41-23 : U got Wrecked…

After a 3-0 first quarter, Georgia Tech made it 10-0 after a Michael Johnson 26-yard interception return for score. It was the 6’7″ senior defensive end’s first career pick as he housed an errant Robert Marve pass on 3rd and 3.

Marve was an ineffective 10-of-20 on the night for 121 yards, 1 touchdown and the interception. Jacory Harris fared a little better, going 13-0f-18 for 162 yards, two scores and a pick even more detrimental than Marve’s.

Up 10-0 early in the second, Harris replaced Marve at the Georgia Tech 33-yard line after Miami recovered an onside kick attempt. After two straight runs by Javarris James for 12 yards, Harris forced his first pass of the night into the arms of Rashaad Reid, at the Tech nine.

The turnover cost Miami a scoring opp, but Tech would punt five plays later. On the ensuing drive, the Canes dinked and dunked their way down the field and the offense continued playing confused. Matt Bosher drilled the 24-yard field goal after Miami failed to convert a 3rd and Goal from the seven-yard line.

10-3 was as close as Miami could keep it. After a 26-yard kick return, Tech rumbled for a 58-yard score on their next play from scrimmage. Any bit of prosperity for the Canes was instantly met with utter disaster.

After a five-game run, Miami’s streak came to a crashing halt. An ACC title game isn’t mathematically out of reach, but tonight the Canes showed they’re not ready for prime time. A recent run with wins over Wake Forest, Virginia and Virginia Tech gave Hurricane Nation hope, but it was false.

As thrilling as the last five wins were, they were ugly and barely effective more than they were thrilling and dominating. A few lucky bounces saved the Canes against the Hokies. Two missed field goals, a 95-yard drive, a stripped ball, missed field goal, touchdown and another strip were needed for Miami to steal one at Virginia. Against Wake, a few clutch catches down the stretch helped the Canes stave off the Deacs, 16-10.

The few time Miami has lit up the scoreboard this season, the defense still gave up points – 23 to Texas A&M, 41 to Florida State and 31 at Duke.

Bill Young failed to get it done tonight. If he had a game play to stop the triple option, calling it ineffective is a gross understatement. Had Miami defenders followed their assignments and wrapped up, they’d have made their coordinator look smarter. Instead, an outing where the Canes looked like they’d never even seen film of Johnson’s quirky offense.

A few times this season I said this young team would pull out some miracle wins, playing beyond their years – but that there would also be some head-scratching moments and some backsliding. Tonight proved the latter.

Five straight wins, a 7-3 record and being ranked for the first time in two years can cover up glaring problems. It’s hard to be critical of this team when they’re finding a way and are getting the job done, but the minute they hit that buzzsaw and play a game like tonight, it’s fair game to question what happened. Peel it back a few layers and address why eleven games into the season there are still so many issues.

Patrick Nix has been criticized all year for Miami not having any identity on offense. He’s gotten a partial pass being this is a young squad with two first-year quarterbacks, but at this point of the season the offense should be further along. There’s no excuse for the conservative nature and lack of ingenuity. The Canes are running a Tecmo Bowl-like offense, choosing from a grab bag of plays. Bubble screen. Short passes behind the yardage marker on third down. Runs up the middle. Designed scampers with the quarterback.

Nix’s offense has looked solid on opening drives or down the stretch when he takes the training wheels off and Miami plays from behind, looking to score. We saw it against North Carolina, Florida State and Virginia. New, successful plays coming out late that would’ve been beneficial in the middle quarters.

Miami’s O again looks basic. The running game is non-existent and the passing game lacks any real rhyme or reason. A speed back like Graig Cooper again in the game for short-yard, third down or goal line situations. James in the game as a blocker, instead of as the bruising back he should be. The supposed ‘thunder and lightning’ duo carried 17 times for a total of 74 yards and no touchdowns.

Lining up in the shotgun on 4th and a foot and throwing incomplete, instead of a well-designed play where it’s not feast or famine regarding picking up a first down. Another outing where a 3 of 13 performance was the result as far as third down conversions were concerned.

I saw a stat today that Miami has run over 500 plays this season and only one has gone longer than 50 yards. With all that team speed? C’mon now.

At quarterback, some weeks there looks to be growth and a game later both Marve and Harris are playing like the freshman they are. That shouldn’t be the case eleven games into their careers. What is Nix doing to develop this talented duo, molding them into the superstars of tomorrow?

Down the stretch, I initially felt 4-0 was a dream, 3-1 was good, 2-2 would be acceptable and 1-3 disastrous. With NC State left on the docket, Miami has a legit shot at 3-1 and an 8-4 regular season. Siting at 2-3, that sounds stellar – but at 7-3 with two to play, greed kicks in and you want it all.

Georgia Tech was the better team tonight, with ‘team’ being the operative word. Miami’s D is as solid as its weakest link and tonight that was a pair of upperclassmen linebackers out of position and not playing fundamental football.

Romeo Davis and Glenn Cook helped kill the Canes tonight. Two seniors who have battled injuries and have had up and down careers, both looked mortal tonight. Out of place. Not wrapping up. Davis and Cook looked more like holdovers from the Coker era instead of the overachievers they’ve been in weeks past.

It’s the epitome of this season. When playing to their potential and getting a handful of breaks, Miami is a few points better than your average ACC team. Catch the Canes off their game or in a funk and they’ll get steamrolled by a good team with an effective, gimmicky offense.

You can shake your fist and remain disgusted with tonight’s outcome, or you can take it in stride. This team has already done more than most thought they would in 2008. Freshman were playing beyond their years, upperclassmen stepped up their game on a few occasions and the Canes stole a few wins that could’ve gone either way. Be thankful for that instead of lamenting this most recent beat down.

Miami has one regular season game left and needs to wrap up 8-4, which sounds so much better than 7-5. Get that win, hope for some good ACC fortune and worst case, prepare for a bowl game – something that was no gimmie last year. Up next, more recruiting, more rebuilding and a better 2009.

It’s not the outcome this fan base wanted, punch drunk from the past five weeks… but if you’re honest with yourselves, you know this overall team isn’t as good as its record and willed themselves to a few wins that could’ve just as easily have been losses. My logical side knew that and was scared of this game all year, though the emotion of the longest win streak since 2005 let me get ahead of myself.

At year’s end, it then time for Shannon to reevaluate year two. Is he happy with the job he’s doing? Is Nix the problem with this offense, or is it the youth itself? What about a 4-6 Jacksonville team that could wind up canning it’s entire staff at season’s end? Does that give Shannon another shot to lure his original first choice offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter down to Coral Gables?

As we know, rebuilding is no joke. An established, loaded, veteran Miami team doesn’t get bowled over by the triple option. No way, no how. That said, these Canes aren’t seasons vets. They’re a mismatch of talented, yet inexperience newbies as well as some over the hill upperclassmen who never reached their overall potential.

Nine days until the final road trip of the season. Miami needs to lick its collective wounds, put this brutal loss in the rearview and concentrate on getting one last win. No more ‘revenge’ talk or reasons to hype themselves up. The Canes simply need a win. Forget drawing motivation from last year’s 19-16 OT loss. This is 2008 and this season needs to end with a bang, not a whimper.

Regroup, get it together, land the “W” and see where things go from there.