Hurricanes Spring Practice Continues with Focus on Improvement

Wide receivers coach and players discuss the team's mindset and progress as spring drills wrap up.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 10:24pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented and overlapping scenes of a football practice, with players and equipment rendered in bold, vibrant colors.The Hurricanes' spring practice sessions showcase the team's commitment to continuous improvement and a championship-level mentality.Coral Gables Today

The Miami Hurricanes football team continued spring practice on Saturday, with wide receivers coach Kevin Beard and several players sharing their thoughts on the team's progress and areas for improvement. The coaching staff emphasized the need for consistency, leadership, and a championship-level mentality as the team looks to build on its recent success.

Why it matters

As the Hurricanes aim to return to national championship contention, the spring practice sessions are crucial for developing players, establishing team culture, and identifying areas that need to be addressed before the upcoming season. The comments from the coaching staff and players provide insight into the team's mindset and the specific areas they are focusing on to take the next step.

The details

During the practice session, wide receivers coach Kevin Beard highlighted the need for the team to develop a championship-level mentality and commitment to improvement. He emphasized that the wide receivers, despite their talent, still have a lot of work to do to reach the level of excellence the program expects. Beard also praised the consistency and work ethic of transfer receiver Cooper Barkate and sophomore Malachi Toney, noting that they are setting a positive example for their teammates.

  • The Hurricanes held their spring practice session on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
  • This was the final week of spring practice for the team.

The players

Kevin Beard

The wide receivers coach for the Miami Hurricanes football team, who shared his thoughts on the progress and mindset of the wide receiver group during spring practice.

Vandrevius Jacobs

A wide receiver for the Miami Hurricanes who participated in the spring practice session and shared his perspective.

Daylyn Upshaw

A wide receiver for the Miami Hurricanes who participated in the spring practice session and shared his perspective.

Dylan Day

A defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes who participated in the spring practice session and shared his perspective.

Omar Thornton

A defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes who participated in the spring practice session and shared his perspective.

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What they’re saying

“What stands out is we've got a lot of work to do. I know a lot of people see a lot of talent, a lot of new guys and we have a culture here that put us in the national championship game and we came up short. So, the mindset right now is how do we get back and how do we finish the drill?”

— Kevin Beard, Wide receivers coach

“You know what? Consistency. He understands when he fails, he has work to do and he understands when he succeeds, he still has work to do. And so just knowing that part is really comforting for me as a coach because you want your guys to always keep a chip on their shoulders and never be comfortable and he comes with that.”

— Kevin Beard, Wide receivers coach

What’s next

The Hurricanes will continue their spring practice sessions throughout the week, leading up to the team's annual spring game on April 18, 2026.

The takeaway

The Hurricanes' spring practice sessions are focused on instilling a championship-level mentality and commitment to continuous improvement within the team. The coaching staff is emphasizing the need for consistency, leadership, and a relentless work ethic as the team looks to build on its recent success and return to national prominence.