South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Rosier blossoms in Toledo victory
Quarterback scores five touchdowns as ’Canes ground Rockets’ offense
TOLEDO, OHIO —Through the Hurricanes’ first two games of the season and going back to Miami’s late-season struggles last year, no UM player has been as maligned, as questioned, as criticized as Malik Rosier.
The quarterback’s streaky, sometimeserratic play has frustrated fans, who have called on coach Mark Richt, repeatedly, to make a change under center and give one of Miami’s younger quarterbacks a chance.
On Saturday afternoon, in front of a hostile crowd at Toledo and where twice in the second half the upset-minded Rockets pulled within a touchdown of No. 21 Miami, Rosier put together a career day.
He accounted for five touchdowns — two on pass plays and three on run plays — to help the Hurricanes earn a 49-24 win over the Rockets in front of an announced sellout crowd of 28,117 fans at Glass Bowl Stadium.
Before Saturday, Rosier had accounted for four touchdowns twice in his career, including against the Rockets at Hard Rock Stadium last year.
But his performance on this day had coaches and teammates — several of whom have voiced their support of Rosier — smiling, especially after the quarterback was booed on his home field last week during Miami’s 77-0 blowout win over Savannah State.
Rosier, a redshirt senior, finished the game 13 of 23 for 205 passing yards. He also had eight carries for 80 yards, including a long of 37 yards on a fourth-quarter
touchdown run that sent many Rockets fans to the exits.
“Malik came out today and he played with an edge and he played like the starter should,” said running back DeeJay Dallas, who like Rosier had a career day with 110 rushing yards. “He’s going to keep playing that, continue playing like that week in and week out. You’ll see, Malik’s going to be great. Malik’s okay.”
Added Richt, “I hope he’s not listening to the chatter. We tell him not to. I don’t because there’s really nothing good that can come from it. He knew to focus on his job and focus on the team and the game plan. … I guess he scored three touchdowns rushing and two passing and made, like you said, some very big throws. I thought he played really good. I was proud of him.”
For his part, Rosier smiled when talking about his play, but was quick to credit his teammates, particularly Miami’s running backs — who, after struggling against LSU in the opener and early against Savannah State — outrushed the Rockets 268-112 and provided essential pass protection, too.
The afternoon, though, wasn’t always easy for the Hurricanes (2-1).
After Miami built a 21-0 lead late in the second quarter, the Rockets tacked on a late score just before halftime when Diontae Johnson caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell Guadagni. Then, early in the third quarter, the Rockets cut into Miami’s lead again, this time pulling within a touchdown after Art Thompkins’ 5-yard scoring run.
The Hurricanes answered with a quick five-play, 75-yard drive that included Rosier connecting with Jeff Thomas on a 41-yard pass play and a 19-yard scoring run from Dallas.
Still, Toledo (1-1) wouldn’t back down, especially with one of Miami’s defensive leaders — preseason All-American safety Jaquan Johnson — sidelined because of right hamstring injury.
With Johnson doing little more than watching the second half from a conditioning bike on the Miami sideline, Toledo again capitalized. This time, Guadagni connected
Our offense should score 40, 40-plus points every game. We have the talent, the capability. … We just have to show we can do that every week.”
Malik Rosier,
Hurricanes quarterback
with Johnson on a 40-yard scoring strike that cut Miami’s lead to, 28-21, with 7:39 left in the third — a virtual eternity for the Hurricanes, who were also without safety Amari Carter, who did not travel to Toledo because he was attending a family funeral.
Again, though, Miami answered and it was Rosier who helped make it happen, his 5-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Cager giving the Hurricanes a two-touchdown cushion.
It proved all the Hurricanes would need, even without Johnson and Carter.
After that, Miami’s defense held the Rockets to just a field goal in the fourth quarter and cornerback Trajan Bandy’s interception of Guadagni led to another Hurricanes touchdown — this one a
1-yard run by Trayone Gray. “The defense kept telling us ‘Keep making plays. We’re finally going to make a play.’ When Trajan Bandy caught that pick, it kind of took their offense and their fans out of it,” Rosier said. “We knew coming into this game they were going to give us one-on-one matchups. We exploited them for it. Jeff Thomas had some phenomenal plays. So did Lawrence Cager. That’s like the big thing for us — if you’re going to play us in man, we have to win on those routes. And they did all day.
“I think the big thing is that this shouldn’t be a two or one-game wonder. Our offense should score
40, 40-plus points every game. We have the talent, the capability. Now that we see that against a better team, against Toledo … we just have to show we can do that every week.”