The Miami Hurricanes (4-0) defense dominated the Florida Gators (1-3) in a 26-7 showdown on primetime. Mario Cristobal’s offense hit a few self induced lulls but eventually the scoreboard took care of itself.
The Canyonero Keys to Victory over Florida were:
1- Scramble Drill. DJ Lagway routinely escaped and even had a player wide open but his inability to finish left me wondering if the guy just doesn’t have “IT.” He was inaccurate, he looked slow footed, and their false start on a wide open wheel
route stopped a sure fire TD. Miami did stop the scramble with Marquis Lightfoot and Akheem Mesidor in pursuit but even the snaps where Miami’s defense failed Lagway failed too.
2- Win the money downs. The Gators failed to convert a single 3rd down and only converted on half of their 4th downs. That’s just not good enough to win against Miami and their offense that typically picks up 3rd or 4th and short.
3- Stay out of the muck. Honestly no one really went for the big stupid penalty and that’s a good thing. There wasn’t a pre-game meeting of the minds or anything really embarrassing between one program that’s been “back” for 20 years and one program that saw their short-lived dynasty end by the 2010’s.
The Doppler
So about those money downs. The Gators finished 0-for-13 on 3rd down but they did pick up 50% of their 4th downs to close at 3-of-19 on money downs. Miami was 9-of-17 on money downs and will remain a top-25 team in converting on 3rd and 4th down.
The Hurricanes had the lone turnover on an ugly Carson Beck interception and honestly his first drive ‘bat down’ by the LB on the RPO should’ve been picked as well.
Miami was penalized six times for 30 yards while Florida was penalized three times for 20 yards. The ‘Canes center was called for three snap infractions as he struggled to hold the football in the rain, one crux of practicing far too often in the IPF. The staff had better work wet ball drills in the future.
Carter Davis nailed both of his field goals and both kickers hit their PAT attempts. The punters did their job in the rain. Malachi Toney had a 14 yard PR which is plus but Keelan Marion’s lone KR was only for 19 yards.
Miami Offense
Carson Beck was having an off night. The Pete Davidson doppelgänger was more Pete in his Raging Bull homage (above) than Pete dating Ariana Grande. Beck finished without a touchdown, having thrown one INT and averaged 5.3 yards per pass attempt. His lone run attempt brought his ‘Beck can run’ analysis back down to earth and capped with ‘against G5 teams.’
Mark Fletcher Jr. is an NFL RB. Fletcher rushed for 4.8 yards per carry with one TD. His sidekick, CharMar Brown averaged 4.4 yards per carry with two TD’s in the slow-cooked Miami offense.
Florida took away any thought of a deep shot with their prowling 2-high look and a super high FS playing deep center field, something reminiscent of Chuck Carr prowling the warning track at Joe Robbie Stadium. Miami had three skills average double-digit yards per catch and one was Brown on a last minute flick from Beck.
The Miami offensive line was a rollercoaster of pre-snap penalties (snap infractions, false start) while only allowing one sack and a mere four tackles for loss.
Above– Miami opens with GY Counter and Florida does a good job of playing it to cut off the inside, except Fletcher bounces this outside while following the lead block of his wrapping TE. McCoy logs the DE and Bauman wraps wide to daylight.
Above- This T-Formation works because inside the +5YL most coaches don’t want to pull. Instead of pulling an OL you can use more “FB” type players and pull them instead. This eliminates giving up the run through that power would allow while still running power or counter.
Above– Miami runs the same scheme as the GY counter: The OL down blocks the first back kicks (like the OG) and the 2nd back wraps to the LB (like the TE). The RB follows the ‘wrap’ player.
Above– On a wet field if you run enough mesh and shallow cross the return route will work. The defender slips and CJ Daniels is WIDE OPEN and fights for a 1st down. These are the Air Raid set-up plays like a counter punch in boxing.
Above– The TE coach is expendable. Bauman whiffs badly on this kickout block and between him and Elija Lofton I’m not sure who is more clueless in the run game.
Above– This is why in pass pro you teach the RB’s inside-out protection. Fletcher works outside much too fast and Mauigoa is going to open and ride the DE. Mauigoa’s job is to wash the guy up field while Fletcher helps inside and Beck steps up in the pocket.
Mauigoa’s outside leg should split the crotch of the DE so here he’s a little wide and his shoulders aren’t square like they should be. For a ‘potential top-10’ pick he has some flaws in pass pro that have to be cleaned up.
Above– Had Fletcher helped inside-out no.15 doesn’t run free inside and right into Beck’s chest. That was the second inside move that beat Mauigoa, he just got away with a clothesline holding earlier.
Above– The kind of stuff I love. Wide pull concept with the second RB as a lead blocker. The PSG and BSG pull, the WR’s are blocking downfield (Daniels is a plus blocker). Fletcher reads this perfectly and splits the two blockers rather than going wide and causing a holding call.
Above– Now while Mauigoa has some pass pro flaws he’s extremely strong in two areas: 1- run blocking and 2- being the first man to the screen. At 6-6, 315 he sure runs well in space and can motor down and get his hands on a much more lithe defender.
Above– One of my favorite concepts and the perfect concept for Lofton is the Y-Slide RPO tag. Beck reads the DE and when he squeezes inside Lofton can release to the flat.
Above– Lofton may not be the first FB to win the Heisman Trophy since the boys came home from Iwo Jima but there are things to do with him that Shannon Dawson needs to run more.
Miami Defense
The Miami defense smothered the Florida offense for three quarters. Lagway was held to only 2.7 yards per pass attempt on the day. However, he cut his five INT performance against LSU down to ZERO turnovers vs. Miami. Good on him for taking care of the football. Miami needs to do better in creating turnovers.
Miami shutdown Lagway from running outside of 1-2 plays and Jadan Baugh averaged only 3.8 yards per carry but did score the Gators lone TD. Ja’Kobi Jackson was underutilized by Billy Napier while averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
Miami held UF’s skills to one double-digit yards per catch mark, Vernell Brown III had a 12-yard long but only 11 yards per catch. Lagway had open receivers but missed the mark multiple times on the night.
The Miami defense got after Lagway and the Gators for four sacks and seven TFL’s including the nail in the coffin sandwich sack late in the 4th quarter.
Above- Rueben Bain Jr. is having an NFL Draft kind of year. I’m happy for him. He looks absolutely dominant under the new S&C Coordinator with his body being fine tuned.
Above– Lagway had guys open on the scramble drill but he’s too scared and inaccurate to make it count. It reminds me of the end of the Justin Fuente Era at Virginia Tech or Geoff Collins’ GT teams- where Miami benefitted from horrible QB play from opponents.
Above– Miami has vastly improved their pass rush lanes from under Manny Diaz or Lance Guidry but there are still some flaws to be found. Corey Hetherman gets overzealous at times and his players need to feel where they are, especially a DE who should be in his 2nd year in the NFL at this point.
Above– As you can see Mesidor starts on the right hash and winds up in the mid field. Lagway can escape through the gap he’s left. FSU’s Thomas Castellanos will be less afraid to run, and less afraid to chuck one.
Above– First the DC overloads Lagway’s eyes at the LOS. This is one of those moments where he has to either check the RB on a swing (which he runs) or the TE to a stick concept.
Above– Remember it’s 3rd and 3, the pass rush comes to his front side, and he still can’t feel it, see it, or throw the swing that would be wide open for a 1st down and maybe an explosive play with the numbers they have at the POA.
Above– Florida finally tries the numbers game at the POA that Ga. Tech and Va. Tech have used against Miami to their advantage for the prior two seasons. Motion the TE, Miami fails to adjust, run a quick toss and make Mohamed Toure’s ACL’s work laterally and Wesley Bissainthe track a ball carrier in pursuit while avoiding Bain. This stuff is on film but Napier might be the most stubborn HC/OC I’ve seen since Fuente and we know what happened to him.
Above- Jakobe Thomas is a 5th year senior who has played in the SEC. He still doesn’t know ‘give arm, take arm.’ 1- Why are you trying to grab a bowling ball by the shoulder pads?
2- What that means is when a RB stiff arms you, you grab his arm in an arm bar and yank his butt on the ground (think: BJJ/Judo).
Above– When the DE has inside rush lane help like he does here he can bend and rip under a weak RT like UF’s. This is some Planet Earth stuff watching a lion beat the crap out of some fat slow bison.
The Wrap
“Win your clunkers.“- The Solid Verbal. You aren’t always going to have a beautiful game on both sides of the football, but when one side is struggling the other has to keep them in the game. Unlike the 2024 season where it was typically the offense dragging up the defense, I think this year fans will see symbiosis, rather than a parasitic relationship.
Miami is off this week before facing a hot Florida State team in Tallahassee before the ‘Canes second off week. It’s a weird sandwich game and Miami has struggled with off weeks in the past. If one test was to not fall into any fighting traps against Florida, another will be to avoid the off week dip.
Y’all enjoy your off week. The Hurricanes are 4-0.
