Miami at Florida State: Three Canes That Must Come Up Big
Article photo of Miami linebacker Francisco Mauigoa; credit to AllHurricanes.
Which Miami Hurricanes need to play their absolute best to help beat the Florida State Seminoles? There could be several players one can choose.
The following three deserve the most attention, in my opinion, because of the positions they play and how they will be directly involved with big plays.
The following players are not a part of the list, however.
Because it’s so obvious, no need to discuss Tyler Van Dyke and the quarterback position. If Van Dyke – Or Emory Williams and/or Jacurri Brown – does not play well, the Canes have next to no chance to win in Tallahassee. It’s almost like cheating to even bring up Miami’s ongoing quarterback drama.
So, the following three players are the ones to watch besides the man behind the center.
Francisco Mauigoa, Middle Linebacker
Is Francisco Mauigoa playing like an All-ACC player? You can be the judge by going off the following statistics.
Mauigoa is doing work during each contest and has 45 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss (14th nationally), 4.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries, 2 forced fumbles, 1 pass breakup, and 1 interception.
Most notable about Mauigoa would be that he makes plays at or behind the line of scrimmage; he’s a true impact player. Mauigoa has also played even better as the season progresses. Mauigoa has 1.5 tackles for loss, or more, during each of the prior five games for the Hurricanes.
He's going up an FSU rushing offense that averages 164.4 yards per game (57th). If Miami keeps Florida State below that total, there's a good chance to keep the Noles below their 39.6 scoring average (9th)
If the Canes are to defeat the Seminoles, Mauigoa needs to be a tackling machine. The objective is to keep the Noles in second down and third down and long. Mauigoa is certainly capable of helping Miami do just that.
Mark Fletcher, Jr., Running Back
With only 133 rushing yards through the first seven Miami games (did not play in three of them), Fletcher’s status is now rising seemingly each week. That's great news with the road trip to Tallahassee up next.
The valiant effort versus Virginia, including the overtime walk-off touchdown run, might be the beginning of something special, in fact. Against North Carolina State, 23 carries and 115 yards, versus one of the nation’s best rushing defenses. Fletcher is actually gaining yards and respect, as the article below shows.
Mark Fletcher, Jr. Earns ACC Honors
At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Fletcher is displaying that he's capable of powering through tackle attempts. Defenders are also finding out that Fletcher’s jump cut is legit, among other one-on-one moves. One might even say that Fletcher's best ability is to move the pile forward, something that will certainly be necessary versus Florida State’s veteran Front 7.
Speaking of FSU, Fletcher needs to provide a couple of big runs for the Canes to win. They do not need to be 50-plus yard gains, but big plays during big moments would be ideal. FSU allows 140.2 yards rushing per contest (59th). Fletcher has a chance to make a major impact.
James Williams, Safety
With the uncertainty of cornerback Daryl Porter, Jr’s injury situation, James Williams comes to the forefront even more. Miami’s pass defense is quite frankly the area opposing teams are going after. The Canes allow 222.2 yards through the air (54th), while just 89.2 yards on the ground (9th).
The Seminoles are certainly going through several injuries of their own, including a total of five wide receivers sitting out of the Pittsburgh game. Yes, five.
Much of that likely stems from FSU head coach Mike Norvell knowing that the Noles need their playmakers far more for the Miami game than last Saturday’s Pittsburgh contest, however.
Due to that point, look for some big-time one-on-one matchups between Williams and two big-play FSU receivers, Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman. Both players are likely to be selected in next April's NFL Draft.
Williams and Miami need to win the majority of those 50-50 ball situations, and quite frankly, Williams has the size, length, talent, and desire to make it happen. That will be must-watch television. Williams will likely also need to make some big plays in the screen game, and help out in the box against the run.
Miami needs all three of Mauigoa, Fletcher, Jr., and Williams to come up big versus Florida State.
Engage with AllHurricanes
Like AllHurricanes on Facebook
Interact with AllHurricanes on Twitter
Recruiting Pages To Bookmark
2024 Miami Commitments and Evaluations
Fan Nation High school football recruiting analyst covering the state of Florida, as well as across the Southeastern United States and the state of Texas.