Paul Peck's Bull Session: Miami (OH)
10/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Buffalo (3-4, 1-2) vs. Miami (1-7, 0-4)
If you log onto the NCAA statistics website, you'll get a list of 45 categories, ranked in order from 1 to 127. Only twice will you see a Mid-American Conference team at the very top of a list. Bowling Green's amazing attack leads the country in passing offense. The UB Bulls lead all of FBS college football in defensive touchdowns. The Bulls have six, two more than second place Alabama and Arkansas State. It's been incredible to watch the Bulls defenders not just take the ball away, but take it all the way to the end zone. This week's opponent, Miami, has a TOTAL of 14 touchdowns in eight games. The UB defense has almost half that amount. To think that a Bulls team hadn't scored two defensive TD's in a game since the 2008 MAC Championship - and now they've done that twice this season. It's a tribute to how the Bulls defenders prepare, how they practice the "scoop & score," how athletic they are with the ball in their hands, and how determined they are to find the end zone.
In case you're wondering, like I am, the outstanding UB Athletics communications department is working with the NCAA to find out which team holds the record for defensive TDs in a season.
Bullseye on: Buffalo Offense
What a first start for Jordan Johnson. Replacing the injured Anthone Taylor, Johnson ran for a career-high 147 yards against Ohio. He ran hard, hit the holes a quickly and showed his power by running through tackles. He's already been a good 1-2 punch at RB with Taylor. Now he showed that he can carry the load if he has to. Think about the running back position at UB. From James Starks to Branden Oliver to Anthone Taylor to Jordan Johnson, it's becoming RB U.
Taylor's status will be a game time decision. But Anthone has some special reasons to play against the Red Hawks. In two career games against Miami, Taylor has run for 154 and 222 yards. The 154 came at Yager Stadium in 2013 after Oliver had already run for 150 yards. Last year's total was the first of three 200 yard games for Taylor. Miami's stadium is just an hour from Taylor's hometown of Huber Heights, OH. If that's not enough motivation against the Red Hawks, when Taylor was being recruited, the Red Hawks pulled their scholarship offer. So don't be surprised to see #1 on the field.
With five more catches against Ohio, tight end Matt Weiser now has 34 catches on the season. That's four more than he had in his first three years. Weiser has 27 receptions in the last four games. Marcus McGill is equally hot. After an eight catch performance versus the Bobcats, McGill has 17 catches in the last three games.
Joe Licata's first career start and first career win came against Miami in 2012. That was the memorable 27-24 win on Patrick Clarke's last second field goal. In three games against Miami, Licata has thrown for five touchdowns and has not lost. Joe is six completions away from 700 in his career. He needs to average 129 yards passing per game in the final five games to break Drew Willy's career passing yards record.
Did you notice a few unusual formations against Ohio? Twice Licata was split wide, while Marcus McGill took the direct snap. The former HS quarterback handed off both times, but he did complete a pass last season. In the third quarter, a play was run with guard Brandon Manosalvas split out as a receiver. He actually wasn't eligible, but the Bulls were trying to fool Ohio like the New England Patriots did to the Baltimore Ravens in last year's NFL playoffs. The idea is to get the opponent to cover Manosalvas and leave an eligible receiver open. 310 pound guard Roubbens Joseph saw some time at right guard against the Bobcats.
Miami's defense ranks 10th in the MAC, and they're giving up over 36 points per game. They have allowed more than 30 points in six of their eight games. Middle linebacker Kent Kern is the leader of the Red Hawks defense. His 10 tackles for loss are second in the MAC. Defensive ends J.T. Jones and Bryson Albright are very good pass rushers who have combined for 4.5 sacks this season. Backup defensive end Austin Gearing actually started at quarterback for Miami the last time the Bulls played in Oxford. He was sacked three times by Khalil Mack in that 2013 game. Linebacker Paul Moses, the team's number three tackler was a running back last season. The Red Hawks defense has allowed a running back to top 100 yards in five of their eight games. But they did hold powerful Western Michigan to three yards a carry last week.
Bullseye on: Buffalo Defense
Lost in all the scoring by the Bulls defense, was the fact that they allowed only 54 yards rushing. That's a season low total and it made Ohio uncomfortably one dimensional. The five man defensive tackle rotation of Max Perisse, Chris Ford, Gusty Schwartzmeier, Justin Brandon and Duke Hwang clogged the middle and gave Ohio no room to run. Brandon had a pair of half-sacks, the first of his career. One of them was shared with fellow freshman Charles Harris.
Nick Gilbo's 15 tackles against Ohio were a new career high. He's now fourth in the MAC with 67 tackles, tied with teammate Brandon Berry. Berry has an amazing 65 of those tackles in the last six games, and ten or more in five straight games. Okezie Alozie earned MAC East Defensive Player of the Week honors thanks to his two interception performance.
With two more passes defended, Boise Ross is tied for the national lead with 16. His next interception or pass breakup will also set a new UB single season record. Ryan Williamson had a career high with nine tackles, to go along with his defensive touchdown. This week, the Cincinnati native will have 40 friends and family at the game.
The Bulls continue to struggle to stop third downs. Ohio converted 10 of 18. The Bulls rank 10th in the MAC, allowing 47 percent conversion. Miami's offense has really struggled this season. They've scored 14 or less points in six of their eight games. Their average of 14.4 points per game is last in the country. They rank no higher than eighth in the MAC in any offensive category. A big reason why is their quarterback situation. Senior Drew Kummer started the first five games, but has given way to true freshman Billy Bahl. As expected, Bahl has struggled and thrown 10 interceptions while completing only 42 percent of his passes. Bahl is six-foot-four and 248 pounds, prompting some size comparisons to former Red Hawk Ben Roethlisberger. Even though he's learning on the job, the Miami coaches are excited about his potential.
Head Coach Chuck Martin, a former Notre Dame assistant under Brian Kelly, has said that he would have offered Bahl a scholarship to play in South Bend. Miami will also use another quarterback, redshirt freshman Gus Ragland. He's a runner, who ranks second on the team with 224 yards. Their top four running backs are all freshman. Alonzo Smith, Kenny Young, Maurice Thomas and Leonard Ross have all seen action.
The Red Hawks top receivers are Sam Martin (22 catches) and Rokeem Williams (18 catches)…How young are the Red Hawks on offense. Eleven of their 14 touchdowns have been scored by freshman or sophomores.
Bullseye on: Special Teams
I don't talk enough about special teams, but the performance of Tyler Grassman and Adam Mitcheson against Ohio deserve a mention. Grassman averaged 44.6 yards on his five punts, and "Touchback Tyler" booted five kickoffs into the end zone. He has 16 touchbacks this season. His season average of 41.7 per punt ranks fourth in the MAC. Mitcheson hit two field goals against the Bobcats, and "Clutch-eson" has hit seven of his last eight field goals. His nine FG's are fourth in the MAC.
Please join me, color analyst Jim Kubiak, sideline reporter Scott Wilson, game host Brad Riter and postgame host Bob Gaughan for the broadcast on the Bulls Football Network. Our pregame show starts at 6:30pm. You can hear it in Buffalo on ESPN 1520 (www.espn1520.com), in Rochester on Sports 1280 WHTK (www.foxsports1280.com) & in New York City on 570 WMCA (www.wmca.com).
