Senior linebacker Jerrell Wedge warms up during training camp in the summer. Wedge was credited with four total tackles in Miami’s 17-6 loss to the University of Missouri Saturday in the season opener. (CONTRIBUTED BY MICHAEL PEARSON)
Despite holding the University of Missouri to under 300 yards of total offense, the Miami University football team failed to execute when it mattered most on Saturday, falling 17-6 to the Tigers.
The loss snaps a six-game winning streak the RedHawks carried into this season and was a disappointing start to the Don Treadwell Era for Miami.
"I think we did a lot of good things out there," redshirt junior quarterback Zac Dysert said. "We moved the ball well, I thought. You know, we just have to finish. We have to score. We're going to learn a lot of things from the tape. You know, just go from there and we're going to be a good football team."
Dysert was 26 for 39 for 194 yards passing and one pick, while redshirt sophomore running back Erik Finklea had 71 yards rushing on 19 carries to go with one touchdown in his first start.
"We attribute the running game success to the five guys up front [on the offensive line]," Running Backs Coach Mark Spencer said. "Since the spring, we have become that much better and there typically is a jump [in progress] between the first and second game of the season."
Miami will look to get even more production out of its rushing attack that was outgained by nearly 100 yards on Saturday, but Finklea may be able to solidify what has been one of the worst rushing offenses in college football the past few seasons.
"He moved the chains for us a little bit and that's what you've got to have in this offense," Head Coach Don Treadwell said. "We have a decent amount of guys that returned for us up front in the offensive line and I think that makes a big difference."
The Red and White only crossed into Missouri's red zone three times on Saturday in what was a defensive struggle from the start. In addition, the 'Hawks missed numerous scoring opportunities including a missed field goal by sophomore kicker Mason Krysinski in the first quarter and a Dysert interception toward the end of the first half when Miami was driving inside the Missouri 15 yard line.
"I felt like today we moved the ball pretty well," Finklea said. "We got down in the red zone, [but] just couldn't finish. Mainly as a running back, I felt like that's when we need to step up and take charge and put the ball in the end zone."
On the defensive side, Miami was able to shut down Mizzou's dynamic offense and forced sophomore quarterback James Franklin to rack up the majority of the Tigers' yards. Junior safety Pat Hinkel and junior linebacker Evan Harris led the team with nine tackles each, while sophomore cornerback Dayonne Nunley continued his success from last season racking up six take downs to go with one interception that led to Miami's only score of the game.
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After Krysinski missed a 41-yard field goal on Miami's first possession, Missouri drove down the field and scored the game's first points on a 5-yard Franklin rush. A field goal by the Tigers midway through the second quarter extended the lead to 10-0. Miami had an opportunity to put some points on the board right before the half, but a third-down Dysert pass was intercepted in the endzone, ending the scoring threat.
Following the pick, Finklea put the RedHawks on the board with a 10-yard touchdown run with 7:55 remaining in the third, but Miami missed the extra point. Another Missouri touchdown at the beginning of the fourth was all they needed as the Tigers shut down the Red and White, holding on to win 17-6.
"I look back and say we could've won, but in the back of my mind, we're just trying to move on," Nunley said. "We have to move on to Minnesota. But I know, after today, we can be really good. We can be really good this year."
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