The Miami Hurricanes played host to the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in their season opener. Malik Rosier’s time as starting quarterback finally came.
For the last three years, the redshirt junior has been on the sideline while his roommate Brad Kaaya was under center for “The U.”
Rosier was in a four QB battle to win the starting role. As a team, he led the Hurricanes to a 41-13 win over the Wildcats. Rosier started the game slow as the Hurricanes and Wildcats were tied at three to end the first quarter.
The pace picked up with the ground attack in the second quarter as Mark Walton scored the first touchdown for Miami illustrating his experience and playmaking ability by leaping into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season. Walton came in as the only returning running back in the ACC with 1,000 rushing yards last season. Walton played his first game since the death of his mother in March.
“I see my family today, I saw my family in the stands that’s all that matters, we were missing one but I was not trying to get to emotional,” Walton stated. “I just go out there with my team and do what I have to do.”
Walton has scored in all three of his season-opening games at Miami. The Hurricanes tied a school record by winning their 11th consecutive home opener, a feat last done from 1986 through 1996.
Rosier threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, Walton rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
With the game in cruise control for the Hurricanes and a 38-13 lead going into the fourth, there were some cool “shade wearing emoji” things that caught my eye. Tight end Michael Irvin II, the son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer, caught his first pass as a Hurricane.
Malek Young recorded a fourth-quarter interception; when he returned to the sideline I noticed on the TV screen in the press box he was wearing a huge gold chain with the huge “U” logo pendant.
Before the start of the game, defensive coordinator Manny Diaz made a simple offer to his defense. You get a turnover you get the “turnover chain.” The chain is worn on the sideline by the player who has the turnover until the player returns back on the field. It was the buzz on social media before the game was even over and a hit at the postgame presser.
