2015 Miami Hurricanes Opponent Preview - Week 10 (UVa - 11/7)

Miami Hurricanes 2015 Opponent Preview

Week 10

Virginia (November 7^th at Sun Life Stadium)

The 2015 Miami Hurricanes Opponent Preview continues with the preview of the Virginia Cavaliers, who come to Sun Life Stadium on November 7^th.  

In Charlottesville, the talk each year is about Mike London’s job status. He did enough to keep his job, but not enough to quiet the critics (see Al with CANES fans).  This year, London needs to have his team go bowling or likely be out. With a trip to Pasadena in the season opener, and Notre Dame the following week, and Boise coming in two weeks later on a Friday night, it could get very ugly in Charlottesville very quickly.

Let’s talk about Virginia’s Offense.

Now that Greyson Lambert is now in Athens, GA, this is now Matt Johns’ job as the Quarterback. A big reason for that was because Johns had a huge Spring. While Johns was ok in relief of Lambert in 2014, because Lambert was hurt, in 2015, this is his job from Game 1. He’s going to have to be the one to step up and be the leader of that offense.  
They will have experience back in the receiving corps. Canaan Severin and Andre Levrone both return at the WR positions. The former was their top receiver stat wise last year with 578 yards receiving, and the latter was their big play threat catching 15 passes for 248 yards.  There is an area were Levrone needs to hone in on. He caught just 35% of his targets in 2014.  To be fair, its not completely his fault here, but still that number needs to get better in 2015.  They will get a lift from UNC graduate transfer T.J. Thorpe. While Thorpe was a top notch played in high school, the same could not be said about his college career, which has been very much injury prone.  
As for the Running backs, they have a legit threat there in Taquan “Smoke” Mizzell, who can be a play maker as a receiver. In 2014, he had 39 passes caught for 271 yards, and in addition, he had 280 yards rushing as their 3^rd back in their rotation. His career has been sub-par in college so far. However, now as the go to guy in the backfield, maybe we’ll see the talent that fans up there haven’t seen yet.
Their O-Line is ok in protecting the passer, but terrible vs the run. They do have three starters and four other players with starting experience back for them in 2015. Eric Smith is going to have to step up and be their leader here on this unit, even though he was listed 2^nd on their depth chart behind RS freshman Jake Fieler, Smith is going to be starting on their line, especially when you consider he’s had twenty career starts, Also back for them at RG is RS Senior Ross Burbank, who has fifteen career starts.

Let’s talk about Virginia’s Defense

Their secondary has some promise here with Quin Blanding back. As a freshman last year, he had 91.5 tackles and three interceptions. He’s one that they hope will be a very good one, if not a great one back there. To help Blanding back here, Cornerbacks Maurice Canady and Tim Harris return. Harris, who played in ten games, had a pick, and broke-up four passes.  As for Canady, he had three picks and twelve pass break ups. The secondary is going to be very good again in 2015.
The same cannot be said for the Linebackers. They will have to fill three spots there. Their three backups from last season return and they added a LB in their 2015 class that they hope will make an immediate impact there. The freshman they’re referring to is C.J. Stalker, who’s a true freshman, and expected to be the man right away.  The other three, that were backups last year, returning are Micah Kiser, Mark Hall and Zach Bradshaw. Each of these players saw action in ten or more games last year.  Kiser, as a true freshman in 2014 had 12 tackles in 12 games.
While Eli Harold, (drafted in the 3^rd round by San Francisco), is the only major loss on their D-Line, it’s a big one though. Consider that Harold had 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2014. That’s going to be tough to replace. It’s going to be up to David Dean and Mike Moore, to each step up and have the production that Harold leaves behind.  While they each had eight tackles for loss last season, they only have four combined sacks in their careers. The one that has to fill Harold’s big shoes is Kwontie Moore. He only had  two sacks, in spot duty last season.

What to expect from Virginia

This is a team that has beaten The U on Al Golden’s watch 3 of the 4 times they’ve played. This team doesn’t blow you away. This is a young team, and with a tough early schedule and add to the fact Mike London is on the hot seat this year, there should be no reason at all why The U doesn’t beat them this year. 

Their 2015 Pump-Up Video

Their 2015 Spring Game (after this game, Lambert would announce he's leaving for Athens)

This is the game from last year up there in Charlottesville

In this game, it’ll be at home at Sun Life. After last year vs UVa after the heartbreaking loss to FSU the week before, the U quit and tanked up in Charlottesville. You know there’s payback on the CANES minds here.  This needs to be a statement game for the U and a CANES comfortable victory over UVa. 

2015 Miami Hurricanes Opponent Preview - Week 12 (GT 11/21 Home Finale)

Miami Hurricanes 2015 Opponent Preview 

Week 12 

Georgia Tech (November 21th at Sun Life Stadium) 

The 2015 Miami Hurricanes Opponent Preview continues with the preview of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who come to Sun Life Stadium on November 21st, in the Regular season home finale. 

With Georgia Tech, they lost some key players in the backfield and at receiver, however, given that Paul Johnson’s team, is still very good and can make another run at a Coastal Division title. The reason for the optimism in Atlanta is due to the fact that they return 13 starters, with the biggest returnee being their quarterback Justin Thomas. It’s a good thing because their defense in 2014 was just terrible, ranking near the bottom of the ACC in the four main statistical categories, but should be much better this season. 

Let’s talk about Georgia Tech’s Offense

Rumors of Tech’s demise were greatly exaggerated. There was talk that Paul Johnson would be out. However, in 2014, that talk ceased when Thomas took over at QB and with that, they returned to the offense that Johnson stands for as a Head Coach. Their offense was better with Thomas running that Triple Option. With him back showing his speed, elusiveness and intelligence, this is a team that nobody wants to face later in the season, with that grinding and punishing running game. He has an opportunity this year to break his own single-season school record (for quarterbacks) of 1,086 rushing yards, and cement his place as a player to be reckoned with. 

There are some questions on who will fill the voids in the backfield. They lose Synjyn Days, Zach Laskey (signed as an UFA by St. Louis) and Charles Perkins, who accounted for 377 carries and 2,218 yards last year. However, with the depth of the O-Line having four starters and a few others with starting experience back, and developing the pieces they have, they should be ok there. One of those pieces returning is A-back Broderick Snoddy, who showed flashes that he can break some big-plays, albeit in limited duty before breaking his leg last season.. The bigger concern for GT is at the B-back position. Here, C.J. Leggett was supposed to be the man there, but was sidelined with a torn ACL in the spring. Patrick Skov, who’s a graduate transfer from Stanford, is going to be asked to carry most of the load at the B-Back spot. 

For years, Georgia Tech, did not have a passing game that scared people. That changed last year. However, they will have to find a way to replace DeAndre Smelter (drafted in the 4th round by San Francisco) and Darren Waller (drafted in the 6th round by Baltimore), who made big plays and clutch catches for them. 

Let’s talk about Georgia Tech’s Defense 

It’s better that Paul Johnson say it about the Defense here, especially vs. the run: “We weren’t very good,” especially when his defense gave up 25.7 points and 411.3 yards per game in 2014. The big issue here is the lack of depth, especially on the D-Line, and it’ll be that way going forward. They do have some talent here on the Line. Returning for them is senior All-ACC performer Adam Gotsis anchoring the interior and KeShun Freeman coming off a season in which he earned various Freshman All-America honors at end. Those two will be fine there. What Johnson is hoping for here is a big time season from Jabari Hunt-Days, who was academically ineligible in 2014 and is up to 295 lbs. 

With the Linebackers, its not going to be an easy task to replace All-ACC linebacker Quayshawn Nealy (signed as UFA by Seattle), when you consider the fact that he leaves behind 92 tackles, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries last season. They really hope that Senior Tyler Marcordes, is able to fill that void. He did have 5.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks; however, losing Nealy is going to hurt the LB core here. 

As for the secondary, they’re going to be pretty good again this year, especially with Senior safety Jamal Golden returning. In 2014, he had 61 tackles and four picks. This is the one area of their defense that is solid. They also have back at the corners, seniors Chris Milton and D.J. White, who came up big in games vs. VT and UGa with game-saving takeaways.

Let’s talk about Georgia Tech’s Special Teams 

Their kicking game needs to show it could be consistent. It’s going to be up to junior kicker Harrison Butker to come up big. Yes, he made some big kicks, like the one vs Uga from 53 yards out to send it to OT. On the other hand, he has missed some kicks, specifically inside 40 yards, where he missed 5 of them. GT doesn’t punt too often, in fact, Junior punter Ryan Rodwell, who’s back in 2015, had an ACC-low 32 attempts in 2014. 

What to expect from Georgia Tech 

Looking at them on tape, yes, they lost a lot, but don’t be fooled, with Thomas back running Paul Johnson’s offense, this is still a force to be reckoned with in Atlanta, that even with the losses in their personnel, is a still a threat to win the Coastal. But don’t expect another 11 win season from them here. 

The video below is from their 2015 Spring Game

This is their hype video for 2015

This is from our game last year where they just gashed us

In this game, it’ll be at home at Sun Life. After last year vs Tech where they gashed our defense, you know there’s payback on the CANES minds here, and its Senior Day to boot. Yes, GT will be a test to be sure, the U will be ready to play in this game and a game in the end CANES win comfortably and the Seniors out a winner at home.

2015 Miami Hurricanes Opponent Preview - Week 9 (at Duke 10/31)

Miami Hurricanes 2015 Opponent Preview

Week 9

At Duke (October 31^st)

The 2015 Miami Hurricanes Opponent Preview continues with the preview of the Duke Blue Devils, who The U pays a visit to on Halloween.

When you look at the job David Cutcliffe has done there. He changed everything about that program, turning a perennial loser into a consistent winner. Before he got there, they had never won 10 games in a season. They won 10 in 2013, and 9 last year. What that man has done in Durham can be nothing short of remarkable.  If Cut is to get his team back to a bowl game in 2015, he will have to do with a younger cast and some inexperienced players.

Let’s talk about Duke’s Offense.

Yes, some key players are gone, like QB Anthony Boone (signed as an UFA by the Detroit Lions), WRs Jamison Crowder (Drafted in the 4^th Round by Washington) and Isaac Blakeney. Still though, they are not without weapons here and they might be even better than they were in 2014.

It will all hinge on how well and how quick Thomas Sirk is able to carry the load at QB. Duke will be more of a running team this year than they have in Cut’s tenure, while trying to find a go-to WR to fill the void left by Crowder’s departure.  They have some talent here, but young, outside of Senior Max McCaffery.  The one WR that the coaches are very high on is redshirt freshman Chris Taylor , who showed much potential this spring.  Sirk’s other target that will be counted on to step up is Johnell Barnes, who like Taylor, showed a lot of potential over the spring.  Back at TE is Braxton Deaver, who was one of the ACC’s best Tight Ends, but was out all of 2014 with a torn ACL, and he’ll be back for a sixth year. He’s expected to be Sirk’s to-go guy over the middle and in short yardage/goal line situations.

The OL did take a hit with the loss of All-American Laken Tomlinson, who’s now in Detroit as the 28^th overall pick in the NFL Draft. However, when you listen to Cut, he believes that they will only get better there and with good reason. It’s going to be up to C Matt Skura to step into a leadership role there. With 27 career starts under his belt, and being a 1^st team pre-season all-ACC Center, Cut is counting on him to lead the OL. He’ll also have back on the Line, senior LG Lucas Patrick.

There will be many questions in Durham this year. They did lose 3 of their last 4, including a loss to Arizona State in El Paso at the Sun Bowl. They have to fill many voids on Offense this year and when you look at Sirk, he wasn’t the long ball threat that Boone was. He’s more of a safe, short passer. He’s going to need to expand his game in 2015.

RB Shaquille Powell is the top option in the backfield, and since Duke is going to be more of a run heavy team this year, he’s going to carry a lot of the load for them this year. Also back for them is Jela Duncan, who returns after missing last year due to academic matters. He was their top rusher in 2012 and 2013, so the Blue Devils are loaded with talent and depth at RB.

To put it simply, it’s not totally empty in Durham. Think about this: Of the 22 positions on offense and defense, 15 will have starters who have been on campus and part of the program for four years.

Let’s talk about Duke’s Defense

Look, they have the athletes to make plays out there. They have five DBs back and all have starting experience. They run a 4-2-5 scheme. Their best player on D is Senior S Jeremy Cash. Cash made the All-ACC team, and on top of that, this guy had 232 tackles in the past two seasons combined. That’s amazing.

Its not just Cash on the back end here, They also have back DeVon Edwards as the other safety. He’s had four INTs in the past two years. When you add to the mix junior CBs Breon Borders and Byron Fields, you have some experience on the table. Borders has had in his Duke careey 7 picks and when you add that Fields is a good coverer of both the pass and rush, you have two very capable CBs here.

At LB, they were supposed to have back Kelby Brown who was an All-ACC pick in 2013 with 114 tackles that season (11 for loss), after missing 2014 with an ACL injury, but after tearing his ACL again in July, ending his career, it’s going to hurt them here, as they only have three experienced LBs on their depth chart returning. It’s going to be up to Chris Holmes, Dwayne Norman, and Zavier Carmichael, who all played in all their games in 2014, to step op. In their careers, they’ve combined for just 52.5 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks, and all of those were by Norman.

As for the D-Line, it doesn’t look too good here either. Yes, they have Carlos Wray back on the interior, but after that, there isn’t much there of note, although their other DT A.J. Wolf was 3^rd among D-linemen in tackles last season.  The biggest issue here for this Defense is having an effective pass rush. Wray and their DE Kyler Brown are their only returning players on the line that can say they’ve had a sack, and combined in their careers, only have 2.5.  As good as their secondary is, if there’s no solid pass rush, it won’t matter. A good passing game with a good OL, goes to town on that secondary.  

Let’s talk about Duke’s Special Teams

Their kicking game is outstanding. Some believe they have the best kicker and punter in the ACC and one of the better ones in the country. They have back Senior Ross Martin, who has only missed four kicks from 39 yards or longer and he’s hit 4 of 6 from 50-plus yards in his Duke career. When you had the return of Senior P Will Monday, who only averaged 43.5 yards per attempt and put 57 punts inside the 20 yard line in his past three seasons, you have a combo that get the job done from a field position perspective. Their return game is pretty good. They have DeVon Edwards back handling those duties. Over the last two years, he has had three TDs returning Kicks/Punts.

What to expect from Duke

Looking at them on tape, yes, they lost a lot, but don’t be fooled, this is still a force to be reckoned with in Durham.

The video you see above is from their Spring Game

In this game, it’ll be up there at Wallace-Wade Stadium. Our last visit up there wasn’t pretty at all. In fact, it was the low point of U football. This is the first of a stretch where the U will end the regular season with 5 straight vs the Coastal. If the CANES are to get to Charlotte as Coastal champs, they need to win this game. In the end, I believe the U steps up and makes some plays and leaves Durham with a victory, albeit, a hard fought one.