Jordan Lyle had the highlight play from the Miami Hurricanes’ run game on Saturday in their 50-15 win over the USF Bulls when he sprinted 91 yards down the field for a fourth-quarter touchdown.
It was the longest rushing play from scrimmage in school history.
But outside of that play, Miami had just 86 rushing yards on 27 carries — an average of 3.2 yards per carry.
It’s worth noting, though, that three of carries found the end zone, with Damien Martinez scored on runs of 2, 1 and 1 yard.
“There are some bright spots and some other times where you’d certainly want more,” UM coach Mario Cristobal said. “It hasn’t been as flashy, but I don’t think we’re interested in flash. We want to win football games, and whatever it takes to make sure we move the sticks and score points, we’re going to do.”
While the Hurricanes aren’t producing much in terms of yardage in the run game, they are finding their way into the end zone.
Miami enters the week ranked 32nd nationally with an average of 200 rushing yards per game. However, that number is skewed by Lyle’s 91-yard touchdown against USF and Ajay Allen’s 56-yard run against Ball State, which account for 18.4 percent of Miami’s rushing yards.
That said, the Hurricanes have 12 rushing touchdowns, which is tied for 13th nationally. Martinez leads the team with four. Lyle and Mark Fletcher Jr. each has three. Allen and quarterback Cam Ward each has one.
“It’s just one of those things where you’ve just got to stick with it,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. “Our guys are talented. If they get some grass, they’re going to make a play.”
Sam Brown’s big play
Through the first three weeks of the season, Hurricanes wide receiver Sam Brown had caught his share of passes (12) but didn’t do too much with them (98 yards).
Miami and Brown were waiting for the breakout moment that was bound to come. He made his share of big plays at Houston before transferring to Miami. It was just a matter of when, not if, it would happen with the Hurricanes.
That first big moment finally came late in the second quarter of Miami’s 50-15 win against the USF Bulls on Saturday when he beat his defender and caught a long pass in stride from Ward for a 76-yard touchdown that gave the Hurricanes the lead for good.
“He needed that, to be honest with you,” Dawson said. “I mean, he needed to make a big play, because that’s who he is. He’s a guy that can make plays down the field, so to see him make that play, he’s going to make a lot of plays like that. He did get here [to campus] late, so it was a little bit different for him, but good to see him make a play. He can make a lot of them.”
A walk-on’s interception
The game against USF on Saturday was already decided when redshirt junior walk-on defensive back Myles Mooyoung recorded his first career interception late in the fourth quarter.
But the moment wasn’t lost on defensive coordinator Lance Guidry.
“It’s awesome,” Guidry said. “You know, I’m a former walk-on. Probably a lot of people know that I walked on at McNeese State and in my second year I was a starter. So when a walk-on comes in a game and makes a play, I know exactly how it feels. Everybody’s excited. You could tell everybody was excited because that guy puts in a lot of work and he’s made plays at practice.”
He said it
“I’ve heard a lot about it. I think it’s gone — I wouldn’t say it’s gone viral, but it’s been definitely, a lot of people have sent it to me. My mom keeps asking me what the dance’s name is. She trying to create a name for it. But it was just something a little fun. I don’t think next time I’ll be as outright with the dance move. I don’t want to take anything away from the team, but it was just us having fun.” - Hurricanes defensive back Mishael Powell on the reaction to his celebration following an interception against USF.
Local News
