Hello from MiamiHawkTalk

[CadaverDawg]

Hey MSU fans. It looks like we are going to get pretty well acquainted over the next 3 weeks. I thought I'd pop over here and give you a sense of what to expect on December 26 in St. Pete, if the rumors hold true.

First, you can imagine that Miami fans are pretty excited to play a school as name brand as Miss St. If you'd care to jaunt over to our neck of the woods, point your browser to http://test.miamihawktalk.com/talk/. Our new message board is in beta, and is not easily accessible through the MHT homepage so it is best to use the link I provided.

I imagine as an SEC program that has been a powerhouse in recent years, the notion of playing a 6-6 MAC school on the day after Christmas isn't wholly appealing. In any event, here is so information to help you size up your opponent:

- We started this season 0-6, including a collapse vs. an FCS opponent that left me with a broken desk chair and a girlfriend so peeved about my attitude during our date night that she angrily tweeted at our head coach and vowed to never watch another Miami game since then. Luckily, I have a new chair and repaired relationship since.

- In 2015 we played 3 QBs: Senior Drew Kummer, RS frosh Gus Ragland, and TF Billy Bahl; Kummer was a holdover from really bad teams and recruiting classes, Ragland was the first recruit of our head coach, Chuck Martin, when he took the job in late 2013, known for little more than his legs, and Bahl was one of the most prized recruits in Miami history, choosing us over offers from many P5 schools, including Penn State. About 5 games into last season, with all 3 QBs having seen playing time but Kummer getting the majority of reps, the reins were almost entirely handed to Bahl with Ragland getting some change of pace snaps here and there. Bahl struggled mightily but showed flashes of brilliance with his arm. By the time we beat UMass in the season finale, optimism was sky high for this season. This will get relevant by the next bullet point, I swear.

- In 2016 spring practice, Ragland tore his ACL so, to the extent there was any QB competition to be had, the job was firmly Billy's. We opened the season at Iowa and, if any of you have some hours to kill and care to watch the video, you'll note that we played them much, much closer than the final score and Billy Bahl was outstanding. I left Kinnick Stadium hearing nothing but comments from Iowa fans about how set we were for the next 3 years with Bahl. Then we lost the worst game of all time to Eastern Illinois. Then we lost to WKU in a game probably more lopsided than the score indicates. Then we lost to Cincinnati by a razor thin margin for the third year in a row and 11th time in a row overall; imagine losing to Ole Miss 11 times in a row. Then Bahl got hurt in our loss to another rival, Ohio, and morale was at an all time low -- it was really ugly over on ole MHT as we sat at 0-5. We had to burn the redshirt of a true freshman to fill in vs. Ohio and then start vs. Akron and suddenly, after a really promising opener @ Iowa, we were sitting at 0-6 and our star QB was hurt. Now it gets really relevant.

- Our 7th game was vs. Kent State. This has been a game of critical importance for Miami fans the last 3 years; Kent's OC is Don Treadwell, the subhuman embarrassment to the gene pool who tanked our program in the 2.5 years he was in charge, doing everything from eliminating our weight lifting program to hiring a guy that had lost 50 straight games as a D3 head coach to be our OC. The week of the game it was announced, as a mild surprise, that Gus Ragland had recovered enough from his torn ACL to start. Ragland was shaky as hell but we won, probably thanks to the waste of oxygen that is their OC. Then we beat a really bad Bowling Green team and Ragland was outstanding. We started looking better and better each week and suddenly had reeled off 6 in a row.

- Ragland, who as a RS Frosh played only 86 snaps and was only allowed to throw 29 times, has this season completed 93 of 149 passes and thrown 15 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The only 6 games he has ever started at the collegiate level are the six games we've won to get here. It has been every bit as miraculous and improbable as it sounds.

- If you're looking for another position to watch, I'd say our WRs can match up with many P5 schools even though arguably our best WR, Chris Hudson, suffered a potentially career-ending injury vs. Eastern Illinois. For much of the season, our best WR has been sophomore James Gardner who you may have seen on Sportscenter doing this: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/10/coll...dner-wow-video

- Our head coach is Chuck Martin, who took over for that maggot Don Treadwell in 2014. Martin was the OC at Notre Dame (and, in fact, took a 200K/year haircut in order to become a head coach) and won several D2 national titles at Grand Valley State. He's as brutally honest as any coach you'll ever hear in interviews and press conferences so, to the extent you care, I encourage you to follow his press clippings over the next 3 weeks. I've never heard a head coach forego coachspeak with such reckless abandon. Martin came to Miami with a ton of fanfare given his success at D2 and his pedigree in the FBS but things were awfully shaky 7 weeks ago and it was assumed his seat would be scalding in 2017. Now, Martin is safe and when put in the proper context (that is, that the 2013 Miami team Martin inherited was, statistically, one of the worst FBS teams in the history of college football), it is quite amazing that he put together a winning streak like this so quickly.

- We have quite a history of turning coaches into superstars, or at least setting them on their way. See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_of_Coaches

- We also have a history of beating schools most people would think we shouldn't. See here: http://www.coachchuckmartin.com/redh...-victories.php

- Miami is a cautionary tale in what having a bad AD will do to you. Our former AD, Brad Bates, hired Don Treadwell and our current basketball coach, John Cooper, who has won 13 games in 3 straight seasons after taking over for the winningest hoops coach in MAC history. For some reason, Boston College took Bates off our hands, and it was there he hired the football and men's basketball coaches there that combined for exactly 0 total ACC wins in 2015-2016.

- The school is located in Oxford, Ohio and if there is one thing I'm sure we'll all agree on: Oxford, OH is wayyyyyyy better than Oxford, MS.

Forgive any typos in the above as it is late here, but I was excited to start this conversation. Hopefully the rumors are right and I won't have to copy and paste this on another school's message board. We are all pumped up to play an SEC school and, frankly, as a NY resident the idea of spending Christmas in Florida ain't so bad. Good luck to you guys and enjoy bowl season. Look forward to chatting with you throughout.

Alex

Welcome, and thanks for the information. Awesome finish after an 0-6 start.

If there's anything you should know, it's that our run game is stout....pass game is average....and our secondary is no bueno. Our defense struggled mightily this year, despite being our most talented side of the ball. We don't pressure the QB all that well, and we don't cover very well, but we complement that with poor tackling. You guys could very easily beat us (we've already lost to South Alabama), and we all know that it could be a shoot out. I don't expect you guys to shut our offense down, but that goes for us against yours too...so it could be a high scoring game where the first defense to make a few stops wins it.

Keep the conversation going, invite friends over, and we look forward to it.

Thanks

[CadaverDawg]

Thanks for the overview. Quick summary of our team:

QB is a big slow footed white guy with precision accuracy. You might also see the fleet of foot Dam Williams in to run the wildcat.

RB is the small but powerful Brandon Holloway. Back up is Aries Fitzgereld.

WR is a solid group led by school leader in receptions and yards, Gabe Myles. We have a lot of bigger receivers in the slot to create mismatches.

The OL is much better at pass blocking than run blocking. Look out for former Tight End Elgin Bailey, he's now playing guard and is a nightmare for Lb's when he pulls. Let's just say he pulls no punches.

Our defense is pretty dominate. A little 3-4, a little 4-3, a little 5-1-5 as well with a couple "DOG" safeties. New DC Peter Sirmones had been a difference maker.

Our D line is extremely physical, except for Jeffrey Simmons who is a huge p*ssy. AJ Jefferson looks like a 16 year old kid, but he's a full grown man at 6-6 320.

At linebacker we are led by Richie Brown, JT Gray and Tim Washington. They are truly sideline to sideline and never miss tackles. Excellent in coverage.

The secondary is the strength of the whole team. Our guys clearly spend all their free time in the film room and/or their natural instincts are just off the charts. Look out for Chris Rayford here...if he's matched up against your best receiver, just consider that guy locked down for the night. CB Tolando Cleveland will lock down the other spot as well.

As for kicking, let's just say our guy is automatic inside the 40. They call him the Dan Bailey of Mississippi.

I'm sure you guys will have a great home field advantage since your fans won't have to drive that far from Miami to St Pete. That's what, about 150 miles? I always admired Richt when he was at UGA.

Cheers,
Brian Hadad

[starkvegasdawg]

Holy hell. Just saw the town they're from is Oxford. They shall now be known as TSFUN. The school further up north.

[Dawgbite]

Has anybody checked this guy out? With that soliloquy it could be Bruiser in Hawk feathers!

[preachermatt83]

Thanks for the overview. Quick summary of our team:

QB is a big slow footed white guy with precision accuracy. You might also see the fleet of foot Dam Williams in to run the wildcat.

RB is the small but powerful Brandon Holloway. Back up is Aries Fitzgereld.

WR is a solid group led by school leader in receptions and yards, Gabe Myles. We have a lot of bigger receivers in the slot to create mismatches.

The OL is much better at pass blocking than run blocking. Look out for former Tight End Elgin Bailey, he's now playing guard and is a nightmare for Lb's when he pulls. Let's just say he pulls no punches.

Our defense is pretty dominate. A little 3-4, a little 4-3, a little 5-1-5 as well with a couple "DOG" safeties. New DC Peter Sirmones had been a difference maker.

Our D line is extremely physical, except for Jeffrey Simmons who is a huge p*ssy. AJ Jefferson looks like a 16 year old kid, but he's a full grown man at 6-6 320.

At linebacker we are led by Richie Brown, JT Gray and Tim Washington. They are truly sideline to sideline and never miss tackles. Excellent in coverage.

The secondary is the strength of the whole team. Our guys clearly spend all their free time in the film room and/or their natural instincts are just off the charts. Look out for Chris Rayford here...if he's matched up against your best receiver, just consider that guy locked down for the night. CB Tolando Cleveland will lock down the other spot as well.

As for kicking, let's just say our guy is automatic inside the 40. They call him the Dan Bailey of Mississippi.

I'm sure you guys will have a great home field advantage since your fans won't have to drive that far from Miami to St Pete. That's what, about 150 miles? I always admired Richt when he was at UGA.

Cheers,
Brian Hadad

Outstanding!!

[BulldogBacker]

Thanks for the overview. Quick summary of our team:

QB is a big slow footed white guy with precision accuracy. You might also see the fleet of foot Dam Williams in to run the wildcat.

RB is the small but powerful Brandon Holloway. Back up is Aries Fitzgereld.

WR is a solid group led by school leader in receptions and yards, Gabe Myles. We have a lot of bigger receivers in the slot to create mismatches.

The OL is much better at pass blocking than run blocking. Look out for former Tight End Elgin Bailey, he's now playing guard and is a nightmare for Lb's when he pulls. Let's just say he pulls no punches.

Our defense is pretty dominate. A little 3-4, a little 4-3, a little 5-1-5 as well with a couple "DOG" safeties. New DC Peter Sirmones had been a difference maker.

Our D line is extremely physical, except for Jeffrey Simmons who is a huge p*ssy. AJ Jefferson looks like a 16 year old kid, but he's a full grown man at 6-6 320.

At linebacker we are led by Richie Brown, JT Gray and Tim Washington. They are truly sideline to sideline and never miss tackles. Excellent in coverage.

The secondary is the strength of the whole team. Our guys clearly spend all their free time in the film room and/or their natural instincts are just off the charts. Look out for Chris Rayford here...if he's matched up against your best receiver, just consider that guy locked down for the night. CB Tolando Cleveland will lock down the other spot as well.

As for kicking, let's just say our guy is automatic inside the 40. They call him the Dan Bailey of Mississippi.

I'm sure you guys will have a great home field advantage since your fans won't have to drive that far from Miami to St Pete. That's what, about 150 miles? I always admired Richt when he was at UGA.

Cheers,
Brian Hadad

Well done you old fart! You have not lost your sense of humor!

[Political Hack]

Thanks for the overview. Quick summary of our team:

QB is a big slow footed white guy with precision accuracy. You might also see the fleet of foot Dam Williams in to run the wildcat.

RB is the small but powerful Brandon Holloway. Back up is Aries Fitzgereld.

WR is a solid group led by school leader in receptions and yards, Gabe Myles. We have a lot of bigger receivers in the slot to create mismatches.

The OL is much better at pass blocking than run blocking. Look out for former Tight End Elgin Bailey, he's now playing guard and is a nightmare for Lb's when he pulls. Let's just say he pulls no punches.

Our defense is pretty dominate. A little 3-4, a little 4-3, a little 5-1-5 as well with a couple "DOG" safeties. New DC Peter Sirmones had been a difference maker.

Our D line is extremely physical, except for Jeffrey Simmons who is a huge p*ssy. AJ Jefferson looks like a 16 year old kid, but he's a full grown man at 6-6 320.

At linebacker we are led by Richie Brown, JT Gray and Tim Washington. They are truly sideline to sideline and never miss tackles. Excellent in coverage.

The secondary is the strength of the whole team. Our guys clearly spend all their free time in the film room and/or their natural instincts are just off the charts. Look out for Chris Rayford here...if he's matched up against your best receiver, just consider that guy locked down for the night. CB Tolando Cleveland will lock down the other spot as well.

As for kicking, let's just say our guy is automatic inside the 40. They call him the Dan Bailey of Mississippi.

I'm sure you guys will have a great home field advantage since your fans won't have to drive that far from Miami to St Pete. That's what, about 150 miles? I always admired Richt when he was at UGA.

Cheers,
Brian Hadad

+1

[yanksalex]

Holy hell. Just saw the town they're from is Oxford. They shall now be known as TSFUN. The school further up north.

We also know the difference between further and farther.

[RocketDawg]

We also know the difference between further and farther.

I see you have furthered your education and keep getting farther and farther away.

You guys are still wont to say "I seen it" and stand "on line" though ....

[Dawgsfanalongtime77]

And to just add more info about our team. We tend to leave every half with 3 timeouts so if spares were allowed for a team,then they would be available

[RiverCityDawg]

You're maybe thinking of RocketCityDawg, but thanks anyway.

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

Been up to the Miami, Ohio campus a couple of times with work. Talk about a "Beautiful Campus", the one in Oxford, MS ain't got chit on the one in Oxford, OH. Was surprised at how many good looking co-eds they had up there too a lot of blondes from what I remember. Nice little football stadium that sort of sits down behind the basketball arena. The Cradle of Coaches. Had spring practice going on and remember seeing guys, getting iced down, sitting in those large gray garbage cans. Arena was pretty cool...60ish style architecture. Had just built a new baseball stadium when I was there and it looked pretty nice also.

Also remember seeing, as I drove through downtown, a dickhead wearing an OM t-shirt. I drove by slow, honked my horn and flipped him off as I passed him.

[blacklistedbully]

And to just add more info about our team. We tend to leave every half with 3 timeouts so if spares were allowed for a team,then they would be available

Great point. If we have the ball 1st & 10 at our 35, 47 seconds left in the half & all 3 timeouts...Coach Mullen will take 3 knees.

[Jarius]

Just did a little reading on their team and they have an offense ranked in the 100s and a defense in the 30s, but that defense played against MAC teams all year. We should blow them out but our players are already bitching on Twitter about not being home For Chrostmas so I'm sure we will shit the bed and embarrass ourselves.

[GTHOM]

State 45 Miami OH 24

[bulldawg28]

Prepare thine anus!

[EngDawg]

Hey MSU fans. It looks like we are going to get pretty well acquainted over the next 3 weeks. I thought I'd pop over here and give you a sense of what to expect on December 26 in St. Pete, if the rumors hold true.

First, you can imagine that Miami fans are pretty excited to play a school as name brand as Miss St. If you'd care to jaunt over to our neck of the woods, point your browser to http://test.miamihawktalk.com/talk/. Our new message board is in beta, and is not easily accessible through the MHT homepage so it is best to use the link I provided.

I imagine as an SEC program that has been a powerhouse in recent years, the notion of playing a 6-6 MAC school on the day after Christmas isn't wholly appealing. In any event, here is so information to help you size up your opponent:

- We started this season 0-6, including a collapse vs. an FCS opponent that left me with a broken desk chair and a girlfriend so peeved about my attitude during our date night that she angrily tweeted at our head coach and vowed to never watch another Miami game since then. Luckily, I have a new chair and repaired relationship since.

- In 2015 we played 3 QBs: Senior Drew Kummer, RS frosh Gus Ragland, and TF Billy Bahl; Kummer was a holdover from really bad teams and recruiting classes, Ragland was the first recruit of our head coach, Chuck Martin, when he took the job in late 2013, known for little more than his legs, and Bahl was one of the most prized recruits in Miami history, choosing us over offers from many P5 schools, including Penn State. About 5 games into last season, with all 3 QBs having seen playing time but Kummer getting the majority of reps, the reins were almost entirely handed to Bahl with Ragland getting some change of pace snaps here and there. Bahl struggled mightily but showed flashes of brilliance with his arm. By the time we beat UMass in the season finale, optimism was sky high for this season. This will get relevant by the next bullet point, I swear.

- In 2016 spring practice, Ragland tore his ACL so, to the extent there was any QB competition to be had, the job was firmly Billy's. We opened the season at Iowa and, if any of you have some hours to kill and care to watch the video, you'll note that we played them much, much closer than the final score and Billy Bahl was outstanding. I left Kinnick Stadium hearing nothing but comments from Iowa fans about how set we were for the next 3 years with Bahl. Then we lost the worst game of all time to Eastern Illinois. Then we lost to WKU in a game probably more lopsided than the score indicates. Then we lost to Cincinnati by a razor thin margin for the third year in a row and 11th time in a row overall; imagine losing to Ole Miss 11 times in a row. Then Bahl got hurt in our loss to another rival, Ohio, and morale was at an all time low -- it was really ugly over on ole MHT as we sat at 0-5. We had to burn the redshirt of a true freshman to fill in vs. Ohio and then start vs. Akron and suddenly, after a really promising opener @ Iowa, we were sitting at 0-6 and our star QB was hurt. Now it gets really relevant.

- Our 7th game was vs. Kent State. This has been a game of critical importance for Miami fans the last 3 years; Kent's OC is Don Treadwell, the subhuman embarrassment to the gene pool who tanked our program in the 2.5 years he was in charge, doing everything from eliminating our weight lifting program to hiring a guy that had lost 50 straight games as a D3 head coach to be our OC. The week of the game it was announced, as a mild surprise, that Gus Ragland had recovered enough from his torn ACL to start. Ragland was shaky as hell but we won, probably thanks to the waste of oxygen that is their OC. Then we beat a really bad Bowling Green team and Ragland was outstanding. We started looking better and better each week and suddenly had reeled off 6 in a row.

- Ragland, who as a RS Frosh played only 86 snaps and was only allowed to throw 29 times, has this season completed 93 of 149 passes and thrown 15 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The only 6 games he has ever started at the collegiate level are the six games we've won to get here. It has been every bit as miraculous and improbable as it sounds.

- If you're looking for another position to watch, I'd say our WRs can match up with many P5 schools even though arguably our best WR, Chris Hudson, suffered a potentially career-ending injury vs. Eastern Illinois. For much of the season, our best WR has been sophomore James Gardner who you may have seen on Sportscenter doing this: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/10/coll...dner-wow-video

- Our head coach is Chuck Martin, who took over for that maggot Don Treadwell in 2014. Martin was the OC at Notre Dame (and, in fact, took a 200K/year haircut in order to become a head coach) and won several D2 national titles at Grand Valley State. He's as brutally honest as any coach you'll ever hear in interviews and press conferences so, to the extent you care, I encourage you to follow his press clippings over the next 3 weeks. I've never heard a head coach forego coachspeak with such reckless abandon. Martin came to Miami with a ton of fanfare given his success at D2 and his pedigree in the FBS but things were awfully shaky 7 weeks ago and it was assumed his seat would be scalding in 2017. Now, Martin is safe and when put in the proper context (that is, that the 2013 Miami team Martin inherited was, statistically, one of the worst FBS teams in the history of college football), it is quite amazing that he put together a winning streak like this so quickly.

- We have quite a history of turning coaches into superstars, or at least setting them on their way. See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_of_Coaches

- We also have a history of beating schools most people would think we shouldn't. See here: http://www.coachchuckmartin.com/redh...-victories.php

- Miami is a cautionary tale in what having a bad AD will do to you. Our former AD, Brad Bates, hired Don Treadwell and our current basketball coach, John Cooper, who has won 13 games in 3 straight seasons after taking over for the winningest hoops coach in MAC history. For some reason, Boston College took Bates off our hands, and it was there he hired the football and men's basketball coaches there that combined for exactly 0 total ACC wins in 2015-2016.

- The school is located in Oxford, Ohio and if there is one thing I'm sure we'll all agree on: Oxford, OH is wayyyyyyy better than Oxford, MS.

Forgive any typos in the above as it is late here, but I was excited to start this conversation. Hopefully the rumors are right and I won't have to copy and paste this on another school's message board. We are all pumped up to play an SEC school and, frankly, as a NY resident the idea of spending Christmas in Florida ain't so bad. Good luck to you guys and enjoy bowl season. Look forward to chatting with you throughout.

Alex

Wow, I'm pretty sure War and Peace is shorter.

[Percho]

Been up to the Miami, Ohio campus a couple of times with work. Talk about a "Beautiful Campus", the one in Oxford, MS ain't got chit on the one in Oxford, OH. Was surprised at how many good looking co-eds they had up there too a lot of blondes from what I remember. Nice little football stadium that sort of sits down behind the basketball arena. The Cradle of Coaches. Had spring practice going on and remember seeing guys, getting iced down, sitting in those large gray garbage cans. Arena was pretty cool...60ish style architecture. Had just built a new baseball stadium when I was there and it looked pretty nice also.

Also remember seeing, as I drove through downtown, a dickhead wearing an OM t-shirt. I drove by slow, honked my horn and flipped him off as I passed him.

What about a,, grove? Did they have a, grove?

[Percho]

I'll turn 74 on game day.

[dawgday166]

Thanks for the overview. Quick summary of our team:

QB is a big slow footed white guy with precision accuracy. You might also see the fleet of foot Dam Williams in to run the wildcat.

RB is the small but powerful Brandon Holloway. Back up is Aries Fitzgereld.

WR is a solid group led by school leader in receptions and yards, Gabe Myles. We have a lot of bigger receivers in the slot to create mismatches.

The OL is much better at pass blocking than run blocking. Look out for former Tight End Elgin Bailey, he's now playing guard and is a nightmare for Lb's when he pulls. Let's just say he pulls no punches.

Our defense is pretty dominate. A little 3-4, a little 4-3, a little 5-1-5 as well with a couple "DOG" safeties. New DC Peter Sirmones had been a difference maker.

Our D line is extremely physical, except for Jeffrey Simmons who is a huge p*ssy. AJ Jefferson looks like a 16 year old kid, but he's a full grown man at 6-6 320.

At linebacker we are led by Richie Brown, JT Gray and Tim Washington. They are truly sideline to sideline and never miss tackles. Excellent in coverage.

The secondary is the strength of the whole team. Our guys clearly spend all their free time in the film room and/or their natural instincts are just off the charts. Look out for Chris Rayford here...if he's matched up against your best receiver, just consider that guy locked down for the night. CB Tolando Cleveland will lock down the other spot as well.

As for kicking, let's just say our guy is automatic inside the 40. They call him the Dan Bailey of Mississippi.

I'm sure you guys will have a great home field advantage since your fans won't have to drive that far from Miami to St Pete. That's what, about 150 miles? I always admired Richt when he was at UGA.

Cheers,
Brian Hadad

Spot on scouting report. You've been doing your homework.