Miami at Texas A&M aftermath: 27 first downs, 4 trips to red zone, plenty frustration
If we told you that one top-25 team late Saturday night outgained the other in first downs 27 to 16, outrushed the other 175 to 124, outpassed the other 217 to 140, held the other to 264 total yards, had three sacks and six tackles for loss to the other’s zero sacks and three TFLs, you’d know who ended up winning, right?
In this case, Miami Hurricanes fans know too well. It was the other team.
The former No. 24 (and now No. 23) Texas Aggies won the battle that in the end means everything in sports — the scoreboard.
No. former No. 13 Miami (and now No. 25), which fell to 2-1 in Mario Cristobal’s first statement game as the Hurricanes new coach, dropped passes, erred on special teams and had subpar quarterback play for the second week in a row from Tyler Van Dyke, falling 17-9 in front of 107,245 — the third largest crowd ever to witness a game at Kyle Field and the largest crowd ever for a nonconference opponent.
The bottom line said in another way: UM could not score a touchdown in four trips to the red zone.
The Hurricanes flew back to Miami knowing there is plenty to improve as they prepare for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. home game against Middle Tennessee (ACC Network).
“Down there four times, three field goals, one blocked as well,’’ Cristobal said. “We had a couple of penalties down there as well, illegal man down field [Zion Nelson], that certainly hurt us. It’s not good enough. If you’re going to get down in the red zone against a team like this at their place with as good as their defense is, you’ve gotta score touchdowns and try to put them behind a little bit and make them chuck the ball.
“Our D-line was playing well, was getting after them [and] putting pressure on the quarterback. The defense, I thought they played a really good game. Offensively, we had our moments, but we had our miscues. We had some dropped balls. We had some penalties... We gave ourselves a chance with the defense playing great again, gave us the last possession, but not good enough.”
In that last possession, when UM’s defense forced its second consecutive three-and-out, Miami, down eight points, started the drive at first-and-10 from the its own 43-yard line with 1:16 left in the game. The Canes moved the ball to the A&M 40, before Van Dyke’s pass ricocheted off slot receiver Brashard Smith’s hands — one of several drops for UM receivers. Brashard was the receiver who filled in UM’s injured (foot) top receiver Xavier Restrepo, out for “a minimum of six weeks,’’ Cristobal said after the game.
Even if they had scored, the Canes would have had to deliver a two-point conversions to force overtime.
Tight end Will Mallory, who fell on his head in the second half but said he was fine during the postgame interviews, led all pass-catchers with six catches (seven targets) for 56 yards. Outside receiver Key’Shawn Smith had three catches in eight targets for 42 yards. And Jacolby George, in his first action after a two-game suspension, had three catches for 41 yards.
“I just gotta be a little more accurate,’’ said Van Dyke (21 of 41 for 217 yards and no touchdowns), who was never officially sacked but got hit hard multiple times. “Just gotta make throws. I was getting pressure, getting hit at the same time as making throws. But that’s what it’s all about. Playing in these big games, you gotta make throws with pressure in your face.’’
The UM ground game came through again Saturday, led by Henry Parrish Jr.’s 16 carries for 85 yards (5.3 yards a carry) and Jaylan Knighton’s 79 yards on 14 carries (5.5).
Special teams nightmare
But special teams were not special.
The Hurricanes’ defense was humming after holding Texas A&M late in the first quarter on a three-and-out that included a first-down sack shared by Keontra Smith and Mitchell Agude and a textbook pass breakup by cornerback DJ Ivey, who had two of UM’s five pass breakups.
With the score tied at 3, the Aggies’ 48-yard punt took a hard bounce off the Kyle Field turf and tempted veteran returner Tyrique Stevenson a little too much. Instead of Stevenson letting the ball roll back on its own, he went for it — Aggies charging near his face — and fumbled. Texas A&M recovered at the UM 28-yard line, and three plays later, scored its only touchdown until the third quarter.
“He made a poor decision,’’ Cristobal said, “one that I’m sure you carry with you. That’s very uncharacteristic of him. He has been a good decision maker.’’
The crowd rewarded its team with an off-the-charts roar. UM took over and a little more than two minutes later, sophomore Andy Borregales missed a 49-yard field goal attempt wide left.
Later, Borregales had his 36-yard field goal attempt blocked.
Field goal decision
Cristobal was asked about his decision to kick a field goal from fourth-and-goal at the 4 instead of going for the touchdown with about four minutes left in the third quarter and UM down 17-3.
“I thought we needed points,’’ the coach said, “thought we needed a little bit of momentum. We had been down there, had one blocked, had missed another field goal as well. Thought we were going to get some points on the board and make it a productive drive.”
Van Dyke said he trusted Cristobal’s decision. “We had plenty of chances to get in the end zone. Even at the end of the game... We had a chance to win the game.’’
Dominant D-line
UM’s defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, and the defensive backs played well, holding the Aggies to four of 12 on third-down attempts. Defensive backs James Williams, Ivey and Te’Cory Couch combined on the five breakups; Smith, Agude, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Darrell Jackson, Leonard Taylor, Jahfari Harvey and Antonio Moultrie shared in the tackles for loss; with Smith, Agude, Jackson and Harvey in on the sacks.
“They’re a good group,’’ Harvey said of the Aggies, “but we just played with our hair on fire, relentless effort. I’m proud of them boys. Them boys gave all they had.
“We just gotta continue to jell together, take this as a learning opportunity, watch that film and get back at it [Sunday]. Leave it in the past. We got Middle Tennessee on Saturday.”
This story was originally published September 18, 2022 at 12:19 PM.
