THE EXTRA YARD: NFL, DOLPHINS MOCK DRAFT 2.0

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Here is Mock Draft 2.0, and in a Draft where the Miami Dolphins own the 1st round with three first round picks, many options exist to improve the team. The possibility exists that Miami can stay put and get their man at QB in Tua Tagovailoa, so this Mock Draft allows for this. In reality, the Lions will surely leverage their draft position for an asset or two, or three.

One issue that will remain is this, if the Lions move down to #5, is there a player they would be targeting that will go off the board at #4 and thus make the trade down a bad idea? Isaiah Simmons, Jeff Okudah, Tristan Wirfs?

 

Here is the view of the 1st round from one third of the Trio that makes up the Three Yards per Carry Podcast:

 

1. BENGALS – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

There has been rumors and innuendo of Burrow not wanting to go to Cincinnati, but all of that got put to rest at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Bengals get a “local” boy to lead the franchise for the foreseeable future.

 

2. REDSKINS – Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State

New Head Coach Ron Rivera gets his Julius Peppers. The clear cut best defensive prospect goes to a team in desperate need of a reset, and all the rumors of a QB being taken at #2 to compete with Dwayne Haskins prove to be head fakes designed to entice a team into unloading a haul of assets to get up to #2.


3. LIONS – Jeff Okudah, CB,Ohio State

I originally had Isaiah Simmons going here, but with the trade of Darius Slay, drafting the best CB prospect of the last 3 drafts is elementary. Okudah plays right away and excels. Matt Patricia’s defense is much improved this offseason already, and gets a further boost here at #3.

 

4. GIANTS – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

I was tempted to put any one of three Tackles in Wirfs, Becton or Thomas here, so I went with Andrew Thomas who was for the better part of the last 18 months the near consensus top Left Tackle prospect for the 2020 draft. Nate Solder’s stint as the LT for Big Blue comes to an end soon, due to price tag and age (he is 32 years old), and Andrew Thomas steps right in.

 

5. DOLPHINS – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

The worst kept secret anywhere. For the better part of two years, the Miami Dolphins have committed considerable resources to the pacific northwest contingent at QB (Herbert, Love) but with a keen eye on what is going on in Alabama. No secret they like him, and would take him here. Had it not been for Tua’s hip injury, he was a serious consideration at #1. Tagovailoa is not particularly athletic, and does nto posses a rocket arm. What he does have is uncanny anticipation, football smarts, and great intangibles that have traditionally translated well to the NFL.

 

6. CHARGERS – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

Jordan Love here made a little sense due to rumor, and all the takes coming out of #DraftTwitter, but I’ll just go with the older consensus that Herbert was a top 3 QB prospect and the Chargers get theirs here at #6.


7. PANTHERS – Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

This team is essentially starting over and Matt Rhule needs a leader on his defense. I can make an argument for Simmons being the best defensive player in this draft, and getting him at #7 is a gift. Newly minted at #7, this is a great beginning on the big rebuilding job being undertaken in Carolina.


8. CARDINALS – Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

The Cardinals just finished locking up their young LT, D.J. Humphries to a 3 year $45 Million extension, and now they get the best Right Tackle prospect in this draft.


9. JAGUARS – Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

The complete makeover of the Jags defense continues. This time with a mammoth Defensive Tackle to compliment edge standout from the 2019 Draft, Josh Allen. This is a pretty good 2 year start on a makeover of what was once a talent laden defense.

 

10. BROWNS – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

Browns have been rumored to be in on any of about 4 different Tackle prospects, and this is as good a fit as any. With their previous LT Greg Robinson facing Free Agency and possible jail time, Becton falls nicely to the Browns at #10.

11. JETS – Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama

A reach here in my estimation, but the run on Tackles gets the Jets a bit nervous, and they make sure they get some OL help for Sam Darnold in what could be a make or break year for the QB, and Coach Adam Gase.

 

12. RAIDERS – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

The Raiders were much improved in 2019, but the disaster that was the WR corp. after the Antonio Brown debacle gets remedied by a guy that can do it all. Lamb will be a welcome addition for Derek Carr, or..Marcus Mariota?

 

13. 49ERS (via COLTS) – Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

How do you keep a position of strength from deteriorating due to age, departures? You inject new talent. The talent injections into San Francisco continue this year with a rangy, long, physical corner in Trevon Diggs. Diggs did not run at the combine, but speed is not an issue. His comparisons range from everything from Aqib Talib to Xavier Rhodes. There is a Richard Shermanasque look to him, and the fit here is just too good.

 

14. BUCCANEERS – Javon Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina

The Bucs have a lot of the elements for a successful offense already in house, and I believe Arians just added Tom Brady to run the entire show. On defense, Devin White, Shaquil Barrett (he is a FA), Vita Vea and now Kinlaw to pair with Vea up front is a helluva start on improving what is an underrated defense.

 

15. BRONCOS – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

Broncos continue their hot streak of finding offensive talent after unearthing undrafted Free Agent Phillip Lindsay, and drafting WR Courtland Sutton, OT Dalton Risner and TE Noah Fant. 2nd year QB Drew Lock gets even more help in Jeudy. Good looking and young offense, being built in Denver.

 

16. FALCONS – K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU

The Falcons need a lot of help on defense, and after taking two offensive linemen in Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary in the 2019 draft, they turn their attention and resources to the defense with their 2020 1st round pick. An Edge player like Chaisson fits the bill.

17. COWBOYS – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

The Cowboys are in dire salary cap straits this offseason as all world CB Byron Jones leaves for Miami, Robert Quinn is gone to Chicago, and Randall Cobb goes to the Texans. This team suddenly has holes, and none bigger than at corner back. In Kristian Fulton, the cowboys get a highly intelligent, twitchy, speedy corner, adept at man to man coverage. In Fulton, the Cowboys soften the blow of losing Byron Jones.


18. DOLPHINS – Josh Jones, OT, Houston

The Dolphins brought in egde players, an all world CB in Byron Jones, and sprinkled in interior line help. They are severly lacking at Tackle and the run on tackles makes them a bit nervous, and they snap up Josh Jones out of fear, here at #18. Yes, the blind side is the RT. But free rushers right into your face as a left handed QB can be a bit distracting. Jones is a skilled, sleek, “Tunsil like” Lineman. He can be your left tackle for 10 years. You gotta do it.

 

19. RAIDERS – Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

The first WOW moment of the draft. The rumblings surrounding the Raiders and Tom Brady were loud enough where you gotta think that Derek Carr’s job isn’t all that safe. The upside for Love is immense and a QB guru (or somebody that fancies himself a QB guru) like Jon Gruden would love to work with a prospect such as this.

 

20. JAGUARS – Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

Justin Jefferson joins DJ Chark to form a “all LSU” WR Tandem, and Chris Conley to form a pretty good WR group. Gardner Minshew gets more help with the trade of Nick Foles clearing the deck for the 2nd year QB.

 

21. EAGLES – Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

The Eagles have serious issues in the secondary due to possible defections and injury, so it makes sense that they take what most consider, the best safety on the board. Many options for the Eagles here, but they save corner for later rounds and make sure their safety group is squared away with McKinney, and maybe…Rodney McLeod? (with the exodus of Malcolm Jenkins).

 

22. VIKINGS (via BILLS) – Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

With the trade of Stefon Diggs, the Vikings have weakened what was a position of strength last year. They replenish the position with the Clemson standout to go with All Pro Adam Thielen. Kirk Cousins returns, and he returns to a healthier offensive line, and little turnover on his skill guys save for the trade of Diggs. This pick softens that blow.

 

23. PATRIOTS – Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia

With Tom Brady gone, do the Patriots package a bunch of picks to move up and take one of the top prospects at Qb? No. Not enough assets. The Patriots and Belichick are arrogant enough to think that they can just get a highly intelligent QB, adapt him to their system and move on. They may be right. They could be galactically wrong. But they are gonna try. Fromm is the perfect, consummate game manager with some sneaky arm talent that shows up from time to time. Patriots target, and land their QB of the foreseeable future.

 

24. SAINTS – Grant Delpit, S, LSU

The Saints are still in Super Bowl or Bust mode, and could lose some bodies in the secondary. Safety is a desperate need for New Orleans, even after the return of Malcolm Jenkins, to continue what will be a very defense heavy offseason.

 

25. VIKINGS – Antoine Winfield, S, Minnesota

How much sense does this make? A Winfield and Harrison Smith Safety tandem is pretty attractive. He played at Minnesota. His father was a 3x Pro Bowler at Corner for these very Vikings. What a match.

 

26. DOLPHINS – J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State

They struck out with Melvin Gordon, probably to no fault of their own, but they have Jordan Howard in the fold now at a modest price. That leaves some carries to be had and Dobbins fits the bill. Dobbins is the best one cut back in this draft for a system that will require it. This begins a run on Running backs and the Dolphins get the pick of the litter. Why Dobbins? Anecdotal evidence. As I reported in December, certain elements of the organization have identified J.K. Dobbins as the best of this RB group. Namely Dolphins RB Coach Eric Studesville who seems to be enamored with him (met with him for nearly 2 hours at the combine). I say that the smoke proves there is fire, and Dobbins is the pick.

 

27. SEAHAWKS – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

The Seahawks have tried a lot of different things to “solve” the RB position, including using a 1st round pick on Rashaad Penny a couple years back. Taylor is a very nice addition to a pretty stacked skill position group.


28. RAVENS – D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia

What do you give the team that has everything? How bout shore up that RB position on the best running team (mostly Lamar Jackson) in pro football? As time goes by, Lamar will run less out of self preservation, so it would be nice to have aback like Swift to take the reigns from an aging Mark Ingram.

29. TITANS – Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

Titans already have a sledgehammer run game, (Henry is a FA however), and a superstar in the making at WR in A.J. Brown. Ruggs would compliment this group perfectly, especially since good deep ball thrower (never thought you would hear that right?) Ryan Tannehill returns.

30. PACKERS – Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado

So many ways you can go here. Packers have aging Tackles, and can use interior linebacker /Safety help. But we are in Aaron Rodgers last stand and run at another Super Bowl, and this is a tempting pairing. Shenault, to go with Davante Adams gives Rodgers an imposing pair of pass catchers. Super Bowl or bust for the Packers. This pick reflects that.

31. 49ERS – Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia

The run on WR’s hurts what would likely be a target for the 49ers in this spot. So they go BPA, and double up at cornerback. Bryce Hall as late as a year ago, was considered the #2 ranked CB prospect according to many. This is not overkill in the sense that Hall could redshirt a year, and be ready for 2021 as some, including Richard Sherman (he is a UFA in 21′) leave. An ankle injury clouded Hall’s future and drops him to #31 to a very lucky defending NFC Champions.

 

32. CHIEFS – CJ Henderson, CB, Florida

The defending champions replenish a unit that is unsettled as of free agency. CJ Henderson is versatile enough to play multiple coverages for Steve Spagnuolo. Kansas City is a talent laden team but a bit thin on the defensive end. They get a good start in the secondary with the drop of CJ Henderson to #32.

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Recollected Dozen, Game 10: 2004 Miami @ Virginia

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This is part of a series on Canes football games that have been lost to history. Information on the series including other articles is available here. 

The Year

The year is 2004. President George W. Bush had been re-elected to a second term 11 days prior. The week of November 13th, 2004 saw My Boo by Usher and Alicia Keys top the Billboard Hot 100 list for the 3rd week in a row. And Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich was #1 on the New York Times fiction best seller list. Gas was $1.96 a gallon. In addition to the recently concluded election, the Middle East topped the headlines, as the War in Iraq saw insurgents capture Mosul, while in an unrelated Mideast matter, Iran was working on a deal over their nuclear arms program (some things stay the same).

The Combatants

This was a Top 20 matchup.

The Canes were 6-2, with 2 conference losses.

Virginia came into this game at 7-1.

The Context

The Canes were reeling coming off consecutive losses. Having peaked at #4 in the polls, the Canes had lost consecutive games to North Carolina by 3 on a last-second FG and to Clemson by 7 in overtime. They had fallen to #18 in the AP Poll.

Virginia had only one loss, to Florida State.

But the Seminoles had already lost twice. With Virginia Tech leading the ACC, but also having a loss, and with both teams still having to play Virginia Tech, the winner of this game controlled their own destiny in the ACC.

This was the last year before the ACC switched to divisions, so whoever finished on top of the regular season standings won the conference. This was also Miami’s first year in the ACC.

The Game

The best word to describe this game is intense. Miami actually never trailed, and yet the entire game felt like it was on razor’s edge.

Miami had 2 long drives in the 1st quarter. The first resulted in a missed FG, but the second lead to a Frank Gore TD.

Virginia answered immediately with a TD to tie the game. Roscoe Parrish (much more from him later) returned a punt 45 yards to set up another Canes TD.

The Canes took the 14-7 lead into the half, but one of the themes of the day began to present itself as the Canes drove to the UVA 27, but went for it on 4th down and got stuffed. That, coupled with the earlier missed FG, meant the Canes had left at least 6 points on the field.

The second half saw both teams exchange punts before UVA tied the game late in the 3rd quarter with a 3-play, 67 yard drive capped off by Alvin Pearman’s 34-yard TD run.

Miami answered with a 43-yard FG (a similar distance to the FG that the Canes neglected to kick earlier) to take a 17-14 lead into the 4th quarter. After forcing a punt, the Canes had an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the Cavaliers, but Larry Coker chose to punt from the UVA 34-yard line. Miami’s John Peattie was a reliable kicker, and the overall decisions to pass on FGs, as well as an uncharacteristic miss, saw the Canes up by 3 instead of 9.

On the next UVA punt, Roscoe Parrish once again got loose, breaking a few tackles, and this time took the return all the way to the house, putting the Canes up 24-14 with 7:38 left. On the next play, Brandon Meriweather picked off a pass and that sealed the game, except it didn’t.

Instead, the Canes lost 4 yards on 3rd and 1 at the UVA 41 and punted. Then UVA scored a TD in 4 plays and 79 yards in less than a minute to cut the lead to 3. All of a sudden, it was game on with 3:22 left.

Frank Gore had been the Canes’ offense on the day carrying 28 times for 195 yards and a TD. But with UVA stacking the box, he netted 5 yards on 2 plays. Brock Berlin, who was having an efficient, conservative game, was called on. His play-action completion to Talib Humphrey not only got the first down, but picked up 34 yards after Humphrey ran through several tackles. The Canes picked up 6 yards on 3 plays, getting down to the UVA 25 with 58 seconds left and the Cavaliers out of timeouts.

Miami had the option of kicking the FG, throwing underneath to ice the game, or…going for broke and throwing it to the end zone.

At first, Coker sent out the FG team, but was waiting to take a timeout with 1 second on the play clock. He did so, but Peattie took and missed the FG anyway. The play didn’t count because of the timeout, but perhaps that convinced Coker to go for it, because he, and his team went for it all.

On a play action pass, Parrish showed up again, making a twisting 25-yard TD reception, which this time finally ended the game, with the Canes winning 31-21.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYEbgipN0g4

Why is it Memorable?

This was the first time since 1999 that the Canes were out of the National Championship picture, so there is certainly that element. The game had an odd feeling.

Miami’s 2 big time players carried them. Frank Gore, playing with a bad ankle, carried 28 times for 195 yards and a TD, and also had a reception for 4 yards, which means 29 touches and 199 yards…while injured. It’s hilarious to look back on this game and hear the commentators talk about how Gore’s 2 ACL injuries have slowed him down. They were almost nostalgic about what could have been. 16 years later, Gore is still playing and is a lock for the NFL Hall Of Fame. And you know what? He actually COULD have been better. Gore is ridiculous.

And if this series of articles is about anything, it’s about greatness forgotten, and Roscoe Parrish fits that bill. Roscoe is an all-timer at Miami, but he lived in Devin Hester’s shadow as a returner, and was a little too diminutive to be a true NFL superstar, which is often how Miami’s players are measured. Yet this game showed just how great Roscoe was. Parrish had 4 yards rushing, 50 yards receiving, and 121 yards in returns for a total of 175 yards.

This game was also a throwback to when the Canes used to know how to effectively use the FB. Talib Humphrey had 3 critical receptions for 49 yards, including a huge late 4th quarter 3rd down conversion and a TD reception.

But this was also just a great college football game, and a reminder of why we love the sport. Packed house, perfect football weather. Both teams kept trading blows, the momentum swung wildly back and forth, and eventually, the Canes landed the knockout blow.

As color commentator Tim Brandt exclaimed toward the end of the 3rd quarter, “What a football game!”

The Aftermath

Oh, what could have been.

For the Canes, this was their best chance to win the ACC. The Canes jumped up to #9 in the polls, and subsequently crushed Wake Forest setting up a de facto ACC title game at home against Virginia Tech.

But Miami lost that game 16-10, and with it, the ACC. With the ACC switching to divisions and 2004 being a transition year, this was the last time there was not a conference championship game.

At the time, the assumption was Miami would be a regular participant in that game, but it would be 13 years until the Canes made that expected appearance, and in the 15 years since the 2004 VT loss, they’ve been unable to win the conference. A home win against Virginia Tech could have ended that narrative before it started, and if it had, this 2004 Virginia game in particular would be pointed at as the game that propelled them.

The Canes would recover to beat Florida in the Peach Bowl, and finish the year ranked 11th, but in hindsight, the ACC was there for the taking.

For Virginia, the season crated a bit from here. They did recover to win against Georgia Tech in Atlanta, but lost badly to Virginia Tech and then lost in overtime to Fresno State in the MPC Computers Bowl. A footnote to this game is that both of Virginia’s coordinators would go on to be head coaches, and fail miserably.

Ron Prince went to Kansas State, where he was fired after 3 years. He’s currently the head coach at Howard. And Virginia’s Defensive Coordinator is a major contributing factor to both the Canes’ 13-year ACC Title Game drought and overall inability to win the ACC. Suffice it to say that those are 5 years of our program we’re never getting back.

Probably the most ridiculous oddity surrounding this game is that the Canes head coaches from 2001-2015 were all coaching in this game with Larry Coker (Miami HC), Randy Shannon (Miami DC), and Al Golden (Virginia DC) all participating.

Have memories of this game? Tweet us at @vrp2003 and @5ReasonsSports

 

Recollected Dozen, Game 11: 1997 Miami @ Boston College

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This is part of a series on Canes football games that have been lost to history. Information on the series including other articles is available here. 

The Year

The year is 1997. President Bill Clinton was in the first year of his second term. The week of October 18th, 1997 saw Elton John’s Candle in The Wind top the Billboard charts for the second week in a row. And Flood Tide by Clive Cussler was #1 on the New York Times fiction best seller list. Gas was $1.23 a gallon. The big news story was Bill Clinton using the line-item veto on a military spending bill. A year later, line-item vetos were declared unconstitutional.

The Combatants

Miami entered the game at 1-4, on a 4-game losing streak. The previous week, the Canes had been destroyed by Florida State, 47-0.

Boston College was also struggling, and entered the game at 2-4.

Combined, both teams had lost 7 in a row. This was only the 2nd year that college football allowed for overtime, and it would be needed.

The Context

The Canes were struggling under the weight of probation and were seriously threatened with finishing the year with a losing record.

Boston College was not in any better shape.

Both coaches, Butch Davis and Tom O’Brien, were huge question marks.

The Game

The Canes came out inspired, motivated to wipe out memories of being dominated by Florida State.  Immediately, Edgerrin James housed a 69-yard TD and the Canes were up 7-0.

The Canes weren’t done yet, as Reggie Wayne made a diving TD on a pass from Ryan Clement to make it 14-0. Shockingly, in the 6th game of the season, that was the first TD that a Canes’ WR had caught all year.

James scored again in the 1st quarter, and Miami eventually lead 24-3. A late TD by BC at the end of the 2nd half cut the lead to 24-10.

Both teams were unable to stop the run and each team ended up with well over 300 yards rushing. James set a school and conference record with 271 yards, while Boston College had 2 runners go for big yardage, with Omari Walker going from 185 yards and Mike Cloud adding 157 yards.

James notched his 3rd TD of the game late in the 3rd quarter, and with the Canes up 31-17, the game felt over.

It. Was. Not.

BC responded on the back of Cloud, who ripped off several big runs, including a 37-yard TD to cut the lead to 7.

More troubling for the Canes was that James hurt his shoulder and had to leave the game. Without James, the Canes tried to ice the clock. With 3:37 left in the game, on 3rd and 7 near midfield, the Canes were a conversion away from pretty much putting the game away. Instead, Clement had a miscommunication with Bubba Franks and BC collected an easy interception, which was returned to the Miami 33. Walker punched the ball in to tie the game and send it to overtime, which was the first time that either program had played in overtime.

BC won the toss in OT and the Canes had the first position, they scored easily with Trent Jones getting into the end zone. The Eagles answered with their own TD, again with little resistance.

In the 2nd OT, on the first play, Walker went 25 yards to put the Eagles up 44-38. This is when Tom O’Brien made the curious decision to go for 2. The Canes defense stiffened and forced an incompletion.

Miami didn’t make it easy. Needing a TD to tie (and XP to win), the Canes immediately moved inside the 15 yard line. But that’s when things seemed to derail. Clement took an awful sack, losing yardage back to the 22-yard line. But Clement would make up for it. On 3rd and 17, he threw this strike to Darryl Jones who made a diving catch in the end zone. Andy Crosland nailed the XP after an interminable wait involving multiple timeouts, and the Canes won 45-44.

Full Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A1SLX7Qj2U

Why is it Memorable?

This was the first OT in school history. It was also a huge learning experience for a young Canes’ team that would eventually bring the program to the top of college football.

It’s also really interesting to see so many of the young, great Canes’ players before they were great. Santana Moss wore #48 in this game, and was behind Darryl Jones on the depth chart. You could see the talent in Bubba Franks and Dan Morgan. The team was young, but flashed ability.

And then there was Edgerrin James. 32 carries 276 yards, 3 TDs. James would break that yardage record a year later against UCLA, but what a performance.

For a program reeling on a losing streak, and for a young team that had been kicked multiple times, this win was crucial.

There is also a huge BC angle, and the newness of OT in college football might have played a role in this game. It is quite possible that BC Head Coach Tom O’Brien was unaware that he could kick an extra point in the 2nd OT. After the game, he said the official, while neglecting to name which one, told him that BC had to go for 2, but that he knew that wasn’t the rule, but went for 2 anyway. It was a confusing explanation that didn’t really make sense. That decision helped the Hurricanes to a character-building victory.

The Aftermath

Both teams would miss a bowl game, but Miami actually played decently down the stretch of the season. After starting 1-4, they finished the year 4-2, with this game being a turning point. While this Canes team finished 5-6, they were clearly better than some of the recent 6-6 Canes teams, but in the early 90s, you had one less “free” win (“free” is in quotes because let he does not lose to FIU cast the first stone).

For Boston College, they would finish the year 4-7, but they were also starting to build something.

Probably one of the more interesting things is to look how things worked out for the respective coaching staffs.

Butch Davis went on to rebuild Miami into a National Power, leaving a year short of a National Championship to go to the NFL. Larry Coker, Davis’ Offensive Coordinator, would take over for Davis and win a National Championship.

Meanwhile, Tom O’Brien built Boston College into a consistent winner. By 1999, BC started to consistently make bowl games. And win those games. Between 2000-2005, Boston College would win 6 consecutive bowl games. O’Brien would leave BC for NC State after the regular season with 7 consecutive winning seasons and only one of those seasons with less than 8 wins. His offensive coordinator in this game, Jeff Jagodzinski, would return to BC to take over for O’Brien after spending several years in the NFL. He was unceremoniously fired in retribution for interviewing for an NFL head coaching job.

So, despite both teams struggling in 1997, and this game being a matchup between 2 teams that failed to make bowl games, both programs were on the ascendancy and would player bigger, more meaningful games in years to come.

Have memories of this game? Tweet us at @vrp2003 and @5ReasonsSports

 

THE EXTRA YARD: Under Construction, The Dolphins Offensive Line

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With the first wave of free agency essentially over, we are left to examine the one unit that everybody that watched the Miami Dolphins last year thought needed the most attention.

Most Dolphins fans expected a move that could land an Andrus Peat, Graham Glasgow, and/or a big ticket item such as Joe Thuney or Jack Conklin. Of them all, there is only some circumstantial evidence that they approached Glasgow (he was locked into Denver early) and that interest in Thuney was strong till the Patriots tagged him.

So we were left with the signings of Ereck Flowers to play left guard, and Ted Karras to play center. A modest improvement, but these are moves that are based on hope /projection rather than accolades and reputation. Ereck Flowers, as has been said in print on these pages, and on the Three Yards Per Carry Podcast, is a guy that has essentially played a very good 8 games in his 5 year career. Karras is a guy who found himself at center for 15 games for the 2019 New England Patriots, and has remarkable “counting stats” (2 penalties, and 1 sack allowed in 15 starts for the Patriots). Both can be good, if all goes well, but we know it hardly ever works out that way.

So what do they have in house as of now, and what do they need? Let’s start with the two signees. If these two are not hopeless busts they are at the very least, upgrades over what they had there before, so lets pencil in Flowers at LG and Karras at Center. That leaves Jesse Davis as the possible RG, or even the returning starter at Right Tackle. Michael Dieter is now displaced from his LG spot, and is now interior line depth and the likely backup at center, where he can receive further development. Shaq Calhoun, Julian Davenport, and Danny Isidora can only be considered camp bodies and bottom of the roster guys, so let’s go shopping shall we?

TRADE FOR ONE

Trade for Trent Williams. He’s available. You have the assets. So what’s the holdup? Well, it is as easy as snapping your fingers, since his agent is requesting that Washington release him, so if you pony up an asset, the Redskins will likely part with him. The Dolphins had inquired this past season, and no deal could be had due to what was reported to be a pretty fat ask of what was at the very least a 2nd round pick. The other hold up I can foresee is that he wants to get paid. $20 million a year on a 3 year deal is not out of the question. You can make the case that (if healthy), Trent Williams is easily a top 3 Tackle in the NFL, and you can make a pretty good case that he might be the very best at left tackle. Trent is also versatile, and capable of making a switch to Right Tackle, just in case Miami drafts a left handed Quarterback in the first round. At #5 or higher. From Alabama. Via ‘Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Trent makes too much sense.


DRAFT ONE, OR TWO, OR THREE.

This is the harder part of the equation. There are 4 strong tackle prospects in this draft that all figure to go before the Dolphins use their 2nd pick of the first round at #18. They are, in no particular order: Andrew Thomas (Georgia, LT), Mekhi Becton (Louisville, LT), Tristan Wirfs (Iowa, RT), Jedrick Wills (Alabama, RT). You gotta think that the decision is made rather easy at #18 if any of these four drop to you. But let’s operate on the assumption that all four get taken before #18 (likely), and the Dolphins don’t have the appetite to package picks to move up (also likely). I have two “VONTAE MACK, NO MATTER WHAT” guys. One for the first round, and one for the second round, and possibly for that #26 pick.

 

JOSH JONES, HOUSTON LT, 6′-5″ 319 lbs.

Josh Jones is a dancer, and an athlete playing tackle in the mold of former Miami standout Laremy Tunsil. The advanced metrics love him as evidenced by the video above, and his senior bowl week was top notch. Jones has consistently improved almost game for game leading up to his last at Houston, despite having 4 Offensive Line coaches in 4 years. He is quick out of his stance, and moves effortlessly to the second level in the run game. A tell tale sign for these guys on tape in the run game is if they can find guys to hit, or do they tend to wander aimlessly when they are asked to make those reach blocks. Jones always seems to find his man. Jones is asking for coaching, as his technique is not as polished as you would like for a day 1 starter, but if his current “arrow up” trajectory means anything, he will take to NFL coaching and be a starter in year 1 in the NFL. I take him at #18 without hesitation (if the “big 4” are gone).

 

LUCAS NIANG, TCU RT, 6′-6″ 315 lbs.

Ok, this is probably a reach at #26, but in the 2nd round, you can find yourself regretting it down the road if you pass on him at #39 or #56. Now, he is coming off a Hip Injury/Surgery as he only played in 7 games in 2019. I can hear you grumbling. He is expected to make a complete recovery and be ready for workouts as soon as this summer. Niang is a very aware people mover, that plays with a great deal of intelligence and technique. He drops to anchor and stonewall the bull rush consistently on tape. He is also the type to find people to hit and he finishes blocks in space which is impressive for such a big man. He has had success against the bigger names he has faced throughout his career. What pops immediately as you watch Niang is how aware he is, and his professional demeanor. The best way I can put it is this: “Lucas Niang, plays like an adult.” Easy take for me with either pick in the 2nd round, strong debate at #26 if there is a run on tackles.

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that hosts the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Guts Check: Heat Draft Notes, Summer Strategy, Goran Good Graces

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Hope still exists that the 2019-20 NBA season resumes and the Miami Heat can make a playoff run. Heat Nation is looking forward to finding out who this team is, as is the organization. Unfortunately, that day may not come any time soon, if at all.

If the season does not resume, the reality is the Heat may currently be equipped with all the data they are going to get heading into the off-season.

So while playoff runs and real basketball are still the hope, this down time inevitably provides valuable moments to evaluate options related to the NBA draft and free agency.

When games are not being played and practices are at a halt, it gives top level executives and coaches a unique opportunity to work cross functionally with the scouting department more than usual.

2020 NBA Draft Notes

Should the Heat elect to keep its 2020 1st Round Pick, which is probably 50/50 if I had to put odds on it at this way too early of a moment, here are some names I think Heat fans should be keeping close tabs on for now:.

  • Kentucky Wildcat Guards Tyrese Maxey and Ashton Hagans are both on the Heat’s radar if either were to be available when Miami selects (in the first round or elsewhere) according to a league source. Riley loves his Kentucky players.
  • The POA defensive chops of Duke’s Tre Jones appeal as a back-court player to supplement the already potent offensive young core in Miami.
  • The Heat are especially enamored with the potential of Florida State’s wing Devin Vassell according to a league source. However, Vassell is currently projected to likely go before Miami picks in the first round.
  • Duke freshman center Vernon Carey Jr. and Minnesota big man Daniel Oturu are among the frontcourt players the Heat have registered interest in as prospects according to a source.
  • The Heat may shift more focus to the front-court in this draft it they plan to move on from Kelly Olynyk and unrestricted free agent Meyers Leonard. In that case the list of viable big man prospects will expand in the next few weeks/months.

This all operates under the assumption that the Heat even keeps this 2020 first round pick.

Summer Strategy

League circles suggest the Heat may attempt to package the 2020 1st round pick with a useful player/expiring contract such as Kelly Olynyk to consolidate for multiple purposes.

Those purposes include:

  • Trading up or down in this draft to acquire a player they like (Vassell or Oturo are speculative examples of players they could target in pre-arranged trades to be executed after new league year)
  • Shed the $13.6 million left on the contract of Olynyk along with the salary associated with the 2020 1st Round Pick. In efforts to clear over $40M in cap space for this summer.
  • This could help the Heat get extra creative and retain all the current core FAs it desires – on 1-year contracts – and remain out of the luxury tax. (Core FA for 1 year deals = Goran Dragic, Jae Crowder & Leonard)
  • Derrick Jones Jr. projects as the only potential multi-year contract player considered viable. But only if the per year salary number is in line with 2021 spending. Dragic, Leonard and Crowder are all candidates to receive 1 year maybe-just-maybe-slightly-above-market-value offers. All in efforts to not sacrifice flexibility for Summer 2021 and remain out of the luxury tax next season.
  • Create additional flexibility to pounce if Joel Embiid, Victor Oladipo, CJ McCollum or Bradley Beal become available via trade. Those are the names to watch closest from the star trade market by my view. A lopsided salary swap, where the Heat absorbed additional salary along with any of those noted All Stars is one path the Heat will explore. Some folks around the league think these targets appear far more realistic than Giannis Antetokounmpo for Miami. Not sure I’m buying that personally.

Goran Good Graces

Recently reports surfaced that Goran Dragic may be gearing up for a lucrative, short term contract to remain in Miami next season.

After almost trading Dragic last summer, only to have him come back to Miami and embrace his bench role in 6th man of the year fashion, the Heat are looking to find a way to make it work with its former All Star. The Dragon & Jimmy Buckets bromance has only reinforced the sentiment to find a way to retain Gogi. However, don’t rule out the possibility of Dragic being open minded to working with the organization from a salary perspective if it were to allow for a significant upgrade to the roster. Goran wants to win.

Cam Wake

Homecoming for Cam Wake is not as Crazy as you Think

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Could a homecoming for Dolphin legend Cam Wake be a possibility?

He was going to retire they said.

They were apparently wrong.

 

At age 38 Wake would be entering his 12th NFL season after spending last year with Tennessee.

It was a forgettable time in the Volunteer state as Wake would see action in just nine games and compile 2.5 sacks.

Wake played his first 10 years in Miami and quickly established himself as one of the premier pass rushers of his era.

During his time as a Miami Dolphin, Wake was an exemplary professional both on and off the field.

 

Wake played fewer than 14 games in a season just once in Miami, when he missed nine games after an Achilles injury in 2015.

His ability to get off the edge was elite and even when he lost some burst, Wake was still effective.

In his last season in Miami, 2018 Wake managed just 6.5 sacks, his lowest total since his rookie year.

Wake would see his snap counts dwindle after the 2015 injury, from a career high 82% in his All-Pro 2012 season to just 48% in 2018.

However in a situational basis in 2016 and 2017, Wake was extremely formidable.

In 2016 after returning from the Achilles injury, Wake had 11.5 sacks despite playing in just 51% of the defensive snaps.

Wake would follow that up with 10.5 sacks on a 58% snap count in the 2017 season.

Miami focused heavily on defense in free agency, adding players that could fit their defensive scheme.

They will still need to bolster their defensive line, whether with additional veterans of via the draft.

Signing Wake to a 10-year veteran minimum deal would cost just north of one million dollars.

A price tag that should not raise many eyebrows.

If Wake can give you 20 snaps a game, with even five or six sacks for the season, that would be a good investment.

Not to mention the positive mentorship he offers.

His place among revered Dolphins would likely be well received by both the fans and his teammates.

So why not?

Follow us on Twitter for more Miami Dolphins @5ReasonsSports, @5ReasonsFins, and @3YardsPerCarry.

Image credit Tony Capobianco.

Premier League

Five Reasons, Five Fixes: Salvaging Foreign Football

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Look around you. It’s likely rather easy to, assuming that you’ve heeded the advice of your more prudent local officials and remained indoors. The Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has completely ravaged the world as of right now, serving as the century’s first (and hopefully last) global pandemic that could very well define a generation. But this is merely the background.

As a result of this pandemic, a considerable amount of football leagues—the English Premier League, Ligue 1, MLS, Serie A (especially, as they play in Italy, the worst-affected of the European countries to date), the Bundesliga, and countless others—have shuttered play for the foreseeable future, this practice itself matched by the International Olympic Committee. This virus is serious.

With play suspended for the foreseeable future, this more than likely means that we will not be witnessing UEFA Champions League or EURO 2020 competition for a long time, and while we understand this to be a fair concession in the interest of the public good, how can we rectify this situation without potentially confusing schedules for quite some time? I can think of something.

Here’s what we can do, and it’s a bit more simple than expected.

Step 1: Declare the 2020-21 football campaign a lost cause. We’ve already lost the latter half of 2020 to Coronavirus, and it would be madness to assume that play could resume any time before the season is scheduled to end as it is. Coronavirus must be properly contained, treated, and eradicated, and this can only happen by continuing and building upon many of these quarantine/treatment measures that we’ve witnessed thus far. This season will be cancelled due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, but will not see a significant loss of play. Here’s how.

Step 2: As far as the British and European leagues are concerned, it would be wise to postpone league and cup play until later this year, somewhere between August and October 2020. Assuming Coronavirus is under control by then, this will essentially reset the clock for the 2020-21 season and treat it as cancelled, while completing the 2019-20 campaign between August and January. This may very well be necessary. As for American leagues, which operate on a January to December schedule, it is more likely for this whole season to be cancelled in total, as doing this would make it possible for the 2021 campaign to begin unmolested.

Step 3: Complete Champions/Europa League play at about the same time as league play resumes, allowing for players to maintain a certain rhythm heading into Summer 2021. If UEFA is able to secure scheduled matches for its leagues between October and December, leagues will be able to wrap up their seasons given that clubs will have roughly twelve whole weeks to do so. With around 27-29 matches played, most clubs have between 9-11 fixtures remaining. With that much time to complete any outstanding fixtures, UEFA will be able to finish their Champions/Europa League Matches with more than enough time in hand in January 2021.

Step 4: After a break, schedule the UEFA Euro 2020 between February/March and April 2021. This tournament lasts about one month, give or take, but matches being spread out will allow for rescheduling in the event of any external, Coronavirus-related crises, should they continue to arise. Once those fixtures are scheduled, players will have ample time to prepare for this uniquely-scheduled tournament, and play will resume without any anticipated incidents. This will then be followed by the Olympics later in the year. We hope.

Step 5: Begin the 2021-2022 UEFA football season and have a good time, so long as Manchester City win the league and either they or PSG win Champions League. I will not be moved on this, so let’s just move on.

These ideas are possible, but are they likely to be implemented? Only time will tell. Television networks likely want to have something to televise, and there are certainly a great deal of financial implications that wish to see these various leagues see their fixtures out. My proposal reasonably satisfies almost all sides involved, at the expense of what was once called the 2020-21 footballing season, itself already symbolically doomed as a result of everything that’s going on.

As an avowed Manchester City fan and adopted Paris Saint-Germain supporter (as a result of my relocation), it’s a bit bittersweet. I want to see both PSG, who were able to defeat Dortmund and advance, and Manchester City, who currently lead Real Madrid (!) 2-1 on aggregate with a return match at the Etihad in Manchester, potentially make a real splash in Champions League play this season.

At the same time, if we cancel this EPL season, it delivers a tragically ironic middle finger to rival Liverpool FC, who (after losing the league on the last match day last season) were only a few weeks away from securing their first-ever league title.

But at the same time, various records witnessed by City fans, such as now-legendary striker Sergio Agüero’s record-setting achievement of becoming the most prolific foreign goal scorer in Premier League history and many others, would be erased in the event of a cancellation.

As much as I don’t want to see Liverpool win the title, they’ve certainly earned it this season, and I believe it would be good for them. City will get it back next season, I’m sure. My proposal prevents any cancellation from taking place. We can fix football in the new year. Let’s see what happens.

Stay safe and inside, everyone.

—

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Boca Raton, Ricky J. Marc, J.D., M.S. is an alumnus of the Obama White House and Cornell Paris Institute, a former Legislative Aide with both the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, and a graduate of St. Thomas University with a Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Sports Administration.

Ricky currently resides in Paris, France and is the co-host of STICK TO SPORTS: A Sports Podcast (That Isn’t) & The RJM Experience, available anywhere podcasts are streamed. Follow him on Twitter @RickyJMarc.

Recollected Dozen, Game 12: 2013 Wake Forest at Miami

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This is part of a series on Canes football games that have been lost to history. Information on the series including other articles is available here. 

The Year

The year is 2013. President Barack Obama was in the first year of his second term. The week of October 26th, 2013 saw Lorde’s Royals maintain the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. And Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s Killing Jesus was #1 on the New York Times Nonfiction best seller list. Gas was $3.29 a gallon. The big news story was the bungled rollout of the Obamacare web site.

The Combatants

Miami entered the game ranked 7th in the country, at 6-0. They had escaped against a terrible North Carolina team in the previous game, and kept their improbable undefeated season alive.

Wake Forest came in at 4-3 and was riding a 2-game win streak. They had lost earlier in the year to Louisiana Monroe.

Miami had an extra 2 days to prepare since they played North Carolina on the previous Thursday.

The Context

There were 2 main story lines coming into the game, one backward looking, the other forward looking.

This was the week where the Canes finally put the Nevin Shapiro scandal behind them, with a slap on the wrist in terms of scholarship losses. This turned out to be bad thing for Head Coach Al Golden, as focus now shifted to the play on the field and he lost the built-in “cloud” excuse. This was a real banner that flew overhead during the game:

On the field, no one was sure if Miami was any good, but the suspicion was they were not. Out of their 6 wins, 2 had been nail-biters against terrible teams (Florida and North Carolina).

The Game

The Canes came out flat and Wake Forest opened the game with a 16-play, 79 yard drive that ate up more than half the 1st quarter. The Canes were lucky to not be down by more as Wake Forest missed a FG after another long drive. The Canes got on the board with a FG, but the Demon Deacons extended the lead to 11. The Canes finally got some offense going late in the 1st half, scoring a TD after racking up 55 yards in 2 plays to cut the lead to 14-10.

The 3rd quarter saw the Canes waste 2 drive, one with a missed FG, and one with a turnover on downs. This is all very ho-hum…

…but then it exploded in the last 6 minutes. The Canes decided that if they were going to lose, it was going to be with the ball in Randy “Duke” Johnson, Jr.’s hands.  The Canes went on an 8 play, 51-yard drive without attempting a pass. Johnson scored what looked to be the winning TD with 5:31 left. After all, Wake Forest had done nothing offensively since early in the 2nd quarter.

But let me tell you something about Mark D’Onofrio…just when you think you’re in the clear, you’re not. Wake Forest went 75 yards in a little over a minute and a half, punctuated by a 44 yard TD pass where the Canes missed several tackles.

Would Wake Forest beat a Top 10 team for the first time since 1946? No. The Canes still had plenty of time left (given the speed with which the defense blew the lead), and, more importantly, they still had the Duke.

The Canes once again leaned on Duke Johnson, absurdly only attempting 2 passes in a 10 play, 73 yard drive. Duke once again delivered, including having to score the winning TD twice after the officials ruled he was out at the 1-yard line when he had clearly scored.

This time the lead held up, and Antonio Crawford sealed the game with an interception.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Xy6c2QF6w

Why is it Memorable?

For 2 reasons: Duke Johnson and Al Golden.

Duke Johnson is one of the better RBs to ever come through Miami. But he was burdened with playing at a time where the team was not good. On more than one occasion, Duke bailed out this program and saved Al Golden’s job. Often, his performances were so good that they removed a level of suspense from the game. In this game, however, with the Canes completely stuck in the mud, the team collectively decided to ride Duke, and he carried them to victory, twice. Johnson finished the game with 30 carries for 168 yards and 2 TDs, but a whopping 13 of those 30 carries came on the last 2 drives. The Canes were on their way to a horrendous loss, but Duke wasn’t having it.

For Al Golden, this was the peak for him. His record with the Wake Forest win at Miami was 20-11. Little did we know he was more than halfway done with his Miami career, being fired in shame 26 games later having posted a 12-14 record the rest of his career. Despite the late season collapse that followed this win, this was Golden’s best team at Miami.

The Aftermath

It turns out, both these teams were not good. Wake Forest would not win another game, finishing 4-8. The Canes would go to FSU for a Top 10 battle the next week, get blown out, and never really recover, finishing the season 9-4, losing 4 out of their last 6.

Have memories of this game? Tweet us at @vrp2003 and @5ReasonsSports

 

Miami Hurricanes

The Recollected Dozen: Miami Hurricanes’ Forgotten Games

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The Miami Hurricanes have a long and storied history, with many glorious, memorable victories.

They’ve produced the greatest football team in college football history.

They’ve invaded the national ethos. If someone mentions “Wide Right,” any college football fan knows exactly what is being talked about.

The program itself is iconic, with legendary filmmaker Billy Corben producing 2 documentaries on the football program, The U and The U Part 2. A third documentary, “Catholics versus Convicts,” talks about the Notre Dame-Miami rivalry in the 80s.

The Canes’ ascension into the ethos of sports culture, and the subsequent hyper focus on the program, has resulted in games and performances that would be legendary and program defining at most programs being relegated to the background, mere scenery.

But they shouldn’t be, and if the global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that it’s never to late to right wrongs, to tell people we care about them, and to argue over inane, unimportant stuff. And this will accomplish all 3 of those things.

The Selection Criteria

The general selection criteria was flatly my opinion. But I did try to use some consistent logic, which I’m sure I violated multiple times. With that said, I did intentionally exclude any National Championship games or rivalry games (Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, and Virginia Tech) since by definition, those are never really forgotten. So, while Kirby Freeman dropped this dime to beat FSU in a game that would otherwise make the list, in this instance, it does not. I also intentionally excluded certain games, like 1998 UCLA, which do live on Canes’ lore.

I fully acknowledge my own recency bias towards games I remember. I didn’t even consider games prior to the Canes’ first championship in 1983. And some games received deference because they are important to me. The importance of the game in the larger scheme of things might have had a tangential impact, but was not specifically considered, with a huge exception for any game that was really important, but is now forgotten and not viewed as such. For the very recent games, I thought about whether it would make the list 15-20 years from now.

And that’s pretty much it. I’m sure I’ve excluded some games entirely that are other people’s number 1 game. In the end, I settled on 10 Honorable Mentions and 12 Games to countdown. And without further ado, the list.

Honorable Mentions

These are in chronological order and just missed making the dozen.

  1. 1987 Miami vs. South Carolina – this one would have threatened to crack the Top 12, but it’s debatable whether this already memorable, due to a brawl . The Canes hung on for a 20-16 win en route to the 1987 National Championship. The story of this game was the defense, that stymied South Carolina multiple times to preserve the win. While the legendary FSU game of that year gets all the accolades, this game deserves recognition.
  2. 1991 Miami vs . Penn State – Another game that lead to a National Championship. This was a back-and-forth affair with the Canes having several explosive plays offset by long, methodical drives from the Nittany Lions. Future Heisman Trophy winner (and all-around great guy) Gino Torretta was brilliant, in particular in the second half. Torretta threw TD passes of 80- and 42-yards, and Kevin Williams ran back a punt for a 91-yard TD as the Canes escaped 26-20.
  3. 1992 Miami @ Penn State – The rematch a year later saw another close game. The Canes jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but Penn State repeatedly rallied. A huge Pick 6 from Darren Krein was ultimately decisive as the Canes hung on for a 17-14 win in a season that ultimately fell one game short of a championship. I also picked this game because it was one of 3 extremely close games in a row. 2 weeks before, the Canes escaped against Arizona 8-7 when the Wildcats missed a FG as time expired (barely Wide Right). The next week was the famous Wide Right II. And this game followed a similar pattern of the Canes just making enough plays to win. The narrative around the ’92 team is one of a team that went undefeated and then blew a title against Alabama. But this team was as mentally tough as it was good, and repeatedly gutted out wins. This game represents that.
  4. 2003 Miami vs. West Virginia – I take you back to a time where Miami was undoubtedly the premier program in the country. On a Thursday Night against West Virginia, we saw the first signs of the empire crumbling. It was a sluggish game, but the Canes were running the clock down, and at midfield, leading 19-13. Then everything came apart. Jarrett Payton fumbled, and all of a sudden West Virginia had an opportunity. On 3rd and 13, the Mountaineers called a screen pass which the Canes snuffed out…but Quincy Wilson made one of the great forgotten plays in College Football history, evading Vince Wilfork, juking past Sean Taylor, beating Jonathan Vilma to the corner, and then running over Brandon Meriweather on his way to the end zone. The Canes had their own conversion, on the following drive, with Kellen Winslow catching a pass on 4th and 13. The Canes kicked the winning FG to win 22-20. The highlights are worth a rewatch.
  5. 2005 Miami vs. North Carolina– The Virginia Tech win the next week is the one that everyone remembers. But it was set up by this comeback. The Orange Bowl was battered by Hurricane Wilma, with the upper deck closed. The Canes trailed 16-7 at halftime, and then exploded in the second half, running off 27 straight points. The late, great Tyrone Moss had 195 yards and 4 TDs in what was his last game before tearing his ACL, an injury that stymied his career. And that’s one thing that makes this game memorable. Watching a healthy Moss run was a thing of beauty. The throwback jerseys the Canes wore were not.
  6. 2010 Miami @ Clemson – This was back when 3 teams (Dolphins, Marlins, and Hurricanes) shared one stadium, with the Canes lowest on the pecking order. That means that if the Marlins happened to have a weekend series in September, the Canes had to hit the road. And this was the Canes 3rd consecutive road game against major competition, having already played Ohio State and Pitt. The game after this was essentially the beginning of the end of the Randy Shannon Era, where a favored Miami team was blown out by 4 TDs by FSU at home. And that’s why this game is lost to time. But Jacory Harris threw 4 TDs, and the Canes came out of one of the toughest places to play in the country with a 9 point win, thanks to a wild 2nd quarter where Harris threw 3 TDs and 2 INTs.
  7. 2013 Miami @ North Carolina – This was a prototypical Al Golden game. Both teams put up over .500 yards and the Canes found themselves in a close game with a poor North Carolina team who came into the game at 1-5. The Thursday Night game was on National TV. Duke Johnson had a concussion in the 1st quarter and missed most of the game. Miami’s offense struggled, but a huge blocked FG return for a TD at least kept the Canes in touching distance. UNC lead 23-13 in the 4th quarter, but from there, Dallas Crawford took over, with 2 TDs, including the winner with 16 seconds left. Crawford, who was not expected to play much, stepped up carrying the ball 33 times for 137 yards. But this was a Mark D’Onofrio defense, so somehow, North Carolina got into scoring range, and had a throw into the end zone to win, but it was batted down and the Canes escaped 27-23.
  8. 2015 Miami vs. Nebraska – I almost excluded this from the list, because it was a win that felt like a loss. Still, it is a crazy game. I also remember this because I was on a plane to Thailand during this game, streaming it on dodgy wifi that kept disconnecting. With the Canes up 27-3 in the 3rd quarter, and the game feeling out of hand, I briefly considered turning it off. But I know D’Onofrio better than that. The margin was still 33-10 with under 10 minutes left, when Nebraska ran off 23 straight points, including 2 successful 2-point conversions. The game was decided when Corn Elder had an INT in the first OT, and Nebraska made a late hit on him, setting the Canes up at half the distance on their possession. The FG was automatic from there.
  9. 2017 Miami @ Georgia Tech – This one is recent, and is remembered for Darrell Langham’s 4th down catch. But it’s hard to remember how wild this game was. Miami dominated this game outgaining Georgia Tech by 200 yards, but couldn’t finish drives, kicking 4 short FGs. GT scored TDs on consecutive drives to build a 14-3 lead, but the Canes responded and GT lead by 1 at the half. That’s when it got loopy. Mark Richt tried a surprise onside kick to start the 2nd half. It was returned for a TD and Miami spent the rest of the game chasing, especially after missing a 2-point conversion that would have tied the game. In the end, the Canes won on a last second FG in a monsoon.
  10. 2019 Miami @ Pittsburgh – This is from the past season, so probably doesn’t need much explanation. But when we look back on this game a decade from now, the Miami defense digging deep with a goal line stand to force a FG, Jarren Williams coming off the bench in relief to lead the winning TD drive, and the Canes escaping with a victory will be something we remember (or not), which is why this makes the list.

The Dozen

Every weekday, we’ll reveal the next game.

Game 12:  2013 Wake Forest at Miami

Game 11: 1997 Miami @ Boston College

Game 10: 2004 Miami @ Virginia

Game 9: 2012 Miami @ Georgia Tech

Game 8: 2009 Miami @ Wake Forest

Game 7: 2008 Miami @ Virginia

Game 6: 1991 Miami @ Boston College

Game 5: 2012 NC State @ Miami

Game 4: 2004 Louisville @ Miami

Game 3: 2005 Miami @ Clemson

Game 2: 1988 Miami @ Michigan

Game 1: 1999 Miami @ Boston College

 

The Extra Yard: Updating Madden 20 to reflect Dolphins roster

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Madden 20 is far from a perfect game. But with most of us social distancing now is the time to start an updated Madden franchise.

For those that know me, I’ve been playing Madden since the beginning of time. To be honest, it’s become a ritual as of late to buy the game on release, and rarely touch it ever again. Part of that is because Madden 20 isn’t good. The other factor is I have two children, and I always underestimate how much time I will have to play. Well now, with everything going on in the world, is the perfect time to update my PS4, Madden 20, and dive into an updated franchise.

Things you will need

  1. A working PS4 of Xbox One
  2. The internet.
  3. Playstation Network or Xbox Live
  4. Madden 20

Before we go any further, I need to give a shoutout to @DannyM_Mia for motivating me to do this. And while I will NOT be using his roster in this demonstration, feel free to reach out and download his if you’d prefer. Instead, we will be using a roster AND draft class from OperationSports. If you never downloaded a custom roster in Madden 20, here’s a how-to video on how to download custom rosters.

 

Now that you figured out how to download custom rosters, let’s figure out the right rosters to use.

What Rosters to Use

For this demonstration, I’m going to use the file ‘FREEAGENCY2020′ on PS4. You can read all about this roster file HERE

If you have an Xbox One, use the file ‘UPDATED20′. You can read all about this roster file HERE

Please note, there is no right or wrong roster to use and the best way to go about this is to sort things based on downloads and ratings. And if you really want to get nostalgic, there’s a 1991 historic roster available for download on PS4. The file name is 1991 and you can read all about it HERE.

Want to start an updated Franchise?

If you plan on starting a Connected Franchise with Miami’s new additions, I recommend waiting a few more days to see if they make any other roster moves. Once you’re happy with the current state of the team, download the rosters from above and get started. Most importantly, however, make sure you find a highly recommended DRAFT CLASS in the roster vault. This will allow you to import a custom draft class, and have access to ALL of the 2020 NFL rookies.

A good one to use on Xbox One is ‘OSFX20′. You can read all about this draft class HERE. He also has rookie draft classes for 2021-2024.

For PS4 you can use this one ‘B33ZYMEEZY’. You can read all bout this draft class HERE. There is also rookie draft classes for 2021-2025

If you want to know how to import draft classes in Madden 20, check out this video below.

Don’t forget

Keep in mind, there’s a bug with Madden 20 that can make it difficult to download roster files. Sometimes they show up as ‘deleted’ or ‘unavailable’. Just keep trying, it will eventually work and you’ll be enjoying your updated rosters in no time.

UPDATE:

A Reddit user brought it to my attention that using a custom roster/draft class will affect the Dolphins current war chest of draft picks.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out on Twitter.

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) he is Five Reasons Sports Madden Guru.