Things are looking good for Van Dyke and company after such a performance. Last year when he got hot, he didn’t cool off for the rest of the season, and that’s exactly what Miami’s counting on this year.
WR Colbie Young
The JuCo transfer from Lackawanna College finally heard his number called this past weekend, and he delivered. Young pulled in three catches for 43 yards, but each one brought the crowd to their feet, not least of all his 16-yard touchdown reception. The 6-foot-5 pass catcher looked like a real weapon that could be utilized a lot more in the future.
Young’s frame and athleticism give him a distinct advantage over most defensive backs. His size also makes him an easy target for Van Dyke, especially downfield or in the red zone. After his performance against UNC, it’s likely we’ll see quite a bit more of Young going forward.
LB Keontra Smith
Smith is a player who’s really come on strong recently after a bit of a rocky start. He was a menace to the Tar Heels offense, and his play at the mid-level was a big part of containing Maye’s efforts. Smith finished with four tackles, a sack, and an interception, on which he blanketed North Carolina’s 6-foot-5 pass catcher Bryson Nesbit for the steal.
Linebackers have been a bit of a question mark for the Canes this season, but they looked pretty solid in their last outing. Smith and Corey Flagg Jr. both came up with backfield stops, and they held the Tar Heels to only 161 yards rushing, almost 27 yards below the Tar Heels’ season average entering the matchup.
Miami ended with five sacks and nine tackles for loss on the day, and Smith looks like he could end up being a key piece to this defense as the season progresses.
STOCK DOWN
Miami OL
Miami’s offensive line has been playing well for the majority of the season, fueling a typically strong rushing attack. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case against North Carolina. The Canes only managed 42 yards on the ground, and no scores.
Part of that has to be attributed to the ball carriers, as Jaylan Knighton namely coughed up a key fumble in the game’s final quarter. But the front five looked porous at times, letting up two sacks, five QB hurries and five tackles for loss. The unit suffered some injuries to key starters which seemed to further hinder them.
The Miami line will face another conference challenge this weekend against Virginia Tech, where they’ll need to put up a more formidable front to bring home a win from the Hokies’ home field.
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