Cavaliers’ defense puts them in position in loss to Miami

By Kenneth Cross
JerryRatcliffe.com Correspondent

Miami defeated Virginia, 14-12, in 4 overtimes on Saturday afternoon because the decisive two factors got here on a quarterback keeper round the proper finish from Miami quarterback Jake Garcia.

This recreation noticed two rebuilding soccer groups with the defenses clearly positioned forward of the offenses. The sport confirmed eight subject targets in addition to offensive misses for each groups within the crimson zone. 

Miami has been considered one of faculty soccer’s most injured groups this season and the Hurricanes have been as soon as once more with out beginning quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who has accomplished 64.1 p.c of his passes. Van Dyke suffered a shoulder damage within the first half in final week’s loss to Duke and was changed by Garcia.

With the brand new rule in faculty soccer, that after two overtimes, groups alternate two-point conversion alternatives from the 3-yard line.

It wasn’t just like the two-point conversion alternatives caught the Cavaliers with an absence of certainty in methods to react defensively.

“Each week we undergo these two factors, we now have a number of issues on that menu that we undergo,” stated defensive coordinator John Rudzinski. “If we’d have performed our jobs on that, we had guys there to make performs, so complement Miami on that in making performs.”

The Cavaliers’ protection held Miami to these 4 Andre Borregales subject targets, as the second got here on the final play of regulation and tied Virginia at 6-6 and compelled extra time. 

It was paying homage to the top of the primary half when Borregales hit a 38-yard subject purpose to provide Miami a 3-0 lead. 

Borregales made subject targets on Miami’s final three drives whereas Virginia kicker Will Bettridge, a freshman who had missed two subject targets in a slim win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta final week, had three profitable kicks on the Cavaliers’ final 4 drives of the sport.

In the meantime, UVA’s protection remained stout.

“We simply go on the market and any alternative we get, we play to a sure normal,” stated Virginia robust security Antonio Clary, who ended Miami’s risk within the third extra time with an interception ultimately zone.

It’s a season the place Virginia has improved immeasurably on the defensive finish of the sector.  Final season, opponents persistently moved the ball as they averaged 466 complete yards per recreation and rushed for 225.8 yards per recreation. 

The Cavaliers held Miami to 272 complete yards, as they got here into the sport permitting solely 349.6 complete yards per recreation and 19.4 factors per outing. 

A lot of the story the advance of the protection and robust security Clary famous that defensive gamers help their offensive teammates as Virginia has struggled mightily on the offensive aspect of the ball.

“We encourage these guys over there on offense it doesn’t matter what they’re doing,”  Clary stated. “We glance to assist them as a lot as potential. We’re going to struggle. We’re going to play protection and we encourage them each time.”

Conserving the Hurricanes out of the top zone till the fourth extra time, which noticed the two-point conversion, was a significant key in maintaining the Cavaliers in place to drag out the win. 

Virginia’s teaching employees got here up with a recreation plan for Miami with Garcia within the recreation, but additionally the Cavaliers have been prepared for Van Dyke if he had emerged.

“You knew with Van Dyke, they have been going to attempt to go the ball so much,” defined Clary. “They ran so much right this moment and we have been ready for them to run the ball with Garcia enjoying. We have been ready for any quarterback right this moment.”

It was a irritating loss for Virginia as Miami has struggled of late and the ‘Canes got here in with three losses in 4 video games. In all, Miami has struggled over the previous few seasons and hasn’t been the prime participant within the ACC that the majority anticipated.

“We got here again and we bowed to adversity (vs. Louisville), so right this moment we have been in a four-quarter recreation in 4 overtimes and we needed the fellows to have the ability to make the 4 or 5, perhaps six performs that we didn’t make and we may have,” stated Virginia head coach Tony Elliott.