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- Feb 22, 2018
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- 307
After underwhelming finishes in Miami's first two outings, the ever so optimistic Canes faithful already began to question what "The New Miami" really is. Because let's be real, losing to rival UF when the game was in hand on multiple occasions and then turning around to lose at Chapel Hill in the ACC opener to a team led by a true Freshman QB are results that are eerily similar to past regimes. Manny Diaz obviously would have loved to come away with wins to start the year and hit the ground running, but "The New Miami" was not created for the first 2 games or even for just the 2019 season. It is a foundation that is still being built and that Diaz hopes will stand for years to come. This team is littered with youth at crucial positions and led by a first time head coach. To assume there wouldn't be growing pains is just naive.
I believe the mark of The New Miami will be stated with how the team responds to finish the year. With the unfortunate start, I know of many past Canes teams in recent history that would have packed it in and deemed the season as a total loss. Last week's game against Bethune-Cookman was the start of 5 game homestand and the perfect setup for this team to catch its stride.
No offense to Central Michigan, but this game isn't about them. This week against the Chippewas is another opportunity for this young program to get closer to finding its identity. This is about the 2019 Hurricanes fending off past trends and starting a new one. Like Manny Diaz said in an interview with Zagacki, " We are the opponent." The Matchup of the week: The New Miami vs. The Old Miami.
This version of the Miami Hurricanes really is new, not just figuratively but quite literally too. New Head Coach, new offense, new quarterback and just a lot of new faces in general being asked to be major contributors, whether it be young guys stepping into larger roles or portal guys making a name for themselves on a new team. As a unit, this group is fresh, and it has shown on numerous occasions through the first 3 games. "This team has to learn how to win," said Diaz after the loss against UNC. That's one of the hardest things to do because there's really only way to really learn how to win and that is to well... win. In that process, the team will take its lumps as seen with the 0-2 start.
That's why this home stretch is so pivotal to The New Miami movement. Though it was a glorified scrimmage against Bethune-Cookman last week, it's still a dub at the end of the day. Central Michigan is better than Cookman, but its the same idea this weekend too. Execute, get off to a fast start and get another taste of victory. The next couple games after CMU are also very winnable and could go a long way in helping this team "learn how to win."
It was pretty much consensus that The Old Miami was held back by a lack of identity and consistency on offense. Three games in and Dan Enos has done a lot to erase those issues. Its evident that this offense is in the early stages of its evolution, and they have to become much better at finishing drives. The young o-line is still coming together, but there has been visible improvement every time they take the field. Enos has worked wonders with Jarren Williams, and there's no doubt that The New Miami has it's QB. Deejay Dallas, at more than 8 yards per carry, and the Miami running game has found its flow as well. The challenge now is consistency and progression. Enos and the offense has helped make Miami a more complete football team, and quite honestly, the offense has outperformed the defense for the better part of the first 3 games. That's definitely new.
One of the main things that flourished with the "Old Miami" was the attacking style opportunistic defense. Through 3 games, there is no question that the defense has taken a step back. The youth in the secondary is probably the most glaring issue. I'd argue that the individual talent with guys like Hall, Ivey, Blades, Frierson and even the young freshman, have a higher ceiling than the previous group. But the lack of experience is causing the group to play at a slower pace than their raw athletic ability may suggest.
These next couple games will also be pivotal for this group to come together and understand their roles within this defense. Simply put, the defense as a whole just has to play better and faster than they have to start the season. Though, "The New Miami" is looking to break new ground, this Miami defense needs to get back to its old ways in a hurry for this team to reach its full potential.
Central Michigan comes in at 2-1 with the 1 loss coming to another Power 5 opponent. 13th ranked Wisconsin beat the Chippewas to the tune of 61-0. The Hurricanes should be in store for a similar outcome. But like I said, this game isn't about the Chippewas. It is about the Canes. The Canes must use this the next stretch of games to continue to trend away from the old "disease" ridden Miami that Manny Diaz talks about. The young guys need to continue their progression. Overall, this team has started to lay the bricks for the foundation of the program that Diaz thinks about when he talks about The New Miami, but there is still bits and pieces of the Old Miami that seep through every now and then. This weekend is just another opportunity to rid themselves of those instances and further themselves from the past.
I believe the mark of The New Miami will be stated with how the team responds to finish the year. With the unfortunate start, I know of many past Canes teams in recent history that would have packed it in and deemed the season as a total loss. Last week's game against Bethune-Cookman was the start of 5 game homestand and the perfect setup for this team to catch its stride.
No offense to Central Michigan, but this game isn't about them. This week against the Chippewas is another opportunity for this young program to get closer to finding its identity. This is about the 2019 Hurricanes fending off past trends and starting a new one. Like Manny Diaz said in an interview with Zagacki, " We are the opponent." The Matchup of the week: The New Miami vs. The Old Miami.
This version of the Miami Hurricanes really is new, not just figuratively but quite literally too. New Head Coach, new offense, new quarterback and just a lot of new faces in general being asked to be major contributors, whether it be young guys stepping into larger roles or portal guys making a name for themselves on a new team. As a unit, this group is fresh, and it has shown on numerous occasions through the first 3 games. "This team has to learn how to win," said Diaz after the loss against UNC. That's one of the hardest things to do because there's really only way to really learn how to win and that is to well... win. In that process, the team will take its lumps as seen with the 0-2 start.
That's why this home stretch is so pivotal to The New Miami movement. Though it was a glorified scrimmage against Bethune-Cookman last week, it's still a dub at the end of the day. Central Michigan is better than Cookman, but its the same idea this weekend too. Execute, get off to a fast start and get another taste of victory. The next couple games after CMU are also very winnable and could go a long way in helping this team "learn how to win."
It was pretty much consensus that The Old Miami was held back by a lack of identity and consistency on offense. Three games in and Dan Enos has done a lot to erase those issues. Its evident that this offense is in the early stages of its evolution, and they have to become much better at finishing drives. The young o-line is still coming together, but there has been visible improvement every time they take the field. Enos has worked wonders with Jarren Williams, and there's no doubt that The New Miami has it's QB. Deejay Dallas, at more than 8 yards per carry, and the Miami running game has found its flow as well. The challenge now is consistency and progression. Enos and the offense has helped make Miami a more complete football team, and quite honestly, the offense has outperformed the defense for the better part of the first 3 games. That's definitely new.
One of the main things that flourished with the "Old Miami" was the attacking style opportunistic defense. Through 3 games, there is no question that the defense has taken a step back. The youth in the secondary is probably the most glaring issue. I'd argue that the individual talent with guys like Hall, Ivey, Blades, Frierson and even the young freshman, have a higher ceiling than the previous group. But the lack of experience is causing the group to play at a slower pace than their raw athletic ability may suggest.
These next couple games will also be pivotal for this group to come together and understand their roles within this defense. Simply put, the defense as a whole just has to play better and faster than they have to start the season. Though, "The New Miami" is looking to break new ground, this Miami defense needs to get back to its old ways in a hurry for this team to reach its full potential.
Central Michigan comes in at 2-1 with the 1 loss coming to another Power 5 opponent. 13th ranked Wisconsin beat the Chippewas to the tune of 61-0. The Hurricanes should be in store for a similar outcome. But like I said, this game isn't about the Chippewas. It is about the Canes. The Canes must use this the next stretch of games to continue to trend away from the old "disease" ridden Miami that Manny Diaz talks about. The young guys need to continue their progression. Overall, this team has started to lay the bricks for the foundation of the program that Diaz thinks about when he talks about The New Miami, but there is still bits and pieces of the Old Miami that seep through every now and then. This weekend is just another opportunity to rid themselves of those instances and further themselves from the past.
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