South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
’Canes win in home opener
Hurricanes win home opener convincingly over Bethune-Cookman
MIAMI GARDENS — In search of a convincing victory where the team was clicking on all cylinders, the Miami Hurricanes went deep into the second quarter looking like their inevitable win against Bethune-Cookman of the Football Championship Subdivision wouldn’t be all that dominant.
UM started 0-for-5 on third downs to come up empty on four of its first six drives and kicker Bubba Baxa missed a 30-yard field goal that even brought some boos from the home fans.
That all changed in a hurry as three touchdowns between the final minute of the first half and first five minutes of the second turned a 14-point lead into 35 and catapulted Miami (1-2, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) to a 63-0 win over BethuneCookman (1-1) in front of an announced crowd of 52,036 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday evening. It marked coach Manny Diaz’s first victory as a head coach.
“A lot of happy faces in that locker room,” Diaz said postgame. “A lot of guys that worked very, very hard for that moment.
Running back DeeJay Dallas ran for 108 yards and scored the Hurricanes’ first three touchdowns. Quarterback Jarren Williams shook off some early errant throws and was nearly perfect after that.
He finished 19 of 24 for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
Players earned several firsts: Junior receiver Michael Harley scored his first career touchdown; freshman H-back Larry Hodges’ first catch was also his first touchdown — and he later got a second; fifth-year senior safety Robert Knowles’ first Turnover Chain moment, a fumble recovery late in the first half, turned one touchdown right before halftime into a second; and former five-star receiver Mark Pope had his first impact game, leading UM in receiving with 92 yards on four catches, one a 54-yard pass from Williams.
The exclamation point came when former walk-on Jimmy Murphy scored a 4-yard touchdown, his first, with 2 minutes, 42 seconds remaining. It sparked a wild celebration between Murphy and his teammates that even involved a Murphy somersault. The Hurricanes were penalized for it, but it far from mattered.
UM outgained Bethune-Cookman 590-137.
“It felt like, defensively, we had a statement we had to get off our chest,” said senior defensive tackle Pat Bethel of the shutout.
Pope left the game appearing to
favor his left leg, and tight end Brevin Jordan was seen heading to the locker room in the third quarter. Diaz had no update on Pope postgame but said Jordan was just a hydration issue and should be fine.
The Hurricanes hope Saturday’s outcome springboards them forward after their first 0-2 start since 1978. A critical stretch of ACC play follows a home game against Central Michigan next Saturday.
After going three-and-out on the opening drive, where Williams nearly threw his first college interception, the Hurricanes drove down a short field, with Dallas punching in a 1-yard touchdown on their second possession. It was set up by a Williams pass to Osborn that got UM down to the 1.
Miami worked the short field after a defensive stop deep in Bethune territory that followed a Lou Hedley punt that pinned the Wildcats down at their own 1.
In the second quarter, Dallas scored on a 51-yard scamper down the left sideline as guard Navaughn Donaldson’s block sprung him.
Dallas got his third touchdown with 57 seconds left before halftime. It was a second 1-yard plunge and came shortly after an endaround rush from receiver Dee
Wiggins that went for 33 yards.
“That’s one of our key points we needed to focus on: starting fast and scoring first,” Dallas said. “Today, we didn’t end up starting as fast as we wanted, but we did put the first points on the board.”
The Hurricanes wouldn’t be done before half.
Knowles recovered a fumble that was forced by Trajan Bandy to give UM the ball right back with
16 seconds before intermission. Williams then struck quickly with back-to-back passes to Osborn of
21 and 22 yards, the second going for a touchdown to send Miami into the locker room up 28-0.
Miami was right back at it to start the second half.
Former St. Thomas Aquinas High standout Michael Harley flashed a burst of speed as he picked up most of the 32 yards on his first career touchdown after the catch to put the Hurricanes ahead 35-0.
Hodges’ touchdown from Williams from a yard out followed later in the third quarter, and Cam’Ron Harris scored from a yard out to start the fourth. Hodges scored a second touchdown, from backup quarterback N’Kosi Perry, in the middle of the fourth quarter.
Miami continues its five-game homestand Saturday with a 4 p.m. kickoff against Central Michigan.