Offense: B
It seems like the Hurricanes are creating their own version of the movie Freaky Friday because the offense and defense have completely reversed roles. I am not sure which unit is Lindsey Lohan or Jamie Lee Curtis, however.
Quarterback: B+
Brock Berlin actually played well in the losing effort. He was not responsible for any turnovers and did a good job of utilizing his receivers’ speed by throwing high-percentage passes.
Running Back: D
Frank Gore and Tyrone Moss simply did not give the Hurricanes what they needed Saturday. The tandem is too strong for a 16 carry, 57-yard performance.
Wide Receivers: B
Twelve different Hurricanes caught passes Saturday, including Berlin, who caught his own pass after it deflected off an offensive lineman. It is hard to complain about that kind of distribution.
Offensive Line: C+
The loss certainly was not the o-line’s fault. They did a solid job protecting Berlin, but the run blocking was not where it needed to be.
Defense: D-
This is the point in the report card where I will begin to get harsh. The defense has been atrocious for three weeks. This is not Miami football, and Defensive Coordinator Randy Shannon must unleash the fury on his unit this week because this loss was humiliating.
Defensive Line: F
We haven’t heard Orien Harris and Baraka Atkins’ names being called in a while, and that is because they haven’t made any plays in a while. The d-line got no pressure on Darian Durant, who looked like the second coming of Steve McNair in this game.
Linebackers: F
A third-string running back gained 175 yards against this defense. This is inexcusable, and the truck-sized holes Chad Scott ran through can be directly attributed to a horrifying performance by the linebackers.
Secondary: D
The only reason I am not giving the secondary an F is because it came through with a couple of nice stops when they needed to. However, Antrel Rolle and Greg Threat can’t do it by themselves, and the zone coverages have been abysmal.
Special Teams: C
Jon Peattie missed his only field goal attempt of the game and Devin Hester didn’t even get a chance to return a kick for a touchdown. Hester’s days of being kicked to are probably over.
Coaching: D
I know Head Coach Larry Coker is a mild-mannered guy, but this was the most embarrassing loss of his tenure. His coaching mettle will be tested in the coming weeks as the Hurricanes attempt to salvage a season that has quickly gone awry.