MIAMI FOOTBALL

Wounded RedHawks list grows heading into Week 5

Cleaning up turnovers on To-Do list

Daquan Finn passes for a big gain against UNLV. Finn was injured in the second quarter and did not return. (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
Injuries were a key part of Miami football Head Coach Chuck Martin's weekly press conference Monday at Yager Stadium.
RedHawk fans weren't sure what to expect going forward after watching Miami starting quarterback Dequan Finn go down during second quarter action Saturday. He lay motionless on the field for a while and was eventually helped to the sideline. 

​Finn, who landed awkwardly on his head-shoulder-neck area after getting upended on a pass play, did not return and his future return is undetermed. 
Finn's injury seemed to open the door as several other starters followed. 

"We lost our starting . . . 

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Kenny Tracy finishes a first half score. (MVSmith/MRO)

. . . center right after we lost our starting quarterback -- on the next drive," Martin said, adding MU later "lost our best corner.... (and) one of our two starting defensive tackles."

Miami, now 0-3 with losses to Wisconsin, Rutgers and UNLV, hosts Lindenwood University Saturday (3:30 p.m.). Asked about the last Saturday's injured - particularly the starters -- Martin replied, "I would say, as of Monday morning, doubtful for this week. We're not ruling anyone out yet, because we're hopeful things turn around quickly." 

Should they miss, Martin noted their replacements have varyng degrees of experience. You'll miss your best players at those positions, but we'll have guys that played have played in games and should be able to play good."

According to Martin, injuries have been piling up during a tough stretch against two Big Ten programs and a now 4-0 UNLV team.

"We kept saying we were healthy last week. We weren't healthy last week. We were a beat up football team last week. Because we don't have season-ending injuries doesn't mean we're healthy. ... We had two weeks where we had some guys practice one or two days." 

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TOUGH LOSS
• How tough? you ask.
Martin called the 41-38 home loss to UNLV "probably one of the hardest losses I've had in 33 years of coaching.."
He added, "It's a gut-wrentching loss in a game where you did so many good things against a quality opponent."

TALE OF TWO HALVES 
• Martin said the first half against UNLV couldn't have gone better -- except for one play. "We're rolling on offense. We're making big plays. We're moving the ball on the ground. We're moving the vall via the air. ... Defensivly, we're getting stops against a really potent offense. We're getting off the field and forcing punts."
The Rebels only TD came on a pick six, but Miami led 14-10 at intermission.

Silas Walters (29) and Corban Hondru (12) bring down Jaden Bradley (6). (MVsmith/MRO)

• The second half was nearly a complete reversal as UNLV dominated. MU had the ball for one possession of four plays in the third quarter, while the Rebels drove their way to a pair of TDs to tie the game.
A 47-yard Miami pick-six interception and 100-yard kickoff return by Keith Reynolds midway through the third period re-established the RedHawks 14-point advantage and MU seemed to recover a Rebel fumble on the following kickoff return. However, the call on the field was overturned. 
"If they don't over-rule that call, the ballgame is probably over," Martin said. 
• Given another chance, UNLV resumed its offensive onslaught. The Rebels used 17 plays and eight minutes to drive for another TD to pull within seven at 39-31. 
Miami's offense got the ball for just the second time of the second half early in the fourth quarter, it went just one yard before a poor punt put UNLV in business again near midfield. Seven plays later, the game was tied at 38-all. 

Drew Terrill blocks a Rebel defender (MVSmith/MRO)

STILL CONFIDENT
• Miami began its third post-intermission possession with just under seven minutes remaining. Martin said he was confidence his team could score. 
"We knew we could move the ball on them. ...We had tons of confidence on offense. ... We stopped ourselves (on the previous drives). ... We (felt like) we're not only going to drive down and score on them, we're going to use the rest of the clock. That was the plan. We're not trying to get down there in a hurry. 
Sticking with the plan, MU advanced from its own 25 across midfield. Kenny Tracy then broke a run for 21 yards before he was stripped of the ball by a diving Rebel defender. "Great play all for naught because we don't secure the football," Martin said. 
UNLV recovered, drove deep into Miami territory and kicked a chip-shot field goal to lead 41-38 with just 18 seconds left. 
"We went from playing really, really good defense ... in the first half to where they got it going offensively. We got back on our heels and ... besides the one deflected ball, we never stopped them in the second half. 
The RedHawks last chance came down to a field goal try from approximately 57 yards. Redshirt sophomore Kellan McLaughlin was sent in to try the nearly 60-yard boot. 
"There's no problem with distance there," Martin said while conceding it was a tight shot from nearly 60 yards out.  "There wasn't a big breeze, but it was at his back. (With) no breeze, he can kick from 60 if he gets it right. He's got that leg ... strength."

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MIXED BAG ON ST
•  The long kick never happened as a fumbled snap ultimately resulted in an interception. Along with a short punt and kickoff out of bounds, it offset some of the shine from Reynolds' big kickoff return. 

Martin noted the return came off the same scheme used in other returns, but the execution was excellent across the field. Reynolds slid through a hole and was never touched. 
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KEY PLAYS
Given the final outcome, the game's biggest two plays were two turnovers: 1. Finn's pick-six interception/injury
2. The Tracy fumble deep in Rebel territory in the closing minutes. 

"Our two turnovers ...were disaster plays. They're both avoidable. ... We have ball security, we win the game.

TALENTED REBELS 
Martin had previously noted how talented the Rebels roster is. His assessment proved accurate. "Every play you had to be on your business, or they were going to make you pay. ... Every time where we weren't where we were supposed to be, there explosiveness showed."

PROGRESS, BUT . . . 
Miami's first half success reflected progress on both sides of the ball. The second half was another story, with UNLV dominating plays from scrimmage much of the half. 
"We're getting explosives (on offense), but we can't turn the ball over (and) we can't have major mistakes in key situations on defense," Martin said.

HOMECOMING
RedHawk nation will celebrate homecoming Saturday when Miami hosts Lindenwood. The Lions are an FCS level team playing out of the Big South Conference. They are 2-2 after winning their last two outings. Lindenwood edged Stony Brook 30-27 last Saturday. 

ANOTHER SLOW START
The 0-3 start for the RedHawks is nothing new. Mostly due to an extremely tough non-conference schedule, Miami has started nine of the past 11 seasons (not including 2020 when Miami only played three games) with a 1-3 record (or worse). Below is a break down of starts and finishes for Miami football over recent years.
Year        Start  Finish
2024         1-4       8-1
2023         3-1       8-2
2022         2-2       4-5
2021         1-3       6-3
2019         1-3       7-3
2018         1-3       6-3
2017         2-5       3-2
2016         0-6       6-1
Totals     11-27    48-20

HONDRU DOUBLES UP ON PICKS
Corban Hondru's third-quarter interception return for a touchdown was Miami's first since Jaquez Warren on Oct. 29, 2022 at Akron. He set up Miami's first touchdown with a INT on UNLV's opening drive. It was the second time in his career he posted multiple interceptions in a game (Toledo, 2024).