Williams to the rescue for Hurricanes
PITTSBURGH — It appeared destined to shape out just like the others: Close, but where the Miami Hurricanes couldn’t make the late play to pull out a win.
An offense that was inept against a fierce Pittsburgh defense for 56 minutes, was down two. Even if Miami could work its way into field-goal range, that hasn’t gone well for the Hurricanes, especially after their three misses on short tries the previous week in a loss to Georgia Tech.
With Miami’s original starting quarterback, Jarren Williams, entering the game after a tumultuous few weeks, this time UM would be the team that made the play in the end.
Williams’ touchdown pass to K.J. Osborn with under a minute remaining got the Hurricanes a 16-12 win against Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on Saturday afternoon in a game where the defense did not allow a touchdown and forced three turnovers.
“It’s a league of very fine margins,” Miami coach Manny Diaz said of the run of contested games in ACC play, “Today, we are the team that made the plays in the critical situations, and to that, I couldn’t be more proud.”
The Hurricanes (4-4, 2-3) avoided their first 3-5 start since 1978. They are two wins away from clinching bowl eligibility, as ACC Championship Game hopes are slim with three losses within the conference.
Miami continues to alternate between bad losses and impressive wins, responding from last week’s devastating loss to Georgia Tech, which followed a win over thenNo. 20 Virginia the week prior and a heartbreaking loss to Virginia Tech that preceded that.
That Oct. 5 loss to the Hokies was where things began going south for Williams before Saturday. He threw three interceptions that originally sent him to the bench in favor of N’Kosi Perry. Perry played well in relief and has started since, with Williams also recovering from an upper-extremity injury.
Matters may have reached a tipping point earlier in the past week. It came out on Saturday that Williams did not attend the team’s Wednesday practice, according to a source and as noted on the 560-AM radio broadcast on Saturday.
Neither Diaz nor Williams would elaborate on the issue on Saturday. Diaz said it was an internal matter he wouldn’t discuss.
Said Williams: “I’m committed to this team and this program, and what happened Wednesday, we’re going to try to keep that inhouse.” after making an interception Saturday.
Williams, who started UM’s first five games before the team went to Perry, first entered on the drive that preceded the touchdown as a coach’s decision, not due to injury, Diaz said. Perry was 10 of 24 for 104 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
“I said, ‘Hey, I guess it’s time for me. I gotta step up.’ You guys need me. The team needs me. This program needs me, so I’m going to give everybody everything I got,” Williams said.
Said Diaz of the change: “We really felt like we needed a spark.”
Williams’ first series was a three-and-out with one pass nearly intercepted after ricocheting off of Osborn’s chest. The Hurricanes, who were without junior running back DeeJay Dallas due to a knee injury and receiver Jeff Thomas due to suspension, went into that final drive with 146 yards of total offense.
As Williams began the drive with 4:01 remaining, UM converted a fourth-and-1 from its own 47-yard line with a screen from Williams to Osborn that went for five yards. Williams later scrambled for an 8-yard gain on a third-and-2 from the Panthers’ 40. Two plays later, Williams hit Osborn on a deep slant, Osborn bounced off a defender and ran free for the 32-yard winning score.
“They were running a coverage that we were trying to catch them in, and we were able to catch them at a perfect time,” Osborn said. “He hit me, I was able to break some tackles and make a play. We caught them.”
Pitt (5-2, 2-2) went fourand-out on its final chance that followed UM’s touchdown. Greg Rousseau had one of his three sacks on third down before the Panthers’ fourth-down try fell incomplete to seal the win.
Earlier in the final quarter, Pittsburgh converted a 14-play, 64-yard drive that took 8:14 off the clock into a 29-yard field goal that put the Panthers up, 12-10, with 7:19 remaining.
The Panthers went down to the Miami 1-yard line, facing fourth-and-goal. Originally keeping their offense on the field, they just took a delay of game. Another 5-yard penalty later for a false start and kicker Alex Kessman made his fourth field goal of the afternoon.
“If we go for it and don’t get it, we’re saying the same thing,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said, answering questions on the decision not to go for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 1. “They don’t even have to score to win the football game [if you don’t take the field goal].”
A Cam’Ron Harris 1-yard rushing touchdown early in the second quarter gave the Hurricanes their first lead, 10-3. Harris finished with 60 rushing yards on 16 carries in Dallas’ place. It was set up by sophomore cornerback DJ Ivey’s second first-half interception.
Ivey, with the receiver on his end motioning to the opposite side, shifted to play center field on the play as the Hurricanes rushed six. Trevon Hill pressured Pickett into the overthrow and Ivey returned the interception 28 yards to the Pitt 17-yard line.
Ivey also had an interception on a deflection from senior linebacker Zach McCloud, who played for the injured Michael Pinckney on Saturday. It was a bounce-back performance for Ivey after he gave up two touchdowns, one on a fake punt, in the Georgia Tech loss.
“I felt like I made up for last week for my team,” Ivey said. “I gave it my all.’’