Brent Venables Played Joe Burrow in Clemson Practice After Scout Team QB Injury
Jan 11, 2020
CLEMSON, SC - OCTOBER 10: Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables of the Clemson Tigers calls out a play during the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Memorial Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images)
Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables took an active role in the Tigers' preparations for the CFP National Championship against LSU on Monday.
According to Andrea Adelson of ESPN on Saturday, Clemson's usual scout team quarterback, Patrick McClure, got hurt while celebrating during the team's Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State. As a result, Venables filled in to emulate Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow.
Adelson wrote Venables adopts a new identity, "Jimmy Greenbeans," when working with the scout team.
Junior linebacker James Skalski said Venables is an effective fill-in during practice:
"Greenbeans does not change his quarterback style, but he's very good at stressing you out and trying to create game environments. People don't understand he can put one on the money every now and then. He'll back-shoulder a ball, and everyone looks around and is like, 'That was a good throw.' Mentally, it's not about the throws."
Clemson is attempting to do something no other team has achieved this season: slow down Burrow and LSU's dynamic aerial attack.
Burrow has thrown for 5,208 yards an 55 touchdowns. He only needed one half to shred Oklahoma's secondary in the Peach Bowl, racking up 403 passing yards and seven touchdowns through the first two quarters.
Venables' $2.2 million salary is the second-highest for an FBS assistant coach, trailing only LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda ($2.5 million).
Between pulling double duty as both the scout team QB and defensive coordinator, Venables might be in line for a pay raise if Clemson successfully defends its national championship.
Clemson's Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross 'Good to Go' vs. LSU After Nursing Injuries
Jan 11, 2020
Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross (8) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) celebrate after Ross scored a touchdown against Notre Dame in the NCAA Cotton Bowl semi-final playoff football game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey McWhorter)
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said Saturday wide receivers Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross will both play in Monday's CFP National Championship against No. 1 LSU.
According to ESPN's Heather Dinich, Swinney made it clear that his top two wideouts are healthy after getting banged up in the CFP semifinal against Ohio State: "They're fine. That's been a month ago. These guys heal up in two days nowadays. Yeah, they're fine. Higgins came back and played, and Ross just landed on his shoulder. They're good to go."
Both Higgins and Ross managed to return after leaving against the Buckeyes, and Swinney added: "Are they 100 percent? As far as I know."
Both Higgins and Ross were highly productive this season, and their connection with quarterback Trevor Lawrence may be the biggest factor in whether No. 3 Clemson can upset LSU on Monday night.
Higgins is second on the team with 56 receptions and leads the team in receiving yardage (1,115), yards per catch (19.9) and receiving touchdowns (13). With two straight seasons of at least 900 yards and 12 touchdowns to his credit, Monday may mark the final game of the junior's college career if he opts to enter the NFL draft.
Ross leads the Tigers in catches with 61 and has also registered 789 yards and eight touchdowns this season as a sophomore after reaching the 1,000-yard mark during his freshman campaign.
Clemson has a balanced offensive attack thanks to the presence of superstar running back Travis Etienne and Lawrence's dual-threat ability, but Swinney's team may have to air it out more often than usual to keep up with LSU.
Head coach Ed Orgeron's Tigers are led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, who has thrown for 5,208 yards, 55 touchdowns and six interceptions and helped LSU become the No. 1 scoring offense in the country with 48.9 points per game.
Like Lawrence, Burrow has a big-time receiving corps led by Ja'Marr Chase (1,559 yards and 18 touchdowns), Justin Jefferson (1,434 yards and 18 touchdowns) and Terrace Marshall Jr. (625 yards and 12 touchdowns).
While LSU has been more explosive this season, Clemson is no slouch either, as it ranks fourth in the nation with 45.3 points per contest.
Clemson's offense can strike quickly when need be with Lawrence, Higgins and Ross, but it often isn't necessary because of the team's strong defense and running game.
With both Higgins and Ross slated to play Monday, though, Swinney will have no shortage of options at his disposal and will have the offensive firepower needed to keep pace with LSU.
The Clemson Juggernaut Isn't Going Away Any Time Soon
Jan 8, 2020
WINSTON SALEM, NC - OCTOBER 06: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers waits to go onto the field ahead of quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 before their game at BB&T Field on October 6, 2018 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Nine 10-win seasons in a row. Five straight ACC titles. Five consecutive trips to the College Football Playoff. Four appearances in the national championship game. Two, perhaps three, victories on that prestigious stage.
After a near-decade of Clemson's excellence, that list surprises nobody who follows the sport on even an occasional basis.
Head coach Dabo Swinney orchestrated the program's rise to prominence, turning "Little ole Clemson" into such a powerhouse that his usage of that phrase—no matter if referencing the small town—has become the source of eye rolls. Nothing about the football team is little anymore.
And what Swinney has built, regardless of what happens in the championship showdown with LSU, has no end in sight.
Between a star-studded roster, outstanding recruiting class and a conference of teams far behind, Clemson has no excuse not to remain a national contender for several years.
That sentence, for the record, is entirely unfair. Yet it's the truth of the program's current situation.
Star quarterback Trevor Lawrence will likely declare for the NFL draft once eligible but must wait one more year. Although his presence alone makes the Tigers a championship threat in 2020, they'll bring back an impressive group of skill-position talent and plenty of pieces from the nation's No. 2 defense.
In all likelihood, nobody who follows the sport will disagree that Clemson's reign will continue for years to come. You might be tired of it, but Lawrence enters the 2019 national title with zero losses as a starter.
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 02: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers warms up before their game against the Wofford Terriers at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Since projecting one season is often hard enough, anything in 2021 and beyond is far more uncertain, yes. Trends established over the last decade suggest Clemson will continue thriving, though.
A critical piece of the Swinney-led ascent is his ability—and the school's wherewithal—to retain high-level assistants.
For several years, co-offensive coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott and defensive coordinator Brent Venables have been linked to head coaching vacancies but turned down the offers. Scott recently accepted the South Florida job and will leave Clemson after the championship game, but he's the first coordinator to leave since Chad Morris headed for SMU in 2014.
Nevertheless, Scott—though a terrific recruiter and a valuable source of wisdom for the passing game—isn't the primary play-caller. That responsibility falls on Elliott, who will work alongside new passing game coordinator Brandon Streeter, in 2020.
As long as Swinney, Elliott and Venables are in place, the program will have a sturdy foundation of leadership. And, without a doubt, an impressive arrangement of talent.
For competing teams, the scariest part should be Clemson is just now starting to sign the highest-rated prospects at an Alabama-like rate. Over the last 10 recruiting cycles—including the current 2020 phase—Clemson has one top-five finish.
Clemson has signed six 5-stars, including No. 1 overall player Bryan Bresee and top-rated pro-style quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.
While 10 straight top-25 hauls is perfectly fine, Clemson hadn't secured consecutive top-10 classes before 2018 (seventh) and 2019 (10th). The ranking typically hovered around 15th. Stars don't mean everything, but top-level recruiting, as Bud Elliott of Banner Society notes, has proved a necessary condition of winning titles.
Given the team's accomplishments without top-five classes, the thought of what's coming may be downright frightening for the ACC.
In 2019, per ESPN's Bill Connelly, the conference ranked fifth in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Broken down further, the Atlantic (where Clemson resides) was the ninth-toughest division in the nation, one spot behind the ACC Coastal.
There is encouraging news, yes. In the Atlantic alone, Louisville surged to eight wins in Scott Satterfield's first year, Wake Forest won eight regular-season games for the first time in more than a decade, and Florida State hired Mike Norvell, who won 12 games coaching Memphis in 2019.
Pardon our lack of excitement after Clemson just defeated each of those programs by no less than 31 points. North Carolina nearly pulled off an upset, but one poor showing is an outlier. Clemson smashed its eight other ACC opponents with four margins of 40-plus points and four of 30-plus points.
The gap between Clemson and the rest of the ACC is a chasm, and that has helped the Tigers maintain a remarkable streak of national relevance.
If Clemson falls to historically efficient LSU in the national title game, Swinney's squad will simply have extra motivation for 2020. If Clemson wins, the championship will provide yet another trophy for a program that has already earned the "dynasty" label.
Yet it's a dynasty that hasn't necessarily reached its peak.
Ex-5-Star RB Lorenzo Lingard Announces He's Transferring from Miami to Florida
Jan 3, 2020
MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 22: Lorenzo Lingard #1 of the Miami Hurricanes runs with the ball against the Florida International Golden Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Running back Lorenzo Lingard announced Friday he will transfer from Miami to Florida.
Lingard appeared in two games in 2019 but didn't receive any carries. He will use the year as a redshirt season, which gives him three more years of eligibility with his new team.
The Florida native was a 5-star recruit in high school, ranked the No. 2 running back and No. 25 overall recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports.
Lingard burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2018 with four carries for 82 yards and two scores against Savannah State, including a 64-yard run. He totaled 136 rushing yards on 8.0 per carry before a leg injury ended his season.
He was working his way back to full strength this season but didn't see much playing time and reportedlyentered the transfer portalearlier this week, per Garrett Stepien of 247Sports.
The running back will leave a team that has gone 13-13 the past two years and join one that has put up a 21-5 record in this stretch.
Florida could use help at the position after ranking107thin the country in rushing yards per game. Lamical Perine led the team with 677 rushing yards, while Dameon Pierce (305 yards) will be the only returning running back with more than 100 yards on the ground last year.
If Lingard can reach expectations, he can be a much-needed playmaker for the Gators as they try to compete with the best in the SEC.
Georgia Tech Recruit Bryce Gowdy's Death Ruled a Suicide
Jan 2, 2020
The Broward Medical Examiner's Office ruled Tuesday that the death of Georgia Tech football recruit Bryce Gowdy on Monday was a suicide.
Winelle said Gowdy was "talking crazy" and "talking in circles," and that he began acting "paranoid." She noted that Gowdy was struggling with the fact that his family was homeless and living out of a car and a hotel room. Winelle also said Gowdy asked her if his brothers would be OK once he left for college.
Gowdy was found dead early Monday morning near train tracks in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and it was determined he deliberately put himself in position to get hit by the freight train.
Gowdy was a star wide receiver at Deerfield Beach High School and rated a 4-star prospect by247Sports. He ranked as the No. 310 overall player, No. 54 wideout and No. 54 player from the state of Florida in the 2020 class.
Gowdy, 17, tweeted the following on Dec. 29 in anticipation of making the leap to Georgia Tech:
Per ESPN's Andrea Adelson, Georgia Tech head football coach Geoff Collins released a statement following Gowdy's death:
"Our entire Georgia Tech football family is devastated by the news of Bryce's passing. Bryce was an outstanding young man with a very bright future. He was a great friend to many, including many of our current and incoming team members. On behalf of our coaches, players, staff and families, we offer our deepest condolences to Bryce's mother, Shibbon, and his brothers, Brisai and Brayden, as well as the rest of his family members, his teammates and coaches at Deerfield Beach High School, and his many friends. Bryce and his family will always be a part of the Georgia Tech football family."
Clemson's Trevor Lawrence: Targeting Hit vs. OSU 'Pissed' Him Off, Sparked Rally
Dec 30, 2019
Shaun Wade's targeting penalty on Trevor Lawrence was a turning point in the Fiesta Bowl in more ways than one.
Wade was ejected in the second quarter following a helmet-to-helmet hit on the Clemson star. Lawrence revealed Monday that helped spark a turnaround for the Tigers that led to a 29-23 win over Ohio State, per ESPN's Heather Dinich:
"It was just, they hit me, and I was worried it was my collarbone for a second because I couldn't feel it up there around my shoulder and neck, and my arm just went numb. It was just a really bad stinger. And then I got kind of -- I was kind of pissed off because I knew they were over there thinking like, 'All right, we knocked him out.'"
The play was initially ruled as a sack on Lawrence, which would have set Clemson up with a fourth down and put the team in a punting situation. Officials reviewed the play and penalized Wade for targeting:
Trevor Lawrence was slow to get up after this hit from Shaun Wade and Chase Young.
While crediting that penalty as the sole reason for the result would be reductive, it represented a clear moment where the game changed.
Instead of punting, Clemson got a first down and scored five plays later to trim the deficit to nine points. Lawrence also made a quick return after it initially looked like he might have been seriously injured.
On the Tigers' next drive, the sophomore quarterback broke free for a 67-yard touchdown run that helped bring the reigning national champions to within two points heading into the half.
In general, Clemson looked like a different team, with Lawrence saying he "had a different kind of edge when I got up." The star passer not only went 18-of-33 for 259 yards and two touchdowns but also finished as Clemson's leading rusher (16 carries, 107 yards, one touchdown).
The Tigers undoubtedly benefited from Ohio State being without one of its starting cornerbacks, but Lawrence's comments highlighted how the offense in particular seemed to attack the Buckeyes with a renewed sense of purpose following the targeting penalty.
Clemson still needed Nolan Turner to intercept a Justin Fields pass in the end zone with 37 seconds remaining to avoid a possible defeat.
As happy as head coach Dabo Swinney will be with how well his team closed out the Fiesta Bowl, he'll want to see a better start on Jan. 13 against LSU in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Georgia Tech Football Commit Bryce Gowdy Dies After Being Hit by Freight Train
Dec 30, 2019
Georgia Tech cheerleaders run onto EverBank Field before the start of the TaxSlayer Bowl NCAA college football game against Kentucky, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
High school wide receiver and Georgia Tech signee Bryce Gowdy died Monday, the school confirmed.
According to ESPN'sAndrea Adelson, Gowdy was hit by a freight train in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The Broward County medical examiner's office ruled his death a suicide on Tuesday.
Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins issued a statement regarding Gowdy's death:
We are heartbroken. Bryce will always be a part of our Georgia Tech Football Family. We will be praying for him and all those who love him.#BelieveIn7#RIPSimbapic.twitter.com/dtV5g50Tiq
Gowdy, a 4-star recruit, was the No. 54 receiver in the 2020 class, per 247Sports'composite rankings, and a star for Deerfield Beach High School.
Deerfield Beach head coach Jevon Glenn told theMiami Herald'sJason Dillthe 17-year-old was preparing to travel to Georgia Tech later in the week. Gowdytweeted Sundaythat he "can't wait to get to the ATL soon!"
Glenn added that Gowdy's impact went beyond the field: "He was a great kid. The hardest working and most caring people. He really cared about others. He cared about others' success, team success more so than his. ... All-around great kid."
Fiesta Bowl 2019: Highlights and Comments from Clemson vs. Ohio State
Dec 29, 2019
Despite facing a 16-point deficit early in the second quarter of its most challenging game of the season, Clemson never panicked in Saturday's Fiesta Bowl.
Of course, the Tigers had been there before. They're in the College Football Playoff for the fifth consecutive year, so they knew what was needed to come back against Ohio State. And that's exactly what they executed in the Playoff semifinal matchup.
Clemson scored a go-ahead touchdown and forced a game-sealing turnover in the final minutes to beat Ohio State 29-23 and advance to the CFP National Championship, where the Tigers will look to win their third national title in four seasons when they face LSU on Jan. 13.
But first, the ACC champions demonstrated why they're consistently one of the top programs in the country.
After getting blanked for the first 27 minutes, 15 seconds by Ohio State, Clemson got on the board with 2:45 to go in the first half on Travis Etienne's eight-yard touchdown run to cut its deficit to 16-7. That wouldn't be the Tigers' last big play of the second quarter, though.
With 1:10 until halftime, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence broke off a huge 67-yard touchdown run that trimmed Ohio State's lead to two at the break.
"This guy can move, man," Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney said at the postgame press conference (h/t CBS Sports). "People don't really realize that, and I think that's one of the things that's changed his game, is he's gotten as much confidence in his legs now as he does his arm. And he picks his spots. We don't win the game tonight if we didn't have his legs."
It wouldn't be the last big play of the night for Lawrence and the Tigers.
In the third quarter, Clemson took its first lead of the game on a 53-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence to Etienne that put the Tigers ahead 21-16.
However, Ohio State came back early in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes took a 23-21 lead on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Justin Fields to Chris Olave with 11:46 to go.
It took resiliency from Clemson to come back again. And it was Lawrence and Etienne that again combined for a big play for the Tigers, as the duo connected on a 34-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 remaining that put them ahead 29-23 following a successful two-point conversion.
"I wasn't a big fan of the play in practice, because it's just tough if the defense doesn't really bite on it," Lawrence said at the postgame press conference. "I felt like it was good just because of how well we set it up throughout the game, and I thought it was going to work then."
And it did. Then, as Ohio State tried to answer back with a game-winning drive, Fields was intercepted by Clemson safety Nolan Turner to seal the Tigers' 29th consecutive win and their fourth CFP National Championship appearance.
It doesn't come as a surprise to Swinney that Clemson is having this much sustained success.
"I said in 2010 after a six-win season, I said, 'We're fixing to have the winningest decade in Clemson history,'" Swinney said at the postgame press conference. "I dream big. Actually, we're a little short, I dreamed of a little bit bigger, we missed a couple. But we've had a great run, it's been an unbelievable decade."
If the Tigers are going to end their season by celebrating another national title, they'll have to take down the No. 1 team in the country, LSU, to do so.
After playing a light ACC schedule, some critics doubted whether Clemson could topple a team like Ohio State. Now that the Tigers have proved themselves once again, they'll try to overcome the odds yet again.
Taysir Mack's Clutch TD Hands Pitt Quick Lane Bowl Win over Eastern Michigan
Dec 26, 2019
DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 26: Maurice Ffrench #2 of the Pittsburgh Panthers celebrates a 96 yard touchdown pass during the second quarter of the game against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field on December 26, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Panthers didn't finish the regular season as they hoped, but they at least earned a bowl victory in dramatic fashion as they look ahead toward the 2020 campaign.
After dropping the final two games of the regular season, Pittsburgh bounced back with a thrilling 34-30 win over Eastern Michigan at the 2019 Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit's Ford Field on Thursday. Kenny Pickett led the way with three touchdown passes, including one in the final minute to Taysir Mack, helping ensure the ACC squad finished the year with an 8-5 record.
As for the MAC's Eastern Michigan, this loss means it finished with a losing record at 6-7 despite winning two of its final three regular-season games to clinch a spot in the bowl.
Notable Player Stats
PITT QB Kenny Pickett: 27-of-39 passing for 361 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions
PITT RB Vincent Davis: 15 carries for 69 yards and one touchdown; two catches for 27 yards
PITT WR Maurice Ffrench: 12 catches for 165 yards and one touchdown
EMU QB Mike Glass III: 28-of-50 passing for 311 yards, two touchdowns and one interception; 83 rushing yards and one touchdown
EMU WR Hassan Beydoun: nine catches for 113 yards and zero touchdowns
Kenny Pickett Plays Hero for the Panthers
It appeared as if Pickett was in for a long game. He lost a fumble on Pittsburgh's first offensive possession, and counterpart Mike Glass III made him pay with a touchdown run on the ensuing drive, but he found his footing when his team needed him the most.
Trailing 10-3, Pickett connected with Maurice Ffrench for a 96-yard touchdown strike and thelongest passin program history. It set the tone for what was to come, as Eastern Michigan couldn't tackle Ffrench in space, couldn't match up with him in press coverage and was forced to give him underneath routes following the long score.
Pitt tied it up with the 96-yard TD — the longest pass play in school history 💪 pic.twitter.com/yg6W614Xtb
ESPN's broadcast noted Ffrench, a senior, broke the legendary Larry Fitzgerald's program record for most receptions in a single season in the process of dominating the overmatched secondary.
Pickett, Ffrench and the rest of the aerial attack was put to the test throughout the remainder of the game, as the Panthers never established much consistency on the ground and struggled to contain Glass on the other end.
Mack's winning catch will make all the highlight shows, but it was Pickett who directed a 91-yard drive down three points in the final three minutes to give his team the win. It wouldn't have even been possible if he didn't stand strong in the pocket and unleash a clutch third-down touchdown pass to Jared Wayne earlier in the fourth quarter.
Pickett was inconsistent for much of the season with 10 touchdown passes to nine interceptions, but he was at his best in the postseason for the victorious Panthers.
Mike Glass III Impresses Before Ugly Ejection
The biggest matchup coming into the game was the one between Glass, who tallied 2,858 passing yards, 345 rushing yards and 29 total touchdowns as a dual-threat playmaker this season, and Pittsburgh's defense that was 11th in the country in yards allowed per game (302.5) andfirstin sacks per game (4.08).
That Pittsburgh defense had held Penn State to 17 points and remained within striking distance of almost every opponent. Jaylen Twyman and Patrick Jones II spearheaded the pass rush all year, but the group struggled to contain Glass in the first half.
Eastern Michigan put up 20 points before intermission and had little trouble moving the ball even without much of a run game besides Glass. He threaded the needle downfield, eluded pressure with his footwork and took the running lanes when available to put his team in position to win.
While he threw an untimely interception to Damar Hamlin in the third quarter, Glass also connected with Arthur Jackson III for a touchdown to take the lead in the fourth before Pickett countered.
Eastern Michigan QB Mike Glass III was ejected after throwing punches during the final seconds of their bowl loss to Pitt. pic.twitter.com/DTPguFRtnj
2nd time in a couple of weeks I’ve seen an official take a punch from a player-ref wasn’t intended target either time. Illinois hoops player, Kofi Cockburn was just celebrating. Total accident. EMU’s Mike Glass-terrible display. Just odd seeing refs get caught in cross fire 2x
Despite the showing, Glass' bowl performance may be remembered for how it ended. He threw two punches while trying to muster a final-minute drive, and the second one accidentally hit the official and knocked the referee to the ground.
Glass was ejected, and Preston Hutchinson threw an interception to clinch the loss for the Eagles.
Miami Shut Out 14-0 by Louisiana Tech in 2019 Independence Bowl
Dec 26, 2019
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs notched their sixth straight bowl victory by outlasting the Miami Hurricanes 14-0in the Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.
It was a win, but it was ugly.
The Bulldogs and 'Canes combined for the most punts ever and the second-fewest points in an Independence Bowl.
The contest remained scoreless through the first quarter—the first scoreless opening quarter at this bowl since 2010—before Louisiana Tech quarterback J'Mar Smith found running back Israel Tucker for a 26-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter. Smith later ran in an eight-yard score in garbage time.
Miami showed signs of life when Gilbert Frierson intercepted Smith early in the fourth quarter, but the Hurricanes offense squandered the opportunity with a six-play, 11-yard drive that ended in yet another punt:
HISTORY: Louisiana Tech ties the Shreveport Bowl record with nine punts.
The Hurricanes regained possession still down just 7-0 and were driving when redshirt sophomore N'Kosi Perry, the team's third quarterback of the evening, threw an interception with Miami at midfield and 3:25 left in regulation to seal it.
Miami hasn't been shutout in a bowl game since the 29-0 loss to Arizona in the 1994 Fiesta Bowl. Last shutout -- regular season or bowl game -- was 58-0 to Clemson. #Memories
Louisiana Tech put together a successful 2019. The Bulldogs rode an eight-game winning streak before losing two of their last three but finished at 10-3, their first 10-win campaign in program history.
Miami, meanwhile, ended a wholly disappointing season with a thud. The Hurricanes dropped their final two regular-season contests to unranked Florida International and Duke to land at 6-6. This loss put them at 6-7 to end a year below .500 for the first time since 2014.
The Hurricanes were without lead running back DeeJay Dallas after he suffered a season-endingdislocated elbowagainst FIU on Nov. 23. Tight end Brevin Jordandid not dress, as he had been out with aleft foot injurybefore returning for the regular-season finale andaggravatingit.
Wide receiver Jeff Thomas and linebacker Michael Pinckney also skipped the game to prepare for the 2020 NFL draft.
Manny Diaz could not have foreseen his first season as head coach going this poorly.
A bolded and underlined question mark at the quarterback position is the main reason the Hurricanes have so grossly underperformed, and that was on full display against Louisiana Tech.
Redshirt freshman Williams started the game but proved inaccurate and ineffective enough that redshirt sophomore transfer Tate Martell, who had not taken a snap at quarterback all season and was brieflytransitioningto wide receiver, came in for a series in the second quarter. Martell didn't look any better:
Tate Martell's first series: 6 snaps. 1 pass for 7 yards. 5 runs that covered 65 yards, but actually picked up 5 yards
The 'Canes entered the locker room at halftime with 135 yards of total offense, continuing a worrisome trend:
Miami has been shutout in the first half in two of its last three games. The Hurricanes have had 15 scoreless quarters this year. They trail Louisiana Tech, 7-0, at halftime.
Miami finished the night with 227 yards of offense.Tim Reynoldsof the Associated Press reported that offensive coordinator Dan Enos and the team "are expected to part ways" after the Independence Bowl, and Enos' offense did not do much to change Miami's mind.
Even heralded Hurricanes alumnus and NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed felt compelled to disavow Miami's performance:
When Jarren Williams threw a deep ball to KJ Osborn I started to hear some cheering in the Miami AD press box coming from Michael Irvin. It ended with... "ahhh!"
Louisiana Tech's best defensive performance this season was a 35-7 win over Bowling Green in which it gave up 290 yards. Bowling Green was 3-9 this season and finished 128th in scoring. Miami has 149 yards of total offense and trails 7-0 with 11:09 left in the 3rd quarter
Diaz commented on his disappointment in an article published by the Sun-Sentinel'sDavid Furones on Dec. 2:
"We had to correct the offense, and what we had to correct, specifically, was the quarterback position. I think that’s the most disappointing part here in the last few weeks because of the inconsistencies. ... When you step back and look at us, you say, 'Well, who are we? What are we on offense? Are we the bunch that scored 52 points and set school records against Louisville and the way that we looked at Florida State?' And then you look at the way we finished the final two weeks—not being able to score in the first half against FIU, starting the game with all the three-and-outs at Duke and not being able to—all we needed was a touchdown in the third quarter Saturday and nothing may have turned into a rout because, defensively, we were in complete control of the game.
"Quarterback play, which was very inconsistent—we had guys in and out of the lineup—that's the part that's the biggest disappointment, the biggest letdown. And that’s where my attention is because it's our responsibility to get it fixed and I will get it fixed."
The way Williams, Martell and Perry looked Thursday creates additional pressure on incoming freshman Tyler Van Dyke.247Sportshas Van Dyke ranked as a 4-star, pro-style prospect.
Beyond quarterback, however, Pinckney has expressed confidence in Diaz's ability to restore Miami to its 1990s and early 2000s lore:
Michael Pinckney makes his case for why he has faith in Manny Diaz in the future.
Diaz, meanwhile, expected the Independence Bowl to be the start of the transformation.
"It has to start somewhere and that is what this game is all about," he said on Christmas Eve, according to 247Sports'David Lake. "We have talked about this game being a bridge to the 2020 season. ... We are trying to set the expectation of how to prepare for a bowl game and how to win a bowl game. How to win a trophy. That is a learned behavior."
Zero points later, the Hurricanes will instead want to forget this bowl and start completely over next year.
