With games to follow against Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Clemson, and Florida State the first three on the road a key objective for Miami when it opens against Florida A&M will be to avoid injuries.
That's especially critical at quarterback.
Junior Jacory Harris is the only one behind center with significant experience going into the season.
Backup A.J. Highsmith, who was in on a handful of plays as a freshman last year, is the likely No. 2 ahead of freshman Stephen Morris and walkon Spencer Whipple.
Coach Randy Shannon didn't commit himself to that, however, as the Hurricanes began putting final touches on preparations for the Thursday night clash with the Rattlers.
Harris is coming off a thumb injury that hampered him the final month of the regular season and in the bowl loss to Wisconsin and kept him out of spring practice.
But he has shown no aftereffects from the injury during fall camp.
With Harris (a 60-percent career passer) pulling the trigger, the Hurricanes have the potential for one of the top offenses in the country.
He has his top three receivers back in senior Leonard Hankerson (45 catches, 801 yards) and juniors LaRon Byrd (33-460) and Travis Benjamin (29-501) plus a rejuvenated Aldarius Johnson.
Johnson was the team's leading pass catcher as a freshman (31-332) but had only 16 receptions for 276 yards in an injury-plagued sophomore campaign.
In addition, the Hurricanes are deep enough at running back they have moved one veteran (Lee Chambers) to defense and are considering redshirting top prospect Storm Johnson.
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Miami Hurricanes
