No. 4 Miami Has Unlocked A Key Door Giving More Freedom on Defense
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes spent the first two weeks of the season struggling to find turnovers and create plays to make them.
Over the past two weekends, the Hurricanes have flipped the turnover margin, starting with Ethan O'Connor's interception against Wake Forest.
After the Hurricanes forced three turnovers against Central Michigan, kicking the turnover door down, allowing the Canes to play freely, and shaking off the monkey on their back.
"Yeah unfortunately we had a touchdown called back which would have been a great play," Head coach Mario Cristobal said after the Central Michigan win. "It was a great sack and scoop and score and Damon took off. We swarm to the ball and some times the missed tackles are due to the fact that we really sell out and run to the football.
"If you leverage the ball correctly and know where your help is, some times you are going to have some of those, but I felt like we swarmed better and tackled better. Overall I feel like that was a part of our game that we improved."
Moreover, there has been an emphasis on the Hurricanes' defense to get this done, knowing that, as a key part of a championship-level team, they cannot have a glaring weakness like this.
"I say just putting more emphasis into going to attack the ball," Defensive lineman Justin Scott said. "Knowing that winning turnover ratio is kind of the key to winning the game. So, kind of just trying to win a turnover battle every week in week out."
Now with four turnovers on the season, the Hurricanes will take the No. 2 defense in the country on the road to face off against the Clemson Tigers in Death Valley.
A window of opportunity is also there to force more turnovers thanks to how happy Tigers freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds can be with the ball.
Moreover, with more healthy pieces returning to the lineup on the road next week, the Hurricanes will have a better chance of forcing the ball out, making sure the home team suffers for its mistakes.
Miami's turnover margin will be key to its future and to getting better as the year goes on. Making an early statement with the three against Central Michigan was just a footnote for the rest of the season.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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