FOOTBALL REPORT CARD

Quarterbacks: B-
Taking into consideration that a portion of Kyle Wright’s problems are a direct result of the O-Line, he still had two interceptions against a mediocre team. Houston was only able to score in the first half off of those interceptions. He went 16 for 27 with 190 yards, securing one touchdown.

Running Backs: A
All hail Javarris James! He had 148 of the team’s 230 net yards, one touchdown and set a freshman career record at Miami. James was replaced by Charlie Jones after a fumble that was decided as an incomplete pass, which resulted in a minor injury for James. Without James, this team would’ve been nursing another loss.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: C
Greg Olsen must’ve had something really greasy for dinner before getting on the field. He had two catches for a total of 11 yards. And, he dropped two. Lance Leggett secured 72 yards, the most of any receiver.

Bottom line: Miami has to get a passing game where the receivers can get open.

Offensive Line: C-
The O-Line had a better game, but still no match for some of the upcoming teams. Wright had more time in the pocket, but receivers and backs had a tougher time getting open because they were forced to block. The O-Line has to make openings for the running backs and give the passing game other options besides short, slanted throws.

Defensive Line: B+
The D-Line looked pretty solid, although they let Houston gain yardage that should’ve been stopped. Kenny Phillips led with seven tackles and four assists. Lovon Ponder and Brandon Meriweather made some important defensive plays. Bryan Pata sacked Houston’s Kevin Kolb for nine yards.

Linebackers: B-
The linebackers made most of their plays, but they could stand to improve before Miami faces tougher opponents.

Secondary: C+
The secondary gave up a couple of big plays to Houston, which shouldn’t happen after two weeks off between games.

Special Teams: C-
Brian Monroe’s first punt was out of bounds, giving Houston a starting advantage at the 35-yard line. Jon Peattie continues to miss field goals. Even if it was just by a few inches, three points would’ve really helped.

Coaching: C
Going for it on fourth down in the final minutes of the game was a good decision for a staff of coaches that hasn’t been making the best decisions. However, scoring 14 points and winning by one isn’t typical at Miami.

Other Factors:
The Hurricanes played Houston in the Orange Bowl at night. The win should’ve been by more than a point. The game was riddled with penalty flags, which is unacceptable. This team cannot give up yards and downs because of technical mistakes.