Transition more than just a style of play

Some preseason players must now adjust to life in the G League

MIAMI — The Miami Heat are playing this week in transition, and for more than just the preseason-closing exhibitions against the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets.

In what has been a methodical approach since summer league, the Heat are poised for the passage of the second tier of their preseason roster to their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

The initial maneuvering began Tuesday, with the waiving of guards Jeremiah Martin and Mychal Mulder, in what was the start of the expected pipeline to South Dakota. The next moves, because of the Heat’s place against a hard salary cap, will be the shifting of Chris Silva, Kyle Alexander, Skyler Flatten, Daryl Macon, Bubu Palo and Davon Reed.

Whether it is through G League returning-player rights, affiliateplayer contracts or two-way contracts, the Heat are positioned to be able to add all six, plus Martin and Mulder, to the Skyforce roster.

The remaining question, one that likely will be resolved by Saturday’s waiver deadline, is which two will receive the more lucrative two-way contracts.

Factor in the needed further development of raw second

in FAU’s favor when wide receiver John Mitchell caught back-to-back Robison passes for a combined 42 yards after his 27-yard reception was overturned because the officials ruled he didn’t get a foot inbounds.

The Owls finished the drive with running back Malcolm Davidson getting into the end zone on a 2-yard rush for a touchdown to give them a 31-30 lead with 3:36 left in the game.

But FAU’s “bend-but-don’t-break” defense fell apart as Marshall marched down the field on a 10-play, 77-yard drive that ended in a sophomore running back Brenden Knox’s 17-yard touchdown run to put the Thundering Herd up 36-31.

The Owls offense took back over with 36 seconds remaining in the game and one timeout left. But Robison’s pass intended for Mitchell was intercepted by sophomore cornerback Steven Gilmore to seal FAU’s first Conference USA loss of the season.

“We called straight verts,” Robison said. “The corner was playing really far back. Thought I could back-shoulder him, but [it was] just a bad throw. I should’ve given him a chance to make a play.”

The defeat drops the Owls to third in C-USA’s East Divison with a 2-1 conference record, behind Marshall and first-place Western Kentucky.

FAU finished with nine penalties for 90 yards, with six of them being called against the defense.

The Thundering Herd averaged 6.79 yards per play to the Owls’ 5.59. Robison went 21 of 39 for 362 yards, two rushing touchdowns and one interception. He rushed for minus-47 yards on 14 attempts.

Davidson finished with 52 rushing yards and one touchdown on 12 attempts and freshman running back Larry McCammon recorded 38 yards on 12 attempts.

FAU had an up-and-down start to the game against Marshall. The Owls scored touchdowns on two of their first three drives, taking a 14-3 lead after the game’s opening quarter. They held the Thundering Herd to 95 yards on 17 plays in the first quarter but helped keep Marshall on the field by committing four penalties for 58 yards.

“They swapped from four-down to three-down, which we knew they had, but we prepared for all week for that,” Bryant said. “There was no reason to excuse for that to stall us like that. It was just a matter of us not producing and not making plays.”

Knox rushed for 220 yards, the most rushing yards FAU allowed by a single player this season, on 23 attempts with two touchdowns. He had seven rushes for 10 or more yards in the game.