This one doesn’t seem fair. Not when Miami puts up 519 yards against a good Virginia Tech defense. Not when Jacory Harris has a 13-of-21 performance, with 267 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers. Not when Lamar Miller, stifled early, carries 18 times for 166 yards and a score. Not when these kids are starting to get the message from Al Golden and staff regarding toughening up and never quitting.
Think back to recent Miami teams and how they’d have handled the adversity of a 21-7 halftime deficit in Blacksburg. The wheels would’ve come off in the third quarter, the Canes would’ve folded and back up Hokies would’ve put up a late score in an eventual 45-14 loss.
Miami fell 38-35 at Virginia Tech on Saturday. It marks the third loss for the Canes this year and the third in heartbreaking fashion. A pick-six ended a comeback attempt at Maryland in the opener, a fourth down goal line stand was the difference in getting the end zone for the game-winner against Kansas State and this week, a defensive breakdown after UM took its first lead with under three to play.
Coach Golden gave a heartfelt press conference in the bowels of Lane Stadium post game and you could see the pain in his face and heard the hurt in his voice. He knew his kids needed this one, as did his staff. UM’s past two losses have been so gut-wrenching, you almost wonder if the football gods are playing the cruelest of cruel jokes.
Or maybe this is simply that adversity that in-repair teams deal with en route to building character and improving. Doesn’t make the bitter pill any easier to swallow, but even in these losses, you sense that Miami is getting better. Old ways are being flushed out, replaced by new ones that will make the Canes a winner, in due time. Until then there will be days like these.
Defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio has been the whipping post as of late as the Canes have struggled on that side of the ball.
499 yards given up at Maryland, 398 to Kansas State, 422 to Bethune-Cookman and now 482 to Virginia Tech. The only time Miami’s D stood strong all year was against a one-dimensional Ohio State team, who only amassed 209 total yards – 35 of which came through the air.
Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas had the game of his career against Miami, which oft seems the case the morning after. Seems everyone brings their best when the Canes comes to play. A few weeks back it was Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein. This week, Thomas. Next week, someone else.
Teams flat-out get amped to play ‘The U’ and Thomas was masterful on Saturday. 23-of-25 for 310 yards with three touchdowns through the air and two on the ground. Had Thomas dreamed up a best-case scenario on Friday night, has he imagined those numbers he’d have been slapped back to consciousness for even dreaming so big. By Saturday night, a reality – right down to running in the game-winner from 19 yards out with under a minute to play.
On the other side of the ball, J12 was incredible in his own right. No interceptions against a good Hokies defense and a coordinator who baits quarterbacks into mistakes.
Harris changed the game halfway through the second quarter when connecting with Allen Hurns on a 3rd-and-18 hook up that went for 41 yards. The perfectly-placed pass was reviewed, called complete and with a 1st-and-10 from the fifteen, Harris audibled from the line and went back to Hurns, hitting the sophomore for a 15-yard touchdown and pulling the game to 14-7.
Miami’s success came on the heels of Tech’s lone turnover – a fumble on 3rd-and-6 from the UM sixteen. The result was a ten to fourteen-point swing, keeping the Hokies off the board and leading to the Canes’ first touchdown.
Unfortunately, like so many times this season, this was a game of back-and-forth, with the Miami defense struggling to buckle down after an offensive score. After cutting the lead to 14-7, the Hokies marched 76 yards in eleven plays and pushed to 21-7. Also, like so many times this season, the Canes shot themselves in the foot with a boneheaded penalty.
Facing a 3rd-and-6 early in the drive, safety Ray-Ray Armstrong was flagged for a pointless pass interference call. The penalty gave the Hokies the ball mid-field with new life and Thomas went back to work en route to a three-yard pass to running back David Wilson for the score.
Miami’s defense made a stand on the first drive of the third quarter. Anthony Chickillo sacked Thomas and two plays later, faced with a 3rd-and-10, Thomas’ pass was incomplete, forcing the punt. On the ensuing 3rd-and-4, Harris rifled a pass to Travis Benjamin, which went for a 77-yard touchdown and it was again a seven-point game.
Miami held Virginia Tech to three on the next possession and put together another solid offensive drive, going 89 yards over 12 plays and ending with a four-yard touchdown to Tommy Streeter. Down 24-21, the Canes were in striking distance minutes into the fourth quarter.
Cue another moment where UM cannot hang on to any prosperity. After a Jake Wieclaw kickoff went out of bounds, Virginia Tech took possession on their forty-yard line. One play later Thomas hit Jarrett Boykin for a sixty-yard touchdown. 31-21 with just over twelve to play and momentum again shifting back towards the home team.
Still, Miami wouldn’t fold and the Canes put together a seven-play, 80-yard drive, capped with a pass from wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, which Milller beautifully hauled in.
One more great call from offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, who is getting more comfortable every week working with what he’s got – right down to finally incorporating the tight end into the game. Clive Walford had a four-reception, 66-yard performance which added another dimension to what’s becoming a potent Hurricanes offense.
With the running game taken away early, Fisch put Harris in position to use his arm and in time, the ground game opened up and never disappeared – right down to Miami’s final score.
Down 31-28 after the Dorsett-to-Miller connection, Tech got conservative, running Wilson twice and after a false start, the Hokies faced a 3rd-and-10 which blew up when Thomas errantly threw after running past the line of scrimmage.
Down three, Miami took possession at the Virginia Tech forty-two. Miller broke off a 23-yard run on first down went for three on first down a play later. Harris found Walford for six yards on 2nd-and-7 and facing a 3rd-and-1, Mike James got a carry and rumbled ahead for four.
With a 1st-and-Goal from the six, James was called for holding and a play later a personal foul on offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson. The Canes were again sloppy, dinged nine times for 84 yards – with twenty-five coming on back-to-back plays and a go-ahead score hanging in the balance.
Amazing, facing a 2nd-and-Goal from the thirty, Miller slashed through a monster-sized hole and rumbled to the end zone, putting the Canes up, 35-31 – their first lead of the game coming with just over three remaining.
The lead would be short-lived as Thomas and Wilson went back to work. Eight plays and 77 yards later, Thomas waltzed in this one was in the books. Miami got one last crack, but it was too little, too late.
As a fan, the “moral” victories feel meaningless. Especially the morning after and especially after a third knife in the heart since Labor Day. 28-23 under Randy Shannon, 7-6 last season, three straight bowl losses … those who bleed orange and green just want to f’ing win.
Unfortunately after a half decade-plus of mediocrity, you can’t just flip a switch and f’ing win. It doesn’t work that way. No, unfortunately you have to break this thing down, find the flaws, work to correct them and realize that it won’t happen overnight.
Even more frustrating for Miami faithful to swallow; the lack of overall talent and depth on defense as that isn’t going to change until more pieces are added to the puzzle.
D’Onofrio will get tattooed for the final result and remain the fall guy, but logical-minded folk have to acknowledge that he’s not working with much. Fisch has been able to fine-tune the offense, as the veteran line is playing up to potential, there are three capable running backs, wideouts are making plays and quarterback is finally looking like an asset, not a liability. D’Onofrio doesn’t have that luxury defensively.
A quick compare contrast between last year’s and this year’s Miami defense is downright depressing, but must be acknowledged before moving forward.
Allen Bailey, Brandon Harris, Colin McCarthy and DeMarcus Van Dyke – all taken between the second and fourth rounds of this spring’s NFL Draft. The Canes also lost role player Ryan Hill to graduation.
Fans may have had issue with all five aforementioned players at times, but depth-wise and experience-wise, those were huge losses for UM’s defense.
Weeks later, Golden cleaned house and booted Jamal Reid, Devont’a Davis, Travis Williams and Kevin Nelson from the program; two cornerbacks and two linebackers, all four of which Miami could’ve used as both positions are legitimate weak spots for the Canes.
Before that there were also the “never weres” – the guys who signed and bailed or didn’t make the cut because of grades or other issues. Guys like Latwan Anderson, Prince Kent, Delmar Taylor, Tavadis Glenn and Jeff Brown.
Weeks back Miami lost defensive lineman Curtis Porter for the season. Against Bethune-Cookman, linebacker Ramon Buchanan was lost for the year. Days later, defensive lineman Marcus Forston was sidelined for good as well.
Miami was also without freshman Jalen Grimble and r-sophomore Luther Robinson for Virginia Tech, two more much-needed defensive linemen – while the Canes’ best pass rusher Olivier Vernon has been suspended all season and will return for Georgia Tech, after sitting out six games.
When you look at NFL losses, combined with dismissals, injuries, and suspensions, Miami is essentially rolling out a scout team on defense this season. (That’s not even going into poor recruiting, development and coaching that has taken it’s toll the past few years.)
Chickillo is being relied on heavily as a true freshman, as is cornerback Thomas Finnie, linebacker Denzel Perryman and first-year starter Jimmy Gaines. Freshman are being expected to work miracles instead of being eased in, allowed to bulk up and given the time to properly learn and logically transition into the college game, instead of being thrown into the fire.
This unit is so depleted that the Canes are literally starting a Wake Forest cornerback transfer who couldn’t crack the starting line up with the Demon Deacons (Mike Williams), as well as a JUCO transfer from Pennsylvania (Darius Smith) who didn’t arrive on campus until June. Both have been serviceable, but not exactly the heir apparent to new NFLers Harris or Bailey.
Miami is also reliant on safety JUCO transfer Andrew Swasey – son of strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey – as well as senior cornerback Lee Chambers, a former running back buried on the depth chart for year – and struggling to make the transition that wideout-to-corner Sam Shields made years back.
Hard as it may be to accept, there’s your real-life explanation regarding Miami’s defensive woes.
Five games in, frustrated fans are foolish to throw Coach D’Onofrio under the bus – a man offered the head coaching gig at Temple and a co-team captain with Coach Golden while both players at Penn State.
D’Onofrio is cut from the same cloth as Golden and truth be told he’s being given less than zero to work with.
An undersized, depleted defensive line that gets no pressure. A young and depleted linebacking corps. A secondary made up of transfers, guys who switched positions and a few underachievers. The fact that this side of the ball has actually had some glimmers of greatness is in itself a miracle.
At 2-3 this season is not where anyone wants it to be regarding rankings, the ACC hunt or bragging rights. Losing sucks. It hurts. It ruins weekends and puts those who love this program in a foul mood.
As good as beating Ohio State felt, losing to Kansas State and Virginia Tech were punches in the gut. Losing hurts more than winning heals.
Still, as far as the 2011 season goes, you simply have to take solace in what progress you are seeing. Coach Golden is the right man for the job and losses aside, he’s bettering this program every day – as our his assistants. Miami is getting better and will continue doing so as long as this man is at the helm.
There is no doubt that Golden will change this culture. Kids are buying in and in due time, the ship will be righted – which isn’t something any fan could ever say with confidence under the last two UM coaches.
There will be good days and bad days. Thrilling wins and heartbreaking losses. Strap in and get ready for a wild ride. Seven games remain and you pray that these kids can inch forward a little future each week.
Grow. Improve. Learn. Win.
North Carolina is up next and for Miami, another chance to prove the learning curve is lessening a little more each and every week.
Keep those heads up, Hurricanes. Tremendous effort this past weekend and the hard work will pay off. Believe it. – C.B.
Tough loss , but you can see something a little different developing.a nver quit attitude.The defence is young,and some still have residue of the past coaching.If you remember Jimmy Johnson went through this his first year.give the younger players time to grow up under Al Golden recruit the players that will play his kind of football two years from now lookout this team will be nasty.Look at Clemson the Canes beat them last year,and look at them now.I`m expecting the Canes to be even better.Monster teams take time to develope.Remember a few years ago Alabama was crap.Recruitment and developement is the key.don`t worry it wont be long before we`ll say again… Stronger,Faster…Better and mean it.
Good fight in regards to trying to be optimistic.
But here’s how bad the defense sucks.
Bethune Cookman was held to just 108 total yards of offense against NC A&T this weekend.
So, are we saying NC A&T has more talent than Miami does on defense is and outright better coached? Forced four turnovers, and held that godforsaken read-option run game to .2 yards per carry whereas we gave up a godawful amount to them on the ground.
There’s a reason D’Onofrio is a scape goat. And there’s a reason he’ll remain the scape goat. That “not-prevent-defense-but-looks-like-it-anyway” isn’t going to win you anything except a complete and total demoralization of your team.
Well said Chris. While the losses continue to hurt and like you said put’s me in a foul mood, the team is definitely improving. Coach Golden knows we must recruit hard for guys on the defensive side of the ball. We just can’t stop anyone. We are growing, learning, and never quitting! Brighter days are ahead. We Deserve to win. I hope soon.
I hear you in defending the defensive coordinator, however we should blitz some more. Because what we have been doing, is killing. I think we need to blitz more. We don’t have the talent on the d-line to simply rush four, we need to get creative and send pressure man, it might kill us, at this point what do we have to lose.
I see a lot of people saying we should blitz. What people don’t understand is that if you blitz with a d line that can barely get pressure on the qb and leave CBs that just aren’t that good isolated with one on one coverage we would get burned for one big play after another. Coach D is doing the best he can. Love the passion and intensity from the players and the coaches. We have a very bright future under golden.
… had that same debate with other Canes after the game. Blitzing only works when you have a secondary that can hold its own — or you’re getting the sack. Very risky and frustrating as it is, you have to rely on this system for now as it gives you a better chance than blitzing every other down.
Admin:
Again, the alternative is killing us. We can either die a slow death or a fast death, but sometimes the blitz may make things happen for us. We need to be more creative and let this boys play. The defense is playing too timid and non-aggressive, and it is killing us.
Trying to beat Frank Beamer at Beamer Ball at VT was one of the strangest calls I’ve ever seen in any game at any time. That horrible play call aside, I’ll stick by AG and head down to UNC to cheer on my ‘Canes.
… definitely a bad call. If you want to go for it, then go for it and leave your offense on the field. The minute you tried the fake, Spencer Whipple was your lone offensive option – and that simply wasn’t smart. No issue with going for it early on the road, but trying to ‘outsmart’ Virginia Tech with special teams … not the right play call.
I don’t think it was a bad call to go for a fake field goal. They probably should have run to the wide side to allow for a little more option read, but I think on the road in a place like Lane Stadium you should try to take the crowd and home momentum away early. I think the Kansas State stand at the endzone with several non productive tries might have played a part in the decision to not just run it at them on 4th down. Still, you win some, you lose some. If we had converted and won I think everyone would have seen the sense in this call.
i agree to an extent, i like the call but i would have rather had stephen morris in there instead of freakin sucky whipple. morris is stronger and may have thrown the ball if there was a TE around. but i like the gutsy play call but i think the way the play was structured annoyed me. whipple sucks
If there was an award given to teams who play the most entertaining games, the Canes would win it so far.
I agree. The Baylor team is also very entertaining this year. RG3 is probably the most exciting player to watch, but I think his team is going to drag down his chances at getting national Heisman attention. I was assuming we would sleepwalk through the second half and get blown out, but apparently the new coaching has had some really good positive attitude adjustments.
GO CANES!!!
I generally agree with the article. The onyl point of difference is that I don’t think the opposing teams bring their “A” game to play us as much as we play soft on defense making them look spectacular. The QB from Maryland is pretty bad, except when he faced our defense. Same with the QB from Va Tech. The consistency with which opposing quarterbacks appear awesome has more to do with our defensive lack of discipline and experience than it does with the opposing QB’s efforts. Bethune Cookman has no business rolling up 400+ yards on us. Much of our troubles are from old habits and young players which over time should be corrected. I am always happy to see Chickillo making plays. It is clear he did not have any bad habits to break. Anyway, I thought we were going to fold after getting down 14-0, but was happily surprised in the fight and effort in making the comeback. I’m looking forward to the future and ready to forget the past few years!
BT – Logan Thomas had a career game against us. He was light years better against Miami than he was Appalachian State, where he was 9-of-19 for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Thomas brought more against Miami than he did East Carolina, Arkansas State and Marshall, as well. Same for Collin Klein of Kansas State. Kid was a battered and bruised one man wrecking crew against the Canes. Grittiest game of his career and you’d be crazy to think he wasn’t going balls out at the premise of playing Miami, as opposed to a middle of the road Big XII team.
Miami’s defense is doing a poor job, but we’ve seen for decades now that the opposition gets excited when the Canes are on the schedule. That’s fact – no matter what state the UM program is in.
I agree with the premise that teams get up for games against us more than their other games. I just think that poor assignment football has allowed more of the standout play by opposing offenses, and QB’s in particular than their motivation. The OSU Bauserman performance was terrible, and if he had not thrown so many poor passes and had soooo many drops they might have gotten into a groove as well. I’m happy with this season no matter what since we got the OSU monkey off our backs, and an improving team mentality and ability will make it an overall positive no matter what the record states.
The future is bright with Al Golden!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amazing article! You enlightened me as to why this team is so poor on D.
I kept thinking Randy Shannon good ridance. How could a defensive coach of his caliber left the team so thin there? Coach Golden is pure class. This team will keep getting better week after week and if they get a bowl game WILL WIN IT!
Just showing the threat of a blitz would keep opposing QB’s off- balance. Especially in the first-quarter when an opposing QB is facing 3rd and long.
And yes D’ Onofrio is playing with a short-deck. However, it’s the absolute responsibility of any B.C.S. D-coordinator to put his sub-par performers in the BEST POSSIBLE situation to succeed. And Marky ain’t getting it done!
Heck, it’s the FIFTH game of the season!
As I bloviated in a previous post. One Jacory Harris and Fisch and the rest of the offensive unit absolutely has to carry Miami the rest of the season. Because IF Miami has one off offensive game, then the Hurricanes are looking at a 5-7 season. No if’s, but’s or let’s wait and see.
And as I see-r it, the B.C. and Duke and Virginia games are absolute certain wins. Even with this current Cane defense.
By the way, Carolina has a VERY, VERY AVERAGE signal caller barking signals under center. So, let’s see IF D’ Onofrio and his staff can wax some magic. Because Miami’s defense sorely needs some superstitious, surreal help in the form of a fortunate bounce of the sphere their way. Eh.
Miami 31
Tar Heels 24
Again, it’s ALL ABOUT Jacory Harris!
the only thing i can take away from this game is that Miami did not get blown away like i thought they would.other than that i’m not sure how to feel right now.there still is hope for a menial bowl game.need to weed out all the(or most) northwestern crop of the Shannon era and keep moving,in what i believe, to be the right direction.this particular situation kind of reminds me of the Schellenburger era prior to our first national championship.hope i’m right.GO CANES!!!
I wish i can be as positive as u were in the article, but i dont see it and trying to find enough wins left to be bowl eligble is getting harder. Maybe they can get back in the Big or I mean the little east or the sun belt might take em if they beg.
Bottom line is our D is as porous as a sieve, and Jedd Fisch’s play calling is often suspect. How many short yardage situations have we failed to convert this season? I’ve already lost count. One cost us against K State. Another led to the botched fake FG. If we convert those two, we have at least one and probably two more W’s. Fisch’s lack of imagination in short yardage situations has so far cost us dearly. It doesn’t help that our O line, which was supposed to be a strength has failed to move people off the ball when we need it most.
I agree with the analysis and the post was dead-on but I think we’re forgetting how flat both sides of the ball came out in the last drive. The defense basically rolled over (Sometimes I think it’s just better to let them score and get it over with to save us the clock time but in this case we had three time outs left. The last offensive drive was atrocious. I can’t believe after a comeback like that we could look so flat when the game is on the line. The play calling was horrid on that last drive. We could easily have won that game and been ranked this week…
In Golden We Trust.
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Appropos of nothing, how could RocketScientist’s post be timed at 5:17PM when it’s only 1:38 PM on my watch right now?