Last September the Miami Hurricanes pulled away from Florida Atlantic late; scoring 24 unanswered points, breaking a late third quarter tie in an eventual 44-20 rolling of the Owls. A year later, a completely different output and result for the Canes, who clamped down defensive, while relying on the running game in a lopsided, 38-10 win against their crosstown rivals.
Mark Walton posted a career-high 155 yards on 17 carries and found the end zone four times, while Joe Yearby added 121 yards on 20 rushing attempts—the duo picking up where the left off in last week’s blowout win over Florida A&M.
Defensively the Canes smothered the Owls, holding them to 47 yards on the ground and 167 yards passing. Miami also rose to the occasion on third down, keeping Florida Atlantic to 4-of-20 on the afternoon.
Greg Howell tore off a 38-yard score with 3:50 remaining in the third quarter, helping the Owls pull to within 14, but Walton padded the Canes’ lead with 11:44 remaining by way of a 30-yard touchdown run.
NEED MORE OUT OF NO. 15 AS COMPETITION-LEVEL RISES
While the end result moved Miami to 2-o on the season, a sub-par outing from Brad Kaaya has resulted in a split fan base. While some are hitting the panic button and citing a lack of clutch play in big moments to knock the junior quarterback’s overall body of work, others are chalking it up to a rare rough outing where the Canes’ most valuable offensive player simply didn’t have “it”.
Kaaya opened the season with an effective 12-of-18, 135-yard, four touchdown performance against FAMU in less than three quarters of play. A week later, 17-of-31 for 191 yards with two interceptions and no scores.
Kaaya seemed out of sync and sorts all day, forcing the Canes’ offense to rely on a pair of experienced backs to control the clock, move the chains and to ultimately put the game out of reach.
A 46-yard hook-up with tight end David Njoku gave the impression Miami’s aerial attack would be on-point; the Canes facing a 2nd-and-26 on the opening drive after a personal foul.
Back-to-back short runs with Yearby set up a 3rd-and-Goal from the six-yard line, but Kaaya was unable to convert, leaving Miami to settle for three. After the Canes’ defense forced a three-and-out, Kaaya was intercepted on first down of the next possession; starting down receiver Stacy Coley, which Owls’ linebacker Nate Ozdemir read immediately.
Facing a 3rd-and-11 on the ensuing drive, Kaaya again failed to connect with Njoku, setting up a punt. Moments later, a 3rd-and-5 pass to Yearby came up a yard short, forcing the ball to change hands again.
Kaaya-to-Walton came up incomplete on the next possession and the Canes didn’t convert their first third down until a pass to Ahmmon Richards went for 13 yards with 9:09 left in the first half. Walton punched it in from seven yards out a play later, giving Miami the, 7-0 lead.
Another solid defensive stand was wasted as Kaaya coughed up his second pick—pressured and attempting to launch it deep, but coming up a mile short. The turnover led to an Owls’ field goal and while FAU never threatened despite the passing game setbacks, the upgrade in competition the next few weeks will hopefully serve as motivation to Kaaya that he needs to settle in.
PRESEASON IS OVER; REAL CHALLENGES ON THE HORIZON
Kidd Brewer Stadium may only hold 21,650 bodies—but the game is a sellout and ESPN is already on board for the 12:oo p.m. ET kickoff that is far and away the biggest home game in Appalachian State history.
The Mountaineers took ninth-ranked Tennessee to the wire and fell in overtime weeks back—a would-be upset thwarted by a missed extra point in the second quarter, leading to a 13-3 advantage that was overcome in regulation before the Volunteers survived, 20-13.
ASU regrouped with a dominant 31-7 home win over Old Dominion this weekend and motivation certainly won’t be an issue when UM rolls to town next Saturday.
Passing game question marks aside, Miami certainly deserves credit for its improved defense two games into a new season. Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic certainly aren’t offensive juggernauts, but when comparing the Canes’ and Owls’ last two meetings—the defensive improvement for the home team deserves praise.
Miami surrendered 389 yards in Boca Raton last September—most embarrassing, the 223 yards given up on the ground and almost seven-yards-per-carry average. Cutting that to 47 yards with depth issues, freshmen linebackers and two games into a revamping of the defensive scheme (by way of a brand new coaching staff)—it deserves a tip of the cap and some optimism moving forward.
What it doesn’t deserve; any reading into Sunday’s headline in the Palm Beach Post alluding to signs of a “spectacular” defense this season.
DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT IMMEASURABLE UNTIL ACC PLAY UNDERWAY
The stats geeks will jump all over the fact that the Canes lead the nation in tackles for loss (28) and is tied with Pittsburgh in sacks (10), which is also tops—while tied second nationally in yards-per-play allowed (2.94), 16th in interceptions (3) and 17th in opponent third-down success (8-for-26) and 22.2-percent.
Others will quickly point out that eight quarters against the Rattlers and Owls led to such puffed up numbers, so pump the brakes and let the next few weeks play out—@Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina, @Virginia Tech and @Notre Dame the next five foes after next weekend’s trek to the Tar Heel state.
To Miami’s credit, the defensive improvement has come in the wake of injuries, suspensions and dismissals that were serious setbacks on paper, depth-wise. Overcoming that and and playing sound, fundamental football two games into the Mark Richt era; beyond welcomed after the five-year defensive shit-show under The Wrong Brothers, Al Golden and Mark D’Onofrio.
First year coordinator Manny Diaz quipped to the Post a no-excuses mantra and rhetoric about a raised standard and little chatter about said opponents—though that should understandably change when more potent offenses are being prepped for weekly.
Equally as exciting for the Canes right now; a next-man-in approach yielding positive results. The dismissal of Al-Quadin Muhammad was painful for a defensive line that needed his talent and experience, but Demetrius Jackson has jumped in tallied four sacks in two starts.
Injuries sidelined defensive lineman Courtel Jenkins and Anthony Moten, as well as cornerback Adrian Colbert. No problem as RJ McIntosh has been disrupting inside, with Sheldrick Redwine making some noise in the secondary.
The dismissal of Jermaine Grace was painful, but a trio of freshman linebackers continue playing well beyond their years—Shaq Quarterman, Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud proving that age ain’t nothing but a number.
“It’s not easy, but we prepare,” Pinckney told the Post. “If you know what you’re doing out there, it’s not too complicated.”
Soundbites and player-speak don’t usually mean all that much, but it’s hard to imagine many Canes’ freshman the past few years talking the talk and walking the walk like this first-year linebacker. Miami’s head coach agrees.
“You could talk about those linebackers all day,” said Richt. “How often do you have three true freshmen just show up and start playing good ball for you like that?”
The answer; not all that often—but in this case, it seems best to let the season play out and to judge the trio after some tougher competition comes their way. Still, two games in and with things trending upwards, everyone deserves some credit.
One quirky road showdown before ACC season gets underway against the Yellow Jackets late September. Survive Boone and Atlanta and Miami will be sitting pretty at 4-0 with Florida State coming to town
Everything to date has been solid and the next two weeks manageable before the ultimate measuring stick and perennial game of the year against the Seminoles. Let’s talk defensive stats after that one.
Until then, enjoy the ride and the emotions that come with a maligned program taking the necessary steps to get back on track.