Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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34 OCT. 2, 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY BRYAN DRISKELL M iami head coach Chuck Martin has seen a little bit of everything during his 26-year coaching career. He started off at several small schools, working for some of the nation's top programs at that level, before even- tually landing on the Grand Valley State coaching staff in 2000. His boss back then was Brian Kelly, who promoted Martin to defensive coordinator for the 2003 season, which ended with the Lakers win- ning their second straight Division II national championship. When Kelly left for Central Michi- gan following that season, Martin took over a well-oiled machine and kept it rolling, leading Grand Valley State to the national championship in both 2005 and 2006. Kelly hired Martin again when he came to Notre Dame in 2010, and promoted him to offensive coordina- tor in 2012. Following the 2013 sea- son, Martin became the head coach at Miami (Ohio), entering a much dif- ferent situation than he did at Grand Valley State. Miami was coming off an 0-12 sea- son and an 8-28 three-year stretch. Rebuilding wasn't a strong enough word to describe the task Martin had in front of him, but a six-game win- ning streak to end the 2016 season showed impressive progress. Expectations were high for Miami entering the 2017 season, and Mar- tin's squad was predicted to finish as high as second in the Mid-American Conference's East Division. The RedHawks started 1-2, turn- ing the ball over six times and sur- rendering four non-offensive touch- downs. In the process, they blew a 17-6 fourth-quarter lead in a loss to Cincinnati Sept. 16. "We are just a few mistakes away from being 3-0," said Steve Baker, the director of broadcasting at Mi- ami and also the team's play-by-play announcer. "I know that the team, Coach Martin and his staff are work- ing to correct those things that have cost us those victories. "The talent level is higher than it's been at Miami in quite a while, and I fully expect this team to overcome the adversity of a 1-2 start and be in the running in the MAC." Marshall knocked off Miami (Ohio) 31-26 with help from a 99-yard kick return for a score to start the game, a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown late in the second quarter and a 72- yard interception return for a score in the third quarter. According to Baker, the goal for the RedHawks is to keep doing what they have been working on all off- season, but to clean up some of the mistakes that proved so costly in its first two losses. "This team, throughout the spring and fall, has had a very workman- like or business-like attitude," Baker explained. "Despite the two very tough losses, they have kept that at- titude and keep looking forward to the next game." Martin coached at Notre Dame for four seasons (2010-13), and he will be well aware of the challenge his team faces when it travels to South Bend. "Let's be honest, this is Notre Dame against Miami," Baker said. "I think every matchup could be a concern; however, Miami has been in these situations before and I've been lucky to call several wins for the Red and White in similar situations. "While the mountain is no doubt a tall one, I know that the team that Chuck Martin brings into South Bend will, without a doubt, be ready to go and will give it 110 percent against Notre Dame." Baker, who attended Miami (Ohio) as a student, has been around the program for more than 20 years. The big wins he is talking about were some time ago, but the RedHawks showed signs of being that kind of program in 2016. After winning its final six games of the regular season, Miami gave Mississippi State of the mighty SEC everything it could handle in the GAME PREVIEW: MIAMI (OHIO) Reclamation Project Head coach Chuck Martin is looking to restore the RedHawks to their former glory Facts & Figures MIAMI (OHIO) AT NOTRE DAME Game Info Date: Sept. 30, 2017. Site: Notre Dame Stadium (77,622). Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET. Television: NBCSN. Radio: This broadcast can be heard live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (channel 129) and on Notre Dame's IMG affiliates. Series Facts: This is the second meeting between Notre Dame and Miami. The Irish lead the all-time series 1-0. Head Coaches: Miami (Ohio) — Chuck Martin (13-28, fourth season); Notre Dame — Brian Kelly (62-32, eighth season). Noting Miami (Ohio): The first and only meeting between these two programs was in 1909, and the Irish came out on top by a score of 46-0 … Martin was 74-7 in six seasons as the head coach at Grand Valley State … Martin was Notre Dame's offensive coordinator in 2012, when the Irish finished the season 12-1 and played in the BCS National Championship Game … Three Miami (Ohio) assistant coaches worked at Notre Dame during Kelly's tenure — wide receivers coach Bill Brechin was an intern in 2010 and 2011 before becoming a graduate assistant in 2012; defensive line coach Corey Brown was a defensive gradu- ate assistant (2012-13); and tight ends coach Pat Welsh was an offensive graduate assistant (2012-13).