OK, I think I finally got my breath. Miami wins 43-35 in double OT versus an FSU team that many people thought couldn't roll over and play dead at this stage. I'm more relieved than euphoric.
It's alright to say it, Miami got away with one tonight at Hard Rock
With that said, Miami is the better team, but for much of the game tonight they were not. That's the reality. And quite frankly they played a very uneven game tonight. I still think their best football is ahead of them -- but am I just being a blind optimist? This team still has a lot to shore up.
But you know what they say about winning -- it beats losing. And now it's three straight versus the Noles, that always feels good regardless of the state of their programs. Rivarly wins matter, always
Some other thoughts on this game..
-- Darian Mensah had good numbers (24 for 24, 326 yards, 3 TD' and 1 INT) on paper, but in watching this game, I thought this was the worst of his UM career. Now, maybe it says something about the standard we have for him, or how well he played. But that interception on the 1st drive of the 2nd half was a killer(and he had room to run for about 6-10 yards). That was a bad decision.
Other times, it looked like he held the ball too long. But hey, he was steady later in the game when it counted.
-- Javion Mallory has become running back 1A. His vision and ability to run to daylight is rare. Tell me his overtime TD run didn't have you thinking of Frank Gore vs FSU in 2004 on that Friday night that was the game winner)
-- Malachi Toney, do I need to say all that much. Big time players make big time plays, in big time games. Honestly, I thought we should've fed him more as the offense bogged down at times. Call him Jerry West, he is 'Mr Clutch'. His impact, every game, goes beyond the numbers.
- OK, now, the bad. I think the world of our defensive coordinator, Corey Hetherman, but I still can't get over the defense/pressure he brought at 28-21 with about 2:40 left. As Duce Robinson was going down the sideline for the tying score, I had Chafie Fields flashbacks.
Im not a coordinator, Im just a fan (I realize that) but my view is that you rush four, drop seven and let Ashton Daniels make a few throws before dialing up anything to heat him up. To get beat like that on the first play was mind-boggling, when you had the whole field to defend was puzzling.
-- Then in the second OT, I realize our players and maybe our coaches are too young to know who Tom Jackson was. But what did he say about defending 'hail mary' throws? KNOCK IT DOWN!! Our guys, even on that last INT, we're not doing that.
I will say this, the Dline got really good pressure in the 2nd OT.
Also, earlier in the game, the screen game -- a Norvell specialty- was killing Miami. They looked totally unprepared for a facet of the FSU offense that you knew was coming.
So that's it. I need to sip a Coors Light (the Rocky Mountain sensation) and relax a bit.
