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| Denzel Perryman(Photo Credit: TheUSports.com) |
Written By: Nathan Skinner
Canes Rising Contributor
Saturday's heartbreaking loss to FSU was brutal, but there's a season to finish. The U will face the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, it is more important than the experts think. This game can either serve as the beginning of a strong finish or as another example of Miami losing to an inferior opponent.
Keys To Victory
1. Attitude Is Everything--Losing a close game to a rival is emotionally draining. Al Golden has remarked that he had to console players after Saturday's loss. The 'Canes need to deal with the emotional fallout, and come into Scott Stadium with a renewed focus. Recent Miami teams have laid eggs in similar situations, Al Golden and the rest of the staff has to make sure that doesn't happen Saturday. Senior leadership will be huge, as players like Denzel Perryman will have to set the tone and explain to younger players that self-pity will not accomplish anything. This team still has some goals within reach, but those goals can't be reached if Miami doesn't beat Virginia, and Pittsburgh.
2. Stop Kevin Parks--Virginia is really, really bad offensively. Offensive Coordinator Steve Fairchild will look to run the football, and keep the clock moving, hoping the Cavs can slow the game to a crawl. In order to do that, Kevin Parks will be a huge factor. Mark D'Onofrio has to make sure that Parks is accounted for, and that stopping the run is a top priority. Greyson Lambert isn't a good enough quarterback to beat Miami without a functioning rushing attack. The 'Canes will win easily if Parks is held to under 125 yards.
3. Let the Players Play--The one major complaint from the FSU game was the inability of the coaching staff to let the players win the game on the field in the second half. The gameplan went away from explosive plays, and instead turned into a grindfest. While the rationale behind that was sound, due to FSU's talent advantage, that isn't the case this week. Miami is SIGNIFICANTLY better than Virginia so that advantage should be exploited.
4. Protect Brad Kaaya--Virginia can get after the quarterback, their sack numbers indicate that. UVA DC Jon Tenuta's philosophy centers around harassing opposing quarterbacks via a wide variety of blitz packages. Miami has to find a way to protect Kaaya and counter Tenuta's aggressive playcalls. When Tenuta was at Georgia Tech, Miami struggled to deal with his blitzes, something that led to some embarrassing losses. That shouldn't be the case this season, because Miami should be able to execute simple screens and draws. Those plays will help lessen the pressure on Kaaya, who should be able to pick the Hoos apart, provided he has time to throw.
5. Smash and Dash--I know, I know. I bring up the Miami rushing attack in every "Keys to Victory" piece. There's a reason why, because Miami has a workhorse in Duke Johnson, and he needs to be the center of this offense. Miami is at their best when the run is used to set up the pass, and this formula shouldn't change. James Coley has to find a way to get Gus Edwards back into the gameplan this week. Edwards brings a power dimension that is perfect for a team like Virginia who has some team speed, but isn't overly physical. A couple of physical runs may open the floodgates, especially if Miami takes command early.
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