UM sinks to new depths with 3rd shutout loss this century to finish with losing record
That “bridge to 2020,’’ to which Miami Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz referred heading into the Independence Bowl, hopefully for the Hurricanes’ sake has been obliterated and will soon be under construction.
Diaz thought the Hurricanes had “one more really good performance’’ in them, but reality said the opposite Thursday in Shreveport, Louisiana, as the Hurricanes fell 14-0 to Louisiana Tech at Independence Stadium in front of an overwhelmingly pro-Bulldogs crowd of 33,129.
Miami’s third consecutive loss marked its first losing season (6-7, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) since 2014, when the Canes also finished 6-7 with a loss in the same bowl. And it was UM’s first shutout loss since the 58-0 debacle to Clemson in 2015, which precipitated the firing of former coach Al Golden — and its third shutout loss of the century.
“The version we saw tonight,’’ Diaz said, regarding his previous comments on the bridge, “can’t take part in 2020 in any way shape or form. That’s up to me to fix and make sure what that looked like tonight doesn’t show up in 2020.’’
Miami athletic director Blake James was asked by the Miami Herald after the game if he still had faith in Diaz. “Yes,’’ James replied. He then told reporters, “I’m going to do everything I can to support Manny in his commitment to getting our program back to the top. I’ll continue to provide whatever resources we need to have our program competing ultimately for [the] ACC [championship] and the national picture.”
Thursday marked the first time in the Independence Bowl’s 43-year history that the game ended in a shutout.
The Canes, who lost for the sixth time this season as the pregame favorite, are now 1-9 in their past 10 bowl games, winning only in 2016 in the Russell Athletic Bowl and before that in 2006 in the MPC Computers Bowl.
Said Diaz: “I can’t fault the effort of our players. I’m certainly proud of the way the kids played, especially defensively. They had their backs against the wall all night. Obviously, our execution on offense and our inability to sustain drives on offense gave us no chance to win this football game.
“Our expectation is to play a lot better than that.’’
Since last season, the Hurricanes are 13-13 overall, 8-11 against Power 5 conferences and 5-2 against non-Power 5 schools.
“I’m a Cane for life, will always be,’’ said senior linebacker Shaq Quarterman, who had to pause for several seconds to hold back tears when describing walking off the field with Diaz. “I will be at every game I can be next year, but that moment, just a lot of people won’t understand it.
“Everybody has high aspirations, especially we did, and it’s a disappointment. When you set goals and don’t reach them, that’s as clear cut as it can be. It’s a disappointment, but it’s not a regret.”
Except for UM’s high point of the season, a three-game winning streak against Pittsburgh, Florida State and Louisville that teased fans into believing Miami’s offense had finally blossomed, the Hurricanes have seemingly regressed game by game.
The Canes had their second lowest offensive output of the season Thursday: 227 yards — 74 rushing and 153 passing.
Just before kickoff, the Associated Press reported that “barring a significant change in plans, the Miami Hurricanes and offensive coordinator Dan Enos are expected to part ways after [the] Independence Bowl.’’ UM declined to comment, as did Diaz after the game.
All three UM quarterbacks played, beginning with starter Jarren Williams, continuing with one series by Tate Martell, and ending with backup N’Kosi Perry.
Williams had his third consecutive poor performance, going 9 of 20 for 94 yards, with one interception. He was sacked twice. Perry was 5 of 13 for 52 yards, with one interception. And Martell completed his first career UM pass for 7 yards. He also was sacked twice.
The Hurricanes are now 0-5 in games for which they have had more than a week to prepare: against Florida, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, FIU and Louisiana Tech.
The Bulldogs (10-3, 6-2 Conference USA), who secured their first 10-win season since 1984, sealed the victory with an 8-yard touchdown run by quarterback J’Mar Smith with 1:15 left.
La. Tech scored its lone first-half touchdown at 9:34 of the second quarter on a 26-yard screen pass from J’Mar Smith to Israel Tucker, who was completely uncovered and sprinted down the left sideline into the end zone.
After one half, the Bulldogs led Miami 7-0 and the Canes had a paltry 135 total yards. And that was with Miami possessing the ball nearly five minutes more than Louisiana Tech.
The most intriguing part of the first half, maybe the only part that created a buzz, was when redshirt sophomore Martell, who transferred to Miami last January from Ohio State, got his first chance all season at quarterback. But alas, the drive went 7 yards in six plays, though Martell did complete his first and only career pass — the 7-yard slant to K.J. Osborn.
Early in the fourth quarter, UM striker Gilbert Frierson put a spark in the Canes when he picked off Bulldogs quarterback J’Mar Smith, then ran 34 yards to the La. Tech 45-yard line. But Frierson’s subsequent would-be lateral to Te’Cory Couch was ruled an illegal forward pass. So instead of starting the drive at the La. Tech 29, UM, behind quarterback substitute Perry, began the drive at midfield with 12:15 left in the game.
But the Perry-led Canes could only get as far as the La. Tech 39, UM’s Lou Hedley was forced to punt and the Bulldogs took over at their own 10-yard line with 9:03 left.
UM was not left without hope. True freshman Sam Brooks made his first career start at weakside linebacker and led all players with 12 tackles.
This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 7:38 PM.
