MIAMI FOOTBALL

RedHawks pile up rush yardage in win over Hornets

Matt Salopek has been a defensive stalwart (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
​OXFORD, OH -- Ten RedHawks registered carries as the Miami RedHawks rolled up 466 rushing yards on the way to a 62-20 win over Delaware State Saturday at Yager Stadium. 

It was the first home game of the year for MU, which picked up a third non-conference win for the first time since 2003, when Ben Roethlisberger was finishing his RedHawk career. 
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Delaware State, an FCS level team and member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, fell to 0-4 on the season. However, the Hornets . . .

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Brett Gabbert unleashes a second quarter touchdown pass to Reggie Virgil. (MVSmith/MRO)

. . . managed 351 yards of offense overall and played turnover-free football while battling MU. A 50-yard pass play from Marqui Adams to Wade Inge midway thorugh the first period tied the game at seven-all. 

Miami responded with 24 straight points before Adams tossed his second TD pass of the contest. When MU kicker Graham Nicholson booted a 19-yard field goal as time ran out, the RedHawks took a 34-13 lead to the locker room. 

Miami rolled up 336 first-half yards on 33 offensive plays and finished the game with 646 yards of offense; it was the first time Miami cracked 600 yards in total offense since 2017 (612 vs. Bowling Green).
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After Keyon Mozee scampered to a 23-yard TD two plays into the second half, DSU scored its final touchdown -- one again on the arm of Adams and he hit Inge on a 10-yard toss at 12:18  to cap a four-play, 75 yard drive. Adams, a 6-1, 175-pound freshman, provided the vast majority of Delaware State's offense. As a passer, he completed 21 of 33 passes for 274 yards and three TDs. He also led Hornet rushers with 12 carries for 60 of the team's 77 rushing yards. Khyheem Waleed led DSU receivers with four catches for 125 yards, with a long of 73. Inge caught seven balls for a total of 67 yards and two TDs. 

After Mozee's second rushing touchdown of the day, Miami owned a 48-20 lead with 9:58 left in the third period. The RedHawks rode their run game for most of the remaining time. 
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Five different RedHawk runners combined for six touchdowns, averaging 10.8 ypc along the way. 
Quarterback Brett Gabbert, meanwhile, completed 15 of 20 passes, good for 180 yards with two TDs. 

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Nate Milanowski carried 11 times totaling 69 yards with one touchdown. (MVSmith/MRO)

Gage Larvadain sprints down the sideline for a big first quarter gain. Larvadain was injured on the play and did not return. (MVSmith.MRO)

NOTES
-- This was Miami's highest-scoring game under Martin and the most points the RedHawks have put up since a 62-26 win over Kent State in 1997.
-- Two RedHawks starters were shaken up early Saturday. Rashad Amos landed awkwardly while being tackled. He later returned and finished with 59 yards and one TD. Wide receiver Gage Larvadain, a key target through the first three weeks, was hurt at the end of a 46-yard run on MU's third play from scrimmage. He grabbed a shoulder before leaving and did not return. 
-- Gabbert passed Josh Betts (7,029 yards from 2002-05) for third on the program's career passing yardage list; Gabbert now has 7,105.
Gabbert also tied Betts for fourth in career touchdown passes (54).
-- Amos, Jordan Brunson and Nate Milanowski each scored the first touchdowns of their college careers.
-- Miami had eight tackles for loss, led by Josh Lukusa's 1.5.
-- including the RedHawks' game-winning overtime touchdown at Cincinnati last week, Miami scored points on 10 consecutive possessions before coming up short on a 4th-and-1 play late in the third quarter.

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John Young lifts Keyon Mozee after a third quarter touchdown.

Rashad Amos has helped MU's run game inside the tackles. (MVSmith/MRO)