Hoosiers Prepare for ‘Fast, Physical’ Miami Challenge
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Riley Nowakowski looms large in a Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium press conference setting, which is what you’d expect from a 6-foot-1, 237-pound tight end who has emerged as a dynamic playmaker on Indiana’s dynamic offense.
A final challenge remains on this historic IU season as the top-seeded Hoosiers (15-0) face the 10th-seeded Miami Hurricanes (13-2) on the Hurricanes’ Hard Rock Stadium home field for Monday night’s national championship game.
The challenge, Nowakowski says, is formidable.
“They're fast; they're physical; and they're violent,” he says. “It's what they pride themselves on, just being a violent, physical team, and it shows on the film and at all three levels. The D-line has got those two edges (Rueben Bain Jr., Akheem Mesidor). Those are good players.”
How good? Consider the 6-foot-3, 265-pound Mesidor has 15.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, while the 6-foot-3, 270-pound Bain Jr. has 8.5 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss.
“They play really violent, and then their linebackers are filling gaps,” Nowakowski says. “You’ve even got guys on the third level -- safeties, cornerbacks -- coming down and sticking people. That's one of their greatest strengths, how violent and fast they play.”
The result -- Miami holds opponents to 292.6 total yards and 14.0 points a game. It has generated 47 sacks, 96 tackles for loss, and 16 interceptions.
“They're not worried about making mistakes,” Nowakowski says. “They know their brothers are going to have their backs. They're all rallying to the ball, all chasing it. That's their biggest advantage, just how violent and how fast they play.”
Miami thrives with dominating offensive- and defensive-line play. It has elite players all over the field.
Quarterback Carson Beck transferred to Miami from Georgia after last season and delivered with 3,581 passing yards and 29 touchdowns.
Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. has rushed for 395 yards in three playoff games, and 1,080 for the season, along with 10 touchdowns behind imposing offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa. Running back CharMar Brown has 469 yards and seven TDs.
A deep group of receivers are led by Malachi Toney (99 catches, 1,089 yards, and nine touchdowns), Keelan Marion (56, 740, two) and CJ Daniels (46, 495, seven). Toney, a freshman, has Miami’s eighth 1,000-yard season.
The aggressive defense also includes defensive back Jakobe Thomas (five interceptions, 70 tackles, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles).
The Hurricanes have never won the ACC championship and didn’t even make this season’s conference title game after losing to Louisville and SMU. Before this season, the Hurricanes hadn’t finished in the top-10 or won a major bowl in 20 years. But their tradition includes five national titles (1983, ’87, ’89, ’91 and 2001) and 17 top-10 finishes. They have two Heisman Trophy winners in quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde and Gino Torretta.
They’ve won seven-straight games.
Like Nowakowski, center Pat Coogan, at the forefront of derailing that defensive aggression, understands the Miami challenge.
“They are very physical, very violent,” Coogan says. “They are special players, especially on the outside, and it's not like their interior drops off at all. All across the board, really talented players. The physical attributes are there. They maximize their physical attributes.
“They fly around and they're fast. It’s a violent group that's coached well and does its jobs well. It's going to be a huge challenge for us, one that we have to prepare for and be ready for.”
IU has excelled at protecting Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza (IU quarterbacks have been sacked just 22 times this season) while opening plenty of running-game holes (the Hoosiers average a Big Ten-best 218.3 rushing yards a game).
“This is one of the best (defensive lines we’ve faced),” Coogan says, “but at the same time, we take great pride in protecting the quarterback no matter who we're playing. That's an absolute key emphasis for us is to protect the quarterback and run the ball. That's part of who we are and our DNA.
“No matter who we're playing, we have to protect our quarterback in every situation, every down. We know how special he can be and how good our offense can be when we give him the time to execute.”