’Canes didn’t let losses multiply after Tigers
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Hurricanes got the bounce back win they needed against Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon following their loss at No. 1 Clemson.
Defensive stops in the red zone and on third downs, coming in a number of different ways, keyed the grind-it-out victory.
Quarterback D’Eriq King hit some explosive plays that were wide open for four touchdown passes, but the passing game still left much to be desired.
Here are 10 things we learned in Saturday’s 31-19 win:
Oneloss didn’t snowball into multiple defeats
It’s been an issue for Hurricanes teams in recent years: One loss stops any momentum the team builds and things spiral out of control from there.
The disappointing loss at Clemson on Oct. 10 didn’t lead Miami downthe same path this time. The Hurricanes proved resilient, and they didn’t allow one loss, against a team they weren’ t quite ready, turn into another one against a team they should beat.
King deadly faking the draw
To beat a tough Pittsburgh defense twice for wide-open touchdowns on similar plays is a testament to offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and his play calling. He and his offensive staff identified a weakness in the Panthers; the players executed and exploited it.
Quarterback D’Eriq King leaned in to fake the run, draw Pitt defenders in, given his threat on the ground, and hit his target for a touchdown over the top with no one around him. First, it was running back Cam’Ron Harris. Then, tight end Will Mallory, stepping up in B rev in Jordan’ s absence, in the second half after also scoring in the red zone in the first half.
We saw the same concept work in the win over Louisville on a wheel route to Jaylan Knighton. King’s touchdown to Michael Harley also found him wide open along the sideline on Saturday.
Roche had a monster game
Coach Manny Diaz called it Quincy Roche’s best game since joining the Hurricanes, and the Temple grad transfer agreed.
Roche ate up Pitt blockers time and time again, consistently making plays in UM’ s run defense and tallying four tackles for loss among his seven total. He said postgame he would like to rush the passer better going forward, but even there, he split a sack with Jaelan Phillips, forced the fumble and recovered it in a key momentum second-half momentum swing for the Hurricanes.
More depth, reps for youngsters
Miami went deeper into its wide receiver rotation, getting redshirt freshman Jeremiah Payton and true freshmen Keyshawn Smith and Michael Redding III more snaps. Smith was targeted four
times (one completion for 16 yards), and Redding drew a pass interference.
Freshman Corey Flag ga nd sophomore Sam Brooks keep seeing significant action at middle linebacker and weakside linebacker, respectively, rotating in behind Bradley Jennings Jr. and Zach McCloud.
Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hun te, who now leads the team with three sacks on the season, had a big thirddown strip-sack in the red zone. Sophomore cornerback Te’Cory Couch is getting more snaps and broke up three passes, blanketing receivers when left in single coverage.
King getting balls bat ted, no contested deep connections
In the second quarter alone, King had three passes batted at the line of scrimmage. The first two were Cooper City grad Rashad Weaver getting his long 6-foot-5 frame extended to disrupt some snap throws on screens to the perimeter. Deerfield Beach alum Deslin Alexandre got another that led to King’s first interception.
It’s easy to maybe make the
diminutive King, listed at a generous 5-foot-11 on the roster, a target of criticism for the tipped balls due to his height, but it is a concern — one that didn’t remain an issue vs. Pitt in the second half, however.
While the offense got some explosive plays that were wide open, King was still unable to connect on contested shots down the field with his receivers. Even many of his underneath throws were off target.
Not much in run game, but UM stuckwith it
Pitt’s a tough defense to run against, and the Panthers held the Hurricanes to 2.6 yards per rush, ending up with 109 yards on 42 attempts.
While there wasn’t much room, UM made a more concerted effort to remain physical and keep pounding Pitt, as opposed to the Clemson game, where a running back didn’t get a carry until deep into the second quarter.
It was necessary to not abandon the run with King under 50 percent on completions for much of the game and Miami trailing in time of possession, and the effect of wearing down the Panthers paid
dividends by the fourth quarter and the 14-play drive that took 7:11 off the clock.
The time-consuming drive to seal it
That drive finished off Pitt, taking the clock down to 4:13when Jose Borregales connected on his lone field goal attempt of theput the Panthers down by the final margin of 12. The Hurricanes were still going tempo early in the series and then transitioned to burning timeoff the clock.
It started with King running for a 22-yard gain to get it going. King then faced a third-and-9-and-made whatwas probably his best throw, finding Mark Pope beyond the sticks on the outside for 16 yards and a first down. He swung another completion out to Michael Harley on third-and-6 later to keep the clock ticking.
Hedley a factor in punting game
Early Saturday, itwas a battle of field position, and it’ s an advantage when Lou Hedley is the punter on your side.
H ed ley averaged 51.7 yards on his six punts with two of them downed inside the 20-yard line and a new season long of 60.
Improvement regarding penalties
UM stopped hurting itself as much with penalties. After committing 15 for 135 yards at Clemson, the Hurricanes cut those numbers to five for 55 on Saturday.
They were especially disciplined in the secondhalf as four of the five penalties came before halftime. Those were still costly, however. A John Campbell hold killed Miami’ s opening series. Gilbert Frierson gifted Pitt a first down, lining up offside on a fourth-down punt. Jennings and Phillips committed roughing-the-passer penalties in the second quarter.
Miami needs to keep winning ACC games it should win
That’s what this part of the schedule after Clemson is all about.
First, it was Pitt. Next Saturday, the Hurricanes get Virginia in an 8 p.m. kickoff, again at Hard Rock Stadium. After a second byeweek, a Friday night game at N.C. State, which is also 4-1, follows.
Connect these wins together, and get to 6-1 (5-1 ACC) going into Blacks burg for a key Nov .14 show down at Virginia Tech.