The Miami-Alabama hangover is real.
But so is the rest of the 2021 college football season.
It might take until next Saturday, when the Hurricanes (0-1) host Appalachian State (1-0) for the 2021 home opener at Hard Rock Stadium, for Canes fans to get over the 44-13 drubbing the No. 14 University of Miami suffered in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But if the players don’t get over it pronto, then the season will unravel before you can say “Michigan State” (1-0) for the Sept. 18 home game.
Just minutes after the No. 1 Crimson Tide dynasty swallowed another helpless victim Saturday, a solemn Miami coach Manny Diaz explained to the media that college football is “famous for overreactions after Week 1.”
“That’s not what this team is all about,’’ Diaz insisted. “You just don’t get your story written after one game into the season. We’re just not there yet. The guys in the locker room, if anything, what happened today will bring them even closer together.
“Like I said, we’ve got a stretch of games coming at home. It’s a big deal for us to get in front of our fans. Our fans, I thought, were great tonight to have them out there. D’Eriq King has never played in Hard Rock Stadium with our fans in it. We’ve got to have a great atmosphere next Saturday night. This team’s story is not even close to being written yet, and we’ve got a lot of guys that have a lot of pride to make sure it goes the way they want it to.”
With 11 games left in the regular season, and Miami competing in a Coastal Division known for inconsistency, not to mention lack of elite competition other than No. 3 Clemson (0-1 after loss to No. 5 Georgia), the Hurricanes are still capable of winning out and getting to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. They’re also capable of losing to so-called inferior teams, as has been the case for years now.
After App State and Michigan State, UM faces Central Connecticut State and Virginia at home, and North Carolina for their next road game October 16 in Raleigh. And the UNC Tar Heels, who were supposed to be UM’s most daunting competition in the Coastal, looked bad in their Friday loss to Virginia Tech. Miami meets Virginia Tech on November 20 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Chris Fallica, the popular research producer and sports betting analyst seen every Saturday on ESPN College GameDay, told the Miami Herald in a recent phone conversation that the “importance of the Miami-Alabama game is to not make it too important.’’
Fallica pointed to UM’s 2018 opener against then-No. 24 LSU, also a nationally televised game at an NFL “neutral site” stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the then-No. 8 Canes lost 33-17, and finished 7-6 overall.
“What happened that night really affected Miami the remainder of the season,’’ said Fallica, a 1994 UM graduate. “It exposed some flaws and they spiraled out of control later in the year. I think It’s important for Miami, if things get out of control against Alabama, not to let this game dictate what happens the rest of this year....”
Youngsters show up
As Saturday’s rout became evident, more young Canes got into the game. Slot receiver Xavier Restrepo, a second-year freshman, seems especially promising. After Mike Harley left the game with an unspecified “upper extremity” injury, per ABC, Restrepo amply replaced him with three catches for 55 yards and UM’s lone touchdown, a 29-yard reception in the third quarter.
Also impressing was 6-1, 188-pound second-year freshman wideout Key’Shawn Smith, with four catches for 40 yards.
Restrepo indicated that despite UM trailing 17-0, his teammates didn’t feel like the game was out of reach.
“This team is definitely different,’’ he said. “It’s a new year. We’re just — you know — first game. We’re going to get way better, though. I felt like we could have definitely [come] back. There was no, like, ‘Oh, we lost the game,’ until the last second hit. And that’s the difference of this team.
“Me and some of the guys were talking. Today is, ‘Yeah, we lost.’ [But] if people don’t come to work Tuesday, that’s a problem.’’
Kam Kinchens
After safety Bubba Bolden was ejected for targeting at the end of the first quarter, freshman Kam Kinchens played well. He had seven tackles, tied with cornerbacks Te’Cory Couch and DJ Ivey, and also forced a fumble.
“I felt like this was a big opportunity,’’ Kinchens, a former four-star prospect out of Miami Northwestern, said. “Big game. You can’t ask for better, being your first college game... I knew I could play against Bama and hold my own. I could hold my own against anybody.’’
Kinchens said the older players “didn’t say anything negative” after the game. “Only positive things, like we gave it [our] all. We didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but it’s time to go back to the drawing board. One loss don’t mean you’re out of it.’’
Starting fast
One of UM’s goals was to start fast Saturday. But against Alabama, that was futile. In UM’s three losses in 2020 (Clemson, North Carolina and Oklahoma State), the Canes gave up a combined 49 points in the first quarter and scored only 3. On Saturday, UM trailed 10-0 after the first quarter and 17-3 at halftime, but narrowed the gap with 10 points to Bama’s 14 in the third quarter. The Canes failed to score in the fourth quarter and Bama kicked a field goal.
Bama O-line dominates
Alabama’s elite offensive line dominated the Hurricanes’ offensive line. When UM right tackle DJ Scaife let Bama linebacker Chris Allen blow right past him to pummel quarterback King, he was replaced. Transfer Justice Oluwaseun and Jarrid Williams were substitutes. UM allowed four sacks Saturday.
Canes defensive end Zach McCloud, starting for the first time at that position, said he did “pretty well,’’ but “not good enough, clearly. “I anticipate having...to get better as the weeks go on, and really that’s the most important thing. Not just for me, but the whole D-line.’’
