MIAMI GARDENS – All season long, the Miami Hurricanes have found a way to come through when it really matters.
Any kind of motivation necessary to keep the nation’s No. 3 team going was celebrated. Anything that includes the now-famous “Turnover Chain”, specifically.
In Miami’s 44-28 comeback win over Virginia on Nov. 18, it was cornerback Jaquan Johnson who provided the spark needed to propel his team to a 10-0 overall record this season. Johnson’s pick-six off an errant pass by Cavaliers quarterback Kurt Benkert came early in the third quarter, which helped to even the score at 28-28.
But at that moment, it really felt like a Miami lead it would never relinquish again to Virginia. In a lot of ways, that’s exactly what happened.
“I don’t get flustered by that type of thing,” said Benkert, who finished the game with 384 yards (28-of-37 passing), 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. “I wasn’t devastated, I just knew at that point it was 28-28, still anybody’s ball game. We were still going to have to move the ball regardless if I threw that pick or not, if we wanted to win the game, so that doesn’t affect me.”
As much heart and moxie that the Island Coast (Fort Myers, Fla.) alum showed for Virginia, it was Johnson who arguably surpassed it in just one play. The Miami Killian alum’s play, whose 30-yard interception return for a score set up the game-tying score with 9:57 left in the third quarter, will be talked about for years to come.
“It was a great play call by coach (Manny) Diaz,” the junior cornerback said. “He gave me the ability to read the quarterback on that play and I just saw the quarterback look in one direction and just took off that way.”
Johnson spoke on how he understood the significance of his interception.
“We were just talking about it on the sideline that we needed a turnover,” he said. “We needed a stop, we needed to get some momentum going and I was the one to end up with the turnover and that was big for our team.”
Also in on the Turnover Chain party was sophomore running back and Oxbridge Academy alum Travis Homer, who recovered a fumble on special teams. He was the first offensive player to earn this kind of recognition this season.
In total, Miami (10-0; 7-0 in ACC; No. 2 in AP; No. 2 in Coaches Poll; No. 3 in College Football Playoff rankings) forced a total of three Virginia turnovers in the game, which included a forced fumble by sophomore linebacker/Santaluces alum Zach McCloud (5 tackles, FF) and fumble recovery by defensive back Michael Jackson in the first quarter.
“I think they have recruited well, so they have good football players, and they have built enough wins to earn the right to have confidence,” Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “When you have good players that are confident, that builds on itself.”
For the season, 17 Miami players have worn the Turnover Chain in 10 games played. The Hurricanes have forced 27 turnovers this season.
NOTES: Miami has won 10 games for the first time since 2003. With two more wins against Pittsburgh (Friday, Nov. 24 on the road) and Clemson (Saturday, Dec. 2; ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, N.C.), the Hurricanes will certainly earn one of the four coveted spots in the College Football Playoff.
PHOTO CREDITS: Keith Forde
