k9cane
Senior
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2011
- Messages
- 9,744
Well, Im back here in my hotel room in Charlotte after being able to digest what I witnessed several hours ago. What was a fun, magical and resurgent year has suddenly become a season that has become a bit of a buzzkill. Again, I don't want lose sight of the progress that was made the first 10 games. Miami was relevant again, they were the 'in'-thing with the 'Turnover Chain' and a newfound home field advantage that had been missing for years was cultivated. There was even talk of a playoff birth up until Thanksgiving weekend...
But it turned out to be a mirage as Clemson just systematically dominated Miami over 4 quarters from the very opening kickoff
Flat out, they were just better than the Canes in every aspect and showed that for as far as UM had come - they still have that much more of a distance to go to truly rejoin the upper echelon of college football. I'm debating just which loss was worse: an inexplicable defeat to a 4-win Pitt squad or getting hammered by a Clemson team that looks like it could be going back-to-back.
Anyhooo, a few thoughts on the game:
- I though for Miami to have any shot that the defense had to keep them in the game and create 10-14 points. Well, instead the opposite happened and they gave up 3 TD's on the first three possessions and they couldnt get off the field to save their lives. Ive noticed that last few weeks slant routes have really been effective(and Malek Young's play recently has really declined). They'd get Clemson into 3rd downs and time and time again they would convert. Bryant made some key throws early on.
- Had endzone seats for this game and this vantage point really highlights just how much Malik Rosier leaves on the table. The deep post to Jeff Thomas was underthrown, he had a back-shoulder to Langham that was poorly thrown and for all those who wonder why we don't roll him out, well, it's because he has no feel for getting rid of the ball on time(he missed Thomas on what would have been a third round coversion). Honestly, to even get to 10-0 with him at QB was/is a minor miracle. He severely limits the offense with his inaccuracy and inability to scan the entire field. I don't want to come down too hard on Rosier(the loss of Walton, Richards and Herndon throughout the year and leading into this game are a factor) but I believe Richt and this program have come as far as they can with him as QB1
Yeah, I believe the QB job will be open come spring ball. Moving forward it will only become easier for opposing defensive coordinators to game plan against his defiencies.
- Again, Clemson was a vastly superior team but anyone else underwhelmed by Richt's overall game plan? It seemed to me that all he came up with was that quick toss to Homer. But when you can't run the ball I guess there isn't much you can really do with a scatter arm QB who simply can't make the routine throws consistently.
- I dont know how fatigued this team was after 11 straight weeks without a bye week and depth stripped away but you could just see that Clemson was seemingly coming in waves and Miami was just worn out to a certain degree. At 14-0 it just felt like a lost cause that wasn't going to get any better. But really it shows that Miami still needs another recruiting class or two to really fortify it's roster from top-to-bottom. The Canes peaked in early November as they rode the crest of an energized Hard Rock Stadium and then reality hit.
I still think the best is ahead of this program(they probably over-achieved to a certain degree) but Richt still has a lot to address moving forward. Who knows, maybe this here is his version of the 66-13 drubbing Butch Davis and his team took at Syracuse in 1998.
Terrible game to what was a fun time in Charlotte. Personally as a fan I got to see the great ending vs Gatech and the frenzied night vs Notre Dame and now this here in Charlotte. Hey, I don't regret one bit, regardless. Better days/nights lie ahead but Richt has some tough decisions to make(namely the QB situation) and the staff and team saw first-hand what a true national title contender looked like on the other sideline.
But it turned out to be a mirage as Clemson just systematically dominated Miami over 4 quarters from the very opening kickoff
Flat out, they were just better than the Canes in every aspect and showed that for as far as UM had come - they still have that much more of a distance to go to truly rejoin the upper echelon of college football. I'm debating just which loss was worse: an inexplicable defeat to a 4-win Pitt squad or getting hammered by a Clemson team that looks like it could be going back-to-back.
Anyhooo, a few thoughts on the game:
- I though for Miami to have any shot that the defense had to keep them in the game and create 10-14 points. Well, instead the opposite happened and they gave up 3 TD's on the first three possessions and they couldnt get off the field to save their lives. Ive noticed that last few weeks slant routes have really been effective(and Malek Young's play recently has really declined). They'd get Clemson into 3rd downs and time and time again they would convert. Bryant made some key throws early on.
- Had endzone seats for this game and this vantage point really highlights just how much Malik Rosier leaves on the table. The deep post to Jeff Thomas was underthrown, he had a back-shoulder to Langham that was poorly thrown and for all those who wonder why we don't roll him out, well, it's because he has no feel for getting rid of the ball on time(he missed Thomas on what would have been a third round coversion). Honestly, to even get to 10-0 with him at QB was/is a minor miracle. He severely limits the offense with his inaccuracy and inability to scan the entire field. I don't want to come down too hard on Rosier(the loss of Walton, Richards and Herndon throughout the year and leading into this game are a factor) but I believe Richt and this program have come as far as they can with him as QB1
Yeah, I believe the QB job will be open come spring ball. Moving forward it will only become easier for opposing defensive coordinators to game plan against his defiencies.
- Again, Clemson was a vastly superior team but anyone else underwhelmed by Richt's overall game plan? It seemed to me that all he came up with was that quick toss to Homer. But when you can't run the ball I guess there isn't much you can really do with a scatter arm QB who simply can't make the routine throws consistently.
- I dont know how fatigued this team was after 11 straight weeks without a bye week and depth stripped away but you could just see that Clemson was seemingly coming in waves and Miami was just worn out to a certain degree. At 14-0 it just felt like a lost cause that wasn't going to get any better. But really it shows that Miami still needs another recruiting class or two to really fortify it's roster from top-to-bottom. The Canes peaked in early November as they rode the crest of an energized Hard Rock Stadium and then reality hit.
I still think the best is ahead of this program(they probably over-achieved to a certain degree) but Richt still has a lot to address moving forward. Who knows, maybe this here is his version of the 66-13 drubbing Butch Davis and his team took at Syracuse in 1998.
Terrible game to what was a fun time in Charlotte. Personally as a fan I got to see the great ending vs Gatech and the frenzied night vs Notre Dame and now this here in Charlotte. Hey, I don't regret one bit, regardless. Better days/nights lie ahead but Richt has some tough decisions to make(namely the QB situation) and the staff and team saw first-hand what a true national title contender looked like on the other sideline.
