Vanilla Please?

The Spring Game is always a hard read for Canes fans. 

Is the Offense really showing what they can do? 

Is the Defense showing their blitzes and coverages? 

Is it that the coaches are serving only one flavor: Vanilla? 

Are the Cheerleaders showing all of what they can do? 

Well, here is the Canespace summary of today's Spring Game according to those who were there:

According to Cane Since 1982:  The Canes were NOT impressive today.  The recievers dropped to many passes, the OL was not dominant enough, the defense was gashed by the run and the play calling was vanilla.

If U asked Cat5 (pictured here): He would say the Canes looked MUCH more impressive than last year's Spring Game when they did absolutely nothing.  He liked the play of Marve, Bailey, and the kickers.  He thinks the kicker will win at least one game and maybe more this year.

HurricaneMitch would say: I came all the way from Nebraska for this!  As far as I'm concerned, the Canes looked GREAT!  They produced big plays on offense, the QBs were accurate, the defense was explosive and cheerleaders were awesome!

1. QB: Cannon Smith is short.  Marve and Harris are ALL of what they are billed to be.  They are accurate passers and looked good, but not great today.  Marve has a rocket for an arm.  On one pass to the sideline, the receiver was well covered.  Marve gunned the ball in there to the only spot it could be completed - the receiver's outside shoulder.

2. RB: JJ will start but Craig Cooper will break more long runs and score more points. Both James and Cooper looked much quicker and faster than last year.  Cooper showed he has an extra gear on both of his touchdown runs.  McNeal (#33) played well also and will see some quality time off the bench.  Unfortunately, Derron Thomas appeared to suffer a major leg injury.

3. WR: Too many drops STILL!  We counted at least fiva balls that easily should have been caught.  Shields, Farqhuarson and Hankerson likely will start.  AJ will will come off the bench according to Solar who was NOT at the game.

4. OL: Run blocking?  A+ with many solid runs and major gains.  Pass blocking?  C-.  Snaps are NOT consistent or good in the shotgun.  This is still a work in progress.

5. DL:  WATCH OUT!  WE got this.  Moncur, Forston, Bailey and the gang will bring it! The D-line played well overall but also got blocked on some of the long runs.  They pressued the QB and recorded several "touch" sacks on the day.  Much better play than last year.

6. LB: Spence and Brown will be the gasoline that ignites this D.  They are dynamic playmakers who will disrupt and destroy plays.  This is gonna be fun to watch.  People may get hurt.  And when we say "people" we mean opposing team's players, and Tim Tebow in particular.

7. DB: Better than expected.  DVD is a stud.  Bruce johnson is very good.  Chavez Grant is excellent.   JoJo at Safety is gonna be great.

8.  The cheerleaders also looked a little rusty during many of their routines.  Their timing was abit off and they had a few drops during some of the more difficult stunts and formations.  However, they worked the game well, had good vocal projection during cheers and showed good spirit, enthusiasm and determination.  Plus, UM cheerleaders just LOVE Canespace. 

At the post scrimmage party we met some really great Canes fans from Lakeland. 

They are die hard Caniacs and will host a Central Florida Game Watch Party on November 1, 2008.  Here they are! 

Comments

[AlpahrettaCane]

WTF?

[solarcane]

you go alph
peace

[solarcane]

pretty cool getting stamped in at 7:52 for a 9 oclock spot
sounds like some soup adjusting

lol
peace

[solarcane]

"3. WR: Too many drops STILL! Shields, Farqhuarson and Hankerson will start. AJ will will come off the bench according to Solar who was NOT at the game."

"I didn't think (the receivers) were very good," Shannon said. "It started off with Javarris, he dropped three passes and then Aldarius (Johnson) dropped a couple of passes."

I rest my case

peace

[solarcane]

When does C-Mac transfer to Baylor?

peace

[long live ron mexico!]

someone said they heard "www.canespace.com FOR THE FANS BY THE FANS!" announced after cooper's 2nd td run

[86Cane]

For $100 bucks and a friend in the booth you can buy just about anything!

[86Cane]

Please click on the photos. Especially the first one and the last one!

[solarcane]

soup of all the shenanigans you pull on me
getting alph in at 7:52 in a real world time of 9:00 was the best, a tip of the solar cap

peace

[ObviousCane]

Sounds a little contradicting -

"the OL was not dominant enough, the defense was gashed by the run"

[long live ron mexico!]

why are you at an ohio state bar

[86Cane]

was The Truth at the game soup?

Posted by: solarcane | March 29, 2008 at 08:33 PM

Yeah, he was coaching.

[86Cane]

LLRM...obviously because U were NOT there!

[solarcane]

soup in a pile of Cane Cheer Leaders...

This is Photo Shop at it's best
peace

[86Cane]

UCLA in the final four.

UNC up by 1 point early.

[solarcane]

soup did you see if Vilma got a chance to talk with the linebackers after the game?

He has to be grinning again!

peace

[86Cane]

Solar...it pays to arrive EARLY! We rolled on into the 954 at 8:30.

Ten minutes later four cars roll in one row over and out pile ALL of the Canes Cheerleaders. NICE!

So Ocala and I make our way over and well, U can see the results...

[solarcane]

Louiville is going to get run over 2nd half.

The killing machine isn't to be denied
I hate these guys except Harbough
peace

[86Cane]

Solar...I did not see Vilma. I was so busy with 'Spacers, cheerleaders, photos, etc. I was lucky to breathe...

[solarcane]

Not bad press having the varsity cheerleaders knowing about Canespace nice...
peace

[long live ron mexico!]

so you were at an ohio state bar because i was not there...? had i been there would we have gone to a vatech bar?

solar - did you catch any of the game on css up here?

[solarcane]

jon
courtesy of ITU

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/solarcane/21684VilmaSpringGame.jpg

peace

[86Cane]

Solar...they ALL got Canespace cards and were good sports. Nice, respectable girls who are all Canes fans!

C
A
N
E
S
CANES!!!

[solarcane]

ronmex,
I had no clue it would be on up here I was out most of the day.

did they look as good as it sounds?

peace

[Norm]

Let's go UNC. The Big East is 2nd to the ACC.

[86Cane]

LLRM...Canespace will go wherever U are NOT! Would U please give us your schedule so we can avoid U?

[solarcane]

maybe some canegirl/fans of the month for cgnc
peace

[long live ron mexico!]

JV is the man
was friends with him in HS. had a few german classes with him. good guy.
hope he excels in NO

[86Cane]

Solar...yeah, lots more photos we are saving for CFOMs. CGNC has months worth of photos, trust me!

[long live ron mexico!]

solar - i checked local listings last night and didn't find it anywhere, but come this morning i found it on CSS. i caught at with a few minutes left in the 1st. i was at the game last year and i can honestly say it was night and day. alot of big plays by the O this year compared to 0 last year.
was disappointed with the receivers dropping so many damn balls.
and a. brown had a hand in many of the plays he was in on. he's impressive. reminds me of a younger me.

[solarcane]

thanks ronmex,
With the talent we have at receiver and the fact they can't catch eyes will slowly turn to the untouchable A Hill if they don't step up.

peace

[Canez1]

Thanks for the updates and pics guys. Really appreciate it. Looked like everyone had a great time.

As for the team, I haven't looked at the film but from the reports we are a much better TEAM than last year. Is there room for improvement? Of course there is.

I think the best news I have heard was the DB's balled all day. We need them to step up big this year with Young's attacking D. That was huge!

The fresh meat also sound like they are the real deal. Remember the bulk of the incoming talent has not even arrived yet. This team will be loaded at every position in 2 years. I love it.

Again thanks to everyone that was able to attend the srimmage and report back. Much appreciated.

GO CANEZ!!!!!

[AlpahrettaCane]

Solar: logged on, saw Soup had posted a half-baked blob into, looked around, kinda quiet...too quiet.

Hey, its nice to be first in line once and awhile.

Check on last blob for good game summaries...some guy posted a masterpiece on the Sun Sentinel blog...very in-dpeth analysis of game / performers.

All in all, sounds like we've got some playmakers in the mix again, but its still gonna be a couple of years before we seriously contend again.

Bummer about D Thomas, I was quietly rooting for him.

[long live ron mexico!]

that's right, as canez1 mentions, the DBs did look real good. that'll be a solid unit

[AlpahrettaCane]

Meant half-baked blob "intro". Think it was nice charity work on '86s behalf.

BTW, those Cane fans from Lakeland are monsters.

[solarcane]

that's right, as canez1 mentions, the DBs did look real good. that'll be a solid unit

I wonder how they will fair against receivers that actually catch footballs?

peace

[AlpahrettaCane]

Any word on how Bailey did today? Seems like Brown (and Spence) (and Fortson) stood out.

Haven't heard much about Moncour this spring. Adkins & Sharpton getting some good mentions.

[long live ron mexico!]

the DBs were a big part in so many balls being dropped, IMO
they were all over the receivers. didn't allow any easy catches from what i could tell

[CANE MAN]

I thought the offense looked really weak.

Marve, Harris...How could anybody be impressed.

NIX SUCKS

[86Cane]

Bailey did OK today, no really big or special plays that we saw.

On one play there were GREAT plays by all.

Marve threw a great deep ball over the middle, the receiver (I forgot who) went high for the ball and JoJo #29 leaped HIGH in the air to break it up.

[long live ron mexico!]

why don't you apply for the job then CANE MAN

[86Cane]

CaneMan...please explain why NIX SUCKS? Do you think he will be gone next year?

[Cavaleer]

Soup and all, please give us comparisons to last year's squad, especially if you saw the spring scrimmage or the scrimmage of recent Medioker years.

And for serious perspective on how far we have to go, any spring scrimmages you saw from say 1999-2003, or you Soup, '85-'88.

Positions, speed, size, intensity, etc.

This is will help us 12%ers immensely. lol

[Cavaleer]

Overall, I would say the apparently poor play by the WRs and excellent play by the freshmen LBs was good because it keeps the heat turned up on everyone.

These next two months before Fall Ball will be critical and will really tell us who wants it the most.

[VaCanesFan]

Does anyone know of any video from the game on the net?

[SuperCooper]

Updated list of recruits at the Spring game

A.J. Highsmith
Lamar Miller
Rontavious Wooten
Dwayne Difton
Duron Carter
Olivier Vernon
Antwan Lowery
Prince Kent
Brandon McGee
Darrell Givens
Andre DeBose
Ray Ray Armstrong
Dyron Dye
Bryce Brown

That is big time

[SuperCooper]

Bryce look like he watches his diet and gets a little exercise??

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/solarcane/Banana%20Land/36818BryceBrown.jpg

peace

Posted by: solarcane | March 29, 2008 at 08:03 PM

Got damn, talk about jacked dude. He has a little style too

[86Cane]

And for serious perspective on how far we have to go, any spring scrimmages you saw from say 1999-2003, or you Soup, '85-'88.

Positions, speed, size, intensity, etc.

Posted by: Cavaleer | March 29, 2008 at 10:09 PM

Cav...we are nowhere near 86, 87, or 88.

We are close to 2003. Until we get ANY QB to play in a REAL game, in a BIG game and win it, we can't compare this team to any of those teams.

RBs we are close.

OL...we are NOT close.

WR..we should be very close once we get some more practice at this level and all arrive.

DL..we can be close NEXT year, but not this year. Bailey, Regis and Forston will take a year of seasoning before being compared to Sapp, Maryland, Brown or Kennedy.

LBs...There is NO DOUBT that Brown (Ocala and Cat5's favs) and Spence (my fav) will be great. But to compare them right now with Barrow, DJ, Armstead, Vilma and Morgan will take some time.

DBs...DVD is Great right now. Bruce is good, Chavez is very good, Brandon Harris will make them better. Still got some work to do to be agressive every play like Antrell, Mike, Kelly and others.

Safety...Reddick, Phillips, Ponder, JoJo and others will try hard to make U forget about Reed, Taylor and others. Will they? Not sure yet.

Bottom line...we are one or two years away from answers. I would like to say we saw it today. We did NOT.

[86Cane]

Cav...back in the day (1986) I used to go to Spring games and say "OH MY!"

Now I go to Spring Games and say "Oh, well Maybe?"

[VaCanesFan]

All of the pics on this site today are outstanding. Thanks. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale and attended many high school football games at Lockhart in the 1970's. It still looks like a great place to watch a game. I wish I could have been there.

There were alot of pictures of people on the first blog. And I agree with several comments that these players look much bigger than in years past. It sure looked like every was excited for the game. 11,000 is not a bad turn out for the practice, especially an early one.

I would not worry too much about the drops, yet anyway. The qbs and the recievers will work out during the summer and as they do, they will adjust better to each other. I am more concerned about INTs and sacks. Those are negative plays that must be kept to a minimum especially with a young team. But this is way too early. We can't reasonably expect perfection until the fall, lol.