Miami vs. Southern Miss: Key Matchups to Watch in Week 2
The Miami Hurricanes and Southern Mississippi got off to contrasting starts to begin their respective seasons. UM dominated Bethune-Cookman while the Golden Eagles lost a quadruple-overtime heartbreaker to Liberty.
Southern Miss, led by running back Frank Gore Jr., features a creative offense that is unlike any other Miami will presumably face this season. The Golden Eagles also present a ferocious pass-rush that is sure to test the Hurricanes' offensive line.
Here are four matchups to watch out for this Saturday.
Tyrique Stevenson vs. Jason Brownlee
While Southern Miss has a questionable passing attack, its top wideout, Jason Brownlee, should not be taken lightly.
The senior receiver caught one pass for 35 yards in the Golden Eagles' season opener, using his 6-foot-3 frame to pull down a contested catch over multiple Liberty defenders. Brownlee was Southern Miss' leading pass-catcher in 2021, receiving 46 passes for 643 yards and eight touchdowns.
Stevenson, who mostly defended Bethune-Cookman's top receiver last season, will likely be the defender tasked with matching up against Brownlee.
Miami's offensive line vs. Southern Miss' pass rush
The Hurricanes' offensive line did a fantastic job protecting its quarterbacks in Week 1, allowing one hurry and no sacks to the Wildcats.
This week, the unit will encounter a more challenging opponent, as the Golden Eagles excel at rushing the passer, with linebackers such as Santrell Latham, Averie Habas and Josh Carr Jr. leading the charge.
According to Miami offensive lineman Jalen Rivers, the Hurricanes have been preparing for this aggressive play style from Southern Miss.
“They’re gonna blitz a lot, so we gotta be able to pick those up," Rivers told reporters on Wednesday. "We gotta be able to be disciplined and make sure we communicate as well because without communication we will probably kill our running backs and our quarterback … I feel like that’s the biggest thing going into this game.”
Miami's defense vs. Southern Miss' "Super Back" Offense
For a second half and four overtimes last weekend, the Golden Eagles ran a wildcat offense that has been coined as the "Super Back" system.
Gore, along with other running backs in relief of him, took direct snaps and either ran the ball or passed the ball as Southern Miss was able to find an offensive rhythm with starting quarterback Ty Keyes knocked out of the game.
Even with Keyes returning to the lineup, these creative wildcat packages, which are often complimented with a spread-style formation, will be used for the remainder of the season, according to Southern Miss head coach Will Hall.
"You should expect it some throughout the rest of the year," Hall said to Hattiesburg American on Tuesday. "It's just who we are with young quarterbacks, developing them. [It] takes some pressure off them and gives other teams something to prepare for."
Miami's outside receivers vs. Southern Miss' defensive backs
Fitting the mold of an aggressive defense, the Golden Eagles play a lot of man coverage, with their outside cornerbacks often in press coverage.
Miami's wide receivers, who faced criticism throughout fall camp before improving towards the end of it, will have to create adequate separation against their opponent's pesky defensive backs. This position group is led by seniors Natrone Brooks and Eric Scott Jr.
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