Miracle Whip?

It is finally official.  As reported here several days ago, your University of Miami Hurricanes have hired Mark Whipple as their next Offensive Coordinator. 

The choice has proven to be overwhelmingly popular among Canes fans who are already asking: "Can The Whip work a miracle into the Canes stale and ineffective offense?"

The answer here says YES!  The Whip is just the kind of experienced and creative offensive coach that UM needed to get their performance to the next level.  The kind of coach to work with and develop young players to their maximum potential. 

This is from Scout.com on "The Whip":

Whipple has been impressive everywhere he's been. His first major coaching job came in 1981 when he became the offensive coordinator at Union College for two seasons. He spent the 1983 season as receivers coach at Brown before spending the 84 season with the Arizona Wranglers of the USFL.

In 1986 Whipple took over as offensive coordinator at New Hampshire, where the team had averaged 241 points over the previous two seasons. In his two years there, that number increased to 279 points per year and the number dropped back off (265) in the two seasons after he left.

After serving as the head coach at New Haven from 88-93, Whipple spent four seasons as the head coach at his alma-mater. In the two years prior to Whipple's arrival at Brown, the offense averaged 173 points per season. That number increased to 256 points per season under Whipple's direction. The tremendous increase in the team's offensive successful coupled with a solid 24-16 record there gave Whipple the same job offer at UMass.

In 1997, the year before Whipple became head coach at UMass, the team scored just 149 points. In his first year there, they scored 524, an incredible 375-point (over 20 per game) increase. He was honored as the Division 1AA National Coach of the Year following that National Championship season. In Whipple's six seasons there, UMass averaged 354 points per season -- a 205-point increase over the total in the year before he arrived and a 75 points higher than the team scored the year after he left.

Bill Cowher and the Pittsburgh Steelers hired Whipple away from the college ranks to become his quarterbacks coach from 2004-2007. In those three seasons, Whipple helped develop Ben Roethlisberger. In those three seasons, including a Super Bowl title in 2005, Whipple's quarterbacks had an average passer rating of 87.6 -- one of the better ratings in the league for a quarterback. When Cowher left, so did Whipple.

And this from the UMASS website tells U all U need to know:

At every stop, the trademark of a Whipple-coached team is high-powered offensive play, and his UMass squads have rewritten the Minuteman recordbook, setting 38 team records over the last five years. In 1998, UMass set new school single season marks for points scored (524), touchdowns (73), total yards (7,074), highest average yards per play (5.9), passing yards (4,050), completions (306) and first downs (354).

The 1999 team finished with totals of 415 points, 55 touchdowns, 5,673 total yards, 5.6 yards per play, 3,230 passing yards, 271 completions and 289 first downs, all of which rank as the second-highest single season totals in school history, behind the marks set a year earlier. In addition, 14 different UMass players have earned All-America honors during Whipple’s five years as head coach.

Following his first season as UMass’ head coach, Whipple received a number of awards. He was honored by the American Football Coaches Association as the GTE Division I-AA National Coach of the Year, while also receiving National Coach of the Year honors from Don Hansen’s Football Gazette and finishing as the runner-up for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by The Sports Network. In addition, Whipple was named the Scotty Whitelaw Division I-AA Coach of the Year by the New York Metropolitan Football Writers Association, earned AFCA / GTE Region I Coach of the Year honors, and was selected as the New England Division I Coach of the Year by both the New England Football Writers and the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston. 

This is gonna be fun.  As in F U N to watch.  As in no vanilla in the Spring game.  Just U wait and see...

Comments

[SuperCane1]

Anybody here?

[KLCaneFan]

I can't wait to see it!

[TJL]

1st?

[lessismore]

First!

[TJL]

3rd!!!

[Glory Days]

Any way I see the basketball game on the web? (espn dosent count)

[theheraldguy]

Whipple is a great hire by Coach Shannon. I don't want to get carried away in my expectations, but if we average like 35 points a game, I am happy.

[hurriphin]

Yeah!

[hurriphin]

4 TD's a game could easily get us to 9-3 this year!!
That almost certainly garauntees us a ACC championship berth!!

[miamihurricane34]

I think we still have a good shot at Hall, Don't underestimate the power of an in home from Shannon. I think he could convince her. Show her that he will be part of a family down here that will look after him for her. I is about to become a man, it is time for him to make the decision based on what is right for him.

[hurriphin]

If i'm not mistaken, the most pts we've ever put up, was 66 against Estrn Tenn St.

Am I correct?

We should be SOB's for the first time in a while, and drop 70 on FAMU.

[macjones]

Whipple is a great hire by Coach Shannon. I don't want to get carried away in my expectations, but if we average like 35 points a game, I am happy.

Posted by: theheraldguy | January 27, 2009 at 07:54 PM

If the Hurricane O average's 35 PPG, then Miami will finish with a 11-1 regular season record, and play in the A.C.C. championship game, and possibly in the Orange Bowl.

I believe the final offensive ppg was something like 27.0 in 2008, which according to your guess, the Whip's O would increase their ppg by approximately 30%.

What I'm interested in is the balance between passing and rushing, and the increase of total yards ppg by the seventh game of the season, in contrast to last season's total after 7 games.

Baby, I'm feeling possible national championship as early as 2010, and no later than 2011. Vault it!!

But, all this NC yap is predicated on Stoutland and the "Biggin's in the trenches" getting their act together.

Of course, Whip It will motivate Stoutland and the Biggin's into significant improvement, and come up with offensive schemes which take advantage of the Cane's O-linemen strength's, and relatively minimize any relative flaw's.

[86Cane]

Whip It Good!

[hurriphin]

The Whip needs to make our DB's practice with the WR's all through the season.
If those kids drop one more potential INT, i'll scream!!

[SOUP]

Phin...start screaming NOW!

[hurriphin]

Coach Whipple:

Please don't forget about Lee Chambers, Kendal Tompkins, and Davon Johnson.

[hurriphin]

$OUP-

Our ENTIRE secondary could only produce 3 int's!!

THREE!!

E Reed & Sean T were getting that in ONE game!

[Six]

NativeCane - I've always had that saying intact and ready to tell any of my friends, about if they drool all over some chick that they know nothing about ... "somewhere, some guy is completely sick of her sh*t, guaranteed".

[hurriphin]

I know that those guys aren't here anymore, but damn!!

Nothin' was prettier," back in the day," than an orange jersey going the other way with the ball!

[phillyscott]

sean had more than that against FSU didnt, and probably should have had 6....
Our CB do the same thing that eagles did against larry fitzgerald in NFC title game...play off him, and not jam him at the line....first game, they did opposite, and Fitzgerald di nothing, Warner threw 3 pics in first half...
We need some physical guys who can jam receivers at the line, and come up and stop a ball acrrier if need be....we whiffed at DB at tackling as much as cook did last year....

[army cane]

25

[Canefantasy]

Whip is going to make Benjamin, Cooper, and Johnson look like super stars!! I say we move Cook or Bryd in as a Tightend and we really will have a ton of playmakers. Just think of all the potential talent we have and the things we got to see from them under Nix. I think Sam Shield has an amazing year in Whips offense. This is too exciting I cant wait till next year.

[Six]

hurriphin - the past QB's that come out of Pennsylvania are well known with Jim Kelly, Joe Namath, Dan Marino, Joe Cool Montana, Johnny Unitas, George Blanda - the present day ones .. not so much. Chad Henne, Ron Powlus, Pat Devlin, Terrelle Pryor?

Here's some quarterbacks in the NCAA now that are from the state of Texas:

Colt McCoy (Texas)
Matthew Stafford (Georgia)
Christian Ponder (FSU)
Todd Reesing (Kansas)
Chase Daniel (Missouri)
Brian Johnson (Utah)
Jevan Snead (Ole Miss)
Graham Harrell (Texas Tech)
Jarrett Lee (LSU)
Nick Stephens (Tennessee)
Chase Holbrook (New Mexico State)
Kevin Moore (Tulane)
Casey Dick (Arkansas)
Robert Griffin (Baylor)
Jerrod Johnson (Texas A&M)
Case Keenum (Houston)
Giovanni Vizza (North Texas)
Chase Clement (Rice)
Bo Levi Mitchell (SMU)
Andy Dalton (TCU)
Trevor Vittatoe (UTEP)

[miamihurricane34]

Looks like we may lose 2 ot games in a row. Down 3 with 7 seconds left. Come on Jack.

[miamihurricane34]

Lance misses three, game over.

[Six]

Came away very impressed with everything Coach Whipple had to say in that press conference, actually couldn't stop smiling the entire time. I think I'm going to watch it again for the hell of it, ha.

One of many great parts of that conference, is what Cav already posted when Tom Brady praised The "U" and speaking of imagining being around all that talent on your team.

Susan Miller didn't disappoint at all, she hits for consistency in the "what the ????" type questions ... I always laugh when I hear Boss Man Shannon in Manny's audio interviews, whenever Susan Miller asks him a question

As others have posted on here, what Coach Whipple said about his relationship with Boss Man Shannon: "If we're not playing well on offense, then I know we're not going to be on the same page," ..... "If we don't make first downs or score touchdowns, then no, our relationship's not going to be very good. That's just the bottom line." ..... "When Ben Rothlisberger threw an interception, Bill Cowher and I weren't the best of friends then." Haha. Good stuff.

Another good line from Coach Whipple:

(Reporter): 8 days until Signing Day, 28 days before spring football, do you have a sense yet of how you're going to squeeze in a whole lot of work into a 4 week window?

(Coach Whipple, just smiling): Oh ya, it'll be fine ... (laughter) ... I mean, in the NFL, Not For Long ... In college, you got a lot more paperwork than in the NFL. But, you also have a lot more people that say hi to ya - in the NFL, they just kind of throw the playbook on the table and say "Go get'em tiger." Hey .. it is what it is. Whenever Randy wants to start practice, we'll be ready to go. But, as I said, the second day I expect to be better than the first."

[canechic]

I keep telling myself not to watch the basketball game and yet I continue to watch, if I do not stop, I will have to go to the hospital. I am an addict, WHY CAN'T they FINISH!!!!!:(

[hurriphin]

Six-

out of all those guys you listed from TX, I don't know if three of them will even reach Rich Gannon's (Philly Boy) level.

Point made though.

[Six]

hurriphin - there is no doubt that Pennsylvania hands down has produced the best QB's to ever play in the NFL.

The names alone are mind boggling: Marino, Kelly, Namath, Montana.

It's not even fair. All the other states just have to accept gunning for 2nd place in that category.

Also, my man Joe Maddon (manager of my beloved Rays) is from Hazelton, Penn. He's probably one of the coolest cats you could ever meet in your life, and learn so much from.

[hurriphin]

I've always kept in the back of my mind, the commentator's words towards the end of our blowout loss to OU.

".....boy, I tell you. That glare (of Shannon's) will cut a hole right through you." "But is there anyone out there who really doubts that he'll have this program back where it belongs?"

Vault THAT.

[Six]

I'm watching the Lightning game on channelsurfing.net .... and it's in freaking French.

And I haven't heard the announcers say once, "Royale with Cheese" - so I have no idea what they're talking about.

[Anton]

SOUP-

When and where is the Spring Game this year? Has it been announced? Not finding anything on it.

[hurriphin]

Six-

Pinellas Park?

Nice place?

That's one of my favorite names for a city. Along with Appoloosa, Texarkana, Carol City, Tijuana, Guadalajarra, and several others.

[SOUP]

I am an addict, WHY CAN'T they FINISH!!!!!:(

Posted by: canechic | January 27, 2009 at 09:23 PM

COACHING

Next question?

[SOUP]

Last year was 3/29/09:

http://canespace.typepad.com/canespace/2008/03/are-u-tired-of.html

[canechic]

I'm not buying that completly soup, I think there are many factors contributing to the lack of success! One of which is they are not as good as we want them to be! One player does not make a team!

[SOUP]

Finishing in BB is EVERYTHING! Every game comes down to the last 1:30.

And it is ALL coaching.

[Six]

hurriphin - it realllly depends on where you live in Pinellas Park. Everyone calls it PINE-ELLIS, say it out loud with a redneck accent (even though it's pronounced Peh-nellis). A lot of double wides and Sonny's BBQ is a busy place there. There are nice places mixed in as well and a nice shopping center. The females at the Winghouse in PINE-ELLIS on US 19, are the most ho-ish you'll find in the Tampa Bay area ... so, they have that going for them.

Pinellas Park is right there, hugged up next to Saint Petersburg - right down the road, about 9 minutes from the station I work at. The Home Shopping Network is about 5 minutes from there as well.

[KLCaneFan]

Two heartbreaking OT losses in a row... I feel like every time I watch them play they lose!

[Six]

86 - you get my voicemail I left today

[dlu]

I doubt Gordon sees the field much, young man does not have soft hands. Probably the most interesting aspect of spring and next yr. is what will Whipple do with the talent. By that I mean who will play where. ex Calhoun vs Hill type thing. Which running backs have the best hands and can run routes. Use of talent at the right positions has been an issue for yrs on offense. Whipple must have a great eye for use of talent or he would not have been successful at his other positions.

[SOUP]

One player does not make a team!

Posted by: canechic | January 27, 2009 at 09:54 PM

That is THE problem with coaching.

If U know they are going to key on Jack, what do you call as a coach?

Pass the ball OUT to Jack...then into the PAINT to Collins.

Over and Over and Over again...then to other players OUT of the paint.

NEXT...

[Aces & Canes]

Is McCarthy going to be ready for spring practice?

Having him back healhy this year is going to be a big boost for our line backing core.

Go Canes!

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Whipple is a great hire by Coach Shannon. I don't want to get carried away in my expectations, but if we average like 35 points a game, I am happy.

Posted by: theheraldguy | January 27, 2009 at 07:54 PM

>>>>>

That, my friend, is the funniest thing you've ever posted. lol

[SOUP]

Is McCarthy going to be ready for spring practice?

Posted by: Aces & Canes | January 27, 2009 at 10:00 PM

YES

[hurriphin]

Six-

Ho-ish you say.......

[SOUP]

SIX...not yet, 352 or 863?

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Six, yeah, I was smiling the whole time as well, half-way not believing just how perfect everything was that came out of his mouth. hahaha But it clearly was not scripted.

Funny that he was at the '86 and the 2002 NC losses. You know he knows what Hurricane Football is all about. His interview also should go a long way to bringing a ton of awareness to Canes fans about just how respected The U is in football circles.

I wonder if the two-bit hacks noticed?? Nahhh.

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Soup, the RB competition is going to be incredible. Whip will feel like a kid in a candy store. What do you think of Berry, his current skills and future positioning? It should be interesting.

Fantasy, brother, why do you keep thinking Taylor Cook is going to be a TE? Our depth at QB is actually WORSE than it is at TE.

Come on now. I think our lack of depth at TE, plus Whipple, will be too attractive for Charles and maybe even Sheldon.

Besides, we have so many WRs and RBs that Whipp will be able to move the chains without a game-breaking TE if necessary.

[theheraldguy]

Chi, didn't you call me a hater a few blogs ago? LOL.