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Miami University Football
RedHawks put focus on winning early games
MU coach points to two close losses in 2006 that set the tone for a 2-10 finish.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
DETROIT — Miami University football coach Shane Montgomery said it's vital that his team get off to a fast start this season.
The RedHawks lost their first six games last fall, including two games (among the first three) that got away, a 38-31 overtime loss at Purdue in week two and a 16-14 home loss to Kent State the following week.
Extras
They never recovered.
"We've got to get some confidence coming out of the blocks," Montgomery said during this week's Mid-American Conference Football Preview. "You look back at last season, coming off a 2-10 year, if we would have pulled the Purdue game out early in the year, and we had a tough two-point loss to Kent State in our first MAC game — you win one of those type of games, it really helps with the confidence of a young football team.
"It kinda took its toll on us," he added. "I thought we played a lot better in the last half of the year. Obviously, the record didn't indicate how well we were playing at times."
Miami senior quarterback Mike Kokal agreed.
"We really did play considerable better toward the end of the year," Kokal said. "Once we're able to get that first win under our belts and the young guys on our team learn how to win and learn what it's all about, it'll have a snowball effect on the entire team.
"We feel like we have something to prove," he said, "but then again we didn't feel like we were a bad team. From day one last year we knew we could compete, and this year is no different. ... A lot of people who watch games and know football know we weren't physically dominated in any game."
The RedHawks open the season Aug. 30 at Ball State, then face nonleague opponents Minnesota (away), Cincinnati (home), Colorado (away) and Syracuse (home).
"We've got a very challenging schedule early, opening with a league game," Montgomery said. "It's the first time we've opened with a league game in 11 years. Then we've got four tough nonconference games before we get back in the MAC, so I think the biggest thing early will be to get confidence, maybe get a couple big wins early in the year to make some of the young kids feel better about where we're at."
If a strong start to the season is vital for the RedHawks, so is a strong finish to each game.
"The biggest thing is, we've got to learn how to finish," Montgomery said. "We lost 10 games by 91 points. We were in a lot of football games in the fourth quarter and we just did not finish. We've got to find a way to win, and I think once we find a way to win some early games, that will help our confidence."
