MIAMI FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Rockets, RedHawks square off in early matchup

Turnovers, pass defense among keys

LB Adam Trick gets past a UMass lineman. (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
It didn't come easy, but the Miami RedHawks picked up their first win of 2024 last week when they edged UMass 23-20 in overtime. 
How close was the outcome?
​
With the scored tied 20-20 and UMass closing in on Ty Wise and Kobe Hilton got a third down stop on C.J. Hester. That brought up fourth-and-one. Instead of a touchdown or field goal with almost no time left, the Minutemen "settled" for a go-ahead field goal leaving 40 seconds.
Miami 's offense . . . 

---

. . . used that 40 seconds to reach reach the UMass 28. Dom Dzioban then kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game. 
UMass nearly scored to start overtime, but was pushed back by two penalties and eventually missed a field goal. Miami couldn't move the ball, but Dzioban drilled a 44-yard game-winner on fourth down.

Despite its 1-4 record, UMass has show signs of being an improved program this year and two of its better losing efforts came against the MAC's preseason favorites -- Miami and Toledo. Those two meet this week in what was a much anticipated matchup heading into 2024. They are two of four MAC teams who have not yet played a conference game. However, the Rockets have been impressive while building a 3-1 record to date. Miami, on the other hand, has sputtered -- particularly on offense -- while going 1-3. 
Miami and Toledo met twice last year. UT was the first encouter in Oxford 21-17. Miami quarterback Brett Gabbert broke his leg in that and missed the rest of the season. However, MU won a rematch in the MAC Championship game (23-14) in Detroit. 
Prior to the two games last year, the two schools had not played in 12 years. Miami leads the series, 29-23-1.
​

Here's more on the two teams:

TOLEDO (3-1) opened with three straight wins: Duquesne (49-10), Massachusetts (38-23) and Mississippi State (41-17). Last week, UT fell at Western Kentucky (26-21).
>>> Toledo took an early 14-0 lead , but was outscored 26-7 the rest of the way. UT led the Hilltoppers 21-10 late in the third quarter. However, WKU recorded a safety with 39 seconds left in the period and added two fourth quarter touchdowns to pull out a 26-21 victory. 
>>> The two teams combined for seven turnovers -- four by the Rockets.
>>> Quarterback Tucker Gleason completed 19 of 33 passes (200 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) against WMU. 
>>> Gleason also led the Rockets in running, logging 12 runs for a total of 46 yards with one score. Toledo registered 125 yards on the ground.
>>> Jacquez Stuart had three catches for a total of 93 yards. Junior Vandeross III and Jerjuan Newton combined for 11 receptions and 73 yards.
>>> Maxen Hook and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren recorded interceptions. 
>>> Kicker Luke Pawlak missed the WMU game. Dylan Cunanan handled PATs, hitting all three. He is listed atop this week's two-deep. 
>>> Through four games, Toledo leads in the MAC in scoring offense (37.3) and scoring defense (19.0/tied with Northern Illinois).
>>> Gleason ranks first in the MAC in total offense (249.5). and passing efficiency (157.14).
>>> Seniors Jerjuan Newton and Anthony Torres are tied for first in the MAC with four TD receptions. 
>>> Torres caught three passes (1 TD, 1 PAT) last year at Miami. He followed that with three catches against MU in the championship game. One of those was for a TD. 
>>> Saturday’s game is Homecoming for Toledo and marks the 94th Homecoming game in Toledo history.
>>> Toledo is averaging 22,592 fans through its first two home games,
which leads the Mid-American Conference The Rockets have led the MAC in home attendance in each of the previous six seasons (not including the COVID season of 2020).
​

MIAMI (1-3) has held its own defensively and is third among MAC teams in scoring defense (22.0) despite a difficult non-conference schedule. Getting into the win column more has more to do with offensive struggles. 
>>> The RedHawks are last among 12 MAC team in scoring (12.0 ppg), with third down and redzone 
conversion being  particularly troublesome areas.
Related to the redzone difficulties is untimely turnovers, with MU throwing redzone interceptions in each of the last three weeks. Given Miami's other offensive struggles, such turnovers are particularly damaging. 
>>> The RedHawks enjoyed a solid season with their run game in 2023, but they lost workhorse Rashad Amos (Mississippi State) to the portal. Through the first three games of this season, MU totaled 74 yards. Last week, the RedHawks ran for 168 yards. Building on that step forward will be important if Miami hopes to improve its third down and redzone numbers

Cade McDonald streaks down the sideline on a punt return during last week's MU win over UMASS. The apparent TD was called back due to a penalty. Both teams were flagged with costly penalties during the hard-fought game. (MVSmith/MRO)

>>> Senior Keyon Mozee (5-7, 187) led MU against UMass, carrying nine times for a total of 114 yards (12.7 ypc) and a score. The TD was a 47-yard burst to open scoring. Dylan Downing, a portal transfer from Purdue is MU's power back this year. He carried eight times for 32 yards last week (4.0 ypc).
>>> Miami's passing game has carried the load thus far. However, it is not operating at last year's level yet. Gabbert, who twice earned all-MAC honors, is still working on return to form after last year's devastating injury. He is currently ranked 11th among MAC quarterbacks in pass efficiency, 10th in completion percentage (56.8%) and third in passing yards per game (216.5). He has thrown three touchdowns (two last week) and three interceptions. 
>>> The RedHawks are also missing explosive wideout Gage Larvadain, who transferred to South Carolina. 
Cade McDonald has stepped in as the top MU receiver and is third among MAC receivers (82. ypg). However, he has primarily thrived on short and intermediate routes. Eventually, the RedHawks want to get "chunk" plays.  Toledo lost several of its top corners and safeties from last year, but the 2024 group is an athletic bunch. It remains to be seen just how much MU can get through the air.
>>> The RedHawks returned a bunch on defense. Among them are all-MAC returnees Brian Ugwu (DL), Ty Wise (LB) and Matt Salopek (LB). 
>>> Miami is seventh in run defense (201.5 ypg). It's biggest ground challenge has been dealing with mobile quarterbacks on scrambles and options. 
Miami head coach Chuck Martin noted that while Finn is gone, his replacement (Tucker Gleason) is more than capable. "He's not as fast as Finn was -- like as a scrambler, but they actually do more quarterback designed runs this year than they did with Finn. They usually let Finn do most of his stuff (while) ad-libbing."
>>> Miami's secondary is one of the less-experienced units on the team. While it has held up reasonably well overall, there have been some missteps. In last week's win over UMass, Jakobie Keeney-James got behind a Miami defender on a 64-yard TD pass play. 
Given Toledo's wealth of receiver talent -- from tight end through wideouts -- this might be the secondary's biggest test yet. 
"The wideouts, the running back and the tight ends are electric," Martin said. "They can score in a heartbeat." 
>>> Miami's special teams have been a team strength for years. With kicker Graham Nicholson gone (Alabama), MU special teams have been a bit low key. At least last week, Dzioban showed he can hit a clutch kick (or two) in crunch time. 
>>> According to Martin, as of Sunday, the RedHawks were down six starters and several backups dut to injury. He wasn't sure how many could get back on the field in time to meet a Toledo team coming off a bye week. "We're pretty beat up right now." 
>>> Miami's head coach said most MAC coaches would likely agree that the Rockets typically have one of the most "athletic" teams in the conference -- "year in and year out." 
>>> Martin said that while the Toledo defense has a "different structure" than MU, the Rockets seem to "have a very similar defensive philosophy. . . . They are very sound. They play very hard. They know where to go. They know how to adjust . . . and they play to the strength of their kids." 

Miami's defensive front will be challenged by another athletic quarterback. (MVSmith/MRO)