UW wants to avoid chain reaction
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Only one football team in the nation entered bowl season with more takeaways than Miami.
The 11th-ranked Hurricanes (10-2), who face No. 6 Wisconsin (12-1) on Saturday in the Orange Bowl, have forced 30 turnovers.
That was tied for the No. 2 mark in the regular season behind Central Michigan, which had 31 takeaways, and entering the Orange Bowl is tied for No. 3 behind Central Michigan and Wyoming (38).
“I think a lot of their takeaways are kind of team-defense takeaways,” UW coach Paul Chryst said. “A lot of the picks – obviously, whoever is getting them is finishing – but there is pressure on the quarterback.
“They are playing fast and they’re running to the ball. It is a good defense.”
That defense is anchored by a 6.5-
pound, 10-karat gold necklace that features 900 orange and green sapphires forming Miami’s signature “U” at the bottom of the chain.
The team’s turnover chain, which started with defensive coordinator Manny Diaz looking for a way to motivate his players, is handed out on the sideline to each player who intercepts a pass or recovers a fumble.
Miami has intercepted 17 passes and recovered 13 fumbles and 16 players have worn the garish gold chain.
The chain never shined brighter than it did on the night of Nov. 11, when the Hurricanes intercepted three passes and recovered one fumble in a 41-8 rout of then-No. 3 Notre Dame.
“I think it's awesome,” Miami coach Mark Richt said when asked about the turnover chain after the victory over the Irish. “I think most people see our kids are having fun with it. We're not trying to be anything other than enjoying celebrating something that happens.
“People have a different way to celebrate at turnover. We’re not the first ones to do that. We just got the best one. We’ve got the one that draws the most attention.
“And the fact that we’re getting so many turnovers, people are seeing a lot more than maybe somebody else’s way of doing it.”
Miami has generated 22 of its 30 takeaways in the last seven games, 13 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries.
UW enters the Orange Bowl with 23 turnovers, including 15 interceptions thrown by Alex Hornibrook.
Will the Badgers choke on the turnover chain?
Or will UW’s offense protect the football and frustrate the Hurricanes’ ballhawking defense?
“They do a great job of creating turnovers and they really feed off the momentum,” UW offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph said.
But?
“We’ve got to play the game,” Rudolph added. “You don’t go in there to not make a mistake.
“But within that, smart decisionmaking, fundamentals, playing smart…I think as a group you’ve got to keep emphasizing those things. But they’ve also got to cut it loose and play.”
Miami’s secondary has recorded 14 of the team’s 17 interceptions.
Safety Jaquan Johnson, voted the team MVP, is tied for the team lead with four. He returned one for a touchdown.
Cornerback Michael Jackson has four and cornerback Malek Young and safety Sheldrick Redwine have two apiece. Reserve cornerback Trajan Bandy has one, which he returned 60 yards
for a touchdown. Reserve cornerback Dee Delaney has one.
Curiously, more than half of Miami’s interceptions have come on first down. Miami has:
❚ Intercepted nine passes on first down, all on first and 10.
❚ Intercepted only four passes on third down, with the average distance needed to gain 9.3 yards.
❚ Intercepted three passes on second down, with the average distance needed to gain 8.7 yards.
❚ Intercepted one pass on fourth and
3.
Part of the reason for the success on early downs is the Hurricanes' ability to generate pressure from their front four. They enter the Orange Bowl averaging 3.58 sacks per game, No. 1 nationally.
“They do a nice job with their pressure packages and they mix things up consistently up front,” Rudolph said. "They are a talented group.”
UW’s players and coaches won’t be stressing ball security more in preparing for Miami than they have previously. Despite UW’s 23 turnovers, ball security always has been a point of emphasis.
“The only thing you can really do as an offense is say they’re good at creating turnovers and we need to be super good at not giving them any,” UW left tackle Michael Deiter said. “Really all it is is fundamentals, technique. You work it all bowl prep, try to sharpen ball security, pass protection and all that stuff that goes into keeping the ball in your hands. …
“You just have to play smart, play with good technique.”
And keep the turnover chain in storage.
“I’ve seen it,” Deiter said. “It is cool. It’s fun. It is definitely something they take pride in.
“We don’t want to see it, obviously.”