Miami football 2019 season opener doesn’t look good after bowls

Florida hired Mississippi State Head Coach Dan Mullen to return to Gainesville. Mullen was the Offensive Coordinator for Florida under Urban Meyer before leaving for Starkville. Former Miami Defensive Coordinator Manny Diaz held the same position under Mullen with the Bulldogs in 2010 and 2015.

Diaz’s replacements Ephraim Banda and Jonathan Patke were both on Mullen’s staff as defensive assistants under Diaz in 2015. Patke was a Graduate Assistant in Starkville.

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Mullen came to Florida and completely turned around the Gators offense. Florida averaged 22.1 points per game in 2017. That was 109th nationally. The Gators improved that to 34.5 this season which was 31st in the country. Florida’s defense also improved from allowing 27.3 PPG in 2017 to 20.4 in 2018.

The victory over Michigan in the Peach Bowl was Florida’s first time in a major bowl game since losing to Louisville and former Miami commit Teddy Bridgewater in the Sugar Bowl following the 2012 season. It was the Gators first major bowl victory since they defeated Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl following the 2009 season.

The Gators victory closed an impressive end to the 2018 season. Florida finished the 2018 season with four straight victories. The Gators average margin of victory in those games was 45-17.5. Miami is going to need drastic upgrades offensively to be able to keep pace with Florida in Orlando at Camping World Stadium, August 31 to open the season.