Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson told reporters that he deserves the criticism behind the Hurricanes’ decision to run a play in the final seconds of their 23–20 loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday evening.
On third-and-10 from the Yellow Jackets’ 30-yard line with 33 seconds left in regulation, Miami (4–1) could have kneeled and secured its fifth win of the season. Instead, Hurricanes running back Donald Chaney Jr. fumbled the ball and Georgia Tech (3–3) recovered it.
Moments later, Miami’s costly turnover set up a 44-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Haynes King to Christian Leary. In Monday’s news conference, Dawson took ownership behind the team making the “wrong decision” in Saturday’s loss.
All Miami had to do was kneel and the clock would have run out.
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) October 8, 2023
Instead, they inexplicably ran the ball. Fumbled. Then Georgia Tech marched down the field and won.
MADNESS.
pic.twitter.com/TtEQIbtsvJ
“I called it [the play]. It is what it is. What we did at the end was the wrong decision,” Dawson said, per On3.com. “I called the play, and I can live with it. …[I] wish we would have done something different, but we didn’t. … A lot of things in that game could have kept us away from that last play.”
While Dawson accepts the blame, much of the onus from the late-game blunder has been placed on Miami coach Mario Cristobal as the Hurricanes committed five turnovers and posted their lowest scoring output of the season.
Miami will seek to bounce back in a tough road matchup against North Carolina on Saturday.
