5 Takeaways from Miami’s Loss Against Boston

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The Miami Heat faced off against the Boston Celtics, in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch, and Miami fell short after the late efforts from Duncan Robinson. After trailing by 10 with less than 2 minutes to go, Miami tied the game with 10 seconds left, but a Payton Pritchard tip in gave them the lead with 0.2 seconds left. Here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Precious Achiuwa continues to show promising flashes.

For starters, Precious Achiuwa had the only positive plus-minus at the half, +10, while Bam Adebayo was a -18 at the half. The parts that truly stood out for Precious were on the defensive side of the basketball, particularly guarding Jayson Tatum. One of the league’s top pure scorers taking a rookie one-on-one seems to be an obvious result, but not when Precious Achiuwa is lined up across from him. He had two promising possessions where he altered Tatum’s jump shot, which is not an easy thing to do. His constant movement on defense is another thing that stands out when watching him play, while his offensive game will continue to develop. His ability to be a threat on the roll is enough impact right now, since it’s a huge bonus for Goran Dragic.

#2: Miami’s top 3 players look to be more effective when their minutes are staggered.

One thing that stood out when I watched tonight’s game against Boston was the lineups that included Goran Dragic, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo. Automatically you’d think that lineup would be most effective since it includes your three best players, but I don’t know if that’s exactly the case. They seem to struggle when they share the floor together at times offensively, but why is that exactly? It could possibly be due to the uncertainty of who should take assertiveness. Most times when they share the court together, you begin to see an immense amount of over-passing. So does that mean these three guys are a bit too unselfish? I believe so. It’s only the seventh game, so that will change as the season progresses, but once playoff time hits I think they all know who the main aggressor will be.

#3: Boston takes advantage of Miami’s interior defense.

Boston began the game going 5/6 from three, which may have you looking at Miami’s defensive issues being out on the perimeter. But that wasn’t the case exactly. The Celtics began to take advantage of the paint area, especially when they were using their two big lineups with Daniel Theis and Tristan Thompson. Now, that may have had something to do with their priority changing to the perimeter talents of Jayson Tatum and Jaylon Brown getting hot, but allowing easy bucket after easy bucket around the basket does not help your chances against a team like Boston. The Heat have gone to a bunch of small lineups that have included Jimmy Butler or Andre Iguodala at the 4, and it doesn’t help when Bam Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk have less rebounds at the half than Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. The lack of defensive stops in the paint have resulted in Miami being a bottom tier rebounding team.

#4: There’s one reason for Miami’s run at the end of the second quarter and early third quarter: Jimmy Butler.

Miami went on a little run to end the second quarter, once Jimmy Butler seemed to take control of the offense. Then they went on an even bigger run to start the third quarter, which was headlined by Duncan Robinson. Although Duncan was hitting some much needed shots, it was all set up by the gravity of Jimmy Butler. He was having one of those nights where he was going to take it into your chest on his way to the basket, and that ultimately means more opportunities on the perimeter. There was one common factor during this run, Jimmy Butler was on the floor the entire team. The impact of Jimmy should not be understated, since his presence alone makes his teammates better.

#5: Andre Iguodala’s impact against good teams proves to be a huge positive moving forward.

Andre Iguodala hit some much needed threes throughout the game tonight, which is all Miami needs from him. If he can hit the corner three at a good rate, that is huge for Miami’s bench unit offensively. Andre also did a good job of facilitating as well, setting up their shooters late in the game consistently. The games Iggy is needed most is when he is playing against a top team like Boston. High IQ veterans who can control the pace of the game are needed in these types of games. And more importantly, it provides clarity of what will be seen in a playoff setting. Andre is an important piece of this Heat team, mostly since the chemistry of that bench unit continues to be on display.

The Miami Heat have their Own Marcus Smart

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In my opinion, Marcus Smart is one of the biggest X-Factors for that Boston Celtics team.

An emerging Jayson Tatum and Jaylon Brown are the most talented on the roster, and do the most heavy lifting, but Smart is what truly put that team over the top in the past and currently.

And well, it seems as if Miami may have found their own Marcus Smart in Avery Bradley. There was a bit of uncertainty before the season about what Avery can specifically bring to this Heat team other than perimeter defense, and I’d say his offensive fit has been even more intriguing.

His outside jumper has looked good through the first six games, and he also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and control the mid-range. His offensive feel allows him to fit in Miami’s motion offense, since he seems to constantly be in the right place at the right time off of cuts and things of that nature.

Other than Marcus Smart’s better play-making abilities, they bring pretty similar things to their respective teams.

One of the main reasons Miami felt good about playing Milwaukee last season was that their scheme with Jae Crowder worked perfectly against Giannis Antetokounmpo. And I believe they feel the same way this year, but this time against Boston.

Miami has the luxury of putting Avery Bradley on Marcus instead of Goran Dragic, while Goran will still be guarded by Smart. That will open up many opportunities for Avery to make some plays on the offensive side of the ball, which can ultimately be the reason they win the game.

Bradley has a much different role than Smart has with Boston, since Smart has much more weight on his shoulders, but they’re equally important for their respective teams.

Not only will Avery be the X-Factor tonight for Miami, but more importantly in a playoff series if they were to meet in the postseason once again.

ICYMI: 5 bits of Canes news you may have missed

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The 2020 season is officially over for your Miami Hurricanes but there’s been a lot of news in the past few days that will have a huge impact on next year. Here’s a quick recap of what’s happened.

Miami adds grad transfer from Tennessee

 

Former Tennessee LB Deandre Johnson entered the transfer portal about a week ago after he got his undergrad degree and he announced a few days ago that he will be suiting up for the Canes for his final year of eligibility as a grad transfer. Johnson played 40 games for the Volunteers in 4 seasons with 9 starts. His 2020 season saw him be one of the biggest leaders on defense for Tennessee with 28 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Johnson is a former graduate of Miami Southridge High, where he was teammates with Miami wide receivers Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins. 

 

Bubba Bolden announces he will return next season

 

One of the biggest anchors of the Miami defense in 2020, the former USC-transfer Bolden announced on Tuesday that he will be back for another season with the Canes. In his second season in Coral Gables, he led the team with 50 tackles, 6.5 TFL’s, with an interception and a forced fumble. Safety depth in 2021 will be incredible with 7 scholarship safeties including James Williams and Avantae Williams, and the Canes are also awaiting the decision of junior Gurvan Hall. 

Cam Harris will also return for his senior year

 

The Canes’ leading rusher in 2020, Harris announced that he will forego the draft for a bit and run it back with the team again in 2021. Harris ran for 643 yards on 126 carries with 10 TD’s, averaging 5.1 yards/carry. Running back depth would’ve been somewhat worrisome had he declared, as it would’ve left just four scholarship running backs on the roster, leaving Robert Burns as the only back with more than a year experience on campus.

 

Patrick Joyner enters transfer portal

 

Joyner has been with the team for 3 years and since he’s arrived on campus in 2018, coaches have switched him between defensive end and linebacker duties. He’s received very limited playing time in the past two seasons, recording only one tackle in 2020. So far, Joyner is the player from the Canes roster to enter the portal.

Safeties coach Ephraim Banda is leaving to take DC job at Utah State

 

One of Miami’s best recruiters and player developers is taking the next step in his career and is assuming full defensive coordinator duties at Utah State. Banda was the safeties coach at Miami for 5 seasons, first being hired by Mark Richt and getting retained by current head coach Manny Diaz, with Diaz also giving him co-DC duties. It is also rumored that Banda could take three of Miami’s assistant coaches with him to his next job: Demarcus Van Dyke (defensive quality control analyst at UM, will become cornerbacks coach at USU), Mike Zuckerman (Senior Quality Control Analyst/Defense), and Alex Devine (Assistant Director of Player of Development/Defense).

 

DL coach Todd Stroud will most likely not return

 

This is mostly rumored for the most part but it’s looking likely that due to “health reasons,” coach Stroud will not be on Miami’s staff next year. Stroud’s continued a good run of DL coaches for the Canes, as he’s played a big role in developing Greg Rousseau in 2019 as well as Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche in 2020. It is possible that Stroud could be retained in a much lesser role. 

 

Keep it locked with @PaulAustria_ and @SixthRingCanes on Twitter for the latest in Miami Hurricanes news and recruiting.

 

Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. There’s no better time to sign up than now as the NFL playoffs are right around the corner and the NBA is right underway. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

Marlins Sign Detwiler and Leon

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Since the announcement of Kim Ng as the new Miami Marlins General Manager, the offseason has been relatively quiet. There were a lot of questions as to what she would do first, and it looks like we finally have our answer. Rather than shooting for big names, she has decided to buy low. The two biggest signings of her tenure happened recently, and although they aren’t stars, they have the capability to make this Marlins team better at a cheap price. 

 

LHP Ross Detwiler and C Sandy Leon were the initial targets of choice for Ng. Both players serve a role for the “Bottom Feeders” in the upcoming 2021 season. They add depth in two areas that the Marlins were previously lacking in.

 

Ross Detwiler

 

The 34-year-old southpaw was signed to a 1 year $850,000 deal. The Marlins bullpen, outside of a few, struggled immensely in 2020. Richard Bleier was the only veteran lefty in the bullpen, and this lack of experience showed up in big moments through the likes of Stephen Tarpley, Trevor Rogers, and Daniel Castano. 

 

Coming off of a strong 2020 campaign, Detwiler provides more stability to a young bullpen. He effectively becomes a 2nd Richard Bleier. Statistically, the two pitchers are very similar and bring a lot of the same stuff to the table: low MPH fastballs which force them to rely on movement and control to get outs. Bleier was extremely effective last year, and if Detwiler fills the same role, they can split outings, allowing the Marlins to have access to a solid lefty arm every night of a long 162 game year.

 

Detwiler is not what Miami was directly hoping for but still could play a vital role in stabilizing a young and variable team.

 

Sandy Leon

 

Sandy Leon was another name that Miami fans did not expect to see. He signed to a minor league deal that may be worth $1.25 million if he makes the majors. In the 2020 season, the bullpen was a problem, but our catching situation was an absolute disaster. Francisco Cervelli was phenomenal in the few games he played before his injury forced his retirement, but after that, the woes of Chad Wallach and Jorge Alfaro plagued Miami. Wallach cannot hit and Alfaro cannot play defense. Wallach batted .227 (.071 in the playoffs) and Jorge Alfaro had -7 Defensive Runs Saved (-39 over a full season). 

 

Sandy Leon could be a guy like Cervelli in the right situation. Statistically, he has never been great offensively, but he was Chris Sale’s primary catcher in Boston. He is a good defender, saving runs that we would lose through Wallach and Alfaro. He may never live up to the season he hit .310 in Boston, but he could be exactly what the Marlins needed in the NLDS and need to save runs defensively.

 

Overall Takeaway for the Marlins

 

Nothing too groundbreaking going on in the Marlins front office right now. These signings prove that they are willing to go out and find solutions, but also may point to their understanding that this team is not ready to compete just yet. It seems that Kim Ng has taken a slower approach to success in Miami, and we will just have to wait to see if it pans out.

 

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Miami Dolphins

Five Takeaways from Flores/Grier Press Conference

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Earlier today, Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Brian Flores met with the media for their end-of-the-season press conference. But despite Miami’s front office doing their best to keep things close to the chest, there were plenty of takeaways from this afternoon’s zoom meeting.

Here are five takeaways from Brian Flores and Chris Grier’s press conference.

Tua Tagovailoa is the Miami Dolphins starting Quarterback.

This shouldn’t need to be said, but with every national media outlet trying to spin a QB controversy in Miami, it needed to be.

With a normal offseason and an improved arsenal of weapons, 2021 Tua should look a lot more like the guy we fell in love with at Tuscaloosa.

Tua is the franchise quarterback of the Miami Dolphins.

The Franchise

Chan Gailey expected back as offensive coordinator in 2021?

Coach Flores didn’t say much regarding his coaching staff in 2021, but what he did say was that he expected his assistant coaches to be back in 2021. This means 69-year-old Chan Gailey will once again be calling plays for Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offense. This might have been the most disappointing takeaway from today’s presser.

Here’s what Flores had to say when asked if he’d retain his staff for the 2021 season.

“Yeah, we expect everyone back. Hopefully you’re not jinxing me now. Last time I said that, we lost Karl Dorrell, we lost Pat Graham, so thanks. (laughter) Hopefully not, though. We expect everyone back.”

There’s an outside chance Gailey might still retire. But for now, it looks like Gailey will be Miami’s play-caller moving forward.

Brian Flores should be Coach of the Year, in Chris Grier’s opinion.

There are plenty of deserving NFL head coaches that could be nominated for Coach of the Year. However, if you ask GM Chris Grier, he will tell you no one is more deserving than Dolphins’ HC Brian Flores–and I agree. Yes, the Week 17 loss to Buffalo should leave a sour taste in everyone’s mouth.

Flores deserves to be the coach of the year, with or without playoffs.

Dolphins plan to add competition at all positions in the offseason.

Miami has a lot of options via free agency and the draft. For example, the team has 4 top-50 picks, and their ‘available balance’ in FA rivals what we saw last year. So with a large number of running backs and wide receivers hitting the market, Miami’s interest could be key. But As you would expect, Flores and Grier never speak in absolutes, but they did shed some light on the offensive line and receiving corps–two positions the Dolphins could address at No.3 overall.

The best is yet to come

10 wins is a great accomplishment for a team in year two of a rebuild. But make no mistake about it, that loss to Buffalo left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. And what this team does in the offseason to build around the young nucleus in place could be what ultimately decides whether or not the Dolphins take the next step from promising young team to legit-playoff contenders.

Coach Flores promised to leave no stone unturned.

Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker said it best.

Miami Heat: Regaining Confidence and Regaining Clarity

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Although Miami won a game that they were expected to win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, it holds more value than you may think.

For starters, the confidence factor. This is across the board for everybody, but that starts with Jimmy Butler. He got some easy buckets at the start of the game, which was needed since him setting the tone was essential.

Also, the recent lack of 2 point shot attempts for Miami this season falls on Jimmy, since he is their primary attacker.

Duncan Robinson hitting 4 threes in the first half, after going 0-5 in the first half against Dallas is also very important. As I mentioned before the game, this match-up with OKC was a rhythm game. Getting Duncan back into his normal shooting rhythm holds value heading into Wednesday’s game against Boston.

So regaining that confidence was important for this team right now, but it wasn’t as important as regaining clarity.

Sixth different starting lineup in six games definitely doesn’t scream clarity, but maybe the slogan should be sixth time’s a charm.

Miami now has a clear 9 man rotation that they can go to on a regular basis, since this issue all along has been the 5th starter. I’ve been discussing keeping the main four guys off the bench together, since there is obvious continuity between them. The Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa offensive importance, and the Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala defensive importance.

The fifth starter needed to be a guy that fits next to Bam Adebayo, can space the floor, and keep Miami in a good flow. And well, Kelly Olynyk did just that.

This does not mean Erik Spoelstra won’t change some things up with the starters or rotation going forward, but as of right now, he has his core group.

Miami needed both confidence and clarity these past few games, and it looks like they already have both after the sixth regular season game. And I believe that has a lot to do with the return of Jimmy Butler.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over OKC Thunder

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The Miami Heat were coming off of a poor offensive performance on Friday night against Dallas, but came out tonight with a purpose against the Oklahoma City Thunder to get the win. Not only were there some pretty great performances all around, but also some clarity on this team moving forward. Here are my five takeaways….

#1: Jimmy Butler gets going out the gate.

Jimmy Butler ended up with 14 points at the end of the first half, since he came out with a purpose to get to the basket. And if it wasn’t a bucket in the paint for him, it was a pass to someone else around the goal for a basket. It has been discussed that the key to the Heat getting back to normal revolves around Jimmy. He was needed to set the tone, even in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he did just that. And as discussed, having another ball-handler and play-maker on the floor makes everybody’s life easier. As many were wanting, Jimmy Butler played like Jimmy Butler tonight, and it was necessary heading into a match-up with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

#2: Duncan Robinson’s shooting back to normal.

Duncan Robinson shot 1-8 from three last game against the Dallas Mavericks, and 0-5 in the first half. And well, Duncan ended up going 4-7 from three in the first half tonight. That has a lot to do with Jimmy playing like Jimmy as well, since as I’ve mentioned, Duncan’s offensive game revolves around the production of Butler. When Jimmy begins to penetrate, the defense begins to shift and crash the interior, which allows Duncan to get open on the outside off of Bam Adebayo screen assists. It’s not that Duncan shot incredibly tonight, he just shot like himself. It was needed tonight since getting in a rhythm after that last game was important, especially approaching a big game against Boston as I mentioned prior.

#3: Tyler Herro looks good all-around, but still has flashes of hesitance.

When watching Tyler play tonight, it’s just clear that scoring isn’t his number one priority as it has been in the past. There were plenty of times that he beat his defender, but passed out to the corner instead of getting the ball up. There were also times that he made that extra pass, when the better shot would’ve been the opportunity that he got. Now, this definitely isn’t a huge knock against him tonight, since he played pretty well, it’s just something to look out for moving forward. He continued to look good as a passer, which looks even better when he shared the court with Jimmy Butler or Goran Dragic. And his rebounding abilities were on display as well, which is needed since Miami is last in the league in rebounds. Those extra efforts can make the difference to win you a basketball game.

#4: Miami finds a comfortable 9 man rotation.

Kelly Olynyk got inserted into the starting lineup tonight, which was the 6th different starting lineup in 6 games. But after getting a look at the rotation, it seems as if it may be here to stay. For one, I’ve been a proponent of keeping both Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala on the bench, since they cause defensive havoc on the perimeter when they share the floor together. Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa also have a great offensive connection that they don’t want to mix up, which is why they’ve been labeled as the core four bench unit. Now, the fifth starter has been in question, but Kelly Olynyk makes the most sense. He fits well with Bam Adebayo, and it allows Bam to slide to the power forward position. Also Kelly spaces the floor perfectly for Bam and Jimmy to penetrate, which means a much more functional offense. It seems like this 9 man rotation will be one that will be seen on a nightly basis.

#5: Kelly Olynyk became an offensive spark once again.

Although I discussed Kelly Olynyk a bit previously moving forward in the rotation, I couldn’t allow his overall performance tonight to get overlooked. He has been looked at as an offensive spark for this team over the years, since he is very capable of putting on a shooting display that he put on tonight. But although you get nights like this from him, some not so good ones come with it. And that’s a risk this team will take, since adding size to this team was essential individually, but having that in a guy who can knock down 6 threes is even better. Many have been talking about that 5th starter not being on the roster, but I believe he might be. Well, at least for now. Kelly gives this team exactly what they need, especially since he seems to be the perfect fit next to Bam Adebayo.

A Familiar Starting Lineup Likely Against OKC

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Miami has played five games to this point, and each of those games have had a different starting lineup.

Until now. Well, I think.

The Miami Heat will be facing off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and they match-up pretty well with them since Andre Iguodala is the placeholder 4 right now.

Oklahoma City basically starts three guards: George Hill, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Lu Dort. That most likely means Jimmy Butler will take the match-up of Shai, while Tyler Herro most likely guards Hill and Duncan guards Dort.

The Thunder also start an undersized four, Darius Bazely, and he’s coming off an impressive performance against the Orlando Magic. Andre Iguodala clearly matches up well with the 6’8 Bazely, and although there’s questions about what the future holds for Miami’s power forward position, they can win plenty of regular season games with him there.

And of course Bam Adebayo will match-up with Al Horford. There definitely isn’t much to dive into with that match-up since you feel comfortable with Bam on defense no matter who he is matched up with.

Now, the bench is where Miami really can pull away early. First off, having Goran Dragic head in with the bench unit is a positive in itself, but it’s even better when a rookie, Theo Maledon, will be matched up with him for some time.

Goran’s craftiness allows him to break down a lot of young guys without experience, which is why I wouldn’t be surprised if Theo gets in early foul trouble.

Another guy that will be utilized for some time tonight is Kelly Olynyk. The Thunder play a bunch of bigs off the bench, including Mike Muscala and rookie Aleksej Pokusevski.

When Muscala gets thrown in off the bench, I’d expect Spo to do the same with Olynyk. Precious Achiuwa can also see time on him, but there are plenty of athletic 4’s and bigs on the roster that make more sense for Achiuwa from a match-up perspective.

This is game that Miami should win, especially coming off of a terrible shooting night against the Dallas Mavericks.

Limiting turnovers will be a huge priority for Miami as well, since they average the most turnovers a game in the NBA.

It’ll also be necessary to see Jimmy Butler play like Jimmy Butler. Not Finals Jimmy, but the high energy Butler many are used to.

We will see what happens tonight, as Miami looks to go to 3-3 on the season.

Canes add former Tennessee OLB as grad transfer

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Saturday was a long-awaited day for Canes fans as they longed for the final decision of five-star LB Terrence Lewis out of Miami Central High. The highly-heralded linebacker chose the Maryland cap but the Canes had a backup plan.

 

 

That backup plan was Deandre Johnson. Johnson is a former linebacker at Tennessee who entered the transfer portal just 5 days ago after earning his degree and on Saturday, he announced his intentions to grad transfer to Miami. The 6’3”, 255-pound Johnson will most likely play defensive end in Coral Gables because he used to play outside linebacker in Tennessee’s 3-4 defense while the Canes run a 4-3. 

 

 

As a Volunteer, Johnson played in 40 games and started 9 and this past season, he compiled 28 tackles with 4.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. 

 

Johnson is actually a Miami native, as he attended Miami Killian for his first three years of high school before transferring to Miami Southridge. 

 

As you may know, the addition of Johnson is huge not just because of Lewis’ decision, but also because of two reasons: veteran leadership and depth. 

 

The Canes have a lot of young talent in their linebacker and defensive line rooms. Along with the task of having to replace three great defensive ends in Jaelan Phillips, Greg Rousseau, and Quincy Roche, there’s also a good chance they lose 2-3 linebackers should they transfer out. To add a great veteran presence like Johnson who’s played in arguably the best conference in college football while having local ties to a lot of Miami’s current players, it’s a great fit. 

 

I’m not going to boast and say that Johnson will for sure have the kind of impact that Phillips and Roche had as transfers, but this is still a homecoming of some sorts and he will definitely have a great opportunity to make a huge impact next season, starting with Miami’s season opener against Alabama. 

 

Keep it locked with @PaulAustria_ and @SixthRingCanes on Twitter for the latest in Miami Hurricanes news and recruiting. 

 

 Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. There’s no better time to sign up than now as the NFL playoffs are right around the corner and the NBA is right underway. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

5 Takeaways from the Orange Bowl

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The 2021 Orange Bowl had everything. It was a shootout. It showcased a potential NFL quarterback. A conference’s dominance was solidified and at the end of the day, the game’s MVP was a freshman. Here are my five takeaways from a game that deserved more.

#1: Freshman steals the show

The Orange Bowl was positioned to be a shootout midway through the fourth quarter. Both No. 5 Texas A&M and No. 13 North Carolina were tied 27-27. Then freshman running back Devon Achane stole the show with a 76-yard rushing touchdown to give the Aggies the lead 34-27 lead. After a defensive stop, Achane scored once again for the final dagger into the heart of the Tar Heels.

During the go-ahead run, Achane nearly tripped over one of his blockers but recovered, broke a tackle and dash down the sideline all the way to the end zone. He finished with 140 yards on 12 carries.

Next to him was sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller, who gained 50 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries to finish the season with 1,036 yards. Their leading receiver was sophomore Ainias Smith with six receptions for 125 yards. This offense is poised for another major run next year.

”I just can’t wait for next season,” said Achane, who was named Orange Bowl MVP.

#2: Sam Howell has NFL potential

Had North Carolina won the game, sophomore quarterback Sam Howell would have been named MVP. Howell threw for 234 yards and three touchdowns after ending his first drive with an interception. Every touchdown he threw changed the lead to North Carolina’s favor.

His most impressive play came on a 75-yard bomb to freshman wide receiver Josh Downs. That alone has him NFL ready.

As is life in football, one or two more drives like that and the Tar Heels would have likely been the winner instead of the Aggies.

“We were so close,” Howell said. “We played a heck of a game out there tonight and just came up short. We were right there.”

Howell has been the quarterback ever since Mack Brown took over as head coach. He has thrown for over 7,000 yards and has tied the UNC career TD passing record of 68. All eyes will be on him next year.

#3: What could’ve been…

North Carolina was the underdog from the start but were made even more so when four of their top playmakers opted out of the bowl game to focus on the upcoming NFL Draft.

Howell went into the biggest game of his life without his two leading rushers, Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, and leading receiver Dyami Brown. UNC was also without their leading tackler, linebacker Chazz Surratt. Given how close the game was, one could only wonder what the result would have been had the Tar Heel offense been at full strength.

“We lost 4,000 yards coming into the game and still had a chance against the No. 5 team to win,” UNC coach Mack Brown said.

#4: SEC earns their reputation

The SEC has always been considered to be the premier conference in college football. Sometimes, the conference has been simply too top heavy with the rest being a bunch of mediocre teams. At one point, it seemed that the ACC has caught up.

This year the SEC earned its reputation. In a chaotic season dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, every team was ruled bowl eligible. This led to the SEC slotting in teams that were sub .500 and would not have played in a bowl game in an otherwise normal season.

And yet, 4-5 Ole Miss beats No. 11 Indiana in the Outback Bowl, 4-6 Kentucky edges No. 23 North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl and 3-7 Mississippi State tops No. 24 Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl. Three ranked teams from three different conferences fell to SEC teams with records that would justify having the coach fired but instead they all reign triumphant.

At the top end, No. 1 Alabama crushed No. 4 Notre Dame and is poised to win the national championship, No. 8 Georgia came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat No. 8 Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl and Texas A&M won the Orange Bowl after a close contest with North Carolina.

An argument has been made that Texas A&M should have been in the College Football Playoff instead of Notre Dame. Head coach Jimbo Fisher was hired at a hefty price to turn the Aggies into a legit SEC contender and it only took him three years to accomplish that.

”I’m just gonna tell you this: We ain’t done yet,” Fisher said.

#5: Another reason to expand the playoff

The hair-splitting between Notre Dame and Texas A&M is really unnecessary when the solution is obvious.

“I think that watching them and watching Notre Dame, they’re so similar that you feel like that we should expand the playoff,” Brown said, “number one, so more guys will continue to play at the end of the year and it’ll help the bowl games. And number two, Texas A&M deserved to be in the playoff, so give them credit for the year that they’ve had. They beat Florida. They lose one game to Alabama, like everybody else that’s played them has lost to them.”

Once again the New Year’s Six bowls were much more compelling than the playoff bowls. The Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Peach Bowl made for great television but the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl were another round of boring blowouts. The only surprise this time is that it was Clemson that was on the receiving end of a Buckeye beat down.

There’s too many bowl games. That much is self evident. It’s also a good way for ESPN to create content and make money, since the network is responsible for 14 bowl games, most of which if not all are populated with Group of Five teams. You know you have reached a limit when one of the bowl games is called the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and the trophy is a freaking jar of mayonnaise.

We all know the bowls that matter; The Rose, the Fiesta, the Peach, the Cotton, the Sugar and the Orange. Bowls so iconic that the sponsorship is irrelevant. The Fiesta could go from Tostitos to Playstation nobody would blink an eye.

If the committee is so resistant to expanding the playoff because it may not feel No. 5-8 is worthy, fine. They should at least be compelled to expand the playoffs to include all of the iconic bowl games so that none of them feel like consolation games.

These days, if the Orange Bowl isn’t included in the path to the national championship, then the two teams are just playing for a glass vase filled with naval oranges from Publix.