MIAMI FOOTBALL

De-Finned RedHawks falter against Rocket defense

Second MAC loss damages title game chances

Jordan Brunson averaged 4.8 ypc (MVSmith/MRO)

TOLEDO 24, MIAMI 3
By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- Visiting Toledo showed why it ranks atop numerous offensive and defensive MAC statistics with a decisive 24-3 win over Miami Wednesday at Yager Stadium.
The RedHawks were without former UT and current RedHawk starting quarterback Dequan Finn. In his post-game comments to the media, Miami Head Coach Chuck Martin noted Finn had been "sick all week, so it was not an issue as far as game plan or practice. ... We knew all week he probably wasn't going to play."

Without Finn, Miami struggled to just 222 yards of total offense. 
Backup Henry Hesson . . . 

---

Henry Hesson got the start against Toledo when Dequan Finn was unavailable due to illness. (MVSmith/MRO)

 . . . completed 11 of 38 passes totaling 147 yards. He was intercepted three times. 

Miami's run game also sputtered, finishing with 75 yards on 32 carries. Jordan Brunson topped MU runners with nine carries for 44 yards. 

In addition to the three interceptions, Miami lost possession on four failed fourth down gambles. It was one of those failed tries that gave UT a relatively short field for its first score.

Toledo's first two possessions had ended on interceptions. The third finished with a punt. However, when Brunson was stopped on a fourth-and-one with 9:14 left in the second quarter, UT took over at the RedHawks 46. Nine plays later, Chip Trayanum went around left end for three yards and a touchdown. 

"The fourth-and-one is the key play in the game. (We) should have punted it," Martin said. "We blocked it fine. We should have got that first down."

---

R-Fr. Devin Bell is one of many younger players now on the Miami depth chart. (MVSmith/MRO)

The Rockets second score came on an even shorter field as Bryson Hammer's 54-yard punt return set Toledo up at MU's 6-yard line with 18 seconds remaining before intermission. Gleason cashed in immediately with a TD pass to Jacob Peterson. 

"They have a 46-yard drive and a six-yard drive in the first half (plus) one bad drive in the second half," Martin said while recognizing a generally good effort by the defense.  "Our defense, I felt, played well enough to put us in position good enough to win that game," he said.  . . . (They) got some turnovers and played their tails off."

UT made it 21-0 with a seven-play, 79-yard drive to open the second half. Gleason hit Treadway over the middle for the final 24 yards. 

Two plays into Miami's next possession, Toledo intercepted another Hesson pass and returned it to the RedHawks' 25. Dylan Cunanan's 36-yard field goal finished Toledo's scoring. 

Miami got a 26-yard Dom Dzioban field goal on its next possession for its only points. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter. 

"They came in third in the country in defense. We knew they hadn't given up much of anything," Martin said of the Rockets. "Obviously, Toledo's defense handled us for four quarters. We had 222 yards on 70-plays. That's absolutely woeful."

---

Miami's Adam Trick (20) tries to get loose from a block as Chip Trayanum (1) runs through a hole. Trayanum gained 91 yards on 21 carries and scored one TD. (NMVSmith/MRO)

NOTES 
•  It was the second straight MAC setback for Miami,--  a relative rarity during Martin's time in Oxford. The loss severely damaged MU's chances for reaching the MAC title game and leaves the RedHawks one-win shy of bowl eligibility with two games (at Buffalo and home against Ball State) remaining to play.
"We're a beaten down team. We've got a lot of work to do this week to get them as fresh as we can. We've still got to practice, but we lost a couple more guys tonight," Martin said.
• Gleason finished the contest with 169 yards (2 TDs, 2 INTs) while completing 18 of 31 pass attempts.
• Treadway caught four balls for 55 yards and a score. 
​• Trayanum led UT rushing (143 yards) with 21 carries for 91 yards.