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October 2008
Miami coach being patient with Belton
By Pete Conrad
Miami University football coach is being patient with red-shirt freshmen quarterback Clay Belton, who was intercepted twice in the first half of last week’s blow-out loss to Kent State.
“Clay was a little bit inconsistent,” Montgomery said Friday, Oct. 31 at his weekly press conference. “He’s only starting his second football game. It would be hard to expect him to play a flawless football game. There are some reads he would like to have back, some throws he would like to have back.”
Montgomery said he liked the way Belton kept his composure and came back to guide the RedHawks on a couple touchdown drives in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve got some young guys around him,” Montgomery said, referring particularly to the wide receivers, “and a true freshman at tailback (J.R. Taylor), but I think he’s handled it well.”
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Miami Report Card
Kent State at Miami
Pass offense
D
Clay Belton was 18-for-31 for 171 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, which isn’t terrible for a second start. But there was no completion longer than 20 yards, and Jamal Rogers had a fumble following a reception.
Run offense
B
J.R. Taylor ran a grade-A game with 113 yards, but 107 of those yards came in the second half, after the game already was out of hand. “They stopped us pretty much in the first half,” Miami coach Shane Montgomery said, noting that starting tailback Thomas Merriweather did not play against Kent State due to the injury suffered last weekend which kept him out of practice.
Pass defense
C
Morris Council had the RedHawks’ only quarterback sack and there were no interceptions. On the other hand, the Golden Flashes threw only 20 passes. A so-so performance.
Run defense
D
Kent State ran for 305 yards. Of course, people have been having a hard time tackling Julian Edelman this year and Eugene Jarvis is the nation’s leading returning rusher. Even though he is coming off an injury, he’s starting to look like his old self. The RedHawks were on the field a long time today. Clayton Mullins did finish with 10 tackles, including one-half of a tackle for loss. Council had the other one and a half. Two tackles for loss out of 74 plays is not the stuff defensive dreams are made of.
Special teams
B
Nathan Parseghian, with great-grand uncle Ara Paesegian looking on, was 3-for-3 in extra points and continues to be nearly perfect with his place-kicking. Jake Richardson punted only one time, which normally is a good sign,, though not on this day. The punt was for 44 yards and was downed at the Kent State 2-yard line. You can’t do much better than that. Derek McBryde had four kickoff returns for 100 yards for KSU.
Intangibles
F
One turnover is not good. Two turnovers is bad. Three turnovers is awful. Four turnovers is nightmarish. Five turnovers is catastrophic. Six turnovers is off the charts.
— Pete Conrad
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Miami drubbed 54-21 by Kent State
By Pete Conrad
The Miami RedHawks avoided suffering its most lopsided loss in Yager Stadium history Saturday, Oct. 25 when Chris Givens caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Clay Belton with 3:59 left in the fourth quarter.
Still, Kent State beat Miami 54-21. So much for the momentum from last week’s victory at Bowling Green.
True freshman J.R. Taylor did have a good day for the RedHawks, again, rushing 20 times for 113 yards.
Miami’s most lopsided loss at Yager Stadium continues to be last year’s 37-point setback, 47-10, against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
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RedHawks continue to self-destruct
By Pete Conrad
After shooting themselves in the foot so many times today, Saturday, Oct. 24, you’d think the Miami RedHawks would have run out of bullets by now.
The RedHawks had two more turnovers in the third period, giving them six for the game, and Kent State leads 47-7 at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Golden Flashes, who have been dominated in the series against the RedHawks, finally are the dominant team. KSU has a 376-192 advantage in total yardage.
KSU quarterback Julian Edelman has 14 carries for 142 yards and a touchdown, and tailback Eugene Jarvis has 25 carries for 105 yards and four touchdowns.
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Game turns upside down for RedHawks
By Pete Conrad
Turnovers had not been a major problem this season for the Miami RedHawks — until the first half of their game today, Oct. 25, in which the Kent State Golden Flashes have surged to a 31-7 halftime lead behind four touchdown runs by Eugene Jarvis.
The RedHawks, who had led 7-3 after the first quarter, turned the ball over to the Flashes on four straight possessions, and Kent State turned them into 21 unanswered points in the form of three 1-yard touchdown runs by Jarvis.
The turnovers began with an interception thrown by Miami redshirt freshman Clay Belton late in the first quarter. Result: touchdown by Jarvis.
Tailback Andre Bratton lost a fumble at the Miami 26 early in the second quarter. Result: touchdown by Jarvis.
Then Belton threw another interception. KSU didn’t do anything and was forced to punt, but Eugene Harris dropped the punt at the Miami 7-yard line. Result: touchdown by Jarvis.
Kent State added another touchdown in the closing seconds of a half, this time on a 2-yard run by Jarvis.
Before today, the Flashes had not scored 31 points in a game this season.
The game had been scheduled to be televised by Ohio News Network, but the ONN truck had engine problems and was unable to make it to the game.
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Belton scores first Miami touchdown
By Pete Conrad
Redshirt freshman Clay Belton scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak to give the Miami RedHawks a 7-3 lead over the Kent State Golden Flashes Saturday, Oct. 25 after one quarter at Yager Stadium, but no one saw it on TV.
The Ohio News Network truck reportedly had serious engine and never made it to Oxford. “The engine blew up” was the report from Miami sports information. So the game is not being televised and the officials have no way to review plays.
The RedHawks’ lead didn’t last long, by the way. Less than a minute into the second quarter a 1-yard touchdown run by Eugene Jarvis put the Flashes on top 10-7.
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MAC East: a wild and crazy place
By Pete Conrad
Miami University football coach Shane Montgomery mentioned very briefly at his press conference today, Oct. 21 the possibility of the Mid-American Conference East Division winner taking a final 4-4 league record to the MAC Championship Game.
“When I came into the league eight years ago there was an upper echelon of teams and a lower echelon of teams,” Montgomery said. “There were some games you were going to win even if you didn’t play your best, and that’s not the case right now. There are no off weeks now in this league. Anyone can beat anyone in any given game.
“I don’t know if you could have a four-loss (champion),” he added. “I’m sure there are some scenarios out there.”
He says “some scenarios.” I say “very possible, bordering on likely.”
We’re not quite halfway through the MAC season and already every team in the East Division has at least two losses. Two very dangerous teams, Kent State (which lost to East-leading Akron 30-27 in overtime) and Temple (which clobbered Army 35-7 and won at Miami 28-10), have three losses.
Sometime tonight after Temple and Ohio have battled it out, another dangerous team will have three losses. Buffalo lost to Central Michigan and Western Michigan by a total of eight points; Ohio had Ohio State on the ropes and later lost by three points to Central Michigan.
We’re basically starting from scratch. There was a time when I thought the RedHawks had to beat Temple or else. Now I’m wondering if it might take three more losses to eliminate them from title contention.
Of course, I would never mention such a thing to Mongtomery.
“We don’t need to look down the road, we don’t need to worry about what’s going on around us,” he said today.
No. That’s why I’m here. To look down the road. To not take it one game at a time.
Here is a look at the remaining schedules for each MAC East team:
• Akron (2-2 in the MAC), four games remaining, two at home, remaining opponents have a 9-19 record
• Bowling Green (1-2), five games remaining, two at home, opponents have a 12-23 record
• Buffalo (1-2), five games remaining, two at home, opponents have a 12-23 record
• Kent State (0-3), five games remaining, two at home, opponents have a 14-20 record
• Miami (1-2), five games remaining, three at home, opponents have a 15-20 record
• Ohio (1-2), five games remaining, three at home, opponents have a 14-22 record
• Temple (1-3), four MAC games remaining, three at home, opponents have a 9-21 record
Oh yes, that clarifies everything.
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Miami football report card
Miami at Bowling Green
Pass offense
C
This was Clay Belton’s first start at quarterback and at times he looked anything but calm, cool and collected as Bowling Green’s pass rush swirled around him. This will improve with time. He did rifle that 53-yard touchdown pass to Chris Givens, and although his 129 yards passing aren’t impressive, the RedHawks didn’t really need to pass that much.
Run offense
A
Wow. True freshman J.R. Taylor was a true wonder, ripping through the Falcons for 127 yards on 18 carries, and not a single negative-yard play. Give credit to the offensive line of Josh Satterthwait, Bob Gulley, Brandon Brooks, Steve Sutter, Dave DiFranco (who got hurt late in the first half) and Ken Staudinger (who replaced him). They got better as the game went on. Andre Bratton picked up good yardage, 59 yards, and so did Thomas Merriweather on the first drive before he hurt his ankle.
Pass defense
B
Anytime a defense holds Bowling Green to fewer than three touchdown passes and 250 yards, that is a good day. Joe Coniglio showed some senior leadership, stepping up to record two sacks. Caleb Bostic and D.J. Svabik also teamed on an important sack which stalled a Falcons drive early in the second quarter. And Robbie Wilson’s tipped interception in the fourth quarter was the big play on defense Miami has been looking for; more senior leadership, this time from the strong safety and tri-captain.
Run defense
B
Chris Bullock did get loose for a 26-yard run to set up Bowling Green’s first touchdown late in the second quarter. Otherwise, the Falcons managed only 54 yards on the ground. Linebackers Joey Hudson, Caleb Bostic, Clayton Mullins, Ryan Kennedy and Chris Shula combined for 28 tackles, including 12 solos.
Special teams
B
Nathan Parseghian is starting to become Mr. Automatic on field goals. His two against the Falcons gives him six in his last six attempts, and he is 12-for-13 for the season. And he has yet to miss an extra point. Jake Richardson’s national-leading punting average suffered when he averaged only 41.3 yards on nine punts, though he was hurt at times, oddly enough, by Miami’s offense having better-than-usual field position. He did drop two punts inside the 20-yard line. The punt-return coverage team needs a little work, as indicated by Corey Partidge’s 73-yard punt return which set up the 4-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Sheehan to tight end Jimmy Scheidler (his sixth touchdown on just 11 catches). That touchdown gave Bowling Green a 17-14 lead in the third quarter.
Intangibles
A
Miami’s first-quarter touchdown was long overdue, but also desperately needed. The RedHawks needed an early boost for a change.
— Pete Conrad
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Taylor leads RedHawks to 27-20 win
By Pete Conrad
True freshman tailback J.R. Taylor scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 2:35 left in the fourth quarter to lift the Miami RedHawks to a 27-20 victory over the Bowling Green Falcons Saturday, Oct. 18 at Doyt Stadium.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the RedHawks.
Taylor rushed six times for 70 yards on Miami’s game-winning drive, which covered 75 yards on nine plays. The last six plays of the drive were runs by Taylor, who finished the game with more than 100 yards on the ground.
Taylor saw increased playing time after sophomore Thomas Merriweather was injured in the first quarter.
Bowling Green had moved to the Miami 26-yard on the previous possession, but Miami senior defensive back Robbie Wilson tipped and intercepted a pass at the RedHawks’ 5-yard line and returned it to the 25 with 7:29 to go to set up Miami’s touchdown drive.
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Bowling Green surges past Miami in third quarter
By Pete Conrad
The Bowling Green Falcons lead the Miami RedHawks 20-17 after three quarters of their Mid-American Conference football game Saturday, Oct 18 at Perry Stadium.
The RedHawks led 14-10 at halftime, but a 4-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Sheehan to tight end Jimmy Scheidler and a 34-yard field goal by Sinisa Vrvilo gave Bowling Green a 20-14 advantage.
Nathan Parseghian’s 37-yard field goal with 2:52 left in the third period sliced Bowling Green’s lead to four points.
Dave DiFranco, Miami offensive lineman who suffered an ankle injury late in the second quarter, was back in the game for the RedHawks’ opening drive of the second half, but has not played since.
Thomas Merriweather, Miami tailback who also suffered an ankle injury in the first half, has not returned.
X-rays were taken at halftime for DiFranco and Merriweather. Both were negative.
Miami red-shirt freshman Clay Belton, making his first start at quarterback, has completed 10-of-19 passes for 124 yards, one touchdown (a 53-yard touchdown pass to Chris Givens) and no interceptions.
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Belton throws first touchdown pass, Miami leads at half
By Pete Conrad
Red-shirt freshman Clay Belton, making his first collegiate start, lofted a 53-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Givens as the Miami RedHawks took a 14-10 halftime lead over over the Bowling Green Falcons Saturday, Oct. 18 at Perry Stadium.
The touchdown pass came with 7:34 remaining in the second quarter and was Miami’s longest offensive play of the season.
Miami sophomore tailback Thomas Merriweather, who gained 29 yards on the RedHawks’ first toudchdown drive, has not returned to action. He apparently suffered a lower leg or ankle injury. He was on his feet during most of the second quarter; his status for the rest of the game is unknown.
It was a tough first half, physically, for the RedHawks, who later lost offensive lineman Dave DiFranco to what appeared to be a right knee injury. His status is being determined.
Belton started for junior Daniel Raudabaugh, who made started Miami’s previous 13 games at quarterback.
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Belton starts, RedHawks break first-quarter drought
By Pete Conrad
Red-shirt freshman quarterback Clay Belton made his first career start for the Miami University football team Saturday, Oct. 18 at Bowling Green, and he guided the RedHawks to a touchdown on his first possession to give Miami a 7-3 lead with 12:02 left in the first quarter.
The touchdown was Miami’s first of the season that has been scored in the first quarter and the RedHawks’ first points in the first quarter since the season opener. Opponents had scored the last 57 points in the first period.
The drive covered 60 yards and was capped by Andre Bratton’s 6-yard touchdown run. Belton completed one short pass, but much of the yardage came from Thomas Merriweather, who carried five times for 29 yards.
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Belton gets serious look as Miami’s starting quarterback for Saturday
By Pete Conrad
Red-shirt freshman quarterback Clay Belton is getting a serious look from Miami University football coach Shane Montgomery as the possible starter in the RedHawks’ upcoming game Saturday, Oct. 18 at Bowling Green.
Montomgery said it will be “a game-time decision” as to whether Belton or junior Daniel Raudabaugh will start.
It was Belton on the field at Yager Stadium rather than Raudabaugh — who has started the last 13 games — for Miami’s hurry-up offense drill at the end of practice late Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 15.
“There’s a good chance both of them will play,” Montgomery said following practice. “We’re trying to give them both reps with the ones (first-string offense).”
Raudabaugh has passed for 1,189 yards this season and needs just 90 yards to become the sixth quarterback in Miami history to reach the 4,000-yard mark for his career.
The RedHawks’ offense, however, has scored only one touchdown in the last two games.
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By Pete Conrad
Comments from a head football coach who wishes desperately he could find something different to say at his weekly press conference:
“Looking back at the Northern Illinois game, it was another disappointing loss,” Miami’s Shane Montgomery said Tuesday, Oct. 14. “It was the sixth game in a row we fell behind early.
“It was a valiant effort to get it back to a 10-10 tie at halftime.
“We did everything but score a touchdown (on the final 14-play, 54-yard drive).
“I’m very proud of the way the kids played.
“It was a tough loss because it would have been a big win on the road.
“Offensively we’ve got to score more points. We have to do a better job there.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win. A win would do so much for our confidence right now.
“It’s tough as a coach, tough as a player, but you’ve got to remain positive.
“If we keep working, something good is going to come out of this.
“Right now our coaches believe in what we’re doing, our players believe in what we’re doing. We’re going to try to get a big win Saturday.”
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This time, it wasn’t so much the offense
By Pete Conrad
It’s true, the Miami offense did not score a touchdown in the 17-13 loss at Northern Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 11.
And I won’t try to pretend that the RedHawk offense has come even close to running in full power at any point this season. You take the games against Vanderbilt, Michigan, Temple and Northern Illinois.
In those four games the Miami attack (if you can call it that) came up with exactly two touchdowns, a 30-yard pass from Daniel Raudabaugh to Eugene Harris against Vanderbilt, and Thomas Merriweather’s 2-yard touchdown run against Temple. That’s two touchdowns in 16 quarters. Ouch.
On Saturday, however, it’s difficult to point the finger at Miami’s ability to produce points. After all, the Huskies also allowed only 13 points in their 13-9 loss at Tennessee a week earlier.
And Miami did come back to take a 13-10 lead in the third quarter against NIU.
The problem was that Miami’s defense, with all that talent and experience, was unable to hold the lead against a Huskie offense that has been less than overpowering, that has been using the revolving-door system of quarterbacks.
After Nathan Parseghian’s 35-yard field goal put Miami ahead by three, the Huskies answered with a touchdown, without much of a problem.
They got a little help from the RedHawks right off the bat. Offsides. Then five straight carries right through Miami’s defense, the big one being Me’co Brown’s 36-yarder, after which Chad Spann’s back-to-back carries of 15 and 2 yards got the Huskies into the end zone. Five plays, 63 yards.
As far as Miami’s defense is concerned, that is not coming through in the clutch. And the same thing happened the week before after Miami had pulled close against Temple.
In the post-game press conference, linebacker Clayton Mullins, one of the best in the business, looked disgusted, dismayed, dejected, puzzled. “I felt everybody on defense played as hard as we’ve played all year,” he said. “We just didn’t make the plays.”
Sometimes it’s as simple as that.
This was by no means a bad game by the defense. Just as it wasn’t a bad game by the offense.
But right now the RedHawks need something better than that. And after six weeks, I wonder if they’re capable. They sure need to win their next game.
You know, that’s about the fourth time I’ve said that. Not a good indication that all’s right with the world.
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Montgomery vows to ‘stay the course’
By Pete Conrad
OXFORD — Five games and six weeks into a season that hasn’t come close to going right, head coach Shane Montgomery said he is not giving up on his team’s offensive and defensive schemes.
There already have been some obvious personel changes, most due to injury, some due to performance (such as last Saturday’s big halftime change with Clay Belton in, Daniel Raudabaugh out; Belton did not play badly in the second half, so it makes sense that he will start, or at least see some important playing time at Northern Illinois).
Head coach Shane Montgomery, who isn’t saying whether Belton will start ahead of Raudabaugh, did say that he is not ready to make any fundamental changes.
“As a coaching staff, if you believe in what you’re doing, you want to stay the course,” Montgomery said. “We feel good about what we’re doing scheme-wise.”
That doesn’t mean the coaches won’t tinker with things. Changing the tempo of the offense. Making it a priority that the offense does not make turnovers. During practice pitting the first-string defense against the first-string offense more often. Things like that.
Montgomery said it’s up to the players to trust themselves.
“We’ve had some things thrown at us that maybe we haven’t seen before,” he conceded, “things that have caught us by surprise a little bit. But there are times we have gotten in a position to make plays and we’re just not getting it done. We’ve given up too many touchdown passes the last three weeks and most of them have been long. We’ve got to trust ourselves assignment-wise and play with confidence.”
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Miami Report Card
Temple at Miami
Pass offense
D
Starting quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh in the first quarter was 2-for-9 passing for 13 yards. He did a little better in the second quarter and finished 8-for18 for 65 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Belton replaced him and competed 14-of-22 passes for no touchdowns and one interception in the second half. There was little good to report here. The receivers dropped and fumbled passes, and the line allowed four sacks. Miami’s two most dangerous recievers are Dustin Woods and Eugene Harris and they caught a grand total of one pass for 4 yards.
Run offense
B
Thomas Merriweather looked very good, gaining 133 yards on 26 carries. But Miami’s running game was stopped short on a couple key plays. Disregard the RedHawks’ 2.3-yard average per carry. That includes four sacks totaling a lot of minus yardage.
Pass defense
D
The RedHawks had a B going until Chester Stewart threw those two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Bruce Francis. This is starting to be a problem. Miami has allowed 11 touchdown passes this season and have been facing mostly back-ups.
Run defense
B
Joey Hudson (16 tackles, including 13 solos) and Chris Shula (13 tackles, including eight solos) were outstanding. Overall, Miami limited the Owls to 2.9 yards per carry.
Special teams
B
Nathan Parseghian nailed his one field goal attempt and now is 8-for-9 this season. Jake Richardson averaged 40.4 yards on seven punts, which is a good day for most punters, a mediocre day for him. Jamal Rogers had a 31-yard kickoff return.
Intangibles
F
The RedHawks still seem to be in a daze when the game starts.
— Pete Conrad
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Temple turns back Miami in MAC opener
By Pete Conrad
Despite a brief surge on offense following the second-half switch in quarterbacks from Daniel Raudabaugh to Clay Belton, the RedHawks lost to the Temple Owls 28-10 Saturday, OCt. 4 at Yager Stadium in their Mid-American Conference opener.
Belton, a red-shirt freshman, replaced Raudabaugh to start the second half and the first two Miami possessions with Belton behind center did result in 10 points, which shaved Temple’s lead to four points, 14-10.
But then Miami’s defense couldn’t hold. The Owls struck back on a pair of touchdown passes from Chester Stewart (who had not thrown a touchdown pass in five games) to wide receiver Bruce Francis.
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Belton enters game as Miami quarterback
By Pete Conrad
With 14:09 left in the third quarter and Miami trailing Temple 14-0, there was a scattering of cheers from the Miami fans as the RedHawks’ offense trotted onto the field, including quarterback Clay Belton.
The red-shirt freshman has taken over for junior starter Daniel Raudabaugh, who completed just 8-of-18 passes in the first half.
Belton completed his first pass, 9 yards to Jamal Rogers, and with the help of Andre Bratton’s running moved Miami to the Temple 17-yard line.
But the RedHawks were forced to settle for a 34-yard field goal by Nathan Parseghian. With 9:07 left in the third quarter, Temple leads 14-3.
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From bad to worse for RedHawks
By Pete Conrad
This has been without doubt the worst first-half showing for a Miami RedHawks offense (complete the end to this sentence with one of the following):
A. this season.
B. in the last five years.
C. in the history of Yager Stadium.
D. ever.
E. All of the above.
I’m leaning toward “E” though I might have to do some more research.
At halftime Temple leads Miami 14-0 in the RedHawks’ Mid-American Conference opener, and it could be much worse.
Miami’s nine possessions resulted in 102 total yards. I’m sure there have been worse first-half stats for Miami. Still, although Temple has a good defense, this isn’t the Oklahoma Sooners the RedHawks are facing today.
Miami quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh is 8-for-18 passing for 65 yards, and that’s only after he completed his last four passes of the half.
The RedHawks have been looking for consistency on offense. They’ve found it.
