The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Duke Edition

Breaking down the ups and downs of today's game, plus team grades.

The Good:

Stacy Coley made another big play, turning on the after burners and taking a punt to the house from 79 yards in the first quarter.  Unfortunately Coley left the game shortly after with what looked like a concussion following a kick off return.  The sky is the limit for Coley though.

The offensive line played a nice game against an above average defense.

Dallas Crawford will always give you all he's got and a little extra.

Herb Waters (9 catches for 116 and 2 scores)  had a break out performance.

The Bad:

Miami has deteriorated into half a team.  There is no nice way to put it.

The defense in a word,  is atrocious.   You can argue if its' players or coaches or a little of both, but something has gone horribly wrong. I know Florida was offensively challenged, but it sure seemed like at that point in the season Miami was at least hitting people and fighting off blocks. The few stops they got were mostly about Duke executing poorly for a play or two.  No one made plays.

Where is the effort?  The passion?

I have preached patience from 'Canes fans demanding a certain coach's firing.  But when Maryland beat Virginia Tech, giving the Hurricanes new life in the ACC Coastal, they should have been on an emotional high. Someone is responsible for getting these guys mentally prepared to play.  Today's effort, especially defensively, was severely lacking.  Getting off of blocks and making tackles is partly the product of playing the game with desire and emotion. Where is it?   While I still am not sure staff changes are the panacea, the seats of all the coaches should be hotter based on the on the field effort.

No disrespect to Duke, they are a fine team.  But this should never happen.

Also UM's luck seems to have run out.  A 48 yard field goal by Ross Martin that hits the upright and goes through, was later topped in the fourth quarter by a Will Monday punt that was marked out of bounds at the 1 centimeter line.

The Ugly:

The ESPN U tandem of Anish Shroff, Play-by-Play and  Kelly Stouffer, Analyst. Who exactly are Cleeve Walford and Herb Walters?  And Pat O'Donnell does kick offs not Matt Goudis.  Homework fellas.

So Stephen Morris gets hits about 7 yards out-of-bounds AND gets flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the same play?!   All righty then. Aforementioned punt was a judgement call by the ref, looked to cross the goal line by a yard or two first.  Miami is no longer catching the breaks of their 7-0 start.

Game Ball goes to: Brandon Connette who scorched UM for 4 rushing TD's and one via the air.  Another week,  another opposing player made to look like a Heisman contender.  Connette might as well have been Tim Tebow out there.

Team grades:

Offense: C+ There were some missed opportunities along the way (an illegal formation held UM to a 3 instead of what should have been 7 on the opening drive) but mostly they moved the ball well. 3rd and 6 with UM down 8 in the 4th and A QB draw is called for slightly hobbled QB?   Wish I could say I understood that one.

No points in the 4th quarter for 3 straight games?  Ultimately an offense is judged by putting points on the board.

Defense: F- I don't have enough superlatives for this grade.  When Duke shoves the ball down your throat for close to 350 rushing, something is beyond wrong.

Special Teams:  C- Coley's return was a great spark, but Miami gave up two long punt returns to Jamison Crowder. With UM's athletes that is inexcusable.