Cal jimmy
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More optimistic...should I believe? Can I?
Lot of "ifs"
Posted: 8:51 am Monday, October 19th, 2015
Canes Watch
Miami Hurricanes football midseason report 2015: What to like and dislike
By Matt Porter
Miami (4-2, 1-1 ACC) has reached the halfway point of its regular season, playing largely inconsistent ball but showing flashes of being a good team.
Taking a look at five facets of the Hurricanes’ game that have been impressive, and five that are not so impressive …
Brad Kaaya has been every bit as good as UM hoped. (Getty Images)
What to like
1. Brad Kaaya. One reason this week’s matchup with No. 6 Clemson (noon Saturday, ABC) is so delicious is that it’s a battle for supremacy among ACC quarterbacks. Kaaya and fellow sophomore Deshaun Watson are arguably the best in the league right now, and Miami’s franchise player (1,795 yards on 61.2 percent passing, 10 touchdowns, one interception) keeps getting better each week. He’s on pace for the second-best yardage total in school history and the third-best completion percentage. He’s also doing it with a completely green offensive line. Miami’s destiny is in his hands, and that’s a good thing.
2. His receivers. Seniors Rashawn Scott (446 yards, 4 TD on 33 catches) and Herb Waters (388 yards on 22 catches) have made the most of their opportunities, stepping in to the spotlight vacated by Phillip Dorsett. Stacy Coley, despite fighting through hamstring and hip injuries, is back to being the dynamic playmaker (213 yards, TD on 13 grabs). “They’re answering the call right now,” coach Al Golden said Monday on WQAM. Better still, second-year players David Njoku and Chris Herndon have shown great promise after replacing Clive Walford at tight end. Joe Yearby (177 yards, 2 TD on 14 catches) has been a capable receiver out of the backfield, something that made Duke Johnson extra-valuable last year.
3. Ball-hawking secondary. It’s been a long time since Miami has been this active on the back end. Junior Artie Burns (ACC-best five interceptions) already has the highest total of picks by a Hurricanes player since Sean Taylor (10) in 2003. Corn Elder (8 passes defended, second-best in the ACC) has been excellent as well. As a team, the Hurricanes (11 interceptions) are on pace for their highest total of picks since 2000, when they had 23. Great sign for a defense that had 10 all of last year, had 11 or fewer in five of the last seven years and had a school-record low of 4 in 2008.
4. Young studs up front. Defensive end Chad Thomas, rush end Al-Quadin Muhammad and nose tackle Kendrick Norton look like the future of UM’s defensive line. After learning last year behind Anthony Chickillo, Thomas has been a force of late and registered his first career sack against Virginia Tech. Muhammad, coming off a season’s suspension, has sacks in consecutive games (and, like Thomas, gets held by offensive linemen quite often). Norton, a freshman, is fast becoming UM’s most effective interior defender, the kind of pocket-collapser Golden hasn’t had. “They’re letting it rip,” Golden said.
5. Kick game (mostly) consistent. A good sign in UM’s win over Virginia Tech: sophomore Jon Semerene did not kick one out of bounds, and . That was the only sore spot in the Hurricanes’ kicking game, which has greatly helped an inconsistent team. Punter Justin Vogel regularly flips the field, and kicker Michael Badgley has made several gutsy kicks. He is an ACC-best 15-of-16 from 49 yards or less (he has missed twice from 50-plus and once from 24).
What not to like
1. Penalties. Miami, which suffered the 10th-most penalty yards in school history last year (827), is on pace to exceed that total this season. Five touchdowns have been wiped off the board because of penalties (poor Mark Walton, who has had three called back, and Elder, who has had two). Penalties are a major reason UM is tied for last in the ACC in third-down conversion success – 32.94; though has shown some life in the last two games by going 15-for-32 – and is last in the ACC (and 114th of 128 FBS teams) in red-zone success, scoring touchdowns on a measly 47.06 percent of chances. While false-starts along the offensive line have hurt, “some of [the penalties] are just intolerable and selfish,” Golden said, speaking of personal fouls.
2. Offensive line. Along with the above, the two major issues that are hurting Miami most, affecting the offense’s performance on third down, Kaaya’s ability to operate and the lack of a running game. It was expected UM would struggle up front after replacing two NFL draft picks, an NFL free-agent signee and kicking a would-be starter off the team; but it’s been a rough go for this unit. The good news: this might be the floor, since UM has a rotation of seven players, and only one of them (redshirt junior Danny Isidora) is in his third year on campus. Everyone will be back next year.
3. Linebacker depth. After losing starting middle linebacker and senior captain Raphael Kirby, the Hurricanes have lost someone in the two-deep at three of the four linebacker spots. In addition to Kirby (knee), the losses of sophomores Darrion Owens (knee) and Marques Gayot (neck) have turned Mike linebacker Juwon Young into a starter (a positive, perhaps); Rush linebacker Trent Harris (team-high 2.5 sacks) into a part-time Sam and Mike; senior Sam Tyriq McCord into a part-time Will; and placed a greater importance on the good health of starting Will Jermaine Grace. Because UM will not be able to survive playing a rotation of four linebackers at Mike, Sam and Will, Kirby’s injury will also force untested first- and second-year inside linebackers Mike Smith, Terry McCray, Charles Perry and James King to grow up fast. Good thing Muhammad and Harris have emerged as standout Rush linebackers.
4. Run defense. The Hurricanes do not stop teams consistently, allowing big plays and making unheralded backs like FAU’s Jay Warren and Virginia Tech’s Travon McMillan look like FSU’s Dalvin Cook (who put up a season-high 269 total yards and three touchdowns on a bad hamstring against the Hurricanes). Miami is tied for last in the ACC in yards per carry allowed (4.9) and has allowed 13 rushes of 20-plus yards, which ranks second-to-last. Still on UM’s schedule: three of the ACC’s top-five rushing offenses in yards per carry (No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Georgia Tech and No. 5 Clemson), each of which also ranks top-5 in the ACC in rush plays of 20-plus yards.
5. Run offense. Replacing Johnson, the program’s all-time leading rusher, wasn’t supposed to be easy, but UM’s struggles up front have made that more daunting. UM ranks 12th of 14 ACC teams in rushing yards per game (136.33) and is gaining just 2.76 yards per carry against Power 5 teams (13th). It’s been tough sledding for Yearby (517 yards, 5 TD on 92 carries) and Walton (224 yards, 5 TD on 59 carries), who have had inconsistent blocking from the line (and, it should be noted, from young tight ends). Making it worse: the season-ending injury Gus Edwards suffered in camp, and the fact Trayone Gray, a promising athlete, hasn’t got off the ground. UM dusted off Walter Tucker and used him as the short-yardage back (he converted a third-and-1). Maybe there’s a spark there.
Final thought
If the Hurricanes can manage to keep it together through a challenging schedule – and thus, keep its coach employed – the future looks bright. UM’s quarterback is a sophomore. None of his top three running backs or top two tight ends are a higher grade than he. He has two senior receivers leading the way, but the next 12 pass-catchers return. Everyone along the offensive line returns. UM returns most of its defensive front seven and several contributors in the secondary, its kickers and punter. As of now, UM’s recruiting class is ranked 10th nationally. Based on who’s on the roster now and who could be joining them, there’s a lot of hope for this program.
- See more at: Miami Hurricanes football midseason report 2015: What to like and dislike | Canes Watch
Lot of "ifs"
Posted: 8:51 am Monday, October 19th, 2015
Canes Watch
Miami Hurricanes football midseason report 2015: What to like and dislike
By Matt Porter
Miami (4-2, 1-1 ACC) has reached the halfway point of its regular season, playing largely inconsistent ball but showing flashes of being a good team.
Taking a look at five facets of the Hurricanes’ game that have been impressive, and five that are not so impressive …
Brad Kaaya has been every bit as good as UM hoped. (Getty Images)
What to like
1. Brad Kaaya. One reason this week’s matchup with No. 6 Clemson (noon Saturday, ABC) is so delicious is that it’s a battle for supremacy among ACC quarterbacks. Kaaya and fellow sophomore Deshaun Watson are arguably the best in the league right now, and Miami’s franchise player (1,795 yards on 61.2 percent passing, 10 touchdowns, one interception) keeps getting better each week. He’s on pace for the second-best yardage total in school history and the third-best completion percentage. He’s also doing it with a completely green offensive line. Miami’s destiny is in his hands, and that’s a good thing.
2. His receivers. Seniors Rashawn Scott (446 yards, 4 TD on 33 catches) and Herb Waters (388 yards on 22 catches) have made the most of their opportunities, stepping in to the spotlight vacated by Phillip Dorsett. Stacy Coley, despite fighting through hamstring and hip injuries, is back to being the dynamic playmaker (213 yards, TD on 13 grabs). “They’re answering the call right now,” coach Al Golden said Monday on WQAM. Better still, second-year players David Njoku and Chris Herndon have shown great promise after replacing Clive Walford at tight end. Joe Yearby (177 yards, 2 TD on 14 catches) has been a capable receiver out of the backfield, something that made Duke Johnson extra-valuable last year.
3. Ball-hawking secondary. It’s been a long time since Miami has been this active on the back end. Junior Artie Burns (ACC-best five interceptions) already has the highest total of picks by a Hurricanes player since Sean Taylor (10) in 2003. Corn Elder (8 passes defended, second-best in the ACC) has been excellent as well. As a team, the Hurricanes (11 interceptions) are on pace for their highest total of picks since 2000, when they had 23. Great sign for a defense that had 10 all of last year, had 11 or fewer in five of the last seven years and had a school-record low of 4 in 2008.
4. Young studs up front. Defensive end Chad Thomas, rush end Al-Quadin Muhammad and nose tackle Kendrick Norton look like the future of UM’s defensive line. After learning last year behind Anthony Chickillo, Thomas has been a force of late and registered his first career sack against Virginia Tech. Muhammad, coming off a season’s suspension, has sacks in consecutive games (and, like Thomas, gets held by offensive linemen quite often). Norton, a freshman, is fast becoming UM’s most effective interior defender, the kind of pocket-collapser Golden hasn’t had. “They’re letting it rip,” Golden said.
5. Kick game (mostly) consistent. A good sign in UM’s win over Virginia Tech: sophomore Jon Semerene did not kick one out of bounds, and . That was the only sore spot in the Hurricanes’ kicking game, which has greatly helped an inconsistent team. Punter Justin Vogel regularly flips the field, and kicker Michael Badgley has made several gutsy kicks. He is an ACC-best 15-of-16 from 49 yards or less (he has missed twice from 50-plus and once from 24).
What not to like
1. Penalties. Miami, which suffered the 10th-most penalty yards in school history last year (827), is on pace to exceed that total this season. Five touchdowns have been wiped off the board because of penalties (poor Mark Walton, who has had three called back, and Elder, who has had two). Penalties are a major reason UM is tied for last in the ACC in third-down conversion success – 32.94; though has shown some life in the last two games by going 15-for-32 – and is last in the ACC (and 114th of 128 FBS teams) in red-zone success, scoring touchdowns on a measly 47.06 percent of chances. While false-starts along the offensive line have hurt, “some of [the penalties] are just intolerable and selfish,” Golden said, speaking of personal fouls.
2. Offensive line. Along with the above, the two major issues that are hurting Miami most, affecting the offense’s performance on third down, Kaaya’s ability to operate and the lack of a running game. It was expected UM would struggle up front after replacing two NFL draft picks, an NFL free-agent signee and kicking a would-be starter off the team; but it’s been a rough go for this unit. The good news: this might be the floor, since UM has a rotation of seven players, and only one of them (redshirt junior Danny Isidora) is in his third year on campus. Everyone will be back next year.
3. Linebacker depth. After losing starting middle linebacker and senior captain Raphael Kirby, the Hurricanes have lost someone in the two-deep at three of the four linebacker spots. In addition to Kirby (knee), the losses of sophomores Darrion Owens (knee) and Marques Gayot (neck) have turned Mike linebacker Juwon Young into a starter (a positive, perhaps); Rush linebacker Trent Harris (team-high 2.5 sacks) into a part-time Sam and Mike; senior Sam Tyriq McCord into a part-time Will; and placed a greater importance on the good health of starting Will Jermaine Grace. Because UM will not be able to survive playing a rotation of four linebackers at Mike, Sam and Will, Kirby’s injury will also force untested first- and second-year inside linebackers Mike Smith, Terry McCray, Charles Perry and James King to grow up fast. Good thing Muhammad and Harris have emerged as standout Rush linebackers.
4. Run defense. The Hurricanes do not stop teams consistently, allowing big plays and making unheralded backs like FAU’s Jay Warren and Virginia Tech’s Travon McMillan look like FSU’s Dalvin Cook (who put up a season-high 269 total yards and three touchdowns on a bad hamstring against the Hurricanes). Miami is tied for last in the ACC in yards per carry allowed (4.9) and has allowed 13 rushes of 20-plus yards, which ranks second-to-last. Still on UM’s schedule: three of the ACC’s top-five rushing offenses in yards per carry (No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Georgia Tech and No. 5 Clemson), each of which also ranks top-5 in the ACC in rush plays of 20-plus yards.
5. Run offense. Replacing Johnson, the program’s all-time leading rusher, wasn’t supposed to be easy, but UM’s struggles up front have made that more daunting. UM ranks 12th of 14 ACC teams in rushing yards per game (136.33) and is gaining just 2.76 yards per carry against Power 5 teams (13th). It’s been tough sledding for Yearby (517 yards, 5 TD on 92 carries) and Walton (224 yards, 5 TD on 59 carries), who have had inconsistent blocking from the line (and, it should be noted, from young tight ends). Making it worse: the season-ending injury Gus Edwards suffered in camp, and the fact Trayone Gray, a promising athlete, hasn’t got off the ground. UM dusted off Walter Tucker and used him as the short-yardage back (he converted a third-and-1). Maybe there’s a spark there.
Final thought
If the Hurricanes can manage to keep it together through a challenging schedule – and thus, keep its coach employed – the future looks bright. UM’s quarterback is a sophomore. None of his top three running backs or top two tight ends are a higher grade than he. He has two senior receivers leading the way, but the next 12 pass-catchers return. Everyone along the offensive line returns. UM returns most of its defensive front seven and several contributors in the secondary, its kickers and punter. As of now, UM’s recruiting class is ranked 10th nationally. Based on who’s on the roster now and who could be joining them, there’s a lot of hope for this program.
- See more at: Miami Hurricanes football midseason report 2015: What to like and dislike | Canes Watch
