Colbie Young biggest bright spot in Miami football loss to Duke

Wide receiver Colbie Young was the biggest bright spot for the Miami football team with six receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns in its 45-21 loss to Duke on Saturday. Young went over 100 yards for the second straight game after not recording a reception until the fourth quarter versus North Carolina two weeks ago.

In a span of nine quarters, Young went from no receptions to the go-to receiver for the Miami football team. Young is fourth on Miami with 18 receptions, second with 280 receiving yards and leads the Hurricanes with four TDs, double more than anyone else on the team. In a season turning dark, Young has been a bright light.

Young has excellent hands and at 6’5 215 pounds provides the Miami quarterbacks with a big target. The ascension from Young began when he had three receptions for 43 yards and a TD, all in the fourth quarter in the 27-24 Miami loss to North Carolina. Young had nine for 101 and a TD in the 20-14 win last week at Virginia Tech.

Young could have had bigger numbers versus Duke if quarterback Jake Garcia and the Miami offense didn’t self-destruct after scoring TDs in the first two minutes of the second half to regain the lead. After his 71-yard TD 51 seconds into the second half, Young did not record a reception in the remainder of the game.

Young and the Miami passing game will be challenged over the final five weeks of the season.

Miami plays four of the top six passes defenses in the ACC

in its final five games. Clemson who is 12th in the ACC in pass defense is the sole team not ranked in the top six in pass defense remaining on Miami’s 2022 schedule.

Duke is 13th and North Carolina 14th and last in the ACC in pass defense. Those are the last two losses for Miami. Young should continue to ascend and be a player to watch over the final five games of the 2022 Miami football season. Garcia could be the starting QB going forward after Tyler Van Dyke left Saturday with an injury.