As the Miami Hurricanes continue to recruit, they appear to be in a good position for a running back. TreVonte’ Citizen is one of the top running backs of the 2023 class. He is considering the Hurricanes, and they have been one of the schools he’s been in close contact with per Steve Wlitfong of 247Sports.
Citizen is a four-star running back, and is the ninth overall running back in the 2022 class. He is the 10th overall player in his class from the state of Louisiana per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Right now, all Crystal Balls have him going to LSU. He has offers from several big-name schools , including LSU, Texas A&M, Florida, and Miami.
His statistics are pretty impressive. In three years of recorded statistics, he recorded 135 carries for 121 yards and 14 touchdowns. His best season came in 2020 as he carried the ball 62 times for 615 yards and eight touchdowns.
He could give boost to Miami Hurricanes running game
Measuring in at 6 feet, 217 pounds, Citizen is a physical running back. He hits holes hard, and is not afraid to take on contact. Citizen would be a solid running back in the red zone. He is a complete running back in the sense that he has an element of elusiveness when he runs, and he also has physicality. That physicality would allow Miami to have an automatic weapon in the red zone.
Citizen would give the Miami Hurricanes a playmaker at running back, and that is something they have not had in the past couple seasons. Last season, Miami ranked third-to-last in the ACC with 127.7 yards per game. He obviously would not be able to give them a boost for the 2022 season, but a commitment could allow Miami to get the ball rolling for the future. Building a successful pipeline at running back would be important.
It will be interesting to see how his recruitment plays out. One thing is for certain, Miami is definitely in the picture.
Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/image0-2-1.jpeg12321125Danny Jaillethttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgDanny Jaillet2022-01-03 17:11:162022-01-03 17:11:16Miami Hurricanes in good spot with four-star RB TreVonte’ Citizen
There was a bit of news on Sunday for the Miami Hurricanes as Alex Mirabal changed his Twitter bio. It is now changed to signify the fact that he is the offensive line coach for the Hurricanes.
A former high school teammate of Mario Cristobal’s, Mirabal served as the associate head coach as well as the offensive line coach while the two were at Oregon.
There could be more news for Miami coming on the coaching staff front as early as this week. As the season continues to wind down, more names continue to swirl. Names to keep in mind include Aaron Feld to fill a strength and conditioning role. Joe Salave’a could potentially fill role of defensive line coach.
In addition to those two, Brian McLendon could be named wide receivers coach. Jim Mastro could also join the staff, potentially as a running backs coach. All of the coaches listed above were with Cristobal while he was at Oregon.
Mirabal has coached four NFL draft picks. His most notable one was 2021 first-round selection Penei Sewell. In addition to NFL draft picks, he coached five All-Americans during his time at Oregon.
He is also a solid recruiter recruiting seven four-star lineman in the past two and a half years. He knows how to recruit.
In getting Mirabal, the Miami Hurricanes have a coach that is the complete package. He knows how to develop talent and get that talent to the NFL. Mirabal is very good at identifying talent, as shown by his recruiting prowess. Having a coach that has several areas of strength is a tremendous asset to a staff. Mirabal was a tremendous asset to Cristobal while he was at Oregon, and I have a feeling that will be the case with both of them in Miami.
Mirabal to Miami is a tremendous grab for the Hurricanes. Now all we need to wait for is the rest of the coaching staff to be official.
Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_2817.jpg13692048Danny Jaillethttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgDanny Jaillet2022-01-02 21:31:142022-01-02 21:31:14Miami Hurricanes: Alex Mirabal in the fold as offensive line coach
The Miami Heat fell short against the Sacramento Kings after their recent hot stretch, and now the real tough slate lines up right in front of them.
Omer Yurtseven had another promising performance, but Miami just couldn’t control things ultimately on either end.
So, here are five takeaways from this one…
#1: A very ugly start for Miami.
The Heat had a pretty horrible start to this one, and it transcends poor shooting from the outside. While that jumped off the stat-sheet, and was heard every time the ball clanked off the rim, it began to blend into other things, like it usually does. For one, it always waters down defensive effort. But the issue early was that 10-day contracts were showing. It seemed like it was miscommunication after miscommunication, giving Sacramento easy threes and easy layups every time down the floor. And as shots continue to miss, you jump into an accidental offensive shift on the floor, almost repeating bad habits. The main one is something I’ve touched on a ton which is overusing bigs that aren’t Bam Adebayo. You can’t work offense through less skilled bigs even though that’s what you’re used to, which we saw at times with guys like Chris Silva.
#2: A Kyle Lowry-Omer Yurtseven 1-2 punch to finish the first half.
Although I touched on the things that went wrong for Miami offensively, something had to have gone right if they only trailed by 4 at halftime. And well, that started with Kyle Lowry and Omer Yurtseven. Tyler Herro finished strong after a patchy start to the half, and Kyle Guy contributed a decent bit on that end, but the Lowry-Yurtseven PnR’s were being spammed. And they were working well. Lowry was hitting that pull-up three when the defender went under, and surveyed the mid-range at a high level, either spinning into his coveted turn-around or dishing down low with 5 first half assists. But Yurtseven’s control down low really shined. Although defensive lapses occurred, he was needed as that roll/post presence, and he showed up in that area. He went from the least experienced guy on the floor to the second most real quick, as many of those lineups were surrounded by 3 10-days.
#3: Does open floor operation need to increase in this interesting period?
It’s hard to judge minor specifics during this stretch of games with only 5 roster guys available, but one simple element has jumped out to me. When the year began, the offensive topic that outweighed everything else is the pace increase Lowry would bring to this team, and as we’ve seen, Herro has loved it as well. But the more games played, the more things seem to slow down. Of course that will always be this team’s identity, but can a true identity be found when running a Haywood Highsmith-Chris Silva front-court pairing? I believe not. With that said, it feels like this team needs to open up the playbook a bit more, to maximize guys like Caleb Martin, Lowry, etc. We’ve seen it shine at moments, but the consistency is never there. A lot of it relies on high level defense, but pushing the pace feels like a necessity when playing with young legs who want an opportunity.
#4: Tyler Herro’s “battling” factor.
I talked about Tyler Herro a little in this sense last game, but ultimately in a different light. When shots aren’t falling, it doesn’t look like last season whatsoever. Last game, his outlet was his passing ability, where he controlled the game on the ball and set others up. Tonight, he just kept battling through. Yes, he battled through a couple times last season as well, but I don’t remember it working out as much as it has this year. He can turn games around within that same 48 minute frame, and that’s an important skill for a 21 year old pure scorer. As I said before, he had a nice finish to the first half, but he continued that in the second half as well when energy and rhythm picked up in that 3rd quarter. After talking about Yurtseven, how was he getting such good looks down low? Along with Butler looking for him, Herro kept feeding him.
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#5: An unsurprising, surprising loss by Miami.
Yeah, it definitely felt like Miami was in control of this one late and was there’s to win, but well, it slipped away. While that may surprise some, it just shouldn’t. The Miami Heat ran a 4th quarter lineup of Kyle Guy, Nik Stauskas, Haywood Highsmith, and Chris Silva, which gives us a ton of perspective. The Heat have still won 9 of their last 12, but now, real challenges strike. The upcoming stretch of this road trip is the toughest part, including Golden State and Phoenix to kick things off essentially. But the only good thing about it will be that this team is getting healthier. Quick. Guys like Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and PJ Tucker could be exiting protocols real soon, Dewayne Dedmon should be close to healed up, Markieff Morris *should* be back soon, and clock is ticking on the hopeful return of Victor Oladipo and Bam Adebayo. Steal a couple coming up, and they’re in perfect shape.
Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/7DEA3C3F-B665-4BE6-877B-97EF5513527B.jpeg573819Brady Hawkhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgBrady Hawk2022-01-02 20:22:082022-01-02 20:22:54Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Kings
I have been one of the Browns strongest supporters this season, but this week I’m changing my tune. Both teams fighting for their playoff lives under the bright lights of Monday night should be a thriller. I love love love the fact that Pitt is at home. All signs are pointing towards this being Big Ben’s last home game in Pittsburgh. I believe he puts on one more show for the home fans. The sheer emotion that will be bumping through that building is enough for me to pick the Steelers as the UPSET AND the GUARANTEE of a loaded week 17 slate!
Crazy Uncle Jeff’s Lock of the Week: DAL -6.5
Arizona Cardinals (10-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (11-4)
Vegas Picks: DAL -6.5
Goldie’s Take: Cowboys Win 34-28
Don’t let the 10-5 Cards record fool you. Since their 7-0 start ‘Zona has very much fallen back to earth and do not look like the same team as when they started. They’ve surrendered the division lead to the Rams, and now they’re just thankful they’ll make the playoffs. Also, the Cowboys dropped a cool 56 points on Washington last week. I think their offense is fine. How ‘Bout Them Cowboys!
Crazy Uncle Jeff’s Lock of the Week: NO -6.5
Carolina Panthers (5-10) @ New Orleans Saints (7-8)
Vegas Picks: NO -6.5
Goldie’s Take: Saints Win 24-17
Jeffy likes a pair of -6.5s this week as his locks, and who can blame him betting against Carolina. Talk about hitting the self-destruct button! The Carolina Panthers started this season 3-0 and have completely fallen apart since, being outscored by 80 points during their five game losing streak. N’awlins takes care of business in the dome!
Rest of Week 17:
Miami Dolphins (8-7) @ Tennessee Titans (10-5)
Vegas Picks: TEN -3.5
Goldie’s Take: Dolphins Win 26-23
Lots of storylines surrounding this one. First, this is Ryan Tannehill’s first matchup with the team that drafted him (and eventually traded him), and he gets a shot to severely injure Miami’s playoff hopes with a win. The other side of that coin is Tua gets a chance to prove the Dolphins front office right with a win against the man he was brought in to replace (and be better than). My pick reeks of Miami bias, but how can you bet against a team who’s won seven straight games? Fins go into Tennessee and UPSET the Titans!
Los Angeles Rams (11-4) @ Baltimore Ravens (8-7)
Vegas Picks: LAR -6
Goldie’s Take: Rams Win 27-23
For the third consecutive week Lamar Jackson’s health has a huge barring over my pick in the Ravens game. Tyler Huntley showed he was a capable backup against the Packers, but capable enough to defeat one of the strongest defenses in the league? I don’t know about all that. Safe play is to pick the Rams here, but giving Crows a solid upset shot, especially if Lamar plays.
Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) @ Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
Vegas Picks: KC -4.5
Goldie’s Take: Chiefs Win 28-24
Big playoff implications on the line in this one as Chiefs look to lock up No.1 seed and Bengals look to clinch their division. Chiefs have rattled off eight wins in a row and enter as the hottest team in football, but the Bengals are not far behind them. This Joe Burrow led team has really started to prove themselves with some quality wins this year (4-0 vs PIT/BAL), but I just can’t go against the red hot Chiefs. Especially with Travis Kelce coming back from Covid reserve. However, Burrow has a chance to really establish himself with the upper echelon of QBs with a win against the almighty Patty Mahomes.
New York Giants (4-11) @ Chicago Bears (5-10)
Vegas Picks: CHI -6
Goldie’s Take: Bears Win 21-13
It’s been 16 weeks picking games this season, and I’ve yet to pick the Bears once. UNTIL TODAY! I’ve picked the Giants to cover multiple times in the past few weeks and they continue to fail me. Chicago should look to build off the thrilling win they had last week in Seattle. Been waiting all season to emphatically yell, “DA BEARS!”
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) @ New England Patriots (9-6)
Vegas Picks: NE -16
Goldie’s Take: Pats Win 24-9
Pats at home after a tough loss to division rival Buffalo Bills, and they’re facing the Jaguars of all teams? Poor poor Trevor Lawrence. Bill is going to pull out all the stops to confuse this NFL newborn. Defense wins the day, and Pats coast past Jags at home.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) @ New York Jets (4-11)
Vegas Picks: TB -13
Goldie’s Take: Bucs Win 35-14
The stark difference in talent is evident in this one, plus this is about the time of year where Tom Brady seems to elevate his game to another level. PLUS Brady has owned the Jets his entire career. This one reminds me of when a big time college team schedules a game against a Bethune Cookman or Umass Amherst early in the season to get the team tuned up for the season. This is similar, except Brady and the Bucs will use this matchup with the Jets to get tuned up for the playoffs.
Atlanta Falcons (7-8) @ Buffalo Bills (9-6)
Vegas Picks: BUF -14.5
Goldie’s Take: Bills Win 28-17
Buffalo has to be feeling themselves a bit after regaining firm control of the AFC East in a huge road win in New England. Meanwhile, Atlanta was struggling to put away the lowly Lions at home. The Bills are clearly the favorite here, however the Falcons are still somehow alive in the playoff race so they should play hard. Bills should get the win but not ruling out a possible trap game after such a momentous win.
Las Vegas Raiders (8-7) @ Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
Vegas Picks: IND -8
Goldie’s Take: Colts Win 27-20
Indy has been one of the hottest teams in the league for awhile now. Another big win last week in Arizona shows even more that the Colts are the real deal. The emergence of Johnathan Taylor has given this team a strong identity. Colts keep the train rolling with a big win against Carr and the Raiders.
Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) @ Washington Football Team (6-9)
Vegas Picks: PHI -4.5
Goldie’s Take: Eagles Win 31-24
This game just means more for the Eagles. Philly has put themselves in position to clinch a playoff berth this weekend with a win and some help. Washington, on the other hand, just got steamrolled by the Cowboys in a game where the No Names allowed Dallas to drop a 56 burger. Jalen Hurts also had over 300 yards on this same Washington defense a few weeks ago. I’ve been calling Philly to grab that last NFC spot for weeks now. Birds on a 4-1 run, should make it 5-1 with a win in the nation’s capital this Sunday.
Denver Broncos (7-8) @ Los Angeles Chargers (8-7)
Vegas Picks: LAC -8
Goldie’s Take: Chargers Win 30-24
Chargers look to bounce back in this one after a shocking loss to the lowly Texans. Now their playoff hopes have seriously been put in jeopardy. Speaking of playoff hopes seriously in jeopardy, a loss here would effectively end the Broncos season. Should be a good game but like Herbert and the Chargers to get the win at home, especially with Denver without Teddy Bridgewater.
Houston Texans (4-11) @ San Francisco 49ers (8-7)
Vegas Picks: SF -12.5
Goldie’s Take: 49ers Win 28-20
Niners control their own destiny in the NFC playoff raceso all that they’re focused on is beating the 4-11 Houston Texans. At home. Things are looking good for San Fran. However, Texans have quietly won two in a row including an impressive victory last week over Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Also, Niners will most likely be without starting QB Jimmy Garrapolo, should be interesting to see how rookie Trey Lance fairs in his replacement. Picking Niners to get the win, but picking Texans to cover.
Detroit Lions (2-12-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (5-10)
Vegas Picks: SEA -7
Goldie’s Take: Seahawks Win 28-16
Seattle has easily been the most disappointing team in the NFL this season. Eliminated from playoff contention with three games left is very unlike Pete Carroll/Russell Wilson led teams. Lions have played hard all season despite not having all that much talent, but without Jared Goff and going on the road? Here I go again trusting the Seahawks brand even though they’ve let me down time and time again this season.
Minnesota Vikings (7-8) @ Green Bay Packers (12-3)
Vegas Picks: GB -13
Goldie’s Take: Packers Win 34-14
Vikings without Kirk Cousins and Adam Theilen in this one is why the betting line has ballooned to 13 points, but I’m STILL trusting the Packers. Green Bay hasn’t lost at home all season and have a chance to lock up the number 1 seed in NFC with a win. Vikings have won two straight against the Pack, but I can’t trust Sean Mannion (who was just elevated off Covid list Friday) to go in and compete with the Packers. Green Bay takes care of business at Lambeau to continue their home perfection.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/tua-victory.jpg286375Jamie Goldmanhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJamie Goldman2022-01-02 10:29:182022-01-02 10:29:18Goldie’s Best Bets Week 17: Ride the Tua, Dolphins Wave
It’s 1:30 pm on September 18th, and a Shams notification hits your phone. Free agent Caleb Martin is signing a two-way deal with the Miami Heat, potentially to fill in a game or two at worst case scenario.
Fast forward a little over 3 months, and an 18 day absence from Martin after entering the health and safety protocols is the new worst case scenario.
Clearly, a total 360, but Martin isn’t surprised.
Before the season even started, when I got a chance to talk to him during training camp, he told me “it’ll allow me to be me a little more here.”
And well, that’s pretty obvious.
We’ve gotten to the point in the season where the phrase “two-way” doesn’t need to be attached to his name. He’s just Caleb Martin.
Opposing teams know his talent, his teammates know his talent, and most of all, Erik Spoelstra knows his talent.
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The Heat have gone 10-5 in the month of December, and Martin only played half of those games. But man has he been huge in those 8 games.
Over that period, Martin has put up an Effective Field Goal percentage of 65.9% on a little under 9 attempts per game. He’s also shooting 43% on threes, and 44% on catch and shoot ones specifically.
But aside from just shooting the ball from three at an incredible rate, as this entire Heat team has in the month of December, he’s provided the missing pieces depending on who has been out. The main one that is basically a universal tool when plugging into any role is rim pressure, and he’s taken that to another level.
He’s a scorer at heart. He’s a hooper at heart. When the game gets a little freer and the crowd gets a little louder, his game elevates and his ups elevate for huge slams that almost bring down the arena.
Looking at this clip, you can see that it’s always about that second defender with Martin. Not in the same way as Jimmy Butler does as the weak-side guy edges over, but just in thorough pick and roll offense. His quick first step basically eliminates his original defender completely, and that dropped or switched defender is now the only guy in sight.
But as seen, his athleticism and underrated touch around the rim allows him to get crafty for easy and highlight finishes. In the month of December, he’s shooting 71% from less than 10 feet from the basket, and these aren’t just jumbled up big man numbers who only take easy buckets.
Most of his inside buckets are contested. Really contested. He can get crafty for immediate put-backs after his own miss, but clearly, that isn’t even needed most of the time. His initial finishing can carry the load.
And well, that is a trend that showcases a player’s effectiveness isn’t temporary. Especially when there’s a chance that is not even his best side of the ball.
Martin has talked about the fact that his defense wasn’t really known as a strength early on, but when watching him play this year, it’s hard for that to not be the first thing to bring up when evaluating his game.
There are guys that rely simply on good metrics to handle their defensive talent. Others rely on decent lateral foot speed to be ball pressure guys. And the rest just outsmart the offense by consistently being in the right spot on that end.
And honestly, Caleb Martin is all three.
Aside from looking at those simple elements of the defensive end, take a look at the play above. You may see a guy pick up a smaller ball-handler on the break, time it good, and get the block.
But I see a play that describes his entire defensive nature.
He’s calm but reactive, and that’s one of the best compliments I can give to a defender in this league. It almost appears as if he’s not trying while defending an over-dribbler, but it’s just his overall control taking the wheel before reacting and exploding for a block, steal, contest, or switch.
To put this in perspective, he’s also gotten the best of his match-up most nights this season too. When Martin was defending last night, Kevin Porter Jr shot 1 of 6 from the field and Jalen Green went 1 for 4.
Big picture, he has held guys like Khris Middleton to 1 of 7 shooting, Bradley Beal went 0 for 4, and held Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to a combined 1 of 4 night.
And the funny thing about stats like that is him deterring shooters and forcing the pass is a better skill of his than pure contesting.
Martin went from a restricted two-way with a 50 game limit to a player with unlimited regular season games due to the league’s recent change. But that doesn’t feel like the only shift coming to his deal this year.
The Miami Heat have shown that they need him big time, and even though a healthy playoff roster may push him out the rotation, health is never a sure thing right now. And even when full, I wouldn’t be surprised if Spoelstra was to call Martin’s number consistently in a series with a good match-up.
I feel like there’s an expectation that he will be a regular roster guy pretty soon, and more importantly, they may be looking past this season. Yes Martin may be another “popping” young prospect of theirs at the bottom of the roster, but his hot streak is more than a streak.
He’s a complete player with a complete game and he’s saved Miami on a handful of occasions throughout this season.
Stats don’t lie, film doesn’t lie, and trust doesn’t lie.
Martin has surged on the stat-sheet, provides way more on film studies than some may notice, and Coach Spoelstra continues to trust him when needed to either start or close.
This isn’t the end of Martin’s production in a Heat uniform. It’s just the beginning.
Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/B5E8EA89-7CBC-45FE-8AA3-CDEB6D7BC88A.jpeg10001500Brady Hawkhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgBrady Hawk2022-01-01 17:43:122022-01-01 18:12:00This Caleb Martin Run Isn’t Temporary
The Florida Panthers started off the new year on a strong note, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. The Panthers have won three straight games in the last four days. Here are the five takeaways from this afternoon’s game.
# 1 Montreal came to play
Every team across the league has been affected by COVID protocols over the last few weeks, including the Panthers before they were shut down for 2 weeks. Montreal came into today’s game with 11 forwards, 5 defenseman and a third string goalie. A large chunk of the Canadiens players spent time in the AHL this season and one of their rookies who made his NHL debut today played in the ECHL this season, which is two tiers below the NHL.
The Canadiens went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the league. When Florida scored on their first shot, Montreal countered and did the same. They took a brief lead over the Panthers off a goal by Nick Suzuki before Florida scored four unanswered. Montreal iced an AHL caliber team against Florida and they held their own.
# 2 Quick puck movement
Florida’s first three goals happened because of great puck movement. The team was moving the puck quickly and effectively which led to the scoring chances. Over passing could be a problem but it didn’t affect Florida’s scoring chances, they had plenty today.
# 3 Sam Reinhart can dish the puck
Reinhart must have enjoyed his holidays because he came into 2022 looking to dish out gifts to his Panthers teammates. He had two primary assists today, the first one coming on Barkov’s tying goal, the second coming on Vatrano’s 3-2 go ahead score. Reinhart had to make perfect passes in tight areas on both chances and he delivered.
# 4 Sam Bennett returns and wasted no time… literally
After missing the 9-3 barrage against Tampa, Sam Bennett was back in the lineup today and he immediately made his presence known. Just 32 seconds into the game Bennett opened the scoring on Florida’s first shot of the game.
He wasn’t done with the early scoring. To start the third Bennett cut his goal time in half, putting one past Montreal’s Sam Montembeault just 15 seconds into the period. Bennett finished the game with two goals.
# 5 Jonathan Huberdeau continues to rack up points
When the calendar year concluded yesterday, only two players had more points than Jonathan Huberdeau; it was Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers. Huberdeau finished tied with Auston Matthews for third most points in 2021 with 99.
After a five point outing against Tampa on Dec. 30, Huberdeau continued his 2021 dominance in 2022, grabbing three points against his childhood team. Huberdeau has eight points in the last two games.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_2319-scaled.jpg25601920Alex Baumgartnerhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgAlex Baumgartner2022-01-01 15:44:002022-01-01 16:23:01Five Takeaways from Panthers Win Over Canadiens
The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs defeated the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines 34-11 in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Eve in Miami to advance to the National Championship Game. Here are the best sights of the game from our photographer Tony Capobianco.
When Jim Harbaugh was pried from the NFL to return to his alma mater as the head coach, this was supposed to be in the Wolverines future.
Which makes it a devastating disappointment to come all this way in year seven of the Harbaugh era, only for it to end in a 34-11 blowout against Georgia in the Orange Bowl.
“It’s very disappointing right now,” Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara said. “ I mean, we have everything we got, and we got beat tonight.”
Harbaugh chose to look at the 2021 season as a whole, a season that resulted in the Wolverines’ first Big Ten title since 2004, rather than focus on how the year ended.
“It was a great season,” Harbaugh said. “To me, it’s one of the best seasons in Michigan football history.”
It was clear where the Orange Bowl was going after Georgia jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with touchdowns coming from two different passers. The first drive was highlighted by a pair of passes from quarterback Stetson Bennett IV to tight end Brock Bowers, one for 35 yards to get to the red zone and another for nine yards for the score. The second drive was a throw on the run from running back Kenny McIntosh to receiver Adonai Mitchell for an 18-yard score.
Every Georgia offensive drive in the first half ended with either a field goal or a touchdown.
“They did a very good job early in the game, first half especially, of extending drives,” Harbaugh said. “They were able to bleed out yards on the perimeter with some of the bubbles and swing routes, then hit the big play.”
McNamera threw for 106 yards for the game, while Bennett threw for 105 yards on just his three touchdown passes.
Freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy came in later in the second half and threw for 131 yards including a 35-yard touchdown pass to Andrel Anthony in the fourth quarter. He also ran for 24 yards on four carries.
“We know we have two great quarterbacks,” Harbaugh said, “We make no apologies for that. I felt we just weren’t — the protection just wasn’t as good as it needed to be, and J.J. gave us more of a chance to escape it, avoid it and run because that was the reason we made the switch.”
Even though this was the end result of the seventh season of the Harbaugh era, the theme of this year is that this is just the start of things to come for the Wolverines.
”We climbed mountains this season that no one thought we could,” Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said. “We did some things that nobody expected this Michigan team to do. I think we set the standard for the future of Michigan football and we really helped this program tremendously for the future.”
While this marks the end for Hutchinson, who is expected to be the top pick of the NFL Draft, and senior running back Hassan Haskins, who scored 20 rushing touchdowns this season, the future looks bright for those who return to Ann Arbor for the next season. A handful of young players, including McCarthy stood on the field to watch Georgia celebrate with confetti filling the stage.
“All those young guys, they got this scar tissue now, being in the Playoffs, losing having to feel this,” Hutchinson said. “I know they’re going to bounce back next year and give ‘em hell.”
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/A52C6A2A-E082-44C0-97C0-1702B465E585.jpeg15362304Tony Capobiancohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgTony Capobianco2022-01-01 00:31:392022-01-06 01:01:12Big Blue disappointment: Michigan’s season ends in Orange Bowl blowout
The Miami Heat’s starting five were a familiar bunch, but after that, it was a little tougher to remember other than Mario Chalmers.
Even with that, Jimmy Butler led the way in this one as Miami glided by the Houston Rockets, but he wasn’t alone.
So, here are some takeaways from this interesting game…
#1: Who is this Guy?
With 10-day contracts flying in left and right, something I pointed out before this game was that at least one would stick. And well, there was surely one “Guy” that jumped off the screen. Kyle Guy has had an interesting start to his NBA career, which eventually led him to the G-League, but he looked like a pretty clear NBA level player in this game tonight. Not just due to his hot outside shooting and comfort on the ball in the pick and roll, but through his immediate confidence. That matters. Flashy pass after flashy pass pretty much set the stage on who this guy was, but as I said, making Tyler Herro-like difficult shots just put the cherry on top. He filled up the stat sheet in every possible category, and it just seems like this always happens with this Heat team. This is where they initially pop.
#2: Jimmy Butler doing Jimmy Butler things.
Jimmy Butler doesn’t feel like a necessary talking point on a night where it’s all about 10 day contracts and unexpected play-styles, but he continues to shine no matter what. For one, 19 points at the half while going 6 of 10 from the field just shows his mindset in this one. He had a three to begin the half then one to finish it at the buzzer, but other than that, it was complete inside play and free throw line antics. The other aspect of this is just his control on the game no matter who is on the floor. This wasn’t like last game where he had a career high 15 assists either. He actually had 0 at the half, but still his ability to draw 2 and create opportunities for others is a true gift and asset in the game of basketball. But yet again, it’s just Butler doing Butler things.
#3: The underrated aspect of Caleb Martin.
Looking at the halftime stat sheet where Miami had 74 points scored, Caleb Martin probably isn’t even top 5 in players that would jump off that piece of paper. And that’s why I bring up the point underrated. We know what Martin is at this stage, and he’s widely appreciated, but passing right over the fact that his solidity is expected is just unfair. He’s polished up his three-ball, he provides a splash of rim pressure that wasn’t originally expected when the signing was made, and his defensive positioning stands out more than anything. It’s one thing to be very good and talented at pressuring from baseline to baseline, but it’s another thing to just always be in the right spot. Caleb Martin is both of those. Yes, he’s gone from two-way to unlimited regular season games available, but maybe that next step will need to be taken pretty soon.
#4: Some minor player evaluations from this one.
In a game like this, it’s important to pack up the youthful evaluations into one section. The main one that we already know about is Omer Yurtseven, but he deserves some love too. The fact that he went from a Summer League product to a back-end roster guy to one of the primary guys available is just wild. And another double-double added to the catalog just shows his potential. But to discuss some more of the 10 days, looking back at my recent piece, Haywood Highsmith was the guy I was highest on. He’s a Heat guy: plays bigger than he is, plays defense, and provides enough offensive spacing with his corner jumper. And well, he showcased all three of those things in his minutes. Obviously it’s hard to lock up a spot at this point, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they come back to him at some point in the future.
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#5: The difference between Tyler Herro this year and last year.
Tyler Herro didn’t have a great game tonight with his inefficient shooting. I’ve seen him navigate almost every coverage this league has thrown at him, but the one thing that has proved to bother him more than anything is length. He saw a bit of it early when they would switch Christian Wood onto him, and it led to him having to slow things down and make the right decision. But the difference with a down game from Herro now compared to before is he can still impact winning without being that total scorer. Tonight, his passing shined again just like it has much of this season, but that keeps him above water. Being able to have the ball in his hands a ton, still collapsing the defense, and making the correct reads with drop-offs or skip passes is major for his development. Of course late-game scoring is still needed from him in games like this, but him surviving matters big time in the big picture.
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This has been a rather interesting season for the entire NBA, but it has felt like Miami’s been paving their own path from the rest of the league all season.
While the rest of the teams are dealing with a revolving door of guys entering the health and safety protocols, the Heat’s issues have been strictly injury based. Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, PJ Tucker, Markieff Morris, and Dewayne Dedmon have all dealt with those issues first hand.
Caleb Martin entered the protocols a few weeks ago, and it took him about 18 days to get back up and running with the Heat again, which was just 4 days ago. Now, the Heat have had a flurry of others enter those protocols this week. Kyle Lowry, Udonis Haslem, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Tucker, and Zylan Cheatham.
That means Miami has some 10 day availabilities wide open over this short period of time, while Wednesday’s game vs San Antonio was postponed as they didn’t meet the required threshold of guys available to play.
So, after Miami signed 3 different guys to 10 day contracts, let’s take a look through what they can possibly provide, since playing time will most likely be provided in these odd circumstances…
Aric Holman
Aric Holman is the perfect place to start in this one, since frankly, he’s the most intriguing of the bunch.
Miami picking him up may have been a bit more forced than the others, since they did it due to the fact he was in “driving distance” from San Antonio, but could Miami have lucked out?
Most of the time when picking up guys for a week and a half, as others land in protocols, veterans and experience are the way to go, especially on good teams. They just need immediate production over a “high ceiling,” or long term project.
But while Holman’s bag may be broad, he has the build to contribute at this point in time.
He’s a 6 foot 10 big, who has the body control and play-style of a guard. Holman is mostly a pop threat, after shooting 44% and 43% in his last two seasons at Mississippi State respectively, but those numbers have slightly fallen off a bit recently in the G-League.
Looking at the clips above, once again, it’s intriguing. Running the offense from the right wing as a drive and kick threat, while others set him the screens instead of the other way around. He slips the screen into the corner and knocks down the slightly contested triple. But when evaluating guys with that size and length, most shots are essentially uncontested.
He also has a bit of a handle, which elevates his guard-like play even more. Yes, I know what you’re thinking: how has a 6 foot 10 shooter who can put the ball on the deck not been picked up until this point? Well, like any young player, some weaknesses are attached as well.
The tag that continues to label him is that he’s not the greatest defender, and that is clearly from a team perspective. His shot-blocking ability is up there, and he can rebound at a very good level, so that’ll be something to keep an eye on.
Another point to be made is that he will be utilized in the exact opposite way that Omer Yurtseven has been used this season. After seeing Yurtseven mix it up from rolling to popping in Summer League, we’ve seen that simplify down totally to quick dives and post-play.
With Holman, post play wouldn’t even seem to be possible. He will strictly be a pop-out shooter, and maybe he can provide something as that wing spacer over this next stretch.
Kyle Guy
When Kyle Guy was signed late Tuesday night, many felt it was just the “Strus replacer,” after he entered the protocols literally minutes before the game against the Washington Wizards. But when I saw this pick-up, my initial thought was more guards will be entering the protocols pretty soon.
And well, that was the case with Vincent after he rapid tested before the trip out to San Antonio.
No, Kyle Guy is not the Vincent replacer since their games are nothing alike, but he is a guy who has plenty of basketball experience and can provide something offensively as a potential spacer and plug and play “guy.”
During his 3 years in college, Guy shot 50% from three on 3 attempts, 39% from three on 6 attempts, and 43% from deep on 7 and a half attempts. Clearly, he has a shooting resume, which although didn’t work out too well in Sacramento, has picked right back up in the G-League.
The interesting thing about future lineups moving forward is that I would continue to expect Tyler Herro to come off the bench. With Lowry expected to return Friday, and Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson expected to be healthy, everybody should stay where they are.
But with Guy possibly stepping in for Vincent and Strus, that means he will be playing next to Herro instead of for him. I do think Guy has a better handle and control for the offense than people give him credit for, but will that fully translate over from G-League to the NBA level?
I believe so, since much of the league right now *is* G-league talent.
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It’s pretty simple with Kyle Guy: provide some shooting when called upon, and everything else will work out around it. This is no longer Martin or Strus trying to will this team to victories with guys out. Miami will have Lowry, Butler, and Herro to do the heavy lifting, so all that is needed is some complementary skills.
And Guy can actually fill that void pretty well in the role I envision they place him in.
Haywood Highsmith
Haywood Highsmith just reminds me of a Miami Heat 10 day contract guy, and no, not because of his block on Dwyane Wade’s self lob in the game against Philly.
For one, his overall build fits the Heat’s past. Guys that play bigger than they are, thrive on physicality and athleticism, and just compete on both ends really hard. That’s pretty much my evaluation of Highsmith when looking over his game.
Highsmith is just one of those guys that’ll be everywhere on the floor in these G-League games. Under the rim for unexpected offensive rebounds and put-backs, active defensively, and well, he’s been shooting the ball a lot better as of late.
Over his 12 G-League games this season, he’s shooting 39% from deep on 6 attempts a game. In a Heat offense, what would be his offensive role? Well, just think of PJ Tucker lite.
He’s a bit lengthier than Tucker overall, but as I said, you wouldn’t think he’s only 6 foot 7 when watching him play. But when I bring up Tucker, I mean that his role would be strictly corner spacing, some screen & rolling, hand-offs on the wing, and plenty of dunker spot reps.
Yeah, the Tucker role.
Obviously they wouldn’t put anything close to the amount Miami puts on Tucker’s plate, but they just need a guy who can kind of fill his spots on the floor, just as a body that can pull stuff away from the on-ball action.
The Kyle Guy pick-up felt like the best option for their current needs with Vincent and Strus out.
The Aric Holman pick-up felt like “no risk, high reward,” just with the amount of talent he seems to have.
The Haywood Highsmith pick-up felt like a guy they’ve been eyeing. Obviously that’s just pure speculation, but between his player build and his name coming out of left field in many ways, this may be the guy that sticks the longest.
And by that, I mean possibly a second 10-day if he plays well, or they could circle back down the line whenever their roster spots open up.
Either way, these guys will get their opportunity in this day-by-day league. Next game is Friday night against Houston, and we have no idea who will be available. But these guys will be ready to showcase themselves either way.
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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/51E7ACF4-7562-4D7D-9C26-753F1865AAEC.jpeg9331400Brady Hawkhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgBrady Hawk2021-12-30 10:57:432021-12-30 11:09:33Breaking Down the Games of the Latest Miami Heat 10-Day Contract Grabs
