Lance Roffers
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Miami embarks on another new journey in 2022. This time under the direction of Mario Cristobal and a revamped staff complete with all the support staff of an elite SEC club. Miami fans are excited with the direction of the team and this was the first chance to see the fruits of their spring labor.
On the first play, the starting OL came out Zion, Justice, Clark, Sagapolu, Scaife. It’ll be interesting to see if that changes once we get to the regular season. At LG, Jalen Rivers, in particular, is a name to watch compete for that starting role, along with whichever players arrive via the transfer portal to compete at RG and C.
Few things here: first, I love seeing Sagapalu looking for work and punishing a DL’man ribs. Here, Thomas Davis is getting the shot as he battles Scaife. This will absolutely slow down a pass rusher over the course of a game if they are getting crunched in their ribs by an unmarked OL all game.
Second thing is Leonard Taylor simply cannot be getting stoned by a C 1-on-1 and this defense reach its potential. A QB dreams of a pocket like this with easy throwing lanes. #21 Henry Parrish with the first of several drops in this game for Miami.
Next play, want to highlight something I enjoy seeing is the TE getting jammed as he tries to get into his routes. Too often Miami defenses allow a free release to the seam TE and get easy separation because of it. Next, this is a simple trips alignment with the point man on the LOS. Nickel defender gets a jam to reroute that receiver inside. Outside WR is going to release outside on this alignment every time (call it MOR or Must Outside Release). The WR that gets jammed inside (George) runs the wrong route on this play as he tries to get back outside and Keyshawn is already running outside. Pass is underthrown and Keyshawn drops it deep. This should’ve been a TD on a busted coverage.
Here is your issue with Thomas Davis. In the run game he just doesn’t bring his pads enough and allows this play to go a 1st down. It’s nice in a spring game to convert this, but in the regular season, this is more of the same from a short-yardage standpoint. Brantley does a nice job on the edge here of blocking Couch. RB contacted at the 31 and defense lets Parrish get to the 36. No bueno.
You expect execution in a spring game to be meh, and you certainly see that here. Your C needs to get his right hand on the DT armpit as he runs through here to the second level and give a straight arm to leverage him into the blocker. Up top, what is Arroyo doing here? He runs straight into the OL block instead of getting into the gap and being a lead on this play. Clark gets that DT rooted out and Arroyo gets to his LB here and you’ve got a massive hole to run through. Haye did a nice job of taking that initial contact and then throwing Sagapolu off of him and almost makes the tackle in the hole, before limiting it to a 3-yard gain.
Offense runs the same formation as the deep pass early and are looking to flood the LOS with bodies against man coverage so that Restrepo can come underneath all the bodies in the flat on a 3rd down. It gets him wide open and he has big yards down the sideline. Difference is in personnel, where this time #29 is on inside of press nickel rather than #15. Dunson does not have the speed to recover on this one.
I am always a big fan of duo with a wham. Here, we pull the LG who comes across and does the wham on the edge. Scaife and Sagapolu do the duo on the inside and Thad Franklin follows the Arroyo lead through the hole for a big gain. Miami is going to run the ball this year.
Exact same play again. Only this time they had double TE’s with Arroyo on the LOS as an extra OL and Brantley as the FB leading through. This angle makes it look like a big cutback lane, but #33 is actually there with leverage. Franklin hits the hole hard and James Williams has to get him down.
Run a double-move on Ivey and Ivey did a nice job staying with George. The route was still there with a perfect throw, but the Canes couldn’t connect (not pictured).
Here you see my big concerns with the Miami defense. Are they going to hold up against the run? Leonard Taylor getting completely washed away here in run defense. If you read my recruiting rankings article a few years ago you’ll note that I talked about Taylor wants to spin too often and gets his back exposed. He does exactly that here and I can guarantee you this coaching staff will not accept that. Brantley on the edge blocking Thomas Davis 1-on-1. You can’t have your edge washed out by a TE. 1-on-1 Clark is just washing Jordan Miller inside. Justice does a poor job of getting to the 2nd level here to get on Keontra who stones him and makes the tackle. Too easy for six yards though.
Allen Haye Jr. was the best DT in this game. Wouldn’t have expected that, but he was. The best DL in this game was Jacob Lichtenstein. Haye gets pressure in the backfield, Lichtenstein steals Justice’s soul on this play with his length and drives him backwards. Look at Avantae Williams here. I talk about the fact you need speed at S for the run game moreso than the passing game, and this is an example why. He runs this gun barrel and gets Franklin down when it looks like he’s got huge space here. I’ve repeatedly called Thad Franklin the best RB on this team but this is where he leaves things to be desired. If he makes Avantae miss, it’s a TD.
Steed played well in this game. Here he beats Scaife inside and is in the backfield. Just make the tackle, son. Just make the tackle. Thad breaks his tackle and takes it to the one. Chicks dig tackles. Brantley might never be a star, but these coaches are going to have a hard time keeping him off the field if he keeps blocking on the edge like this. Absolutely stones Frierson 1-on-1. I like him. Chantz using his length to stand up Arroyo, but he’s battling. These TE’s are blocking much better already in this one.
I hate to do it, but Flagg tackling the back of his DL again. Blades playing safety comes up in the hole and meets the RB. Nice work.
Flagg has the chance to make a TFL and get his defense off-the-field. He’s going against #86 Mammarelli. He gets to the spot, but just can’t make the tackle on the walk-on RB. Big run. Canes had a walk-on C in. Traore in. Walk-on RB in. Defense can’t stop it.
Laurence Seymore cannot handle Lichtenstein and his length. Jordan Miller handled 1-on-1 by a walk-on without a jersey. Portal help needed.
This drove me nuts during the game. How many times did we see a WR in space, with a ball in his hands, just fall to the ground on their own. Catch the ball and explode upfield, don’t fall down! They gave him the 1st down, but he was short in a real game by half a yard and it’s because he just sat down.
Laurence Seymore really struggled in this one. Long way to go to even compete for a depth chart spot. Taylor beats him so badly he almost falls over. Taylor runs this one down the LOS for one of his few plays.
Ivey is not going to want to watch this play in film. He’s the force player here, which is exactly what it sounds like; he needs to force this runner inside to his help and not allow him outside. He gets blocked up on the edge by Jacolby George and RB bounces it around him for a long run. #33 got washed inside by #80 here as well.
Again, #33 getting handled 1-on-1 by 80. Look at this pocket TVD has and Scaife isn’t even blocking anyone. This is a dream pocket for the offense and a nightmare for Canes fans thinking what will happen to this DL if the portal doesn’t hit. George tries to one-hand a beautiful ball from TVD on a deep crossing route. Two-hands young man and you roasted Ivey.
Haye gets caught looking for the ball here and is stuck on a block. That is a massive running lane. Massive. Taylor gets off the block of Sagaplou and shuts it down, but that has to be more yards from your RB. Franklin was slow to hit this hole and not agile enough. You gotta sink those hips and burst through this one, not get two yards.
I’ll be the first to admit that TVD didn’t play his best game in this one, but again here is a WR going to ground for no reason whatsoever and not coming up with a big play. You can’t throw this any better than TVD did right here. Why is Smith going down instead of going up and snatching this ball? Deeply disappointing game from Smith and if he doesn’t watch it, the competition gods will come for him. Ivey was roasted and the throw is perfect.
Thad really does a nice job of pressing this hole here, which forces the LB’s to declare and then he picks a cutback lane and gets 12 yards out of this. LB did what he’s supposed to do and filled his gap with the correct shoulder, but because the RB was patient, he gets rooted out by the C and there is a cutback lane. Need to be bigger/stronger at LB to hold your lane, or you need to beat the block and get it in the backfield, but I’m highlighting the positive RB play rather than the bad LB play by Huff. Cyrus Moss comes off of 79 and hustles back to make the tackle.
McLaughlin messes up here. He’s pulling and has the lead around the edge. The walk-on C gets to his spot as he pulls, but McLaughlin tries to help him first instead of releasing to that third level defender, where a big play is possible if he gets there. It’s an RPO, and Garcia actually throws it rather than giving on the run, but the fact is the RT doesn’t know what the QB is going to do at this moment and needs to execute. Fairness, Coach Mirabal may tell me I’m wrong and he coaches help here and expects the RB to make the guy miss, but I’m guessing he doesn’t teach it that way. Mammarelli loses his block against the defender in the backfield (84 Josh Neely) on this one and he might’ve gotten Thad down in the backfield.
Skinner with the tough contested catch over-the-middle on this one. Rail thin kid, he has got to put on a lot of weight, but the length and frame are elite. Don’t actually love the decision from Garcia here, as he’s staring it down and this type of pass gets knocked in the air and picked etc. He has a running lane if he wants to pick up the six he got from this throw and he has a clean pocket to get to another read. Rivers at LT fired his hands way too early, missed with his punch and allowed Josh Neely to get to half-man on him far too easily. He recovers and pushes him wide, but that’s not good technique against a starting ACC DE.
They lined Skinner up in the backfield and let him lead and he was knocked backwards into Thad, who got stuffed on the run by Huff. Give Huff credit; he was physical on that play. (Not pictured)
On the next play, the 4th & 1, someone misses a line call. There is no way you are leaving both edges unblocked on a short yardage call like this. McLaughlin blocks down inside and leaves edge. Brantley blocks inside and leaves edge. In watching the way the defense played their gaps and everyone else blocked, it looked like McLaughlin made the mistake as Garcia is not reading him. It’s a nice tackle by Frierson, but unblocked and a beeline to the RB is a pretty simple play there.
Parrish runs a Texas route, ball is there, just dropped. (Not pictured)
Ball is there to X, has his hands down here and drops it. I can’t think of a scenario where this is the technique you teach out of this break, so it’s a mistake by X. Thought it was a bad ball live, but I think it just got there quicker than X expects and he doesn’t get his hands right.
This one is on Keontra. You can see Keontra communicating to take Brantley as he goes on the crosser, but he’s confused. I’m guessing Keontra initially thinks the RB who is releasing into the flat is his gets his eyes crossed. Shows the power of eye candy, but also just a bad mistake by Keontra on a 3rd & 10 where you need to be locked in on knowing what you take based on where they go. This is called pattern matching, where your assignment changes based on what the receiver in the backfield does. They run into each other and both cover the RB.
Keontra taps his chest and says my bad. It’s on him you can tell.
Defense gets confused again. Steed runs with the LB up the sideline as I believe he is supposed to. Brantley engages on the edge and then releases. James Williams loses sight of him once he engages and drifts to the sidelines where Thad is running. This leaves MOF wide open for an easy dropoff to Brantley. Nice design, and realistically if Knighton is on that wheel this is a ball you probably throw.
This is a pro level throw on a levels concept (just like it sounds, a receiver is at each of the levels of a route, deep, medium, short and the QB generally reads deep to short). He gets it over the LB and in front of the S on a middle crosser. Why is X going to the ground again on this catch? Catch the ball and go upfield! There are still WR’s in the portal if these guys keep this up.
Nice job here by the edge defender refusing to get sealed inside. You can see he’s using a long-arm to keep Zion off of him so he can get outside. Frierson got outside on this one to shut down that run and it was an excellent play. Poor job by Zion here, who has to know his job is to get that guy sealed. He’s reaching and look at his weight out over-his-toes. Your feet are key here and will take you to this block with a good base, not by being at the waist and reaching.
This is a walk-in TD. Why is X going to the ground here! This cannot be happening on 3rd-and-goal. Catch the ball and stay up! Really poor coverage by Couch, who gave up the outside with ease.
Miami easily converts the 4th down run and the entire defense was bullied. (Not pictured)
Next drive had the likes of Jake Hoffman in at LB, so I’m not going to review much of that.
What is Zion doing here? It looks like he wants to give him a hug. His hands are down as the DL looks to engage, punch is way late and chest is wide open. Thomas Davis just eats him alive here. Easy sack that wasn’t called dead. Then Garcia throws a ball literally through the hands of Steed that Restrepo catches behind it, but this play was a sack and then a should’ve been interception. One other note here, you can see that our coaching has made an impact on the LB’s because they are reading their keys here, rather than immediately falling for the play fake. Look at the OL here, they are obviously all pass blocking, so the LB’s are taking the cheese on the run fake. Good job.
I honestly do not know the bust on this play, but it is definitely a bust somewhere. RT/RG both pull and no one takes the edge. TE takes the outside rusher and it’s an easy beeline for #33 to TFL.
I read some love on the Twitter for this play, but I kind of disagree. It looks to me like Garcia got really happy feet here and even threw this ball with both feet off-the-ground. It’s another levels concept with a shallow cross, middle cross, and deep overs. The RB comes out as a checkdown into the MOF and the LB’s cleared because of the middle crosser. Easy read and throw in my view. Really poor pass rush here.
This is a really nice play by Ivey. He recognizes the block by his receiver and immediately comes off of him knowing it is going to either be a run or a pass behind the LOS. He sees the ball coming to Thad before Garcia even throws it, gets through traffic and gets him down. That is not his man initially, it is the MLB’s man, but that’s great awareness to see it.
Gotta catch it, Ladson. It’s why you’re. You gotta catch it. Dunson is there and does a nice job, but you gotta catch it when it’s right in your hands.
Malik Curtis misses a tackle in the backfield, Josh Neely gets washed by a TE, Ragone is a step outside his gap, and it’s a big run by Devon Perry. (Not pictured)
Can’t have this in a two-minute drill. Justice and Clark have a zone on #91 Jordan Miller and neither actually takes him. Jordan is protecting inside shoulder of Zion and Clark thinks Justice has the zone on his own. Completed on an out to George on a quick release, but this was ugly up front.
Something Miami’s offense clearly wants to do is get the TE involved over the MOF. They do a ton of drags and crossers by receivers to draw attention and then spring a TE who initially blocks into the vacated areas. Will need a good pass-blocking OL to give the time for it to develop, but very difficult to defend. Steed passes the crosser to Flagg, who comes to take it while Steed takes the slant up top. Then Arroyo releases into open area for an easy catch.
Flood the underneath, create traffic for Flagg and he just doesn’t have the athleticism to get out there on the swing to Parrish on this play. Easy first down.
I’ll end the game here, as the second half was a running clock and Miami fumbles on the next play after an early snap to an unaware TVD.
Overall:
Rest assured, Miami is going portal shopping at edge, LB, maybe WR, and maybe DT. The defense needs depth and the offense needs a WR to step up. All-in-all, progress as we move along and the potential for a good season is here.
On the first play, the starting OL came out Zion, Justice, Clark, Sagapolu, Scaife. It’ll be interesting to see if that changes once we get to the regular season. At LG, Jalen Rivers, in particular, is a name to watch compete for that starting role, along with whichever players arrive via the transfer portal to compete at RG and C.
Few things here: first, I love seeing Sagapalu looking for work and punishing a DL’man ribs. Here, Thomas Davis is getting the shot as he battles Scaife. This will absolutely slow down a pass rusher over the course of a game if they are getting crunched in their ribs by an unmarked OL all game.
Second thing is Leonard Taylor simply cannot be getting stoned by a C 1-on-1 and this defense reach its potential. A QB dreams of a pocket like this with easy throwing lanes. #21 Henry Parrish with the first of several drops in this game for Miami.
Next play, want to highlight something I enjoy seeing is the TE getting jammed as he tries to get into his routes. Too often Miami defenses allow a free release to the seam TE and get easy separation because of it. Next, this is a simple trips alignment with the point man on the LOS. Nickel defender gets a jam to reroute that receiver inside. Outside WR is going to release outside on this alignment every time (call it MOR or Must Outside Release). The WR that gets jammed inside (George) runs the wrong route on this play as he tries to get back outside and Keyshawn is already running outside. Pass is underthrown and Keyshawn drops it deep. This should’ve been a TD on a busted coverage.
Here is your issue with Thomas Davis. In the run game he just doesn’t bring his pads enough and allows this play to go a 1st down. It’s nice in a spring game to convert this, but in the regular season, this is more of the same from a short-yardage standpoint. Brantley does a nice job on the edge here of blocking Couch. RB contacted at the 31 and defense lets Parrish get to the 36. No bueno.
You expect execution in a spring game to be meh, and you certainly see that here. Your C needs to get his right hand on the DT armpit as he runs through here to the second level and give a straight arm to leverage him into the blocker. Up top, what is Arroyo doing here? He runs straight into the OL block instead of getting into the gap and being a lead on this play. Clark gets that DT rooted out and Arroyo gets to his LB here and you’ve got a massive hole to run through. Haye did a nice job of taking that initial contact and then throwing Sagapolu off of him and almost makes the tackle in the hole, before limiting it to a 3-yard gain.
Offense runs the same formation as the deep pass early and are looking to flood the LOS with bodies against man coverage so that Restrepo can come underneath all the bodies in the flat on a 3rd down. It gets him wide open and he has big yards down the sideline. Difference is in personnel, where this time #29 is on inside of press nickel rather than #15. Dunson does not have the speed to recover on this one.
I am always a big fan of duo with a wham. Here, we pull the LG who comes across and does the wham on the edge. Scaife and Sagapolu do the duo on the inside and Thad Franklin follows the Arroyo lead through the hole for a big gain. Miami is going to run the ball this year.
Exact same play again. Only this time they had double TE’s with Arroyo on the LOS as an extra OL and Brantley as the FB leading through. This angle makes it look like a big cutback lane, but #33 is actually there with leverage. Franklin hits the hole hard and James Williams has to get him down.
Run a double-move on Ivey and Ivey did a nice job staying with George. The route was still there with a perfect throw, but the Canes couldn’t connect (not pictured).
Here you see my big concerns with the Miami defense. Are they going to hold up against the run? Leonard Taylor getting completely washed away here in run defense. If you read my recruiting rankings article a few years ago you’ll note that I talked about Taylor wants to spin too often and gets his back exposed. He does exactly that here and I can guarantee you this coaching staff will not accept that. Brantley on the edge blocking Thomas Davis 1-on-1. You can’t have your edge washed out by a TE. 1-on-1 Clark is just washing Jordan Miller inside. Justice does a poor job of getting to the 2nd level here to get on Keontra who stones him and makes the tackle. Too easy for six yards though.
Allen Haye Jr. was the best DT in this game. Wouldn’t have expected that, but he was. The best DL in this game was Jacob Lichtenstein. Haye gets pressure in the backfield, Lichtenstein steals Justice’s soul on this play with his length and drives him backwards. Look at Avantae Williams here. I talk about the fact you need speed at S for the run game moreso than the passing game, and this is an example why. He runs this gun barrel and gets Franklin down when it looks like he’s got huge space here. I’ve repeatedly called Thad Franklin the best RB on this team but this is where he leaves things to be desired. If he makes Avantae miss, it’s a TD.
Steed played well in this game. Here he beats Scaife inside and is in the backfield. Just make the tackle, son. Just make the tackle. Thad breaks his tackle and takes it to the one. Chicks dig tackles. Brantley might never be a star, but these coaches are going to have a hard time keeping him off the field if he keeps blocking on the edge like this. Absolutely stones Frierson 1-on-1. I like him. Chantz using his length to stand up Arroyo, but he’s battling. These TE’s are blocking much better already in this one.
I hate to do it, but Flagg tackling the back of his DL again. Blades playing safety comes up in the hole and meets the RB. Nice work.
Flagg has the chance to make a TFL and get his defense off-the-field. He’s going against #86 Mammarelli. He gets to the spot, but just can’t make the tackle on the walk-on RB. Big run. Canes had a walk-on C in. Traore in. Walk-on RB in. Defense can’t stop it.
Laurence Seymore cannot handle Lichtenstein and his length. Jordan Miller handled 1-on-1 by a walk-on without a jersey. Portal help needed.
This drove me nuts during the game. How many times did we see a WR in space, with a ball in his hands, just fall to the ground on their own. Catch the ball and explode upfield, don’t fall down! They gave him the 1st down, but he was short in a real game by half a yard and it’s because he just sat down.
Laurence Seymore really struggled in this one. Long way to go to even compete for a depth chart spot. Taylor beats him so badly he almost falls over. Taylor runs this one down the LOS for one of his few plays.
Ivey is not going to want to watch this play in film. He’s the force player here, which is exactly what it sounds like; he needs to force this runner inside to his help and not allow him outside. He gets blocked up on the edge by Jacolby George and RB bounces it around him for a long run. #33 got washed inside by #80 here as well.
Again, #33 getting handled 1-on-1 by 80. Look at this pocket TVD has and Scaife isn’t even blocking anyone. This is a dream pocket for the offense and a nightmare for Canes fans thinking what will happen to this DL if the portal doesn’t hit. George tries to one-hand a beautiful ball from TVD on a deep crossing route. Two-hands young man and you roasted Ivey.
Haye gets caught looking for the ball here and is stuck on a block. That is a massive running lane. Massive. Taylor gets off the block of Sagaplou and shuts it down, but that has to be more yards from your RB. Franklin was slow to hit this hole and not agile enough. You gotta sink those hips and burst through this one, not get two yards.
I’ll be the first to admit that TVD didn’t play his best game in this one, but again here is a WR going to ground for no reason whatsoever and not coming up with a big play. You can’t throw this any better than TVD did right here. Why is Smith going down instead of going up and snatching this ball? Deeply disappointing game from Smith and if he doesn’t watch it, the competition gods will come for him. Ivey was roasted and the throw is perfect.
Thad really does a nice job of pressing this hole here, which forces the LB’s to declare and then he picks a cutback lane and gets 12 yards out of this. LB did what he’s supposed to do and filled his gap with the correct shoulder, but because the RB was patient, he gets rooted out by the C and there is a cutback lane. Need to be bigger/stronger at LB to hold your lane, or you need to beat the block and get it in the backfield, but I’m highlighting the positive RB play rather than the bad LB play by Huff. Cyrus Moss comes off of 79 and hustles back to make the tackle.
McLaughlin messes up here. He’s pulling and has the lead around the edge. The walk-on C gets to his spot as he pulls, but McLaughlin tries to help him first instead of releasing to that third level defender, where a big play is possible if he gets there. It’s an RPO, and Garcia actually throws it rather than giving on the run, but the fact is the RT doesn’t know what the QB is going to do at this moment and needs to execute. Fairness, Coach Mirabal may tell me I’m wrong and he coaches help here and expects the RB to make the guy miss, but I’m guessing he doesn’t teach it that way. Mammarelli loses his block against the defender in the backfield (84 Josh Neely) on this one and he might’ve gotten Thad down in the backfield.
Skinner with the tough contested catch over-the-middle on this one. Rail thin kid, he has got to put on a lot of weight, but the length and frame are elite. Don’t actually love the decision from Garcia here, as he’s staring it down and this type of pass gets knocked in the air and picked etc. He has a running lane if he wants to pick up the six he got from this throw and he has a clean pocket to get to another read. Rivers at LT fired his hands way too early, missed with his punch and allowed Josh Neely to get to half-man on him far too easily. He recovers and pushes him wide, but that’s not good technique against a starting ACC DE.
They lined Skinner up in the backfield and let him lead and he was knocked backwards into Thad, who got stuffed on the run by Huff. Give Huff credit; he was physical on that play. (Not pictured)
On the next play, the 4th & 1, someone misses a line call. There is no way you are leaving both edges unblocked on a short yardage call like this. McLaughlin blocks down inside and leaves edge. Brantley blocks inside and leaves edge. In watching the way the defense played their gaps and everyone else blocked, it looked like McLaughlin made the mistake as Garcia is not reading him. It’s a nice tackle by Frierson, but unblocked and a beeline to the RB is a pretty simple play there.
Parrish runs a Texas route, ball is there, just dropped. (Not pictured)
Ball is there to X, has his hands down here and drops it. I can’t think of a scenario where this is the technique you teach out of this break, so it’s a mistake by X. Thought it was a bad ball live, but I think it just got there quicker than X expects and he doesn’t get his hands right.
This one is on Keontra. You can see Keontra communicating to take Brantley as he goes on the crosser, but he’s confused. I’m guessing Keontra initially thinks the RB who is releasing into the flat is his gets his eyes crossed. Shows the power of eye candy, but also just a bad mistake by Keontra on a 3rd & 10 where you need to be locked in on knowing what you take based on where they go. This is called pattern matching, where your assignment changes based on what the receiver in the backfield does. They run into each other and both cover the RB.
Keontra taps his chest and says my bad. It’s on him you can tell.
Defense gets confused again. Steed runs with the LB up the sideline as I believe he is supposed to. Brantley engages on the edge and then releases. James Williams loses sight of him once he engages and drifts to the sidelines where Thad is running. This leaves MOF wide open for an easy dropoff to Brantley. Nice design, and realistically if Knighton is on that wheel this is a ball you probably throw.
This is a pro level throw on a levels concept (just like it sounds, a receiver is at each of the levels of a route, deep, medium, short and the QB generally reads deep to short). He gets it over the LB and in front of the S on a middle crosser. Why is X going to the ground again on this catch? Catch the ball and go upfield! There are still WR’s in the portal if these guys keep this up.
Nice job here by the edge defender refusing to get sealed inside. You can see he’s using a long-arm to keep Zion off of him so he can get outside. Frierson got outside on this one to shut down that run and it was an excellent play. Poor job by Zion here, who has to know his job is to get that guy sealed. He’s reaching and look at his weight out over-his-toes. Your feet are key here and will take you to this block with a good base, not by being at the waist and reaching.
This is a walk-in TD. Why is X going to the ground here! This cannot be happening on 3rd-and-goal. Catch the ball and stay up! Really poor coverage by Couch, who gave up the outside with ease.
Miami easily converts the 4th down run and the entire defense was bullied. (Not pictured)
Next drive had the likes of Jake Hoffman in at LB, so I’m not going to review much of that.
What is Zion doing here? It looks like he wants to give him a hug. His hands are down as the DL looks to engage, punch is way late and chest is wide open. Thomas Davis just eats him alive here. Easy sack that wasn’t called dead. Then Garcia throws a ball literally through the hands of Steed that Restrepo catches behind it, but this play was a sack and then a should’ve been interception. One other note here, you can see that our coaching has made an impact on the LB’s because they are reading their keys here, rather than immediately falling for the play fake. Look at the OL here, they are obviously all pass blocking, so the LB’s are taking the cheese on the run fake. Good job.
I honestly do not know the bust on this play, but it is definitely a bust somewhere. RT/RG both pull and no one takes the edge. TE takes the outside rusher and it’s an easy beeline for #33 to TFL.
I read some love on the Twitter for this play, but I kind of disagree. It looks to me like Garcia got really happy feet here and even threw this ball with both feet off-the-ground. It’s another levels concept with a shallow cross, middle cross, and deep overs. The RB comes out as a checkdown into the MOF and the LB’s cleared because of the middle crosser. Easy read and throw in my view. Really poor pass rush here.
This is a really nice play by Ivey. He recognizes the block by his receiver and immediately comes off of him knowing it is going to either be a run or a pass behind the LOS. He sees the ball coming to Thad before Garcia even throws it, gets through traffic and gets him down. That is not his man initially, it is the MLB’s man, but that’s great awareness to see it.
Gotta catch it, Ladson. It’s why you’re. You gotta catch it. Dunson is there and does a nice job, but you gotta catch it when it’s right in your hands.
Malik Curtis misses a tackle in the backfield, Josh Neely gets washed by a TE, Ragone is a step outside his gap, and it’s a big run by Devon Perry. (Not pictured)
Can’t have this in a two-minute drill. Justice and Clark have a zone on #91 Jordan Miller and neither actually takes him. Jordan is protecting inside shoulder of Zion and Clark thinks Justice has the zone on his own. Completed on an out to George on a quick release, but this was ugly up front.
Something Miami’s offense clearly wants to do is get the TE involved over the MOF. They do a ton of drags and crossers by receivers to draw attention and then spring a TE who initially blocks into the vacated areas. Will need a good pass-blocking OL to give the time for it to develop, but very difficult to defend. Steed passes the crosser to Flagg, who comes to take it while Steed takes the slant up top. Then Arroyo releases into open area for an easy catch.
Flood the underneath, create traffic for Flagg and he just doesn’t have the athleticism to get out there on the swing to Parrish on this play. Easy first down.
I’ll end the game here, as the second half was a running clock and Miami fumbles on the next play after an early snap to an unaware TVD.
Overall:
- It’s a great thing the season doesn’t start today, because this run defense is not ready. That DL was swiss cheese for the most part and a good running team would’ve gone for 300 with the way they just didn’t physically hold gaps very well on 1st team
- The WR’s were all bad. No one played well in this game and the voluntarily going to the ground stuff was the worst of all
- TVD was just ok, but he needs to stay healthy because Garcia is not ready and Jacurri is at least a year away
- I thought Thad was our best RB on first watch live, but he left yards on the field without a real ability to burst or make a big play. He fell forward and had a few runs where he pressed the hole, but he misses cutbacks and lacked the foot speed to make big plays. Parrish looks like a nice 2nd team RB, but not a foundation guy in my view. None of the RB’s that played today had the overall package of Cam Harris.
- LB’s played a steady game in this one and steady and well-coached is a massive step up from where we were last year.
- Coaching staff is obviously teaching. There were small improvements over what we saw last year and just an incremental improvement in your existing personnel is what you’re looking for.
- OL doesn’t have any elite players, but I thought 1st team looked like a good group. Really want to see development from that 2nd team OL because you can’t play some of them right now. If injuries hit the OL hard this entire offense is in trouble.
- TE’s and RB’s are going to feast in this offense.
- Secondary was massively improved in their awareness and communication and I thought had a good game overall.
- Best DT in this game might’ve been #97 Allen Haye, followed by Lichtenstein. I honestly thought Leonard Taylor was just ok, and if I didn’t know he was an all-world recruit would kind of expect a depth player this year based on what he showed in this spring game. We all know there is much more there and I hope the coaches continue to coach that unnecessary spin out of his ****nal and builds his base to stop getting washed so easily.
- Bring on the transfers. Multiple are needed.
- Depth will improve markedly when the injured players return and the portal additions arrive.
Rest assured, Miami is going portal shopping at edge, LB, maybe WR, and maybe DT. The defense needs depth and the offense needs a WR to step up. All-in-all, progress as we move along and the potential for a good season is here.
