Van Dyke benched in upset loss
MIAMI GARDENS — Before heading to the locker room at halftime, Mario Cristobal told the radio station WQAM that the Hurricanes had played “as bad as we can play.” He may have been underselling Miami’s performance.
Up against a Middle Tennessee State squad that entered the game as 26.5-point underdogs, the Hurricanes let a bad start turn into an abysmal game. They fell behind 10-0, which became 17-3, which turned into 24-3.
Although the team briefly showed more life after the UM staff benched Tyler Van Dyke for Jake Garcia, it wasn’t enough to save the Hurricanes from a 45-31 defeat.
The Hurricanes plummet to 2-2 before their bye week, and they begin ACC play against North Carolina on Oct. 8.
The game started poorly for Miami and only got worse. Van Dyke threw an interception on the Hurricanes’ first offensive play of the game, but the UM defense held MTSU to a field goal. On Miami’s next offensive drive, Van Dyke had another pass intercepted. Blue Raiders defensive lineman Zaylin Wood returned that pick for a score.
The Hurricanes had a third turnover on their next drive when Jaylan Knighton fumbled, but Miami’s defense got the ball back on a Kamren Kinchens interception (his second of the season).
Miami’s defense had trouble stopping Middle Tennessee State’s Air Raid offense throughout the game. Blue Raiders quarterback Chase Cunningham tossed a 71-yard score to DJ England-Chisholm to put the Blue Raiders up 17-3 in the first quarter. On their next drive, Cunningham threw an 89-yard pass to Jaylin Lane that got MTSU to the Miami 5-yard line. The Blue Raiders scored on quarterback keeper four plays later.
The Hurricanes’ offense continued to scuffle through the first half, but they did score on a 6-yard pass from Van Dyke to running back Henry Parrish Jr. with 1:20 left in the first half. Miami went into halftime trailing 24-10.
Van Dyke continued his stretch of rough performance after not playing up to expectations in the Hurricanes’ last two games. He
went 16 of 32 for 138 yards and one touchdown before he was taken out of the game. In the third quarter, the Miami staff put Garcia into the game to try to salvage the game.
Down 31-10 after a 69-yard touchdown pass from Cunningham to Elijah Metcalf, the Hurricanes needed a jolt. Garcia provided one, but it was too little and too late.
With Garcia in the game, the Hurricanes’ moved the ball better. They scored on his first drive and reached the Blue Raiders’ 2-yard line on his next drive. But Middle Tennessee State kept Miami out of the end zone and followed the stop with a 98-yard touchdown pass from Cunningham to England-Chisholm.
But the Hurricanes still had fight in them. On the ensuing kickoff after the MTSU touchdown, Key’Shawn Smith returned a kick 91 yards for a touchdown to keep Miami within two scores.
The Miami defense could not hold off the Middle Tennessee offense, though. The Blue Raiders marched down the field and scored on a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive to extend their lead to 45-24. Miami scored again on a short run by Thad Franklin, but the Hurricanes could not make up the difference.
Five takeaways
1 . Tyler Van Dyke benched
Van Dyke entered the season as the clear starter, a potential firstround pick and a Heisman candidate. In the fourth game of the season, he may have lost his starting job. In the third quarter, Cristobal inserted Garcia into the game.
Van Dyke struggled in a win over Southern Miss and in a loss to Texas A&M, but Saturday’s contest started badly for the thirdyear sophomore and only got worse. The Hurricanes inserted Garcia in the third quarter, and he played the rest of the game.
Miami has a bye week next week where the coaching staff will have to make their decision going forward.
2 . Garcia energizes offense
Miami’s offense could not do anything when Van Dyke was in the game but looked better once Garcia entered the fray.
Garcia completed 10 of 19 pass attempts for 161 yards in the loss and led the Hurricanes to a touchdown on his first drive. But the Hurricanes couldn’t keep the energy going long enough and ultimately fell short.
3 . Flat in nearly every aspect
The Hurricanes didn’t play their best against Southern Miss in Week 2, but they got the win.
They struggled in Week 3 against Texas A&M, and it cost them a victory. The same happened against Middle Tennessee State, and it cost Miami dearly.
The defense that excelled against the Aggies gave up 45 points to the Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee State scored on six of 14 offensive drives.
3 . Injuries mount up
Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson suffered an apparent injury in the first half on Saturday. The Hurricanes’ fourth-year junior has been a starting cornerback in each of Miami’s first four games.
Sixth-year junior punter Lou Hedley missed the game with an injury, according to WQAM. Running back Jaylan Knighton did not have a carry after the second quarter, and Henry Parrish Jr. departed the game after going down with an injury in the third quarter and did not return.
Cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. also left the game after making a fourth-quarter tackle.
5 . Defense caught in pass coverage
The Hurricanes struggled mightily with the Blue Raiders’ passing attack.
Middle Tennessee State quarterback Chase Cunningham racked up 400 yards passing in the game.