Coach Dan Mullen went into Saturday’s matchup against the Miami Hurricanes hoping to win with a conservative mindset. He expected short passes and outside run plays to compensate for an inexperienced offensive line that was sure to have trouble with a Miami defensive line that started four upperclassmen.
Mullen hoped this game plan would grind down the defense in a war of attrition while limiting turnovers and keeping his defense off the field. The end result, however, was four turnovers, 1.9 yards per carry and an offense that was stagnant for most of the contest.
While the offensive line was a predictable issue, Mullen also showed that he did not trust his starting quarterback Feleipe Franks to make plays when it mattered, and it nearly cost them the game.