Miami fell 35-3 to Wisconsin on Thursday afternoon in the Pinstripe Bowl, which brought an end to a disappointing 7-6 season for a team that entered the year ranked No. 8 in the AP Top 25. Miami athletic director Blake James issued a statement on Twitter following the end of the Pinstripe Bowl voicing what appears to be lukewarm support for coach Mark Richt.
— Blake James (@CanesAllAccess) December 28, 2018
The frustration is justified. Miami entered the game ranked 92nd in the nation in total offense (374.6 yards per game) and 51st in scoring offense (30.9 points per game). This came on the heels of a 2017 season that saw the Hurricanes finish 60th in the country in total offense (403.3 ypg) and 59th in scoring offense (29.1 ppg), even though the Hurricanes were in the College Football Playoff hunt into championship weekend.
The primary reason for the offensive struggles during the last two of Richt's three years at UM has been at the quarterback position. Malik Rosier threw an ACC-high 14 interceptions last season despite the on-field success of the Hurricanes, and got benched in favor of N'Kosi Perry in the middle of the 2018 season. Perry didn't fare much better, and finished 11th in the conference in passer rating (118.47).
That kind of offensive ineptitude in a downtrodden ACC Coastal should bring plenty of heat on an offensive-minded coach like Richt.
One calendar year from the Hurricanes nearly running the table, Richt has found himself on the hot seat heading into the 2019 season. James made his goal known in Thursday's statement, and Miami looks far away from being ready to reach it.
