Zac Dysert's passing game has been a factor in 'Hawk touchdowns.
It was defense day in Evanston, Ill., Saturday. Northwestern University, an offense averaging 31.8 points per game, managed just 16 points against the visiting RedHawks. The Wildcats held Miami University quarterback Zac Dysert accountable to four turnovers, however, snapping a five-game losing streak at home to MU with a 16-6 victory. The loss marked Miami's first defeat in Evanston since 1963.
"I definitely feel like this is one that we let get away," Miami Head Coach Mike Haywood said.
Northwestern scored 10 points in the first quarter but posted only six during the final three periods. Before Saturday, every Miami opponent this season scored at least 29 points. The last time the RedHawk defense kept an opposing offense in the teams came Sep. 6, 2008 against the University of Michigan.
"The defense is making strides," junior captain Jordan Gafford said. "With as many young guys on the defensive side of the ball as we have, you're going to get better every week."
Coming into the game, Wildcat quarterback Mike Kafka had completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,273 yards and five touchdowns. Against Miami, however, he finished with a completion percentage of less than 50 percent and 191 passing yards. Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald preached an emphasis on the run as justification for Kafka's pedestrian stat line. The Wildcats proved unsuccessful there as well with NWU running backs accumulating 75 rushing yards.
"I just want to run the ball," Fitzgerald said. "Obviously, we did not have the success that we were hoping to have today."
Rather than acknowledge Miami's defensive efforts as the cause for his team's offensive futility, Fitzgerald pointed the spotlight on himself and his own players.
"It is simple," Fitzgerald said. "It is the plays we are calling that aren't working in the situations, it's the execution of the fundamentals and technique, or we've got the wrong guy in there trying to do it."
The RedHawk's defensive day didn't start as well as it finished. Northwestern opened with a nine-play drive capped off by a field goal to start the scoring early.
Miami's offensive statistics looked wildly similar to Northwestern's. The major difference came in the turnover column. Dysert threw three interceptions and lost a fumble as well to stymie four RedHawk drives. The giveaways continue a rather concerning trend for a Miami offense that now totals seven lost fumbles and 11 interceptions. Two possessions later they drove 12 plays for 73 yards and a touchdown.
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"One of the things that we have to do when it is second and long and third and long is to apply pressure," Haywood said. "We have to do a better job of cutting defenders as they cross the field, and if we are in man coverage and a guy goes underneath we have to do a better job of jumping the underneath route."
Starting the second quarter by forcing a Miami three and out, the Wildcats began their own drive in MU territory and looked poised for their third scoring drive in four attempts. True freshman Austin Brown blocked the field goal attempt, however, to shutdown the Wildcat bid for another three points. The big play by the big defensive lineman energized an otherwise battered young defense that went on to hold Northwestern scoreless on nine of its next 10 possessions.
"Some weeks it's a defensive battle," Gafford said. "That's kind of what it was today, and so the defense had to answer that call. I'm proud of how the guys played."
When Dysert doesn't turn the ball over he leads the team quite effectively, as was the case in Miami's final drive of the game. The redshirt freshman completed three of four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown to take the RedHawks efficiently down the field. Miami has seven scoring drives during games in which Dysert started under center. All seven of those drives were dominated by a Dysert passing attack.
Miami now prepares for the Battle of the Bricks with conference rival Ohio University. The game takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday in Athens, Ohio, and marks the RedHawks' sixth road game in seven weeks.
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