Sunday, October 31, 1999
RedHawks left searching for answers
Couldn't run; couldn't stop it
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
![[prentice]](/bearcats/img/photos/1999/10/103199prentice_150x154.jpg)
Travis Prentice went nowhere against UC's defense.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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OXFORD — Miami University's 52-42 loss to Cincinnati left the RedHawks dazed and confused.
Miami lost the game because of its inability to run the ball and UC's ability to run at will.
Why couldn't Miami run the ball?
“I can't answer that,” said Miami tailback Travis Prentice. “I have no idea. I think we just never got it going.”
Prentice managed only 54 yards on 19 carries, his worst effort in 31 games.
Conversely, UC tailback Robert Cooper shredded Miami's defense for 209 yards on 37 carries.
Why couldn't Miami stop the run?
“I wish I had an answer,” said Miami linebacker Dustin Cohen. “We'd play well for two plays, then one play someone would let down. We didn't make plays when we had to.”
The 52 points by UC were the most scored by either team in the 111-year rivalry.
“I'm in shock,” said Miami coach Terry Hoeppner. “We score 42 but we give up 52. That's something we're not used to around here.”
The game was probably decided in the first few minutes, which Miami dominated. The RedHawks forced three turnovers in the first five minutes of the game.
But they only converted those three UC mistakes into six points. The RedHawks got field goals off the first two turnovers, and then turned it over themselves after the third one.
“That might have been the key to the game right there,” Hoeppner said. “That's what you tell you're defense to do: Hold'em to field goals. That's what they did.”
UC converted Miami's first turnover — a Mike Bath inter ception — into a TD, the first of three from Cooper, to take a 7-6 lead.
By that time, it was clear Miami was going to have a rough time running the ball. UC had 54 yards on its first nine plays; Miami had five yards on its first nine.
UC wasn't doing anything special, just beating the RedHawks physically.
“A lot of times it was six in the box,” Hoeppner said. “Our guys on their guys, and they were hitting us in the backfield.”
Another sign of UC's dominance was Miami couldn't stop the run from its nickel package. So the RedHawks had to use their regular personnel, which made them weak against the pass.
It was a Catch 22 kind of day.
Miami slips to 5-3 with Akron coming to Yager Stadium next week. Miami's quickly fading bowl hopes are tied to having the second best overall record in the Mid-American Conference.
Akron, 6-3 overall, is one of the teams challenging Miami for that spot.
“We're being tested right now,” Hoeppner said. “We'll see what we're made of.”
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![[prentice]](/bearcats/img/photos/1999/10/103199prentice_486x500.jpg)