It was as ugly as the headline reads and another game of missed opportunities, coupled with self-destruction.
In the end, the ninth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish handed the Miami Hurricanes a thirty-eight point beat down, sending Al Golden and his squad back to Coral Gables with more questions – and a handful of answers; most-notably, the fact this young team simply isn’t ready for the main stage.
Wins over Boston College, Georgia Tech and North Carolina State? Less impressive when one looks at the current state of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Weeks back Virginia Tech fell to Pittsburgh and has since dropped back-to-back games, losing to Cincinnati and then to a North Carolina squad headed to Miami in search of a win next weekend.
Defending conference champ Clemson? Throttled weeks back by Florida State, who was again pegged as a national title contender, but failed to live up to the hype. The Seminoles struggled a bit at South Florida last weekend and last night, while the Canes were getting steamrolled, fell to the same North Carolina State squad Miami beat seven days back.
Miami had a Golden chance on the main stage last night, but failed in epic fashion.
Soldier Field. Premier opponent. Nationally televised broadcast. It was all there for the taking, but in the end, the Canes got took.
Much like the rout at Kansas State back in September, Miami had some early shots that could’ve changed the course of the game.
Stephen Morris went deep to the usually-reliable Phillip Dorsett on the game’s first play and the sophomore wideout inexcusably dropped it.
An aggressive call that should’ve been seven — instead a situation like last weekend against the Wolfpack, where the Hurricanes left valuable points on the field. Dorsett’s number was called again a few plays later and he failed to reel in another potential touchdown, this time in the end zone.
Notre Dame’s first drive went nowhere, but just like the opening drive of the third quarter against North Carolina State, Miami ran into the kicker and a 4th-and-6 from the Irish sixteen became a 1st-and-10 from the thirty-one.
A few plays later, a personal foul called, adding fifteen yards and crossing the Irish over into Hurricanes territory.
Everett Golson replaced Tommy Rees at quarterback and promptly moved Notre Dame downfield, en route to the one-yard Theo Riddick touchdown. The Irish picked up four first downs on the drive after the Hurricanes’ special teams gaffe.
Down 7-0, Miami started at its own thirty-nine after a thirty-seven yard return by Dorsett.
Morris and Davon Johnson synced up for a nineteen- and twenty-one-yard receptions, keeping the drive alive, while Duke Johnson chipped away with a few on three carries.
Facing a 1st-and-10 from the Notre Dame thirteen, a designed run with Morris looked like a Miami touchdown, but was called back due to a hold on Jon Feliciano.
1st-and-20 from the twenty-three became less workable. A Johnson run, Morris run and Johnson dump-off set Miami up with a 4th-and-8 from the Irish eleven, where Jake Wieclaw banged out a twenty-eight yarder to bring it to a 7-3 Notre Dame lead, but another situation where Miami could’ve, should’ve and needed to lead, 14-0.
The Irish responded with a twelve-play, seventy-yard drive, pushing it to 10-3 and with another shot, the Canes offense sputtered when Morris and Rashawn Scott couldn’t hook-up on a 3rd-and-6.
Notre Dame again drove and settled for three, after a reception on 3rd-and-4 gained no yards. The previous drive ended with an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-4 from the Miami five, showing that early on the Hurricanes’ defense was hanging tough, but without offensive support, lost momentum and was eventually overwhelmed.
Miami got the ball back with 2:09 in the half. After winning the field possession battle due to a Dalton Botts punt down at the one, the Canes took over on the Irish thirty-five. Morris went to Johnson and Johnson – Davon and Duke – but both passes were incomplete. On a 3rd-and-10 Morris found Herb Waters, but the Canes only picked up five. Wieclaw came on to attempt the forty-seven yarder and promptly sailed it wide, wide left.
A 13-3 halftime deficit seemed workable, but the third quarter was a twenty-one point onslaught and Notre Dame ran away with the game, pounding the ball with George Atkinson III and Cierre Wood. Wood scored from two yards out on the opening drive after the half and again late in the third.
On the ensuing possession, Atkinson tore off a fifty-five yarder, putting the Irish up, 34-3. Atkinson was the game’s leading rusher, carrying ten times for 123 yards and a score, while Wood had eighteen carries, 118 yards and two touchdowns.
Miami’s three running backs – Johnson, Mike James and Eduardo Clements – had a combined sixteen carries for seventy yards, the longest, a seventeen-yarder from Clements in the game’s final minutes, when he got his lone two carries of the game.
Up 34-3 midway through the fourth, Notre Dame took possession at its own seven when Miami couldn’t convert a 4th-and-1. After one run with Atkinson, the Irish ran twelve plays through third string running back Cam McDaniel. The one time he didn’t run, Rees passed to him for a twenty-one yard gain.
The ninety-three yard drive was eerily similar to Kansas State’s final touchdown drive, punctuated with an eleven-yard scamper, courtesy of second-string quarterback Daniel Sams.
Six games into the season, there is still reason for optimism as Miami is a young team that has shown it can play beyond its abilities, at times – as well as the fact the Atlantic Coast Conference is again experiencing a down year.
Florida State and Virginia Tech were the runaway favorites, but both have now suffered a conference loss – and while the Seminoles should still take the Atlantic, the Coastal is a bit more wide open, with Georgia Tech out of the mix, Virginia Tech struggling and Virginia playing themselves out of the mix with four straight losses – two in conference.
North Carolina has rattled off three straight since losing to Wake Forest and Louisville, including Saturday’s 48-34 win over Virginia Tech, making Saturday’s game at Miami arguably the biggest Coastal game of the season, despite the fact that the Tar Heels cannot reach the ACC championship game, due to sanctions.
The Canes follow that up with home games against Florida State and Virginia Tech – meaning UM’s toughest conference competition must come to Sun Life this season.
With six games remaining, and on the heels of a 41-3 loss, Golden now has to start assessing his team’s defensive woes, which could put him in a bind with best friend, defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio.
Golden has publicly defended D’Onofrio, but with half a season now gone, Miami has arguably one of the worst defenses in the country – which shouldn’t be the case, despite all that youth.
Miami opened the season giving up 537 yards to Boston College, which could’ve been overlooked as it was game one with a young group. A week later, 498 yards at Kansas State – which could be chalked up to the Canes playing a solid team, back-to-back road games – whatever.
355 yards given up to Bethune-Cookman? Quirky offense, some broken plays, mobile quarterbacks. Should’ve done better, but on the heels of the Kansas State loss, fans were simply happy Miami bounced back and got the win.
Georgia Tech’s triple option allowed them to amass 419 yards, but Miami shut it done from the early third quarter through overtime, so the focus remained on the fast start and comeback, as opposed to falling apart in the middle quarters.
But then the last two weeks happened.
North Carolina State put up 664 yards on Miami in a loss. The game should’ve seen overtime, had it not been for a miracle play and despite six Wolfpack turnovers, it was still a tied game in the final minute as the Canes became unable to get a stop.
Then last night, 587 yards to Notre Dame, allowing two 100-yard rushers, and a complete inability to shut down any ground game.
North Carolina enters and while the record also reads 4-2, the losses were nail biters, falling 28-27 at Wake Forest and then coming one play from a monster comeback at Louisville, falling 39-34 in the final moments.
Tar Heels running back Gio Bernard ran for 262 yards in yesterday’s win over the Hokies, which should strike fear into D’Onofrio and his defense, or lack thereof. North Carolina had 533 total yards against Virginia Tech and in the loss at Louisville, went for 410.
UNC quarterback Bryn Renner has also been effective this year, already throwing for 1,616 yards, fifteen touchdowns and four interceptions.
Without some drastic changes, improved effort and better execution, the 4-1 record Miami was looking at days back could get real ugly, real fast. Every team is proving beatable – but each could also take out a Hurricanes team with an absolutely porous defense.
While there’s no argument Miami is young on defense, there is no excuse to play as bad as it did Saturday night.
Did the lack of offense hurt the Canes? Absolutely. Would a 14-0 start have given Miami some much-needed momentum against Notre Dame at a “neutral” site? For sure. Was that defense out on the field too long, with UM again getting smashed regarding time of possession? Just ask them once they catch their breath.
There have been games this season where the Hurricanes offense has been able to bail out a sloppy defense, but that will not always be the case. There will be games where other defenses rise up and squash Miami’s offense. Kansas State and Notre Dame are prime examples and a Florida State could easily do the same.
As a novice, I don’t pretend to know what Miami’s answers are on defense – nor should I, as I’m not paid six figures a year to solve that dilemma. That said, it doesn’t take a big salary and mega-football brain to see that the issue on that side of the football has less and less to do with youth and more to do with scheme.
Miami is in need of some monster defensive linemen and some lock-down corners. That’s no secret – and neither is the fact that no help is coming this season. These are the players D’Onofrio has to work with and to statistically have the third-worst defense in college football – that should never be the case at “The U”.
Even amidst probation in the late nineties, things were never this bad.
In the end, a disheartening loss for a few reasons. It was hated Notre Dame. The whole world was watching. Miami flat-out tanked. The offense no-showed. The defense was again non-existent.
That said, it was the second loss of the season and second to a team that remains undefeated, is in the top ten and is a legit contender – which Miami certainly is not – but as much as it hurts to say, nor should the Canes be. Not this year. Not next year, either.
Not on the heels of the run UM has had this past half decade and not until there is more help, depth and experience on both sides of the football. Miami truly has to become a team and that will take some time.
Still, along the journey there needs to be more stability and steps forward and for this defense to remain a train wreck in week six, that won’t grade out well come progress report time.
The aspirations this year were to get better as a program and to attempt to make a run in the ACC, where Miami was picked fifth in the Coastal in the preseason.
Based on that, 3-0 in conference is a success and that needs to remain the barometer.
Yes, as fans we all want to see this team beating the likes of Kansas State and Notre Dame. We want Miami in the top five. We want to see 6-0, not 4-2. We want to see our rivals squashed out the next couple of weeks and we want this program to be relevant again.
Unfortunately, that will take time – something getting harder and harder to accept as the losses pile up and patience grows thin.
The main goals of 2012 remain intact, despite Saturday night at Soldier Field. The Canes played in primetime but are a ways from returning to their form as a primetime player.
Until then, it remains one game at a time. Regroup and don’t let Notre Dame beat you twice. North Carolina is on deck. Then Florida State. Then Virginia Tech.
Hell, a season finale at Duke is no longer the ACC gimmie it once was – for anyone. The Blue Devils are 5-1, with an early loss to Stanford, and 2-0 in conference, having just demolished Virginia 42-17 this past weekend.
South Florida is no slouch, either, having given Florida State a run for its money a week back.
Turn the attention to the Tar Heels, get rid of any cobwebs and mental errors that plagued the Canes in Chicago and get this thing to 5-2 and 4-0 in conference.
Stay the course. Continue with ‘the process’. Get better every week.
Christian Bello has been covering Miami Hurricanes athletics since the mid-1990s. After spending almost a decade as a columnist for CanesTime, he launched allCanesBlog.com. – the official blog for allCanes.com : The #1 Canes Shop Since 1959. Bello has joined up with XOFan.com and will be a guest columnist at CaneInsider.com this fall. Follow him on Twitter @ChristianRBello.
Let’s see how you defend No ‘D’ ( i refuse to refer to him as “coach”) on this one
No offense, but what the hell are you talking about? Did you even read the article, or were you too concerned trying to think up some smarmy comment? Absolutely called D’Onofrio out here and said he’s not getting it done.
My apologies on this comment, i typed this wrong. I meant to state, “let’s see how the No’D supporters spin this one”
Chris – I was not expecting a win, but I was hoping for a respectable performance. Like you, I’m growing concerned about the way the defense is just getting gashed for 500+ yards per game. What most bothers me is that lack of progress. There is no consistent improvement – even small improvement. At this point, holding teams to under 400 yards per game would be a small miracle. North Caroline is no joke, and Miami better have a short memory and forget all about being humiliated on national television to get ready. Beating a good UNC team can help heal the wounds of that awful performance.
Go Canes!
Jake
That bogus “running into the kicker” penalty: we were pushed into the kicker by a ND player..even the announcers said it should have been a no-call. It took Schnellenberger 4 years to build a program, yet UM fans expect it done in just a little over 1 year. Chick & Perryman are doing a good job, but we don’t have the likes of Ed Reed, Vilma, Lewis, Morgan, or the late, great Sean Taylor. Inexperienced & undersized. It’s not always the coaching. Fans forget that Jimmy Johnson couldn’t do anything for the Dolphins. ND had a bye week, and 2 weeks.to.get ready for us, and that was a HOME game for them. There are no easy answers…especially with sanctions looming…that costs us more than you realize in terms of recruiting.both players and.coaches. we are so lucky Golden stayed at the U, in spite of being lied to.
Running into the kicker was a world class bullshit call. Changed course of game as much as drops did. Kept drive alive after a three and out, then a few plays later the personal foul. Miami gave the game away on a platter early and Notre Dame piled on from there. Can’t pull that shit with good football teams. Have to get what you can get. Cannot leave points on the field – or give them away – when playing ninth-rated Notre Dame in Chicago.
The thing that worries me about this team is the lack of athleticism at nearly all defensive positions. I understand lack of experience and giving players a couple of years in a program to grow and mature into D1 players. But, against ND especially when it was a one on one situation at the edges our players could not make plays in space. They looked the slower and smaller team against Kansas State and ND. With this upcoming recruiting class being so small in numbers and possible sanctions reducing future classes, Miami will need to continue playing most of the current players we are seeing now. I see a long road ahead for Miami.
I don,t want to sound like a broken record, but after this weekend i am convinced that the ACC really doesn,t want to compete nationally on football, and there is an agreement (could say conspriacy) amoung the schools to further this policy.
I guess the only game this weekend that upset the applecart was the UNC VT game. UNC send shockwaves around chapel hill by winning. They are supposed to lose and wait for basketball.
Duke (student population 7000) hammered UVA and Wake (student population 4500) tied with maryland. Army beat BC. Hockey practice starts next week. All 4 schools can,t wait for midnite madness.
The UM game was a disaster, but was it. Larannga looks to have a good BB season coming up, and Katy will do a good job with the women.
Why not just cancel football and start playing pre-season basketball.
The,re already pushing basketball packages on the UVA site !!!
A lot of conference teams faceplanted – Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech – but to say the ACC “doesn’t want to compete nationally” makes no sense. They are growing, bringing in more teams and just brought on Notre Dame, more than any other conference ever could.
Fact is that Florida State and Virginia Tech are chokes. Both were supposed to be better this year and their losses have left the conference without some front runners. Even Clemson, who bounced back from the Florida State loss, still got the Noles on a day when the home team was feisty.
There is stupid money and revenue in football. There is no reason the ACC wouldn’t want to complete. It’s trying to compete. It’s simply not that good.
Well said……..GO CANES!
Well put Chris. Saturday was a great chance which we failed to meet. That ND team is by no means a dominant team, but we self destructed and they capitalized like good teams do.
The frustrating aspect that is beginning to repeat itself is that we keep letting these average guys, whether it be QB and/or RB, have career days against us. I have no explanation for this other than as you said yourself, we will struggle until we get some top d lineman in here. We’re only to be as good as our front four. That being said the scheme is not working and Golden needs to address this personally RIGHT NOW. We cannot be in the 100’s in defense – EVER. I just can’t wrap my head around that.
Time to focus on UNC. To me, they are very similar to NC State as far as being a dangerous team. Renner and the RB are very comparable to Glennon and that backfield to me. We need to tighten up and execute. I haven’t seen them play this year, but the players from last year can hurt us if we don’t come to play 60 minutes. Leave the ND game in the rearview mirror and take care of Coastal business. This is another anything-can-happen game.
You can sit there and say believe in the process all you want to but the fact of the matter is coach d is not a good enough coach to coach at this level of football the mac is a good conference it really is but there is no team there with the athletes of the acc or any other major conference. He doe not know how to prepare fort this kind of football. I’ve watched every game this year and last. And I’ve seen no changes to the plan no matter who we are playing its the same damn defense. And for a team to run the ball 20 plus times in a row without being stopped is just plain bad. Golden needs to fire this guy and bring back am old defensive coach or go to the nfl and get someone he really does or promote coach barrow who was abadass as a player and will bring back an aggressive miami defense. I’ve watched a fee high school games this year and I’m willing to say that half those teams could put up forty points on this defensive scheme. The offense we have is forced to have to score on every possession just to keep Miami in games. Is time for a change and if golden is to scared to fire his buddy then he needs to go as well.
… I believe that point was made in the piece. Six games in, D’Onofrio has no excuse for Miami’s defense being the third-worst in college ball. Giving up those yards and points and not getting better weekly … unacceptable.
In all honesty, what can really be said about this game????
GO Canes…..
I guess my issue is:
We have the talent and it isn,t being handled correctly. Yhat means that the recruiting side of the coaching setup is working OK but the x,s and o,s isn,t – –
Or
We dont have the talent, which means that recruiting has broken down. We are doing the best with what we have – –
Or
We don,t have the talent and are not maximizing what we do have. This is both a recryiting and x,s and o,s issue.
If we are third worst in college football, it,s hard to see how we can improve w/o some major move. Sanctions will not improve the recruiting situation unless we get very very lucky.
Golden was talked up sat nite as the best young coach in college football ??? If he get an Einchorst type offer, he will leave this all behind. That wil get us a new DC, but he still may be polishing a turd w/o recruiting.
Should we leave football to FIU/FAU/UCF/USF and concentrate on the medical schoool???
My opinion is different than many of the interesting comments I’ve read here. IMO, I think two quality tackles change the complexion of this team. If you’re a talented defensive tackle and want to play as a freshman the U is the place to go. Golden and his staff have plugged many of the holes that existed but emphasis must now be given to the defensive line. Yes, I was disappointed with the performance in Chicago but 2012 is a growth year for our team. If such performances are repeated in 2013 then the finger pointing can take place. Remember that the new staff didn’t inherit a roster of high quality players. Final point: Whoever put the schedule together certainly didn’t do the Canes a favor. We need more home games early in the season. I support this team and in time they will accomplish their goals. Go Canes!
I don’t agree…2013 is not a rebuilding year anymore. I say that beacuse Miami is 3-0 in the ACC. Miami was on National TV, playing a top ten team. If Miami wins that game we are back in the Top 25 for the first since 2010.
Canes Fans and the Media need to stop using this rebuilding year ish as an excuse and really look at the facts.
2013 is still a rebuilding year. 3-0 in the ACC could just as easily be 0-3. Boston College, Georgia Tech and NC State were all nail biters that could’ve gone either way. As for national TV, the brand still sells and that IF you’re selling — it was a 41-3 loss. Not exactly anybody’s game. Same with the 52-13 loss at Kansas State. HAD the Canes made early, they could’ve been in both – but they didn’t, which is why this year, and next year, are rebuilding years. THOSE are the facts. Yes, IF Miami beat Notre Dame – and hell, beat Kansas State for that matter, UM would be in the top five right now. Instead, outscored 93-16, proving this is nowhere close to being a primetime program.
I’ll just say ditto to all those wanting to replace D’onfrio. As a Miami alum from the mid-70’s, this is the most ineffective defense I have ever seen. The three-man front does not work, especially with slow and small lineman. See how quickly the ND back got around end and were 5 yards upfield before a linebacker or safety came into contact with them. Don’t tell me we couldn’t use Ray Ray back there. That decision is all on Golden. Oh well, at least I have all my tapes to watch from the glory decades of the 80’s and 90’s.
I disagree, Ray and Telemaque are too slow to play the safety position….point blank. They are too slow for safety and too small for linebacker.
Ray? He’s gone. Telemaque? He never had it, sadly. The entire secondary is made up of newbies who are getting their feet wet, or guys like Highsmith, Rodgers and McGee, who never saw real playing time until this year, despite being upperclassmen. Tells you all you need to know about that depleted secondary and while the linebackers are stepping up, they can only do so much when that front four is young, small and gets no pressure.
FIRE DA BUM No ‘D’. Duke is 5-1 right now, playing good D and guess who their defensive line coach is…Rick freakin Petri. I was blown when he was not retained when Golden was hired.
Bottom line is that Hurricane ??D-coordinator?? has to go at the conclusion of the season. No bloody if’s, but’s or may be’s.
Chit, the game was still in doubt at halftime, yet in TYPICAL Miami fashion, the ( no thanks to D’Onofrio’s SOFT AZZ schemes! ), defense allowed a BLAND, Celt offense roll over the Canes.
Heck, it was so bad for Miami, that an AVERAGE Notre Dame offense jumped up 22 RUNGS in total offense and at the same time the Celts SET ALL KINDS of offensive records in that 2nd half MELT DOWN game.
No Sir’ ree, Miami absolutely must CHIT CAN that defensive coordinator. AU CONTRAIRE to what U’all D’Onofrio apologist have to say about the entire EMBARASSING Cane matter!!
Nonetheless, I HIGHLY doubt that Coach Golden will send his DECADES long buddy packing. And the tragic thing is it will Golden’s Green n’ Orange WATERLOO! Bloody guarantee it!!
By the way, North Carolina is going to ROLL UP and DOWN the SLS synthetic-turf come Satruday!! I just hope Miami’s offense can get back on HIGH OCTANE mode, again.
Bon jour
Hmmmm where to start? Our DC is simply horrible and I see no what so ever improvements. A year and a half into the job and just about every game our defense is being torn apart to shreds. How come we don’t do more exotic blitz? I’d like to force the opponents to worry about getting sack instead of sitting in the pockets and passing for 300yds and rushing for another 200.
I believe The Beast asked Coach Golden if he believed in the scheme D’O was using after the KState game. Coach Golden didn’t like the direction the questioning was going and swayed away from it. Wondering if media members are going to ask him something similar this week…What do you think?
No one made mention of Notre Dame’s first score, how it was eerily similar to the Cleveland Gary “fumble” back in 1988. Not refuting the call on Saturday, it’s just unfortunate we didn’t have replay officials examining that play back then like the one at Soldier Field.
As for the game, I was there and it was extremely cold! I’m pretty sure that had something to do with Miami’s inability to concentrate. Shades of El Paso, anyone? Oh, and it being pretty much a 90/10, Notre Dame/Miami crowd ratio. Talk about “neutral field”!
These are the plays that stood out in my mind and ultimately dictated the rest of the game. 2 drops by Dorsett (either one was a sure TD grab), 2 fifteen yard penalties against our defense on the next drive, and a horribly missed field goal that would have kept the game within reach. All of those things took away any confidence we had left as a team to compete. Notre Dame IS NOT that great but are efficient just like K-State.
That sealed the deal. Very disappointing.
By the way, anyone who went to the game, please tell me you were impressed with Soldier Field! What a neat venue. Reminded me a lot of the Orange Bowl in some way.
Anyway, those are my two cents from Saturday night’s choke fest and it’s not going to get any easier the rest of the way.
I’ve vented about ND already, and you’ve made most of the points clear here, but here’s another thought for conversation:
Despite the fact that Golden keeps saying “no excuses”, he keeps bringing up youth as one. Now I really love Golden–the think he’s the man for the job– but I think when he says “youth”, he’s really trying to convince HIMSELF that that’s the problem, and HOPING that things get better, because the alternative is firing his best friend.
I know we’re young, but other teams are young too….and they’re are not getting a weekly waxing like we are. I shudder to think what FSU will drop on us.
I see a difference between an ‘excuse’ and an ‘explanation’. Golden citing youth is an explanation of things at Miami. The Canes will start their twentieth freshman this weekend – Lockhart – and are rotating about twenty-eight out on the defensive side of the ball. Promise you that’s not the case with many – or any – of the top 25 schools in the nation. Honestly, across the board and at so many important positions, who is as young as Miami — and even those who are young, there are better upperclassmen. Look at that secondary – Highsmith. Rodgers. McGee. Those guys have seen little playing time in their careers and are now being relied on as ‘veterans’ because there’s no one else.
Youth is truth – not an excuse … and as for Florida State, they only put up 16 on a North Carolina State team that Miami hung 44 on, so again, let’s see what happens. Should the Noles roll? Sure. But that’s why they play the game.
they need to bring randy shannon back.
… funny how some forget that it was still Randy’s defense between 2007 and 2010 when he was head coach. His players, too — and the record during that era; 28-23.
Randy’s defense worked great when that entire side of the ball was two-deep with NFL talent.
Just about any system works when that’s the case.
The SAGACIUS, shrewd Sin City college pigskin to U ters have made the Tar Hells a – 3 1/2 point road chalk.
But now the line is N.C. a – 6 1/2 point favorite. Bloody OUCH!!
In other words, HEAVY, HEAVY action went down on the Tar Heels, which obviously MOVED the line sky high.
My bad for being a NEGATIVE Cane Nellie. But with that Cane D-coordinator on the sidelines and his SOFT ARSE PASSIVE-aggresive defensive schemes! The Hurricanes will probably be in for a bery, bery, bery , bery long afternoon!!! Eh. What say. SEE the previous Hurricane past performances on the defensive L.O.S.
Was at game, but it’s over, we lost and it sucked. I just want to thank Harry and everyone at AllCanes for a great time on Friday night. My wife and I had a blast!!!
Semper Canes!!!
I was there in Chicago with thousands of my fellow ‘Canes fans. UM fans showed up strong. It was great. Well, what if? If Dorsett catches 1 of the 2 TD passes. If the refs make the correct call of getting blocked into the kicker giving UM the ball. You could feel the tempo change in the stands much less on the field. Even the ND fans acknowledged this. This season can still be salvaged. UNC scores like crazy but their D is not good. Another poster got it right when this could be another NCSt. game. Go ‘Canes.
Don`t be surprised if we start losing commits.especially on defense.Who would want to come here and be a part of this garbage defense.D`Onofrio is over his head at this level.we need bigger middle line backers.Tyriq McCord and Ricardo Williams could make the switch over the summer.they have the size and speed .Perryman and Johnson on the outside.damit try something changing persons but running the same schemes is not working.no wonder some of the old canes are going off.this is really painful for them more than a fan could know.Golden,Who I think is a great head coach,has to make a hard and maybe painful decision.But that`s part of being the head guy.
I think Miami loses commits if the sanctions are brutal, but not over what fans are up in arms about. Players and coaches see this thing much differently. Look how much talent Al brought in after 6-6 and a year of Shapirogate. Didn’t lose Duke or Deon and added Tracy late. Kids can see that Al is a special guy and something is brewing here.
You’re spot on with this entire article. Something’s gotta give. There really are no excuses. Specifically the drive towards the end of the game where Notre Dame didn’t pass the ball even once, and yet there we are still rushing the QB. Why? We have people getting to the ball carrier, but never early. We seem to be out of position more than anything else. We can’t make excuses anymore. This is 6 games into the second season here. Yeah we lost a lot of people on both sides of the ball, but we’ve also seen people on O that are willing to step up (albeit not consistently). We need those players to step up on D, too. There’s no reason to even be in the 70’s at this point, let alone the 100’s. Let’s just hope that someone steps up to stop the bleeding, because it’s getting pretty ridiculous.
Ga Tech fired their defensive coordinator Al Groh yesterday…oh how I am so jealous.Nothing would make me happier than to see D’nof’s name mentioned as the next D-co to be removed. Here’s to hoping that christmas comes early
I Cant agree more.
Golden stated that the Rally Cry would be “Next Man Up”. That goes across the board. If the defense isn’t getting it done then you have to move to the next person.
I would also add to this point. How can a ENTITLED, UNCONDITIONED defense have a better showing than a UTOUGH defense….Coach D, do us all a favor and quit.
I don’t even have the words do describe what I witnessed against ND. That was one of the worst beat downs I can remember. We can’t even keep games respectable outside of the ACC. For the first time in about the 25 Years that i have been a fan, I stopped watching the Game; I turned off the TV in the 3Rd Qrt embarrassed to be a fan. This organization has a LONG way to go to compete with top 25 teams. Still a fan but that game turned on a light for me, at the end of the day it’s just a football game. Canes you have turned this super fan into an average fan, embarrassed to even wear my U Jerseys and T-Shirts out in town. I hope this bunch of young Canes get better and wish them the best.
Actually feel the opposite. That was one of the stranger 41-3 games I’ve ever witnessed. Miami’s offense just didn’t execute. Canes looked like they were going to move the ball early. Left points on field first drive. Held Irish to three-and-out and then nailed with roughing the kicker. A few play later, gave up a personal foul to aid the drive. The one Morris touchdown called back on a hold.
13-3 at the half, Miami was in it — which isn’t the case when you’re talking about “one of the worst beat downs” in program’s history.
Offense needed to gain some momentum and to score some points, and just didn’t do it. The thing snowballed, as games tend to do.
Miami had no turnovers and didn’t have a ton of stupid penalties on offense. They just weren’t turning converting where they needed to.
Faceplanted on the main stage. A shame it went out like that, but it did. Some great comebacks this year. Miami simply isn’t prime time ready, but had another learning experience. Pick up the pieces and move on as North Carolina coming in hungry this Saturday.
im sick and these fools gettting on here and saying that DA U doesn’t have talent. That is a comment that lets me know you don’t understand football.
If you look a the facial expression of the corners and safety after they have to chase down running backs. Its a look of “WTF”. The whole defense is reacting instead of making defensions. I don’t care how good you are, if you waiting on an offensive player to make a move first then you have already lost the battle. Corners playing ten yards off the line invites the offense to run screens and rb pitches to the sideline where one decent block by the wr will set up a big run. with all this said, the best question you can ask yourself…
DOES COACH D FEAR THE TIE!!!!!!!
We,ll beat NC. They are so high about the win over the mountain saturday that they probably forget to show.
We,ll be OK. But we gotta stay in the game and not give up. The dropped passes reminded me of the recent past. Drop a couple passes and everyone gives up.
Hell, they would have been interceptions 3-4 years ago.
Should we pick up Al. He,s takng yhe rap for bad head-coaching, like the larry coker fires
I just love how when a game goes horrendously bad, Al Golden is there to take the brunt of it, never blaming players. “That’s on me, that’s on us, we’ll get it/we’ve got to get it fixed”.
D’Onofrio on the other hand? STEADILY talking about how players flat out blew assignments or did this or did that, to the media. Never EVER considering it might just be his ignorant ass and his inability to adjust to simple things like, oh, one run play over and over and over and over and over till the team in front of them scored to initiate the second half ASS whipping that put the game away.
Take some goddamn responsibility. I don’t care if you “live it”. You’ve already established to us that the only thing that matters is whether or not your family likes you. Here’s to hoping Al realizes that the defensive side of the ball is going nowhere sooner than later. If youth is an excuse now, just wait till the NCAA hits us and players flee or don’t commit and we’re permanently young for several years.
Tough call. Could be some whole good cop / bad cop type of vibe. After seeing Golden’s pressure this week, I get that his whole as CEO and head coach is to take all the blame — and I’d bet that he tells his assistants to just keep their heads down and to keep working at it, while he assumes blame.
D’Onofrio and his side of the ball having their issues, but I honestly think the lack of “owning up” has everything to do with CEO Golden. He made that very clear at the presser and after every loss. He said it all starts and stops with the head coach and that seems to be something he lives out.
It’s no wonder Shannon didn’t really let his minions do any talking while they were here..
I can’t stand a majority of the crap that comes out of Ohnofrio’s mouth. For a staff to preach no excuses he seems to be chock full of them. Just him, though. I love Golden. But his buddy could break him. We’ve done a total 180 and we actually have DB’s this year, rather than a 5th year Wake transfer who couldn’t get ANY PT and a runningback converted to DB taking snaps.. Hell, Maryland hired a DC in January and they’re 7th nationally in total yards, 7th against the run, 15th against the pass.. Maryland THAT much more stacked than us on defense?