South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Williams, UM top Pitt 16-12
With Williams again at QB, ’Canes rally late to edge host Panthers
PITTSBURGH — It appeared destined to shake 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 trailed by two points. 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 in which the Miami 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 closely 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, but their 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 then-No. 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 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 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 in house.”
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 because of an injury. 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 got to step up. You guys need 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 5 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 pass fell incomplete.
Earlier in the final period, Pittsburgh converted a 14-play, 64-yard drive that took 8:14 off the clock into a
29-yard field goal that put it ahead 12-10 with 7:19 remaining.
The Panthers went down to the Miami 1-yard line, facing fourth-andgoal. Originally keeping their offense on the field, they 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 at 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 bounceback 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.’’
The Panthers slowly inched to within 10-9 after Kessman made field goals of 25 and 29 yards late in the first half and early in the third quarter, respectively. The second one was set up by Perry getting intercepted due to an overthrow of Michael Harley. Harley added to the return with a face-mask penalty.
Miami left a third-quarter opportunity to add to its one-point lead on the field.
With the kicking unit having a rough season, the Hurricanes kept their offense on the field for a
fourth-and-3. Perry appeared to have two open options between tight end Will Mallory and Harris in the flat, but he threw to a well-covered Dee Wiggins and the pas fell incomplete for a turnover on downs.
Pittsburgh started with Kessman nailing a 54-yard field goal on the Panthers’ opening drive. Miami was able to respond — from much shorter distance — when Camden Price made a 22-yard field goal. UM took advantage of field position, starting at the Pitt
35-yard line off Ivey’s first interception.
Miami goes back on the road next week to Tallahassee for a rivalry game against Florida State.