Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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126 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY BRYAN DRISKELL Head coach Chuck Martin knows what it takes to build a championship program, and he's trying to do just that at Miami (Ohio). After winning two national championships at Grand Valley State as current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly's defensive coordi- nator (2002 and 2003), Martin took over for Kelly as head coach and led the Lakers to two more national titles (2005 and 2006). Martin went 74-7 in six seasons at Grand Valley before he joined Kelly at Notre Dame in 2010. He coached on both sides of the ball and was the Irish offensive coordinator on the 2012 team that went 12-1 and played in the BCS National Championship Game. He was then hired in Oxford, where he took over a program that went 8-28 in the three seasons prior to his arrival in 2014. The RedHawks went just 5-19 in his first two seasons, and year three didn't open much better with Miami starting 0-6. However, a 6-1 finish coupled with quality recruiting has raised expectations heading into 2017. "The Miami RedHawks come into 2017 with arguably the best roster top-to-bottom in the whole Mid-American Conference," said Jordan Rinard, a freelance writer who covers the RedHawks. "Martin has the Red and White poised for a breakthrough after inheriting an 0-12 dumpster fire in 2013." Miami's 6-1 finish coincided with the inser- tion of then-redshirt sophomore quarterback Gus Ragland into the starting lineup. He com- pleted 64.2 percent of his passes with a 17-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Ragland will get to play behind an experienced, deep and productive line that averages 304.2 pounds. The RedHawk defense allowed just 23.8 points and 353.2 yards per game last fall, af- ter giving up 32.0 points and 404.6 yards per contest in 2015. If that improvement continues into 2017, Martin's squad could rule the MAC. "Miami is certainly capable of pulling off what Western Michigan did a year ago if the team manages to get some breaks," said Ri- nard, referring to the Broncos' 13-1 season and Cotton Bowl berth. "They have the perfect formula to pull it off with efficient quarterback play and an opportunistic defense." ✦ 2017 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2016 Result Sept. 2 at Marshall — Sept. 9 Austin Peay — Sept. 16 Cincinnati L, 27-20 Sept. 23 at Central Michigan W, 37-17 Sept. 30 at Notre Dame — Oct. 7 Bowling Green W, 40-26 Oct. 14 at Kent State W, 18-14 Oct. 21 Buffalo W, 35-24 Oct. 31 at Ohio L, 17-7 Nov. 7 Akron L, 35-13 Nov. 15 Eastern Michigan W, 28-15 Nov. 21 at Ball State W, 21-20 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Notre Dame leads 1-0 Last Meeting: Notre Dame 46, Miami 0 (Nov. 13, 1909; South Bend) Head Coach: Chuck Martin, 11-26 (4th year) and 85-33 overall (10th year) 2016 Results: 6-7 overall, 6-2 MAC East (T-1st); lost to Mississippi State 17-16 in the St. Peters- burg Bowl Returning Starters: 16 (8 offense, 8 defense) 2017 Preseason Rankings: No. 50 by Phil Steele's, No. 78 by Athlon, No. 81 by ESPN Foot- ball Power Index and No. 99 by Lindy's Did You Know?: Miami head coach Chuck Mar- tin served as Notre Dame's secondary coach in 2010 and 2011, before moving to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2012 and 2013 seasons … Notre Dame Hall of Fame head coach Ara Parseghian was Miami's head coach from 1951-55, where he compiled a 39-6-1 record and won two MAC champion- ships … Cornerback Heath Harding was named a preseason first-team All-MAC pick by Athlon, Lindy's and Street & Smith's. Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Miami 13 STRENGTH: Secondary The Miami (Ohio) pass defense was one of the best in the Mid-American Conference last season, placing second in pass efficiency rating and fourth in passing yards allowed. It finished on a strong note, holding its final three opponents to just 172.3 yards per game through the air. Mississippi State quarterbacks completed just 13 of 27 passes for 136 yards against the RedHawks in the St. Petersburg Bowl. Chuck Martin's defense returns four starters and several key depth players to its back end, giving the RedHawks an opportunity to put together the MAC's best secondary. Miami's top defensive back is senior cornerback Heath Harding, a first-team All-MAC performer a season ago and one of the best corners Notre Dame will face all year. In 2016, Harding posted 67 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss while leading Miami with 11 passes broken up and four interceptions. His counterpart, Deondre Daniels, added six passes broken up last season, and he combines with Hard- ing to give Miami what Athlon Sports calls the best cornerback tandem in the MAC. Senior safety Tony Reid is a top run stopper, record- ing a team-leading 98 tackles during the 2016 season. Junior Joshua Allen started seven games and will play beside Reid on the back end. Miami also has four other veteran players returning that provide quality depth. CONCERN: Defensive Line The RedHawks led the MAC in total defense last season, and they return the entire secondary and top two linebackers. In order to continue playing that level of defense, they will have to find answers along the defensive line. Miami returns both starting defensive tackles, but it lacks ideal size inside, at least in regards to competing against Notre Dame. Senior nose tackle Ikeem Allen (6-1, 270) had three sacks a season ago, but not much production outside of that. The same is true for junior defensive tackle Nate Trawick (5-11, 312), who had just two tackles for loss. The inside players are experienced and there is depth, but there aren't any playmakers. The playmak- ers in Miami's 2016 defensive line were the ends, but none return. Gone is JT Jones, a second-team All-MAC performer who led Miami with 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Also gone is Miami's other starting end Austin Gearing, who finished second on the team with four sacks. To make matters worse, rising-senior end Zach Smierciak, a projected starter who had three sacks last season, was suspended following a November arrest. The four returning ends combined for just 3.5 tack- les for loss and one sack last season. MIAMI (OHIO) REDHAWKS SEPT. 30 • NOTRE DAME STADIUM • SOUTH BEND RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: RB Alonzo Smith (709 yards, 3 TD) Passing: QB Gus Ragland (1,537 yards, 17 TD) Receiving: WR James Gardner (750 yards, 6 TD) Tackles: S Tony Reid (98) Sacks: LB Brad Koenig and DT Ikeem Allen (3) Interceptions: CB Heath Harding and LB De'Andre Montgomery (3) X-FACTOR: Redshirt junior Gus Ragland was in- serted into the lineup at quarterback following a 0-6 start last year, and led the RedHawks to a 6-1 mark to finish the season. PHOTO COURTESY MIAMI ATHLETICS