Miami football: offensive line is truly what separates Miami from elite
At the beginning of the season, the Miami football team was deemed as one of 17 teams with a legitimate shot at making the college football playoff. The Hurricanes offensive line was their downfall in starting the season 0-2.
The Miami football team was expected to be improved in 2019 over the 7-6 2018 season. Manny Diaz ascended to head coach to replace Mark Richt. Bringing in Dan Enos has improved the offense as expected. The Hurricanes Achilles heel this season has been the poor play of the offensive line.
Miami is ranked 129th in the country in sacks allowed. Only Akron is worse. Ten of the 18 sacks allowed by the offensive line was in the season-opening 240-20 loss to Florida. The Hurricanes allowed four each in a week two loss to North Carolina and the 17-12 win over Central Michigan.
The Miami offensive line was clean against Bethune-Cookman. Bill Connelly of ESPN who created the college football metric S&P+ evaluated the 17 teams who had a chance to make the college football playoff and the beginning of the season. Connelly re-examined those teams earlier this week.
Miami was listed as one of the teams who was requested to see him after class. Miami football head coach Manny Diaz earlier questioned the level his team competed at against Central Michigan. The Miami offensive line took a step backward against the Chippewas. Connelly highlighted Miami’s positives and negatives.
"Miami (2-2)Current FPI title odds: 0.0% (preseason: less than 0.1%)Preseason Ifs …If … there’s explosive growth at the QB positionIf … the offensive line plays its part this timeIf … the defensive line unearths a new playmaker or twoIf … the punting improvesMiami’s defensive line definitely has the playmakers it needs, and the punting has indeed improved. The Hurricanes have clear potential at the quarterback position, too, where Jarren Williams is completing 73% of his passes.But he’s been responsible for a lot of negative plays, too, and Miami’s rebuilt offensive line has been a train wreck. Miami ranks 128th in sack rate allowed and 127th in stuff rate allowed.Once behind schedule, the Canes are toast. They are 124th in passing-downs success rate. The negative plays have cost them a game they should have won against North Carolina (and nearly cost them a second against lowly Central Michigan).The future appears pretty bright, but the present is scattered and frustrating."
Most that follow Miami will agree with Connelly’s last sentence. With the players, the Miami offense has at the skill positions the Hurricanes have been scattered and frustrating this season. DeeJay Dallas, Williams, Brevin Jordan and K.J. Osborn give Hurricanes fans optimism that the Miami offense can improve this season.
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With the porous of Miami offensive line, it is not surprising that stuff rate and passing down success rate have been so low. When teams know Miami has to pass they can tee off, blitz and get after Williams. Diaz and his offensive staff are going to have to figure out better ways to protect Williams.