 Early season injuries have once again hit the Miami offensive line, which got healthy in time for a 2010 stretch run to the MAC title and a bowl win. Photo by Mike Smith.
Here are three hints:
1. The Houston Astros were in the process of winning their first National League pennant and the Chicago White Sox were on their way to a world championship.
2. Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Delta region about a month earlier.
3. Don Treadwell was an offensive coordinator on University of Cincinnnati head coach Mark Dantonio’s staff.
And the answer is ... 2005!!
A lot of things have happened since then. When Dantonio went to Michigan State, Treadwell also landed in East Lansing. The Spartans’ offensive coordinator then moved into his own head coaching position in January 2011 when he took the job at his alma mater – Miami.
Ironically, the former MU wide receiver faces a former Mid-American Conference (Central Michigan) head coach this week when Miami’s age-old rival comes to Oxford for the 116th renewal of the Battle for the Victory Bell. Butch Jones took over the University of Cincinnati football reigns prior to the 2010 campaign.
After three straight losses, including a damaging 37-23 MAC and home opener setback against Bowling Green last week, the RedHawks will need an upset to reclaim the bell. Cincinnati is off to a 3-1 start, with the only loss coming at Tennessee.
Even in the loss, UC managed to score 23 points. Last week’s 44 points against North Carolina State was the smallest point production among the three wins. The Bearcats own victories over Austin Peay (77-10), Akron (59-14) and North Carolina State (44-14). The latter was on Thursday, Sept. 22, so, as has been the case in recent years, UC has plenty of time to both prepare and recover.
Miami could use some recovery time. Some of its difficulties against Bowling Green were related to injuries. Center JoJo Williams broke his “snapping” hand two days before the home opener. Redshirt sophomore John Anevski (6-3, 277), who only had four starts on the line in his collegiate career, took over for his first career start at the critical center position.
A pair of true freshmen also made it into Miami’s lineup against BG. Marcus Matthews (6-3, 321) played left guard. A few spots over, Zach Lewis (6-6, 264) made his second career start while filling in for injured right tackle Matt Kennedy. All three players are slated to start again Saturday.
Among the challenges is trying to generate an effective ground attack. Brandon Murphy had 110 yards and a touchdown in Miami’s last win over UC. The RedHawks haven’t come close to that mark through four games in 2011. They registered just 43 yards against Bowling Green.
The struggles were particularly evident at the beginning of the second half, when MU failed to come up with points after getting a first down on the BG nine-yard line. Two runs and a pass took it to the one, but Erik Finklea was thrown for a nine-yard loss on fourth down at the one.
The RedHawks were once again more efficient in the passing game, which provided 265 of Miami’s 308 total yards. Junior quarterback Zac Dysert completed 25-of-40 (62.5 percent). However, while Bowling Green posted three touchdowns via the airways, MU got none.
Among the RedHawks problems were sacks. Dysert actually gained 57 yards rushing, but he was also sacked six times (for minus-49 yards) versus BG and threw two interceptions – one on a tipped pass early in the contest. The other was late.
“We weren’t on the same page. That is what killed us,” Dysert said, alluding to a variety of communications issues.
“Those are some of the growing pains,” Treadwell said of the sacks, adding that his staff would be working to find answers for a unit that is currently younger and more inexperienced than the line Miami used down the stretch of 2010. “There are enough different protections that we can (use to) … help our quarterback out and gel our offensive line.”
Just as injuries have impacted the offense, they have also touched a defensive unit that entered 2011 as an apparent cornerstone.
Senior linebacker Jerrell Wedge, who led Miami in tackles the last two seasons and had 12 against Minnesota this year, missed the BG game with a hamstring injury. Junior lineman Wes Williams, who took a deflected pass into the end zone for Miami’s first score, was lost during the second half.
Except for Anthon Samuel’s game-breaking 96-yard fourth quarter TD run, Miami yielded very little on the ground (127-96 = 31) all day. The passing game, however, was another story. Quarterback Matt Schilz completed 19-of-24 (79.1 percent) of his passes, including three throws for touchdowns.
With Bearcats senior quarterback Zac Collaros at the controls, MU can expect to see plenty of pressure via the pass – and the run.
Collaros completed 25-of-34 for 263 yards , with two touchdowns and one interception against NCS. He also had 52 yards rushing on nine attempts, collecting two TDs along the way. In short, he is a hybrid of quarterbacks with which Miami has struggled at times. He is both a capable passer and runner who has been sacked just three times. Overall, he has passed for 784 yards and nine touchdowns.
As dangerous as Collaros is, the Miami defense must nonetheless be very concerned about running back Isaiah Pead. The 5-11, 200-pound senior leads the Big East Conference with a 7.9 ypc. average. He has 424 yards and five touchdowns through four games.
He also knows success against Miami. He had an 80-yard run for a score and totaled 197 yards on 10 rushes in last year’s matchup. His speed and a very effective line are two reasons why the Bearcats ground game (293 ypg) is ranked 16th nationally (FBS). Put the passing and running games together, and you get a team that is ranked 29th (450.6 ypg) in total offense and fourth in scoring offense (49.5 ypg).
Defensively, the Bearcats have been a turnover machine. Their plus-3.50 turnover margin is tops in the country.
Running has been a problem for Miami anyway, but it won’t get easier this week. Cincinnati is allowing 89.2 ypg. If there is a chink in the armor, it might be through the air. UC has allowed an average of 280.5 ypg through the air. However, the Bearcats have 11 sacks to their credit. They also have eight interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
Among the defensive standouts is senior linebacker J.K. Schafer. He leads the team with 28 tackles and three interceptions. Schafer and punter Pat O’Donnell were named Beg East Conference Players of the Week last week.
The last time UC played in Oxford (2009), Miami was closing in on the visitors when Schaffer came up with a key interception deep in Cincinnati territory. The Bearcats pulled away late for a 37-13 win on the way to an Orange Bowl appearance in one of the school’s best season’s ever.
Last year was a different story as UC scored 28 points in the first quarter and added another 17 before intermission. The hosting Bearcats had 480 of their 609 yards of total offense before halftime.
NOTES:
- Josh Betts was the winning quarterback when Miami last earned the Victory Bell. He threw for 359 yards and three TDs on the day. Miami’s defense also had a field day, picking off five Bearcat passes in a 44-16 win at Oxford.
- Treadwell understands the Miami-UC rivalry as much as anybody. He was an outstanding player at Miami and successful assistant coach at UC. After a very frustrating outing last week, Treadwell and his staff need an emotional Miami team on a mission if they hope to pull off the upset.
- Despite missing one game due to a team rules violation, Miami wide receiver Nick Harwell leads the RedHawks with 20 receptions for 301 yards 15.1 ypc.). Still, he has yet to register a touchdown.
- UC will no doubt put pressure on Miami’s kicking game. Another blocked punt by Bowling Green last week set up another opponent touchdown.
- Miami cornerback Dayonne Nunley is showing promise as a kick returner. He returned last Saturday’s second half kickoff 72 yards before being caught on a diving tackle. Ultimately, that tackle saved a score as BG’s defense stopped Miami at the one-yard line.
- UC forced 13 turnovers last year and has 16 so far this season.
- Freshman kicker Tony Milano has made 21-of-22 PATs so far and is 3-of-4 on field goals with a long of 48. Miami placekicker Mason Krysinski is 4-of-6 on PATs and 2-of-3 on field goals with a long of 45.
- Cincinnati’s last two coaches (Brian Kelly and Butch Jones) have come via Central Michigan.
- Miami football dates back to 1888. It is the 64th season for MU as a member of the MAC.
- Despite the recent drought, Miami leads the series with Cincinnati 59-49-7.
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