OXFORD — Miami University spent a week hearing about everything it did wrong at Pittsburgh.
Saturday was about showing it could do things right.
The RedHawks responded to their season-opening blowout loss with a performance that looked much more like the football coach Chuck Martin has come to expect, overwhelming Holy Cross 45-7 in their home opener Saturday afternoon, Sept. 12, at Yager Stadium.
Miami scored touchdowns on all six of its first-half possessions, added a special teams touchdown and held the Crusaders scoreless until the closing seconds of the third quarter. The RedHawks improved to 1-1 while Holy Cross fell to 0-3.
“Obviously, first half was almost flawless, and there was a lot of good execution,” Martin said. “We scored every time we touched it. Defense got all stops. … It was a good step forward. We’ve got a long, long way to go.”
That was exactly the response Miami needed after a 59-14 loss at Pittsburgh in which the Panthers accumulated 646 yards and repeatedly exposed a RedHawks defense that has traditionally been one of the program’s strengths.
This time, Miami was the team imposing its will.
The RedHawks outgained Holy Cross 437-181, piled up 25 first downs to the Crusaders’ 10 and held a 201-40 advantage on the ground. Miami averaged 8.1 yards per play and controlled the football for 38 minutes, 19 seconds.
“It felt good, obviously, to go be the team you’re supposed to be,” RedHawks quarterback David McComb said. “To come out and just play our offense — and defense played great — this is what it’s supposed to be, Miami football. This is what we want to put on the TV. This is what we work so hard to display to everybody.”
The statistics tell most of the story — 13 completions, 13 attempts, 234 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions.
Add McComb’s 3-yard touchdown run on Miami’s opening possession, and the freshman quarterback was responsible for four touchdowns before spending the second half watching backup Caleb Heavner run the offense.
It was a striking progression from McComb’s first collegiate start a week earlier.
Against Pitt, McComb completed 16 of 33 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown. He flashed his ability, particularly during a 196-yard second quarter, but was operating against constant pressure in a hostile Power Four environment.
Holy Cross presented a different challenge, and McComb dissected it.
“David had a really good day decision-making, which he didn’t a week ago,” Martin said. “Obviously 13 for 13 and three touchdowns. He ran good, kept the ball out of harm’s way, made some really nice throws, threw a variety of throws.”
Miami took possession at its 42 following a Holy Cross punt and immediately established control. McComb completed his first three passes before scoring on a 3-yard keeper with 9:31 remaining in the first quarter.
He never missed.
On Miami’s next possession, McComb found Christian Ross for a 34-yard touchdown to make it 14-0. D’Shawntae Jones added a 2-yard rushing score early in the second quarter before McComb connected with Damarion Witten from 10 yards out.
Miami was ahead 28-0 with 10:31 still remaining before halftime.
McComb closed his afternoon by finding Lynel Billups-Williams for a 28-yard touchdown with 1:11 left in the half.
Billups-Williams finished with four receptions for 73 yards. Maleek Huggins caught three passes for 54 yards, Ross had three for 51, and Witten added the touchdown reception. Seven Miami players caught at least one pass.
“We’re spraying the ball around everybody,” McComb said. “Everybody’s ready. Everybody’s ready when their opportunity hits them. … Everybody’s running the routes, they’re exactly where they’re supposed to be, and just as a quarterback, that feels great.”
Ross’ touchdown was particularly illustrative.
Martin said Holy Cross had primarily shown Cover 0 near the goal line, only to change its look. McComb recognized the coverage after the snap and delivered the football where it needed to go.
Those are precisely the decisions Martin wants his young quarterback to learn to make.
“Every week is Week 1,” Martin said of McComb’s development. “Because he’s going to come in on Sunday, start watching, like, ‘What the heck is this stuff?’”
That process starts again immediately.
Cincinnati awaits.
