Shot Through The Heart And You're To Blame

U give love a bad name.

Miami's stunning, saddening loss to Clemson on Saturday at The Shark broke the hearts of Hurricane fans everywhere.  For those who made the trek from near and far to show their love for the team wearing orange and green, all they could do when the game was finally over was to file out of Landshark Stadium in shock (and some even in tears) after the overtime loss to the Tigers.

There is no need to rehash the sordid details of the game other than to say the Canes lost to another ACC opponent and most likely any chance for an ACC title in 2009.  Once again, when given an opportunity to take control of their own fate in the conference, Miami spit the bit and came up lame down the stretch in another important game at home.

Canespacers showed up in force to support the Hurricanes and each had their own view about the difficult loss.  Coaches, players, personnel decisions, play calling, penalties, turnovers and special team breakdowns all were pointed out as possible culprits for the loss.  But in the end all that mattered was that the team with the tiger paw on their helmet scored more than the team with the U.

Now Hurricane fans will need to find a way to keep faith, hope and love alive through the rest of the 2009 season.  All is not lost if the Canes can to regroup, refocus and regenerate the magic that led to huge wins over FSU, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma.  There is enough talent and almost enough depth to still finish 10-2 and make this season a major stepping stone towards a real run at the ACC title and more in 2010.

Frustration with inconsistent play is acceptable.  Disappointment with another ACC loss is certainly likely.  But be strong CaneNation, this too shall pass and right now is when your team needs U the most.

Comments

[Joseph Gatz]

First???? Don't like to do it after a loss...

[tortugacane]

2nd..

[solarcane]

How do we get to the BCS title Game?

peace

[Canez1]

Tough one yesterday. Fukked up my whole night!! Funny thing is everyone knows to stay the fukkk away from me when the Canez lose.

I hate to lose.

Bottomline is the kids gave this one away. We played sloppy all game and did not execute. How many fukin penalties can one team have?????

A great Miami team would have overcome those penalties and came out with a W. We are not there yet. We almost had it though.

When our talent on the field starts to overcome any obstacles(penalties, bad reffing, bad bounces)that is when we will know this program is ready for greatness.

The bomb from Jacory after the huge mistake was a glimpse.

It's coming....

And why can't we just end up on the wrong side of a tough fought game without calling for coaches to be fired.

I have yet to see a perfectly coached game and it is tough to coach a team when the kids continue to fukkk up and try to give the game away.

I wish all of our drives where the first drives of the second half. We look all world on them!!!!

GO CANEZ!!!!!

[solarcane]

On the sideline
Randy usually has the," I just waked through some one's fart" expression,

He trumped it yesterday with his "Whipple jus shyt on my head" look while trotting back down the sideline.

peace

[Sean Spence is a Beast!!!]

Win or lose baby! We are Canes fans! and nothing will stop us to support our beloved team!!!! let's go 10-2! All is not lost! We can still put ourselves in great position for next year!!!! Team to beat next year!?! You Betcha!!!!!!

[Mrs. 86]

Agreed w/U 86... Well written article! Let's Go Canes! Stay on the "+" side and all good wishes will come through. Let's Go Canespacers! Keep up the "+" attitude!

[CaribCane]

I hope that this does not affect our recruiting! I am not taking this loss very well.

[tortugacane]

Waiting patiently for all great wins in '09! Only looking forward! GO CANES & CANESPACERS! Still time....

[toledocane]

You tell me 10-2 at the beginning of the season? I'll take it!
Wish Lovett had been a bit more aggressive- rushing 4 the whole game when they're qb is so young didn't make sense, but that's why they call it hindsight. On to the next one- GO CANES!

[Conch salad]

tough loss last night. I was very dissapointed with the turnout... Dont know how it looked on TV but it was pretty empty. I hate that we always get killed with the same damn plays. We shouldve seen that last td coming a mile away, it was the same play they threw at us all game long on 3rd down.

[tortugacane]

BTW 86: Enjoyed reading "shot through the heart"... sounds like a song title. Also, enjoyed previous article... Great job.

[Calvin]

When a team is knowingly young, mistakes can be expected, but when you got supposedly old savvy coaches, they are the ones who are supposed to help the young guns navigate thru the mistakes. Alot of offsides penalties, that's guys being hungry to get after the qb, coaching should calm that down.

I'm not saying fire anybody myself, but i would like to see us become just as aggressive on defense as whipple normally is on offense, every game though he runs a series or 2 where you're saying, what in the world was that bullcrap(keeping it clean for Sunday).

The players did overcome alot of their mistakes in this game, but when you're hering that jacoby ford and them basically drew up a play on the side line to win, that means your defense was to basic the whole game. Now it's basic so the athlete's can make plays, but when you got a team with 2 players that have that kind of speed, you gotta be ready for it.

Even back in the day, rocket ismail got our special teams, although we knew, back than we had alot more guys with heart and speed, that's when rocket earned my respect though was when he took 1 back on us and almost another on but darrl williams tracked him down. That's the thing, panuzzi should have had cory nelms, or dvd back their and tell the kicker to go down field, and if spiller breaks out, somebody needs to track him down.

We all know the players made mistakes, and we had alot of calls in the 1st half, but even still the players put themselves in position to win, the play calls didn't in the end.

[Calvin]

If the prices are that high, they can hang up seeing a packed house unless it's one of those old school rivalry games. On a positive note though, it's games like these are why all networks want us on t.v. I can guarantee you our game was the most exciting game yesterday, the runner up for intensity and defensive battle goes to the joe dirt game(tennessee and alabama).

That game was yesterday had more ups and downs than i think i ever seen, i'm not sure how many lead changes but if they say we took the lead 7 times, how many lead changes is that for 1 game!

[West Palm]

Typical Canes footabll over the last few years under Shannon. Lose to teams that we should beat and at HOME! This team is not well coached and it shows week in and week out. We were getting killed by the same three friggin plays all game. The screen to the TE and backs, they had no receiver threat or downfield threat except for splitting Spiller out wide or the wheel route with him.

We should have beat Clemson, this should not have been close. This team never plays a good four quarter game and it killed us tonight. ST's sucked as usual thanks Pannunzio you jerkbag!

I thought Shannon was a defensive coach? He couldn't make any adjustments to stop this whack azz attack that Clemson has? Come the F on dude you suck and any of you homers on here who want to call me out go ahead!!!

We need to get rid of this clown now because all it's going to do is cost us in the long run just like it did with Choker.

We can take the hit in recruiting for a year and if Miami will stop being so damn cheap and pay to get a real head coach we might get some recruits we thought we didn't have a chance at with RS, who knows.

You see teams like USC and UF that win week in and week out. Why because they are well coached and don't give up KO returns or let the one guy they have on O have a career day on them like CJ did with us.

Again they killed us with the tE and RB screen and Spiller. The two wepons thay have we couldn't stop the whole game... PATHETIC!!

I also think Whipple is getting tired of RS's dumb azz and I beleive it was RS that had him run up the middle on those three plays where if we could have gottena first down or two it would have been over!! Against OU we call the beautiful TE drag to the opposite side of the run play we had been setting up all night. Now U tell me was that an RS call or Whip? I think RS overe ruled him and said just run it three times and we will play D which sucked all game made Kyle Parker.. who? look like Dan marino.

Ya'll think what amd say what you wnat but bottom line is we will not win an NC with RS as head coach. We had clappy and now we have stonefaced arm crosser! Did you see Clemson coach hyped up and actually coaching his kids and talking to them on the sideline? Does RS even need a head set except to listen to what the O is calling? He doesn;t ever talk to any players or coach during the game, just stands there arms crossed and stone faced no emaoton.

I'm not even pissed because this is the norm for the Canes the last 7 years. We just don't get it done anymore bottom line.

[Canez1]

Cal

RS has never been overly aggressive on D and will never allow it here.

This is the same D we have had for the past ten years.

Wether it is Young or Lovett or whoever at DC this is RS's D.

It is what it is....

I agree and would like to see a more aggressive D gameplan. Especially to make up for our injurise on the Dline. They need help and the DB's cannot be blamed for blown coverages most of the time. You can't cover someone for 10 fukkin seconds on a play.

GO CANEZ!!!!!

[West Palm]

Sorry about all the spelling errors on my post I am not a good typer which is one of the reasons I never post.

[Cat 5 Cane]

Someone clarify the time-out call by Randy in the first half with a couple of seconds remaining.

[Calvin]

The one thing about it hough, with this team, at least we're back to feeling like we're shocked when/if we lose. he feeling that alot of us have right now, while we all hate it, just think, it wasn't to long ago where we all knew we'd lose.

I know another thing that makes me proud about Miami though, we know football, and don't trip or complain on calls unless they are right. For instance, when the ref came out and confirmed that that tight-end from clemson didn't fumble, you didn't hear our crowd getting mad or upset, or booign the call, our crowd was basically like on o the next play. All other stadiums and team fans are so desparate they don't even like right calls.

Back to how we feel though, we're all dissappointed because we all know we should have won that game, the sicker these guys feel the more they are going to train, mentally these guys did not come here to lose any games, they don't care, but like i said before the season started, gone are the days where you're going to just dominate us(v-tech don't count, it was cold and raining), if you beat us, it's going to take alot of great plays, and clemson made alot of plays.

When you look at it though, it was the 4 from Florida that made the biggest difference against us, spiller and ford of course, kyle parker and deandre mcdaniel, and actually kevin alexander, another Florida boy made a big stop on the 1 screen pass that would have seemed to go for a long gain, but franklin missed the block!

[pb(CSROH10)]

Next day thoughts on Clemson, a real heart breaker:

1)Jacory is an incredible talent, but still a Sophomore.

2)We conceded from snap one (and rightfully slow) that our o-line could not handle their pass rush, so we ran the ball much more than I'm sure Whip wanted to.

3)Spiller is by far the best player in college football. If he played for Texas or OU, he would be buying his Heisman suit today.

4)While the future is so bright, 10-2 is still likely and I love this team, our lack of depth is what separates us from true contenders this season.

5)Dont understand the surprise. Canes teams have ALWAYS been sloppy. They just overcame it with superior talent.

6)JSQ has absolutely gorgeous blue eyes.

[Alan]

Weren't you the one dreaming about a championship title this year. C'mon man, we're not even good enough to win the ACC. I'm not ragging on the Canes squad. I'm just saying that we need to be a little more realistic. Half the freakin' defense is hurt. Aquinas probably has a better special team than we do. We've done well this year, but to dream about a title shot...Leave that to missionary boy up north. At least they can win big games. We used to know how to do that.

[Texascane]

You can't turn the ball over four times and beat anyone. It was amazing that it was as close as it was.

If you are only rushing four, how does Ford get single coverage on the last play? It was 3rd and 11. Play the first down.

What's with JJ running out of bounds all the time?

Benjamin was the only receiver out on that side of the field on the long touch down. There were three defenders in the area and he just ran by them. Have to think that was there all night.

Three off sides penalties on the defense on one drive...never seen that before.

How do you design a coverage where CJ Spiller is assigned, man to man, to a linebacker? Spence couldn't stay with him if he was healthy, much less limping noticeably. That's the same play Cooper scored on against FSU. If we run the play, seems like we could come up with something better to defend it.

The special teams have been less than adequate since they let Sol go. One more move to make.

Just some observations.

[Esteban]

would have been nice to have Futch there to fill in for spence when he got hurt.

also would have been nice to have Ojomo available to help with the pass rush.

and pat hill to open some holes in the run game.

but especially would have been nice if we didn't lose to a team that has 2 players on offense that they look for on every play.

[Esteban]

pb, Spiller is the most electrifying. far from the best. no matter how much our defense tried to make him look it.

[Calvin]

west palm, time will tell whether shannon will win a national championship but to say this was a typical Canes game under shannon, youact as if shannon has been the coach here for 7 years or something. The man's 1st year he had no talent, the 2nd year we played stronger, and now in his third year, we were in the national championship hunt, for a 1st time headcoach, name another team somewhere else that can say that.

Canez1, you right about the defense, at the same time though, yesterday was one of those games where i found myself thinking about bill young, although i didn't like all that zone he ran, it would have made more sense yesterday to run some zone, especially underneath, had we run zone on that 3rd down, we'd probably get a tipped pass, speaking of tipped passes, our d-line never really do that.

We let a young qb off the hook yesterday, i was have blitzed the hell out of clemson, especially on 1st and third downs.

shannon does ned to stop letting his emotions get in the way and let whipple run that offense entirely, otherwise, whip is going to continue to feel insulted, at the same time shannon is showing paranoa from letting nix have full ran alst year and not intervening, so this year he seems to be saying i'm going to stay on top of the offense more as oppose to being more involved with the defense more.

Hell, when you're one of the good defensive minds in football, it's idiotic not to lend a hand in the defensive game plan, you can't treat defensive coordinators like you got treated when you were one, because not many in the business coached a top ten defense on a regular basis.

[Texascane]

On the bright side, if this game occurred last year or the past three or four years, yesterday would have been a Virginia/GT/LSU style beatdown for the 'Canes.

We're getting better...slowly.

[Calvin]

texasCane, this lost can't be blamed on turn-overs, hell clemson had them to, so the tunr-over battle was a wash. The game was lost in the end by the coaching staff. If it was a sloppy game, clemson played just as sloppy, what i do know if we stayed aggressive until the end, we win this game sloppy or not.

I agree though that wheel route play where spence was in man coverage with spiller, the best case scenario was for spence to just clip em, that's where our safeties and their player recognition was not good.

great question when you ask, if we're only rushing 4, how does ford get open. I'm trying to figure out how many linebackers did we have in on that play.

[Caneslegend]

I felt like I get hit in the gut after this loss. This had shades of the Penn St. game back in 98. Defensive break downs in a game we should have won. Our defensive needs depth really bad and it showed today. And people need to understand Jacory is young and he is really young. He needs a year like this to learn and Canes fans most come back to reality and realize what everyone was saying in the beginning of the year 9-3 or 8-4. That is the team we were dealt with. I watched other high class programs on Saturday and I saw how we need to improve our depth and Coaching. This was a complete loss. Coaching and players. Peace out and Go Canes

[86Cane]

New photos are up!

[86Cane]

I have no more comments on the game until later. Driving back to the 863 from the 954. I'll give U only ONE warning: Stay the hell outta my way!

[Mephistopheles]

If we get the first down, everyone here would be saying "the Canes have heart-rammed it down their throats-swagger."

It didn't work. What was the difference between this game and FSU? One Play. Just one play. In years past, once Clemson gets the pick 6, UM collapses. This team has enough fire power to come back. And they are the youngest contending team in the nation by far.

This is a good, young team with a huge upside. Does anyone recall that we've lost Josh Holmes, M. Forston, Ojomo and Gavin Hardin on the D line. Could Clemson lose 4 players like that on the D line and compete with us? Not to mention Futch, Hill and all the other injuries to the D alone.

The media made a big deal all week about UF missing 3 starters on D-We're missing at least 6 almost every game!

Maybe Lovett deserves a little break, huh? He allowed 26 points to an explosive team, and even contributed 7. 34 points should have been more than enough to win this game. If Uribe doesn't miss a squib call we probably win. One play.

The only thing that concerns me is a potential rift between Whip and Onion. We need Whip to stay. He has done a great job with this O, and the bright future I see has Mark Whipple as the OC. I hope this is just one of those things that happen in a stressful situation and not something more serious.

I know we could have won this game, but this is the last tough match-up we have for the rest of the year. Right now, we are succeptible to big play offensive teams. None of our future opponents have theoffensive fire power of Clemson-not even close. Our O can move against anyone (barring a monsoon) so the future match-ups favor Miami.

With the injuries and youth on this team (and 2 brand new coordinators and systems) can U really be disappointed with 10-2?

[86Cane]

How do we get to the BCS title Game?

Posted by: solarcane | October 25, 2009 at 10:06 AM

BTW...I forgot to mention that the previous article was written by UMIKE, not by me. Forgot the credits AGAIN.

[Hassan]

We are a young team, we need a pass rush, we need to learn better play calling and we need to win out to regain cane pride.

we are a banged up team, i feel if we was 100% we win that game sloppy and all. J12 as a Junior does not throw those picks, anyone notice our 2 "best WR AJ and LB have not done much, I say throw Streeter in there. I still do not know how we do not throw a jump ball in the end zone with our WR and tall TE's in OT, that is better then running into the teeth of a great DL sounds like fiesta bowl all over again.

[shwarma]

West Palm and Alan (and any other new posters) welcome to the blog. But one thought, if its your first time posting, why litter our blog with your severe negativity? At least try and be constructive that's all.

This loss certainly sucks and the coaches and players are certainly to blame, but calling for heads to roll and criticizing people who know a lot more about the game than any of us won't do much good.

[pb(CSROH10)]

Posted by: Swamp Donkey | October 25, 2009 at 11:18 AM

Sure. Jacory, Benjamin, Ray Ray, Coop, Bailey, Bosher, Fox among others have really regressed.

Can't teach a pig, no matter how smart it is, to drive a car.

There hasn't been talent to develop until now.

[Calvin]

meph, CHILD PLEASE, who on here would have said that was Cane swagger had we gotten the 1st down running the ball 3 straight times, you can't be serious talking to the witnesses of the 3rd and 43 bunch!

[shwarma]

Before we get into talent development discussions lets put one thing on the table that I think makes this conversation pointless in regards to the Shannon administration:

Two offensive coordinators, three defensive coordinators. How do you want a kid to development when he has new systems to learn? That has been as big a problem as anything.

[Rashad]

I not trying to stir the hornets nest, just asking a question. Does anyone else feel like all preseason, that everybody talked about the first four games being so tough, that maybe the team has peaked during that stretch (minus the slopfest in Blacksburg). Last 3 weeks this teams play has regressed. Even against FAMU, play wasnt overly impressive, but I figured that was a team coming off a high after the Okla win. Then the Ucf game really scared me. That team is below average at best and the Canes let them hang around too long. I just hope somebody in that lockeroom can get these guys ready to finish strong..And not end up at the Music City Bowl..haha

[Calvin]

The best and truest thing i ever read pb say:

Sure. Jacory, Benjamin, Ray Ray, Coop, Bailey, Bosher, Fox among others have really regressed.

Can't teach a pig, no matter how smart it is, to drive a car.

There hasn't been talent to develop until now.
Posted by: pb(CSROH10) | October 25, 2009 at 11:24 AM

[Mephistopheles]

My point, Calvin, is that fans respond to winning and losing. When you win, everything is great, when you lose, you suck.

And save the ocho cinco childishness. The crowd was quiet after the review because they were all home like you watching on TV.

[Hurriphin]

Hurri'......U.

Certainly NOT trying to incite a riot here, but just would like to hear a variety of opinions........

If Whip was the head coach @ UM, (and in addition was still in control of the Off.) what do you guys think the state of the team would be?
I'm certain we still lose @ VT, but I say we put up a sixty-bird vs. FAMU, and a fifty-bird vs. UCF, and we indeed win against Clem. IN SPITE of Lovett's "scheme."

[Hurriphin]

I still do not know how we do not throw a jump ball in the end zone with our WR and tall TE's in OT, that is better then running into the teeth of a great DL sounds like fiesta bowl all over again.

Posted by: Hassan | October 25, 2009 at 11:21 AM

PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS MAN, COACH!!!!

[Calvin]

The crowd thing is overrated, it would have been fuller at the OB. You have no point meph unless you're speaking correctly, that game was lost because we got conservative!

[Esteban]

the wake forest game can't get here quick enough.

[jimmy]

I cant believe people are being critcal of Whipple. The guy put up 30pts on a defense that people on this very board were claiming to be so great. We amassed 430 yards of offense. We avg 5.1yds per carry.

I know JH is from Dade so he above criticism but he was part of the problem yesterday. I asked a question a few weeks ago if we should be concerned about his turnovers and the overwhelming response was "no". Do we still hold that answer. Calvin can say yeah but Jacory came right back and scored. Look I love jacory and there prbably isnt another QB i would want on my team but its getting ridiculous. He threw a pick in the redzone, would have been pts. he throws a horrible pick before the half where we could have at least attempted a long FG.( Speaking of that, how can Bosher nail 51 yard fgs with room to spare but cant kick it 60 yards off of a tee)Then he threw the pick six. I admire that he can come back from his mistakes, but its HIS MISTAKES that are placing us in this situation. He has 10ins in 7games. This doesnt even mention the fact that he fumbles every game also. Luckily we have recovered most of these.

My biggest complaint with the Offense is where in the he!! is Berry. He has proven for 3 straight weeks that he is our best RB. He is the only one that can read the right hole and explode. He expects to take it to the house on every run. You can see after he gets tackled he is pissed. Coop makes nice plays but he misses so many holes. he runs like a chicken with his head cutoff.

As for the offensive playcalling, I cant complain. we moved the ball at will on them. They never really stopped us but 1 to 2 times. unfortunately these were at the end of the games. I would have called a pass on 3rd down but EVERYONES only complaining because it didnt work. Whipple doesnt have the benefit of hindsight.

As for the D, i dont know where to begin. I dont know that blitzing would have worked any better. While we say that Parker had all day he rarely threw the ball deep. Out of of 30+ attempts only probably 6-7 were more than 10 yards down field. Blitzing would have just opened more opportunities for spiller. They ran nothing but tosses,wr screens and playaction to the TE. You blitz a screen and its a TD. YOu have to respect Spiller so on the play fake it opened up the TE. This was no more evident than when Mccarthy blitzed the edge and Parker hit the TE for like 30 yards. how about someone actually cover the guy? There are holes in every Defense. Its up to the offense to find it. Their Oc called the right plays. Also, outside of Bailey and Mccarthy, who really made plays. Vernon might get up field but nothing ever happens. he got pancaked numerous times in the run game. we stopped the run up the middle well. Mrob and wesley were no factors aside being offsides. The secondary didnt realy get tested but blew coverages the few times they were. You can blame Lovett but Clemson ran some good plays that isolated Spiller.

Look obviously plays that didnt worked should have been called differently after the fact. Sometimes u just need to tip your cap to the opposing team. The offense made plays, the D forced 4 TO's and they returned a kick. Sometimes Although difficult the other team plays a good game.

One last thing, I defended Fluzzy at times but ST's are horrible. How can Coop, TB and Collier, avg less than 1yd per return?

[Hurriphin]

I'll tell you what,

If UM goes out and beats WF 34-14, the sun will come back out. But if we only win 20-17, (and I'm not even gonna mention the other possible outcome)this little downhill snowball that has started, is gonna start getting dangerously bigger........

Hey Coach, if you want your money, you might wanna ease up on the "I'm the stoic, unforgiving, stubborn coach" routine.

[Hurriphin]

.( Speaking of that, how can Bosher nail 51 yard fgs with room to spare but cant kick it 60 yards off of a tee)

-jimmy

I liked that one....

[Esteban]

gotta agree more than disagree (a lot more) with Jimmy on yesterday.

[Alex D]

What’s up Legion, haven’t posted in a while. It was a tough loss last night, the Offense got a little too conservative after the Randy Phillips pick and after the 20 yard run by Graig Cooper in overtime. The Defense was simply not aggressive enough. On another note, here is where I believe the departure of those two backup QB’s hurt Jacory. Jacory is not a threat to pull the ball down and run like he did few times last year for fear of getting injured. Maybe it’s me, but has he had a rush for more than 5 yards this year scrabbling out of the pocket? Just my thought, have a great Sunday.

[shwarma]

Jimmy - Great post as it was intelligent fair and balanced