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Home > Blogs > RedHawk rumblings | Miami University sports news > Archives > 2009 > October > 24
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Report card: Northern Illinois at Miami
Pass offense
A
A brilliant performance by Zac Dysert, who threw three touchdown passes and had no interceptions. His career-high 348 passing yards are — if you don’t include Ben Roethlisberger’s 10 games of 350 or more yards — the ninth-highest single-game total in Miami history. Armand Robinson also came up big, again, with yet another career-high in yardage (123). Jamal Rogers had a good day with four catches for 42 yards and a touchdown, and Roman Lawson’s six catches for 78 yards is pretty darn good for a true freshman making his first start. Dysert was sacked eight times, but when the running game does nowhere, that will happen.
Run offense
F
Although I consider quarterback sacks as part of the passing game, the negative yardage is officially a running game statistic. That’s why Miami had 27 carries for minus-11 yards. Miami’s running game was bad again on Saturday, but not quite that bad. Lawson had 26 yards on nine carries. Thomas Merriweather continues to struggle, though (three carries, 0 yards).
Pass defense
B
The RedHawks did well against a Northern Illinois team that wasn’t really all that interested in the pass. Freshman Justin Bowers and senior Caleb Bostic each had a sack,
Run defense
C-minus
Chad Spann, the Huskies’ second-string tailback, sure looked like a first-stringer against the RedHawks, finishing with 21 carries for 156 yards and touchdown runs of 40 and 42 yards. Second-string quarterback Grady DeMarcus, pressed into service by the knee injury to Chandler Harnish, also broke a 33-yard run to set up a field goal in the fourth quarter. The 202 total rushing yards by NIU isn’t bad, but the 5.2 yards per carry is.
Special teams
F
Is there any grade lower than F? What about Z-minus? A 44-yard punt return for a touchdown that was set up by a holding penalty by the punting team which negated a 52-yard punt out of bounds. How bad is that. There also was that 42-yard punt return which set up a field goal. That’s 10 points the special teams cost Miami, and we’re still counting. Two missed field goals by Trevor Cook, including one that was blocked, and a blocked extra-point kick. That’s 17 points. Cook did convert a 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Chris DiCesare did average 42.6 yards and had a 54-yard punt that was not called back, and Jamal Rogers did have a 30-yard kickoff return and a 12-yard punt return. So maybe we’ll just stay with the F.
Intangibles
A
It was refreshing to see a Miami team that was fired up, a team that was making some hard hits (but still missing a few tackles), a team that doesn’t look like it’s giving up on a winless season. And it wasn’t just the youngsters. The veterans were fired up, too. A good comeback from a disappointing performance against Ohio.
— Pete Conrad
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Final score: N. Illinois 27, Miami 22
By Pete Conrad
The Northern Illinois Huskies defeated the Miami RedHawks 27-22 today at Yager Stadium.
Three touchdowns were scored in the final two minutes, two by the RedHawks, including a 24-yard pass from Zac Dysert to Armand Robinson on the final play of the game.
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Salerno kicks field goal, Miami trails by 10
By Pete Conrad
Mike Salerno kicked a 25-yard field goal with 6:14 left in the fourth quarter to give Northern Illinois a 20-10 lead over the Miami RedHawks.
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Miami pulls to within seven of NIU
By Pete Conrad
Trevor Cook nailed a 32-yard field goal with 12:49 left in the fourth quarter to pull the Miami RedHawks to within seven points of the Northern Illinois Huskies, 17-10, today at Yager Stadium.
Cook, who missed two field goal attempts earlier today, including one that was blocked, is 3-for-6 this season and 18-for-29 for his career.
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Still 17-7 after three quarters, but Miami is threatening
By Pete Conrad
The Northern Illinois Huskies lead the Miami RedHawks 17-7 after three quarters at Yager Stadium, but the RedHawks have the ball first-and-10 at the NIU 15-yard line to start the fourth period.
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Miami’s special-teams woes continue
By Pete Conrad
Trevor Cook missed a 37-yard field goal attempt, wide left, and the Miami RedHawks continue to trail the Northern Illinois Huskies 17-7 with 5:00 left in the third period today at Yager Stadium.
In the second quarter Cook had a 45-yard field goal attempt blocked by NIU cornerback Chris Smith.
The Huskies also have returned punts for 44 yards (for a touchdown) and 42 yards.
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Robinson touchdown cuts Miami deficit
By Pete Conrad
Miami’s Zac Dysert threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Armand Robinson with 35.3 seconds left in the second quarter, and the RedHawks trail the Northern Illinois Huskies 17-7 at halftime today at Yager Stadium.
The touchdown was Robinson’s first of the season.
Dysert completed 4-of-4 passes on the drive. The first three covered 4 yards to Andy Cruse, 20 yards to Robinson and 18 yards to Cruse.
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Lawson returns to field for Miami
By Pete Conrad
True freshman tailback Roman Lawson has returned to the field for the Miami RedHawks late in the second quarter after being hurt and leaving the game early in the first quarter.
Northern Illinois leads Miami 17-0 with 42.2 seconds left in the half.
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N. Illinois leads Miami 17-0 after first quarter
By Pete Conrad
The Northern Illinois Huskies dominated the first quarter and hold a 17-0 lead over the Miami RedHawks.
The Huskies scored on a 42-yard touchdown run by Chad Spann, a 44-yard field goal by Mike Salerno (which was set up by a 42-yard punt return by Tommy Davis), and a 44-yard punt return for a touchdown by Perez Ashford on his first collegiate punt return attempt.
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Miami’s Lawson starts, is hurt on 2nd carry
By Pete Conrad
True freshman Roman Lawson started at tailback for the Miami RedHawks in today’s game against Northern Illinois and on his second carry suffered an injury, apparently to his left leg or knee, and was helped off the field.
Lawson gained 7 yards on his first carry and 2 yards on his second.
Northern Illinois took a 7-0 lead on a 42-yard touchdown run by Chad Spann with 8:01 left in the first quarter.
