Dante Allen came away from Miami’s first preseason practice with a clear message: the Hurricanes believe they’ve built something sturdier this time around.
Allen said the offseason was about more than just getting shots up and running drills. For him, it was a chance to grow into a bigger role, sharpen his game on the ball and help reinforce the habits that shaped the program under Jai Lucas.
“He wanted to come in, win quick, make new the guys he wanted to have,” Allen said of Lucas. “He knew what was going to help him win, the coaching style.”
Allen described Lucas as a coach who understands how players think because he once lived that life himself.
“He's a player's coach. Obviously he was a college player.
He was a really good player, point guard at that. So he kind of knows the mind of a basketball player.
He knows how one thinks. But he also knows how to get the best out of them.
You know, if it's this time, it needs to get on somebody, he's not going to be jumping up, yelling, screaming. He knows how to talk to each one of his guys.
He knows how to get the best out of everybody.”
That trust, Allen said, goes both ways.
“I think when it's on the court, I think he trusts us. I think we can trust him as best as possible.”
For Allen, the biggest personal focus this offseason was becoming more comfortable handling the ball. With Tre Donaldson gone, he knows the opportunity to shoulder more of the offense is coming.
“Just being more of an on-ball player,” Allen said. “I think last year, having Tre, I was able to kind of learn from him.
Obviously he made a lot of the right reads most of the time. So I think coming into this year, I kind of know I'll be a bigger part of the offense, being on the ball, making reads, whether that's for myself, you know, getting to the basket, shooting, making reads for other guys, passing the ball, so overall being better on the ball, just kind of knowing that my number might be called a little bit more this year.
So just knowing when that time comes, I'll be ready for it.”
The chemistry piece has come together quickly, too. Allen said the team started bonding almost immediately once players arrived, and one of the unexpected team-building outlets was bowling.
“Yeah, I think it started off the court pretty quick,” he said. “I think we got some guys down here.
I think off the court we did a lot of stuff together. I think one thing we kind of did different, I think we started bowling together as a team a little bit, just kind of getting a couple of guys going out, relaxing.”
That connection, he said, showed up on the floor almost right away.
“I think everybody got to trust each other pretty quick, even though a lot of guys didn't know each other, didn't know each other's play styles. But I think the fact that we were able to get that bond off the court really quickly and it was able to translate on the court, I think it gave us a step ahead of some other teams, who might have a lot of new guys who might not be accustomed to each other really quickly.”
As for the team’s bowling hierarchy, Allen didn’t hesitate.
“I give it to Nick [Dorn] right now. He probably goes bowling the most.
So I think if I were to go as much as him, I don't know if I'd give him that much credit. But he's out there a little bit more than me, so I give it to him.”
Allen also said the second-year comfort level around the program has been a major plus. He pointed to both the returning players and the staff’s familiarity with Lucas’ expectations.
“Definitely a lot,” Allen said. “I think it's helped us at the start.
I know I think last year we all kind of had to figure it out together. I think now we kind of got a coaching staff.
We got guys like me, Shelton, who are kind of able to come back and kind of know what the standard is, kind of know what Coach Lucas expects out of everybody, and to be able to just kind of relay that from there, just kind of get the best out of everybody.”
He added that the recruiting approach also made the transition smoother.
“He's not going to recruit anybody who knows a hassle to work with and needs to do X, Y, and Z.”
Allen credited Donaldson for helping him navigate the speed and demands of the college game, and for giving him confidence throughout the year.
“Obviously there's things I'm kind of taking from him, you know, just watching him play, how calm he is, how he's able to control the game. But also on my side will come as well.
I think he had a lot of confidence in me. He would tell me that pretty much daily.”
That belief, Allen said, helped him stay steady when the game sped up.
“I felt like in that moment I always knew what the right play was, and I think I can credit a lot of that to his confidence in me.”
And while the offseason work hasn’t been easy, Allen said that was part of the point. The grind, he believes, is meant to prepare the Hurricanes for the kind of stretches that test a team’s response.
“I mean, it's tough. I mean, it's tough, definitely,” he said. “But I think for mental toughness, it definitely helps us a lot, knowing that, you know, at times the real games are going to come down, and, things might not be going great, might be down on the road, stuff like that.”
He said the summer work has included more than just basketball-specific drills.
“So just knowing from the summer it might not be directly basketball, we might be running the bridge, doing the sand, stuff like that. But overall, just kind of knowing, when things get tough, you know, we're going to be able to push through that. We're going to be able to find a way.”
Allen’s bottom line was simple: the work is designed to hold up when the pressure hits.
“We know that we're not going to collapse. We're not going to start looking around, pouting, stuff like that. So I'd say I think it might not be directly basketball, but I think it's always going to come down to basketball at the end of the day, mentally and physically.”
In Other News...
Mario Cristobal Is Sending Jordan Lyle A Clear Message
Jordan Lyle was in uniform in Week 3, but he never got on the field for Miami, and Mario Cristobal later made clear why. The Hurricanes coach disclosed that the running back was serving a suspension, while framing the matter as part of the programs broader standard: players have to earn trust, and only those who give the team the best chance to win are going to play.
Cristobal also said Lyle is still a trusted player working to regain full trust, which leaves the door open for a return while keeping the message firm. He added that this would be the last time he addresses the situation publicly, a sign that Miami wants the focus to shift back to football even as Lyles status remains a point of interest. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Suddenly Has A Crucial Receiver Battle To Replace Joshua Moore
Joshua Moores season-ending upper-body injury has left Miami with a real opening at receiver, and the timing makes it especially important. With the offense still settling in around quarterback Darian Mensah, the Hurricanes now have to sort out who can absorb Moores snaps and keep the passing game moving without losing rhythm or reliability.
Mensah pointed to Vandrevius Jacobs and Somourian Wingo as two of the names most likely to push into bigger roles, but Miamis answer may need to come from more than just one player. The injury situation has thinned the offensive depth chart enough that the coming weeks should reveal whether the Hurricanes have a clear next man up or a rotation built on necessity. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Has An Early Chance With A Legacy Recruit Fans Will Notice
A familiar South Florida name is getting early traction, and Miami is giving itself a chance to stay involved. Justice Jones, a 2027 receiver and defensive back out of Park Vista, has put together a strong senior season on both sides of the ball, and his rise has started to draw more attention beyond the programs already on his offer sheet, which includes Akron, Florida Atlantic and Lenoir Rhyne.
For the Hurricanes, the timing matters because Jones is set to take a gameday visit for the Central Michigan game, a useful chance to make an impression before the recruitment gets crowded. He has said he wants to find the right fit, and with Power Five interest beginning to build, Miami will be trying to show why it can be more than just another school watching from the outside. [Read more 🡒]