Miami Hurricanes Run Diversification

The Miami Hurricane offense has obtained great balance the past two weeks and found its running game during the most pivotal stretch of the year.

The Canes averaged 6.18 yards per rush versus Virginia Tech, 5.64 yards per rush versus Notre Dame. That is very good when you consider coming into the contest that the Miami Hurricanes were second in the ACC averaging close to 300 yards a game passing.

So what happened? When you consider that the Miami Hurricanes ran 29 times vs five passes in the second half vs Notre Dame last Saturday night, Mark Richt happened. It is like coach Richt flipped over the playbook and said, “Hey how did that get there?” The implementation has been surgical and fun.

Early on in the season the running game, in particular, seemed to have as many wrinkles as a newborn baby’s bottom. Face value saw similar shotgun style zone plays, buck sweeps, and the run-pass option (RPO). Pre-snap motion was nonexistent as Miami lined up statuesque like David.

This season the University of North Carolina limited the Miami Hurricanes to a season-low 1.84 yards per rush on 32 carries. UNC seemed to beat Miami to the punch all day long as if they were stealing plays. Ultimately, however, Miami’s lack of imagination in the run game was criticized and in part compounded the run game ineffectiveness.