Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
FSU ‘the game you must win’
Now clicking in all facets, Hurricanes prepping for rivalry game with ’Noles
LOUISVILLE — Don’t look now, but the Miami Hurricanes are starting to make noise and catch people’s attention again.
Saturday night’s 47-34 win at No. 18 Louisville displayed an offense that can put points on the scoreboard in a hurry and a kicking game. Detriments of a year ago are suddenly strengths for UM. When combined with the usually stout Miami defense that forced three turnovers against the Cardinals, it’s exciting to think of the possibilities for the rest of the season.
And what better time to be clicking than with rival Florida State coming to town for a second consecutive week of prime-time Saturday night football with ESPN’s College GameDay embarking on Miami?
With early promise to 2020 serving as a reversal of the misfortunes of a 6-7 season in 2019, Miami coach Manny Diaz seeks to make sure the Hurricanes are level-headed and not getting ahead of themselves before facing the Seminoles, who will surely be out to flip the script on UM at Hard Rock Stadium.
“It’s a new year,” Diaz said. “It shows you how quickly things change, and things can change quickly in both directions. We were a team that no one was talking about two weeks ago, and if we don’t do it right, no one will be talking about us two weeks from now. It just goes that fast in college football.”
Diaz and the Hurricanes know this, especially after riding high following last November’s 52-27 win over Louisville that then turned into a three-game losing streak to FIU, Duke and Louisiana Tech to finish the season.
“All we’ve done is go 1-0 in our conference and we’re 2-0 overall,” Diaz said. “I think our players appreciate the difficulty of coming to Louisville and winning, but they know there’s a lot more meat on the bone.”
Players are getting in the frame of mind to face their rival. Take Al Blades Jr., for example, who has this rivalry in his bloodlines from late father Al Blades to uncles Bennie and Brian Blades.
“As a Hurricane, when you come here, this is one of the biggest, if not the most important game of the season,” Blades Jr. said. “When you leave here, everybody’s always going to ask you, ‘What was your record against Florida State?”
Not all Miami players are as familiar with the rivalry as Blades, but the message has gotten across to them. Defensive end Jaelan Phillips, playing as a Hurricane for the first time this year after sitting out from his UCLA transfer last season, says the same “What’s your record against FSU?” bit has been reiterated to him.
“Being part of that storied tradition,” Phillips said, “I think is an amazing opportunity, and I can’t wait to step on that field.”
Said quarterback and Houston transfer D’Eriq King: “It’s the game you must win at Miami. It’s a game that’s going to bother you for your whole life [if you lose], so it’s a big week for us.”
Of course, players on both teams are familiar with one another, many of them playing with or against each other in high school. Freshman UM running back Jaylan Knighton had deeper connections with the Seminoles, committed to them deep into his senior season at Deerfield Beach High before flipping to Miami.
“I know I was committed there, but that’s not my home anymore — now, University of Miami, so main thing is going in to dominate,” Knighton said.
FSU is coming off a bye week. The Seminoles lost their opener to Georgia Tech at home.
They also may be without coach Mike Norvell, as he announced on Saturday that he tested positive for COVID-19.
Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee’s up-tempo spread scheme and King making plays in it are giving the offense confidence, tight end Brevin Jordan said, adding that scoring in Lashlee’s attack just feels natural.
King draws some of that confidence from the security blanket that kicker Jose Borregales goes in securing points for Miami when drives stall. King said once the Hurricanes cross midfield he feels they’re in field goal range, as Borregales tied a UM record with a 57-yard field goal on Saturday.
Miami will go in expanding on what it did successfully against Louisville, but also seeking improvement in certain areas. The Hurricanes still gave up more than 500 yards, although they got third-down stops, 10 tackles for loss and the three takeaways.
They also need to cut down on the penalties (11 for 89 yards against Louisville) and drops in the passing game.
There will be no shortage of energy going in. Players just need to channel it correctly.
“This is a game where everyone’s edge, everyone’s emotions are always higher than they need to be,” Blades said, “but we got to make sure we stay in line and come out and be prepared, ready to dominate.”