Some quick postscripts from UM's 38-10 victory over Bethune Cookman on Saturday at Sun Life Stadium:
### Duke Johnson single-handedly is making this Hurricanes team worth watching, serving up the second extraordinary performance of his three-game Hurricanes career.
### Johnson had 133 all-purpose yards in the first quarter alone (highlighted by a 95-yard kickoff return). Of course, it would have been 198 yards if Stephen Morris hadn’t overthrown an open Johnson on a deep pass on UM's first offensive play of the game, which should have been a 65-yard touchdown catch.
But Johnson made Morris’ overthrow moot, scoring four touchdowns – the kick return; a one-yard touchdown run; a beautiful 50-yard weave through traffic off a short pass from Morris; and a splendid 28-yard run when he burst to the left, then cut right, leaving Bethune defenders in the dust.
Johnson finished with 246 all-purpose yards: the 95-yard kickoff; 94 yards on 14 rushes; and 57 yards on three receptions. He averaged 198 all-purpose yards in his first two games, which was leading the ACC.
### Mike James and Johnson made a nifty one-two punch, with James closing with 79 yards on nine rushes.
### Morris was off much of the day, overthrowing and underthrowing receivers. The most egregious? The Johnson overthrow to start the game, and a third-quarter overthrow of Phillip Dorsett that was intercepted.
Morris opened 6 of 16 for 21 yards and finished the day 20 for 35 yards for 211 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The lack of a deep passing game remains a glaring deficiency offensively.
### The Hurricanes’ offense sputtered early on, stumbling through missteps and near misses. A sample: On the first drive, Brandon Linder committed an illegal motion penalty, forcing Miami into a third and nine from the Bethune 39. (What’s up with the usually reliable Linder, who had two penalties against Kansas State?) Nobody on the Hurricanes bothered to pick up a blitz on the next play, forcing on an incompletion….
On the second drive, a false start by Ereck Flowers – after a timeout – turned a 4th and 2 into a 4th and 7 from the Bethune 37. Morris then threw incomplete…. Next drive, Rashawn Scott couldn’t hold onto a high pass from Morris, forcing a punt. You get the picture.
### The defensive effort was clearly Miami’s best of the season, albeit against modest competition. Bethune punted eight times, and Dallas Crawford intercepted a fake punt attempt.
### Among the encouraging signs: Good work from some of the young freshmen defenders…. Jelani Hamilton had a two-yard tackle for loss…. Tyriq McCord had his first career sack, then added another on the last play of the game…. Deon Bush, starting at safety, overcame apparent cramps and was sharp, including a nice open field tackle to prevent a first down on a screen pass.
### Denzel Perryman left for good with an ankle injury in the third quarter. He was replaced by Jimmy Gaines. Long snapper Sean McNally and safety Andrew Swasey also left with injuries.
### Senior cornerback Brandon McGee was sharp… Shayon Green missed two sacks well within his grasp.
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