North Florida Sports Network Podcast

Instant Reaction: Miami Survives A 10-3 Playoff Rock Fight

Austin Fletcher Season 4 Episode 414

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0:00 | 16:35
SPEAKER_03

Well we got a Miami contributor and we got Miami with a playoff win over AM. And they're moving on.

SPEAKER_04

You know what else we got?

SPEAKER_03

What's that?

SPEAKER_04

We got some games up in here.

Rewinding A 10-3 Thriller

Keys To Miami’s Win

SPEAKER_03

So we're gonna talk about it as the playoffs begun. Last night we had a game, and we're really gonna talk about today's game. But Alabama did beat Oklahoma. And today it was zero to zero and a half. But it was a hard-fought game. We had win, blocked kicks, missed field goals. Defense was human on both sides. Whoever got that first touchdown would be the victor, and it was Miami late in the game. The nice call. A little double pass to their guy who had just fumbled previously. So it's good to see him fear Miami fans get in the end zone. And then the defense stood up and did not let AM in. Let him get all the way down there. A lot of drama in the end. For a game that was 10-3. There was it wasn't as boring as the score would indicate. I got Miami contributor Justin here to react to it. I'm sure he's gonna tell you it's a a legendary playoff game that that will be remembered in the annals of time. No, but seriously, what's your first what's your first reaction just to that game? It was the most exciting 10-3 game. Hold on, you're breaking up. How are you breaking up?

SPEAKER_04

Okay, can you hear me?

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_04

Can you hear me now?

SPEAKER_03

Yes. Let's do it again. Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_04

So yeah, the most exciting 10-3 football game you'll probably ever see. I mean, like, my blood pressure is still through the roof right now.

SPEAKER_03

Hey, that the end the end of the game, I mean, it was it was dramatic. I mean, both teams had their shot. I mean, it just seemed AM went right down the field. They couldn't do anything, but then when they had to, they went right down the field, but Miami stood up, did not let them in. Big win for the Hurricanes.

SPEAKER_04

It was about to be the most crystal ball crystal ball of all crystal balls.

SPEAKER_03

Well, you're I was watching it with you and we talked about it. AM scored what you go for two if you're AM, right?

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely. Absolutely you go for two because Miami was the better team.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And so you try to steal it and get out of there. But Miami stood up for the defense. Typically But the defense, man, that that's what won it. That's what won it. It was it was all D. Miami shut down AM all game.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, AM couldn't move the ball to save their goddamn lives. No. It was all Marcel Reed's framework.

SPEAKER_03

Marcel Reed was quick footed though, and he was seeing ghosts, and they were in his head. He had two picks, 25 of 39, did have 237, but the two picks, one at the end, uh Marcel Reed had 15 carries, 27 yards, but they weren't able to establish a running game. Miami, however, did have one guy and was uh Mark Fletcher Jr., 17 carries, 172 yards, and that's about it. That's it. And I'm on both on both sides of the ball. Nobody else did anything except for him.

SPEAKER_04

And dude, you were here, and you were here with me. The whole second half, I was just screaming, give it to Fletcher, give it to Fletcher, give it to Fletcher. And on that, on that on the one touchdown drive of the game is when they featured Mark Fletcher. Yeah. And Fletcher popped that big run. And granted, as Malachi Tony was coming on the speed sweep, I was yelling, terrible call, terrible call, terrible call. Great call, great call, touchdown!

SPEAKER_03

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_04

I I I actually wanted to feed Fletcher. I just wanted to feed Fletcher.

SPEAKER_03

I did too, but I I liked the call because it was giving Tony the ball without risking Carson Beck screwing it up. You know, so it was kind of like because they were expecting what you wanted, right? So that's why it worked. That's why it worked. And you gave your guy who had just previously fumbled and almost cost us the game. Well, when you have a guy like Tony who's a heart, his heart's on his sleeve, he's all in it. When he does something like that, it's gonna it's gonna eat at him. And to see, and to see him, so you want to give him a chance to erase it.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, and when you saw on the sidelines, dude, when you saw on the sidelines right after he uh that fumble, yeah, um, he went over, he went over to the bench and spoke. Yeah, but everybody because that's Fletcher. Fletcher went over there, everybody went over there and pumped him up. They're like, dude, whatever. You're a badass. Yeah, don't worry about it. We got you, we're gonna pick you up.

Sideline Leadership And Resilience

SPEAKER_03

By the way, just strip it. I mean, you gotta you gotta tip your cat sometimes. Oh, it really was. The defenses for both teams were electric. I mean, they it was it normally it's kind of boring, but man, AM, you can't throw the ball against him. You can't get to third down against them. They are uh historical Oh, if you get to third down, you're fucked. Yeah, and Miami's defense just was after it all all game, and they shut down the run and they made the quarterback have to beat him, and he couldn't do it.

SPEAKER_04

What what were the final sack numbers? Because I think Ruben Bain had one and a half, Mesador had one and a half, I know Keontae Scott had two.

SPEAKER_03

Well, on the defense, you had Keontae Scott had ten tackles. He had two sacks.

SPEAKER_04

Ten tackles, two sacks. They add safety. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

But Ruben Bain had three sacks, my friend. Three. Yeah, and Mesador had one and a half. I mean, yeah, Mesidore had him one and a half. So I mean that they just that defense, that's why I was that's why I said if Miami gets in, they have a shot because they have NFL talent all over that roster. Especially on the defense. That defensive line is insane.

Defensive Line Dominance By The Numbers

SPEAKER_04

And Keonta Scott's gonna be a star.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

He's a freshman. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Well, then he's gonna be a star. Yep, and then uh they had the one fumble. Carson Beck didn't do much, but you know, he didn't screw it up. You know, uh 14 to 20, 103 yards, did have a touchdown. I guess they counted that a touchdown.

SPEAKER_04

He did what the game plan called for. He did what the game plan called for, dude, because the game plan was apparently because Alex Marcel Reed can run the ball.

SPEAKER_03

And a lot of those yards were right at the end, you know, to get him down there.

SPEAKER_04

It was all on that final drive. Right. They weren't able to establish and then that one long drive they had. No, no, they could not run the ball. They could not run the ball.

SPEAKER_03

They did, Mario Car Kraver did have seven catches for 92 yards, but that's about it for them. Uh Miami in the past game. Uh not much to really write home about. Um, but uh Tony did have five catches, 22 yards. But um, that's it. I thought they could have went to CJ Daniels a little more. I thought uh they you could have used the one-on-ones a little more early in the game.

SPEAKER_04

That's what we kept talking about while we were watching it. It was CJ Daniels.

SPEAKER_03

That people are gonna razor focus on Tony. And you know you're gonna get one-on-one. You're gonna get one-on-ones with CJ Daniels, and he's your big play guy. Why not go go for it?

Drive Chart Proves A Defensive War

SPEAKER_04

Dude, and the the time they did it, the way uh the way we should have ran the entire offense the second half was that opening drive of the second half. Where we threw the ball to Daniels on the outside, we threw the ball to Marion on the outside, and then we popped him up the middle with Fletcher. You do you mix that up in your play calling when the defense is gonna be focused on Tony? I mean, that's an unstoppable i i if you call the game right and Carson Beck doesn't shit the bed with interceptions, dude. This Miami team can beat anybody in the country. There's no doubt in my mind about that.

SPEAKER_03

Well, I I'm not denying that, but just look at this. He's got a punt, punt, fumble, punt, punt, punt, kick off, punt, punt, miss field goal, turnover on downs, miss field goal. Finally, in the fourth quarter now, it's still 0-0. A field goal was made on a nine-place 72-yard drive by Miami to finally get points. Then an interception by AM, miss field goal, another miss field goal by Miami, another punt by AM, another punt by Miami, field goal by AM, fumble, punt, and then a touchdown, interception ball game.

SPEAKER_04

Defenses.

SPEAKER_03

Mostly it was uh yeah, it was. And then at the end, all that defense, you could feel the pressure, it mounted up, and there was actually a little bit of action at the end. And it was a good game. It's probably the best game you're gonna have in the first round.

SPEAKER_04

And and and now granted, this is coming from a very biased game standpoint of view.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

But that's the most I haven't had that much fun watching a football game in a long time.

SPEAKER_03

Well, the de when you're when you have a defense.

SPEAKER_04

Well, and by a long time, maybe I mean Thursday night with the Ram Seahawks game, because that game was amazing.

Canes’ Ceiling And Offensive Tweaks

SPEAKER_03

That was amazing. God. So, I mean, so in three days, dude, it's the best game I've seen in three days. Great game, great game that was. Uh, we got NFL later. But the Canes move on, man. The Canes move on. They're gonna be playing Ohio State now. How do you feel about that matchup?

SPEAKER_04

I am beyond jacked up for this game.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I know. This is a personal vendetta.

SPEAKER_04

I am so fired up for this game, dude. Oh, dude, dude. It's a vendetta that it's a blood feud that will never end.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I get it. I get it. And and we can beat them. Yeah, this is yeah. I mean, they're the favorite national, defending national champs. They did lose their last game, but still only number two.

SPEAKER_04

They've never really been challenged.

SPEAKER_03

They've never seen a defense like this. I think you're fair it's that's fair to see to see. I think this is gonna be a slug. I mean, Julian I think you're gonna have Julian Faye and it's gonna be another game like we just saw. That's what's gonna be.

SPEAKER_04

It's gonna be another great game.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it's gonna be another slug fest. I'm I'm betting the under.

SPEAKER_04

Well, yeah, obviously after today you would bet the other.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, but it was like 48 to start. Come on.

SPEAKER_04

And it finished at 13.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

I mean, that's insane. I don't think that's been that's an insane. So, but I I see I foresee another because Ohio State, the strength of that team, they do have Jeremiah Smith and all that, but they're their defense. Their defense, Miami. Their defense you do saw it's Miami.

SPEAKER_04

It's a 17-13 game.

SPEAKER_03

Yep. This is gonna be first one to double digits wins.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, it's it's 17 to 13.

SPEAKER_03

First one that scores twice.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, no, no, that's legit what it's gonna be, and it's gonna be intense. It's gonna be hard hitting. It's gonna be another fucking awesome game.

SPEAKER_03

Yep. Well, uh, that will be a fun matchup. We also have Alabama, Indiana. That's gonna be in the Rose Bowl, and then you have your two freaking Hail Mary games.

SPEAKER_04

Indiana better win that game. Indiana better beat Alabama. I'm gonna be so pissed. I know. I know, yeah. God, I know. But Alabama can't run the ball.

SPEAKER_00

All right, we're here. We gotta We gotta get on out of here.

SPEAKER_03

But before we go, yeah, Alabama can't run the ball. Indiana should be able to beat him. But you never know, you know, and it's a one game off. Oklahoma.

SPEAKER_04

At 17 to nothing last night. At 17 to nothing last night, I didn't think there was any chance that Alabama was gonna be, we would be talking about it. I know. Dude, the the plumber, the plumber snapshot. That should have been the cheese.

SPEAKER_03

That should have been the cheeset ball. Nah, the Pop Tart bowl. Notre Dame's should have been in this tournament. Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, I know I hate Notre Dame, but I know you do too, but if you try to look at like eyeball tests, is what the committee is supposed to do, and you can always just say, you know what? They're better. Fuck this.

SPEAKER_04

Whatever. Yeah, you you can't you can't you can't look at Tulane or James Madison and think they're better than freaking.

SPEAKER_03

No, but I I I would say you couldn't look at Oklahoma and say that they're better than Notre Dame. And because contractually, contractually, you already James Madison and Tulane already had it because they because the ACC is an idiot. Well, they had already sealed that. But the where they blew it is by getting Alabama and Oklahoma in. One of those two. Exactly. Exactly. And that's what they did. They showed you that two years ago. They showed you that now. They're gonna show you that time and time again.

SPEAKER_04

They didn't today when on the final AM drive with that super terrible freaking uh rump in the passer penalty.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

Betting The Under And Matchup Outlook

SPEAKER_04

That's that springboarded AM's drive. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Well, I mean, just the there's no way. But I would pay that. I would yell at it, dude. I was like, dude, the AM rep. I hate Notre Dame. I hate Notre Dame.

SPEAKER_04

There's no, like they're one of the 12-bed teams.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, there's no way they shouldn't have been in this tournament. There's no way Florida State shouldn't have been in the tournament two years ago. Like, come on, man.

SPEAKER_04

Like, they Notre Dame could beat anybody in the playoffs right now.

SPEAKER_03

That's true. That's true. I'm Miami's glad they're not in. Uh, but they'll be playing Ohio State. We got uh we got NFL games to watch, we got a big, big game to watch, and we got a big football Monday to come at you with a bunch of reactions. So we'll talk to you then. Right here on the North Florida Sports Network.

SPEAKER_00

You gotta give us your shot, you know what? You fucked!