Just eight days ago, Miami was considered one of the surprising teams in the country. Undefeated and rising up the rankings. Now, they are a slumping squad on a two-game losing skid. Where did it all go wrong?
Miami dropped their fifth consecutive game to North Carolina, 41-31, in a game that wasn't really as close as the final score indicated. This is now a deflated team.
Yeah, some will say it began with the ill-advised decision to not kneel on the ball late in last weeks game versus Georgia Tech. But that's seems like a convenient alibi.
Because the truth is that the Hurricanes actually played hard in the first half in Chapel Hill, as they went into halftime with a 17-14 lead. This despite a Henry Parrish fumble on the edge of the goal line, and a few of the usual bonehead penalties that Miami always seems to be goaded into.
The victory over Texas A&M, the 4-0 start, the top 25 ranking seems so long ago. I miss September, it was so fun and hopeful.
Believe it or not, this actually felt worse than the loss to the Yellow Jackets.
If Miami could have somehow come out with a win over the Tar Heels, just about everything was still there for the Hurricanes in terms of the ACC. Now, they are in a tailspin, with a realization that there are still years away under the guidance of Mario Cristobal. Now you worry as Clemson awaits this team, if a tailspin is on the way. Or maybe it's already begun?
Is this just part of the rebuilding process? (Which reminds me of that old line that said a certain moribund franchise was in the 15th year of a five-year rebuilding process.) Or, and I hate to say this -- is the program cursed, and doomed for mediocrity?
Being a cynical optimist, who lived through the Butch Davis rebuild (any one else remember the losses to East Carolina, and the 1997 campaign?), I refuse to believe that. But at a certain point you feel the frustration of nearly two decades of mediocre-to-below-average football.
What's really infuriating is what lead to this loss. Some examples:
- As angry as we all were over Henry Parrish's fumble at the UNC goal line, down 7-0, that's a physical error. Those will happen. Parrish is a guy that always gives great effort, and a solid producer. These things will happen, inevitably. But what's inexcusable are the penalties like the one Keontra Smith got after a drive ending sack from Kam Kinchens.
This is perhaps my biggest issue with the current 'Canes -- they try and act like the 80's team, without the actual talent and results, but without the realization that the ACC officials will police them very closely. Yes, football is a game of emotion and passion, but too many times I see Miami players flirting with danger as they get into opponents faces.
There is a real lack of situational awareness, here. What I've noticed is that they will allow you to celebrate with your teammates, but not taunt your foes. So yeah, go ahead and do a 'Soul Train Line' or 'the Running Man' with your guys, but if you jaw with the opponents, you might get flagged.
The fact our players don't understand that, and that our staff wont discipline them, is maddening.
- Miami was down three scores with under 10 minutes to go, and yet, they were still huddling, running the clock down. Look, I'm not Gary Stevens or Rhett Lashlee, but shouldn't they have been in more up-tempo, and just airing the ball out? Just my view, the time to establish the run had long passed.
- It was a tale of two halves for the Hurricanes defense. First half they rattled the highly touted Drake Maye, hitting and sacking him numerous times. They got home, and Rueben Bain showed why everyone loves his future(and present). But in the second half as they gave up 21 consecutive points, they surrended two touchdowns on 3rd and very longs, that were back breaking plays.
Also they got gashed up the middle in the run game by Omarion Hampton (who ran for 197 yards), and then didn't guard the flats, at all in the third and fourth quarters. Prior to this game, this unit had been stout in plugging the run but they had some real issues in the run fits.
- On a key fourth down situation late in the first half, Lance Guidry, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, that gave North Carolina a free first down. Again, the lack of discipline isn't just about the players.
- On the bright side, Brashard Smith and Isaiah Horton may have earned more snaps outside, as they made some plays in the throw game.
So yeah, Miami is now 4-2, and you wonder just how the rest of this season will play out. Coach Cristobal is fond of saying that, ''there are no big things, there are no small things -- a thing is a thing. It all matters."
Tonight, it all mattered.
Miami dropped their fifth consecutive game to North Carolina, 41-31, in a game that wasn't really as close as the final score indicated. This is now a deflated team.
Yeah, some will say it began with the ill-advised decision to not kneel on the ball late in last weeks game versus Georgia Tech. But that's seems like a convenient alibi.
Because the truth is that the Hurricanes actually played hard in the first half in Chapel Hill, as they went into halftime with a 17-14 lead. This despite a Henry Parrish fumble on the edge of the goal line, and a few of the usual bonehead penalties that Miami always seems to be goaded into.
The victory over Texas A&M, the 4-0 start, the top 25 ranking seems so long ago. I miss September, it was so fun and hopeful.
Believe it or not, this actually felt worse than the loss to the Yellow Jackets.
If Miami could have somehow come out with a win over the Tar Heels, just about everything was still there for the Hurricanes in terms of the ACC. Now, they are in a tailspin, with a realization that there are still years away under the guidance of Mario Cristobal. Now you worry as Clemson awaits this team, if a tailspin is on the way. Or maybe it's already begun?
Is this just part of the rebuilding process? (Which reminds me of that old line that said a certain moribund franchise was in the 15th year of a five-year rebuilding process.) Or, and I hate to say this -- is the program cursed, and doomed for mediocrity?
Being a cynical optimist, who lived through the Butch Davis rebuild (any one else remember the losses to East Carolina, and the 1997 campaign?), I refuse to believe that. But at a certain point you feel the frustration of nearly two decades of mediocre-to-below-average football.
What's really infuriating is what lead to this loss. Some examples:
- As angry as we all were over Henry Parrish's fumble at the UNC goal line, down 7-0, that's a physical error. Those will happen. Parrish is a guy that always gives great effort, and a solid producer. These things will happen, inevitably. But what's inexcusable are the penalties like the one Keontra Smith got after a drive ending sack from Kam Kinchens.
This is perhaps my biggest issue with the current 'Canes -- they try and act like the 80's team, without the actual talent and results, but without the realization that the ACC officials will police them very closely. Yes, football is a game of emotion and passion, but too many times I see Miami players flirting with danger as they get into opponents faces.
There is a real lack of situational awareness, here. What I've noticed is that they will allow you to celebrate with your teammates, but not taunt your foes. So yeah, go ahead and do a 'Soul Train Line' or 'the Running Man' with your guys, but if you jaw with the opponents, you might get flagged.
The fact our players don't understand that, and that our staff wont discipline them, is maddening.
- Miami was down three scores with under 10 minutes to go, and yet, they were still huddling, running the clock down. Look, I'm not Gary Stevens or Rhett Lashlee, but shouldn't they have been in more up-tempo, and just airing the ball out? Just my view, the time to establish the run had long passed.
- It was a tale of two halves for the Hurricanes defense. First half they rattled the highly touted Drake Maye, hitting and sacking him numerous times. They got home, and Rueben Bain showed why everyone loves his future(and present). But in the second half as they gave up 21 consecutive points, they surrended two touchdowns on 3rd and very longs, that were back breaking plays.
Also they got gashed up the middle in the run game by Omarion Hampton (who ran for 197 yards), and then didn't guard the flats, at all in the third and fourth quarters. Prior to this game, this unit had been stout in plugging the run but they had some real issues in the run fits.
- On a key fourth down situation late in the first half, Lance Guidry, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, that gave North Carolina a free first down. Again, the lack of discipline isn't just about the players.
- On the bright side, Brashard Smith and Isaiah Horton may have earned more snaps outside, as they made some plays in the throw game.
So yeah, Miami is now 4-2, and you wonder just how the rest of this season will play out. Coach Cristobal is fond of saying that, ''there are no big things, there are no small things -- a thing is a thing. It all matters."
Tonight, it all mattered.
