CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has been told his confidence could be perceived as arrogance.
So this week, he’s trying sarcasm.
“They’re a wonderful team,” Harris said in assessing No. 8 Oklahoma, Saturday’s opponent for the 17th-ranked Hurricanes. “And I might be a little nervous coming into this game.”
That almost certainly won’t be the case.
Still, even Harris will acknowledge that there’s a less-than-ideal combination of things right now facing Miami (2-1). The Hurricanes are coming off an offensive debacle in a 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech last weekend. And the Sooners (2-1), they happen to be the nation’s best defense so far, allowing a stingy 1.2 yards per carry and a total of 14 points, all of those in a Week 1 loss to BYU.
Harris, though, isn’t wavering.
It’ll take more than a blowout loss and a date with last year’s national runner-up to make him worry.
efense? It’s just going to be a challenge. Right now, it is going to be the toughest team we’ll probably face this whole year. But it’s always good to go against the top dogs … it’s always great to play those teams and see where you’re at.”
These teams met two years ago. Miami saw where it was that day, getting blown out of Norman, 51-13.
A high school senior at the time, Harris remembers watching the first few minutes of that game on television, then flipping to something else.
Good thing, or else Harris’ unflappable confidence might not be there this week.
“I never worry about Jacory,” Miami coach Randy Shannon said. “He’ll be fine. We came in, showed them the film from Virginia Tech, showed the mistakes and showed that they were all pretty much correctable.”
Mistakes, there were plenty, and in all aspects of the game against the Hokies.
Shannon counted eight drops, seven of which would have been for first downs or touchdowns. Another touchdown opportunity went awry when someone ran a 6-yard route and the play call was for 15. Harris admitted that he missed some reads and was guilty of some overthrows.
Do those things against Virginia Tech, and it turns into a blowout.
Do those things against Oklahoma, and it’ll likely be another rout.
erstood that we slipped up and we let VT come out with a win. That’s something we can’t do.”
For his part, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops sounds like he’s throwing the Virginia Tech game out when planning for Miami.
The weather was awful in Blacksburg, Va. last Saturday. Sure, it was raining just as hard on the Hokies’ side of the field, but Miami clearly did not handle the slippery, muddy conditions well at all – and the Hurricanes’ offense barely resembled the unit that beat Florida State and Georgia Tech to open the season.
Miami was averaging 465 yards before last week, then got 209 Saturday.
Miami was averaging 35.5 points, then managed seven against the Hokies.
Miami had been 13 for 26 on third-down conversion, then it was 1 for 11 last week.
Stoops is bracing for more of that Miami offense from Week 1 and 2, which means a much-sharper Harris.
“Everybody has been talking about Jacory Harris and rightfully so,” Stoops said. “I think he has done a great job and is a great player. It’s exciting. It’s a major challenge to go up against a team that in the first couple of games was very explosive and productive. I think it’s fair to say that their situation and the circumstances in the Virginia Tech game were difficult to handle.”
This game will end Miami’s much-ballyhooed four-game stretch to open against ranked opponents.
Some of the Hurricanes think it’s fitting to end with a foe who played – in Miami’s home stadium, no less – for last season’s national title. Much like last week, it’s another chance for Miami to get a long-awaited signature win over one of the nation’s elite.
“It’s an opportunity,” Miami center A.J. Trump said. “We’ll play anybody.”
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