One of the more negative storylines surrounding Miami's otherwise fantastic season has been the play of running back Damien Martinez. He simply didn't look like himself through the first half of the year, but that's starting to change.
In the past two games against Louisville and Florida State, Martinez carried the ball 27 times for 237 yards and three touchdowns. That's nearly nine yards a carry, with over a touchdown a game.
Miami's number two running back, Mark Fletcher Jr., has carried the ball 28 times for 144 yards and a touchdown in that same time span. That's over five yards per carry. Against Duke, the tandem of Martinez and Fletcher has a chance to take off.
The Blue Devils defense has been solid against the pass, allowing just 166 yards per game and seven TDs in eight games. The defense has been vulnerable to the run, however, allowing over 160 yards per game and a touchdown per game on the ground.
Fletcher as the starter and Martinez as the finisher is the move
— Daniel Gould (@dgould151) October 27, 2024
This doesn't mean Duke will be able to shut down Miami's passing game, forcing the Hurricanes to go on the ground. Cam Ward has proven he can take on any defense and succeed. However, it does mean that Shannon Dawson can gameplan better around his two running backs, involving them more to help Miami move the ball down the field.
It could be a similar game plan to the one that Miami went with against the Seminoles. Cam Ward wasn't the main attraction in that game like he has been in every other game. He only recorded 208 passing yards with no passing touchdowns, though he did haul one in as a receiver on a trick play.
The game against FSU instead heavily featured Martinez and Fletcher Jr., who combined for 30 carries, 219 yards, and three touchdowns on the ground. Martinez also recorded a 21-yard reception in that game.
Duke is 6-2 and they've had Miami's number in recent years. They handily won their last matchup in 2022, 45-21, and have beaten the Hurricanes in three of the last five games these two teams have played.
Perhaps the key to flipping the script and pushing the matchup back in Miami's favor is to ride their top two running backs, both of whom appear to be at their best.