One Bad Cook and One Loose Cannon

Back-up Quarterbacks Taylor Cook and Cannon Smith announced today that they were leaving the University of Miami.  

The shocking and stunning announcment came just two weeks before the Canes first game of the season on Labor Day against FSU in Tallahassee.

The moves leave Miami severely depleted at the QB position with only first year starter Jacory Harris and Freshman A.J. Highsmith, who has been on campus all of about three weeks, as the second string QB for the 2009 season.

This sudden announcement comes on the heels of the highly publicized transfer of former UM QB Robert Marve to Purdue over the Summer. 

Marve, who struggled on and off the field at Miami in 2008, was suspended twice last season by Head Coach Randy Shannon for violating team rules and poor class attendance.

Now the Hurricanes have lost three QBs in three months and face the difficult task of facing a tough early schedule and the entire 2009 season with one QB with very limited playing experience and one that went to his high school prom a few months ago.  Not exactly what Shannon or new offensive Coordinator Mark Whipple would have wanted.

Canes fans literally lit up the message boards this afternoon to express their shock, fear, anger and confusion over the news. 

Some immediately jumped to conclusions and began questioning Shannon's coaching style and leadership ability.  Some fans questioned how this situation could happen so suddenly and so close to the season opener.  A few fans even wondered out loud: "What happens if Jacory gets hurt?" 

Others took a calmer and more measured approach and attempted to minimize the loss citing the fact that neither Cook nor Cannon were likely to see much if any playing time unless Jacory was injured. 

Some stated their support for the coaches and players involved and simply moved on. 

A few fans also stated that this situation happens at many programs as players see the competition in front of them and decide they might be better off at another University where more playing time beckons.

The reality is that while however discomforting or disturbing these decisions may have made even the most hard core Hurricanes fan feel, their impact may never be felt unless the unthinkable happens. 

But then it was always true, even before today's decisions were announced, that If Jacory goes down the Hurricanes hopes are likely to go right with him.

Comments

[Canefantasy]

first

[Canefantasy]

hahaahaha soup I want those duke tickets..lol

[Old Skool]

Great title Soup

[Canefantasy]

we will be fine in the Qb department. I say we line up James in the wildcat with cooper on the run. put RAY Ray in as qb. some great trickery.. hey if it works for the nfl do it in college.

[86Cane]

Great title Soup

Posted by: Old Skool | August 25, 2009 at 06:01 PM

Thanks Skool. I had four different titles that I struggled with before choosing this one.

[CHICKEN LITTLE]

I love chicken little!!!!

Posted by: The Truth | August 25, 2009 at 05:55 PM

I know that's right!!

[DallasTX Cane]

nice article soup

[The Truth]

That was a cool title ocho seis.

[The Truth]

Chicken

Where exactly can I get some pieces of the sky as they fall? I bet they'll be worth a pretty penny someday!

What will happen is another UM player gets injured??? OMFG!!!!!

[dj moonbat]

A guy named Cook, who couldn't stand the heat and had to get out of the kitchen. . .

Sad.

[Canefantasy]

u still got the tickets? ok sometimes this confuses me and although a stupid question important non the less to get straight in my mind. 86 is soup or soup is 86. these two people are the same guy right. Soup told me he had dukie tickets while 86 acts dumb. Its like 86(dr. Jeykel) and soup(Mr. Hide)..

[360Cane]

Great title and blog 86!

[DallasTX Cane]

We had to take them (including Marve) all together and see what shook out. Never expected to keep all 4 for 4 years. Also never expected to lose 3 of the 4 so quickly. Just means that this team is 100% Jacory's (even tho we all knew that when marve split). We can coach and develop Highsmith and recruit some younger studs the next couple of years who might've looked elsewhere if Cook had stayed. still think this wont impact the season greatly. Ojomo is a bigger loss than Cook.

[86Cane]

From www.hurricanesports.com:

Taylor Cook

Class:
RS Freshman

Hometown:
Eagle Lake, Texas

High School:
Rice Consolidated

Height / Weight:
6-7 / 235

Position:
Quarterback/ Punter

Experience:
RS

• Redshirt freshman who is in the mix to be the backup quarterback
• Had a good spring practice and enters the fall of 2009 as the No. 2 quarterback

2008 (FRESHMAN): Participated on the scout team as a redshirt.

HIGH SCHOOL: As a senior, completed 103 of 214 passes for 1,598 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions ... Also rushed for 512 yards and 11 more TDs ... Was also a second-team All-State punter with a 42.3-yard average ... Took his team to a 13-2 record and the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time ever ... As a junior in 2006, completed 117 of 236 passes for 1,982 yards, 26 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in leading his team to a 9-3 record ... Also ran 56 times for 278 yards and six TDs and was third-team All-State selection ... As a sophomore in 2005, was named Offensive Newcomer in his district after completing 77 of 160 passes for 1,178 yards, with 13 TDs and 11 interceptions ... Son of a rice farmer and a member of the Texas House of Representatives since 1997 ... Was selected to play in the Under-Armour All-Star game but did not player after suffering a knee injury in the state playoffs ... Also pitched on the baseball team and played center on the basketball team ... Coached by Brad Dumont ... Ranked the No. 37 quarterback by Rivals.com and the No. 9 quarterback and No. 108 player overall by Scout.com ... Selected to the PrepStar All-Midlands Region team and to the Houston Chronicle Top 110.

[86Cane]

SOUP = 86Cane = Charlie Brown

[R-Dawg]

They left.... WHO CARES. Move On...!!! We'll be fine at QB.

The only thing that changes is now the 2010 class may feature 3 QB's.

[BEERicane]

Uh.... I leave to go to a late lunch meeting and this is what happens? This is not good. I just hope that AJ is a legit backup at this point or we are one play away from disaster.

[86Cane]

Cannon Smith

Class:
Sophomore

Hometown:
Memphis, Tenn.

High School:
Olive Branch (Miss.)

Last College:
Hargrave Military

Height / Weight:
6-0 / 205

Position:
Quarterback

Experience:
1L

2008 (FRESHMAN): Played in the season opener against Charleston Southern ... Went 1-for-1 for two yards and rushed once for a two-yard gain ... Participated on scout team the rest of the season.

HIGH SCHOOL: One of the nation's top prep school quarterbacks in 2007 from Hargrave Military Academy ... Split his high school career between Christian Brothers and Olive Branch (Miss.) ... In 2007 at prep school, broke the school record with 476 yards and four touchdowns in one game ... As a senior in 2006 at Olive Branch, completed 130 of 273 passes for 2,314 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions and also ran for more than 500 yards and seven touchdowns ... Led his team to a No. 2 ranking in Class 5A ... Selected to play in the U.S. Army High School All-America game after senior year ... Named a Tom Lemming High School All-American selection ... Also a Missisippi Coaches All-State selection ... Named Mississippi NE Regional 5A Offensive Player of the Year and selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama All Star game ... Named Memphis Commerical Appeal Best of the Preps Top 5 Offensive Player of the Year ... As a junior, played at Christian Brothers in Memphis ... Coached at Olive Branch by Scott Samsel and coached by Robert Prunty at Hargrave Military Academy ... Originally committed to Ole Miss out of high school before attending Hargrave Military Academy ... Chose Miami over Memphis, Hawaii, Middle Tennessee State and Tulane ... Older brother Arthur played guard/center for the University of North Carolina from 2001-05 ... Son of FedEx CEO Fred Smith.

CANNON SMITH'S CAREER STATISTICS

PASSING RUSHING
Year GP/GS Att-Com-Int Pct. Yards TD LG Att Yards Avg. TD LG
2006 1/0 1-1-0 100.0 2 0 2 1 2 2.0 0 2

[CaniaK]

wow, what a shock

[DZ8]

The Randy just said he doesn't think we'll go after more than one recruit in this class. From what I've heard its not a great class for QBs, but also because this will space them out so we don't have 3/4 coming in at once. Then 2/3 leaving at once.

Ideally we'd like 4 scholarship QBs all spaced out a year, right?

[solarcane]

soup

nice!

peace

[Canefantasy]

okay soup you are driving me crazy.. we going to the game together or are you taking charlie brown..

[j.w.]

I'd agree with that DZ8.

[86Cane]

Fantasy...the Duke tickets have already been awarded. Sorry, U lose. U already have a t-shirt so???

[dj moonbat]

Miami's all-competition-all-the-time methodology has its downsides, too. Sometimes, you lose guys.

And I know there's a tendency to knock these guys for not wanting to ride the pine, but remember, if Brock Berlin hadn't felt the same way, we'd have had even WORSE QB troubles during the Choker era.

[Canefantasy]

i pushed the refresh button like 20 times to be first. I should get at least the opportunity to throw a hair dryer in the bath tub with you.

[Canefantasy]

I never lose. I am buying tickets to the game right now. haha looks like you lose my friend.

[CoolRuler]

Who was the backup QB on the 2000 squad? If you know the answer, then you are not worrying about qb depth this year.

[86Cane]

Solar...sorry I had to step on your feature article but the stuff hit the fan and we had to get to it QUICKLY. It's the way of the Internet!

[Sebastian]

I wish both of them the best of luck in whatever they decide to do

But I just dont get it with alot of kids now, is someone in their ear telling them they can be a star elsewhere and they will never get a chance here(or whatever college they are currently attending)

You guys are alot brighter and know alot more stats then I do, has there really been many players that have been been successful after leaving 1 program thinking they would get more playing time by going somewhere else?

[86Cane]

Ethenic Sands.

[CHICKEN LITTLE]

Worst worst case, RR and UM go to the Wildcat Offense and run roughshod over everyone, ala what GT did last year.

Posted by: miamimike01 | August 25, 2009 at 01:54 PM

Somebody else with some sense...

[CoolRuler]

That's it. I think Highsmith will do fine if called upon. If Sands could fill in, then we should all have faith in Highsmith too.

[Canefantasy]

Chicken little you seem to only come around when the sky is falling.

[miamihurricane34]

Cannon was too short anyways.
It sucks to see Cook leave, I thought he was really pretty good. I was impressed with him at the open practice. I thought that he could honestly compete for the starting job next year. I wish him well.
Highsmith = very very raw. Granted it was the first practice and he is young, but he looked pretty bad in that first practice, his passes were not on target. He might develop into a good backup, but he is not ready to step in if something goes bad.
We just need to try to pick up another QB recruit and we will be fine.

[DZ8]

Troy Aikman was probably the most successful. Joe Flacco has a chance. Those are the only two from the top of my head I can think of. Most of the time the players end up getting lost in the shuffle.

If U start running now, when are U going to stop?

[CHICKEN LITTLE]

we will be fine in the Qb department. I say we line up James in the wildcat with cooper on the run. put RAY Ray in as qb. some great trickery.. hey if it works for the nfl do it in college.

Posted by: Canefantasy | August 25, 2009 at 06:02 PM

him, too!

[j.w.]

Sebastian- Jevan Snead's decision worked out, but most don't. As for Canes who left- Bain's kid (can't remember his first name) is the only one I can think of who's stock increased after he transferred.

[CHICKEN LITTLE]

Chicken little you seem to only come around when the sky is falling.

Posted by: Canefantasy | August 25, 2009 at 06:25 PM

tru dat!!

[solarcane]

Is it a record to have three scholarship quarterbacks transfer in the same off season?

peace

[Canefantasy]

You know what it is. Randy Shannon is raciest.. two blacks stay three whitys leave.

(THIS IS A JOKE FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH NO SENSE OF HUMOR) just thought I would make it clear that there was sarcasm... lord knows CSM would think I was serious.. (another joke CSM)

we weed the people that dont want to be here out... my question to everyone is do we call on chicken little if Jacory struggles?? (again joke)

[DZ8]

j.w.

I also liked seeing Shannon step up in the Q&A with something other than, " Well Cannon and Cook were flying around..." out of here.

The evolution of a coach.

[solarcane]

So can COOK not play in the SEC the ACC the NFL or the NBA like Marve, or has the obvious fact he has talked to somebody somewhere not occurred to anybody?

peace

[Canefantasy]

ohhh good point solar.. he might be in alliance with Kiffin or Meyers.. just the coaches that cheat and break all the rules.

[solarcane]

I like Cook, always have,
I think he wants to play football right away.

I was real suprised Capt O turned on him so hard and called him names, after it was the Capt himself that said Cook would have a great career before he was done here.

peace

[solarcane]

If you played high school football with success in Texas there have to be lots of helping hands out side of college Head coaches to "help" you along.

I'm sure TexasCane has a few stories of 17 year old Texas all stars that were treated like royalty.

Cook goes home, gets to get on the field good for him.

peace

[DZ8]

I think they can go anywhere outside of the ACC.

[canesteeler]

The sky is falling, the sky is falling!Suit up amd compete with the players who want to be here. I am ready for the season to start!

[RandyCane]

Chicken Little sounds like he has had some football experience. I'm sure he would have beaten out Cannon Smith for the back-up QB position on the scout team and I'm sure he has thrown as many passes in a college game as Taylor Cook! LOL His record is unbeaten and he has not thrown an interception nor fumbled. As proven a QB as Taylor Cook.

Chicken Little is a great leader of men. LOL
I'm sure RS would love to have him on the team. In fact Chicken Little has sent some game tape to Coach Whipple already.

You go Chicken Little!!!!

[Sebastian]

I would be interested in what Whipple had to say about this situation

I have faith with him at the helm. If this was Nix then I would be reserving a spot on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge when the 1st QB draw was called