A Dominant Offensive Line
After a resounding win over the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday, Miami Hurricanes Offensive Coordinator Shannon Dawson couldn't help but shower praises on his offensive line. "What looked good was those five guys up front, period. Tyler didn't get touched, and they got some pretty talented guys rushing the quarterback. It was awesome to watch those guys protect," Dawson said in his presser on Monday.According to Dawson, the offensive line's performance was as good as he's seen in his many years of coaching. "In my however many years of coaching versus an opponent like that, that's as good as I've seen in pass protection," he added.
Tyler Van Dyke's Commanding Performance
When asked about quarterback Tyler Van Dyke's performance, Dawson was equally effusive. "He had a clear command of where everybody was. His timing, the ball going to the right guy; it just felt like he was in complete control of everything," Dawson said. He also attributed part of Van Dyke's successful outing to the excellent play of the offensive line and the surrounding cast.On Wide Receivers and Red Zone Efficiency
Dawson was not hesitant to discuss the growth of the wide receiver unit, citing that the plays they made in the big game were consistent with their practice performances. "What they did Saturday is what I see every day. Their confidence is high, and they'll play with high confidence," he stated.When it comes to Red Zone efficiency, Dawson acknowledged the improvement, noting they scored three touchdowns and one field goal. "We did better; it could have been 100%. We dropped a touchdown, and it ended up being a field goal. That was disappointing, but it didn't really hurt us in the long run," he explained.
Facing Exotic and Aggressive Defenses
Preparing against their own team's aggressive defense in practices and scrimmages has also paid dividends for the Hurricanes. The exotic looks and constant changes made by their defense during practices have primed the offensive line for a plethora of scenarios they might face on game day. "Going against him (Lance Guidry) every day, you've got to be ready for everything," said Dawson.The Collaboration and The Play-Calling
Dawson was quick to share credit for the team's success with head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal. Their influence and collaborative approach have led to some creative play-calling, including a particularly noteworthy touchdown pass. "Game plans come together from every different area because people have been at different places," Dawson added.Dawson said the play call where Jacolby George scored when he went in motion was Mario Cristobal’s idea earlier in the week.
A Balanced Attack and the Upcoming Game
Although it was not a prolific rushing performance against A&M, Dawson felt the team was very physical. "I thought we were very physical in the run game after watching the film; we were knocking people around," Dawson mentioned, attributing Texas A&M's focus on stopping the run as a reason for the perceived imbalance.Looking forward to the next game against Bethune-Cookman, Dawson is not taking the matchup lightly. "They do some things movement up front; they give you some issues targeting. They're probably going to come in and throw the kitchen sink at us, so we've got to be prepared; we've got to be on point," he said.
