Junior RB DeeJay Dallas is having one of the best seasons on the team, putting up 472 rushing yards on 6.7 yards per carry and 6 TD’s, along with 11 catches for 82 yards and a TD.
However, Miami has been unable to run the ball well as a team lately, as they’ve been held under 100 yards rushing as a team in their past three games vs. CMU, VT, and UVA, and Dallas is still looking for more.
“I don’t really feel it’s been a struggle. I haven’t put up the numbers that I feel I was supposed to put up probably the past three or four games,” Dallas said. “It’s on me mostly - missing holes, stumbling, going down after the first dude hit me. That’s not me, who I am as a player. We’re just going to come out and keep playing our ball. I don’t feel we’ve been struggling running the ball. I feel we do a dang good job of running the ball. Going to keep getting better.”
The junior has busted off his fair share of long runs in 2019, despite below average play from the OL. Even so, Dallas feels the backs need to do a better job of taking advantage of the lanes when they are there and thinks the OL has improved since the start of the year.
“The holes are there, just whether or not we hit them, whether or not they stay open for long,” Dallas said. “The offensive line does a good job. With them being young, they’re playing well above what everybody thought they would be. They get better every week, sustain blocks longer every week. You see them growing as the weeks go on.”
With N’Kosi Perry set to start at QB for the second straight week in Saturday’s matchup with Georgia Tech, Dallas is more than fine with him taking the reigns of the offense.
“He’s a proven winner,” Dallas said of Perry. “He can extend plays. He’s proved himself time and time again. I’m comfortable with him starting, feel our whole team is. Everything with him is business, in the huddle, it’s business. He’s the same dude every day.”
Dallas was also asked about fullback Realus George barely seeing the field on offense this year.
“He’s not going to be real selfish about his PT,” Dallas said of George. “He’s valuable in special teams. He’s not getting the plays on offense but is getting his plays at other positions.”
**The Hurricanes gave up 3 sacks vs. UVA last week, the lowest they’ve given up against an FBS opponent all season. Still, sophomore OL Corey Gaynor says to not read too much into that.
“I wouldn’t take that as that’s such a good thing there weren’t as many sacks,” Gaynor said. “A standard should be set that we shouldn’t be giving up those amount of sacks. We’re going to continue to work hard, continue to get better.”
What has he seen out of Zion Nelson and Jakai Clark, two true freshmen starting on the OL?
“Maturity and poise,” Gaynor said. “Obviously at that age playing at this level of football is tough… They’ve done a great job of sticking their nose out there and competing.”
While the offense struggled the majority of the game against UVA, they were able to string together back-to-back 70+ yard drives late in the 4th quarter to seal up the win vs. the Cavaliers.
“That was some good football we put together those last two drives,” Gaynor said.
Of the run game struggles the past 3 weeks, Gaynor feels the key is to keep chipping away and wear a defense down.
“We’re just going to keep pounding, one of those times it’s going to open up and we’re going to score a TD off of it,” Gaynor said.
Earlier in the week, DC Blake Baker intimated that the three freshmen defensive tackles – Jason Blissett, Jalar Holley, and Jared Harrison-Hunte – would likely be taking a redshirt this season. Gaynor has gone up against each in practice, and is a fan of their potential down the line.
“They’re great, practice hard every day, give us a great look on scout team,” Gaynor said.
The Hurricanes are heavily-favored this week going up against a 1-5 Georgia Tech team that has struggled to find consistency.
“I’m not looking at their record at all, am going to watch them on tape - they play extremely hard,” Gaynor said of GT. “We’re going to keep working hard, get better.”
However, Miami has been unable to run the ball well as a team lately, as they’ve been held under 100 yards rushing as a team in their past three games vs. CMU, VT, and UVA, and Dallas is still looking for more.
“I don’t really feel it’s been a struggle. I haven’t put up the numbers that I feel I was supposed to put up probably the past three or four games,” Dallas said. “It’s on me mostly - missing holes, stumbling, going down after the first dude hit me. That’s not me, who I am as a player. We’re just going to come out and keep playing our ball. I don’t feel we’ve been struggling running the ball. I feel we do a dang good job of running the ball. Going to keep getting better.”
The junior has busted off his fair share of long runs in 2019, despite below average play from the OL. Even so, Dallas feels the backs need to do a better job of taking advantage of the lanes when they are there and thinks the OL has improved since the start of the year.
“The holes are there, just whether or not we hit them, whether or not they stay open for long,” Dallas said. “The offensive line does a good job. With them being young, they’re playing well above what everybody thought they would be. They get better every week, sustain blocks longer every week. You see them growing as the weeks go on.”
With N’Kosi Perry set to start at QB for the second straight week in Saturday’s matchup with Georgia Tech, Dallas is more than fine with him taking the reigns of the offense.
“He’s a proven winner,” Dallas said of Perry. “He can extend plays. He’s proved himself time and time again. I’m comfortable with him starting, feel our whole team is. Everything with him is business, in the huddle, it’s business. He’s the same dude every day.”
Dallas was also asked about fullback Realus George barely seeing the field on offense this year.
“He’s not going to be real selfish about his PT,” Dallas said of George. “He’s valuable in special teams. He’s not getting the plays on offense but is getting his plays at other positions.”
**The Hurricanes gave up 3 sacks vs. UVA last week, the lowest they’ve given up against an FBS opponent all season. Still, sophomore OL Corey Gaynor says to not read too much into that.
“I wouldn’t take that as that’s such a good thing there weren’t as many sacks,” Gaynor said. “A standard should be set that we shouldn’t be giving up those amount of sacks. We’re going to continue to work hard, continue to get better.”
What has he seen out of Zion Nelson and Jakai Clark, two true freshmen starting on the OL?
“Maturity and poise,” Gaynor said. “Obviously at that age playing at this level of football is tough… They’ve done a great job of sticking their nose out there and competing.”
While the offense struggled the majority of the game against UVA, they were able to string together back-to-back 70+ yard drives late in the 4th quarter to seal up the win vs. the Cavaliers.
“That was some good football we put together those last two drives,” Gaynor said.
Of the run game struggles the past 3 weeks, Gaynor feels the key is to keep chipping away and wear a defense down.
“We’re just going to keep pounding, one of those times it’s going to open up and we’re going to score a TD off of it,” Gaynor said.
Earlier in the week, DC Blake Baker intimated that the three freshmen defensive tackles – Jason Blissett, Jalar Holley, and Jared Harrison-Hunte – would likely be taking a redshirt this season. Gaynor has gone up against each in practice, and is a fan of their potential down the line.
“They’re great, practice hard every day, give us a great look on scout team,” Gaynor said.
The Hurricanes are heavily-favored this week going up against a 1-5 Georgia Tech team that has struggled to find consistency.
“I’m not looking at their record at all, am going to watch them on tape - they play extremely hard,” Gaynor said of GT. “We’re going to keep working hard, get better.”
