Miami University RedHawks Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Miami University season with what you need to know and keys to the season.
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Miami University RedHawks Preview
Head Coach: Chuck Martin, 9th year at Miami, 39-52
16th year overall, 113-59, 2021 Preview
2021 Record: Overall: 7-6, Conference: 5-3
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Miami University Top 10 Players | Miami Schedule
Miami University RedHawks Preview 2022
Miami University needs to start getting at least a little bit of respect as a MAC power under Chuck Martin.
It took a long while to get to this point, but the program is here after winning the MAC Championship in 2019 as a part of a nice run of three straight winning seasons.
There’s nothing flashy about what the RedHawks do – no one seemed to notice the high-powered passing season – and they haven’t come up with the big, splashy non-conference wins like some of the other key teams in the conferences pull off – getting whacked by Cincinnati all the time hurts and getting dropped by Ohio State 76-5 in 2019 didn’t help – but they take care of what they need to.
Four of last year’s six losses came by a total of nine points on the way to a bowl win over North Texas, and this year’s version has the potential to be even stronger.
The offense should be among the most efficient in the MAC, the defense loaded up with a slew of new guys, and it should be a fourth straight winning season.
And maybe a second MAC title in four seasons will make a splash.
Miami University RedHawks Preview 2022: Offense
Where did this come from? It was Air RedHawk with one of the nation’s best passing games for an offense that averaged 423 yards and 30 points per game. The O line was great at keeping defenses out of the backfield, but the running game wasn’t just okay.
Brett Gabbert bombed away for 26 touchdowns for a passing game that rolled up over 3,600 yards and 32 touchdowns with just eight picks. Backup AJ Meyer stepped in and threw for almost 1,000 yards with six picks, but he’s in the transfer portal.
Star receiver Jack Sorenson is done, but 48-catch veteran Mac Hippenhammer is back along with downfield threat tight end Jack Coldiron.
The veteran offensive line was great in pass protection, but now it has to blast away a bit more. Four starters are back to a group that allowed just 21 sacks and was tenth in the nation in fewest tackles for loss given up.
The four freshman backs from last year – and sophomore Tyre Shelton – are back. Keyon Mozee, Kevin Davis, Kenny Tracy, and Shelton combined for well over 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns. The O only averaged over five yards per carry twice.
Miami University RedHawks Preview 2022: Defense
There’s a little work to do on a defense that loses a whole slew of key parts. Leading tackler Ivan Pace if off to Cincinnati and star pass rusher Kameron Butler is taking off for Virginia. The defense finished second in the conference in scoring D and is getting a ton of help, but …
Butler is off, leading sacker Lonnie Phelps is gone to Kansas, and Dominique Robinson and Ben Kimpler are done, too. Even so, the defensive tackles should be strong enough to form a good rotation – Austin Ertl and Anthony Collier are solid veterans – and on the way is Corey Suttle from Iowa State for one of the end jobs.
Trying to step in for Pace in the middle of the linebacking corps is Ty Wise from Indiana, and second-leading tackler Matthew Salopek will play a sort of hybrid defensive back and linebacker.
The secondary gave up a few too many yards in high-scoring battles, and now stepping in to help is Nolan Johnson from East Carolina at one corner to work on the other side of leading pickoff guy John Saunders. Michael Dowell is coming in from Michigan State at safety.
Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Miami University Top 10 Players | Miami Schedule