Rose Bowl Notes: Miami Has Tough Task with Crouch, Option
Jan 1, 2002
By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Miami Hurricanes know how to stop Nebraska’s potentoption-style offense: make quarterback Eric Crouch pitch early, force therunning back wide and then swarm to the ball.
Getting it done is much more complicated.
“The option is so tough because if one person falls asleep, they could beright down the sideline for a touchdown,” Miami linebacker Jonathan Vilmasaid. “The key to stopping it is playing assignment football. Everyone has totake care of their assignment. If you don’t do your assignment, that may verywell be the play where they score.”
Defensive ends Jerome McDougle and Andrew Williams will play important rolesfor Miami. They have the tough task of getting up field, pressuring Crouch andforcing him to pitch. Then it’s up to linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks tomake tackles.
“We just want to string it out as wide as possible,” tackle Matt Walterssaid. “We think we’re fast enough, so if we do make them go outside we haveguys who can run them down.”
Several Hurricanes, including Vilma, said it was unlikely that aone-dimensional team could beat Miami. Maybe that’s why defensive coordinatorRandy Shannon is nervous of Nebraska’s play-action passing.
“That’s the biggest problem I’m scared about is the play-action pass offthe option,” Shannon said. “You can be so aggressive on the option run gameand somebody will sneak out and you’ll have a problem.”
The Hurricanes have had a difficult time simulating certain aspects of theoption in practice this week.
“It’s hard,” Shannon said. “The only thing you can do is take the fastestguy on the scout team and say, ‘Run around,’ and take the fastest tailback andsay, ‘Run around.’ Offensive-line wise, you can’t because we only have guysabout 265, 270 (pounds) and you’ve got Nebraska at 310, 320, 340. You can’tsimulate that. You just have to make sure you get the speed factor down morethan anything.”
HUSKERS PRACTICE: Nebraska running back Dahrran Diedrick and defensive endDemoine Adams returned to practice Tuesday in limited roles and were expectedto play Thursday.
Diedrick and Adams were held out of Monday’s practice for precautionaryreasons.
Diedrick led the Huskers this year with 1,299 yards rushing and scored 15touchdowns. Adams, who will be matched up against Miami’s Outland Trophywinning tackle Bryant McKinnie, has 25 tackles and a team-high 5.5 sacks.
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR: The Hurricanes celebrated the New Year in anunusual location – on the team bus. They were returning from the movie “Ali”and stopped at a red light near the team hotel when the clock struck midnight.They counted down the final seconds together, but that was the extent of theirpartying. Curfew was 12:30 a.m.
“We were staring at our hotel when we got stuck at a red light,” tackleJoaquin Gonzalez said. “Exciting, I know.”
STAR GAZING: Both teams have enjoyed numerous bowl activities, including atrip to Disneyland, tickets to “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and a Lakersgame.
Several Huskers said their favorite moment was getting to meet and takepictures with actress Heather Locklear, as well as Lakers players Kobe Bryantand Shaquille O’Neal.
NEW ROLE: For the first time this season, Nebraska isn’t the favorite.
Miami is picked to win by eight points and that’s fine with the Huskers, whoaren’t buying the line.
“I can’t remember too many times since I’ve been here that we’ve been anunderdog for any game,” Diedrick said. “Predictions don’t mean much. You cancall the psychic line and they won’t know what the score’s going to be. Once weget out on the field, the best team’s going to win.”
