Keys to a Miami Hurricanes Victory at Virginia Tech
The Miami Hurricanes, who many thought might not lose three games all season, have now lost three straight and are under .500 at 2-3, but hope is on the horizon.
In their most recent loss to North Carolina, the Hurricanes looked sturdier than usual. Even though they ended up on the losing end of that one, it could be argued that it was their most reassuring offensive performance of the year, led by quarterback Tyler Van Dyke's 496 yards and three touchdowns.
Now, the Canes hit the road to take on Virginia Tech in another ACC showdown, and there's a lot at stake here. Miami could level its record, get their first conference win, and get their first road win, all at the same time. But a loss would send them to 2-4, putting them way back from where everyone thought they'd be. This may not have been a key game for the Canes to start the year, but it certainly is now.
Here's what the Hurricanes have to do to bring home the win.
Convert in the Red Zone
Miami's offense has been the subject of a considerable amount of scrutiny this year, and for good reason most of the time, but it's not like they've been completely inept moving the ball. They just can't seem to turn those yards into points. Time and again, the Canes have come up short in the red zone, settling for field goals or worse. They simply can't afford to have 70 and 80-yard drives end in three points or fewer.
Against both Texas A&M and North Carolina, the Hurricanes had multiple trips to the red zone that didn't yield anything more than a kick. If they converted on even some of those missed opportunities, Miami could be a 4-1 football team and the season would have a dramatically different tone.
Protect QB Tyler Van Dyke
After his nearly 500-yard outing against North Carolina, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is looking like his old self again. There's still some ground to make up, but for the most part, Miami has its man under center. Now, the Canes have got to focus on giving him what he needs to succeed: Time.
No, not more time to develop, but more time in the pocket on each play. The Tar Heels sacked him twice and added five more QB pressures last weekend. Van Dyke held his own though, and threw well even under the pressure. Still, those hits and hurries add up, both mentally and physically.
Beyond the actual sacks, the size of the pocket needs to improve. Multiple passes were tipped or altered at the line last Saturday due to the collapsing pocket, including the final pass that ended as an interception, and that can't happen going forward.
Keep a Lid on Big Plays
The Hurricanes' defense has played well for a large majority of their time on the field. The only problem is that when they get beaten, they get beaten badly.
It seems like the Canes' defense gets torched for a 50+ yard play every weekend, sometimes a few of them. Outside of those plays, they've done a generally solid job stopping opposing offenses, save for Middle Tennessee State. But all of those third-down stops and turnovers don't amount to much if they're letting up 75-yard scores in the "down moments".
Sure, some of this has to do with getting more comfortable in DC Kevin Steele's scheme. But missed tackles have played a larger role in Miami's "big play" woes than anything else, especially amongst linebackers and secondary. The Hurricanes looked better against the Tar Heels in this regard, but there's still a lot of work to be done for the Canes' defense to reach its full potential.
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