Miami Preview (Game Seven)

[catdaddyp]

QB:

Fort Hayes (DII) transfer Caleb Heavner is the current starting quarterback, having ascended into the roll due to injuries. Heavner has thrown for 329 yards and 1 touchdown to 1 interception. When kept clean, he’s completed 59% of his passes, but that number drops to 37% under pressure. Heavner will also run the football, totaling 114 yards and a touchdown on 33 attempts.

 

RB:

Monmouth transfer Rodney Nelson is the main running back. Nelson has 206 yards on 55 carries. So far, none of the backs have produced the amount of explosive plays that Miami has been accustomed to in recent years.

 

WR:

Bethune-Cookman transfer Maleek Huggins, redshirt junior Lynel Billups-Williams, junior Damarion Witten, and redshirt sophomore Braylon Isom are the main targets at wide receiver. Huggins leads the group with 309 yards, but the passing game has been fairly balanced in spreading the ball around.

 

TE:

Redshirt freshman Brendan Loftus usually sees the most snaps at tight end. The tight ends are rarely involved in the passing game, with the group combining for just 10 targets all season.

 

OL: 

The offensive line is a solid unit. However, when the quarterback holds on to the ball too long or makes poor decisions, it can make this group seem subpar.

LT - Eric Smith (6’6 306) (R. Sr.) - All-MAC

LG - Greg Smith (6’4 300) R. So.)

C - Kris Manu (6’1 300) (R. So.)

RG - Jacob Schorsch (6’5 300) (R. So.)

RT - Evan Malcore (6’6 305) (R. Sr.) - Northern Illinois Transfer

 

DL:

North Texas transfer Zhaiylen Scott and redshirt senior Grant Lyons are the usual starters at edge. Redshirt junior Roosevelt Andrews and redshirt sophomore Brach Rice are the starters on the interior. These four have produced 7.5 sacks, and Andrews is on pace for an all-conference season.

 

LB:

Kent State transfer CJ Young, South Alabama transfer Blayne Myrick, and redshirt junior Malcolm McCain are the starters at linebacker. McCain is likely on track to be All-MAC.

 

DB:

Senior Mychal Yharbrough and Indiana/Northern Illinois transfer Amariyun Knighten are the starting cornerbacks. Redshirt freshman Desmon Yharbrough and Northwestern transfer Dillon Tatum are the safeties. Knighten has been the best of the bunch and will likely be lined up against our best receiver.

 

ST:

Redshirt junior Kellen McLaughlin is 8 of 12 on field goals and 17 of 17 on extra point attempts. Senior Pierse Stainton averages 43 yards per punt, with a long of 62 yards. Freshman Scoop Smith has already taken a kickoff return back 98 yards for a touchdown.

 

 

Keys on Offense:

Miami’s defense is going to dare the Zips to throw the ball on first and second down. Akron must stay balanced and continue to rely on Gant and Patrick, even when the numbers may not always be in our favor. The RedHawks are going to pressure on passing downs and are really good at disrupting plays during those times. If Akron becomes one-dimensional, it could be a long day.

 

Keys on Defense:

Don’t beat ourselves. Miami is not elite on offense this year, but they can put up points with help from opponents’ mistakes. The Zips’ defense needs to play a clean game and be stout on key downs.

 

Final Outlook:

Miami usually has our number, and even though the Zips have a chance to pull out a victory, I’m still going with the RedHawks to win it at home.

 

Edited yesterday at 02:20 AM by catdaddyp

[exit322]

6 minutes ago, catdaddyp said:

OL: 

The offensive line is a solid unit. However, when the quarterback holds on to the ball too long or makes poor decisions, it can make this group seem subpar.

 

See:  Watson, Deshaun

 

Oh...also...Miami by 20

[roopride]

Go ZIPS!

[LZIp]

No Broughton, Abor, or Patrick today. Wohoo 

[exit322]

Just now, LZIp said:

No Broughton, Abor, or Patrick today. Wohoo 

Ok fine, Miami by 30

[catdaddyp]

53 minutes ago, LZIp said:

No Broughton, Abor, or Patrick today. Wohoo 

Looks like Thomas is out too. Probably means we’ll see Branch slide out to corner and Flowers at nickel some more. May not be a bad thing.

[exit322]

Strong opening drive from their 3 so far 

[zipsrule]

TOUCHDOWN ZIPS!

[LZIp]

Good start!

[MDZip]

I saw the Zips get called for offensive pass interference, so I stepped out of the room for a minute and I came back and they were on the opposite four-yard line. Now I think I have to go back and watch what happened. 😂

[catdaddyp]

Good job by the defense. Tibs threw out a new look on that third down stop.
 

Great job by the OL in pass protection and Roggow throwing the ball. Also, well done by the receivers catching the ball. I shouldn’t have to say that, but there have already been too many drops this year.

 

Keep it going Zips

[catdaddyp]

Pretty sure Kavals just shoved Hull into the RB for the tackle.

[MDZip]

6 minutes ago, MDZip said:

I saw the Zips get called for offensive pass interference, so I stepped out of the room for a minute and I came back and they were on the opposite four-yard line. Now I think I have to go back and watch what happened. 😂

So I went back and watched it. I'm glad I can get ESPN+ replay. They picked up three critical third downs on that drive.

[exit322]

Good times can't last forever

[exit322]

Moorhead-style complementary football.  Bad pick followed by the defense folding like a cheap tent

[catdaddyp]

Johnson finally misses a tackle and it turns into a TD. Frazier has not been doing a great job squeezing on the other side.

[LZIp]

Miami QB doesn’t appear to be a downfield passing threat at all

[AkronAlumnus]

Another winnable game, go and win it!! 

[GP1]

You can't say the Zips don't play hard. You can say that they do the dumbest things. 

[LZIp]

Good drive wasted by shooting ourselves in the foot. Two dropped snaps have been killers today. Roggow is slinging it though 

[catdaddyp]

The unnecessary stuff we do to kill our own momentum is mind blowing.

[exit322]

2 minutes ago, catdaddyp said:

The unnecessary stuff we do to kill our own momentum is mind blowing.

 

I dunno, after 54 games of it I'm kinda used to it

[exit322]

No one watches MAC football on the TV anyways and with teams like Toledo and Miami and whoever else leaving anyways...their next TV deal really needs to just force the issue with "let's try something different with the TV timeouts."  A TV timeout 29 seconds before the effing warning? 

Edited 1 hour ago by exit322

[catdaddyp]

Looked like a block in the back on that big run. Good hold by the defense after that though. Durham is whipping an OT that has been pretty good this year. 

[exit322]

Perfect time for a shanked punt.

 

And then more of that Moorhead complementary football!!!

 

Edited 1 hour ago by exit322