MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) – Mario Cristobal passed through smoke next to the Miami Hurricanes as they entered the field, grabbed his headphones and hugged someone on the sidelines.
It was the first of many celebratory moments in Cristobal’s first game as Miami coach.
Henry Parrish rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns, Tyler Van Dyck slipped for two more, and No. 16 Miami started his season with a 70-13 win over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. Miami sprinted to seven touchdowns a day, accumulating 582 yards of attack and turning three quick touchdowns into touchdowns.
Cristobal said: “The goal was to be 1-0 up by 7:15 tonight. And it came through… We did what we had to do.”
Thaddeus Franklin grabbed two goals, while Devon Berry and Terrell Walden also ran second to land for the Hurricanes (1-0).
Gilbert Frisson got an interception back for a score, while Xavier Restrepo and Michael Redding III got TD passes from Van Dyke – who completed 13 of 16 passes for 193 yards. Jake Garcia completed all eight of his Hurricane passes with relief.
“It’s amazing that we’re starting the season like this,” Frisson said.
For Bethune-Cookman (0-1), Que’Shawn Byrd got a 34-yard touchdown pass from Jalon Jones.
“That gives us a measuring stick for our football team,” said coach Terry Sims, coach of Python Cockman. “When you play a University of Miami level team, you have no choice but to play to your best. Guys, I thought they went out and fought.”
This was Cristobal’s twelfth season opener in Miami – he had five players, including his year in Little Red Riding Hood, then three as a freshman assistant and three more as a full assistant.
But this was the first, of what Miami expects to be a large number, being in charge of the operation.
“The energy was permeating the ceiling,” Restrepo said. “Coach Cristobal, he carries the whole team on his shoulders.”
There was a lot to like: Van Dyke’s passes were clear, Parrish stepped up to lead an injury-hit rear legion, Frierson was falling behind, Key’Shawn Smith had three kick-offs for 184 yards—barely 17 yards out of the end zone on what was It could be the result of a comeback – and hurricanes barred a field target.
There were also things that would jump out of the movie and need to be corrected, like Bethune-Cookman getting seven plays for at least 20 yards, two of which ended up making 44 and 48 gains. And red-themed area also bothered Cristobal, though he blamed it on himself in the details that went wrong in that play.
“Overall, I thought we played relatively hard,” Cristóbal said.
take away
Bethune-Cookman: All six games ended in an easy win in Miami—the average margin is 42 points—but the Wildcats can feel good about that. They scored first in four of those six games, and the last entry on that roster came when they converted their third and 23rd in Saturday’s opening campaign en route to a field goal.
Miami: There were apparently no 56,795 people in the stands on Saturday – Hard Rock Stadium holds about 65,000 footballs – but that was the advertised number of tickets distributed. It was the fourth-highest attendance at a Miami opener since the Hurricanes moved to the Miami Dolphins 15 years ago.
Poll repercussions
Miami should still be ranked and probably won’t veer far from its current 16th. This will be the 159th time (out of 183) that the survey will include Miami during Cristobal’s years with the Hurricanes as player, alumnus assistant, assistant coach and now head coach.
for openings
Miami improved to 65-32-1 in all of their opening games, beginning in the 1926 season when the Hurricanes fielded only a new team. But it’s only the second time in the past five years that Miami has started 1-0, after losing to LSU in 2018, Florida in 2019 and Alabama last year. The Hurricanes opened 2020 by defeating the UAB.
next one
Bethune-Cookman: Host South Carolina on September 10th. The South Carolina State Wildcats led 42-7 last year, but needed to reclaim a side kick for a 42-35 win.
Miami: Hosts Miss South on September 10, the first school-to-school get-together. The Hurricanes will be seeking what will be just their seventh 2-0 start in the past 18 seasons.
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