Middle Tennessee State vs. Miami (Ohio)
Considering the explosive players that each team brings to the table, this game will probably be surprisingly low scoring and defensive.
Miami (Ohio) has been the turnaround story of the year in college football, having gone from winning just one game last year to winning the Mid-American conference this year. However, this season has also been littered with changes. Regular starting quarterback Zac Dysert was lost with three games left in the season to a lacerated spleen and backup Austin Boucher had to step in to take the reins. He did a good job, limiting his mistakes and letting Thomas Merriweather pound the rock, which helped lead the Redhawks to their MAC title. In this match-up against an opportunistic Middle Tennessee State secondary, that running game has to be the focal point of the Redhawks offense. They did finish the season 114th in the country in rushing offense, but in their last three games they rushed for 537 yards. They should be able to keep the roll up against the undersized Blue Raider’s rush defense. Defensive Tackles Dwight Smith and Jarrett Crittenton struggle to play with good pad level and get driven off the ball with relative ease. If the Redhawks can drive those defenders off the ball consistently and keep the excellent pass rushers, featuring defensive end Jamari Lattimore, hesitating, they’ll allow Austin Boucher to throw the short and intermidate passes with little trouble. However, that pass rush is formidable and will be facing a less than stellar pass blocking offensive line. There is a very high probability that if the Redhawks try to rely too heavily on the pass, that Boucher will have defenders in his face all night. Not matter how good receivers Nick Harwell and Armand Robinson are, they will not be effective if Boucher is on the ground the whole time.
On the other hand, Middle Tennessee State’s quarterback Dwight Dasher has been a dangerous force both on the ground and through the air since returning from the four game suspension he started the season serving. He and Phillip Tanner have combined to be a dangerous rushing combination, taking advantage of their speed to make teams pay when they get to the outside. They face a tough battle in this game against the nation’s nineteenth best run defense. Defensive tackles Austin Brown and Jordain Brown are great at maintaining good pad level and redirecting blocks through good hand use. Their good play also gives instinctive and athletic linebackers Evan Harris and Jerrell Wedge space to move to attack the outsides. The Blue Raiders have to be able to cover up their defenders and give Dasher and Tanner space to maneuver. Short and intermediate pass will help loosen that stingy Redhawks run defense. However in order to do that, they’re going to need to be able to protect Dwight Dasher and design plays that can get him out of the pocket. Dasher is 5-10 and when he is confined to the pocket, his decision making has suffered. If the Redhawks are able to hem him into the pocket and make him read the coverage from there, they’ll have an opportunity to cause turnovers. Though they will need to make sure that they can tackle well in the open field because the Blue raider receivers have shown the ability to break tackles and create after the catch.
Prospects to Watch
Middle Tennessee State
Jamari Lattimore – Defensive End/Outside Linebacker: Lattimore doesn’t have the size to lineup along the line, but he has shown more than enough quickness and agility to survive in the NFL as a 3-4 outside linebacker. His 14 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks earned him Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors. I am aware that doesn’t count for much in the NFL, since the level of competition wasn’t that great. However, being a good pass rusher garners plenty of attention for teams that use a rotation at outside linebacker. He has elite quickness, but relies heavily on that quickness and his ability to and bend around blockers. He may have trouble if he gets locked out by bigger tackles. He has a chance to get drafted in the 6th or 7th round.
Miami (Ohio)
Armand Robinson – Wide Receiver: While his size and strength are average, Robinson has above average speed and amazing consistency. Level of competition hurts his stock, but teams are always looking for consistent, fast receivers. He has chance in the last day of the draft, between rounds 6-7.
Final Pick
Middle Tennessee State – There has just been more stability with this team and they are able to counter what Miami does well.
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