Erickson’s Passing, Running Lift Miami Over Missouri, 38-7

Quarterback Craig Erickson passed for 357 yards in leading second-ranked Miami to a 38-7 victory over Missouri Saturday, but it was a short run in the second quarter that had him talking after the game.

The Hurricanes held a 17-7 lead in the second quarter when Erickson, behind a block by tight end Rob Chudzinski, went around left end for a six-yard touchdown.

“I think one of the best things I did all day, although it was maybe not that spectacular, was when I scrammed into the end zone,” said Erickson, a junior.

That play, Erickson said, showed the Hurricanes are learning “to be patient.”

“We didn’t force the ball, and Rob came up and made a good block for me. I think that’s going to be a key to our success, being patient and taking what they give us.”

Miami (3-0) has outscored Wisconsin, California and Missouri, 120-13. The Hurricanes also intercepted six Missouri passes, beginning with a first-quarter interception that Maurice Crum returned 30 yards for the first score.

“Offensively, we had a lot of statistics, but we’re not much of a statistics team,” Erickson said. “We made a lot of big plays when we had to make big plays. Our guys did a good job.”

Missouri (1-2) became the first team this season to score a touchdown against Miami when Linzy Collins took advantage of a defensive breakdown and hit Kent Kiefer on a 67-yard pass play. It was the longest pass play the Hurricanes have given up since November of 1984.

Kiefer netted 301 yards, hitting 24 of 34 passes but ruined his team’s chances with the six interceptions.

“This one is hurting a lot in the heart right now,” he said. “You only get a chance to beat a team like this maybe once in a lifetime. One of these days we’re going to get one.”

Crum was the first to score when he intercepted Kiefer’s pass on the 30-yard line and went into the end zone with 3:24 left in the quarter.

A moment later, Collins hooked up with Kiefer on third-and-13, completely fooling the defense.

The Hurricanes responded by driving 76 yards in eight plays to take a 14-7 lead on Shannon Crowell’s one-yard run with 12:28 to play.

Carlos Huerta kicked a 42-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead with 1:36 left in the first half. Then, after another interception, Erickson drove the Hurricanes 56 yards in seven plays and scored from six yards out to take a 24-7 halftime advantage.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Hurricanes got a two-yard touchdown run from Leonard Conley and Erickson’s 30-yard scoring pass to Chudzinski.