Miami QB D'Eriq King to Have Season-Ending Surgery for Shoulder Injury
Oct 11, 2021
Miami quarterback D'Eriq King (1) during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept 18, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)
University of Miami quarterback D'Eriq King will miss the rest of the 2021 season after getting surgery on his right shoulder, head coach Manny Diaz announced on 560 WQAM radio Monday (via ESPN's Andrea Adelson).
Tyler Van Dyke will be the team's starter going forward.
King initially suffered the shoulder injury during the team's Sept. 18 loss to Michigan State, sitting out the next two games against Central Connecticut and Virginia. The Hurricanes went 1-1 in this stretch to fall to 2-3 on the season.
King played the entire game against Michigan State without missing an offensive snap, although Diaz admitted afterwards the injury was significant.
"D'Eriq's roughed up pretty good," the coach said on the radio two days later.
King has struggled with injuries throughout his collegiate career, beginning at Houston. His 2018 season came to an early end because of a torn meniscus in his knee. After transferring to Miami in 2020, the quarterback tore his ACL last December.
The sixth-year senior worked his way back to the field and was considered a Heisman Trophy contender entering 2021, but his season now comes to an end after just three games. King finished the year with 767 passing yards and three touchdowns with four interceptions.
Van Dyke and Jake Garcia split time in relief of King in the blowout win against Central Connecticut, but it was Van Dyke who played in Saturday's 30-28 loss to Virginia. The 6'4" freshman finished 15-of-29 for 203 passing yards and one touchdown, adding another score on the ground.
The Connecticut native entered Miami as a 4-star recruit considered the No. 7 pro-style passer in the 2020 class, per 247Sports composite rankings.
Van Dyke will now look to live up to expectations with the Hurricanes, starting with next week's game against North Carolina.
Dabo Swinney on Clemson's 2-2 Start After NC State Upset: 'We've Got to Own It'
Sep 26, 2021
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, right, speaks with officials during the second half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said his team has to hold itself accountable after a stunning 27-21 double-overtime loss to North Carolina State on Saturday night.
"We've got to own it," coach Dabo Swinney said, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "It's where we are right now. We need to get back to work on Monday, continue to learn, continue to grow, continue to fight, and continue to stay together. Let's just find a way to win a game, find a way to get on track and see if we can build some momentum in our season."
The upset loss dropped the ninth-ranked Tigers to 2-2 on the year and has potentially knocked them out of the College Football Playoff race. Their first defeat was a 10-3 loss to No. 2 Georgia in the season opener, but the struggles on display against the Wolfpack are much more concerning.
Sophomore quarterback DJ Uiagalelei had another rough game on Saturday, completing 12-of-26 passes for 111 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He's been a letdown for the Tigers this season after impressing in fill-in duty for Trevor Lawrence as a true freshman. Running backs Will Shipley and Kobe Pryor also failed to gain traction against the Wolfpack, combining for just 41 rushing yards.
It’s my duty as an unbiased local reporter, to share that Clemson has dropped their first game against an unranked team since 2017. Clemson is now (2-2) on the year and will most likely drop out of the top 10.
Swinney didn't shy away from criticism of the offense.
"With the way we've performed, you're going to get criticism and you're going to get comments. It comes with the territory because the expectation and the standard at Clemson—we're not meeting it," he said, per Adelson.
Despite the inconsistency on offense, the Tigers still had a chance to win this game on the road. The defense has been excellent this season, holding the team's first three opponents to 10 points or fewer. NC State managed 386 total yards, but according to NCAA.com, their 4.0 average yards per play was lower than Clemson's 4.4 yards per play.
A run at the College Football Playoff is all but over—as Adelson notes, no two-loss team has ever made the playoff—but the Tigers can still challenge for an ACC title if they can find balance on both sides of the ball.
No. 9 Clemson Upset by Unranked NC State in 2OT as Tigers Fall to 2-2
Sep 25, 2021
North Carolina State's Cory Durden (48) grabs a hold of Clemson's D.J. Uiagalelei (5) for a sack during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Clemson's hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff may be extinguished after four games.
The ninth-ranked Tigers suffered a 27-21 defeat to North Carolina State on Saturday to fall to 2-2.
Will Shipley tied the game at 14 points apiece on a five-yard run with 10:52 left in the game. Christopher Dunn missed a 51-yard field goal on North Carolina State's next drive.
Dunn was also off the mark on a 53-yarder as the first half drew to a close. Fate provided the junior with an opportunity for redemption as the seconds ticked off the clock in regulation. Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, he pulled his third attempt to the left once again to set the stage for overtime.
Justyn Ross drew first blood for Clemson with a nine-yard touchdown reception in the first overtime period. Devin Leary kept NC State alive by hitting a wide-open Thayer Thomas for a score.
On the second play of the second overtime frame, Devin Carter somehow got a knee down as he hauled in a pass from Leary in the corner of the end zone.
Devin Carter OH MY GOODNESS!! Pack back on top in 2OT!@PackFootball | @__d1c
North Carolina State failed to convert its two-point attempt but still put the pressure squarely on Clemson to get a touchdown. On 4th-and-5, Ross appeared to lose track of a D.J. Uiagalelei pass on a fade route, and the ball fell to the turf.
Once again, Clemson's offense failed to fire.
Following his encouraging cameo in place of Trevor Lawrence as a freshman, the belief was that Uiagalelei would hit the ground running as the full-time starter. Instead, the sophomore quarterback struggled again. He finished 12-of-26 for 111 yards, two touchdowns and one interception through the air. He also ran for 63 yards on nine carries.
A collective step backward was to be expected for Clemson after it lost not only Lawrence but also its leading rusher (Travis Etienne Jr.) and leading receiver (Amari Rodgers). But Uiagalelei seemed to check off all of the boxes to be an elite signal-caller.
The Tigers' inability to move the ball put a significant strain on a defense that saw both James Skalski and Bryan Bresee get injured. North Carolina State finished with a 41:48-18:12 edge in time of possession.
The Wolfpack also outgained the Tigers 386-214. NC State was in the driver's seat for most of the game.
Clemson missed out on the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014 but proceeded to make six straight semifinals. The program has become almost too big to fail, both because of the blue-chip recruits it regularly attracts and the lack of serious competition it gets from the ACC.
Now, Dabo Swinney and his players will have to adjust expectations.
The path to a New Year's Six bowl game is still wide open for the Tigers. Barring the collapse of multiple other contenders, a national championship is probably out of the question, however.
Imperfect Notre Dame Surges Past Wisconsin to Start Season-Defining Gauntlet
Sep 25, 2021
Notre Dame quarterback Drew Pyne celebrates his touchdown pass to wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Chicago. Notre Dame won 41-13. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
CHICAGO — Notre Dame is not the best team in the country. There's a reasonable chance the Fighting Irish, who have reached the College Football Playoff in two of the last three years, aren't even the premier team in the Midwest this season.
Flaws and all, however, they're finding ways to win.
And in a year loaded with questions about the number of elite contenders, the result is far more impactful than the style. Saturday at Soldier Field, the Irish did it again. They navigated a fourth adequate showing to defeat the No. 18 Wisconsin Badgers 41-13.
From a glass-half-full perspective, consider it a complete team victory. Every area—offense, defense and special teams—made a substantial contribution.
Jack Coan tossed a 36-yard score to Kevin Austin Jr., and Chris Tyree returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Drew Pyne, Coan's backup, led a short scoring drive to seal a strange blowout win, and the defense scored on two of its five takeaways.
But as Notre Dame enters a rough midseason stretch, the flow of Saturday's game was an all-too-familiar sight.
Yes, the scoreboard showed a lopsided contest. The first 45 minutes told a much different story, though. Early in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin held a 13-10 lead. Notre Dame—to its immense credit—then turned the deficit into a rout.
The scorching finish overshadowed yet another slow start.
So far, Notre Dame has needed overtime to survive a bad Florida State team, a late comeback to clip Toledo and fourth-quarter surges to knock off Big Ten teams Purdue and Wisconsin. The glass-half-empty view is not unreasonable.
And from here, the competition level only rises.
Through the end of October, Notre Dame hosts No. 8 Cincinnati and travels to Virginia Tech. Following an idle weekend, the Irish welcome rival USC and No. 21 North Carolina to South Bend. Notre Dame has constantly flirted with danger, and this upcoming quartet will likely not be as forgiving.
Look, it's still September. Every team in the nation has potential issues or weaknesses to address. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, who passed program legend Knute Rockne for the most wins in school history with No. 106, acknowledged as much.
"I'm having fun coaching them," Kelly told reporters afterward. "They're not perfect by any means, but they're going to be better in November. That energizes you as a coach."
The challenge is reaching November with a truly glaring flaw on the offensive line.
Even excluding the six sacks it took Saturday, Notre Dame mustered just 42 yards on 26 carries. That continued a miserable trend to begin 2021. Last season, the Irish rushed for 5.6 yards per non-sack rush attempt. Through four games, they're at 3.7 per non-sack carry. Wisconsin totaled 12 tackles for loss.
North Carolina entered Week 4 with a top-25 defense in yards allowed per carry, and Cincinnati's strength is its defense. And both of their offenses are a whole lot more effective than the Badgers' unit.
The bright side for Notre Dame is its D.
Drew White
Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz looked overwhelmed all game, and the Irish capitalized late. They forced five turnovers, including pick-sixes for Jack Kiser and Drew White in the fourth quarter. The touchdowns helped embellish the final score.
Each week, the defense has performed a little bit better. The unit has ceded 4.6 and 4.4 yards per snap in the last two games, holding both Purdue and Wisconsin to 13 points apiece.
Perfect timing, too, because what comes next should be challenging. North Carolina, led by quarterback Sam Howell, presents the largest test in that department. Cincinnati won the AAC behind Desmond Ridder last season, and USC's Kedon Slovis—though he's off to a rough start in 2021—has a talented supporting cast.
Notre Dame can handle any of those offenses, sure. Yet it's obvious UNC, Cincinnati and USC are much better prepared to put pressure on Notre Dame than FSU, Purdue or Wisconsin.
Saturday's win kept the Fighting Irish in the ranks of the undefeated.
For 45 minutes, it wasn't pretty. For 15, it was beautiful. However, that combination matters less than the victory on the scoreboard; they passed the first of five important tests.
The next evaluations probably won't be any more comfortable. But if the Irish keep finding a path to a victory, they can ugly-win their way through an October gauntlet and into the College Football Playoff race once again.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
No. 12 Notre Dame Beats No. 18 Wisconsin; Brian Kelly Becomes Winningest ND Coach
Sep 25, 2021
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 25: Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (4) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the Shamrock Series game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Wisconsin Badgers on September 25, 2021 at Soldier Field, in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Notre Dame remained perfect at 4-0 with a 41-13 victory over No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Brian Kelly now has 106 wins as head coach of the 12th-ranked Fighting Irish, moving him ahead of Knute Rockne for the most in program history.
With the game tied at 10 midway through the third quarter, Notre Dame had to turn to third-string quarterback Drew Pyne. Backup Tyler Buchner has a hamstring injury, and starter Jack Coan had limped back to the locker room.
Pyne attempted just three passes as a freshman, and his inexperience showed on his second drive when he didn't feel Rodas Johnson bearing down on his blind side.
The fumble set up a 27-yard field goal by Collin Larsh at the 14:14 mark of the fourth quarter.
Chris Tyree had registered little impact to that point, accumulating 12 yards from scrimmage. But the sophomore running back made his presence felt by returning the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.
After Jayson Ademilola's strip-sack three plays later, Pyne hit Kevin Austin Jr. for a 16-yard touchdown pass to help widen Notre Dame's lead to 24-13.
Drew White capped a 31-point fourth quarter for the Irish with a pick-six of Graham Mertz with 54 seconds on the clock. It was Mertz's second pick-six in little more than a minute and the denouement of a brutal outing as the pressure continues to mount on the Wisconsin quarterback.
Notable Performers
Jack Coan, QB, Notre Dame: 15-of-29, 158 yards, TD
Drew Pyne, QB, Notre Dame: 6-of-8, 81 yards, TD
Kevin Austin, Jr., WR, Notre Dame: six receptions, 76 yards, 2 TD
Graham Mertz, QB, Wisconsin: 18-of-41, 240 yards, TD, 4 INT
Chez Mellusi, RB, Wisconsin: 18 carries, 54 yards; two receptions, 39 yards
Notre Dame Defense Making Strides
Coming into Saturday, it was unclear how good the Fighting Irish were. They went to overtime against Florida State (0-3) in their opener, and Toledo pushed Kelly's squad to the brink six days later.
The defense in particular generated questions after allowing 795 yards in those two games under first-year coordinator Marcus Freeman. Now, the unit looks far more comfortable following the transition to Freeman from Clark Lea.
Pyne also exceeded everybody's expectations under difficult circumstances. He was efficient and avoided critical errors after his fumble.
Depending on Coan's health, Kelly may have a quarterback dilemma. One doesn't want to be a prisoner of the moment, but the gap between Coan and Pyne may not be that big.
At the very least, Pyne did nothing Saturday to hurt his standing.
Though putting the Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff would be premature, their dominant defense and solid quarterback play—the kind of balance Notre Dame showed against Wisconsin—have made for a winning recipe for Kelly before.
Wisconsin Has a Graham Mertz Problem
To some extent, this game was a referendum on Mertz.
With Mertz entrenched as the starter, Coan chose to transfer to capitalize on his final season of eligibility. The net effect would probably be marginal if Wisconsin could swap Mertz for Coan, but it seems clear Mertz cannot elevate the offense.
The sophomore struggled as the 2020 season went on, and things haven't gotten better.
That 20-of-21 for 248 yards and 5 TDs performance against Illinois feels like a lifetime ago for Graham Mertz.
For years, Wisconsin was perceived to be holding itself back with game managers such as Alex Hornibrook, Joel Stave, Scott Tolzien, John Stocco and Jim Sorgi.
Mertz was a 4-star recruit and the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the 2019 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. The Kansas native was supposed to be the elite passer the Badgers had lacked.
Instead, fans might be longing for the days when Wisconsin played to type.
Notre Dame’s defense is really good.
But Wisconsin can’t run like it used to and has a big, big problem at QB.
The best quality of great college football coaches is the ability to adapt and keep up with the times. Why do we view Wisconsin's offensive philosophy as charming? https://t.co/Z5WXjWP9oY
After Austin's second touchdown reception, the Badgers had more than nine minutes to close a two-score gap. But the gulf felt much larger because the offense had failed to move the ball.
Wisconsin finished 1-of-14 on third down. It failed to deliver in critical moments and couldn't maintain drives.
What's Next?
Notre Dame heads back to South Bend, Indiana, for what may be its toughest test of the season against No. 8 Cincinnati. Wisconsin will host No. 19 Michigan in a game that could make or break the Badgers' hopes of winning the Big Ten West.
Rashaun Jones Pleads Not Guilty in Killing of Former Miami Teammate Bryan Pata
Sep 17, 2021
FILE - In this Nov. 23, 2006, file photo, Bryan Pata's family hold up his jersey at the beginning of an NCAA college football game between Miami and Boston College at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Rashaun Jones, 35, of Lake City, a former University of Miami football player was arrested Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, in connection with the 2006 fatal shooting of his teammate Bryan Pata. Pata, a 22-year-old, 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman, was shot several times outside of his Kendall, Fla., apartment the night of Nov. 7, 2006. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez, File)
Former University of Miami football player Rashaun Jones pleaded not guilty to the 2006 killing of former teammate Bryan Pata on Friday, per the Associated Press.
Jones, 36, had long been suspected of killing Pata but was not arrested for nearly 15 years after Pata's shooting at a Kendall, Florida apartment. He was originally arrested on a first-degree murder charge but that was reduced to second-degree murder.
"The community never stopped contacting us," Detective Juan Segovia said in a statement after Jones was arrested in August. "Even if we got a thousand tips and only one was the one that actually put the pieces together, that's what it took, and that's exactly what happened in this case.
"I can only hope that this brings the Pata family a little bit of closure and a little bit of satisfaction."
"What happened 12 years ago, happened 12 years ago," Jones said. "It's got nothing to do with me. ... I didn't do it."
The two teammates reportedly had regular issues with one another during their time at Miami, including arguments, fights and Smith allegedly telling Pata he would shoot him two months before his death.
A witness identified Smith as the shooter in a police lineup, and records show Smith's cell phone being used away from his home the night of the murder. Smith told police he was home the entire night.
Video: Jacksonville State Beats Florida State on Hail Mary to Earn Stunning Upset
Sep 12, 2021
TALLAHASSEE, FL - SEPTEMBER 08: Dejected Florida State Seminoles fans in the stands during the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Samford Bulldogs at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida on September 8th, 2018. (Photo by Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
One week after losing an overtime thriller at home to Notre Dame, a rough start to the season for Florida State turned dismal.
Playing against FCS school Jacksonville State—a team that lost to UAB 31-0 last week—the Seminoles gave up a 59-yard Hail Mary touchdown as time expired to lose, 20-17. The play was stunning on a number of levels, but watching two defensive backs let a JSU receiver make a clean catch and then fail to attempt a tackle had Doak Campbell Stadium absolutely stunned.
It's the first time Florida State has lost to a non-FBS team since William & Mary defeated the Seminoles in 1959. It's also the eighth time this season an FCS team has upset an FBS team to begin the 2021 season. Florida State becomes just the third Power 5 program to suffer such a loss.
Making matters a little more painful is the fact that FSU paid $400,000 to schedule Jacksonville State.
A week ago, the Seminoles were just minutes away from knocking off the No. 9 team in the country with Notre Dame in Tallahassee. Now 0-2 on the year, Florida State faces a crucial test on the road at Wake Forest next weekend.
Notre Dame HC Brian Kelly: Team Execution Remark After FSU Win Was Meant to Be Joke
Sep 6, 2021
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - MAY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts during the second half of the Blue-Gold Spring Game at Notre Dame Stadium on May 01, 2021 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Notre Dame would have made enough headlines simply needing overtime to escape Florida State with a 41-38 overtime victory Sunday.
And then head coach Brian Kelly turned heads during his postgame interview.
"I'm in favor of execution," he said on the ESPN broadcast when talking about the game. "Maybe, maybe our entire team needs to be executed after tonight."
Kelly was apparently attempting to reference an old quote from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach John McKay.
Kelly clarified his comment after the game and told reporters, "It's an old John McKay quote. I was kidding. I was being tongue-in-cheek. ... It wasn't funny? I was making a joke about it. It was taken serious. Are you people crazy?"
As for the actual game, it appeared as if Notre Dame would cruise to a victory with an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter.
However, Florida State came storming back behind McKenzie Milton's inspired play. Milton entered the game in the fourth quarter after starting quarterback Jordan Travis' helmet came off on a play, and he directed two scoring drives to force overtime.
Milton was playing in his first game since the 2018 season when he was a member of Central Florida and suffered a gruesome knee injury.
The comeback wasn't enough, though, as Florida State's Ryan Fitzgerald missed a field goal in overtime while Notre Dame's Jonathan Doerer made his.
Bryce Young Throws 4 TDs as No. 1 Alabama Dominates D'Eriq King, No. 14 Miami 44-13
Sep 4, 2021
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 04: Bryce Young #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide warmups up prior to facing the Miami Hurricanes during the Chick-fil-A Kick-Off Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 04, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Top-ranked Alabama kicked off its 2021 season with a dominant 44-13victory over Miami at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Georgia on Saturday.
Despite losing several key players from last year's undefeated title team, including Mac Jones and Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, expectations remain high for the Crimson Tide.
New quarterback Bryce Young, making his first career start, is one reason for those expectations. The sophomore was ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class.
Young looked ready for his moment in the spotlight. He finished with 344 yards and fourtouchdowns in the win.
The Crimson Tide had absolutely no problem on either side of the ball against a good Miami squad. They were up by 24 and had a 291-107advantage in total yards at halftime.
Notable Game Stats
Bryce Young (Bama): 27-of-38, 344 yards, 4 TD
Brian Robinson Jr. (Bama): 12 carries, 60 yards
John Metchie III (Bama): 6 receptions, 76 yards, TD
Jameson Williams (Bama): 4 receptions, 126 yards, TD
D'Eriq King (MIA): 23-of-31, 178 yards, TD, 2 INT
Cam'Ron Harris (MIA): 12 carries, 38 yards
New-Look Alabama Offense Doesn't Miss a Beat
It seemed hard to believe that head coach Nick Saban's offense in 2021 would be able to equal what last year's group did.
Through one game, at least, there doesn't appear to be any drop-off for the group.
Alabama lost an insane amount of talent in this year's NFL draft. Eight of the first 38 players drafted were from Alabama! And they just replace all those guys and here they are blowing out Miami. College football is so ridiculously top heavy. pic.twitter.com/jbGZ0QcJOJ
Young didn't even have to show off his running ability to be a major factor in the win. He had over 200 yards passing and three touchdowns in the first half alone.
It certainly helps that Young is able to throw to such a dynamic group of playmakers on the outside.
John Metchie III flew under the radar last season because it's hard to get a lot of attention when you play alongside two wide receivers who are top-10 picks in the NFL draft. Moving into the role as Alabama's No. 1 wideout seems to agree with the junior.
Manny Diaz was asked about Alabama’s losses at wide receiver, and immediately praised WR John Metchie III.
"He would’ve been a WR1 on almost every team", Diaz also praised his jump ball ability and contested catches from last season.
It's not as if Metchie is coming out of nowhere to look like a star. He finished second on the team last year with 916 yards and six touchdowns on 55 receptions.
The early returns from this game suggest that Metchie is going to be Young's favorite target in 2021, and that's very bad news for opposing defenses.
Losing Najee Harris didn't have a significant impact on the success of the running game. Brian Robinson Jr. finished with 60yards on just 12 carries in his first outing as the lead back.
None of this even accounts for a defense that completely swarmed a Miami offense that averaged 34 points per game last season.
Hurricanes quarterback D'Eriq King was sacked four times, and the offenseaveraged 4.2 yards per play.
The one long drive Miami put together at the start of the third quarter ended with the 'Bama defensive line stuffing King on a 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
Three plays after getting the ball back, Jameson Williams took a pass from Young 94 yards to the end zone to give the Crimson Tide a 34-3 lead.
Saban and his coaching staff continue to have a deep roster of talent to play every year, and they are so good at developing seemingly every player up to their full potential.
The Crimson Tide remain great and very dangerous for anyone who gets in their way.
Ugly Loss Shows Hurricanes Still a Work in Progress
While most of the focus in this game is (rightly) going to be about Alabama's dominance, there were plenty of mistakes and miscues by Miami that show head coach Manny Diaz and his staff have a lot of things to work on.
The Hurricanes didn't have a drive last longer than five plays until the end of the second half. Their two extended drives only resulted in three points. Their best drive of the game ended in a turnover on downs because of a horrendous play call.
King, who came into the game with a knee issue and was in the injury tent at one point in the first half, tried to run the hurry-up on 4th-and-goal after a five-yard run by Donald Chaney Jr. got the ball down to Alabama's 1-yard line.
The Hurricanes' senior quarterback lined up in the shotgun and attempted to run through the middle of the line with no success.
What is that Miami? A less-than 100% QB, in the gun, running a QB “sneak” against ‘Bama Def on 4th down. Ok.
miami should just pack it up after that. unserious playcall
— charles (“you look good” - andy reid) mcdonald (@FourVerts) September 4, 2021
That play call was emblematic of how things went the entire game for the Hurricanes. They rarely sustained any momentum on the offensive end. The defense was completely overmatched against a faster and stronger opponent.
The Ringer's Kevin Clark, who is also a Miami alum, had some fun at his team's expense because of how lopsided things were:
Oh my god it happened again. For the second straight week a fake football team got on television. How does this keep happening? pic.twitter.com/uWjjWhFSuA
David Lake of 247Sports did note coming into the game that Diaz has had success as a head coach against quarterbacks making their first career start:
The combined average stat line of (Kenny) Pickett, (Joe) Burrow, and (Hendon) Hooker in these games comes out to 13-of-24 for 172 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 51 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries.
Overall, that is a solid stat line of defense against a quarterback, but there are some numbers that were discouraging as well. UM’s defense failed to make plays against these quarterbacks, with two sacks being the most on any of them and the Hurricanes failing to force any interceptions.
Despite that stat line, Miami did lose each of those games. The most relevant quarterback in comparison to Young was Joe Burrow, but that game against LSU was in 2018 before he would turn into the Heisman winner and future No. 1 overall pick.
Diaz recently told reporters he was confident about his defense this year, despite featuring a smaller group of players, because they have a lot of speed at all three levels.
“What made Miami, Miami ... was smaller, fast defenders? This is Miami. We’re going to be fast on defense. You can see the same change going on in the National Football League," he said. "You’re talking about faster outside linebackers that can play in space and cover…
A lack of size might not matter against most teams in the country, but it absolutely does when the opponent is Alabama. The Crimson Tide routinely have the biggest and fastest players at every position.
It showed in the final result Saturday, as Diaz's defense got picked apart and the offense didn't get anything going until the outcome was well in hand for Alabama.
What's Next?
Alabama will host Mercer in its first game of the 2021 season at Bryant-Denny Stadium next Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Miami will take on Appalachian State next Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.
Mack Brown Says No. 10 UNC 'Overrated' After Loss to Virginia Tech
Sep 4, 2021
North Carolina head coach Mack Brown answers a question during the NCAA college football Atlantic Coast Conference media days in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, July 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
North Carolina head coach Mack Brown
called his team "overrated" after the 10th-ranked Tar Heels
suffered a 17-10 road loss to ACC rival Virginia Tech on Friday night.
UNC entered the season as a potential
College Football Playoff contender, and quarterback Sam Howell, who
threw three interceptions in the loss, was viewed as a Heisman Trophy
candidate, but both those candidacies took an immediate hit courtesy
of the Hokies.
"Obviously the shine's off,"
Brown told reporters. "The ratings mean nothing at this point.
We were overrated tonight."
The North Carolina offense looked out
of sorts for most of the night. Its four first-half drives ended
with three punts and the halftime whistle, and things didn't improve
coming out of the break with another punt and the first of Howell's
interceptions.
Virginia Tech couldn't get much going
either, which kept UNC within striking distance for the entire game.
The Tar Heels got the ball back on their own 13-yard line with 3:10
left in the fourth quarter and a chance to tie with a touchdown, but
Howell tossed his third pick inside the final minute to seal it.
Brown didn't lay the blame for the
struggles on his star quarterback's shoulders, though.
"When you don't run the ball well
and you have six sacks and you have to run for your life—we have
to do a better job of protecting him," Brown said. "You can't
expect a guy to have a great game when he's got people around him the
whole game. You've got to protect your quarterback."
Howell completed 17 of his 32 passes
for 208 yards and one touchdown in addition to the three key
turnovers. He also rushed for 35 yards on 13 carries.
"We can't let this game define
us," Howell said. "We know what this team is capable of,
even if we didn't show it tonight. I think we just got beat
[tonight]. I don't think the pressure really bothered anybody in the
program, and we had a good week of practice, and we just weren't the
better team."
North Carolina went 2-of-10 on third
down, lost the turnover battle (3-2) and racked up more penalties
(5-2) as it let a winnable game slip away.
That said, the Virginia Tech defense
deserves a lot of credit for its relentless work up front, as it was
consistently in the UNC backfield to slow the running game and keep
Howell under pressure.
Hokies head coach Justin Fuente called
it "as impressive a performance" as he's seen from his defense.
The Tar Heels will attempt to bounce
back next Saturday when they host Georgia State in their home opener.
