In his lastest Front Facing Two-Minute Drill (TM), or whatever it is he calls it, our Billy O’Rourke recaps the Miami Hurricanes’ manhandling of Bethune Cookman.
We didn’t post this right away…. because it was Bethune Cookman.
Look for more from Mr. O’Rourke every week (or so) on our wrestling podcast, Smark Your Territory.
The Miami Hurricanes finally get to play at home for the first time this season after a road game at North Carolina and neutral site showdown with Florida. Saturday’s matchup against Bethune-Cookman of the FCS ranks is the first of five consecutive home games. While the game is expected to result in an anti-climatic blowout win for Miami, here are five players fans should keep an eye on.
Thunder and Lighting
Through Miami’s first two games, running backs DeeJay Dallas and Cam Harris have combined for 41 carries, 276 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. They call themselves “Thunder and Lighting.”
“He’s Thunder, I’m lightning,” Harris said with a wink.
Hurricanes running back DeeJay Dallas on the running back mindset pic.twitter.com/4XBTJtLpFy
— Tony Capobianco (@TonyCapobianco) September 13, 2019
They have a similar perspective towards running the ball, which bodes well for the offense. Miami offensive coordinator Dan Enos emphasized running down hill and both backs have demonstrated the ability to do that.
“You gotta have that mentality of ‘me vs. you’ in every play,” Dallas said. “When you step in front of me, that’s disrespectful to me because I feel like I’m superior to you.”
Gregory Rousaeau
Despite starting the season 0-2 for the first time in 40 years, Miami Hurricanes defensive coordinator Blake Baker likes how his defense has been able to rush the passer.
However, redshirt freshman Gregory Rousaeau stands as the only Miami defensive lineman to have recorded a sack this season. He had to redshirt last season due to injury but has flashed in minimal snaps against Florida and North Carolina. At 6-feet-6 and 255 pounds, Rousseau is a special athlete in his position with length and agility.
“Sometimes those guys are a little bit stronger and a little less athletic and more like heavy guys who want to just pancake you,” said Rousseau, a Coconut Creek native who missed most of last season with an ankle injury. “It’s really different, but it’s really the same thing because you’ve just got to come off the ball fast, get extension, be physical and just get after it every single play. Just like D-end, just kind of a different spot.”
Miami defensive coordinator Blake Baker said Rousaeau will get more snaps in the near future. He’s also earned the respect of his veteran teammates, especially redshirt senior Scott Patchan, who referred to Rousseau as “a gift from God.”
“I think being hurt has allowed him to stick more time and investment in the weight room and he’s definitely benefited a lot from that,” Patchan said. “I mean, he’s leading us in sacks right now.”
Bubba Baxa
Some fans would argue that if it wasn’t for sophomore Bubba Baxa missing the field goal at the end the game, the Hurricanes would have won that game. Obviously there’s more to it but in two games, Baxa is 4-for-7 in field goals and seven points have been the difference between going 2-0 and 0-2, where Hurricanes currently are.
Unlike in the NFL, the Hurricanes can’t simply cut Baxa and bring in the next kicker they can find. There are only two courses of action Miami can take; hand the reigns over to Camden Price or Turner Davidson, or rally around Baxa and hope for the best. Miami head coach Manny Diaz went with the ladder.
“It’s not a thing you get to do it 20 times in a game like you’re shooting free throws. It’s kind of a one-shot deal,” Diaz said. “The only thing he can do and anybody can do is continue to work, continue to trust himself and just fully commit to every kick.”
Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz on kicker Bubba Baxa pic.twitter.com/W6yNLIUQ5P
— Tony Capobianco (@TonyCapobianco) September 13, 2019
The main reason behind Diaz sticking with Baxa is his leg power. His kickoffs usually results in touchbacks and he nailed his first 50+ yard field goal attempt against UNC.
“The more he feels us around him and the more he feels our support, and I said this the other day, he’s going to miss a kick again. It’s going to happen. We can’t demand perfection. But like we talk with all our guys, ‘am I improving and am I finding the way to become the best version of myself?’ ”
Jarren Williams
UM quarterback Jarren Williams mentioned before the UNC game that he has improved his pocket presence and it showed with a 30-of-39 performance for 309 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. While many were easy underneath throws, completing more than 75 percent of his passes is still impressive for a freshman starting quarterback. Against Bethune-Cookman the deep ball is the next area in which Williams must show improvement on.
Hurricanes quarterback Jarren Williams on improving the deep pass pic.twitter.com/53ZMdBzRfJ
— Tony Capobianco (@TonyCapobianco) September 13, 2019
“My deep ball is something I got to work out every day if I want to be efficient in that and that comes with time and building that chemistry,” Williams said after Wednesday’s practice. “That just comes with me working hard all day on Greentree [Practice Fields] and practicing it every day and just getting that timing right and getting a good feel for the deep ball.”
Brevin Jordan
Sophomore tight end Brevin Jordan started the season as the first player on the team to wear the new touchdown rings. Against UNC, he was one of three UM receivers to net over 70 receiving yards. As impressive he as been as a receiver, his contribution to the running game as blocker is something that gives him added value to the offense.
“I mean, I pride myself in blocking,” Jordan said. “I don’t want to be a tight end that’s 6-7 and can just block or a short tight end who just runs routes. I wanted to be a guy that’s versatile and can do it all. That’s the whole point. I want to be an in-line tight end that can block and be a guy that can be put outside and run vertical.”
He’ll have plenty of opportunities to do both against Bethune-Cookman, so what he does he enjoy more? Jordan was asked on Tuesday to compare the feeling he gets from making a great block to making a great catch.
“Truthfully, I like the ball in my hands. I’d rather make a great catch,” Jordan said, “but giving a great block, throwing somebody on the floor and then seeing [running backs Cam’Ron Harris] or DeeJay [Dallas] run past me, I mean, that’s just as good. It doesn’t get better than that.”
Harold Ramírez hace un recuento de lo que ha sido su primer año con los Marlins de Miami, con los altibajos individuales y colectivos, y haciendo énfasis en los cambios en su mecánica de bateo:
On the Monday of every regular season week, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz and his coordinators give a State of the U type press conference recapping the previous game and previewing the upcoming one. Having attended it, here are my takeaways from what they said.
1) Diaz’s approach to recruiting
When Manny Diaz became the head coach, one of the first things he did was establish “The New Miami” rebrand in an effort to excite the base and modernize a throwback identity. That rebranding is at the forefront of recruiting, which Miami should have a natural advantage given it is in the apex of prime talent real estate. It hasn’t been easy, however. Miami has led the nation with 19 decommitments in the last recruiting cycle and has lost 13 this time around. A majority of those decommitments came from prospects that gave a verbal pledge to Miami early in the process only to later change their minds and put out a statement on twitter via notes app that ends with some combination of “PLEASE RESPECT MY DECISION!” and “NO INTERVIEWS!” That has led to a new approach from Diaz.
“What I will tell you broadly is that there’s some things we are changing in terms of what we will do to take a commitment,” Diaz said. “Not all of those things are necessarily grandfathered, but there are some things going forward. What it means to be committed to Miami and a series of criteria that has to happen for that happen. There’s a series of criteria of what happens once you are committed to Miami that’s never been in place in the past.”
He compared recruiting to sales during the presser, using his podium microphone as a metaphoric example.
“I have to create value and I have to make you want this, but before you value it, I have to value it,” Diaz said.” Part of that is not tolerating people not respecting the University of Miami, not respecting their hometown team. That’s something very personal to me. I want it to be personal to our staff and I want it to personal to our players. And that’s OK. Other people can go other places and that’s why there are 130 schools, but the University of Miami is going to get back where it needs to get back to with players that love the University of Miami. They love what it means to be a Miami Hurricane and they understand that value.”
Diaz had a little more polished version of Mike Singletary’s “I want winners!” speech during his first game as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
2) Moneyball Manny
Diaz went for it on a 4th-and-1 in the third quarter against North Carolina. While it came up short and the Hurricanes turned the ball over on downs, Diaz did not second guess his decision because it was backed up by data, which is an important element to his coaching style.
“I’m big into data,” Diaz said. “The Moneyball effect has filtered into football. I equate it to playing blackjack. We know we want a team that wants to be aggressive and go for it on fourth down. Once you understand the data, you trust you’ve made the right decision. It’s been calculated.”
That’s not to say that he’ll go for it in every fourth-and-short situation. Diaz said that those decisions “depends on score, time of game, depends on the opponent.”
“Your kicking game has to factor in as well,” Diaz said. “How often does any college kicker make a kick from 37 yards? All of that goes into the science of it.”
3) The quickest way from point A to point B is…
The Hurricanes gained 179 rushing yards against North Carolina and DeeJay Dallas looks to be a future NFL running back after back-to-back impressive performances this season. Enos mentioned where the Canes offense want to go on the ground during his press conference.
“We’re gonna run north,” Enos said. “When we get the ball, we’re not gonna be an east/west team. We’re gonna run the ball downhill.”
Cam’Ron Harris gained 60 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries against UNC, giving Miami a one-two punch to Enos’ liking.
“One thing that happens with running back in my experience, have been around some really, really, good ones, is when one’s on the sideline watching the other one run hard, he kind of realizes ‘when I get out there, I better run as determined and just as hard.'” Enos said. “That’s what we tell the guys. If you want more carries, you got to earn more carries.”
4) The more the merrier for Dan Enos
Against North Carolina, nine different Canes players recorded a reception and two running backs received double digit carries. Miami offensive coordinator Dan Enos emphasized playing a large amount of players on offense during the first two games. With the home opener against Bethune-Cookman expected to be a blowout early, plenty of players can expect to see the field on Saturday.
“It’s a lot better for your moral when you have more guys playing from a mental standpoint,” Enos said. “Coming over to practice for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, they all come over with maybe a little bit of jump to their step, knowing that they’re gonna have a chance to play.”
5) Why you should go to the Bethune-Cookman game
After a neutral site game and road game to start the season, Miami will be home for the next five games. In fact, from now until the last game of the season, the Hurricanes only game outside of the state of Florida is on Oct. 26 at Pittsburgh. The home opener against Bethune-Cookman and the Central Michigan matchup afterwards are expected to be a anti-climatic blowout where the fans would naturally leave once the tailgate buzz wears off. Diaz offered some valid reasons to come to game despite the expected outcome.
“These next five weeks are going to say a lot in terms of where this team is and what happens in our season in the ACC Costal,” Diaz said. “I would come just to watch Cam Harris and DeeJay Dallas run the ball. I’d come to watch Jarren Williams play and I know for a fact, I’d come watch Shaquille Quarterman, Mike Pinckney and Zach McCloud play their last run of games at home because those are guys that you want to say five years from now, ten years ago, that every time I had a chance to watch Shaq Quarterman play, I watched him play. And if it happens, come watch Lou Hedley punt. That might be worth a ticket too.”
Honorable mention: UM defensive coordinator Blake Baker on his defensive personnel
“Talent is not going to be out issue, I think experience is our issue and there’s going to be some growing pains.”
After the Dolphins’ franchise-worst 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, fans are showing more fight on Twitter than their team showed in the game.
So it raises a question:
Has the Dolphins’ tank already gone too far?
Time for 5 Live.
Chris Kouffman (@CKParrot) of Three Yards Per Carry: “The Dolphins are spending 67% of the average league AAV this season, which is $27 million worse than the next cheapest team out there. They’re spending $36 million less than the next cheapest team out there in cash payroll. They have the 3rd most salary cap space in the league at $38 million. They flushed Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, Kiko Alonso, TJ McDonald, Tank Carradine, and 26% of the roster days before the season began. The entire right side of the offensive line (Danny Isidora & Julie’n Davenport) didn’t even have their parking space yet, and they had a career right guard playing left tackle. They had a slow 5’9” experimental career slot corner manning the last line of defense at free safety, a coverage linebacker from the CFL playing Edge defender, and a defensive lineman that similarly hasn’t found his parking space Avery Moss playing 46 snaps (poorly). None of this has anything to do with Nick Foles, nor will it be helpful in any way to the effort in 2020+. All of it could’ve been prevented with basic roster management. Choosing this resulted in the worst home loss in franchise history, a fan base that will probably not go to any more home games, and (evidently) multiple players complaining they want out. This was a choice, it had nothing to do with Nick Foles, and we shouldn’t pretend there was only one way to do a rebuild, or even one way to tank. They chose THIS way, and they’re gonna have to live with the consequences, and I’d just assume stop playing holier than thou with the people that are upset about it.”
Luis Sung (@LuisDSung), Dolphins writer for 5 Reasons and Dolphin Maven: “As someone who despised the idea of tanking from the very beginning, the Miami Dolphins have indeed gone too far with their tanking process. And in some ways, they also haven’t gone far enough. If the goal is to be back on their feet by 2020, they can’t go so far as to completely remove any and all talent that’s found throughout the offseason. Cutting Nate Orchard, their top pass rusher in the preseason, serves what purpose other than to make sure they fail? Could he not have played an Andre Branch role when Miami decided to contend again? By the same token, if tanking is the goal, why are the young players not playing? Isaiah Prince was inactive against Baltimore, as was guard Shaq Calhoun. Why are they not giving them that experience? Let’s not even discuss the Josh Rosen angle. Miami has done too well in removing talent that can contribute, and seems unwilling to develop the raw talent that can potentially help in the future. That’s the worst of both worlds.”
Alfredo Arteaga (@UptownReport) of Three Yards Per Carry: “The Goldilocks principle. Not too far, not far enough, just right. Where did they probably” go too far? I would say that the Tunsil/Stills trade was an opportunity that fell into their lap and they took advantage of it. The purge that started with allowing Cameron Wake to walk and trading Tannehill was necessary for a rebuild. So are we at the point where it’s the cuts of Tank Carradine and Nate Orchard as the last straws? No. Although those two cuts bother me because I thought the point of a tank is to of course, lose enough, but also attempt to add some cheap useful talent, which those two were. Where they did go too far is on the offensive line, where it started with a Tunsil trade, that I don’t have a problem with, but continued with a mysterious Jesse Davis journey from RG to RT, to now LT!. Shaq Calhoun getting what seemed like every 1st team snap in camp and preseason, to then be inactive on gameday while they play a journeyman (Isidora) in his place. Then Davenport plays RT out of the blue? This looks intentional, and if it’s not intentional, it’s something much worse. Incompetence.”
Josh Houtz (@Houtz), Dolphins writer for 5 Reasons and Dolphin Maven: “Everyone knew heading into the season, that the Dolphins were going to be bad. But no one was ready for what we saw on Sunday. It was bad. Really, really bad. Now there are reports of a mutiny in Miami, but why? This team was going to be bad with or without Tunsil, Stills, or Kiko. An influx in young players is on the horizon. And with a Billion dollars in cap space, the Dolphins can get one or two franchising altering free agents. If there are players that are upset with what’s going on in Miami, do better. After all, none of those guys did anything to stop the 59-10 pummeling. …. The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming…. #TrustTheProcess.”
Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick), Five Reasons content director: “The Dolphins, after two decades of abrupt direction changes, have finally found one that works. Down. And while I understand the impetus for the overall strategy, because Steve Ross gave up trying to do it the right way, it’s impossible to defend what we saw last week, with the cuts of useful players in favor of unproven newcomers. And it’s impossible to defend what we saw on the field Sunday. Here’s the problem: Most fans aren’t on social media. They don’t know the ins and outs of the Dolphins’ plan, and unlike the Marlins, Chris Grier has done a poor job of explaining it. They just see the outrageously inept output.. What’s worse is that Grier has put his new head coach, Brian Flores, out front, to justify the unjustifiable. It’s unfair, and we see where it’s going. Eventually, when Grier goes — like Sashi Brown and Sam Hinkie went in similar tank jobs — Flores won’t be shielded either. He’ll bear the brunt of fan apathy and anger. Grier has accumulated gobs of assets, sure. But do you trust this organization to do right by them anyway. Simply put, bring on Heat season.”
There are a few Miami Dolphins superfans who have caught our attention on social media.
Kathleen Noa is as dedicated as it gets.
Here’s her first video for Five Reasons Sports.
We’ll put a name on this eventually.
Do you agree with her?
Follow her at @Kathleen_Noa.
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