 |
| It wasn't a great night for the 'Canes(Photo Credit: University of Miami) |
Written By: Nathan Skinner
Canes Rising Contributor
The FSU loss was tough, and people wondered whether the 'Canes could recover from such a emotionally draining contest. The 'Canes proved that they couldn't overcome, mailing in a 30-13 loss to Virginia. This loss is a major setback for the program, and this staff. It's obvious that some assistants aren't properly coaching their charges, and that is unacceptable.
The Good
Brad Kaaya--Brad spent Saturday night on the ground, due to the fact that Miami did an awful job of identifying blitz packages. Kaaya kept picking himself up and kept fighting, even though he wasn't being given much to work with. Elite quarterbacks are tough and Kaaya showed that during this game. Kaaya had a solid day completing over 60% of his passes, but he did throw an awful interception. Miami has a star at quarterback, he needs more help than what he received last night.
Denzel Perryman--This young man has been everything a 'Cane should be, and he was left on an island Saturday. Perryman was one of the few defensive players who looked prepared, and passionate. Denzel was a one man wrecking machine on Saturday, making over 10 tackles, and camping out in the Virginia backfield. If Miami had 21 other guys who cared as much, the 'Canes would have been victorious.
Herb Waters--Football is a dangerous game, and injuries happen. Waters suffered a horrifying injury when he was struck in the head during a kickoff return. He was unconscious at one point, and was carted off the field. The good news is that Waters came to, and was cleared to travel with the team. Regardless of what happened on the field, Waters being able to walk and function is great news. Hopefully he can fully recover, and get back on the field.
The Bad
ACC Referees--This game was one sided in the way it was called. This doesn't excuse Miami's play, but this is a troubling trend. Brad Kaaya was not only tackled after he threw passes, he was headbutted and speared, yet targeting calls were not forthcoming. Herb Waters could have been paralyzed due to the reckless and illegal actions of a Virginia player, and not one flag was thrown. There were flags thrown for things that are rarely called, like Jamal Carter's spike after making an interception. Referees have a difficult job, but that doesn't mean a crew should play favorites.
Offensive Line--All season, the Miami O-Line has been asked to perform, despite going through a ton of adversity. For most of the season, this unit has overachieved and done an excellent job of protecting Brad Kaaya. That wasn't the case Saturday night, as the line was manhandled by the Cavaliers. Yes, the Hoos overwhelmed Miami with superior numbers but this went beyond just mere scheme, this was an example of an offensive line not being ready to play. Art Kehoe will get some leeway due to his overall performance, but this wasn't a good night for the line.
Special Teams-- What was once a consistent, solid unit has become a liability. Another blocked kick due to atrocious protection is unacceptable, but to compound that with multiple unforced errors is beyond belief. Al Golden is the special teams coach, and he needs to make sure his units are prepared. The 'Canes are playing some younger players on special teams due to injury, but that's no excuse for what this unit has been lately. The erosion of this unit coincides with the change in defensive philosophy, which means Al Golden may not be spending as much time with the special teams as he once did, due to him getting involved with the defense.
The Unacceptable
James Coley--It's been a rocky ride for the young offensive coordinator as he has struggled with consistency. This game was one of his worst, as the 'Canes offense was putrid. Virginia didn't do anything revolutionary, they overwhelmed Miami with superior numbers. Coley did a horrible job of adjusting to the Virginia gameplan, choosing not to counter Jon Tenuta's numerous blitzes. Most coordinators, when faced with an aggressive defense will take advantage of that by calling an endless array of screens and draws. That didn't happen Saturday, as the 'Canes repeatedly ran plays that had little chance of success. This gameplan was useless, and someone has to take responsibility for this atrocity.
Artie Burns--While most of the players were awful on Saturday, Artie's actions were embarrassing. After committing two penalties on one play, Artie sulked for the rest of the game. Frustration is understandable, but to physically quit is another thing altogether. Burns is a young player and I believe that he will recover, but this is something that should be nipped in the bud.
The Entire Coaching Staff--Coley's awful gameplan deserves mention, but the entire staff failed on Saturday. Getting a team up following a difficult loss is a challenge, and this staff wasn't up for it. This team whipped North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Cincinnati, but couldn't beat a horrible Virginia. No team with this amount of talent should look so lost, so uninspired this late in the season. This season has become a disappointment, after looking incredibly promising a month ago. It's obvious that widespread changes have to be made, if the Golden tenure is to last beyond 2015.
Posts
