Big matchup tonight. Miami takes on Maryland at 5 PM PST on ESPN. Should be an exciting game. Use this thread to discuss all of the action. Let's see what people are saying about this game. Testudo Times, SBNation's Maryland site, had this to say:
Miami Offense vs. Maryland Defense: I believe we're all acquainted reasonably well with Stephen Morris, Miami's de facto starting QB sinceJacory Harris, who may or may not have started, was sidelined by the NCAA suspensions. Morris, after all, made his first career start against Maryland last year, making a last-minute TD throw to give the Canes a win. He was good, going 18/30 for 286 yards and a touchdown. In truth, I wouldn't have minded seeing the mistake-prone Harris out there instead, but it wasn't to be.
In truth, Miami's offense wasn't hit nearly as hard as their defense. Suspending Harris is saving Miami from themselves to begin with, and the other losses - reserve TE Dyron Dye and starting WR Travis Benjamin - are hardly crippling. Benjamin is electric, true enough, and was Morris' favorite target against Maryland last time, accounting for about half of Miami's passing yardage. But Dye wasn't expected to see the field, and that was all the NCAA saw fit to suspend. Seantrel Henderson, it should be mentioned, will also be out - he was suspended by the team forever ago, and is injured besides.
More info on the game after the jump. GO BEARS!
The 7th Floor, SBNation's Miami site, had this to say:
Match up in Miami's favor: The Canes, as we know, are missing players all over the field, especially on defense. Maybe no position group on the field is more unproven than Miami's corners, comprised of the unproven Brandon McGee, a transfer in Mike Williams who couldn't crack the starting line up at Wake Forest, a converted running back in Lee Chambers and a true freshman in Thomas Finnie. The slight good news here is that Maryland's wide receivers are almost as inexperienced. Torrey Smith, Maryland's Leonard Hankerson in 2010, is gone, as is second leading receiver Adrian Cannon. The starters tonight will be Kevin Dorsey and Quinton McCree, both of whom flashed potential last season but combined for only 31 catches. If Miami's mystery corners can win the battle on the outside tonight, it will make the job of the defense as a whole much easier.
Match up in Maryland's favor: Davin Meggett ran for nine yards a pop versus the Canes last year, and that was with Miami boasting one of the best defensive lines in the whole country. The front seven that Miami will trot out tonight is returning only two starters— LB Ramon Buchananand DT Micanor Regis— neither of whom are superstars. Replacement starters include senior defensive ends Andrew Smith and Marcus Robinson, senior LB Jordan Futch and JUCO transfer defensive tackle Darius Smith, and that's to go along with new starting linebacker Jimmy Gaines. Maryland will likely try to pound the ball down Miami's throat, and with two situational pass rushers at the ends and a dearth of experience everywhere else, it's quite possible that they will be successful. If the Canes can't stop the run tonight, they might not be able to stop Maryland at all, and then it may get ugly.