Meet Me In The Parking Lot

As I have told you time and again on this blog, the Canespace rules are: (1) You have to show up; (2) You have to stay to the end; (3) You can't by shy.  If you follow these rule good things and good luck are bound to find you sooner or later.  Saturday was once again one of those times.

After the Spring game had ended and the fans tried to make their way out of the Stadium the traffic was absolutely horrendous.  So rather than trying to fight it, I decided to spend some time talking some Canes and some trash with Canespacer Cat5 (Ron) in the parking lot.  Little did I know at the time that this would turn out to be one of the best decisions I had ever made. 

As Ron and I stood in the parking lot discussing his latest ideas on how and why I should improve and expand the blog we were soon joined by two other fans who arrived at their car that was parked next to ours. 

One of the guys, seeing Ron with his trademark Budweiser in hand, asked if he could borrow some ice.  As we gave him some ice and a Canespace card and told him about the site we talked and became friends. 

Then he introduced himself.  Turns out our new friend just happened to be Sam Shields' father [who is seen above with Canespacers Cat5 (L) and 86Cane (R)].  We shared a beverage, chatted a while and the questions came naturally as did the candid responses.  Here is our conversation...

Cat5: So how does Sam feel about moving from wide receiver to defensive back?

Mr. Shields: He says he feels like a kid in a playground!  He really likes it.  Sam has played offense all his life so moving to DB was a big change.  But now he says he can read and react; there is less thinking involved. 

Sam (seen here with Ryan Hill signing the now famous Canespace limited edition ST#26 T-shirt) told me that he feels that it allows him up to use his athletic ability and make plays.  And if he gets the ball on defense, he's gone, trust me, he's gone (for a pick six)!

86Cane: How did you feel about the position change?

Mr. Shields: Coach Shannon called me after he talked to Sam about it (the position change).  He asked me what I thought about it and I told him: "If Sam thinks it's OK, if he wants to do it, then it's OK by me." I told Coach Shannon that Sam would probably play Center if you asked him to (laughter all around).  He just wants to play and be on the field and contribute to the team.

86Cane: Sam and Shannon have not always seen eye to eye.  How is their relationship now?

Mr. Shields: Shannon is a serious guy.  Coach Coker was much nore relaxed in the way he treated players and ran the team.  I used to joke with Susan at The Miami Herald to ask Shannon if there was a door to get out his dog house.  Because once Sam got in there he could never seem to get out.  Shannon doesn't forget or let things go easily.  That's not a criticism, he's just that way.

86Cane: Sam came in with such high expectations.  Do you feel he got a fair shot or that maybe Shannon may have been to hard on Sam?

Mr. Shields: No, that's not it at all.  Listen, don't get me wrong, I respect Coach Shannon and understand what he is trying to get done at Miami.  I am a fan of the Hurricanes, partly because of Sam, but I have always liked the Canes and I want to see them win and do well.  But I don't think the image that some people got of Sam was accurate.  Shannon is a good coach but Sam is also good kid and I want people to know that.   I won't deny that there were some issues between Sam and Coach Shannon during his first two years at UM but we feel that's in the past.  We're moving forward. 

86Cane: So does Sam think he has a chance to play or possibly even start at CB this season?

Mr. Shields: Sam told me he is confident that he will get a fair shot at CB and he plans to make the most of his opportunity.  I'll tell you this, he's excited again about playing football.  The position change may actually help him later on because the more versatile you are the more chances you have to make an impression (on NFL coaches).  Coaches want to know that you can do more than one thing and contribute on special teams too (to increase the chance of getting drafted).

Cat5: We all know that Sam has the speed and talent, but tell us what we don't know about Sam?

Mr. Shields: I never played football, but I was a pretty good basketball player.  I wanted Sam to play basketball but he wasn't really good at it.  He would steal the ball and then miss the easy layup.  He was so fast he'd run up on the basket too fast and the ball would bounce off the backboard.  So he switched to football and that was his sport. He was always good at football from the first day he stepped on the field.  On the football filed, his speed was always his advantage.

As our conversation ended we said goodbye we provided our new friends some Canespace T-shirts and watched them drive away.  Cat5 and I looked at each other with some sense of disbelief that we had such and rare and unique opportunity to get a candid, exclusive interview with a player's father. 

But that only lasted for a few minutes until our next visitor walked up.  Then we immediately started our next interview with WQAM radio personality and UM color comentator Don Bailey. 

Yeah, I know what you are thinking, but no, I am not making this up!  We talked with Bailey for about twenty minutes and even got him to make a 2009 season prediction, talk about national championships and select his Legends of the Fall for Canespace. 

But that was only until the cheerleaders arrived.  And yeah, we have the pictures to prove it... 

Comments

[solarcane]

este good point.

The thing about him getting a hundred on short runs is that the option offense is on the field to long which ultimately leads to fg range or red zone.

He breaks one long one on us, which I'm thinking he is going to, and like you said we hold him the rest of the game, I think we can out score them.

The only reason I brought any of it up, while watching their sports highlights they are running the option a lot better than they did against us last year.
Their timing is like 11 guys all being right where they are supposed to be right at the option decision second.

peace

[solarcane]

remember this swing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBVKnnmAArg

peace

[Esteban]

solar, I'm curious to see how that GT offense looks next year.

also curious how improved our tackling will be.

[SOUP]

I promise I will rock the Canespace tee at the UCF game.

Posted by: LatinCane | March 31, 2009 at 07:35 PM

ROCK ON! I will be there also. Canespace here, there, everywhere!

For those going to UM vs UCF get your tickets EARLY.

David Siestma from the UM ticket office tells me they are giving VERY FEW tickets to UM.

Canechic/Angry...whatcU got???

[Ocean State Cane]

Hawaiicane- Nice! thank u, looks great!

[SOUP]

Working on the Don Bailey Jr. article.

Gonna be good! Real good!!!

[canesteeler]

Tommorrow is the birthday of the late great Sean Taylor. Anthony Leon his cousin who had signed with FSU out of Gulliver Prep just finished playing JC ball for the College of the Sequoias. He signed with Arkansas on NSD and has two years of eligibility available. He is 6'4 235lbs and is currently running a 4.5,

[NativeCane]

Hawaii, Thanks you are The Most!

[HawaiiCane]

Glad you guys enjoy it!

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

I just watched a few highlights of various GT games. Here's what I found.

LSU- LSU was basically the only team that put 8 in the box and played off the C and LG by about a yard more than usual. This allowed them to completely stuff the middle and force the pitch. Their DEs were crashing the ends like crazy and their DBs were giving great support. I didn't see any missed tackles either, although the highlights showed little other than LSU scores. The other thing was that this game was a STs gimmick clinic by Les Miles. The first half was played basically on GTs side of the field. On offense LSU didn't have to do much, but they outmuscled them upfront.

UGA- UGA led that game 28-12 at the half. Like all Mark Richt teams do as some point in the season, this team relaxed and thought the game was over. GT scored on two big runs right after the half and took basically all the momentum. UGA never recovered. Defensively they played a straight 4-3 in the first half, from what I could see. Nothing special, they just followed their assignments.

UVA- UVA won this game 24-17. GT was runnign fairly well in the 1st half but UVA made some half-time adjustments and blitzed more on 1st down I think, putting basically 8 in the box and getting strong support from their DBs.

Conclusions:

1) Bill Young called a horrible game against GT. That 2008 defense was in no way ready to match-up man-for-man in a 4-3 with GT.

2) Although the GT option is different, the basic principals seem to remain the same. Out-man them at the point of attack in the middle, force the pitch and have great DB support. Also, WRAP-UP. I can't tell you how many times Dwyer and the other RB got yards or TDs just because a DB didn't wrap-up.

I don't see a repeat of last year at all. This team is older, bigger, better, and LSU showed the way to stuff them on 1st and 2nd down.

Of course I' sure Paul Johnson will try to make an adjustment to what LSU did, but if the chop-block is the staple of that offense, I don't know how he can go too far away from it.

Your thoughts......

[JCane]

Soup:

Anything known yet about what the tix supply will look like for USF? I've already made arrangements for where to stay in case it's a night game, etc., as the Marves haven't invited me yet! For that matter, when are tix in general going on sale for this season.

For those who compare RBs to McGahee, remember he didn't look so good early in his UM career. He blossomed later on, after guys like Portis had already moved on.

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Also, Gardner Webb put eight in the box sometimes from what I saw and it was effective. Dwyer only broke one long run. He's really a perfect fit for that offense. He's big, fast enough, runs very hard, has enough moves to make one man miss, and can accelerate and not be caught from behind. In the NFL he'll add some more weight and become a Brandon Jacobs type RB.

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Este, I expect their option to be as good maybe better. They lost some seniors on the OL didn't they?? But I'm sure Johnson knows how to teach kids those techniques.

The difference should be in the way ACC teams defend it.

I expect us to be much better. Our interior DL-LBs should be stronger, and our DBs should be significantly better in run support. We know our DEs will be fierce, especially if Vernon and M-Rob start by then, with Ojomo and Wesley and Moncur coming in.

These are the keys. GT will be precise but if we break down the middle and force the pitch, I don't care how precise you are, you'll get crushed.

The other important factor is that we'll have enough OL to duplicate a reasonable facsimile of GTs OL. That and Highsmith being a dual threat QB means we'll be able to take good looks at that O over the summer.

[SOUP]

CB #9 Sam Shields

[SOUP]

JCanes asks: "Anything known yet about what the tix supply will look like for USF?"

David Sietsma tells me it is WIDE OPEN! Lots of tix available.

Email him at: dsietsma@miami.edu

Tell him Canespace sent U and U are set!

[solarcane]

chi, este, good observations

what about this just for consideration

Our defense sees our offense every single day.
Mike James and Baily who seldom get to run ran through our defense like it was ..well Swiss cheese.

Wouldn't you think an offense you never face that has the leagues best ( at the moment) running back will get yardage?

I know what you mean Chi that we are more experienced now, and also the surprise element of how well GT runs their offense won't be a factor.

It still concerns me that Baily could run wild on a defense that basically knows every play that they are going to face.

Maybe I should just turn the news off when they show GT up here, I'm probably getting paranoid cause that's all I see lol

peace

[SOUP]

IF IF IF...

IF We beat FSU at the Doak,

IF we beat GT at home,

We are on our way.

IF we lose both....

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Solar, you mean Berry right?? I don't think they ran wild. Cooper didn't. Mike James didn't. He had that one nice catch and run but Berry was the only one who did something impressive.

That's a good point but that equation works both ways. The very familiarity of our OL with our DL, particularly after two weeks of practice, means they and the RBs know what's coming and how to handle it.

The problem last year was that our DL wasn't bringing much and our LBs and DBs brought even less, so GT wasn't surprised. In fact, with Young's scheme exposing our weakest links, it was a cakewalk for them.

LSU did the opposite to them. They brought tactics and personnel GT couldn't handle. Part of that was because they have big, massive OL in practice, and probably another big RB to battle. But if LSU was able to tactically throw a wrench in GT's scheme, without having played an option in who knows how long, but having watched a lot of film on the teams who failed, I see no reason why other teams can't do similar things.

I expect us to be able to come closer to what LSU did than anyone else save UGA and maybe FSU. I'm sure Mickey will study that LSU tape the way Butch, Shannon and Lovett will.

[canechic]

Soup life is full of if's......let us hope this year's if's will be positive ones!

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Solar, I think we got FSU and VT. GT will depend on how well they prepare for them over the summer, not the week before. The week before prep should be just a review and refresher with updates.

OU should be very, very interesting......

One thing that is for sure. ALL the players in the two deep will be hungry and hyped for all these games, and we'll finally have experience and coordinating to match the hunger.

[SOUP]

IF we beat OU.

IF we get Canechic and CGNC to go to games.

IF Keoki and Aqua do what they do.

WE will have FUN, FUN, FUN!

GO CANES!!!

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Soup, IF any year of college football has ever been full of IFs this coming year is. USC lost key players, QB esp. UF lost their co-MVP. OU lost their OL and a few WRs. UGA is basically back to square one. LSU should be stronger b/c their QB situation seems a little better but there's still some important ????s

In some ways it's wide open for us. The biggest hurdles we'll face in Sept.

SO FINALLY YOU ALL CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR SEPTEMBER TO BE OUR NOVEMBER.

hahaha.

The only sure thing coming back is Boisie.

[canes0109]

www.canestalk.com

Free recruiting info, come sign up

[solarcane]

chi, yea that makes sense about the linebackers not doing much.

I'm most optimistic we have an offense that can score quick so it's not like we would have to march the length of the field every drive.

You are calming me down cav, I was having an option anxiety attack.

geez yea Berry... I'm asleep at the switch here.
The other day I'm saying to myself man that Taylor Smith looks good... wtf alzheimer's??

peace

[raizecane]

I was a huge fan of the NFLU collage. So I made one for my desktop. I would like everyone to check it out (link below). A college tribute to "The U"...

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h104/djpremis/theucollage2.gif

I wanted to share it with the rest of "U"!

Posted by: HawaiiCane | March 31, 2009 at 06:11 PM

Thats some good stuff right there but if I put that wallpaper on my PC at work, I may go "postal" after looking at it for too long and listening to my boss at the same time. :-)

[canes0109]

http://canestalk.com/

Free recruiting info, come sign up

[Six]

Canes D the way it's supposed to be ...

http://img36536.pictiger.com/images/17912441/

http://img36536.pictiger.com/images/17912438/

http://img36536.pictiger.com/images/17901955/

[Six]

I was in Orlando today, it started sprinkling, then raining, then raining hard, then a freakin monsoon of water with some hail.

As soon as it went to stage two - the regular rain - people were hit with the instant idiot stick in the way they drove. You'd think that Godzilla was walking down the road, causing people to run into each other.

It went from normal with the sprinkle on Colonial Drive, to all the sudden some hard rain and it was like 400 people blindfolded in the bumper car ride at the fair, on the road.

When the hard rain and hail started to come down almost horizontally - forget it. I saw some idiots just stop their car in the middle of the parking lot and stay there. I drove to the back of the Super Target I was near, to their loading dock ramps and used the building as a shield.

Why can't people drive in the rain?

[Six]

Movies if you're bored:

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas:
http://www.justin.tv/affan2

Slumdog Millionaire:
http://www.justin.tv/nrvpatel

[Six]

More movies if you're bored:

Easy Rider:
http://www.justin.tv/jaikesghost

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, next House Bunny:
http://www.justin.tv/jrock419xx

ALL the Star Wars movies in a row:
http://www.justin.tv/starwarsguy

[canesluvr]

Solar/Cav:

One of the main keys to success against GT is to force turnovers. The turnover margin pretty much decided if GT won or lossed. The UNC game last year, I think GT had 4 or 5 turnovers. They had 300-400 yards rushing, but once they got into UNC territory, the had a turnover. Pretty much killed them. I think that game gave Randy and Young the (bad) idea of tackling the ball and forcing turnovers.

I think the best way to stopping the option is first taking out the dive play, but instead of crashing the DE's, and forcing the pitch, have the DE stay at the line and force the play to the sideline. Use the sideline as a defender and prevent the QB or RB from turning up the field. If a defense crashes the DE and the QB gets the pitch away, that's one less defender to tackle the ball carrier. The CB better get off the block, if not, well, you saw what happened to the UM defense last year.

[Ryan]

canesluvr, that's why we should line up some safeties at cb, dare GT to throw it.

[Cat5Cane]

Thinking what position will be the biggest difference makers from last year in Whip's new scheem this year and it has to be the TE's... blocking and catching.

#18 Epps 6-4,253 Jr
#19 Adderley 6-6,225 RS Fr
#23 Tervaris Johnson 6-2,235 Jr
#84 Richard Gordon 6-4,270 Jr
#90 Steven Wesley 6-3,260 So
#15 Jake Byrne 6-4,215 SR

Epps is looking to explode and it should be interesting to see Adderley climb the charts and I'm waiting to see who will advance from the bottom 4

These guys must find a way to produce!!!

[solarcane]

I was reading an article when Johnson Coached at Navy.

He had no playbook, he said every playbook ends up on e-bay

He gave every player a blank notebook and told each one to use their own terminology to describe the plays.

one of the players said when you have one play your playbook isn't real thick lol

peace

[solarcane]

Johnson diagrams how the offense is run

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSR3Y-yl1iQ&feature=related

peace

[solarcane]

My computer still works

peace

[NativeCane]

Canespacers in Heavy Industrial based bidness,I have seen definate upturn in cold calls and Bids awarded.
If this keeps up and your bidness isnt anemic and you are debt free this could be exciting and Profitable times in the State of MIAMI:)

Go Canes!

[canesluvr]

Safeties at CB is interesting, basically daring GT to throw. I'm not sure if the QB can throw. They have one Calvin Johnson-sized WR. He's suppose to be pretty good as soon as he figures out what he's doing. Based on last year's results, safeties at CB is a gamble I'm willing to take.

Also, have the get the fear of constant cut blocking out of the DL's heads. Personally, I hate that type of blocking. Reminds me of the dirty Denver Broncos blocking scheme. These players are too young to be worried about someone taking out their knees.

[Cat 5 Cane]

*

[canechic]

Why can't people drive in the rain?
Posted by: Six | March 31, 2009 at 11:24 PM

Because it never rains in Florida? lol

[nmbcane]

334

[Canez1]

The one yard off the ball tactic used by LSU was to avoid the cut blocks and give the DL room to read and react.

You only need a second to see where a play is going. If you have to deal with the cut and diagnose the play you are behind before you even begin. Thats is where we found our D, always chasing.

Hopefully we can do a better job this year of stuffing that shyte..

GO CANEZ!!!!!

[DZ8]

Won't the fundamentals of football solve the Georgia Tech mystery? Follow your assignment, beat your man, wrap up. Wrap up, wrap up, wrap up... DO NOT TACKLE the other players hand warmer while your chasing him from behind.

[last!]

last!

[CanesgirlNC]

CGNC goes to games. Just most of them are away games...this year will be at UNC, VT, Wake Forest and probably fly down for a home game. Will alsobe attending the ACC baseball tourney in Durham this year. TIx for that are on sale at the acc.com

[DZ8]

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/um/story/977752.html

[DZ8]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_college_hurricanes/2009/03/meet-jamal-reid.html

My early sleeper pick for a defensive standout. Now with Sam Shields stepping up at corner, Ryan Hill and Brandon McGee already enrolled, I think he just might ONLY make an impact in the punt/kick return game this year. Maybe even redshirt.

One of my favorites during the recruiting process (if he didn't commit I was going into Canespace exile for a few weeks, wasn't even close).

[Cat 5 Cane]

Fighting Type pad, everytime you try to log on to Canespace is a labor of lov... does anyone have a 80lb bow, so I can shoot cupid.

[Old Skool]

Why can't people drive in the rain?
Posted by: Six | March 31, 2009 at 11:24 PM

Because they didn't grow up and learn to drive in Florida.

[Chinese Punisher aka Cavaleer]

Great, great excerpt from a great interview with Leon Searct at www.procanes.com It was posted earlier and I just decided to read it.

This is why the U is The U.

>>>>>>>>

pC: Who you recruited you out of Miami?
LS: Don Soldinger. The funny thing about it is, is that he came to my school to look at another player. He came to look at a defensive tackle and a linebacker. He wasn’t even considering me. The funny thing that happened was he was sitting at the stadium watching us do drills, and the guy he was looking at was guy I ran over in the drills, the linebacker and I didn’t do it just one time, I did it like three times in the drill. So Don Soldinger asked ‘Who is that?’ My coach said, ‘oh that’s Leon Searcy he has never played football before’ and Soldinger said, ‘that kid could play at Miami, let me talk to him.’ That’s how it all started.

pC: Why Miami, were you a fan of them growing up?
LS: Absolutely. You know I didn’t watch much college football growing up but I remember Don Soldinger playing a tape of the 1986 team. The whole pageantry of how they played football just excited me. Michael Irvin, Jerome Brown, Stubbs, I mean just every aspect. I said that’s where’s I want to be. I just felt that the pageantry and the way they played football was exciting. I knew that’s where I wanted to be.

pC: On your recruiting visit to Miami, what do you remember? Who toured you around?
LS: I believe it was Melvin Bratton. You know, I wasn’t a little young, I was a lot young. You know, I didn’t go out much, but Melvin Bratton is taking me out to Inferno all these other clubs. You know, I’m a green kid, I had never seen that. I knew I could never tell my mom about where we went. She would have never let me come here if I did but I loved every bit of it. He took me to the Beach to all the hot spots.

The one thing that stood out that he said, was ‘if you come to the University of Miami, if you’re not coming here to be the best, don’t come.’ That’s what he said. He said ‘if you’re not coming here to be the best, don’t come because you’ll be back home in six months because they will run you out of here.’ He said ‘there is so much talent on that field that if you don’t compete it will show and you will not play.’ You know Coach Soldinger told me that too. I am sitting there on signing day, and signing day was a lot different than it is now with all the show. My signing day was in a closet-like room with three chairs and table my dad to my left and Don Soldinger to my right. I am sitting there with the papers and Don Soldinger and before I signed the pieces of paper he said: ‘when you come to the University of Miami, if you don’t come here to be the best, you won’t play and you’ll just be a five-year backup. Before you sign that piece of paper know what you’re committing to.’ I wasn’t worried about that though because I knew I was going to compete, so I signed and was off and running.

pC: Was there another school that was close in the running?
LS: Yea there was one school. Florida State, but Florida State kind of did themselves in. It was between Miami and Florida State, but Florida State was actually the reason why I went to Miami. I went [on a recruiting visit] to Miami first and then Florida State second. I talked to Bobby Bowden and then that evening when the hostess was taking me out I see Deion Sanders, I see Sammy Smith. I see all these guys. They were in the room having a good time and we sit down and we start talking. We start talking football and they start talking about Miami and how they can’t beat Miami and this and that. I said, wait a minute, all these guys are talking about is how great Miami is and how they can’t beat Miami. I said to myself I am in the wrong place. I’m going to spend five years of my life, just like these guys right here, talking about how I can’t beat Miami? When I left and I went back home and my parents asked me what I was going to do, I told them I’m going to Miami. It was like they were already defeated before they even stepped onto the field. In the off-season! I said no, I’m not going to a place like that. I’m not going to a place where they don’t have a tradition of winning and they don’t want to win and they feel like Miami is their obstacle and they can’t overcome it. They answered it for me. I’m going to Miami.

pC: What was the toughest thing playing at Miami? Was it the competition?
LS: Absolutely. Absolutely. The best thing Jimmy Johnson ever did at the University of Miami when he was there, was you never felt comfortable with your position. He kept the grind on you so hard. My first year at the University of Miami he [Jimmy Johnson] got all the freshman together and he said: ‘look, I want you to look to your left and I want you to look to your right because one of you all is not going to be here because when we counted those scholarships someone will have to go.’ He kept the ax on us. I did not feel comfortable with my starting spot until my senior year and I was an All-American by then. He never let up. He constantly kept the ax grinding on you. I remember when we played Arkansas. He is from there and we were beating Arkansas 31 to nothing going into the fourth quarter and he told us on the sideline: ‘if they score a touchdown I am going to run the hell out of you all.’ He meant it, I guess they didn’t offer him a job or something like that and he meant it.

We played Florida State and they had that rap tape and they were preseason number one and we had just won the National Title the year before and that rap tape just pissed him off. He kicked every coach out and you know he was a psychology major so he knew how to get in your head because he scared the hell out of me but now I understand what he was doing. He kicked all the coaches out, all the administrators out of the room and locked the door and dimmed the lights. He sat in the front and took that VCR tape and popped it in and when we saw that tape, we were fuming. Jimmy Johnson after the tape said ‘hey guys, that’s what they think about you. They’re the number one team in the country. They are coming into our house.’ I mean I felt sorry for them [Florida State], I mean I always felt sorry for them but we beat them 31-0. But that’s what he did. I’m not going to say he was a hell of coach but he was great at taking people and putting them in the right positions of power to get things done. We’re talking about Soldinger, Art Kehoe, Gary Stevens, Butch Davis. Tubberville and Orgeron were GAs [Graduate Assistants] when I was there, I mean he put a hell of a staff together and we worked. This was before the NCAA had all those rules and I mean we worked. There were times when if he didn’t like a drill he would start the whole practice over, I mean it was crazy, it was totally crazy. Our conditioning test would be 15 x 110s and these could make or break your career. The only reason Cortez Kennedy started his last year at the University of Miami was because Jimmie Jones failed the 15 x110 test. He always had the test on the hottest day. If it was cool or breezy he wouldn’t do it. pC: Who you recruited you out of Miami?
LS: Don Soldinger. The funny thing about it is, is that he came to my school to look at another player. He came to look at a defensive tackle and a linebacker. He wasn’t even considering me. The funny thing that happened was he was sitting at the stadium watching us do drills, and the guy he was looking at was guy I ran over in the drills, the linebacker and I didn’t do it just one time, I did it like three times in the drill. So Don Soldinger asked ‘Who is that?’ My coach said, ‘oh that’s Leon Searcy he has never played football before’ and Soldinger said, ‘that kid could play at Miami, let me talk to him.’ That’s how it all started.

pC: Why Miami, were you a fan of them growing up?
LS: Absolutely. You know I didn’t watch much college football growing up but I remember Don Soldinger playing a tape of the 1986 team. The whole pageantry of how they played football just excited me. Michael Irvin, Jerome Brown, Stubbs, I mean just every aspect. I said that’s where’s I want to be. I just felt that the pageantry and the way they played football was exciting. I knew that’s where I wanted to be.

pC: On your recruiting visit to Miami, what do you remember? Who toured you around?
LS: I believe it was Melvin Bratton. You know, I wasn’t a little young, I was a lot young. You know, I didn’t go out much, but Melvin Bratton is taking me out to Inferno all these other clubs. You know, I’m a green kid, I had never seen that. I knew I could never tell my mom about where we went. She would have never let me come here if I did but I loved every bit of it. He took me to the Beach to all the hot spots.

The one thing that stood out that he said, was ‘if you come to the University of Miami, if you’re not coming here to be the best, don’t come.’ That’s what he said. He said ‘if you’re not coming here to be the best, don’t come because you’ll be back home in six months because they will run you out of here.’ He said ‘there is so much talent on that field that if you don’t compete it will show and you will not play.’ You know Coach Soldinger told me that too. I am sitting there on signing day, and signing day was a lot different than it is now with all the show. My signing day was in a closet-like room with three chairs and table my dad to my left and Don Soldinger to my right. I am sitting there with the papers and Don Soldinger and before I signed the pieces of paper he said: ‘when you come to the University of Miami, if you don’t come here to be the best, you won’t play and you’ll just be a five-year backup. Before you sign that piece of paper know what you’re committing to.’ I wasn’t worried about that though because I knew I was going to compete, so I signed and was off and running.

pC: Was there another school that was close in the running?
LS: Yea there was one school. Florida State, but Florida State kind of did themselves in. It was between Miami and Florida State, but Florida State was actually the reason why I went to Miami. I went [on a recruiting visit] to Miami first and then Florida State second. I talked to Bobby Bowden and then that evening when the hostess was taking me out I see Deion Sanders, I see Sammy Smith. I see all these guys. They were in the room having a good time and we sit down and we start talking. We start talking football and they start talking about Miami and how they can’t beat Miami and this and that. I said, wait a minute, all these guys are talking about is how great Miami is and how they can’t beat Miami. I said to myself I am in the wrong place. I’m going to spend five years of my life, just like these guys right here, talking about how I can’t beat Miami? When I left and I went back home and my parents asked me what I was going to do, I told them I’m going to Miami. It was like they were already defeated before they even stepped onto the field. In the off-season! I said no, I’m not going to a place like that. I’m not going to a place where they don’t have a tradition of winning and they don’t want to win and they feel like Miami is their obstacle and they can’t overcome it. They answered it for me. I’m going to Miami.

pC: What was the toughest thing playing at Miami? Was it the competition?
LS: Absolutely. Absolutely. The best thing Jimmy Johnson ever did at the University of Miami when he was there, was you never felt comfortable with your position. He kept the grind on you so hard. My first year at the University of Miami he [Jimmy Johnson] got all the freshman together and he said: ‘look, I want you to look to your left and I want you to look to your right because one of you all is not going to be here because when we counted those scholarships someone will have to go.’ He kept the ax on us. I did not feel comfortable with my starting spot until my senior year and I was an All-American by then. He never let up. He constantly kept the ax grinding on you. I remember when we played Arkansas. He is from there and we were beating Arkansas 31 to nothing going into the fourth quarter and he told us on the sideline: ‘if they score a touchdown I am going to run the hell out of you all.’ He meant it, I guess they didn’t offer him a job or something like that and he meant it.

We played Florida State and they had that rap tape and they were preseason number one and we had just won the National Title the year before and that rap tape just pissed him off. He kicked every coach out and you know he was a psychology major so he knew how to get in your head because he scared the hell out of me but now I understand what he was doing. He kicked all the coaches out, all the administrators out of the room and locked the door and dimmed the lights. He sat in the front and took that VCR tape and popped it in and when we saw that tape, we were fuming. Jimmy Johnson after the tape said ‘hey guys, that’s what they think about you. They’re the number one team in the country. They are coming into our house.’ I mean I felt sorry for them [Florida State], I mean I always felt sorry for them but we beat them 31-0. But that’s what he did. I’m not going to say he was a hell of coach but he was great at taking people and putting them in the right positions of power to get things done. We’re talking about Soldinger, Art Kehoe, Gary Stevens, Butch Davis. Tubberville and Orgeron were GAs [Graduate Assistants] when I was there, I mean he put a hell of a staff together and we worked. This was before the NCAA had all those rules and I mean we worked. There were times when if he didn’t like a drill he would start the whole practice over, I mean it was crazy, it was totally crazy. Our conditioning test would be 15 x 110s and these could make or break your career. The only reason Cortez Kennedy started his last year at the University of Miami was because Jimmie Jones failed the 15 x110 test. He always had the test on the hottest day. If it was cool or breezy he wouldn’t do it."