The Virginia coaches focused all last week on how to contain Miami's speed on special teams. While the Cavaliers were able to limit Miami's returns on kickoffs, they struggled to restrain the Hurricanes' punt return units.
Junior Kurt Smith typically handles the Cavaliers' kickoff duties with the objective of kicking the ball into the endzone to force the opposing team's kick return unit to down the ball. Virginia coaches, however, were so concerned about the speed of the Hurricanes that during practice last week they implemented a "blip kick" that focused on kicking the ball higher rather than longer in order to limit Miami's return ability.
On Saturday, after Smith took the two kickoffs in the first half, place kicker Connor Hughes came in to take the two second-half kicks. Despite Smith's success -- Miami's average starting field position on his two kickoffs was the 22.5 yard line -- Hughes handled the duties in the second half because he was better suited for the high kicks. The longer the ball was in the air on the kickoffs, the more time Virginia's coverage unit had to get down the field to cover the kick. On Hughes' two kickoffs, Miami's average starting field position was the 29-yard line.
"We kept the time-bomb from exploding and did not give up significant field position," Virginia coach Al Groh said about kicking off to Miami. "However the first two kicks, while they were well covered, didn't quite go according to what the plan was, so we didn't want to try our luck any further and the next two kicks were a little more accurately placed."
The containment plan did not work out so well on the punting side of special teams. Virginia averaged 36.0 yards per punt Saturday afternoon, but Miami's three fair catches plus 33.5 average yards per return left Virginia with a net punting average of 16.9 yards. Although the Hurricanes averaged less yards per punt, 32.2, they had a net punting average of 31.6 yards because the Cavaliers' averaged only 3.0 yards per return.
All week long Virginia focused on controlling Miami's dynamic sophomore kick-returner Devin Hester, but it was junior Roscoe Parrish who torched them last weekend with a 45-yard punt return to setup a touchdown in the second quarter and a 62-yard return for a score in the fourth to put Miami up 24-14.
"For us to give up two big returns like that, it changed the game," safety Marquis Weeks said. "It wasn't even Hester that did it to us."
Groh said Virginia had a chance to make the tackle early on each punt return, but failed to do so. Senior Dennis Haley, who was on the two punt units, said he should have made the play on Parrish, but claimed he was pushed in the back.
"If that's his report on the matter, then as an impartial observer, I would say he was probably correct on both accounts," Groh said. "It wasn't difficult for me to come to that conclusion."
The Cavaliers had a chance to make a big special teams play in the third when they were down 14-7. Freshman Nate Lyles came within inches of blocking Miami's punt on fourth and four, but missed and received a roughing the kicker penalty to keep the Hurricane drive alive.
"All [Lyles] had to do was run through the place where it was setup," Groh said. "If you make those kinds of plays collectively as a team in those kinds of games, you win."
News and notes
Of the 117 teams in Division IA football, Virginia is dead last with a 34.26 net average on punts. The next closest team, Southern Methodist, is over three yards ahead of the Cavaliers. The total spread of the top 116 teams is less than 10 yards. ... Sophomore Ian-Yates Cunningham, who injured his back this spring and has yet to play in a game this season, dressed for the Miami game. "He's progressed to the point where if he can do something to help us, he's available," Groh said. ... Groh originally said that according to doctors, fullback Jason Snelling -- out with an ankle sprain -- might be able to return for Georgia Tech, but Monday said that "doesn't seem as realistic now." ... The next two road contests at Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech will both have 1 p.m. kickoffs.
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