No. 16 Miami routs Bethune-Cookman 70-13 in Cristobal debut

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mario Cristobal ran by the smoke alongside the Miami Hurricanes as they entered the sphere, grabbed his headset and gave somebody on the sideline a hug.

It was the primary of many celebratory moments in Cristobal’s debut recreation as Miami’s coach.

Henry Parrish rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns, Tyler Van Dyke handed for 2 extra scores and No. 16 Miami began its season by topping Bethune-Cookman 70-13 on Saturday. Miami rushed for seven touchdowns on the day, piled up 582 yards of offense and turned three takeaways into touchdowns.

“The objective was to be 1-0 by 7:15 tonight,” Cristobal mentioned. “And that was achieved. … We did what we needed to do.”

Thaddeus Franklin rushed for 2 scores, whereas Devon Perry and Terrell Walden II additionally ran for touchdowns for the Hurricanes (1-0).

Gilbert Frierson had an interception return for a rating, whereas Xavier Restrepo and Michael Redding III caught the TD passes from Van Dyke — who accomplished 13 of 16 passes for 193 yards. Jake Garcia accomplished all eight of his passes for the Hurricanes in reduction.

“Wonderful to start out the season like that,” Frierson mentioned.

For Bethune-Cookman (0-1), Que’Shawn Byrd caught a 34-yard landing cross from Jalon Jones.

“It offers us a measuring stick for our soccer group,” Bethune-Cookman coach Terry Sims mentioned. “Whenever you play a group the caliber of the College of Miami, you haven’t any selection however to play at your greatest. Our guys, I assumed went out and so they fought.”

It was Cristobal’s twelfth season-opener at Miami — he had 5 as a participant, together with his redshirt 12 months, then three as a graduate assistant and three extra as a full-fledged assistant.

However this was the primary, of what Miami expects to be many, with him in command of the operation.

“The power was by the roof,” Restrepo mentioned. “Coach Cristobal, he carries the whole group on his shoulders.”

There was a lot to love: Van Dyke’s passes have been crisp, Parrish stepped as much as lead an injury-depleted working again corps, Frierson had the return landing, Key’Shawn Smith had three kickoff returns for 184 yards — barely stepping out 17 yards from the tip zone on what would have been a return rating — and the Hurricanes blocked a discipline objective.

There additionally have been issues that may soar off the movie and must be corrected, equivalent to Bethune-Cookman getting seven performs of at the least 20 yards, two of these being passes that wound up going for features of 44 and 48. And a red-zone fumble additionally bothered Cristobal, although he blamed himself for the particulars that went unsuitable on that play.

“Total, I assumed we performed comparatively onerous,” Cristobal mentioned.

THE TAKEAWAY

Bethune-Cookman: All six video games have ended up as straightforward Miami wins — common margin 42 factors — however the Wildcats can be ok with this. They scored first in 4 of these six matchups, the most recent entry on that record coming once they transformed a third-and-23 on Saturday’s opening drive on the best way to a discipline objective.

Miami: There have been clearly not 56,795 individuals within the stands Saturday — Laborious Rock Stadium holds about 65,000 for soccer — however that was the introduced variety of tickets distributed. It was the fourth-highest attendance determine for a Miami residence opener for the reason that Hurricanes moved into the Miami Dolphins’ stadium 15 years in the past.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Miami ought to stay ranked and possibly gained’t deviate removed from the present No. 16 spot. It’ll be the 159th time (out of a potential 183) that the ballot will embody Miami throughout Cristobal’s years with the Hurricanes as a participant, graduate assistant, assistant coach and now head coach.

FOR OPENERS

Miami improved to 65-32-1 all-time in openers, beginning with the 1926 season when the Hurricanes fielded solely a freshman group. Nevertheless it’s solely the second time within the final 5 years that Miami has began 1-0, after losses to LSU in 2018, Florida in 2019 and Alabama final 12 months. The Hurricanes opened 2020 with a win over UAB.

UP NEXT

Bethune-Cookman: Host South Carolina State on Sept. 10. South Carolina State led the Wildcats 42-7 final 12 months, however wanted an onside kick restoration to seal a 42-35 win.

Miami: Host Southern Miss on Sept. 10, the primary assembly between the faculties. The Hurricanes will probably be looking for what could be simply their seventh 2-0 begin within the final 18 seasons.

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