Next game
Who: Eastern Michigan Eagles (0-1) at Miami RedHawks (0-1,)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Radio: WMOH-AM (1450), WPFB-FM (105.9)
TV: ONN
Online: Journal-News.com/miami
OXFORD — Miami University’s football team had mixed results last week with its fake punt, or rugby punt, or goofy punt — whatever you want to call it. One sensational throw and catch, one pass that fell flat, one punt that dribbled 11 yards.
One thing seems certain about the fourth-down formation in which linebacker Ryan Kennedy, who used to be a quarterback in high school, lines up behind center with the option to kick, pass or run.
The RedHawks expect to do it again.
“We’re going to run some fakes,” Miami coach Michael Haywood said. “We won’t take unnecessary risks, but we’ll take risks to make sure we gain possessions in the game. And maybe score off of them.”
Kennedy, an outside linebacker who recorded four tackles in the 34-12 loss at Florida last week, might be in the starting lineup against Eastern Michigan due to a shoulder injury to Luke Kelly,
He relishes the chance to take the football in his hands.
“I really enjoy it,” said Kennedy, whose one completion last week went for 17 yards to tight end Kendrick Bruton on fourth-and-10 from the Miami 47-yard line. “I want to be on the field as much as possible. Wherever they put me, I’m going to make the most of it.”
Kennedy is uniquely suited to run the special play.
“We ran a shotgun Wing-T type of offense (in high school), so I got to run the ball quite a bit and had to make a lot of run-pass decisions,” he said. “I did some rugby punting in high school, but never any traditional punting.”
Kennedy barely got a rugby kick off on his first attempt in the first quarter. Haywood said “the right personnel wasn’t on the field,” which resulted in heavy pressure by Florida’s pass rushers.
Kennedy’s third attempt came in the second quarter on Miami’s possession following his successful pass, on fourth-and-10 from the RedHawks 21. The pass toward Erik Finklea, a linebacker who lined up wide, fell incomplete.
Haywood said Kennedy decided to pass instead of punt when the Gators lined up 10 players in the box.
“Which would have been a good call if we were in the rugby formation, because those guys out wide in (the rugby) are wide receivers,” he said. “Well, this is a linebacker and a gunner and he had never had one rep being uncovered.
“I said to them, ‘You know what? That’s my fault. It’s not your fault. Because I made the mistake in not thinking they would put 10 people in the box and not cover two guys,’ ” Haywood said.
“However, we’ll rep it and if somebody else decides they want to put 10 people in the box, we’ll throw it and the guys will be better prepared for it,” he said.
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