How does a storied college football program bounce back from its worst loss ever? Where will players’ heads be after their head coach was fired less than 36 hours after that forgettable defeat?
Those are the questions facing Miami as it prepares for a Halloween night game against No. 22 Duke Saturday at 7 p.m. at Wallace Wade Stadium. A host of injuries, a historic rout and an unhappy alumni base spelled the end of the road for head coach Al Golden, sending the Hurricanes to Durham under new leadership.
The last three days have tested the five-time national champion Hurricanes emotionally. After suffering a 58-0 loss to then-No. 6 Clemson at home Saturday—the worst loss in program history—Miami announced Golden’s dismissal Monday. Just days later, the team suffered another blow when the mother of starting cornerback Artie Burns passed away. With interim head coach Larry Scott—formerly Miami’s tight end coach—in command, the Hurricanes are now trying to regroup and stay alive in the ACC Coastal Division.
“The last four days…have been kind of rough for our program and our young people,” Scott said in a press conference Tuesday. “I kind of challenged the coaches. It’s going to be far more than the X’s and O’s. It’s going to be about being able to mentor and teach these young men and help them and guide them through a rough period in their lives. They’re young people. They have attachments.”
Despite a wealth of talent brought in through top-tier recruiting—highlighted by seven draft picks in the 2014 NFL draft—the Hurricanes struggled to meet expectations under Golden. After shutting down the Blue Devils 22-10 a year ago in South Florida, Miami lost five of its next eight contests.
Scott intends to change the atmosphere heading into Saturday and hopes the Blue Devils will be catching the Hurricanes at the wrong time.
“Things like passion and emotion pour out of you,” Scott said. “That is a huge piece of what we’re doing right now. Passionate play on the football field starts with…human emotion. We have to create an atmosphere of guys that are disciplined, smart, but having fun.”
Miami’s shutout against Clemson is deceiving—although its offensive line and running attack have struggled, the Hurricane offense can score in bunches. Led by sophomore starting quarterback Brad Kaaya—the ACC’s leading passer—Miami averaged 33.6 points per game before Saturday’s rout and posted 24 points against a Florida State defense that surrenders just 16.1 points per game.
But Miami is facing yet another question mark heading into Saturday’s game in Durham—the health of Kaaya, who left the contest against the Tigers early with a concussion. The Los Angeles native’s availability against the Blue Devils is still unknown.
In the event Kaaya sits out, backup quarterback Malik Rosier will assume command. With no career starts, Rosier will need help from speedy wide receivers Stacey Coley—the 2013 ACC Freshman of the Year—and Herb Waters against the Blue Devils. Miami’s leading receiver, Rashawn Scott, also left the game against Clemson early and has not yet been cleared to play against the Blue Devils. But Duke head coach David Cutcliffe is preparing to see Miami’s key playmakers.
“Our guys know how good Miami is,” Cutcliffe said. “Their skill on offense…is really good. Their ability will test us. I would certainly expect that [Kaaya] is going to play.”
On the other side of the ball, the Hurricanes rank 77th in the country, allowing 406.1 yards per game. Among Miami’s primary strengths is creating turnovers. The Hurricanes rank second in nation with 16 combined interceptions and fumble recoveries. The Blue Devils have posted three straight turnover-free games and must keep that streak alive Saturday to avoid giving Miami a short field.
Like Duke, the Hurricanes have had to juggle the defensive front due to season-ending injuries to key cogs on the defensive front. Starting linebackers Darrion Owens and Raphael Kirby are done for the year, forcing Miami to rely on defensive ends Trent Harris and Tyriq McCord to fill in at linebacker. The Hurricanes surrendered 291 rushing yards against Florida State, followed by 416 on the ground against the Tigers.
Although Miami’s secondary has forced 10 interceptions, it has also battled consistency. The Hurricane defensive backs tend to play a soft zone coverage that some opponents have picked apart, and have struggled to get off blocks when defending against the run along the sidelines.
During the last two seasons, the Hurricanes folded when they confronted adversity. In 2013, Miami lost four of its last six games following a loss to the Seminoles. Last year, another Florida State win was the start of three straight Hurricane losses to finish the season. Now, an even bigger challenge awaits this week against the Blue Devils, and it is up to Miami—now under the direction of Scott—to decide how to respond.
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