the long-awaited college football regular season.

While those final days slowly pass, it's time for a complete preview of the 2014 'Canes.

From offensive and defensive depth charts to spotlighting a potential X-factor and new uniforms, everything you need to know about Miami is included.

And, of course, a preview wouldn't be finished without a careful look through the schedule capped by a season prediction.

Coaches

Title	Name	Years on Team
Head Coach/Special Teams	Al Golden	4
Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach	James Coley	2
Defensive Coordinator	Mark D'Onofrio	4
Running Backs Coach	Tim "Ice" Harris	1
Wide Receivers Coach	Brennan Carroll	4
Tight Ends Coach	Larry Scott	2
Offensive Line Coach	Art Kehoe	30 (4)
Defensive Line Coach	Jethro Franklin	4
Linebackers Coach	Hurlie Brown	2
Defensive Backs Coach	Paul Williams	4

Head coach Al Golden is entering his fourth season at the school, sporting a 22-15 overall record with one shared division title.

Defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio and defensive line coach Jethro Franklin, who Golden brought from Temple, are under the most scrutiny following lackluster performances up front in recent years. 

Upon arrival at "The U," Golden rehired longtime Miami assistant Art Kehoe to join wide receivers coach Brennan Carroll and defensive backs coach Paul Williams. Kehoe is a fireball, Carroll has proved himself as an excellent recruiter and Williams has been the defense's best coach.

Linebackers coach Hurlie Brown spent 2013 teaching the running backs but recently switched to linebackers to cover for Micheal Barrow's sudden resignation. Tim "Ice" Harris, best known for three state championships at nearby Booker T. Washington High School, stepped in for Brown.

Tight ends coach Larry Scott was snagged from South Florida last season, rounding out the coaching staff.

What to Watch For on Offense

Position	1st String	2nd String	3rd String
QB	Brad Kaaya	Jake Heaps	Kevin Olsen
RB	Duke Johnson	Joe Yearby	Gus Edwards
FB	Ronald Regula	Walter Tucker
WR	Phillip Dorsett	Stacy Coley	Braxton Berrios
WR	Malcolm Lewis	Herb Waters	Tyre Brady
TE	Standish Dobard	Clive Walford	Beau Sandland
C	Shane McDermott	Alex Gall	Nick Linder
OG	Hunter Wells	Jon Feliciano
OG	Danny Isidora	Alex Gall	Joe Brown
OT	Ereck Flowers	Kc McDermott
OT	Trevor Darling	Taylor Gadbois	Sunny Odogwu
K	Matt Goudis	Michael Badgley	Jonathan Semerene
PR/KR	Stacy Coley	Braxton Berrios	Artie Burns

Note: Depth chart will be updated when a new one is released prior to season opener.

The 'Canes run a fast-paced, run-first attack, which offensive coordinator James Coley calls "tempro."

Miami is loaded at its skill positions, so the quarterbacks must distribute the ball effectively and efficiently. Granted, that's often easier said than done.

Nevertheless, the Hurricanes passing game must have a renewed focus on using the middle of the field—a place two-year starter Stephen Morris essentially avoided last year. Initially, either graduate transfer Jake Heaps or true freshman Brad Kaaya will be under center.

Once-anticipated starter Ryan Williams is set to return from an ACL injury sometime in September, likely meaning the senior either takes over for Heaps or becomes Kaaya's backup.

Credit: 247Sports

If All-ACC running back Duke Johnson avoids injury, he is one of the best in college football. Complemented by promising freshman Joe Yearby and powerful sophomore Gus Edwards, Miami's backfield is in good shape.

Led by sophomore and rising national star Stacy Coley, the 'Canes have solid wide receivers. Though not All-American-caliber this season, upperclassmen Phillip Dorsett, Rashawn Scott and Herb Waters are joined by youngsters Malcolm Lewis and Braxton Berrios.

Since Golden took over, Miami has been searching for more production from its tight ends. Senior and returning starter Clive Walford was impactful in 2013, but bigger things are expected from pass-catcher Beau Sandland and run-blocker Standish Dobard.

Up front, left tackle Ereck Flowers, left guard Jon Feliciano and center Shane McDermott are each superb. The right side of the O-line and overall depth of the unit are topics worth monitoring because the offense is extremely reliant on winning battles in the trenches.

Kicker Matt Goudis returns for his junior season after setting a Miami single-season record for most consecutive extra points made (57). He also converted on 13 field-goal attempts, knocking home a long of 49 yards.

Notable True Freshmen: QB Brad Kaaya, RB Joe Yearby, WR Braxton Berrios, OL Kc McDermott, OL Trevor Darling

What to Watch For on Defense

Position	1st String	2nd String	3rd String
DE	Anthony Chickillo	Chad Thomas	Jelani Hamilton
DT	Calvin Heurtelou	Earl Moore
DT	Olsen Pierre	Ufomba Kamalu
DE	Trent Harris	Tyriq McCord	Al-Quadin Muhammad
OLB	Raphael Kirby	Jermaine Grace	Nantambu-Akil Fentress
MLB	Denzel Perryman	Juwon Young	Walter Tucker
OLB	Thurston Armbrister	Darrion Owens
CB	Tracy Howard	Corn Elder
CB	Ladarius Gunter	Antonio Crawford	Artie Burns
SS	Dallas Crawford	Marques Gayot	Hugo Delephena Jr.
FS	Deon Bush	Jamal Carter
P	Justin Vogel	Ricky Carroll

Note: Depth chart will be updated when a new one is released prior to season opener.

Depending on the situation, the Hurricanes employ both the 4-3 and 3-4 as well as the nickel defense.

Last season, Miami allowed a particularly awful 211 offensive plays of 10-plus yards—the ninth-worst mark in the nation. And that doesn't happen without a good number of missed tackles, which has consistently plagued the 'Canes.

Credit: 247Sports

Anthony Chickillo and Al-Quadin Muhammad are expected to earn the starting defensive end positions, while Tyriq McCord and Chad Thomas are key third-down edge-rushers. Olsen Pierre, Calvin Heurtelou, Ufomba Kamalu, Earl Moore and Michael Wyche are important pieces at tackle.

Behind senior and top NFL prospect Denzel Perryman, the linebacking corps is well-off depth-wise. Thurston Armbrister is the most game-ready player because of his 10 career starts, followed by Raphael Kirby, Jermaine Grace and Darrion Owens.

Cornerbacks Tracy Howard, Ladarius Gunter, Artie Burns, Antonio Crawford and Corn Elder will see plenty of action, especially as the utilization of three-receiver formations continues trending upward.

"It's a demanding position," Golden said, per Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post. "We play a lot [of cornerbacks]. They're fighting for the starting job, but all those guys are going to play a lot, no question."

Overall, though the safeties are relatively inexperienced, the unit is deep enough to handle the loss of starter Rayshawn Jenkins to injury. Deon Bush, Jamal Carter and Dallas Crawford are the top three at the position and will contribute the most.

The team must replace punter and sixth-round draft pick Pat O'Donnell, who demolished a school record amassing 47.1 yards per punt. Transfer Justin Vogel and senior Ricky Carroll are competing for that spot, which took an indisputable hit.

Notable True Freshmen: DE Chad Thomas, DE Trent Harris, LB Darrion Owens, S Marques Gayot

Injury News

Player Name	Injury	Expected Return Date
Ryan Williams	ACL	Approx. Sept. 20
Rashawn Scott	Collarbone	Approx. Sept. 27
Rayshawn Jenkins	Back Surgery	Out for Season

Ryan Williams left the 'Canes in Kevin Olsen's hands at quarterback before Heaps and Kaaya outperformed the redshirt freshman in fall camp. The senior's health is the underlying storyline for the first month of the year, because his return plays a major factor in who will lead Miami through its conference slate.

Rashawn Scott, who hurt his shoulder making a diving catch in the 2013 season opener, suffered an "exotic injury" to his collarbone that will sideline him for a few weeks. The Hurricanes' strongest overall unit is at wide receiver, so Miami is eager for Scott's return but need not rush him back.

Considering Rayshawn Jenkins accounted for 46 tackles, five pass breakups and three interceptions last year, the safety is an unfortunate loss for the defense. In addition to Dallas Crawford and Marques Gayot stepping up at the position, Deon Bush and Jamal Carter must help carry the burden in Jenkins' absence.

X-Factor

USA TODAY Sports

Malcolm Lewis made his presence felt in his collegiate debut in 2012, catching four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. Since then, he has suffered a terrible ankle injury and underwent groin surgery.

But now, the redshirt sophomore is finally healthy and ready to shine.

Defenses must lock onto Johnson and Coley while keeping another eye on the speedy Dorsett, so the 'Canes need someone else to step up every week.

Via screens, drags, quick hitches or other short routes, Lewis can destroy teams with yards after the catch. Additionally, he complements Dorsett's straight-line speed and Coley's reliability in the intermediate range.

Lewis is a crucial factor in keeping the Miami quarterbacks focused on being distributors, not playmakers.

Runners-Up: DT Calvin Heurtelou, DT Michael Wyche

2014 Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location
Sept. 1	Louisville	Louisville, Ky.
Sept. 6	Florida A&M	Miami Gardens, Fla.
Sept. 13	Arkansas State	Miami Gardens, Fla.
Sept. 20	Nebraska	Lincoln, Neb.
Sept. 27	Duke	Miami Gardens, Fla.
Oct. 4	Georgia Tech	Atlanta, Ga.
Oct. 11	Cincinnati	Miami Gardens, Fla.
Oct. 18	BYE
Oct. 23	Virginia Tech	.Blacksburg, Va.
Nov. 1	North Carolina	Miami Gardens, Fla.
Nov. 8	BYE
Nov. 15	Florida State	Miami Gardens, Fla.
Nov. 22	Virginia	Charlottesville, Va.
Nov. 29	Pittsburgh	Miami Gardens, Fla.

Make-or-Break Games

Since the Coastal Division is simply a scattered mess, five conference victories is the lowest realistic mark for Miami to contend for a berth in the ACC Championship Game.

The Hurricanes' meeting with Louisville sets the tone for 2014, and an early-season conference loss would be immensely difficult to overcome.

Overall, Miami has four swing games—Louisville, Duke, North Carolina and Virginia Tech—and three must-win contests in Georgia Tech, Virginia and Pittsburgh.

Florida State is a likely loss, so the 'Canes need at least two of their swing games and each victory against the lower-tier teams.

New Uniforms

Miami revealed new Nike uniforms in April, showcasing four jerseys, four sets of pants and three helmets. The uniforms are called Stormtrooper, Surge, Juice and Smoke.

On the shoulder of each jersey is an ibis—the school's current mascot and secondary logo about 10 years ago.

Additionally, the 'Canes will be lacing up black cleats on top of black socks—a classic look Miami fans loved to see return.

Prediction

Duke Johnson, Ereck Flowers and Denzel Perryman are selected to the All-ACC First Team, with Jon Feliciano and Tracy Howard on the following tier as second-teamers. Coley, the elder McDermott, Anthony Chickillo and Deon Bush earn third-team distinction, while a few others are named honorable mentions.

Looking at the schedule, a 10-2 record during the regular season accompanied by a 7-1 mark in the ACC is the absolute best-case scenario for Miami.

But sorry, folks, that ain't happenin'. Above-average talent fills this team, but it's a matter of everything meshing together properly—something that has eluded the 'Canes for 10 years.

On paper, the offense should average around 400 yards and 27 points per game, and that would have tallied seven wins last season.

Assisted by an improved defense, closing the year 8-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play is the most realistic result for the 2014 Hurricanes. With that being said, five ACC wins is not a death sentence because the Coastal Division is so weak.

Ultimately, I won't back down from the recent game-by-game predictions: Miami finishes 9-3 (6-2) and shares the division crown.

Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.