Cristobal’s Canes Lay a 70-Burger Over Bethune-Cookman

The highly-hyped Cristobal-era has begun at the U, and they came out and impressed, beating fellow Florida team Bethune-Cookman, 70-13. It was tied for the most amount of points scored in a Hurricanes season opener (Florida A&M, 2016). Also, Miami scored on nine of their eleven offensive drives.

Game Recap:

Despite dominating, the Hurricanes came out slow in the first quarter. Bethune-Cookman went on a 10 play, 63 yard opening drive that included a conversion on 3rd and 23 due to multiple missed tackles (sound familiar 🤬), despite having multiple false start penalties. However, it would only end on a 29 yard field goal by Dylan Moghadden.

Then Key’Shawn Smith set up Miami’s responding drive perfectly with a 70 yard kick return. Five plays later, Thaddius Franklin Jr. would run it in for a four yard touchdown, his first of the day. He would be a big part of Miami’s offense Saturday, with nine carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

Then Miami redeemed themselves on defense, with a diving interception by Kam Kinchens. The old, undisciplined side of Miami came out after, as Kinchens spiked the ball and received an unsportsmanlike conduct, and then heard it from Coach Cristobal, who ripped on the defense on the sideline, something we have not seen in the past. But that did not stop Tyler Van Dyke, who threw a 52 yard dart to Xavier Restrepo. Also, it did not stop Miami’s other running back, former Ole Miss RB Henry Parrish Jr., who also had himself a big day with 14 carries for 108 yards and three touchdowns, along with three receptions for 25 yards. Tyler Van Dyke, the 2021 ACC rookie of the year, finished the day by completing 13 of 16 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

Second Quarter:

Miami extended their lead to 21-3 with 12:06 left in the second quarter after another short touchdown run by Parrish. 16 seconds later, Bethune’s Jalon Jones was intercepted by Gilbert Frierson, who took it 32 yards to the house to extend the lead to 28-3. Despite being down a lot, BC would not give up, as they had a nine play, 75 yard drive cutting over five minutes, capped off with a miscommunication which led to a Que’shaun Byrd 34 yard pitch-and-catch touchdown pass. However, Miami would respond with two touchdowns, a pass to Restrepo and a run to Parrish.

Second Half:

Miami opened up with another long Key’Shaun Smith kickoff return, but Tyler Van Dyke fumbled at the Bethune three yard line. Bethune would respond with a field goal.

On Miami’s second possession of the half, Tyler Van Dyke would connect with Michael Redding for his second touchdown pass of the day, and his last drive of the day.

Jake Garcia would enter into the game midway through the third, and would play perfectly, going 7/7 for 88 yards. Thad Franklin would add another touchdown, along with one each from Devon Perry and Terrell Walden II.

Up next, the Canes host Southern Miss on Saturday, September 10th.