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Home > Blogs > RedHawk rumblings | Miami University sports news > Archives > 2009 > November > 02 > Entry
Turnovers now helping Miami
By Pete Conrad
Miami University football coach Michael Haywood spent months preaching to his players the importance of holding onto the ball, of not throwing interceptions, of stripping the ball from the other team.
Now the roots from that preaching seem to have taken hold.
“That’s the second week in a row we win the turnover battle,” Haywood said today, referring to the RedHawks’ 31-24 victory over Toledo last Saturday, Oct. 31.
In that contest Toledo fumbled four times, including the fumble which secured the victory in the closing moments when safety Anthony Kokal knocked the ball loose from tight end Danny Noble just as Noble was about to score a touchdown.
That touchdown would have given Toledo the opportunity tie the game or take the lead (with a two-point conversion) with 1:01 left in the fourth quarter.
“That ball was only half a yard from the goal line,” Haywood said.
The loose ball hit the pylon at the front corner of the end zone. The officials didn’t see that until they viewed the replay and ruled that what originally was thought to be a Toledo touchdown was in fact a touchback. Miami got possession of the ball at its own 20-yard line.
When the announcement by the referee was made, the Miami sideline erupted in leaps and screams and hugs of joy.
“It was like, ‘What did he just say?’ ” Haywood remembered.
A turnover that was Just as important, however, was the 20-yard interception return for a touchdown by true freshman Wes Williams which gave Miami a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
“That really ignited us offensively and defensively,” Haywood said.
Miami won the turnover battle over Toledo 2-1. A week earlier they won the turnover battle against Northern Illinois 1-0 but lost the game 27-22.
Through the first seven games, the RedHawks had turned the ball over 26 times while forcing only six turnovers.
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