MIAMI GARDENS — The Hurricanes’ run recreation had been sleepy the final two video games.
Mark Fletcher Jr. woke it up.
The junior operating again rushed for 106 yards and a career-high three touchdowns to guide the No. 9 Hurricanes (6-1, 2-1 ACC) to a 42-7 win over Stanford (3-5, 2-3 ACC) at Arduous Rock Stadium on Saturday.
“I feel Mark Fletcher once more confirmed why he’s such a fantastic participant and so vital to this soccer workforce,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal stated. “You give him the carries essential to get him going, and I feel the tone and the angle of the sport modifications.”
Miami received off to a gradual begin within the win, wanting much less just like the workforce that gained its first 5 video games and extra just like the one which misplaced to Louisville final week. The Hurricanes moved down the sector on their first drive, however Carter Davis missed a discipline purpose on the finish.
Stanford received on the board first after the missed discipline purpose. The Cardinal drove 74 yards and accomplished the drive with a 9-yard move from Ben Gulbranson to Caden Excessive.
Miami’s offense, which struggled towards Louisville within the workforce’s first lack of the yr, got here out gradual towards Stanford. After lacking a discipline purpose on the primary drive, UM punted on its second drive and turned the ball over on downs on its third drive.
The Hurricanes lastly received on the board late within the first half when UM quarterback Carson Beck related with receiver CJ Daniels on a third-down, endzone fade move to tie the sport.
Star freshman Malachi Toney set Miami up for the go-ahead rating. The standout American Heritage alum returned a punt 31 yards to place UM on the Stanford 40 for its first drive of the second half. The Hurricanes received the remainder of the best way down the sector and scored on a 1-yard landing run by Mark Fletcher Jr., his seventh of the season.
“That positively received us going,” Fletcher stated. “We simply needed to proceed to execute, and that’s what we did.”
One other lengthy Toney punt return — this one for 42 yards — however Miami was stuffed on fourth-and-1 on the Stanford 21-yard line, preserving the sport a one-score contest.
Miami’s protection, which bounced again following Stanford’s first drive, set the offense up completely late within the third quarter. Veteran linebacker Wesley Bissainthe picked off a move from Gulbranson and returned it to the Cardinal’s 3-yard line. Fletcher scored his second landing of the sport on the following play, placing Miami forward 21-7.
“I believed I used to be going to get (to the tip zone),” Bissainthe stated. “I virtually did, however I didn’t make it.”
The Hurricanes’ protection continued its robust play, as Wisconsin switch Xavier Lucas notched his first interception as a Hurricane. Fletcher capped that drive with a 7-yard landing — his third rating of the evening.
Miami introduced within the backups within the second half of the fourth quarter, and Girard Pringle Jr. scored the final landing of the evening.
“When you will have a possibility like that, these final 16 to 18 performs are crucial as a result of it’s not about scoring or attempting to attain,” Cristobal stated. “It’s about roster growth as you head additional and additional into the season.”
5 takeaways
1. Offense gradual to begin however turns it on within the second half
After scoring a season-low 21 factors towards Louisville, the offense struggled once more on Saturday, at the very least to begin. The Hurricanes scored simply seven factors within the first half.
The offense began transferring extra within the second half and ultimately completed the sport with 42 factors and 404 complete yards, their highest complete towards a Energy 4 workforce this season.
The Hurricanes had a balanced strategy, speeding for 199 yards and passing for 205.
2. Protection carrying the workforce
Whereas the offense struggled, Miami’s protection stepped up. The Cardinal had first drive, getting down the sector and scoring. However Stanford’s subsequent two drives ended with a punt, and its remaining drive of the primary half would have been a three-and-out had the half not ended.
Nothing modified,” Bissainthe stated. “We simply needed to go on the market and execute. That’s all it was.”
The defensive excellence continued within the second half — however added some turnovers. Bissainthe and Lucas picked off passes, organising scoring drives.
The Hurricanes held Stanford to 144 yards within the win, which is the second-lowest complete by a UM Energy 4 opponent this season.
3. Malachi Toney excels on punts now, too
Toney has accomplished all of it for Miami this yr. Now he’s making opponents look foolish on punts.
The star freshman had 73 yards on two second-half punts, making a number of gamers miss and giving Miami nice discipline place.
“We belief him quite a bit,” Cristobal stated. “And we noticed what you noticed: an explosive man that’s at all times able to make a play for his teammates. A man that’s fearless. A man that not solely desires the ball, desires to throw his physique round in there and block. Only a full workforce participant and definitely a game-changer.”
4. Massive day for American Heritage alumni
The Hurricanes have recruited Broward County powerhouse American Heritage nicely over the previous few years, and it paid off in a giant means on Saturday.
Three former Patriots had huge video games.
Fletcher had the largest impression, speeding for 3 of Miami’s touchdowns for his first profession three-score recreation. He completed the sport with 106 yards on 23 carries. It was the primary time the Hurricanes had a 100-yard rusher
Toney, the breakout participant of the season, had one other robust effort. He had 5 catches for 52 yards and had these two glorious punt returns. He additionally ran for 13 yards on one carry.
Lucas, a cornerback, additionally starred at American Heritage. He signed with Wisconsin out of highschool however transferred to UM this offseason. He had his first interception as a Hurricane on Saturday evening.
5. Working recreation comes alive
Miami’s run recreation struggled towards FSU and Louisville, and it was extra of the identical within the first half on Saturday. However the operating backs injected life into the UM offense within the second half.
The Hurricanes completed the sport with 199 speeding yards, which is their highest complete towards a Energy 4 opponent this season. Fletcher scored three touchdowns within the win, and sophomore Jordan Lyle scored his first landing of the season within the fourth quarter.
“There’s loads of totally different schemes that we run,” Cristobal stated. “Some between the tackles, some stuff exterior or designed to go exterior. However the operating recreation, for my part, as the sport wears on, you need to get higher.”
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