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I Rewatched the Five Straight 3-and-outs

Elmer Leghorn said:
Dawson is Jekyll and Hyde. Sometimes good, sometimes terrible. I'm assuming guys being dinged up changed the game and play calling, but is was really just typical Dawson. He's never out schemed anybody. Never. Doesn't matter who the opponent is, same play calling. Very easy to figure out for opposing coaches.
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Wake DC must have turned Dawson’s brain to mush. He had no answers whatsoever. They might has well have had our entire playbook. It’s what it looked like.
 
TheOriginalCane said:
A few things.

1. By the time we went cold, both Mensah and Toney were banged up. Obviously not bad enough to pull them, but it certainly impacted the quality of their play. You could see both of them stretching and working on impacted body parts while the defense was on the field.

2. The overthrow to Lofton was hurried, and while Mensah has hit that pass before (notably, the first TD to Toney against Stanford), the earlier pain and the desire not to be hurt more at this point in the game may have caused him to throw it a bit harder than he should have.

3. Don't listen to the announcers, they have no idea who was hurting at that time in the game.

I will say the same thing that I have said in other threads related to the mishandling of the clock at the end of the first half and the decision to kick a 54 yard FG, we should have been trying to score more points to take the fight out of Wake. Their players were pushing our guys to fight, they were going for 2 points when down 24, and they were calling timeouts while down 2 scores with 5 minutes to go. They were doing everything possible to fight as hard as possible, and we needed knockout blows earlier. NOT FOR POINT SPREAD, but to end the game and allow us to play the backups and nurse our injuries.

In one game, we took hits to:

1. Possible first-round DL
2. Our top-2 RBs
3. Our All-American QB
4. Our All-World WR
5. At least one somewhat-needed DB

Now, some of those injuries may be minor, but if Wake was a more physical team that could hit harder, that would be SIX brutal injuries in one game. That is a game where you need to administer the knockout as quickly as possible to get your best players off the field.
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The field goal try was a mistake. This game was our Antietam
 
CanesAreAble said:
I don't understand why Lofton was getting so much burn in obvious passing sets. For example, on the possession that began at our 14-yard line at 8:51 in the 4th quarter, it was 3rd & 6. We're in a 2x2 set with Lofton flexed to the slot like he's Kyle Pitts or something.
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What is the scenario where doing this adds value over putting a WR there? You show that look then change formation and bring in him to block on a 3rd and 6 run, or something ? Is he keeping an opposing LB on the field that would be off with a sub?
 
CanesAreAble said:
I tried to figure out how and why our offense just died after looking unstoppable.

The offensive line had a few bad reps, but they weren't the main culprit.

The two biggest issues I saw:

1. Playcalling/personnel grouping

I don't understand why Lofton was getting so much burn in obvious passing sets. For example, on the possession that began at our 14-yard line at 8:51 in the 4th quarter, it was 3rd & 6. We're in a 2x2 set with Lofton flexed to the slot like he's Kyle Pitts or something. Wake brings a 5-man pressure, but Mensah has time to get rid of the ball. On the broadcast, Jordan Rodgers said Mensah should've looked for Toney on the other side. I don't think the slot go-ball was a bad decision, IF you have a WR in the game. If that's Upshaw/Spafford/Wingo/Jacobs, it's probably a touchdown. Instead he slightly overshoots Lofton.

On top of that, Dawson ran cold with the playcalling. Bunch sets to the boundary instead of getting guys in space. We ran a couple mesh concepts (one against man, one against zone), but neither worked. As dialed as he was in the 1st half and the beginning of the 3rd quarter, he was just off.

If you're gonna insist on Lofton in the game, maybe run some pistol w/ some boot action. Maybe run a counter off the TE wheel we hit for a TD in the 2nd quarter.

I've seen some say Dawson got conservative, but that's not really what I saw. Only 3 of the 15 plays called in that stretch were runs. And yes I know you can still call passes and be conservative, but that just wasn't the case, IMO.

He was simply not good. Bad time for Dawson to get cold.


2. Mensah having an uncharacteristically poor stretch

Mensah has been better than advertised, and **** near perfect. But this was a bit of a rough stretch for him. I thought his eyes were in the wrong place a couple times. I thought he didn't pull the trigger on one play that was there. That was when Dawson went over to talk to him. He looked ****ed after the game. I think he knows he could've played better and we should've choked them out when it was 31-13.


I know I said the OL wasn't the main culprit, but they weren't a strength, either. The IOL simply has to get better. That would alleviate some of the pressure on Mensah to be nearly flawless. Being able to run for 4 or 5 yards consistently would open up so much. That was the underrated strength of the 2024 offense with Cam Ward. We were 5th in the nation in ypc. We dropped to 82nd last year.

Right now, we're much closer to 2025 than 2024, but we don't have the elite pass-blocking and short-yardage running to compensate.

Mario and Mirabal are really gonna have to earn their money this season.
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A QB like mensah you have to keep in the rhythm of the game . You can't turn around after being virtually unstoppable and change the entire concepts were running. Zero logic in consistently running bubble screens etc when they're stacking the box the entirety of the second half. Playcalling was just **** and we have him to blame for our defense now having a ton of tape on it. All things those of us that know the game were aware of but now it's been substantiated. You can't disappear on offense and then expect defense to be a strength when you strand them on the field the whole half. We already knew our secondary was beyond stretched thin. We already knew we struggle to get the pass rush home and we already knew the lbers need the line to be disruptive when you put you're and smith on the field together. Now you also turn around and blitz thorton and jj the whole second half which exposed those same linebackers in the pass game... Coaching on both sides of the ball really let us down.
 
Brooklyndee said:
A QB like mensah you have to keep in the rhythm of the game . You can't turn around after being virtually unstoppable and change the entire concepts were running. Zero logic in consistently running bubble screens etc when they're stacking the box the entirety of the second half. Playcalling was just **** and we have him to blame for our defense now having a ton of tape on it. All things those of us that know the game were aware of but now it's been substantiated. You can't disappear on offense and then expect defense to be a strength when you strand them on the field the whole half. We already knew our secondary was beyond stretched thin. We already knew we struggle to get the pass rush home and we already knew the lbers need the line to be disruptive when you put you're and smith on the field together. Now you also turn around and blitz thorton and jj the whole second half which exposed those same linebackers in the pass game... Coaching on both sides of the ball really let us down.
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The fact that we got as much pressure as we did despite our offense basically disappearing is a miracle in itself. Conditioning is not an issue, that is for sure...

I will keep making the point, I think the injuries spooked the coaches. Keeping Toney out and being really precautious with everyone slowed the team down.
 
Brooklyndee said:
A QB like mensah you have to keep in the rhythm of the game . You can't turn around after being virtually unstoppable and change the entire concepts were running. Zero logic in consistently running bubble screens etc when they're stacking the box the entirety of the second half. Playcalling was just **** and we have him to blame for our defense now having a ton of tape on it. All things those of us that know the game were aware of but now it's been substantiated. You can't disappear on offense and then expect defense to be a strength when you strand them on the field the whole half. We already knew our secondary was beyond stretched thin. We already knew we struggle to get the pass rush home and we already knew the lbers need the line to be disruptive when you put you're and smith on the field together. Now you also turn around and blitz thorton and jj the whole second half which exposed those same linebackers in the pass game... Coaching on both sides of the ball really let us down.
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Dawson is the most bizarre OC I’ve ever seen in my life. He can be absolutely brilliant at times, yet somehow has zero feel for the game when it comes to recognizing what’s working and what isn’t. He panics way too quickly and seems to lose trust in everyone except Mali, even when going against a horrific secondary that had given up nearly 80% completions coming into the game. I still haven’t forgiven him the first half of the Natty.

Heatherman’s soft zone coverage with our secondary is concerning as well. It feels way too conservative, especially considering the talent we have on the back end.
 
Joe Rose asked Mario about the play calling in the 2nd half and if they had changed it up. Mario said no that the defense was dictating where the ball was going ie WR screens. Mario said they don’t let off the gas (paraphrasing).
 
423Hurricane said:
Joe Rose asked Mario about the play calling in the 2nd half and if they had changed it up. Mario said no that the defense was dictating where the ball was going ie WR screens. Mario said they don’t let off the gas (paraphrasing).
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Does that mean Wake adjusted and showed pre-snap looks that they knew would trigger screens and quick game and then Wake was jumping those and stopping them and then Miami wasn't effective in countering that adjustment?

 
Glow said:
Does that mean Wake adjusted and showed pre-snap looks that they knew would trigger screens and quick game and then Wake was jumping those and stopping them and then Miami wasn't effective in countering that adjustment?

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Only repeated what Mario said. Otherwise, I’m clueless.
 
Elmer Leghorn said:
Dawson is Jekyll and Hyde. Sometimes good, sometimes terrible. I'm assuming guys being dinged up changed the game and play calling, but is was really just typical Dawson. He's never out schemed anybody. Never. Doesn't matter who the opponent is, same play calling. Very easy to figure out for opposing coaches.
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If our startling slot every goes down with Dawson, cancel Christmas lol
 
DREW! said:
Conference win.
Friday night win.
Starting off season with 2 road games, 1 on the west coast and a chump team on a Thursday night at home.
Horrible ACC Schedule,

Did you watch CFB today.?
Nobody looked impressive!
Upsets, last minute comebacks etc....

You still mad?

And btw, get yo *** back to the #Wez!!
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You may have forgotten "they're on scholarship too".
 
KingB02 said:
Why are you blaming Lofton for Mensah overshooting him on a pass? It doesn’t matter how fast he is, Mensah had no pressure he just misfired. Had he connected it’s a TD. Lofton played great yesterday. The fade route was an obvious PI that was not called. Defender got there early and didn’t look back. No one makes that play. The ball was thrown 100 yards in the air and Lofton who beat his man had to turn around and wait for the ball. Which caused the clear PI. That play call itself is trash because it was on the short side of the field as you mentioned. The play calling was atrocious, but Dawson has consistently done that. He doesn’t use the entire field of play. Whoever is lined up on the wide side (single wide) won’t get looked at 90 percent of the time. Idk what it is with him and that but he just doesn’t throw to that guy! Cooper had 3 targets and two were on screens out of 3 wide. Only once did he look to that side and throw him a slant. The play you said Mali was wide open, guess where he was lined up? Flanked out wide. Never even looked there! **** is crazy that we handcuff our offense and not make the other team have to defend the entire field!
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Some you live for criticize criticize, that's why people like Manny Diaz. And others struggle for years. Cause of you bums that love again sideseat coaching that all of you did in Miami pee wee football league that you coached in.
 
gacaneaddict said:
I think injuries changed the dynamic, and it spooked Dawson.

He has his QB dinged, top 2 backs out, and his top WR basically acting as a decoy.

On top of that WF was at home got the momemtum, and was playing with alot of confidence.
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Dawson is a meh 1diot OC who stumbled upon a treasure trove of talent... combine him with Mario’s game management decisions, it cascades down on us.
Haven't seen such a combo of scarced coaching at Miami in along while
 
caneworld said:
Dawson is a meh 1diot OC who stumbled upon a treasure trove of talent... combine him with Mario’s game management decisions, it cascades down on us.
Haven't seen such a combo of scarced coaching at Miami in along while
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18th in the country in scoring offense in 2021 with Houston.

13th in the country in scoring offense in 2022 with Houston.

Some of yall deserve anything bad that happens to us.
 
CanesAreAble said:
I tried to figure out how and why our offense just died after looking unstoppable.

The offensive line had a few bad reps, but they weren't the main culprit.

The two biggest issues I saw:

1. Playcalling/personnel grouping

I don't understand why Lofton was getting so much burn in obvious passing sets. For example, on the possession that began at our 14-yard line at 8:51 in the 4th quarter, it was 3rd & 6. We're in a 2x2 set with Lofton flexed to the slot like he's Kyle Pitts or something. Wake brings a 5-man pressure, but Mensah has time to get rid of the ball. On the broadcast, Jordan Rodgers said Mensah should've looked for Toney on the other side. I don't think the slot go-ball was a bad decision, IF you have a WR in the game. If that's Upshaw/Spafford/Wingo/Jacobs, it's probably a touchdown. Instead he slightly overshoots Lofton.

On top of that, Dawson ran cold with the playcalling. Bunch sets to the boundary instead of getting guys in space. We ran a couple mesh concepts (one against man, one against zone), but neither worked. As dialed as he was in the 1st half and the beginning of the 3rd quarter, he was just off.

If you're gonna insist on Lofton in the game, maybe run some pistol w/ some boot action. Maybe run a counter off the TE wheel we hit for a TD in the 2nd quarter.

I've seen some say Dawson got conservative, but that's not really what I saw. Only 3 of the 15 plays called in that stretch were runs. And yes I know you can still call passes and be conservative, but that just wasn't the case, IMO.

He was simply not good. Bad time for Dawson to get cold.


2. Mensah having an uncharacteristically poor stretch

Mensah has been better than advertised, and **** near perfect. But this was a bit of a rough stretch for him. I thought his eyes were in the wrong place a couple times. I thought he didn't pull the trigger on one play that was there. That was when Dawson went over to talk to him. He looked ****ed after the game. I think he knows he could've played better and we should've choked them out when it was 31-13.


I know I said the OL wasn't the main culprit, but they weren't a strength, either. The IOL simply has to get better. That would alleviate some of the pressure on Mensah to be nearly flawless. Being able to run for 4 or 5 yards consistently would open up so much. That was the underrated strength of the 2024 offense with Cam Ward. We were 5th in the nation in ypc. We dropped to 82nd last year.

Right now, we're much closer to 2025 than 2024, but we don't have the elite pass-blocking and short-yardage running to compensate.

Mario and Mirabal are really gonna have to earn their money this season.
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Good stuff. You are way braver than me and I know you are supposed to learn from your bad plays, but I just rewatched the first half.
 
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