After running for 110 yards, Dallas issues warning to FIU
TOLEDO, OHIO — DeeJay Dallas, dream crusher.
The Miami running back had a dream game Saturday during the Hurricanes’ 49-24 victory over Toledo, backing up his claim the Hurricanes are built to “crush dreams” with a big role in the win.
Dallas recorded his first 100-yard game, finishing with 110 yards on 17 carries, both team highs. He had one touchdown on a 19-yard run.
“I told you at the beginning of the week, we’re built to crush dreams and that’s what we’re doing,” Dallas said, referring to the amped-up sellout crowd at the Glass Bowl.
But Dallas did not stop there. He sent a warning to Miami’s next opponent, crosstown rival FIU.
“And next week it’s the same story,” he said. “Underdog trying to beat Miami in Hard Rock. We’re just going to handle business.”
The Hurricanes finally showed they have a running game, finishing with 268 yards on the ground. They entered averaging 161.
Quarterback Malik Rosier had 80 yards on 10 carries, including three rushing touchdowns. Rosier also threw for two scores. Travis Homer (Oxbridge Academy) had 62 yards on 16 carries.
“Just the offensive line clicking, they clicked at the right time,” Dallas said. “I told them before the game, ‘We’ve got to play with a mentality,’ and that’s what they came out and did. They came out and showed up. And that’s what we need every week. I told them we’ve just got to keep building and keep building and keep building.”
Miami was determined to get Dallas past the 100-yard mark. When offensive coordinator Thomas Brown put him back in the game in the fourth quarter leading 42-24, coach Mark Richt initially questioned the move.
“I didn’t like him getting a carry late in the game,” Richt said. “When he came to me and said, ‘Thanks, coach,’ I realized he had 100 yards.”
Richt said he asked Brown why Dallas was playing.
“It’s hard to keep a kid at 98 yards, 99 yards when he can get one more carry,” Richt said. “I understand that as far as milestones for running backs. I was OK with it.”
No fan of Ohio: Hurricanes receiver Lawrence Cager was asked about how nice it will be to get back home. Miami hosts FIU on Saturday and then has two more home games before hitting the road again.
Cager agreed it will be a good thing before assuring he will never work for the local chamber of commerce.
“It’s going to be good to get away from Ohio,” he said. “I don’t like Ohio. It’s so boring.”
Short-handed in secondary: Miami struggled when senior safety Jaquan Johnson left late in the first half with a hamstring injury. Toledo scored on that possession and on its next three drives.
This came after the Rockets were shut out on their first six possessions.
Miami, though, was without its top backup safety, Amari Carter, who did not make the trip because of a death in his family.
“Amari had a family member who passed away,” Richt said. “He gave the eulogy for that family. He made that choice and he honored his family that way.”
Toledo totaled 106 yards on its first six possessions. On the next four, it had 252 yards and 24 points. The defense settled down, holding the Rockets scoreless on their final three possessions, which ended with an interception and two punts.
“The quarterback started running the ball a little more,” linebacker Shaq Quarterman said. “We had to adjust to that.”
Toledo, which had 603 yards in its season-opening 66-3 win over VMI, finished with 334 against Miami.
Hurricanes defensive tackle Gerald Willis was limited in the second half because of cramps.
Penalty-free: The Hurricanes officially had no penalties. Bubba Baxa twice kicked the ball out of bounds, but the NCAA does not recognize that as a penalty.
UM did try to take a delay of game penalty when it lined up to punt late in the game, but Toledo declined the penalty.