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

 

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.

 

 

 

Alabama Athletics

Ranking the Dolphins Draft Needs After Free Agency

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The Miami Dolphins were aggressive in free agency but still have many needs in the upcoming draft.

After an organized and sound approach to free agency, the Miami Dolphins must now turn their attention the NFL Draft.

Whenever and however that may take place.

Now that the dust has settled on the free agency period, Miami can utilize the draft to build a foundation for sustained success.

Let’s take a look at five position groups that could be a high priority.

1.Quarterback

Perhaps the worst kept secret this offseason is that Miami will likely take a quarterback at the top of the draft.

Whether with their current pick, or perhaps with a trade up to either No. 3 (Detroit) or even the top pick from Cincinnati.

 

Miami has been linked to Tua Tagovailoa for what seems like an eternity, and there is a possibility that he is still on the board with pick No. 5.

If he is their guy, the Dolphins will likely use whatever draft capital necessary to bring him to Miami.

Other (perhaps less than ideal) options could be Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert or Utah State’s Jordan Love.

This draft is short on quarterbacks after the top four, with Joe Burrow being consistently mocked to Cincinnati with the top selection.

Regardless, this should be the year Miami takes their first shot at a quarterback in Round One since Ryan Tannehill in 2012.

2. Offensive Tackle

Now that Miami has their signal caller, they must protect him.

They brought in both Erick Flowers and Ted Karras to shore up the interior of the line, but outside remains an issue.

Barring a trade up, the top three tackles Tristan Wirfs (Iowa), Mekhi Becton (Louisville), and Jedrick Wills (Alabama) will likely be off the board.

Several high upside tackles could still be on the board with Miami’s next pick at 18, or even their third first round selection at 26.

Miami could even double down on the tackle spot and turn the offensive line from a liability to a strength in one day.

Possible targets at 18 and 26 include Andrew Thomas (Georgia) and Josh Jones (Houston).

Lucas Niang (TCU) and Ezra Cleveland (Boise State) could also be options with Miami’s second round selection at pick 36.

USC’s Austin Jackson may be available with their other second round pick (56) depending how the board falls.

Matthew Peart (UConn) is another to keep an eye on in the third round.

3. Interior Offensive Line

Continuing the theme Miami will likely commit some draft capital to filling out the interior of the offensive line.

Flowers and Karras are starting caliber, but nowhere near upper echelon.

Given Miami’s deficiency in both pass protection and running the football, they need some maulers in the trenches.

If they don’t go another direction, the late first round and second round could set up well for them in this area.

One player to watch is Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz, who could go in the first round.

Other early options include Matt Hennessy (Temple), Jonah Jackson (Ohio State), and Robert Hunt (Louisiana).

This is a pretty deep draft for interior offensive linemen, particularly in the middle rounds.

Miami should have no problem supplementing the middle of their line.

4. Safety

Another position with solid depth in the draft is safety, where a myriad of players project in the early rounds.

Miami bolstered their secondary with the addition of cornerback Byron Jones, who along with Xavien Howard form a lethal tandem outside.

Now they must turn their attention to the middle where the departure of Reshad Jones means a changing of the guard is coming.

They retained Adrian Colbert but must add a true game changer on the back end.

Alabama safety Xavier Mckinney could be the first safety off the board, if he is there at 18 Miami should run to the podium.

 

LSU’s Grant Delpit is another projected to go in the late first round and would by no means be a consolation prize. He could still be on the board at 18 or even at 26 if the board goes another route.

The next tier are no slouches by any means, with Antoine Winfield being one of the most intriguing prospects. Winfield’s father was an excellent NFL player and the apple did not fall far, his football IQ and ball skills will be in high demand.

Others to watch in the second and third round area include Ashtyn Davis (Cal), Kyle Duggar (Lenoir-Ryhne), and Jeremy Chinn (Southern Illinois).

5. Running Back

Unlike the previous two position groups, this projects to be a pretty thin running back class.

 

Depending on who is sitting there at either 18 or 26, Miami’s best option could be to hang tight in regards to the running backs.

D’Andre Swift should be the first running back off the board but the separation in talent amongst the top five is not vast.

Value should be a priority here, if Clyde Edwards-Helaire is sitting there at pick 39 in the second round, he may be too good to pass up.

His pass catching would be a perfect compliment to Jordan Howard, who is more of a between the tackles runner that offers little in the pass game.

Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin) and J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State) are intriguing talents who would be solid selections in the late first or early second rounds.

Cam Akers is another to watch in the third round where Miami has pick 56.

There could be some hidden gems on Day 3 as well if the Dolphins are patient.

With trades and players going higher or lower than projected, Miami has flexibility to make moves up or down in the draft.

Time will tell how everything plays out in the most important NFL draft for this franchise in a long time.

For more in-depth Miami Dolphins coverage visit www.fivereasonssports.com.

Make sure to subscribe to the 3 Yards Per Carry Podcast for year-round Dolphins news.

DeeJay Dallas Could be Late Round Steal for Dolphins

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DeeJay Dallas may be worth a late round flyer from the Miami Dolphins.

All the talk surrounding the 2020 NFL Draft for the Dolphins has been focused on the quarterback position.

Rightfully so.

With an abundance of draft capital and a lot of new faces via free agency, Miami is poised for a quick resurgence.

The Dolphins added running back Jordan Howard in free agency but will likely be in the mix for another back via the draft.

 

Howard is an upgrade over anyone in the Miami backfield, which isn’t saying much.

He is a safe player with a low ceiling, yet has shown some promise.

Howard averaged 4.4 yards per carry and scored six touchdowns last year in Philadelphia before missing the last six games with a shoulder injury.

The Dolphins were the worst rushing team in the NFL last year in both yards per game (72.2) and yards per carry (3.3).

That being said, this year may not be the one to waste a high draft pick on perhaps the most interchangeable position in football.

 

A familiar face could sneak onto the Dolphins’ radar in the late rounds.

DeeJay Dallas also had his season, and college career, end on a down note with an elbow injury in the disaster versus FIU.

He finished his three year college career with 1527 yards on 265 carries for a healthy 5.8 YPC.

There is a lot to like about Dallas, from his toughness on the field to his leadership off it.

 

He is a willing blocker in pass protection and can contribute in the pass game as well.

Dallas had a solid combine and ran a 4.58 40-yard dash, he can also impact the game as a kick returner if needed.

Brian Flores loves versatility and players that can fill different roles.

If the Dolphins forgo a running back near the top of the draft, Dallas could be a steal on Day 3.

Brian Flores indicated this week that Josh Rosen isn't ready to be the Dolphins' quarterback. (Photo/Tony Capobianco)

Fresh Perspective: Dolphins should thank Brian Flores for not tanking 2019

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It wasn’t that long ago that the Dolphins world seemed to revolve around losing every game possible in 2019. Nothing mattered except getting the first overall pick so Miami could draft their franchise quarterback. Never mind the consequences of such a strategy. Did it matter that the NFL frowned upon that strategy? No. All that mattered was throwing 2019 in the trash. Pride didn’t matter, most of the roster wouldn’t be back anyway. Some even said Brian Flores is a sacrificial lamb for the future head coach.

Except there was one problem. Pride does matter, and the Dolphins proved it last season, taking a roster of street players and undrafted free agents to a five win season when most experts projected them to win one game at most. Instead they won five, including a massive upset in Foxborough which ultimately knocked the New England Patriots out of the top seed in the playoffs. That game now will be Tom Brady’s final game against Miami in a Patriots uniform. He went out with a whimper, instead of a roar.

The purpose of pointing this out is directly related to Miami’s recent spending spree. All throughout the 2019 season, the Dolphins were judged for draining the roster of big name talent. They traded Ryan Tannehill and Cameron Wake, they traded Robert Quinn, they traded Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, and then they traded Minkah Fitzpatrick when he threw a temper tantrum over how he was being used on the field as well as – presumably – Miami’s intention to tank 2019.

Fitzpatrick’s reaction is the most telling of all. Some will say Fitzpatrick was immature in forcing his way off the Dolphins to go join the Pittsburgh Steelers. To be fair, they aren’t wrong. But there’s another factor to this. Fitzpatrick wanted to be on a winning franchise. He’s used to success from his college days at Alabama. Regardless of the team’s true intentions, the image they were portraying was of a team doing everything they could to secure the first overall pick in next year’s draft, not win games. Action speaks louder than words.

Pundits went on a rampage, tearing into the franchise for seemingly trying to lose games. Mike Greenberg, Steve Young, Domonique Foxworth, Mike Golic, the list goes on. They all went out of their way to explain why Miami’s tanking efforts were not just bad for the team, it was bad for the NFL. Players don’t like the idea of throwing their careers away on a team that doesn’t want to win. There were even reports that – after a 59-10 loss to the Ravens – players were coordinating with their agents to manufacture trades out of Miami. 

Whether there’s any truth to those reports or not is irrelevant now. One thing remains correct through all this. No player wants to play for a team that doesn’t want to win. Fans didn’t really care though, they just wanted the first overall pick regardless of the consequences. When the Dolphins started winning games, fans began getting worried. Could it really be that Miami couldn’t even lose properly? How could Brian Flores do such a thing? He was jeopardizing everything the team was striving for with his irrational pride and refusal to give up in spite of the front office’s talent-draining efforts.

Thank you, Brian Flores, for not giving up and knocking the Dolphins all the way down to fifth overall.

Obviously, it’s easier for teams to get the player they want when no one is in their way to stop them. Now, Miami has the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers to worry about if they want their quarterback of choice. But there’s something bigger to consider, and it has everything to do with the Dolphins and their recent free agent frenzy.

Players want to come to Miami.

Generally, money is the deciding factor for most new contracts. Additionally, the Dolphins aren’t being shy about spending it either. The free agents they’ve signed so far are cashing in with Miami. That’s not the reason they’re coming though.

Ted Karras, one of the Dolphins’ most recent signings, reportedly took less money to come to Miami instead of staying in New England. The reasoning is that with the Dolphins he’ll be a starter, while in New England that’s not guaranteed. Fair enough. But if the Dolphins tanked the season, do you think Karras would be willing to give up money to go a team that one year prior didn’t care about the outcome?

No.

Byron Jones, the biggest free agent signing thus far for the Dolphins, had multiple teams bidding for him. In the end, Miami was willing to pay the most. But no player worth having wants to play for the money alone. They want notoriety, they want success, and Brian Flores showed that a team can have success without household names leading the charge. Five wins with the roster he had last season? Players believe in the vision that Brian Flores is selling, and they want in on that vision.

I won’t sit here and pretend more money isn’t a major deciding factor for free agents, especially with no state income tax in Florida. But anyone who believes that money is the only reason players like Jones, Ereck Flowers, Kyle Van Noy, Shaq Lawson and Jordan Howard are joining up with the Dolphins is fooling themselves.

The players who already know Brian Flores from their New England days (Van Noy, Karras) have nothing but great things to say about him. The players who don’t know Flores, saw what he and the staff was able to do with the likes of Nik Needham, Mike Gesicki and DeVante Parker, disappointing players who miraculously turned their careers around in a season assumed to be wasted. They want to be put in the best possible position to win while still getting paid. Think of Emmanuel Ogbah for this.

Need more proof? Look how averse players seem to be to go to the Cincinnati Bengals. Rumors were abound that LSU QB Joe Burrow didn’t want to be drafted by the Bengals. He later refuted that report, but nonetheless it did start for a reason. Tua Tagovailoa’s agent literally went on-air and said that he hopes that the Bengals draft Burrow because he wants Tagovailoa to be in a good position to find success. Clearly, he believes that’s the Dolphins, not the Bengals.

It isn’t just about the money, folks. Brian Flores is creating a culture of accountability and success. Players who don’t want to be a part of the vision, they can leave. Minkah Fitzpatrick is the perfect example. But these players coming in want to be part of the vision. They see the light at the end of the tunnel and want to stand in it when the Dolphins get there. So thank Brian Flores for killing the tank narrative in 2019.

They’re reaping the benefits of his efforts right now, and perhaps for many years to come.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung