The national media response following the 38-17 loss by the Miami football team to Michigan State on Saturday was scathing. Multiple national college football reporters questioned what is wrong with the Hurricanes following their collapse on Saturday. Michigan State scored two touchdowns in the final four minutes.
The last two scores took the game from a one-score game to a blowout. Everyone has an opinion on what is wrong with the Miami football program and what needs to be done to fix it. National media has a pulse on the big picture in college football. When they start asking what’s wrong with Miami it has become a real problem.
Among the issues questioned about Miami were how long Manny Diaz can last as head coach, who and how the Hurricanes should replace him if he gets fired, the state of the team and the defensive performance. The comments on Twitter came from nationally known and respected college football analysts.
After the game, Miami head coach Manny Diaz acknowledged fans and media being disappointed. Miami is 0-3 against the spread this season, an indication of a team not playing up to the potential expected of them. Miami has 11 days to correct its ills before the ACC opener against Virginia on September 30.
"“This was by far our worst performance, and from a defensive standpoint it cost us today,…Everybody has the right to be disappointed by the way the first three games have started.”"
I have a lot of things to say about Miami. This team has looked off from the moment the season began, despite returning D'Eriq King + a bunch of veterans. Lose to Bama, fine. Struggle against App -- flashing alarm bells. Lose like this at home to Michigan St? Inexcusable.
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) September 18, 2021
Adelson is a Miami native who follows the Hurricanes closely. With 19 starters back including King, a lot was expected from the Miami football team in 2021. The ESPN Football Power Index began the season projecting Miami as the favorite in every game this season except Alabama. Now they are favored in five for the remainder of 2021.
This Miami defensive performance against Michigan State is one of the worst tackling displays I’ve seen in my entire life. Incredible.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) September 18, 2021
Miami gave up 454 total yards and had 30 missed tackles on defense. With the Miami offense committing four turnovers, the Hurricanes defense did not force any. Teams will almost never win games with a minus-four turnover margin. Holder is a Miami native and senior writer for The Athletic and formerly with the Herald.
Manny Diaz is a lucky win over Appalachian State away from being 0-3 to start his third season, you know, the one that determines program trajectory.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) September 18, 2021
Crawford covers college football for 247 Sports. The Miami football team was a few fortunate plays against Appalachian State from being 0-3. Criticism from national media who are objective would be far more extensive if Miami started 0-3. The rest of the season will greatly impact program trajectory.
Manny Diaz’s odds of making it through the season are about as good as the cat from last week that was hanging on the upper deck. Will need a similar miracle.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) September 18, 2021
Head coaches are rarely fired during the season. This is the third year of a five-year contract Diaz signed in December 2018 after being elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach. How the rest of the season plays out and how well the team competes will determine the fate of Diaz and Miami.
Say it again — if the Miami Hurricanes & USC Trojans want to matter and truly cut thru in crowded, distracted pro markets — go to the NFL for your coach. Go BIG. Canes missed AGAIN on another college hire.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) September 18, 2021
If Miami wants to go a different direction after the season there are multiple coaches that fit the suggestion by Cowherd. Could the Hurricanes target Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach and Miami legend Ken Dorsey? Dorsey could be one possibility in a sea of NFL Coaches who could be interested in Miami.
Diaz and his staff have nine games remaining to alter the downward trajectory through the third three games of this season. Saturday’s game against Central Connecticut State will not tell us much. After Virginia, the Hurricanes have a bye. Miami needs to be 3-2 entering their October 16 game at North Carolina.