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Miami football notes -- RedHawks ‘surprised’ by Bobcats’ ground game

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By Pete Conrad , Staff Writer 12:42 AM Sunday, October 18, 2009

ATHENS — One of the more surprising aspects of Miami University’s 28-7 loss to the Ohio Bobcats was the performance of the RedHawks’ defense.

Last week, Miami gave up only 128 rushing yards against Northwestern, a team which earlier in the season beat Purdue, the same Purdue team which upset Ohio State on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Ohio sophomore tailback Donte Harden, however, ran 15 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns against the RedHawks. Overall, the Bobcats ran for 226 yards.

“I was definitely surprised at how well they were able to run the football,” Miami coach Michael Haywood said. “That caught me by surprise.”

“They’re a good football team, Ohio,” Miami sophomore middle linebacker Jerrell Wedge said. “We knew they were going to come out and run the ball. We just didn’t make plays like we were supposed to.”

Wedge had a busy day, recording nine tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss (for minus-11 yards), and with 5:08 left in the third quarter he recorded his first collegiate interception at the Miami 17-yard line, one play after teammate Mitchell Anderson lost a fumbled punt.

Another loss at wideout

Miami just can’t seem to keep its wide receivers healthy this year.

Chris Givens is out for the season. Dustin Woods missed his second straight game with an injured hamstring.

And now Eugene “Geno” Harris III is hurting again. In the second period of Saturday’s contest, Harris injured his hamstring and missed the rest of the game after making two catches for 15 yards.

“I’m not sure when those guys are going to be able to come back,” Haywood said of Harris and Woods, who have 219 career receptions between them.

“Right now it’s a little tough,” Miami quarterback Zac Dysert said of the injury situation. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Dysert not ‘awful’

Dysert didn’t put up staggering numbers against the Bobcats. He completed 19-of-30 passes for 166 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns passing, and 11 carries for 15 yards and a touchdown running.

Both of his interceptions came on long passes. He said it wasn’t a matter of taking bad risks.

“We had planned all week on taking some shots down the field,” Dysert said. “That was in our game plan.”

Also, Dysert was sacked only twice at Ohio after getting sacked a total of 17 times in his previous two games.

Dysert was asked how he thought he played.

“I didn’t think I played awful,” he said. “There were some things I could have done better.”

Top tailbacks out

The RedHawks and Bobcats both were without their top tailbacks Saturday.

Miami senior Andre Bratton, who sat out the final three quarters of the Northwestern game last weekend with turf toe, did not make the trip to Athens.

At the start of the day Bratton led RedHawk tailbacks with 146 yards (2 more than Thomas Merrriweather) and a 4.3-yard average per carry.

This was the third game Bratton has missed this season.

Ohio senior tailback Chris Garrett, who has a bad ankle, dressed but did not play. He came into the game leading the Bobcats with 341 yards with a 4.9 average.

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Please, don't fire Haywood.' Any coach that ADMITS that he was "surprised" by another teams ability to run the football must REALLY be honest. In looking at the Miami schedule this year it's the administration that should be fired. Since their "home" game vs. Kentucky was not played in Oxford, they really have played 5 out of 6 games AWAY to start the season. Who was responsible for that? I'm sure it was not Haywood. Shame on the AD for allowing such a thing to happen.

Dave Jamerson
11:57 AM, 10/19/2009

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once again, this team is proving that the MU administration screwed up big time by hiring this "coach". I use that term loosely. Haywood needs to go. I don't care that he's only one year in. Miami is a laughingstock. Don't believe me.... check out ESPN.com's Bottom 10 each week. Miami is quickly "climbing" to the worst team in college football

t
10:34 AM, 10/18/2009

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