Van Dyke’s turnover issues proved costly again. I was just happy to be out there and help my team.” Turnover woes get worse “It was great (getting the start),” Fletcher said. The American Heritage alum ran for 115 yards on 23 carries, averaging 5 yards per rush. The staff gave Fletcher his first career start on Saturday, and he rewarded them for that faith. They gave us every chance to win the game.” Mark Fletcher has strong first startĪfter Fletcher scored the game-winning touchdown against Virginia last week, Cristobal said he had complete faith in the freshman running back. Put pressure on the quarterbacks, stopped the run, contained some of their explosive players for the most part. “When you do that, you should walk away with a favorable result. “We limited them to under 50 plays, under 50 snaps,” Cristobal said. Ninety-seven of those yards were on one, back-breaking drive. State to 231 total yards, its second-lowest total of the season against an FBS team. Lost in all the offensive difficulties was the excellent game played by Miami’s defense. “That last dive down there when they stopped us on 4th and 1 and went the length of the field ended up being the difference in the game,” Cristobal said. ![]() The touchdown put the game out of reach for Miami, flipping the game on its head. State scored, UM had less than a 3 percent chance. State needed to go 97 yards to score, the Wolfpack did exactly that.ĮSPN gave the Hurricanes a 44 percent chance to win the game when they reached the 3-yard line. State for nearly the entire game - until the Wolfpack flipped the momentum after the red-zone stop. Momentum is realįollowing Fletcher’s red-zone stop, the crowd in Raleigh got another example of just how important momentum is in college football. The decision to go to Fletcher was an obvious one, and the N.C. The bruising halfback ran hard all game but could not get the needed yard. They turned to freshman running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who made his first career start. And the most crucial red-zone attempt was the final one.ĭown 10-6, the Hurricanes reached the Wolfpack’s 3-yard line. One ended with Van Dyke’s first interception. ![]() One time, Andy Borregales converted a short field goal. State’s 25-yard line three times all night. The Hurricanes did not reach the red zone many times, getting inside N.C. There is certainly an argument that Van Dyke, despite his poor play, still gives Miami its best chance to close out the season strongly, but it is not the most convincing one. But Van Dyke’s propensity for turnovers in the last four games makes the decision much less clear. Throwing Williams, a true freshman, into a hostile road environment in Tallahassee so he can face one of the best teams in the nation may not seem like a winning strategy. With three games left in the season, the Hurricanes staff will need to decide which quarterback gives them the best chance to win, whether that’s Van Dyke, freshman Emory Williams (who started for an injured Van Dyke against Clemson) or sophomore Jacurri Brown, who has not played this year. When asked whether he and his staff had considered a quarterback change during Saturday’s loss, Cristobal did not say yes or no. And other players’ performance also affects the passing game. Van Dyke insists injuries are not affecting his play, though. Injuries could be a factor, as he missed a game after sustaining a leg injury against UNC. It is not entirely clear what is causing Van Dyke’s poor play the last several weeks. ![]() And we haven’t done good enough.” Time to make a choice “It hasn’t been what it’s supposed to be or what it was early on. Coach Mario Cristobal hinted after the game that the staff did have some theories on what has caused the passing game’s regression during ACC play, but he did not say exactly what he thought.
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