1st and Ten – Two Times – There are
plenty of guys who double as a returner and a receiver. Few, if any, do
both as well as Ryne Robinson, the record breaking Miami Redhawk
gamebreaker. As a return man, Robinson is just over 250 yards away from
being the career leading punt return man in the history of college
football. That’s not chump change, for sure, but teams have to get
smart and not kick him the ball. As a receiver, Robinson can hurt a
defense anywhere on the field. He can catch short and run long. He can
make the catch in the intermediate areas – 15 to 17 yard digs and deep
crosses. He can stretch the field vertically. There really isn’t
anything that the 5’10”, 170 pound senior can’t do in the passing game.
Well, outside of throwing the ball to himself, but we’ll talk about the
QB situation later. He finished the season with 75 catches and over
1,000 yards, so defenders are going to have to find ways to take him out
of the game, whether in the return game or on offense. Don’t expect too
much man coverage when Robinson is lined up on offense, though; that
might ultimately be the best thing that he does for this team. However,
if he’s not the number one focus for defenses this year, drawing single
coverage throughout a game, defenses will pay with a couple of six spots
on the board, as Robinson takes MAC corners to the cleaners. And, don’t
compound your mistake by punting him the ball. That could hurt twice as
bad.
2nd and Seven – Don’t Play with this
Card – No matter the conference. No matter the competition. Miami
free safety Joey Card is one of the best tackling safeties in the
nation. Put him in the SEC or send him west to the Pac-10 and the
nation would know a lot more about Card. The leading returning tackler
for the Redhawks piled up 67 tackles last season and is as sure a
tackler as you’re going to find anywhere. Okay, so he did also have
three interceptions, but we’re talking ‘physical’ and tackling here,
folks. With many in the front seven departed due to graduation, Card is
going to be that much more valuable in supporting the run. But, he’s
shown that he can be a ‘box’ player, and then some.
3rd and Three – Smurf Murph –
Coming into 2005, there were as many questions about the Miami running
back situation as there were about any other position on the field.
Well, Brandon Murphy answered that question, leaving no such ‘situation’
for this season. The diminutive one is blessed with good vision, some
serious wiggle and explosion. That combination of traits helped Murphy
average more than 100 yards per game and playing off the talented
Robinson for a second straight year, he should be able to do the same in
2006.
4th and One – Who’s Next? – So
much offensive talent in the stable, and a newbie shall lead them? Can
you imagine what this offense would do with Ben Roethlisberger or Josh
Betts at QB? Okay, sorry Redhawk fans, you’ve probably already
petitioned for an additional year for Betts, but to no avail. With
Betts graduating, following Roethlisberger’s tremendous career, the QB
position is as unsettled as it has been in quite some time. Mike Kokal
has taken snaps in the past, but Jared Elliott is one big kid (6’5”
uberstud). No matter who lines up under center this fall, they’ve got
some help. Just get the ball to the people who know what to do with it
– in other words, the guys listed above. Sure, it’s easier said than
done, but someone has to be next.