Game Four : Miami 30, Clemson 21

You hated toit a do-or-die, must-win game this early in the season, but Miami and Clemson was a big one for a slew of reasons. Another huge road challenge at a rowdy venue. A team – and quarterback – that got the better of the Canes last season. The first conference game of the year as well as a measuring stick regarding where this squad is headed as the Tigers are a formidable ACC foe.

A world of difference between No. 13 and 3-1 than 2-2 and unranked with Florida State on deck. Momentum is everything for a team on the rise and this Miami machine can keep on chugging after this big time road win. It may have been an imperfect victory as there were still some glaring flaws, but coming out of Death Valley on the right side of a 31-20 victory is something that simply can’t be taken for granted. Not after all this program has been through as of late.

Some will choose to harp on the interceptions (two) and penalties (12 for 105 yards) and while both must be cleaned up moving forward, this truly was a ‘turning point’ game that should finally have this fan base excited again.

Whenever I hear from the harshest critics (usually our own fans), I suggest everyone to pop in some game film from early 2007, when Oklahoma took Miami to the woodshed in Norman. Check out the talent and depth – or lack thereof. The undisciplined play. The coaching woes, both with then-first timer Randy Shannon as well as assistants (Tim Walton was running the defense and Patrick Nix the offense).

Watch the ups and downs of that 5-7 season and then rewatch this most recent win at Clemson. Miami may still be its own worst enemy, but based on things have been these past few years, that’s a welcomed and correctable issue.

Fans need to step back and take a deep breath, remembering we’re only 25% of the way through the season. This team is yet to hit on all cylinders, yet got through a rough stretch with a 3-1 record. A win over arch-rival Florida State would have the Canes at 4-1 and based on how the rest of the weekend plays out, could have UM back in the top ten right when the schedule finally eases up. (@Duke, North Carolina, @Virginia and Maryland are the next four.)

As long as this team and coaching staff continues working tirelessly, improvement will come – just as it has each of the past few seasons.

Miami’s defense is finally swarming again. Making big plays and bouncing around after doing so. That side of the ball has become a difference-maker, instead of a liability. Six forced turnovers against Clemson set the tone and made up for a few offensive blunders, penalties and blown calls by the officials.

A year ago Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker set the tone, leading his squad to an overtime victory behind 326 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception. This time around, a paltry 149 yards, three interceptions and just another guy under center.

Outside of the three picks, Miami forced three fumbles – two by running back Andre Ellington and one by Parker. Even more impressive, how Hurricane defenders laid the lumber, found their way to the football and flat out took it from the other guys at times. Cliche as it sounds, it seemed UM truly wanted this one more. At least defensively where everybody seemed to be making plays.

Offensively, the Canes still seemed out of rhythm and change can’t come soon enough. Harris’ turnovers were dwarfed by four clutch touchdowns, but that won’t be the case every week. Mark Whipple needs to earn his check as quarterbacks coach, making sure his star guy continues breaking down film and learning from his mistakes as the day will come when Harris’ arm will need to return the favor, bailing a struggling defense out.

To Whipple’s credit, he stuck with the ground game early and set the tone, running two different backs behind an unbalanced line. A dose of Damien Berry out the gate, with two quick runs on Miami’s first possession, though an incomplete pass to Berry on 3rd and 2 forced the Canes to punt. The defense forced a quick three-and-out and UM’s offense was back on the field within minutes.

Whipple remained run-happy the ensuing possession, going with Berry three straight times (for 33, 4 and 12 yards) and from there, three straight with Lamar Miller for 11, 9 and 4 yards – the third a would-be touchdown, but called back for holding.

A play later Harris was sacked and when facing an unexpected 3rd and 14, he hit Leonard Hankerson for his first of three touchdowns on the day; this time a wide open 22-yard strike.

The Canes’ offense line played tough in the trenches while manchild freshman Seantrel Henderson showed what he’ll do down the road at left tackle, while getting broken in at right tackle this past weekend.

Miami’s ground game is proving what a force it can be and hopefully it’s something Whipple sticks with both to take the pressure off Harris, while also wearing down opponents. The lone knock at this point would be the lack of rhythm, where at times it seems like Whipple is attempting to pacify or silence critics by ‘forcing’ the run.

Run, run and a short pass to the same running back on the first possession, followed by six straight runs with two different backs a possession later. Even the simple-minded armchair quarterback understands that the art of this complex game is to keep the opposite coordinators on their toes.

Mix it up. Keep the other guy off balance and guessing. Set up the pass with consistency on the ground. Especially when you have upwards of five capable backs who can provide fresh legs, with the ability to tear off a long run at any given moment.

Whipple proved he could do that, at times absolutely catching Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele off guard.

At 14-14 it could’ve been game-changing had the Miami defense not stepped up on the ensuing possession. Faced with a 3rd and 7 from the Clemson 19, Parker’s pass was batted by Allen Bailey and reeled in by Marcus Forston. A solid, albeit rare play that you won’t see from two defensive linemen every given week.

A play later, Whipple pulled a solid one out of his bag of tricks, faking the end around, running a wheel route, forcing the defense to bite and letting Harris hitting wide open running back Mike James for the score.

With the game still tied and Miami on the Clemson 19-yard line with both James and Berry in the backfield, logic said a running play was on deck. When James broke for the right side of the end zone, three defenders were in pursuit, though none were within five yards when he hauled in the pass.

Whipple obviously gets “it” and has a brilliant offensive mind. The key moving forward is simplicity. Don’t over-think or outsmart oneself. Keep it basic and lean on a reliable and sturdy ground game, while pulling out the pass when a defense has bent all day and is ready to break.

Thus far we haven’t seen a complete game out of this offense. A slow start at both Ohio State and Pittsburgh, followed by a lack of production in the second half at Clemson. Inconsistency and outscored 7-3, it still thankfully proved to be enough as Miami got the drive it needed late in the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to nine after a 29-yard Matt Bosher field goal.

That final scoring drive began on the Miami 20-yard line, shaved 5:40 off the clock and went 69 yards in ten plays – the back-breaker being a 17-yard scramble from Harris on 1st and 20 after a holding penalty on Orlando Frankin.

From that point on, Whipple called six straight runs, relying on the fresh legs of James. Clemson knew Miami’s agenda and still couldn’t stop it – a testament to the play of the offensive line, vision of the backs and discipline of a pass-happy coordinator who stuck with the much-needed ground game.

The biggest thing to take from this past weekend? Solace in the fact that the Miami Hurricanes will be an utterly dangerous team if and when it finally puts everything together.

The heavy lifting has been done and now it’ll come down to the fine tuning. The talent and depth have returned and guys are both healthy and stepping up. Everything currently plaguing this team – interceptions and penalties – they’re all fixable, be it through more discipline on the field as well as this coaching staff staying on top of guys.

Next up, another annual showdown with Florida State – this time in Miami and under the prime time lights. ABC is carrying this one and while it’s no longer the ‘game of the decade’ it is arguably the ‘game of the week’ as two ranked, one-loss teams are looking to make a statement.

What they say remains to be seen. Tune in Saturday night to find out if the Canes take another giant step towards an ACC title game and a successful season.

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