Miami Ohio Redhawks 2023 College Football Preview
June 19, 2023
2022 Recap
Record – 6-7
ATS – 5-7 (vs FBS)
The Redhawks had an up-and-down season and it didn’t help to lose their starting QB early in the campaign. Nonetheless, they managed to cobble enough wins together including a SHOCK the WORLD moment at Northwestern (17-14) to make a bowl game. They gave the gritty UAB Blazers all they could handle in the Bahamas Bowl but fell just a bit short (L 24-20).
Miami Ohio Redhawks 2023 Outlook
OFFENSE
It was quite impressive for the Redhawks to achieve bowl eligibility last season given how inept the offense was in the majority of their games (#9 MAC rushing offense, dead last passing offense). QB Brett Gabbert returns for his 5th season and he has a fantastic 45-14 career TD to INT mark, but he’s had trouble staying healthy. At least backup Aveon Smith got a lot of snaps LY and he provides a running dimension (led the team in rushing LY) but not so much of a THROW GAME threat (49.8% LY, 6.0 YPA LY). The WR group needs to be almost completely rebuilt and they lose the reliable Max Hippenhammer who led the team in yards, receptions, and TDs in 2022. They’ll need Miles Marshall (16.3) and/or one of a few transfers to step up and give Gabbert some legitimate downfield threats. The RB room looks deep and keep your eye on South Carolina transfer Rashad Amos who looked good in the spring. The OL is a bit of a concern as they lost a pair (!) of starters to Power 5 teams and recall that they allowed 38 sacks LY (#10 MAC).
DEFENSE
Miami played solid defense LY (#1 MAC run D, #1 scoring D) and they appear to be one of most talented defenses in the conference heading into 2023. The defensive line is a team strength and they are loaded at DE. Also note their top-four (!) sack men from LY’s stop unit are all back for duty (18.5) so we’ll be disappointed if the Redhawks don’t finish higher in the MAC standings in terms of sacks (28, #7 MAC LY). They look a little light at CB but the rest of the defense looks good and they’re led by their excellent senior LB Matthew Salopek who booked 124 tackles LY. As the great CLUBBER LANG once said, the prediction for opposing offenses is PAIN.
SPECIAL TEAMS
More bad news for opponents. The kicking game looks solid with the return of PK Graham Nicholson (18/23 FG LY) and 2nd Team All-MAC honoree punter Dom Dzioban (42.5).
Schedule Analysis
Overall – The Redhawks get a bucket of ice cold water poured on them straight away as they begin the season with three road games (Miami Fla, UMass, Cincinnati). They play something called Delaware St after that road stretch so it feels likely they’ll be 2-2 at that point. Miami Ohio starts with a pair of soft MACtion events (at Kent St, Bowling Green) but they draw a home date with Toledo from the West.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at Ohio (Oct 28)
This will be Miami’s 9th (!) consecutive week on the gridiron and it comes after the tough battle with Toledo. Ohio will have had the benefit of a bye week earlier in the season.
Season Win Total
Market consensus June 19 <wide range of prices are available>
Over 6.5 -165
Under 6.5 +135
MEGALOCKS says:
No leanage.
This is one of the more talented MAC squads out there but we were hoping to see a flat “6” with high juice. GUN TO THE HEAD ** selection is the slightest of leanages to the “over” as they should hit that if Gabbert stays healthy. @@
** You like that Karen? GUNS! haaaaa. RAT A TAT TAT PEW PEW <reload> RAT A TAT TAT
@@ knock on wood, yo
MEGAmazing Tidbit
In 1927, Miami Ohio player Chester Roberts was knocked unconscious by a member of their opponent (Ohio Wesleyan) but somehow caught the ball for a touchdown on the play. The dood had no recollection of what happened. It should surprise nobody that the head coach’s name was also Chester (Pittser). The name ‘CHESTER’ definitely needs to make a comeback. Maybe an intrepid MEGALOCKS subscriber can get ‘Chester’ listed as a 2023 TRENDY AND TOTALLY-CLIMATE-CHANGE-FRIENDLY name in one of those chick magazines? That would get the ball rolling.
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
The Redhawks are one of three legit candidates to take down the East division. It appears that they have a top-three MAC defense so they just need to find some interesting weapons at WR/RB/TE and hope that your boy Gabbert can stay out of the hospital. Their hopes to play for a conference title will come down to the final four games when they take on Ohio (A) and Buffalo (H). KAW KAW! Go Redhawks!