UM Proves Itself Over No. 14 Georgia Tech
The defense made them a rambling wreck, alright.
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Celebrate? Jacory Harris doesn't mind if he does.
Triple option, schmiple option: this house is clear.
The Hurricanes' 33-17 win over no. 14 Georgia Tech last night was bigger and better than the score would indicate -- and sweet, sweet revenge for four straight losses to a team repped by a wasp.
It was, to say the least, a good night for Miami, and if not technically a coming out party it was certainly a confirmation of everything the Florida State game promised: Mark Whipple's offense moved at will, seemingly featured 89 eligible receivers open all over the field at once, coughed up a beastly O-line, and found Jacory Harris practically radiating light and testosterone as he calmly went 20 of 25 on the night for 270 yards, 3 touchdowns, no interceptions, and 10.8 yards per pass.
(One of those was a touchdown pass to former Hurricanes basketball player Jimmy Graham, who, until this spring, hadn't played football since he was a freshman in high school. That leaves only "calm crying children" on the list of things this offense can't accomplish.)
We knew Harris could ball. The big news was the arrival of John Lovett's defense, who essentially thanked the Yellow Jackets for coming and immediately helped them pack. Just ten months after a humiliating, season-crushing game in Atlanta that saw Bill Young's D gashed for 472 yards on the ground, these 'Canes only allowed Tech -- a run-first triple option team ranked 4th in the nation rushing -- 95 yards for the night and limited star b-back Jonathan Dwyer to 7 yards on 5 carries (he eventually left the game with injury).
"We wanted to go out and work hard and hit 'em and hit 'em and hit 'em and make them quit," said safety Randy Phillips. "It looks like we did that."
For a defense thought to be the weak link following a rather porous showing at Florida State, the performance was reassuringly passionate, delectably hard-nosed, and gloriously penetrating -- and it conveniently positions Miami as (a whole) team to beat in the ACC heading into the next week's showdown with rival Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
The 20th-ranked 'Canes, however, are a national story too. The season remains to be written, but after a couple topsy-turvy weeks and more than a few cupcake games (coughFloridacough), it's Miami who owns the best resumé in college football with consecutive wins over ranked conference opponents (the first time for UM since 2003).
How long will that last? Not forever. But for right now, Randy Shannon should get a little credit: his recruits, and his new hires, are making their mark.
Janie Campbell would like to check in on those 0-4 predictions and point everyone to Jordan Futch removing a Yellow Jacket from his stinger. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the Internet.
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Posted Friday, Sep 18, 2009 - 6:22 AM EST
