Man, what a game on Thursday. The Canes overcome the Rebels and, at times, themselves on the way to securing the program’s first trip back to the national championship game in 23 years. And because there was plenty of good and not so good, I’m curious to see what Pro Football Focus had to say […]
Man, what a game on Thursday. The Canes overcome the Rebels and, at times, themselves on the way to securing the program’s first trip back to the national championship game in 23 years.
And because there was plenty of good and not so good, I’m curious to see what Pro Football Focus had to say about who shined the brightest and who left something to be desired. So, it’s time again to see what the marks say as it relates to how my brain remembers the game. As usual, I’m looking at players with 20 snaps in the game.
Top 5 Canes
1) DE Rueben Bain, Jr. – 81.8
2) RB Mark Fletcher, Jr. – 78.6
3) WR Malachi Toney – 77.2
4) RB Marty Brown – 76.5
5) WR Keelan Marion – 75.1
This is a group of five that’s hard to argue with. Bain led all defenders with five pressures. He made his presence felt even if it seemed more muted than in the first two playoff games. They’ll need more from him against Fernando Mendoza and Indiana thought, for sure.
Fletcher and Marty had strong games on the ground, particularly the former. 22 carries for 133 yards. And Brown really is a trusted finisher around the goal line with his ball protection abilities and nose for the end zone. A great, great combo that was on display again.
Toney’s best play may have been the one that didn’t count, with that insane one-handed grab on the final drive that was ruled incomplete. But he was his usual amazing self with a 36-yard tunnel screen TD. He also fought through a tackle in impressive fashion and got a first down on the first touchdown drive. A young man who plays way bigger and way more physical than his own frame.
And, of course, Marion was one of the true heroes of the night with 7 catches for 114 yards and a score. Miami will need him and/or CJ Daniels to step up as that important second option against Indiana next Monday.
Bottom 5 Canes
1) G Anez Cooper – 52.7
2) G Matthew McCoy – 55.1
3) TE Alex Bauman – 56.1
4) WR CJ Daniels – 56.6
5) CB Keionte Scott – 56.7
You want to know how silly some of these rankings can be? The next on this list would have been offensive MVP Carson Beck. Beck did, to be somewhat fair, have a slow start to the game and have some misfires. However, he finished with the fourth quarter of his life to pull this game out of the fire. That’s a prime example of how these numbers are skewed and unquantifiable often times.
As to the five listed, Anez Cooper had two false starts on a third quarter drive, leaving me about to pull my hair out. Bauman had a holding call on a big run. Daniels didn’t do anything of note poorly; he just didn’t make the impact that Marion did. And he had did a great job stretching for a first down on third down on the game-winning drive. So, stick that in your pipe and smoke it, PFF.
Scott didn’t play poorly. He allowed 3 catches on 5 targets and had no missed tackles. He was also about a tenth of a second away from hitting Trinidad Chambliss on a blitz in the fourth quarter that would have derailed one of their touchdown drives. Game of milliseconds and inches.
Category: General Sports
