Whatever was discussed, it’s hardly rocket science that UM’s defense has been putrid stopping the run all season. The Canes rank 99th in the nation regarding run defense, having just come off a 265-yard performance by the Wildcats. Miami is giving up an average of just under 200 yards per game in three match ups this year.
Coach Golden and defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio have blamed the issues on guys “freelancing” – which sounds like the same complaint Randy Shannon and staff had the past few years with guys not playing “assignment football”.
“Just do what you’ve been trained to do. Don’t all of a sudden get out there in the game and jump out of your gap or do something different,”said D’Onofrio.
“Any great defense over the course of history has an attitude where guys are not selfish, not concerned with making plays themselves. They’re concerned with being in the gap they’re supposed to be in, doing their job — even if they’re not going to make the tackle. Against a team like Kansas State that was running all kinds of option, you needed it more so than ever.”
Against Ohio State, Miami scored a 90 according to D’Onofrio – a 24-6 win where only six tackles were missed and the Buckeyes never reached the end zone. That said, OSU came in one-dimensional, with no passing game and UM was able to sell out on stopping the run. That wasn’t the case with Kansas State as quarterback Collin Klein hurt Miami with his arm, legs, head and heart.
The Canes can over-think it, the coaches can grade it out and make changes, but whatever the case, something stinks defensively and must be changed.
Yes, Miami is down a few defensive linemen. Curtis Porter, UM’s top backup at the position, is out for the year, while Olivier Vernon is halfway through his six-game suspension. The Canes will also be without Luther Robinson and Jalen Grimble this week, which hurts the overall depth.
In the secondary Ray-Ray Armstrong will miss this weekend’s showdown with Bethune-Cookman – his fourth straight game due to suspension – but will return next week for a road game at Virginia Tech.
Regarding those who are playing, there is a definite motivation question that needs to be answered. True freshman Anthony Chickillo has earned his way into the starting line up while senior Adewale Ojomo has been bumped. Ojomo not only missed the first game of this season (due to suspension), but was out all of 2009 with a broken jaw and was supposed to go next level this year, building on a pretty good junior campaign.
Freshmen beating out seniors gives you hope in the future, but doesn’t make you feel all that good about the present. You want to see this senior class going balls-out with its final shot to win some games and leave a mark. After this weekend a third of this young season is over.
Time to (cliche alert) dig deep and find a way to turn this around. Miami is a few plays from being 3-0, but is instead 1-2. A tough road lies ahead. All winnable games, but not the way Miami has finished in two of three contests thus far.
UM had its first recruiting “casualty” this week when Lake Gibson defensive end Trent Taylor backed out of his verbal commitment and instead pledged to Tennessee.
Taylor blamed potential penalties that loom even though all has been quiet on that front. The only change at ‘The U’ as of late was 0-0 becoming 1-2 in a matter of weeks.
Losing ballgames in 2011 can do as much damage – if not more – than probation and lost scholarships. Coaches and players can’t control what the NCAA does or doesn’t hand down, but UM remains in full control over the next nine games of its schedule.
Get some wins and recruits will stay on board. Lose and potential NCAA sanctions are the perfect scapegoat to bail on a verbal.
When interviewed earlier this week, Streeter was asked why now, after not seeing the field much the past few seasons. “I’d say, not taking anything away from the old staff, but I felt those guys had their guys that they felt confident in,” Streeter said.
And so it goes. More talk about the old coaches playing favorites.
In three games Streeter has ten receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown. In three years combined he had sixteen grabs for 286 yards and a score. Streeter only trails Allen Hurns (12 receptions, 159 yards, two touchdowns) and all wideouts working under receivers coach George McDonald have limited drops (three on the year) and are finally making their presence felt.
Freshmen Philip Dorsett and Reshawn Scott have also made some plays the past few weeks, all of which combined are helping make up for the absence of Leonard Hankerson.
The only area of the passing game not getting it done is tight end. Chase Ford, Asante Cleveland and Clive Walford have combined for six catches for 48 yards thus far. Golden puts it on what the defenses are giving, as well as execution. Are guys running the right route, the right depth and are quarterbacks getting protection and being precise with their passes?
Walford had a touchdown called back against Ohio State, as well as a shot at a game-winning score on the final drive versus Kansas State last weekend, while Ford had a big grab down the stretch that kept Miami’s offense moving.
Regardless, no one has stepped up a la Jimmy Graham a few years back and without more tight end play, Miami’s offense is without a big time weapon. Here’s hoping that an issue soon corrected.
Seantrel Henderson will return from back surgery and is listed as back up right tackle to Jon Feliciano. Brandon Washington will remain starter at left tackle, for now.
Streeter and Byrd as listed as co-back up to Hurns at starting wide receiver while Andrew Smith or Marcus Robinson will be starting defensive end on Saturday.
On the injury front, Jacory Harris was wearing a protective sleeve on his non-turowing shoulder days back while Spence and defensive tackle Micanor Regis sported similar braces. Running back Lamar Miller didn’t wear a yellow no-contact jersey this week and is expected to play against Bethune-Cookman though he was said to be banked up late against Kansas State.
Some have commented on Miller not getting the running reps on the final goal line set of down against the Wildcats, but there should be no conspiracy theory.
Mike James is the “Smash” of the self-dubbed “Smash & Dash” duo and it was James who got those final short-yard carries against Ohio State, punching in the exclamation point against the Buckeyes, so it made complete sense that No. 5 was in the backfield when in need of a few yards late against Kansas State.
Beyond that, the Canes need some love. This attitude of “win first and then we’ll come” is bogus. There are fifty-two weekends a year and Miami football is on the docket for a mere seven of them.
Think back to those dog days of summer or boring winter or spring weekends when the Canes are an afterthought. You’re relegated to watching old games on the DVR or visiting message boards just to get a UM football fix. For four hours this Saturday, despite the opponent, the Canes will run out of the smoke and football will take place.
A reported 43,786 showed up for Kansas State last weekend and when re-watching the replay on TV, it looked like half that.
Empty seats can’t ever be blamed for a loss … but when you’re the home team, don’t ever underestimate the twelfth man effect. There were many third down stands against the Wildcats where the Canes sure as hell could’ve used some hometown support.
Head down to Sun Life, root Miami on to a win and at 2-2 send your Canes on a tough road trip with some love and support from the 305. These kids deserve it.
Show up for Jay and stay tuned for a Rokeach-related write up from The Beast in the next day or so as he has tons to say about the UM legend.
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