Miami Hurricanes vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers: Game Roundtable

When the Miami Hurricanes played the Louisville Cardinals on Labor Day Night, they were trying to avenge their horrific Russell Athletic Bowl defeat and trying to notch up a big win to start off the season. That unfortunately didn’t happen. After having won against significantly less talented opponents, the Hurricanes have a second crack at getting a quality win; this time in Lincoln, Nebraska.

1. Brad Kaaya and the Canes offense looked a lot better against Arkansas State last week. With Nebraska being a much tougher opponent, do you expect the Canes to let Kaaya and the offense loose, or do you think we’ll see a more conservative approach like we saw against Louisville?

Juan Toribio: Obviously Nebraska isn’t Arkansas State or Florida A&M, so to expect the Canes to just air it out 30 times is unrealistic. I don’t think James Coley and the offense can afford being as conservative as they were against Louisville, but they also can’t get carried away with just launching bombs down the field, unless it’s there for the taking. I think it’s really important for the offense to find a happy middle, and early. If the Canes get behind early, they’ll be forced to air-it-out and I don’t think that’s the way to get out of Lincoln with a win.

Daniel Nordwall: We definitely saw James Coley spread the offense out against Arkansas State, and he was quite successful. I HOPE Coley lets Kaaya play like he did last week, because Kaaya actually throws the deep ball with success to Phillip Dorsett. I think he can have success with that again, if Nebraska stacks the box to stop Duke Johnson. We definitely saw Coley handcuff Kaaya in the Louisville game and I think Coley learns from experience this week, and he spreads the offense for Kaaya to go to work.

Sam Jacobs: I can’t imagine the double reverses or trick plays finding their way into the game plan, but after seeing the capabilities of the Kaaya-to-Dorsett deep ball, I would expect a more aggressive game plan against Nebraska than we saw at Louisville.

Justin Fessenden: I don’t think the Canes will be as conservative as we were against Louisville but I don’t expect us to be as aggressive as they were against Arkansas State, either. I am hoping that Miami hasa completely different game plan than what we have seen thus far. I’d like to see a lot of quick passes or HB screens to counter Nebraska’s aggressive defensive line. We also need to sustain drives in order to keep Nebraska’s offense off the field.

Andrew Ferrelli: I think Coley will do his best to open up the playbook and let Kaaya sling it around. Nebraska will try to stack the box and force the Canes to beat them through the air. Hopefully Coach Coley learned his lesson in the opener that you’re not going to beat a team when you constantly run the ball against a defense with nine in the box. A big part of the play calling will rely on the offensive line though. If they can’t protect Kaaya, it will be hard for the offense to pass the ball often.

2. Duke Johnson has yet to had a big game for Miami. Do you think he’ll have a memorable performance against the Cornhuskers?

Sep 6, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson (8) runs against Florida A&M Rattlers defense during the first half at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

JT: As great as Duke Johnson has been in his two plus seasons with the Canes, he’s yet to deliver a dominating performance against top-tier competition. He’s notoriously struggled against ranked teams, and whether that’s his fault or not, it’s not something that should be ignored. I think Duke will have to have a big game for the Canes to win this game. I think the Canes need to keep Ameer Abdullah as far away from the field for as long as they can, and you do that by running the ball. I expect Duke Johnson to have a big game because his team is going to need it.

DN: I think Duke Johnson is due for a big game for a couple reason. He knows this game is important for his team, and for the city of Miami. However, the offensive line has to give Duke room to wiggle if he wants a big game. If James Coley can keep the Nebraska defense off balance, then I think Duke could have a touchdown or two to go with a 100+ yard game. Duke Johnson is a game changer, and it is only a matter of time before he goes off for a big performance.

SJ: Nope. This frequently gets overlooked, but aside from the Florida State game last season, Duke Johnson has struggled against ranked opponents. In addition, Nebraska has a stout run defense (although a weak schedule, opponents average 3.8 yards per carry in this season.)

JF: Unfortunately, no. I am not knocking Duke but rather the offensive line. As I have stated in all of my post-game grade articles so far, I am not too pleased with Miami’s run blocking. When it comes down to it, Duke really hasn’t had much room to run. There is the occasional big hole to run through but it’s rare right now. Regrettably, I don’t see us making the improvement against a really good Nebraska defensive line.

AF: Duke Johnson loves the big games and will have a breakout game tonight. He’s had very few touches the last few weeks due to blowouts, so he should be 100% healthy and rested. With the extra strength he’s added, Duke will be able to carry the ball more against the Huskers. Again though, a big part of Duke’s success will rely on the offensive line. I see Duke going for about 125 yards rushing with a touchdown or two.

3. Outside of the Florida win last year, Al Golden and his staff haven’t really won a “big” game here at Miami. How much pressure do you think is on the staff to deliver a win against a tough Nebraska team?

JT: As much criticism (and some of it is extremely unfair) as Al Golden gets, this is a legitimate one: He’s yet to beat a team that has stayed competent throughout an entire season. He beat Florida last season, but we all saw what a hot mess that team turned out to be (even though they were completely healthy against Miami.) I do think there’s an enormous amount of pressure on Al Golden this weekend, but mostly from the fans. I’m personally not ready to tear down Golden and call for his firing, even if the Canes don’t win tomorrow night, but he desperately needs this win to keep the fans happy.

DN: This game is absolutely huge for Al Golden and his coaching staff. If you have not been following our fan base, Miami fans want to fly a banner to fire Al Golden, and former players have been very critical since the disappointing performance against Louisville. Golden in recent years has not had his team ready to play in prime time games such as Notre Dame in 2012, FSU 2012, VT 2013, and KSU on the road in 2012. Golden needs to win NOW because he is running out of excuses. The talent is there to match up with Nebraska and it comes down to X’s and O’s. He needs to get a win in order to get support of the fans back.

SJ: I think the pressure has reached its greatest point since Golden took over at Miami. A win would undoubtedly help silence his critics. With that said, a loss Saturday night will not impact Golden’s job security too greatly.

JF: The staff is already feeling the heat from the fans and if they lose this game to Nebraska it will get much more uncomfortable for them. The administration seems to be a lot more patient. Not sure who really has more power, the fans or administration, but the cure to all that is to start winning big games and that time is now!

AF: There’s a ton of pressure on the staff to produce tonight. Golden has struggled mightily against ranked teams and the fans are becoming restless. Lately, the Canes haven’t even been competitive in big games. The pressure on Al Golden and his coaching staff will be huge tonight because if the Canes get blown out again, this fan base might lose it.

4. The defense looks to be much improved this season, but they’ll get tested on Saturday by Heisman-hopeful, Ameer Abdullah and company. How do you think the defense will perform against a good offensive team like Nebraska?

JT: Again, Nebraska isn’t Arkansas State or FAMU so this should be interesting. If you haven’t seen Ameer Abdullah play, he’s the real deal and he’s going to cause havoc against Miami. The key for the Canes is to limit the big plays and try and keep their offense off the field as much as they can. The defense has been the best unit for the Canes this season (even if some of you will never admit it) and it’s time to prove that the Canes can play defense against teams with good offenses. The Miami defense vs Abdullah is going to be a game within the game.

DN: Saturday night will tell the tale on Miami’s defense. They looked decent in all three games so far but Nebraska will put their name to the test. I think Nebraska could exploit’s Miami’s zone coverage because so far Miami has proved to stop the run. Miami’s defensive backs have not looked great this year, and I expect Nebraska to attack our secondary. I am not drinking the “kool-aid” sort of speak just yet. If our defense has improved, they will need to stop a premier running back in the country, Ameer Abdullah. I think they will play well, but I think it is the matter of how much time they spend off the field. Offense needs to help with that with converting third downs and sustaining long drives in order for them to be fresh.

SJ: If Miami can play as well as McNeese State, they might have a shot. No, seriously; McNeese State held Abdullah to 54 yards rushing, his lowest output since 2012. This speaks more to the success of Nebraska, though. I expect Abdullah to compile 100-150 yards rushing, his typical game.

JF: I am trying not to be so pessimistic but I don’t like our chances here. The Hurricanes have a huge task at hand. Not only do they have to contain Ameer Abdullah (who averages 6.9 yds/carry) but they also have to contain dual-threat quarterback Tommy Armstrong, who throws AND runs well. He [Armstrong] currently has a 159.3 QB rating (7 TD’s and 1 int) and he averages 9.6 yards when he takes off running. I really don’t think there is a way to stop them except to keep them off the field. McNeese State hung with Nebraska by keeping their offense off the field, Nebraska had the ball 25:08 minutes that game compared to McNeese States’ 34:52.

AF: Miami’s defense has looked good in all three games, even in the opener against Louisville. They shut down the Cards offense for a majority of the game and only cracked in the 4th quarter when the Canes’ offense left them on the field the whole time. The Canes finally have legit defensive tackles and talent all over the field. As long as the time of possession is somewhat even, the Canes’ defense should be able to hold their own against Nebraska.

5. Finally, do the Canes get out of Lincoln with a win or will Al Golden still be searching for a signature win after losing to Nebraska? What’s the final score?

Sep 13, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Al Golden reacts on the sideline during the first half against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

JT: As much as I want to pick Miami to win this game, I just think that there’s still room for improvement in a lot of areas for this Miami team. The offensive line has been really shaky and so has special teams. Who knows, they might figure those problems out and blow out Nebraska on Saturday, but I think the Huskers take a late lead and beat Miami 28-24.

DN: The more and more I think about this game, I get less confident. Al Golden has proven to disappoint in big games in the past years, and I wonder if this time will be any different. We certainly have the talent to match up with Nebraska, it is a matter of execution and great play calling to get the win. I think Golden will still be searching for that signature win, Nebraska wins 24-13 (prove me wrong Al…) Go Canes.

SJ: Miami: 24 Nebraska: 34; The Canes keep it close, but the Huskers pull away late.

JF: I hope I am wrong but I think Golden will still be searching for that signature win. This will only be Kaaya’s 2nd away game and this time it will be in front of 90k plus fans while facing a pretty good Nebraska defensive line. Kaaya could have a good game with the right play-calling, but I also worry about Miami’s defense against Armstrong and Abdullah. The Canes haven’t been good in the time of possession department which I feel is a recipe for disaster, especially for this game. A tired defense against this offense=bad news. Hate to say it and I REALLY hope I am wrong but: Nebraska 41 Miami 14.

AF: This game shouldn’t be a blowout either way. Both teams are pretty evenly matched, but I think the Canes will finally turn the corner and get that big win. Nebraska struggled against McNeese state earlier this year and the Big-Ten has looked weaker than ever. The Big-Ten is 1-10 against other power 5 conference teams and the Canes will make that 1-11. I have the Canes leaving Lincoln with a 34-24 victory.

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