Keys to a Miami Hurricane Victory vs. Clemson Tigers
The Miami Hurricanes have limped through this season to a 5-5 record, and now, they'll take on their toughest competition of the year. The Canes will travel to Clemson to take on the No. 9 Tigers in their final road game of 2022. Miami will start freshman Jacurri Brown at quarterback again after he threw three touchdowns in his first-ever college start.
Brown will lead a Hurricanes offense that's looked anemic at times this year, but he and the Canes put up 35 points against the Yellow Jackets last week, so things may be turning a bit. Clemson comes in as a 19-point favorite, but this one may not be the blowout everyone is predicting.
Here are the keys to a Miami Hurricanes win over Clemson.
KEY #1: Focus On The Task At Hand
It's easy for teams to start thinking about their bowl game or next season. For Miami, a bowl will be a stretch, but there are plenty of Hurricanes eyeing the 2023 schedule already. If the Canes are going to have a chance in this one, they need to focus on Clemson, and Clemson alone. The Tigers will be hard enough to beat with Miami's best effort, but if key Canes are unfocused, this one's already over.
Luckily, this plays both ways. With Clemson looking at a top-ten finish and prime-time bowl berth, the Tigers could easily look past Miami. That might just give head coach Mario Cristobal and this team the window they need to steal a win from Clemson on the road.
KEY #2: Win The Turnover Battle
Mistakes are going to be killers in this one, especially for Miami. The Hurricanes have struggled with turnovers and penalties lately, but the former will be the real determining factor to their success. If the Canes can keep hold of the ball, that should at least prevent them from beating themselves.
If they can force a couple of Tiger turnovers, though, they might actually put themselves in a position to win this game. Miami's defense has shown flashes of brilliance, especially last week's three-interception performance from safety Kam Kinchens, who leads the country in picks. Coming out on the winning side of the turnover battle will be crucial to the Canes' gameplan.
KEY #3: Don't Ask Too Much of Jacurri Brown
Jacurri Brown's first college start went about as well as he could have hoped. He threw three touchdowns, no picks, and was effective as a runner. The future certainly looks bright for Brown, even if he isn't the incumbent starter for 2023. However, it cannot be stressed enough how inexperienced he is.
The freshman field general is just that, a freshman. There's no denying his talent level and that he can impact a game. But asking him to carry an offense (a la Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills) just isn't in the cards right now. If the Canes put too much pressure on him, it may force some bad plays, which the Canes can't afford. Miami needs to make Brown comfortable and try to win this game in all facets, not just pray for an offensive miracle.
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