Three Areas For Miami to Improve on Offense
Take away the Bethune-Cookman game from Miami’s schedule. In three games, Miami is averaging an extremely unimpressive 23.3 points per game. The offense under offensive coordinator Josh Gattis has been bland and has yet to show any real potential for being a strong unit for the Hurricanes. Here are some areas for the Canes offense to improve and how they can achieve more success.
Downfield Passing Attack
The struggles in this area truly fall on three primary groups: the quarterback, the receivers and the offensive coordinator. Tyler Van Dyke has completed four of his 11 attempts on deep attempts (20+ yards). Last season, Van Dyke attempted a deep pass on just under 20% of his attempts. This year, he’s attempting a deep ball on less than 10% of his passes.
While Van Dyke has shown an inability to push the ball downfield, there are two other factors restricting him in this offense. The receivers are struggling to create separation while his reads typically are on the short and intermediate level, which falls on the offensive staff. Not many plays have seemingly got the Canes’ best playmakers in space and racing down the field.
The receivers not creating separation is somewhat of a real issue in the offense. It’s hard to connect on deep plays if the receivers aren’t getting open. The receivers have to be better off the ball and improve on route running. If they can’t create separation, the quarterback, whoever it may be, is going to be forced to put the ball in difficult places that could end up as a turnover.
The play calling needs to better utilize the current talent. The plays have gotten predictable and defenses are picking up on what Miami wants to do seemingly before Miami knows what it wants to do. Miami needs to get its speed guys on the outside and at the bare minimum, test the deep attack from time to time. Not going deep has kept defenses more in the box, making good stops in the run game and shrinking the field in the passing game.
Blocking on Interior Run Plays and Overall Pass Protection
Miami is having a good amount of success running outside the tackles and tight ends. Between the tackles, however, tells a different story. Miami needs to improve on its interior blocking and if it can’t improve there, then the emphasis on the run game should be on the outside. The run game has been a strong suit for Miami but it also dwindled in consistency over the last two weeks.
Miami’s pass protection has not been at a premium this year and it has been having a major impact on the passing game. While a combination of receivers not getting open and a quarterback that’s struggling with making quick, consistent reads, it puts more pressure on the line to hold blocks.
But Miami was struggling in pass protection to Group of Five opponents in Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee State. Between the two, Miami allowed eight sacks and 15 tackles for loss.
If Miami was struggling in pass protection against Group of Five opponents, how will they fare against their ACC conference defensive lines? It could end up as a negative for the Canes, but not if they show growth and maintain consistency in the passing game.
Play Calling and Scheme
Playcalling was touched on earlier, but it’s a glaring issue in the Canes’ offense. Miami has shown an inability to create chunk plays and be a consistent, up-tempo offense. Instead, it's become a predictable, inconsistent affair seemingly on almost every drive.
In the offense they’ve shown so far, there’s not a lot of comfortability with it. Van Dyke looks hesitant, the offensive line struggles to pick up stunts at times, the receivers aren’t getting open.
In defense of Gattis, it is up to the players to execute the plays handed to them and they haven’t done a great job of doing so and that falls on everyone. But if some players aren’t getting it done, it’s time to start rotating in the young talent that Miami has accumulated over the past offseason.
It’s conference time now for Miami. There can’t be any more confusion on offense and there has to be a standard set, or else it could be a long season for the Miami offense.
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