Miami (FL) Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes Offense Overwhelms Pitt 51-28

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Miami Hurricanes offense had its biggest output of the season as they overpowered the Pittsburgh Panthers 51-28.

Miami got on the board 2:14 into the game with a Brad Kaaya to David Njoku 12 yard touchdown pass. The Hurricanes went 75 yards in six plays in 2:14. Miami was off and running. They exploded for 44 more points on the afternoon and made a big statement in ending a four-game losing streak

They exploded for 44 more points on the afternoon and made a big statement in ending a four-game losing streak. The win allowed Miami to avoid becoming the first Hurricanes team to lose five in a row in almost forty years. They concluded the first quarter with a 17-7 lead. Pitt’s only points came on a Quadree Henderson 100 yard kickoff return.

Kaaya and the Miami offense had their second best game of the season. The ‘Canes rolled up 534 yards against the Panthers. They bulldozed Appalachian State for 549 yards.

Kaaya was dominant against a Panther team that gave 406 yards passing and two touchdowns to Virginia Tech Quarterback Jerod Evans last week. CanesWarning expected Kaaya to have little resistance throwing the football today and he didn’t.

	1	2	3	4	T
Hurricanes	17	10	7	17	51
Panthers	7	14	0	7	28

A week after allowing five sacks to Notre Dame, the Hurricanes offensive line played possibly their best game of the year. The Fighting Irish entered last week’s game with six sacks in their first seven games.

The Hurricanes entered the game allowing 2.5 sacks per game, and had allowed 13 of their 20 on the season in the last two weeks. The Hurricanes offensive line held Pittsburgh to one sack and four tackles for loss.

Pittsburgh Defensive Lineman/Linebacker Ejuan Price came into the game with 32 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and nine sacks. The Hurricane Offensive Line Held him to one solo tackle. The Panthers brought the nation’s sixth best pass rush to Hard Rock Stadium, averaging 3.5 per game.

Against Appalachian State, Kaaya threw for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Today he had 356 yards and four touchdowns. The four TD’s tied a career-high and were the most he’s thrown in an ACC game. Kaaya also completed his first 13 passes, which was one off the school record Vinny Testaverde set in 1986 against Oklahoma.

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Kaaya had a lot of help from his skill position players as well as his offensive line. Mark Walton had 125 yards on 14 carries, including a 55-yard touchdown run. Receivers Stacy Coley and Ahmmon Richards had eight receptions for 144 yards and nine for 59 and two touchdowns and Tight End David Njoku had six for 86 and two touchdowns.

The Panthers scored 14 of the first 17 points in the second quarter to take a 21-20 lead. Their lead lasted 2:40. On the ensuing drive, Kaaya led the ‘Canes on a ten play 71-yard drive that was capped when the Miami signal caller had a one-yard run to put Miami back on top 27-21, a lead they would not relinquish.

The turning point of the game came on the second play of the second half. Sophomore Defensive Tackle Kendrick Norton forced Henderson to fumble and Chad Thomas returned the fumble eight yards to the Pittsburgh nine yard line.

The Hurricanes punched it in three plays later on a Kaaya to Coley three-yard touchdown pass. That extended the lead to 34-21 and Pittsburgh would never get within a touchdown for the remainder of the game.