Miami notes: Freshman DB Bowers shines in first start

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer 2:52 AM Sunday, October 25, 2009

OXFORD — True freshman defensive back Justin Bowers made his first collegiate start on Saturday, Oct. 24, and he made the most of it.

After coming into the game with five total tackles in seven games, Bowers, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., recorded eight tackles in the 27-22 loss to Northern Illinois. He also had 2.5 tackles for losses totaling 10 yards and forced a fumble.

“Justin does a really nice job in practice,” Miami coach Michael Haywood said, “and deserves to get a chance to play. The speed of the game isn’t as fast to him as it once was.”

Lawson comes back

True freshman Roman Lawson got his first start at tailback for the RedHawks, only to get a big hit on his left knee on his second carry. He was helped off the field.

He returned in the third quarter, however, and finished with 104 total yards, including 78 yards on six receptions.

“He showed some toughness,” Haywood said. “He takes a hard blow to his knee and then shows some mental and physical toughness to come back and compete.”

Statistics of note

• After the first quarter, Northern Illinois led Miami in total yardage 99 to 2. After the second quarter, Miami led in total yardage 117 to 113.

• Total rushing yards for the RedHawks: minus-11 yards on 27 carries. But that’s mostly a reflection of eight quarterback sacks.

• Although it was homecoming, Miami’s attendance was only 9,884.

First college catch

Miami true freshman tight end Steve Marck, of Newtown, Pa., made his first collegiate catch, for 6 yards, in the first quarter of Saturday’s game.

In the third quarter, true freshman tailback Roman Lawson made his first catch as a RedHawk, covering 20 yards.

NIU QB sits out

Northern Illinois sophomore DeMarcus Grady started at quarterback in place of sophomore Chandler Harnish, who had a knee injury.

Harnish, who had started the first six games for the Huskies, had the third-highest pass efficiency in the Mid-American Conference.

NIU coach Jerry Kill, whose team improved to 4-3 overall, 2-1 in the MAC, said he doesn’t know how long Harnish will be out.

“Time will tell,” Kill said. “It could be a 2-3 week situation, it could be longer.”

Haywood said NIU’s unexpected switch in quarterbacks made no difference to his defense.

“They ran the same offense they normally run,” he said. “They go power, power, power, power.”

Grady passed for only 60 yards, but the Huskies ran for 202 yards, including 156 by Chad Spann, who scored on touchdown runs of 42 and 40 yards.

First return, first TD

Northern Illinois freshman Perez Ashford made his first punt return against Miami and made it count, returning it 44 yards for a touchdown to give the Huskies a 17-0 lead with 2:42 left in the first quarter.

Miami’s Chris DiCesare had launched a 52-yard punt that went out of bounds on the previous play, but a holding penalty against the RedHawks negated that punt and forced DiCesare to do it again.

Contact this reporter at  (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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