Miami Postgame Notes vs. Akron

Nov. 3, 2011

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Akron at Miami
Miami Game Notes
Nov. 3, 2011 - Yager Stadium - Oxford, Ohio

Series/General Notes

Senior Ryan Kennedy was selected as the game captain vs. Akron. He joined season captains Zac Dysert and Anthony Kokal for the coin toss.
Miami now has a 15-5-1 lead in the all-time series against Akron. It is the third straight victory and eighth in the last nine games against the Zips. The RedHawks are now 10-1-1 at home against Akron. The Zips have not won in Oxford since 1939.

Team Notes

Over the last two games, Miami has totaled 35 points in the first quarter - 21 against Buffalo on Oct. 28 and 14 against Akron. In the first seven games of the season, the RedHawks tallied only 17 points total in the first quarter combined.
Miami held Akron scoreless until a field goal with 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. It broke a string of eight quarters at Yager Stadium that Akron did not score. The last time the Zips were in Oxford on Nov. 14, 2007, the RedHawks came away with a 7-0 win. In their previous meeting prior to that on Oct. 15, 2005, a 51-23 Miami win, the Red and White kept Akron off the scoreboard during the fourth quarter.
Miami has now not allowed a touchdown in its past seven quarters.
The RedHawks finished with a season-high 168 rushing yards. The previous high was 161 against Army.

Individual Notes

Junior quarterback Zac Dysert completed a 38-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Nick Harwell in the first quarter. He followed it up with a 52-yard touchdown pass also to Harwell. It was the 10^th and 11th times this season that they have teamed up on a 30-yard or more completion. The two have combined for seven-of-the-eight longest plays from scrimmage this season for the RedHawks.
Dysert threw for 215 yards on Thursday night. He now has 7,381 yards for his career. He started the day ranked 20th all-time in career passing yards among MAC quarterbacks. Dysert now ranks 18th on the list, having passed Joshua Cribbs (Kent State - 7,109 yards) and Gene Swick (Toledo - 7,267).
Junior wide receiver Andy Cruse caught a touchdown pass in the first quarter. It was his third straight game with a TD reception and fourth in the last five games. He finished with two catches for 27 yards and one touchdown.
Sophomore full back Justin Semmes came into tonight's game with three career carries for four yards. On the touchdown drive that gave Miami a 21-0 lead, he had 11 carries for 60 yards and the one-yard touchdown plunge. He finished the game with a career-high 24 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
The 100 rushing yards for Semmes were the most by a RedHawk in a game this season. The previous high was by Erik Finklea, who had 90 vs. Army.
Semmes was the first RedHawk to record a 100-yard rushing game since Thomas Merriweather had 100 yards in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on January 7, 2011.
Junior safety Justin Bowers recorded his first career interception in the second quarter.
Sophomore wide receiver Nick Harwell caught four passes for 117 yards. It was his sixth 100-yard receiving game of the season and the eighth of his career. He is now third all-time at Miami in career 100-yard receiving games. Martin Nance had 15 for his career, while Ryne Robinson had 12.
Harwell's six 100-yard receiving games is third on the Miami single-season list. Nance holds the record by twice compiling seven 100-yard receiving games in season (2003 and 2005).
Sophomore punter Zac Murphy had a 57-yard punt in the third quarter. It was his longest punt of the season. He previous long was 55 yards vs. Kent State. His career long is 66 yards, set at Buffalo on Oct. 30, 2010.

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Players Mentioned

Justin Bowers

Andy Cruse

Zac Dysert

Erik Finklea

Nick Harwell

Ryan Kennedy

Anthony Kokal

Thomas Merriweather

Zac Murphy

Ryne Robinson

Justin Semmes

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