The Miami Hurricanes traveled to Dallas to play the SMU Mustangs and left with another ACC loss. SMU beat Miami 26-20 in overtime. The home-dog Mustangs packed Gerald J. Ford Stadium with 35,000 fans for
an 11am kickoff local time.
The Canyonero Keys to Victory main theme was that this would be a “Cadillac of Games” and it was. I picked SMU to win by 1, they won by 6, and it went to OT. Not a bad game at all, except that the ‘Canes lost another ACC game to a less talented team.
The three individual keys to victory were:
1- Make Jennings bust not boom. SMU QB Kevin Jennings averaged one yard per pass attempt more than Carson Beck, found five receivers for explosive plays and didn’t turn the ball over (that handoff exchange was on RJ Maryland) while throwing one TD and rushing for another on a bum ankle.
2- Slow down CJJ. Chris Johnson Jr. still looked hobbled and only had five touches on the day. So that one turned out true.
3- Protect the football. Miami turned the ball over twice, SMU did once. Miami failed to protect the football in overtime and lost the game without putting much if any pressure on SMU in OT.
The Doppler
On money downs, Miami was 7-of-17 while SMU finished 3-of-14. Both teams played it safe on 4th down and only attempted one conversion while both failed on that attempt.
Miami was plagued by penalties once again including multiple pre-snap violations that included another James Brockermeyer snap infraction. Alex Mirabal can’t coach centers and clearly can’t pick ‘em anymore either. What a disaster this portal pick-up has been. This time Miami was flagged for 96 yards to SMU’s 40.
As I stated in the Canyonero Keys above, Miami lost the turnover battle two to one. SMU screwed up their 4th down attempt with a trick play that backfired into a fumble. Beck threw two picks- one that bounced off of JoJo Trader’s hands and another right into a defender in OT.
SMU lost the kicking battle. The ‘Stangs had a long KR but Miami also had a long punt return from Malachi Toney by stupidly punting to no.10. SMU missed one field goal while Carter Davis was perfect. The ‘Canes blew a chance to down a punt inside the 10 and the comedy of errors ensued.
Miami Offense
Beck averaged 7.2 yards per pass attempt with two TD’s and two INT’s. He was successful scrambling and on one read option to keep the SMU DE’s honest but 34 yards isn’t clearly anything to shift the tide of a game.
Mark Fletcher averaged 5.2 yards per carry while Marty Brown averaged 4.1 and Jordan Lyle hit only the 3.3 mark. Miami had 159 yards on the ground and the Toney jet sweep game is all but dead.
Beck had only two receivers hit double-digit yards per catch marks in Trader and Keelan Marion. Trader caught a beautiful touchdown but also had a drop that turned into a pick, while Marion was a 3rd down chains moving weapon without CJ Daniels available.
The offensive line did not allow a sack but gave up four TFL’s. Beck had multiple throws batted down at the line but that’s on him and not changing up his rhythm or arm angles.
Above– OK hang in there with me. The yellow is what Miami needs to do. The red is what SMU is doing. The OT and OG for Miami need to kick out (push to sideline) the SMU LB and S. The WR can’t let the SMU LB beat him inside but does.
The OL won’t get out there fast enough and the safety can run down now because of the log jam inside, no one will get to him. The MDM (most dangerous man) is now being blocked by 3 guys unsuccessfully I might add.
Above– The result: Mauigoa never gets to anyone, the DE retraces and stops Toney from cutting inside, the LB won his block and cuts off the outside move.
Above- The old Air Raid Switch concept. SMU doesn’t switch and stays on their man and it results in Trader coming free up the seam for a TD.
Above– If you’re a step you’re really three. Beck under throws him but this time Trader adjusts and makes the play anyway.
Above– This is where the play goes bad. Trader tries to catch this ball in his body and as we know that tends to bounce the football off of face masks and shoulder pads. What Trader needs to do is turn his chest, eyes, and belt buckle back to the football. Forget the run after catch, catch the ball first.
Above– Beck does have a nice play fake and SMU bit on the run (wouldn’t you?) action. Bauman winds up WIDE OPEN and makes the grab. Nice loft from Beck so it can’t get batted, too.
Above– There are a half dozen or more TE’s on the roster and they go with a backup center at TE. He’s clearly not a pass catching threat and on 3rd and one some ambiguity would be nice but we talk OODA Loops and this doesn’t give anyone a reason to distort the loop.
SMU’s defender wrong arms the kick out like he should, which forces the ball to either VERY wide bounce (nope) or try to fit in the hole (nope). It’s a TFL.
Above– More bad screens. This time the outside WR doesn’t come inside enough, Toney is stuck as the lead blocker which I’ll never understand. They did that with Jacolby George too and it backfired repeatedly. The guy on Toney isn’t fooled by a fake diagonal route that no one runs, comes off, makes the play. Mauigoa’s line to the MDM is bad but it doesn’t matter anyway.
Above– Those hesitation routes are often ‘whip in’ concepts and SMU’s safety knew it. He baited Beck, no1. almost runs the pick for SMU with another bat down. It looks thrown to SMU more than Miami, that’s how obvious the play calls are.
Miami Defense
The SMU offense couldn’t run the ball and still came away with a win. Jennings averaged 8.3 yards per pass attempt with one TD and no INT’s thrown. With his bad ankle he can’t really run but made a few plays, and took one ugly sack and one beautiful sack play by the defense.
RB TJ Harden averaged 3.4 yards per carry with the game winning TD run in OT. Derrick McFall and Johnson Jr. were both held to under a yard per carry. Jennings did score once on the ground on a nifty cut that left a Miami defender grasping at air.
SMU found four receivers for double-digit yards per carry and a fifth with an explosive catch. Jordan Hudson was Jennings favorite target as he caught 11 balls for 12.4 per catch. Yamir Knight caught the TD throw from Jennings.
Keionte Scott has proven to be one hell of a valuable addition to the squad as he came up with a fumble recovery, a sack, a PBU, two TFL’s, and eight stops. Rueben Bain Jr. had 1.5 TFL’s and the Miami defense had two sacks, six TFL’s, and six PBU’s.
Above– Here is where play callers are going to feast. A- 2nd and short when Toure stays on the field you have to ‘check with me’ and run a rail or wheel. Force him to sprint downfield with you. B- On 2nd and 3rd and long when Lightfoot is on the edge run right at him.
Above- Keionte Scott is becoming nearly unblockable as a ‘bandit’ safety type of player. Sacks, TFL’s, FF’s, etc. Guy is a huge PITA for OC’s. I have no idea why the SMU TE ignores him since he’s inside but either way that’s blown up. Terrible call from Lashlee, too. Just use Harden to shove Jennings across the line to gain.
Above– OK the safety clearly has no3 (most inside WR) here. One little in-0ut move and he’s dead to rights.
Above– The rest of these guys are a massive question mark after the pick-up of Scott. Thomas and Poyser both stink and are constantly getting exposed. Jennings can’t even throw the football with any push and the SMU skills have to come back on every single wobbly ball.
Above– one of my favorite pass concepts is slot fade. Corey Hetherman has a few things to clean up on the backend with his DB’s. The S is on the hash but his eyes are across the field. The overhang guy clearly just sits there doing nothing at all. The CB is on the WR.
Above– And by the time the S notices the WR is all alone waiting for another Jennings duck to land in his waiting arms.
Above– Some Manny Diaz issues with two rushers in one gap. What’s funny is both decide to come inside together, too. Jennings doesn’t feel it like he should and can’t escape. But your blitzer and DE being in the same gap TWICE on the same play leaves a lot to be desired. Mesidor seems to freelance quite a bit.
Above– We have been discussing pursuit angles lately and Fitzgerald wants no part in contact. He is supposed to track the near hip of the ball carrier and instead runs to the far hip. Jennings cuts back inside.
Above– He had a chance to still make the play but never moves his feet, doesn’t close and won’t even dive for Jennings injured ankle. Why Fitzgerald is in on red zone defense I have no idea.
Above– Which fat LB do you want to pick on now? Toure and Aguirre can’t be on the field at the same time. The slot gets matchup up on them and splits them for a 1st down. I saw Aguirre and thought he was a DL at one point.
Above– Harden completely gets worked by K. Scott who has a better pass rush move than anyone but Bain on the DL. Scott slap and rips to get underneath and inside pressure to a QB’s chinstrap is always going to result in a negative play.
Above– What would you do if you’re Lashlee? Find Scott and run away from him; find Thomas and run right at him. Why Thomas is the force defender here I have no idea. Use a timeout and make sure that can’t happen. Scott gets kicked out to slow him down and Thomas never makes an effort to come off the block. TD SMU.
Miami Special Teams
Above– The KO team gets clogged up like a toilet in the old Orange Bowl after too many croquetas during the tailgate. FIVE guys on the KO team are defending the hash to the sideline (1/3), while that leaves 5+the kicker to defend 2/3 of the field. The ball wasn’t kicked between the number and sideline so I’m not sure how this happens. As you can see you have guys defending exactly the same grass, too.
Above– Four guys in the same tube of number to hash, including two sets of stacked coverage guys. If Davis doesn’t play this as well as he does, and if his tackle is the usual kicker slide vs. him putting his facemask on the KR’s thigh- this is a TD and the game is completely flipped.
Above– And let’s not act like the PR team are a bunch of geniuses either. Toney is just that damn good at his job. What a difference the 10 jersey is from the 35. Two of his own players run into him and he splits them to nearly take this disaster to the house. Please stay at Miami no.10. Please.
The Wrap
Mario Cristobal blew it once again and Miami is now 2-2 in the ACC and on the outside looking in for the ACC Championship Game and College Football Playoff. Meanwhile his predecessor Manny Diaz has Duke in the drivers seat to a trip to Charlotte in December.
The ‘Canes will face three straight slappies in a row in: Syracuse (3-6), NC State (5-4) and Virginia Tech (3-6) before a showdown on the road with the Pitt Panthers (7-2). Pitt does have Notre Dame and Georgia Tech before hosting Miami which could leave them at 7-4 prior to their Thanksgiving weekend meeting with Miami. NC State just knocked off Ga. Tech at home in a night game at Carter Finley.
If Miami does finish 9-3 you can kiss any shot of being the last team in the CFBPO goodbye. While they might get away with two losses because of wins over ND, Florida, FSU, and USF; the ‘Canes can’t afford a third loss or it’s back to the PopTarts Bowl they go.
