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Below right, Pat Hinkel brings down Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead. Bottom left, Tyrone Jones tries to pick up yardage against the Bearcats. Miami finished with minus-3 yards rushing in the Battle for the Victory Bell. Photos by Mike Smith.

After two more losses – both at home - Miami ’s 2011 ship is starting to take on water. First, there was a key conference loss to Bowling  Green. After that, they once again fell to area rival Cincinnati . The 27-0 shutout probably didn’t help as MU found itself listed at No. 4 on this week’s ESPN Bottom 10 list.
 
Never mind that this week’s foe is the RedHawks final non-conference opponent. At 0-4, MU needs a win, and whatever advantage home field brings, it hasn’t resulted in a victory thus far. In fact, Army (this week’s opponent) is typically able to muster a pretty decent fan base on the road. They’ll be loud and proud at Yager Stadium.
 
The Black Knights will also bring a prolific ground attack. For opponents unaccustomed to facing it, defending Army’s option offense demands solid preparation leading up to the contest and plenty of discipline during the game. How the RedHawks’  “D” will fare is open for speculation. 
 
Miami was relatively successful in stopping Cincinnati ’s outstanding running back, Isaiah Pead, last week. Although he scored two TDs, he was held to 49 yards on 18 carries (2.8 ypc). The main damage, other than self-inflicted wounds, came from the legs and arms of quarterback Zach Collaros. The RedHawks have struggled in trying to contain quarterbacks – particularly quarterbacks who have scrambled out of pressure during passing plays. How that translates to defending against an option attack with limited passing is an open question.
 
The Black Knights finished last in the nation in passing in each of coach Rich Ellerson’s first two seasons. That, however, is mostly a reflection of the option offense’s run focus.
 
Junior quarterback Trent Steelman, who will establish a new Army record with his 31st consecutive start Saturday against Miami, went 3-for-3 passing for 70 yards (including a 40-yard TD pass to Davyd Brooks) in a 45-6 rout of Tulane last week.

That may not sound like much, but considering Army quarterbacks went 1-for-11 over the previous three halves, it at least keeps opponent backfields on notice. Besides, some form of “throw back”/”drag” pass against the RedHawks defense seems to be an almost weekly occurrence.  Freshman wide receiver Jared McFarlin missed the Tulane game with a concussion, but is “possible” for this week. 
   
Steelman does most of his damage by managing the running attack, which averages 368.4 yards per game. Steelman ranks 11th nationally in scoring (11.20 ppg) and is 46th in rushing at 87.4 ypg.
 
Among his options is sophomore running back Raymond Naples, who had 141 yards on 15 carries (9.4 ypc.) Saturday against Tulane. A week earlier, he had 125 yards on 16 runs versus Ball State . Fullback Jared Hassin is another workhorse, carrying 54 times for 246 tough yards (4.6 ypc.).

Among running backs with at least 20 carries (seven players), Malcolm Brown has the highest carry average (8.7 ypc) with 303 yards on 35 carries. Overall, the Black Knights have rushed for at least 300 yards and at least three touchdowns in five straight games.
 
Defensively, Army is 60th in total defense, allowing 370.8 ypg. The 28 ppg. average ranks 79th.  Miami , meanwhile, is 44th in total defense (349 ypg.) and 76th in scoring defense (27.50 ppg).
 
Steven Erzinger is Army’s defensive counterpart to what Steelman is on the offensive side. Like Steelman, he will suit up for his 31st consecutive start Saturday. He is fifth in the country with 11.20 tackles per game. 

Statistically, neither team has distinguished itself against the run. Miami ranks 80 at 168 yards per game, while Army is 78th with a nearly identical mark of 167.40.

For Miami, last week’s minus-three rushing yards against Cincinnati was both a reflection of sacks and an inability to run the ball in general. Discounting the minus yardage of quarterbacks Zac Dysert and Austin Boucher, three runners combined for 47 yards on 22 carries (2.1 ypc).  Injuries and youth along the front have been apparent recently as Miami twice failed to punch in touchdowns following big plays to open the second half.  To make matters worse, opponents immediately seized momentum by driving down the field to score at the other end.

Miami got healthy along the line last year and put together a run that carried it to a MAC championship. Until the running game gets healthy, the passing attack will continue to shoulder the load. That task is more difficult considering the sacks and quarterback hurries. Miami ranks next-to-last among MAC teams, allowing 15 sacks in four games. Only one other team – Akron  (21) – has allowed more, but UA and other MAC teams have played five games.

Army’s Ellerson isn’t underestimating the RedHawks, particularly in the passing game.

“Miami hasn't won a game, which is crazy when you look at the video tape,” Ellerson said. “You see an offense and a quarterback and a bunch of receivers who are as talented and efficient and dangerous as any we've seen or any we will see. Their defense has done some tremendous things. They're very active, very aggressive.”

He continued, “They've played some great football. They haven't put enough good football together to get the scoreboard the right way. But in many instances, we're going to be lined up against the best guy we've faced this year. It goes back to Dysert and his presence. Quarterbacks like him, and quarterbacks who probably aren't as good as he is, have really given us fits this year.”

While home field hasn’t helped MU post a win this year, it isn’t Mitchie Stadium, either. Army is 2-3, seeking to reach .500 with a win. Both wins came on the Knight’s home turf. Their first win of the year was a 21-14 victory over Northwestern before 35,784 fans. Two weeks later, Army blasted Tulane before another good crowd.

In between, Army fell on the road, 48-21, to Ball State. They also lost the season opener to Northern Illinois, 49-26, in Dekalb (Ill.). Ellerson, said his team is making preparations during an especially tough week (Thayer Week) in terms of academy activities and responsibilities.

“Can we, in a difficult week academically, go on the road to the scene of several crimes, the Midwest, where we have played poorly, and manage our week, manage our enthusiasm, manage our legs, manage our time and get our test and play well?” Ellerson said.

Miami has its own questions? On the short term, those questions can be reduced to one. Can the RedHawks start to win?
 
NOTES
- Miami wide receiver Nick Harwell is ranked second nationally with an average of 150 receiving yards per game. He is eighth in receptions (8.67 rpg) and ninth in yards per reception (17.31 ypr.)

- Turnovers are typically one of the most important factors in relatively close games. Army ranked third in the country in 2010 with a +1.23 per game mark. The Black Knights are at -0.8 (tied for 103rd nationally) after five games this year.  They are 11-2 when winning the turnover margin under Ellerson. They are 2-11 in their last 13 games when not forcing an opponent turnover.  Army’s four takeaways against Tulane snapped a three-game streak without recording a turnover.

- Freshman Dawan Scott is averaging 24.3 yards per kickoff return (36th nationally). Thusfar, kickoff returns have been a bright spot for special teams, which have struggled in punting and kicking.  MU, in fact, is last among MAC teams in net punting (28.2). The punts are averaging 34.6 yards per boot.  The RedHawks are also tied for last in field goals 2-for-4 and PATs (4-for-7). Of course, several blocked punts also have hurt Miami in its four losses.  Punting could be very important Saturday as the Knights pound away with their ground attack.

- Can Miami hold up against a relentless ground attack? Army has outscored its first five opponents 61-13 in the fourth quarter.  Conversely, the Black Knights have been most vulnerable during the second and third quarters. Opponents have outscored Army 86-45 in those two periods.

-It’s not like Miami hasn’t been getting to quarterbacks. The RedHawks have 10 sacks in four games, but they have nonetheless been hurt by scrambling quarterbacks.

- Miami won the last meeting between the two schools, 14-13, in West Point. Travis Prentice had 164 yards, 139 in the second half, of the 1998 contest. Mike Bath, now an assistant coach, was quarterback on that Miami team.  The two schools are 2-2 in their series.  However, the last Army win came in Oxford, as the Black Knights dominated in a 27-7 win Oct. 26, 1996.

-  Army players will be wearing the unit patch of the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) Saturday. Known as the “Rock of Marne” for its participation in the Aisne-Marne Offensive  during  World War I, the 3rd ID was established in 1917. It was the first conventional U.S. unit to enter Baghdad in 2003 and was the first division to serve three tours in Irq. The 3rd ID has had 51 Medal of Honor winners.

- Two Miami alumni served as head coaches at the U.S. Military Academy: Earl “Red” Blaik and Paul Dietzel. A statue of Blaik will be unveiled Saturday at Miami’s Cradle of Coaches Plaza. A statue of Dietzel was dedicated in 2010.

- Blaik was credited with elevating Army’s football program from the “pit to the pedestal” during the 1940s. Over 18 years, Blaik compiled a 121-33-10 record. His teams won three national championships (1944-46). Blaik is the winningest grid coach in West Point history.