Miami football returned after a long hiatus with an unexpected matchup with Duke. Turns out, the Blue Devils are just what Miami needed to return to their dominant ways. How did it look on film? Find out here at Upon Further Review.
After King misses a wide-open Harley on a crossing route, Knighton gets the ball on an outside counter run. Jakai Clark is knocked backwards at the point-of-contact. Scaife can’t get to the second-level block and messes up the timing of the play (Gaynor leads around). Knighton pinballs through, but he was off-balance and fumbles at the end. The Rhett Lashlee running game requires good interior OL play and we haven’t had that lately. Getting Donaldson healthy and having Rivers able to challenge Scaife might be the key to unlocking things in these last few games.
Bradley Jennings comes on a run blitz and beats the LG cleanly into the backfield for a run stuff.
Duke had two OL in the middle trying to get to the second-level and Flagg got off of both of them to tackle the QB who was flushed by Phillips.
Miami saw Duke adjust to horizontal motion the same way Miami has been adjusting to it, by dropping the SS into single-high looks, while the opposite drops down to the side the motion is heading towards. Miami’s offensive adjustment is to motion Brevin across and get the S’s to switch out and then immediately pivot and run the other way at the snap. This gives Brevin a head-start on the S who is now in man against him. It’s an easy little pitch for a nice gain.
On 3rd down, Knighton gets his arms too high and hits the football on a play-fake. It falls to the ground but King is able to recover. (Not pictured)
This is a tough ask for your MLB to turn his numbers and run to a landmark in pass defense. Jennings has to carry this TE seam route to 10-yards if he isn’t running a post, and stay inside of him if he does run a post. CB is playing “sail” technique where he turns sideways like this with eyes on the QB. If Phillips doesn’t make a heck of a play by spinning off this block back inside to tackle the QB, he’s got an easy 10-yards on a scramble here.
Duke got cute on this 3rd-and-long and paid for it. They showed a six-man pressure package but tried to drop both out at the snap. As a QB, when you see the numbers of LB’s that means your guy is open. Here, King waits for Harley to get into that middle-zone behind these LB’s and in front of the safeties, hits him on a crosser for a big pickup.
First time of several instances in this game where Miami went to reading the DT on read-option rather than the edge defender. Clark lets his man go, King reads him going to the RB, finds a huge hole to run through. DT’s are not used to having to read on these plays and will go for the RB the vast majority of times.
It’s no secret that Miami’s ground game hasn’t hit to the level we’d like it to be at. Part of the reason is just too much dancing by our RB’s. This is an easy read for the RB, hit the backside gap and try to break this tackle for a big play. Hit that hole yard and it’s four yards at minimum and maybe you pop it if you break that tackle. Instead, he gives the pitter-patter two-step in the hole and gets tackled right there. I’d like to see a variation of this play where Harris becomes the lead-blocker and King follows him through when the defense gives this look.
Sink your hips, fellas. The guard play always seems to lack power, well, if you are waist-bending and ducking your head you will never have the same pop you could have with bringing your legs and rolling your hips through contact. Look where Brevin starts on this route, outside of Mallory. He cuts underneath of Mallory and hits the post, where King throws a beautiful ball for the TD.
This is what happens with a lot of young LB’ers who are getting first extended burn in a game. Duke attacks him with a TE releasing out of the backfield. #18 Tirek Austin-Cave has this receiver, but instead keeps his eyes glued into the backfield and never looks at his responsibility.
It’s fortunate that the Duke OL tripped over the feet of his teammate while trying to get to his block on Jennings, but it’s nice to see Jennings flowing from inside-out and meeting the RB in the hole with bad intentions on this play.
Phillips didn’t make the tackle, but he created the pile of bodies by making himself skinny and jumping inside of the Duke OT on this play. Phillips was great, but there was a serious lack of talent on that Duke OL in this one.
Am I watching D’Nofrio call defense on this play? You couldn’t stop any person on this board from picking up this first down on a sneak with this defense. A completely uncovered center and you’re playing a 3-technique to the top of the screen on the RG. You shade across the inside shoulder of the LG, but this one of those 100% success rate sneak calls.
Found this funny. Duke gets a nice gain on a slip screen. Hall comes up and makes the tackle by the ankles. Only, the receiver slips through his arms but he doesn’t realize it as he grabs the OL trying to block by the ankles instead.
Phillips gets the headlines on this play, but Jennings made a great play by forcing the pitch earlier than the QB wanted to. Jennings knifes inside of the RG and is into the backfield quickly, which allows Phillips to identify the reverse and stay wide. If Phillips does vacate his spot, this might’ve been a TD as there is one defender way outside on the sideline but that is it.
Welcome back, Donaldson. Legitimate power from 55 on this play as he dogwalks his man out of there. Everyone on the OL did their jobs. Harris shows his jumpcuts in the open field and gets into the red zone.
This is picture-perfect technique by Donaldson. You will often read me saying the OL will use inside-hand to provide help to blockers and then release. Donaldson here has turned to leave a place for the RB to run. As you know, he’s a big dude, and if he stays square there is no hole to run through. He then releases onto that next defender up and blocks him as well. This could be a game changer if he can give legit G play to this offense.
Flagg has shown a little more burst with Miami than he did in high school. This is a nice play on an athletic pass catcher. He makes this tackle behind the LOS.
Ivey is sticky in coverage on this play, but still gives up the 1st down. The reason is right at the snap on the release. Ivey wants to avoid an outside free release since we are in cover-1 and he won’t have deep help on the sideline. His first step is to slide outside while the receiver crosses his face and gets back inside. You see his right heel off-the-ground as his initial step is out. Nothing wrong there, but this means he now is putting his weight on his right side. The problem is he then shifts his weight to his left leg before he steps. Essentially this wastes a step and causes him to be a beat late. Think of it like a base stealer who has to shift his weight from his inside leg to his outside leg before he goes. That slows him down. The best base stealers all just turn and push off their inside leg to save that half step. Ivey needs to clean up his footwork at the LOS to help with this.
I could highlight on most plays just how well Miami tackled in this game. I was impressed with not just the first man there making the tackle so often, but in how well Miami rallied to the football. Coaches always say “helmets to the ball” and you see Miami doing that here. Bolden tackled much better in this game than he had been and Flagg always seemed to be around the ball.
I’ve noticed through much of the year Miami has struggled to get their overload blitzes home. We’ve had more success with rushing five, but coming from different places than we have with sending six. Here, the two defenders coming off LT run into each other and basically do nothing but take themselves out of the play. Duke takes the checkdown, but had the deeper route for the 1st down if the QB had waited another beat and thrown with anticipation. That’s this defensive pressure package in a nutshell; rely on the QB not being good enough to make the play to beat you.
It’s too bad Zion got obliterated on this pass rush because King had both Mallory and Pope open for a 1st down. Ball goes off Mallory’s hands and should’ve been intercepted.
It’s a really nice play by #62, but you can’t allow a true freshman C to get a chip on your DT, outrun you to the spot on a reach block for outside zone, then completely turn you inside away from the ballcarrier. Jennings played a pretty decent game, but this is just awful film for a MLB to put out there.
Jennings and #62 collide again on a pitch, this time they both go to the ground. Bend your legs and bring your pads through this contact like Perryman did against Mehki Becton last weekend, or just a rip with your hands to keep the C off you on a reach block. Nesta runs this down and causes a fumble.
Jennings really struggling with allowing second-level blockers to wash him out of plays. A RG gets to him and just moves him cleanly as Jennings overruns his gap. A MLB has to flow inside-out or you open up easy cutback lanes. Duke blocks this play well and it would’ve gone for nice yards even if Jennings plays it like he’s supposed to most likely.
Duke has a nice drive going and tries to block Roche with a TE. That ends in a fumble and Miami ball. Flagg recovers. The kid just finds the ball. (Not pictured)
Zion really struggled in this one. I haven’t pointed out every time he’s been beaten, but he’s had his hands full with the Duke edge in this one.
Duke trying to cover Brevin “Johnson” with just a LB is ludicrous. LB stops and tries to hit Brevin who swats him away and gets inside for a completion of 26 yards.
Phillips splits the RG/C. RG expected help from C but Flagg engaged hard and the C couldn’t get off him in time to protect the inside shoulder of RG. Flagg does so many little things to help his team win. Then Flagg loops around RG and helps Phillips finish this play. Flagg also loves to talk and that’s fun to me.
Be nice if we could find a punt returner who will catch the ball every single time. Harley puts it on the ground and recovers, but the offense starts in a hole. (Not pictured)
On this play I’d say the play-action fooled the S. He comes screaming downfield and Harley knows he’s open right now as Duke has two defenders go with outside receiver and leave Harley wide-open for a TD.
Roberts punched the football out on the kick return. How about your true freshman DT playing kick coverage and busting it down there to force a fumble? Playing hard and not celebrating too early in games like this is a step in the right direction for Miami. I’ve witnessed Miami getting delay of game penalties by dancing on the field etc. so to see growth in these areas isn’t unnoticed by me.
Clever little play. Run your offensive actions towards the boundary. Have your field receiver (Mallory) run a shallow cross to clear that out. Release your RT downfield and spit your QB back around to dump this off to Harris. Goes to the goal-line. That RT was Jalen Rivers and he looks pretty athletic out there.
Miami went to backups and played mop-up for the entirety of the 4th quarter.
Overall:
Miami did what they should do to a team that was overmatched and truthfully looked like they didn’t want to be there. The way they dropped the ball out there was pretty shameful. Give credit to Miami for taking advantage of their ineptitude.
The break seemed to do Miami well, as several players healed up and looked fresher than they have in weeks. Hopefully, the numbers will rebound next week and you will see Miami put forth their best effort in what is the biggest game of the year to me.
Top Performers-
D’Eriq King- I called him the best QB at Miami since Toretta and I think he has lived up to that for the most part.
Navaughn Donaldson- The power was evident in this game, but he also did a really nice job in the passing game. I’m looking forward to see if he can solidify that LG spot that has been troublesome all year.
Donald Chaney/Cam’Ron Harris- Both ran hard and made some explosive plays.
Jaelen Phillips- Wrecked Duke from the start. His athleticism was far too much for their OL and he continues to make a run at the 1st round.
Quincy Roche- Created turnovers and caused havoc in his own right.
Corey Flagg- I felt like he was around the ball and held up fairly well with the different looks Duke gave him offensively.
Opportunities-
Bradley Jennings- Played decently at times and had some nice hits, but after reviewing the film I came away uninspired more than I expected. Getting blocked on reach blocks repeatedly by a true freshman C was inexcusable.
Zion Nelson- Struggled in this game against #51, who is not their NFL prospect Chris Rumph II. Wasn’t terrible, because frankly Duke is just bad, but he was beaten on several plays.
COVID- Getting over this outbreak would allow for some depth to return.
Up Next:
This game is huge in my mind. Miami is at home, rested, and expected to win. I want to see how Miami responds to this game and when UNC inevitably hits them with some big plays on offense. I want to see the fight and perseverance that we’ve seen in the past several games.
After King misses a wide-open Harley on a crossing route, Knighton gets the ball on an outside counter run. Jakai Clark is knocked backwards at the point-of-contact. Scaife can’t get to the second-level block and messes up the timing of the play (Gaynor leads around). Knighton pinballs through, but he was off-balance and fumbles at the end. The Rhett Lashlee running game requires good interior OL play and we haven’t had that lately. Getting Donaldson healthy and having Rivers able to challenge Scaife might be the key to unlocking things in these last few games.
Bradley Jennings comes on a run blitz and beats the LG cleanly into the backfield for a run stuff.
Duke had two OL in the middle trying to get to the second-level and Flagg got off of both of them to tackle the QB who was flushed by Phillips.
Miami saw Duke adjust to horizontal motion the same way Miami has been adjusting to it, by dropping the SS into single-high looks, while the opposite drops down to the side the motion is heading towards. Miami’s offensive adjustment is to motion Brevin across and get the S’s to switch out and then immediately pivot and run the other way at the snap. This gives Brevin a head-start on the S who is now in man against him. It’s an easy little pitch for a nice gain.
On 3rd down, Knighton gets his arms too high and hits the football on a play-fake. It falls to the ground but King is able to recover. (Not pictured)
This is a tough ask for your MLB to turn his numbers and run to a landmark in pass defense. Jennings has to carry this TE seam route to 10-yards if he isn’t running a post, and stay inside of him if he does run a post. CB is playing “sail” technique where he turns sideways like this with eyes on the QB. If Phillips doesn’t make a heck of a play by spinning off this block back inside to tackle the QB, he’s got an easy 10-yards on a scramble here.
Duke got cute on this 3rd-and-long and paid for it. They showed a six-man pressure package but tried to drop both out at the snap. As a QB, when you see the numbers of LB’s that means your guy is open. Here, King waits for Harley to get into that middle-zone behind these LB’s and in front of the safeties, hits him on a crosser for a big pickup.
First time of several instances in this game where Miami went to reading the DT on read-option rather than the edge defender. Clark lets his man go, King reads him going to the RB, finds a huge hole to run through. DT’s are not used to having to read on these plays and will go for the RB the vast majority of times.
It’s no secret that Miami’s ground game hasn’t hit to the level we’d like it to be at. Part of the reason is just too much dancing by our RB’s. This is an easy read for the RB, hit the backside gap and try to break this tackle for a big play. Hit that hole yard and it’s four yards at minimum and maybe you pop it if you break that tackle. Instead, he gives the pitter-patter two-step in the hole and gets tackled right there. I’d like to see a variation of this play where Harris becomes the lead-blocker and King follows him through when the defense gives this look.
Sink your hips, fellas. The guard play always seems to lack power, well, if you are waist-bending and ducking your head you will never have the same pop you could have with bringing your legs and rolling your hips through contact. Look where Brevin starts on this route, outside of Mallory. He cuts underneath of Mallory and hits the post, where King throws a beautiful ball for the TD.
This is what happens with a lot of young LB’ers who are getting first extended burn in a game. Duke attacks him with a TE releasing out of the backfield. #18 Tirek Austin-Cave has this receiver, but instead keeps his eyes glued into the backfield and never looks at his responsibility.
It’s fortunate that the Duke OL tripped over the feet of his teammate while trying to get to his block on Jennings, but it’s nice to see Jennings flowing from inside-out and meeting the RB in the hole with bad intentions on this play.
Phillips didn’t make the tackle, but he created the pile of bodies by making himself skinny and jumping inside of the Duke OT on this play. Phillips was great, but there was a serious lack of talent on that Duke OL in this one.
Am I watching D’Nofrio call defense on this play? You couldn’t stop any person on this board from picking up this first down on a sneak with this defense. A completely uncovered center and you’re playing a 3-technique to the top of the screen on the RG. You shade across the inside shoulder of the LG, but this one of those 100% success rate sneak calls.
Found this funny. Duke gets a nice gain on a slip screen. Hall comes up and makes the tackle by the ankles. Only, the receiver slips through his arms but he doesn’t realize it as he grabs the OL trying to block by the ankles instead.
Phillips gets the headlines on this play, but Jennings made a great play by forcing the pitch earlier than the QB wanted to. Jennings knifes inside of the RG and is into the backfield quickly, which allows Phillips to identify the reverse and stay wide. If Phillips does vacate his spot, this might’ve been a TD as there is one defender way outside on the sideline but that is it.
Welcome back, Donaldson. Legitimate power from 55 on this play as he dogwalks his man out of there. Everyone on the OL did their jobs. Harris shows his jumpcuts in the open field and gets into the red zone.
This is picture-perfect technique by Donaldson. You will often read me saying the OL will use inside-hand to provide help to blockers and then release. Donaldson here has turned to leave a place for the RB to run. As you know, he’s a big dude, and if he stays square there is no hole to run through. He then releases onto that next defender up and blocks him as well. This could be a game changer if he can give legit G play to this offense.
Flagg has shown a little more burst with Miami than he did in high school. This is a nice play on an athletic pass catcher. He makes this tackle behind the LOS.
Ivey is sticky in coverage on this play, but still gives up the 1st down. The reason is right at the snap on the release. Ivey wants to avoid an outside free release since we are in cover-1 and he won’t have deep help on the sideline. His first step is to slide outside while the receiver crosses his face and gets back inside. You see his right heel off-the-ground as his initial step is out. Nothing wrong there, but this means he now is putting his weight on his right side. The problem is he then shifts his weight to his left leg before he steps. Essentially this wastes a step and causes him to be a beat late. Think of it like a base stealer who has to shift his weight from his inside leg to his outside leg before he goes. That slows him down. The best base stealers all just turn and push off their inside leg to save that half step. Ivey needs to clean up his footwork at the LOS to help with this.
I could highlight on most plays just how well Miami tackled in this game. I was impressed with not just the first man there making the tackle so often, but in how well Miami rallied to the football. Coaches always say “helmets to the ball” and you see Miami doing that here. Bolden tackled much better in this game than he had been and Flagg always seemed to be around the ball.
I’ve noticed through much of the year Miami has struggled to get their overload blitzes home. We’ve had more success with rushing five, but coming from different places than we have with sending six. Here, the two defenders coming off LT run into each other and basically do nothing but take themselves out of the play. Duke takes the checkdown, but had the deeper route for the 1st down if the QB had waited another beat and thrown with anticipation. That’s this defensive pressure package in a nutshell; rely on the QB not being good enough to make the play to beat you.
It’s too bad Zion got obliterated on this pass rush because King had both Mallory and Pope open for a 1st down. Ball goes off Mallory’s hands and should’ve been intercepted.
It’s a really nice play by #62, but you can’t allow a true freshman C to get a chip on your DT, outrun you to the spot on a reach block for outside zone, then completely turn you inside away from the ballcarrier. Jennings played a pretty decent game, but this is just awful film for a MLB to put out there.
Jennings and #62 collide again on a pitch, this time they both go to the ground. Bend your legs and bring your pads through this contact like Perryman did against Mehki Becton last weekend, or just a rip with your hands to keep the C off you on a reach block. Nesta runs this down and causes a fumble.
Jennings really struggling with allowing second-level blockers to wash him out of plays. A RG gets to him and just moves him cleanly as Jennings overruns his gap. A MLB has to flow inside-out or you open up easy cutback lanes. Duke blocks this play well and it would’ve gone for nice yards even if Jennings plays it like he’s supposed to most likely.
Duke has a nice drive going and tries to block Roche with a TE. That ends in a fumble and Miami ball. Flagg recovers. The kid just finds the ball. (Not pictured)
Zion really struggled in this one. I haven’t pointed out every time he’s been beaten, but he’s had his hands full with the Duke edge in this one.
Duke trying to cover Brevin “Johnson” with just a LB is ludicrous. LB stops and tries to hit Brevin who swats him away and gets inside for a completion of 26 yards.
Phillips splits the RG/C. RG expected help from C but Flagg engaged hard and the C couldn’t get off him in time to protect the inside shoulder of RG. Flagg does so many little things to help his team win. Then Flagg loops around RG and helps Phillips finish this play. Flagg also loves to talk and that’s fun to me.
Be nice if we could find a punt returner who will catch the ball every single time. Harley puts it on the ground and recovers, but the offense starts in a hole. (Not pictured)
On this play I’d say the play-action fooled the S. He comes screaming downfield and Harley knows he’s open right now as Duke has two defenders go with outside receiver and leave Harley wide-open for a TD.
Roberts punched the football out on the kick return. How about your true freshman DT playing kick coverage and busting it down there to force a fumble? Playing hard and not celebrating too early in games like this is a step in the right direction for Miami. I’ve witnessed Miami getting delay of game penalties by dancing on the field etc. so to see growth in these areas isn’t unnoticed by me.
Clever little play. Run your offensive actions towards the boundary. Have your field receiver (Mallory) run a shallow cross to clear that out. Release your RT downfield and spit your QB back around to dump this off to Harris. Goes to the goal-line. That RT was Jalen Rivers and he looks pretty athletic out there.
Miami went to backups and played mop-up for the entirety of the 4th quarter.
Overall:
Miami did what they should do to a team that was overmatched and truthfully looked like they didn’t want to be there. The way they dropped the ball out there was pretty shameful. Give credit to Miami for taking advantage of their ineptitude.
The break seemed to do Miami well, as several players healed up and looked fresher than they have in weeks. Hopefully, the numbers will rebound next week and you will see Miami put forth their best effort in what is the biggest game of the year to me.
Top Performers-
D’Eriq King- I called him the best QB at Miami since Toretta and I think he has lived up to that for the most part.
Navaughn Donaldson- The power was evident in this game, but he also did a really nice job in the passing game. I’m looking forward to see if he can solidify that LG spot that has been troublesome all year.
Donald Chaney/Cam’Ron Harris- Both ran hard and made some explosive plays.
Jaelen Phillips- Wrecked Duke from the start. His athleticism was far too much for their OL and he continues to make a run at the 1st round.
Quincy Roche- Created turnovers and caused havoc in his own right.
Corey Flagg- I felt like he was around the ball and held up fairly well with the different looks Duke gave him offensively.
Opportunities-
Bradley Jennings- Played decently at times and had some nice hits, but after reviewing the film I came away uninspired more than I expected. Getting blocked on reach blocks repeatedly by a true freshman C was inexcusable.
Zion Nelson- Struggled in this game against #51, who is not their NFL prospect Chris Rumph II. Wasn’t terrible, because frankly Duke is just bad, but he was beaten on several plays.
COVID- Getting over this outbreak would allow for some depth to return.
Up Next:
This game is huge in my mind. Miami is at home, rested, and expected to win. I want to see how Miami responds to this game and when UNC inevitably hits them with some big plays on offense. I want to see the fight and perseverance that we’ve seen in the past several games.
