Monday Musings: Some big fixes need to be apparent after bye week for Canes

IIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSSSS Monday!!!!

And you all know what that means. After a very, VERY much needed week off – for my heart as much as anything – it’s another Miami Hurricanes game week. And it’s an important one, as the Canes go back on the road to take on the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday at noon.

So, with that being said, let’s get to it. Here’s what’s on my mind about the orange and green…

1) Well, before getting to Louisville, first things first. The game time for the Canes and Noles has been announced, and it’s going to be a night game.

Many of you surely are looking to go ahead and get your game days planned out for that weekend in particular. Well, now you can. 7:00 pm ET on ESPN. That gives many of you the opportunity to get fueled up outside Hard Rock Stadium (or wherever else you might find yourself on Saturday. It will also give the fans the chance to get rip-roaring ready to turn the Rock into a loud and wild scene for a game that always matters – even when the opponent doesn’t appear to on paper this year.

2) And if there’s anything I know from being an alum and fan of both Tennessee and Miami, it’s that point spreads don’t matter one damned bit when rivalries are involved.

That was proven just two days ago when the Vols snuck by the Florida Gators at home by six in overtime as a 15-point favorite. But that’s how that game goes. Tennessee can never put it to Florida, but just winning that game is enough, and the Vols did in a crazy environment.

The Canes need that same respective kind of environment. I throw records out the window when it comes to Miami-FSU. They don’t matter. Miami was dreadful last year, and they still came within a play (or a call) of having a chance to pull one out in Tallahassee. I don’t care what FSU’s record is. Miami rarely puts it on them at home (2020 was the lone exception in a very, very, very long time).

So, get ready, Miami fans. You need to make the Rock an absolute insane asylum. It’s still FSU, after all.

3) Anywho, on to Miami vs. Louisville. There are two big things I hope that Mario Cristobal figured out over the break. The first one is how to handle the slow starts his team has produced over the last two (really three) games.

When you think about it, this slow start goes back to the USF game. Yes, Miami led at half 22-15, but USF moved the ball consistently and led late in the first half. Miami eventually put boot to ass, but it took a while. We all know how Virginia Tech and Cal went. Double digit fourth quarter deficits overcome after horrendously poor starts that really rolled into much of the third quarter.

I don’t know what it’s going to take – some kind of gut check, a sports psychologist, I don’t know – but Miami HAS to get off to a fast start more often. They can’t rely on Cam Ward becoming Superman every single fourth quarter to lift them to victory. They will lose not just one, but perhaps two games if they keep doing this and possibly miss out on the playoff.

Have to figured out over the break why this keeps happening. Because it can’t.

4) And a big concern for those double digit fourth quarter deficits is a defense that suddenly looks very vulnerable, especially on the back end.

I’m no coach or Xs and Os expert, but Justin Dottavio has a lot of great insight. Check out his article from Sunday morning, if you haven’t already. He’s got a lot of great insight on what’s been going wrong with the secondary. Regardless, it has to get cleaned up, and fast.

5) The Cardinals pose a significant challenge for the Canes, who hopefully will come out of the bye week ready to go.

Louisville was ok, but not great in their 24-20 win over Virginia on Saturday. That’s after a flat showing in a 34-27 loss to SMU at home the week before. In other words, this team is surely beatable, and Miami has to take advantage of their meh play lately.

My worry is about giving up the big play. Louisville has two running backs averaging over 8 yards per carry, and two wide receivers averaging more than 19 yards per catch, which is pretty incredible. QB Tyler Shough has also been smart and efficient with the football, completing 63.4% of his throws for 1674 yards with 14 touchdowns to 3 interceptions. Pretty solid.

I’m counting on improvement from Miami’s defense, which gives up some big playson Saturday, but holds when it needs to. Canes cover the 4.5 points with another nerve-wracking road performance.

Miami 36, Louisville 30