In front of what looked like a few dozen fans at Sun Life Stadium, Miami downed Cincinnati in a shootout by the score of 55-34. It was an entertaining game for what it was: a match-up of a mediocre team( with a lot of talent) against a depleted team with a really bad defense. And oh yeah, there was a banner that flew over the stadium, too(more on that later)....
- If there's anything that keeps you watching the Hurricanes this year it has to be the development of Brad Kaaya and the continued rise up the record book of Duke Johnson. Kaaya, had another very solid, efficient day versus the Bearcats. He went 17 for 24 for 286 yards and three touchdowns. But more than the numbers its the type of throws he makes that leaves in indelible impression. He can gun it, he can drop it down the chute and he throws a very catch-able ball. He is a virtual shoe-in for freshman All-American and will shatter-- if he hasn't already -- just about every freshman passing mark at UM.
Part of the maturation process now will be going on the road, in prime time, and leading the Canes to victory. He gets that chance in about a week-and-a-half in Blacksburg against VaTech.
- 8-Ball is still very much alive and well. And contrary to popular belief, he is still a home run threat as he showed on UM's opening touchdown where he burst 80 yards, weaving through some traffic early on and then stretched his legs. Its amazing to see the names he's passing up on the all-time yardage list in the Miami record book based on the fact he missed about half of the season in 2013. I still think his best football is ahead of Duke, I see a lot of Marshall Faulk in him. A guy who's not the biggest running back but has the ability to make people miss, has a high football IQ and an incredible all-around skill set.
But it's funny, he had 162 yards on just 10 carries( for a nice gaudy average of over 16 yards a carry) and once again, I was a bit mystified that for long stretches that Duke was being ignored offensively. As far as I'm concerned, 8 needs to get the ball in some form or fashion at least one out of every three offensive plays, at the very least. For as good as Kaaya has been, Johnson is still our best player. This is his last season most likely at Miami, no need to put him on lay-away.
- If there's two guys on offense that have made themselves some money for the next level on offense it's Clive Walford and Phillip Dorsett. Walford has become a great security blanket for Kaaya and incredibly reliable. Dorsett, is averaging an incredible 34 yards per catch his senior campaign. He is as explosive a WR as there is in the country.
- Defensively, not sure what to say. The one thing they have shown is that against bad opposition, they are good enough not to get UM beat. And Cincy came in without their primary running back and a banged up Gunner Kiel. But this much is clear, outside of a few coverage sacks, Miami simply doesn't have a consistent pass rush, regardless. And Im sure it drove many of you nuts to see 3-man rushes on 3rd and longs, seeing Kiel get more than enough time to scan the field and find open receivers.
- I know he got flagged a few times but I actually like the way Artie Burns played. I thought he was aggressive and was actually breaking on passes and playing the ball. I'll take an occasional penalty over the passive manner in which most our defensive backs play for the most part nowadays.
- As for our safety play? Yeah, the less said the better. I thought there would be a significant upgrade in this department and quite frankly, that hasn't occurred. Where have you gone James Lewis? Or even Terris Harris?( That's for your Big Poopa!!! Ya' know what I'm saying, word!!! Ebonics babeee!!!)
- Special teams, nothing great happened in this game but for the first time there wasn't a significant bust, either. I guess that can be counted as progress.
- Now, onto the banner. There is a lot of debate on it, personally, I think it important in one regard: it lets the higher ups and Al Golden know that there is major discontent among the fan-base( as if the attendance for home games this season hasn't been a sign). College football is a business and right now, business is bad at Miami. The panoramic shots of a near-empty Sun Life have become a weekly punchline on Twitter during the fall. I'm pretty sure this has not gone unnoticed by the athletic department and the banner just probably hammers this home even more. Miami, is the ultimate un-college town. In other words, unless you win big( and by big, meaning you're in the national title race) you aren't going to consistently draw well. This isn't Lincoln or Happy Valley.
But the question is, will it actually spur change?
- If there's anything that keeps you watching the Hurricanes this year it has to be the development of Brad Kaaya and the continued rise up the record book of Duke Johnson. Kaaya, had another very solid, efficient day versus the Bearcats. He went 17 for 24 for 286 yards and three touchdowns. But more than the numbers its the type of throws he makes that leaves in indelible impression. He can gun it, he can drop it down the chute and he throws a very catch-able ball. He is a virtual shoe-in for freshman All-American and will shatter-- if he hasn't already -- just about every freshman passing mark at UM.
Part of the maturation process now will be going on the road, in prime time, and leading the Canes to victory. He gets that chance in about a week-and-a-half in Blacksburg against VaTech.
- 8-Ball is still very much alive and well. And contrary to popular belief, he is still a home run threat as he showed on UM's opening touchdown where he burst 80 yards, weaving through some traffic early on and then stretched his legs. Its amazing to see the names he's passing up on the all-time yardage list in the Miami record book based on the fact he missed about half of the season in 2013. I still think his best football is ahead of Duke, I see a lot of Marshall Faulk in him. A guy who's not the biggest running back but has the ability to make people miss, has a high football IQ and an incredible all-around skill set.
But it's funny, he had 162 yards on just 10 carries( for a nice gaudy average of over 16 yards a carry) and once again, I was a bit mystified that for long stretches that Duke was being ignored offensively. As far as I'm concerned, 8 needs to get the ball in some form or fashion at least one out of every three offensive plays, at the very least. For as good as Kaaya has been, Johnson is still our best player. This is his last season most likely at Miami, no need to put him on lay-away.
- If there's two guys on offense that have made themselves some money for the next level on offense it's Clive Walford and Phillip Dorsett. Walford has become a great security blanket for Kaaya and incredibly reliable. Dorsett, is averaging an incredible 34 yards per catch his senior campaign. He is as explosive a WR as there is in the country.
- Defensively, not sure what to say. The one thing they have shown is that against bad opposition, they are good enough not to get UM beat. And Cincy came in without their primary running back and a banged up Gunner Kiel. But this much is clear, outside of a few coverage sacks, Miami simply doesn't have a consistent pass rush, regardless. And Im sure it drove many of you nuts to see 3-man rushes on 3rd and longs, seeing Kiel get more than enough time to scan the field and find open receivers.
- I know he got flagged a few times but I actually like the way Artie Burns played. I thought he was aggressive and was actually breaking on passes and playing the ball. I'll take an occasional penalty over the passive manner in which most our defensive backs play for the most part nowadays.
- As for our safety play? Yeah, the less said the better. I thought there would be a significant upgrade in this department and quite frankly, that hasn't occurred. Where have you gone James Lewis? Or even Terris Harris?( That's for your Big Poopa!!! Ya' know what I'm saying, word!!! Ebonics babeee!!!)
- Special teams, nothing great happened in this game but for the first time there wasn't a significant bust, either. I guess that can be counted as progress.
- Now, onto the banner. There is a lot of debate on it, personally, I think it important in one regard: it lets the higher ups and Al Golden know that there is major discontent among the fan-base( as if the attendance for home games this season hasn't been a sign). College football is a business and right now, business is bad at Miami. The panoramic shots of a near-empty Sun Life have become a weekly punchline on Twitter during the fall. I'm pretty sure this has not gone unnoticed by the athletic department and the banner just probably hammers this home even more. Miami, is the ultimate un-college town. In other words, unless you win big( and by big, meaning you're in the national title race) you aren't going to consistently draw well. This isn't Lincoln or Happy Valley.
But the question is, will it actually spur change?
