Canespace

You Can't Always Get What U Want

Apparently the Rolling Stones knew what they were talking about when they wrote one of their more famous songs way back when.  When it comes to the ever changing and incredibly inexact science that is the recruiting of high school football players, it is often true that :

"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you'll find, you get what you need."

Remember last year when Miami was in the running for high profile recruit RB Bryce Bown?  Many had guessed that since his older brother Arthur was already playing at The U that Brown the Younger would follow the family tradition and ink with the Hurricanes. 

Not so fast my friend!  Bryce signed with the Tennessee Volunteers in spite of our best recruiting efforts (Brown seen here with escorts 86Cane and OcalCane).

Yet still Miami managed to sign two potential stars in the speedy Lamar Miller (Miami Killian HS) and the talented Mike James (Ridge HS) who played extensively as a true Freshman.  Just another example that Coach Shannon and The U always get what they need.

Like every one of the 120 major college football programs all across the Country, your Miami Hurricanes are once again trying to get their needs met by landing a top 10 recruiting class in 2010.  Currently, the UM 2010 class is ranked #12 by ESPN and #20 by both Rivals and Scout. 

So what do the Hurricanes need? They need players who can contribute immediately along both the offensive and defensive lines, a few linebackers and a bunch of defensive backs. 

Did they in fact get their needs met?  Check back in on Monday (offense) and Tuesday (defense) for a detailed player-by-player breakdown of each UM verbal committment of the 2010 class.

Miami Head Coach Randy Shannon has had to step up his game lately to try to once again to close out this recruiting season with a late push as he has done in each of his previous three years at Miami.  This has been especially a critical time due to the recent loss of UM Recruiting Coordinator Clint Hurtt to Louisville. 

Shannon (seen here with his good friend and frequent Canespace blogger 404Canes at the Champs Bowl pep rally) and company will try to finish strong this weekend with several high profile on-campus visits for big name recruits. It just so happens that these visits will occur during the NFL Pro Bowl weekend in the 305.  With an all time record of 11 players in the NFL All-Pro game, The U is well represented in and around South Florida this weekend. 

Other Hurricane happenings:

• Can you imagine a high school recruit bumping into a former Hurricane and current NFL Pro Bowler while visiting lovely UM campus in Coral Gables?  Yeah, we thought you could!  It was reported that former Hurricane and current Minnesota Viking Bryant McKinney met with #1 rated OL Seantrel Henderson on campus yesterday.  With offensive line being a priority need for the Hurricanes, Henderson's committment on National Signing Day would be hige and would likely lift Miami's recruting class into the top 10 with one very LARGE/signing.
• What can Brown do for The U?  Miami added their 27th verbal commit yesterday when DT Jefferey Brown verbaled to the Hurricanes when he met with UM coach Randy Shannon during his visit to the UM campus. While Brown's only other offers were from Illinois State, Eastern Michigan and Toledo, UM Defensive Coordinator John Lovett is rumored to have fallen "in love" with him after seeing his recruiting highlight film.  Brown is a multi-sport star in Illinois where he added wrestling and track (shot put) to his resume.
• Hurricanes hammer Hokies!  Your University of Miami men's basketball team beat Virginia Tech 82-75 on Sunday at the Bank United Center in lovely Coral Gables.  The Hurricanes used a team effort and an excellent shooting  performance to hammer the Hokies.  Miami lead by 17 points at the half and stretched the lead to 19 points in the second half before allowing VT back into the game late.  Faith in Haith has been restored once again, for now.
• Canespace goes to Trailerhassee: Canespace will be on hand to see the Hurricanes take on the Seminoles in ACC basketball next Saturday night at 8PM.  Join 86Cane, MoneyCane and MoneyGirl for some Hurricane hoops in the State Capitol.

Senior Bowl, Senior Benefits

The Senior Bowl will be played today in Mobile, Alabama (4 PM, NFL Network).  Two players that have garnered a lot of attention during this week's practices are fomer Florida Gator QB Tim Tebow and former Miami Hurricane TE Jimmy Graham. 

However, the attention they have received has ranged from extremely postitive (Graham) to extremely negative (Tebow) and for very different reasons.  Tebow's stock has been falling faster than President Obama's approval ratings while Graham's status has been rising faster than the National debt. 

Many NFL draft analysts actually feel that Tebow may have actually hurt his draft chances by coming to Mobile.  Todd McShay from ESPN openly stated that although he initially believed that some NFL teams were looking at Tebow as a late first round to early second round pick he believes that has changed after practices this week at the Senior Bowl  He said on ESPN today that if he were an NFL GM "I would NOT pick Tebow until the third round."

ESPN analyst and former NFL QB Ron Jaworski said it that he believes "It would be very difficult for Tebow to be a starting NFL QB.  He struggles making all the throws and making them accurately into very small windows which is what he will face in the NFL."

Former Cleveland Browns GM Phil Savage was interviewed by McShay on ESPN and also questioned Tebow's accuracy, footwork and throwing mechanics.  Savage had this to say: "I will use two plays from the ACC Championship game against Alabama to illustrate my point.  On the first play Tebow tries to throw the corner route and has a man open but the route is underthrown and results in an interception.  On the next play he has his TE Nelson open on a slant over the middle and throws it behind him for an incompletion.  His footwork needs a lot of work. He is overstriding and his footwork often results in him throwing off balance.  He has a slow release and an elongated throwing motion which will result in NFL defensive backs jumping those routes."

On the other hand NFL Scouts are liking what they see in UM TE Jimmy Graham. As you know Graham was former basketball player for the Hurricanes who has only played one year of college football.  The scouts are finding his height (6'-7") and size (267 lbs.) very attractive but are most surprised by his good hands and and excellent route running.  As a result, Graham has helped himself this week by impresssing the NFL team representatives on hand as well as the media. 

Over at the NFL.com web site they had this to say about Graham's prowess during practice this week:

Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami
The former hoopster turned pass-catcher is attempting to follow the footsteps of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez into NFL stardom. Though Graham remains a work in progress with only one year of college football experience, his exceptional athleticism and movement skills has scouts salivating over his potential. Graham's ability to get down the seam and make acrobatic catches in a crowd makes him an instant weapon over the middle of the field and in the red zone. Given the importance of having a difference-maker in those areas, it is not surprising that Graham is creating a strong buzz in front offices throughout the league.

Miami Dolphins Head Coach Tony Sporano, who is coaching the South team in the Senior Bowl, has expressed his positive opinion about Graham on several occasions this week.

Today both Gator and Hurricane fans will watch with great interest to see how these two players do as they work together for the South team.  Rooting for Tebow to throw it to Graham may be tough for the true "Gator Hators" out there, but for this one game only, they will have to make an exception.

The Question Is: Can Petri Dish?

As any respectable college student-athlete would know, well with the possible exception of those at West Virginia, USC, Tennessee or Florida State, biology experiments are often conducted in a petri dish. 

Well it appears that University of Miami head coach Randy Shannon has decided to conduct an experiment of his own by hiring Rick Petri to be the Hurricanes next defensive line coach. 

Petri comes to UM from the University of Kentucky to replace the recently departed DL Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Clint Hurtt.  Hurtt has moved on to Louisville to join former Florida Gators' Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong, who as you already know by now, was recently hired for the Head Coaching job with the Cardinals.

Petri coached at Miami for three seasons with the Hurricanes from 1993-95 . While with the Hurricanes, Petri coached three future NFL first-round draft choices: Warren Sapp (Tampa Bay, 1995), Kenard Lang (Washington, 1997), and Kenny Holmes (Houston, 1997). 

Sapp was selected to several Pro Bowls and was the 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.  Lang played in the NFL for nine years with the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and Washington Redskins.  Holmes' time in the NFLU included stints with the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants.

Petri's 29 years of experience includes experience as a defensive line coach with stops at Arkansas State, Ole Miss, Louisiana Tech, Miami, South Carolina and Kentucky.  At Miami, Petri will take over a defensive unit that returns 11 players with significant playing experience, including 2009 first team All-ACC performer Allen "Manimal" Bailey.

We predict singnificant improvements along the DL for Miami in Petri's first season.  If so, the Hurricane defense may turn into a force to be reckoned with and feared once again. 

Yeah, we like that idea!

So You Want To Play In The NFLU?

You are a high school football recruit and you are sitting around somewhere wondering where to attend college.  The in-home visits from coaches from all across the Country are over.   Your official on-campus visits have all been completed and now it is time to decide what you are looking for in a University.

Looking for some NFL first round draft choices?  Yeah, the University of Miami has those in bunches.  

Want some NFL Pro-Bowl players to convince you?  "The U" counts them in double digits.

Need some future NFL Hall of Famers?  Yeah, we have a few of those from "The U" too.

With the Pro Bowl just around the corner, we know that you must be asking yourself: "How many players from the University of Miami will appear in the 2010 Pro Bowl? " If you answered 10 then you would be correct! 

Here they are, all from The U, and in all of their glory:

RB Frank Gore, San Fancisco 49ers

WR Andre Johnson, Houstan Texans

LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens

OL Bryant McKinnie, Minnesota Vikings

S Brandon Merriweather, New England Patriots

S Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens

S Antrel Rolle, Arizona Cardinals

LB Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans Saints

WR Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts

DL Vince Wilfork, New England Patriots

In case you were wondering, yes, it is a fact that the University of Miami will have the largest number of players in the Pro Bowl.  By far.  No questions asked.  Six on defense, four on offense, ten players total.

The only question for the next season of recruits at "The U" is: "Who is next?"

Since 1980, the history, tradition and success of the Miami Hurricanes football team remains unmatched by any other team in modern times.  The record for consecutive years with a first round pick (14 years spanning from 1994 to 2008), the most first round picks in any one year (6 in 2004) and the most players overall in the NFLU all belong to the University of Miami.

If you want to be the best, you have to join the best. 

You want to be part of "The U".

Note: NFLU logos courtesy of: http://www.procanes.com/

Riddle Me This

This article was written for Canespace by blogger "Loco"...

It’s no longer football season and since the UM basketball team has once again "fallen and can't get up" against ACC competition it must be it’s time to talk about recruiting.  What else is a Miami fan to do in the middle of a "Nuclear Winter"?

After the Champs Bowl game, there were unconfirmed reports that "the sky is falling" as far south as Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. 

Here at the ‘Space, which is unaffected by anything falling due to its weightless nature, we are focused on anything that will "lift everybody’s spirits"!

OK, that’s enough of the stupid puns and one-liners, since they aren’t funny anyway.  We’re going to play a game called “guess which blogger the quote is referring to.” We’re also going to play “find a shorter name for this game”, but that’s another story.

First off, here are some rules:

1.    There will be a well-known* movie/TV quote or music lyric, followed by the movie/show/song/artist

2.    Each quote is pertaining to how I feel most bloggers may think of a particular longtime or well-known blogger when they see their name or what they’ve written.

3.    It is also possible that a quote pertains to something a blogger would say, or what you may say in response to them.

4.    This is a free response, fill in the blank kind of deal

5.    Quotes may be altered slightly for use, but the majority of it will be there. Sometimes there is a little more of the quote than necessary, for the fun of it

6.    All of these are in good fun, so don’t get offended if you feel like one pertains to you (because chances are it may) or if other bloggers guess that it may pertain to you

7.    If you and the others don’t think one pertains to you, it may not.  It is not easy get quotes for everybody, and they don’t pay me enough to spend THAT much time :-P

8.    There isn’t one for me, so feel free to make one up for me

 

*Well-known means known by me.  And has been shown or played nationally at some point (though I’ll be honest, most quotes should be fairly well known as most shows/movies/songs are).

 

“Behold, the Everlasting Know-it-all!”   - Spaceballs

 

“What you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought.   Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.  I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul” – Billy Madison

 

“Facts are meaningless!  You could use facts to prove anything that’s remotely true! – The Simpsons

 

“Ring of Honor?  Who said anything about Ring of Honor?  Ring of Honor?” – Jim Mora Sr.

 

“What is a horse shoe?  What does a horseshoe do?  Are there any horse socks?  Is anybody even listening to me?”  - Billy Madison

 

“No blog for you! You come back in one year!” – Seinfeld

 

“Must read ___’s [post], can’t get distracted. Hmm, Distracted, that’s a funny word. 

Does anybody ever get tracted?”  - The Simpson’s

 

 “Nobody can get the truth out of me because even I don’t know what it is.  I keep

myself in a constant state of utter confusion” – M*A*S*H

 

“Save a horse, ride a cowboy” – Big N Rich

 

“Your questions have become more redundant and annoying than the last three Highlander movies” – The Simpsons

 

“Here’s to alcohol, the cause of – and solution to – all of life’s problems” – The Simpsons

 

“Candy gram for [Jacory]!” – Blazzing Saddles

 

“Check out Baby Big-Head. Dude, that thing is freaky looking!” - Juno

Canes Enjoy Some Significant Gaines

This Canespace recruiting EXCLUSIVE was written by blogger bg1906...

 

What’s up Legion? It’s your boy bg1906 here and I have a special treat for you. As many of you know, following recruiting for The U is one of my favorite past things to do, as recruiting is the life blood of any program.  So as we inch closer to National Signing Day on February 3, let's take a closer look at what is happening on the recruiting front at the University of Miami.

 

Recently, the Hurricanes got a verbal commitment from Jimmy Gaines (Canisius High School) of Buffalo, NY. Gaines, a 6-3 205 LB, with 4.5 speed, was gracious enough to spend a little time with me Sunday evening for an interview to talk about his experience in becoming a Miami Hurricane.

 

Jimmy was a real gentleman and seems like he has a very good head on shoulders. He’s a yes sir, no sir type of kid, though I told him to PLEASE not call me sir as I’d like to think I’m still to young to be a sir to anyone!  At any rate, without further adieu, here is my interview with Canes commit Jimmy Gaines.

 

Q: Congrats on becoming a Cane. Just to give you a little bit about Canespace, we are a fan run blog site, "For the fans, by the fans."  We appreciate you taking your time to give us an interview.

 

A: No Problem

 

Q: So, you are from Buffalo, New York. Buffalo seems to be a town crazy about football. Have you grown up in Buffalo your entire life and how did you get started playing football?

 

A: Oh yeah, I was born and raised in Buffalo. I started playing when I was 6 years old on my little league North Buffalo team and I never stopped.

 

Q: A lot of Miami fans believe that football is only played in South Florida, or they believe that the recruiting end all be all are the recruiting sites like Rivals, Scout, and Inside The U. With you coming from New York, and not known as much on the national scene, how did Miami coaches hear about you, and what was your reaction to them showing you interest?

 

A: Well actually I sent my highlight tape everywhere, but The U got it 2 weeks ago.  They happened to like me and decided to come up and see me. When my coach told me that one of the coaches (Coach Lovett) was coming to see me, I couldn't believe it but when he came, I was surprised and excited.

 

Q: So when did they extend the offer for you to come and visit?

 

A: Monday last week, it was so short notice that my parents didn't know if they would be able to make it, but it all worked out.

 

Comment (bg1906): Thanks goodness! Opportunity sometimes only knocks once!

 

Q: What were your thoughts and expectations when you found out you were visiting Miami?

 

A: I was really excited; I had never been to Miami before, let alone Florida.

 

Q: You were initially committed to Turner Gill and Buffalo, how did that situation turn into you being interested in Miami?

 

A: It (University of Buffalo) is definitely a great place, but once Coach Gill and the staff left, I was really unsure about UB. Once Miami contacted me, it was all she wrote.

 

Q: What other schools showed interest after receiving your tapes?

 

A: University of Arkansas was the only other school.

 

Q: What players did you get a chance to hang with, and did you have a good time in the 305?

 

A: Well my host was JoJo Nicolas, but I met so many of the guys that I cant really remember their names. The 305 is amazing, I loved it down there. I am very excited to get back there.

 

Q: Did coaches discuss with you your future role on the team?

 

A: Not really, they just told me that i would have a chance to compete for a job, and that is all I want.

 

Q: What are your goals and aspirations for yourself during your time at Miami?

 

A: I want to win a national championship, and I want to represent my family and Buffalo by being the best that I can be.

 

Q: Did you get a chance to meet with and talk to Coach Shannon? Were your parents excited too? I'm sure they had lots of questions.

 

A: Yeah he is a good guy and my parents were very excited. They asked a whole lot of questions.

 

Q: Did you receive any post-season awards or recognition after your high school season?

 

A: Yes. I was 1st Team All-Western New York, and 2nd Team All State.

 

Comment (bg1906): Congrats!

 

Q: Last question, anything you want to say the Canespace.com crew affectionately known as The Legion, and the thousands Canes fans out there?

 

A: If you live up north and live in Buffalo and you want to play football, you need go to Canisius. Coach Brandon Harris did so much for the program there and changed my whole outlook on playing college football.

 

Comment (bg1906): Well we are glad to have you here. Thanks again Jimmy. We appreciate you giving us some time to talk with you on this big day in your life. Take care and congrats again. Welcome to "The U" family and good luck!

 

-bg1906

C.C.M.J.T.K.O

East Meets West

Yesterday at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando East met West as The Shriners hosted their annual regional All-Star game in Central Florida.  The weather was beautiful, the game was fun, the Shriners are good people, wish you were here.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot: The East beat the West 13-10.

Since I know that you don't really care about the score or who "won" what do you say we just stick to the pictures of the event?  OK, I thought so!

The goal of the event is to basically gather some potentially draftable college players and have them show the NFL scouts what they can do without getting anyone injured.  In that sense the game was successful and a good time was had by all both on the field and in the stands, especially the Shriners.

The annual charity event to raise money for the Shriners Children's Hospitals across the Country has been held since 1925.  Many famous NFL players have played in this game and on hand to be honored were Shriner Hall of Famers former San Diego Chargers TE Kellen Winslow Sr. and former Miami Dolphin FB Larry Csonka.  World famous musician Kenny G played a heart warming National Anthem before the game and gave a halftime concert to the delight of the relatively small crowd at the event.

The 2010 version of the East-West Shrine game turned out to be a predictably boring affair punctated by three field goals and two touchdowns.  Yawn. 

University of Miami players Javaris James and AJ Trump (both seen above) represented the Hurricanes at the event.  Both are hoping to get selected in the NFL draft somewhere in the middle rounds. 

James was particularly impressive during the practices leading up to the game.  James was enjoying the experience and was kind enough to throw up "The U" for Canes fans in the stands (me included).  Below you can see that James was feeling cocky enough about himself to talk some trash to the West defense during a timeout.  It was all in good fun on this charitable day.

Trump played center for the East for the majority of the snaps and had a solid game that included a huge block in the open field that sprung the East RB for a big gain on a screen pass.  In the photo below you can see Trump's U helmet along the offensive line with AJ at Center and JJ lined up at running back.

The best part about the game was that they sold reasonably priced beer during the event.  I met some Canes fans in the stands and gave out a bunch of Canespace cards to some.  Many already knew about Canespace, imagine that?  I watched the game, bought a program, made a donation to the Shriners and left with this photo (that's me at L) and some nice memories.

See you next year, same time, same place, for the same event!

Show Me The Money: Part I

True or False: College football is big business?

If you answered false you are an idiot. 

If you answered true, then congratulations, you have been paying attention.

And by paying attention you already know that if are looking for the sweet spot in college football then being a Head Coach is the place you want to be.  Nothing screams out: "SHOW ME THE MONEY!" louder than being a successful head coach in today's ever competitive NCAA environment. 

So let's take an in-depth and serious look at the BIG business that is college football.  Here are the highest paid head coaches in the NCAA...wait, wait, wait, hold on.  What do you say if we first look at what various Universities spend and generate for their athletic departments? 

OK,I'm glad you agree.  Here they are ranked by revenue for your viewing pleasure:

Alabama: Revenue: 123M / Expenses: 123M

Texas: Revenue 120M / Expenses: 110M

Ohio State University: Revenue 115M / Expenses 114M

Florida: Revenue 106M / Expenses 98M 

Oklahoma: Revenue 77M / Expenses 76M 

FSU: Revenue 73M / Expenses 65M

Now lets look at the less fortunate and how they compete:

UCF: Revenue 39M / Expenses 38M

USF: Reveniue 35M / Expenses 33M

Private institutions like Miami and Notre Dame are not required to report their financial data. 

But we will get to what they pay their coaches very soon.  Stay tuned...

We Will Remember U

This article was written for Canespace by Randy Bradley (RandyCane)...

We all know many of the more famous or more recent names.  Players like Mira, Hendricks, Kelly, Kosar, Testaverde, Irvin, Toretta, Barrow.  Coaches named Schnellenberger and Johnson.

Yet, how many die hard Canes fans know what former Miami Head coach, now in the UM  Hall of Fame , was also the Head Coach at Virginia Tech for four years?  How many of us know who the “Gator Hater,” was? And what are his connections to the U? 

We all know who three time All-American Ted Hendricks is but how many of us know who two-time All American Bill Miller is?  What is their connection to the Gator Hater?  How many of us are familiar with the U’s thrilling win in the 1946 Orange Bowl, a game won by the U on a 89 yard interception return for a touchdown as time expired. 

Who is Don James and what is his connection with two different National Champions, in the same year and the same sport?  Who knows who were the first father-son combo to play for the Canes and what did they accomplish?  Both are now in the U’s Hall of fame.  Who scored three touchdowns in the U’s first ever win over the hated Gators? What football star organized and coached the U’s first baseball team?

All these answers and more can be found at the Tom Kearns Sports Hall of Fame located on the Coral Gables campus next door to the Hecht Athletic center.  The Kearns Hall of Fame was started by it’s namesake in order to preserve the memorabilia and the memory of the great athletic accomplishments of UM administrators, coaches and athletes while at the University of Miami.

You will find over 80 years of Hurricane sports for ever enshrined in the U’s Hall of Fame.  Many current Hurricane fans will be surprised at the number of All Americans the U developed not only in football but in other sports as well.  Equally surprising are the many bowl games that have been participated in and the outstanding play by Hurricane athletes who played in those games.  

Miami’s 1950 team finished the season undefeated only to lose to Clemson in the Orange Bowl by a 15-14 score,  Miami got revenge in the 1951 Gator Bowl by upsetting highly ranked Clemson 14-0 (when playing in the Gator Bowl meant something!).  How  many of us knew this was the first back to back bowl game appearances for the U.

How many of us know what the ‘Seminole War Canoe’ symbolizes for the Canes and Gators?  When the Canes and Gators played annually (what a concept!) it was the trophy claimed by the winning team.

Other great athletes in Basketball such as Rick Barry, Wayne Beckner and Dick Hickox are enshrined in the Hall.  Baseball greats like Mike Pagliarulo and Rick Rather are enshrined (Yankees) .  You can view the Sears Trophies, two Heismans, won by Testaverde and Toretta, and all of the Bowl trophies. 

There are histories on all the storied Hurricane teams and individual stars, both men and women who will be forever remembered on the Hurricane athletic stage. Men and women athletes in Tennis, diving and Track and field are memorialized in the Hall, preserving a rich athletic tradition.

The Hall of Fame although affiliated with the University of Miami, is an independent, not for profit organization and survives on donations and fund raising activities.  For Hurricane fans young and old, It is a must visit. It is a time to remember and celebrate the past and to look forward to the future.

What was especially interesting to me while doing the research for this article was that, I discovered  my next door neighbor while growing up in Miami, has been elected to the Hall in this years class (2010) .  Jim Cox played his high school ball at Christopher Columbus In Miami and played for the Canes  from 65-67. He later went on to play TE for the Dolphins.

I will always remember the catch and long run for a touchdown that he made in a thrilling 28-21 win over visiting LSU when he played for the Canes.  I will also remember some great backyard games we had in those days too.

To Tom Kearns and the Hall of Fame Directors: Thanks for the Memories.  We will remember U!

Trivia Answers:

Andy Gustafson coached four years at Virginia Tech.  He was 22-13-1 at Va. Tech and 93-65-3 at the U. He was also the longest tenured coach at the U, coaching for 16 years.

Walt Kichefski, played from 37-39, drafted by the Steelers, coached D-Line at the U, interim Head Coach and Athletic Director and coached both Bill Miller and Ted Hendricks and others who went on to become All Americans at the U and are now in the Hall of Fame.  He became known as: "The Gator Hater.”

Bill Miller, two time All American receiver at the U, was drafted by and played for the Raiders and played in a Super Bowl with the Raiders

The Orange Bowl originally known as the Palm Bowl and called Burdines Stadium, provided a thrilling finish in 1946 when University of Miami defensive -back, Al Hudson, intercepted a pass on the last play of the game and returned it 89 yards for the winning score. That team coached by Jack Harding finished 9-1-1.

Miami’s 1956 team was invited to play in the Sugar Bowl but couldn’t participate because of probation. They finished 6th in both polls.

Eddie Dunn and his two sons played for the Canes. Eddie Dunn (seen above) scored three touchdowns in UM’s first ever win over the Gators in 1938. Eddie Dunn also organized and coached the first baseball team at the U in 1946.  Was HC in 43 and 44, inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2009 and also served on the Board of Trustees.  Eddie and his son, Gary (seen below) are both in the U’s Hall of Fame.  Gary Dunn played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Don James a Hurricane great at QB and Hurricane Alumni, was Head Coach of the Washington Huskies who shared a National Title with the Canes in 1991.  He also coached at FSU. Michigan, Colorado and Kent State. Inducted into Iron Arrow and won other academic honors at the U .

By The Numbers: 2009 Season Statistics

This blog was written for Canespace by Michael Bradley (MiamiMike01)...

In a year of ups and downs, peaks and valleys and games of feast and famine, this is how our beloved Canes stacked up against the competition in the NCAA and against our ACC brethren.

Miami finished 9-4 overall, 5-3 in the Coastal Division, good enough for third. That third place finish earned a Champs Sports Bowl birth. The Hurricanes finished 19th in both the AP and USA Today polls. All in all it was a slightly disappointing finish for a season that started with so much promise.

Let’s start with what sells tickets and puts the fans in the stands: offense. Sophomore QB Jacory Harris threw for 3352 yards (third ACC, 15th NCAA), with a passer rating of 140.1 (fourth ACC, 30th NCAA). He completed 242 passes out of 406 attempts for a completion percentage of 59.6 while throwing 24 touchdowns (third ACC) and 17 interceptions.

Miami’s rushing attack was steered by Graig Cooper and Damien Berry (both seen above at L signing autographs at the Spring Game that Berry dominated).  Cooper finished the season with 695 YDS and 4 TD’s for an average of 57.9 per game, good enough for ninth in the ACC. Berry accumulated 616 yards and eight TD’s, with an average of 47.4 per game. The overall rushing attack was ranked fifth in the ACC and 70th nationally.

The wide receiver position is perhaps UM’s deepest position. The ball was effectively spread around all season, with every eligible pass catcher except Davon Johnson catching a pass. Junior Leonard Hankerson led the team in every receiving category. His 45 catches, 801 yards and six TD catches are all career highs. His return for his Senior year will benefit the Hurricanes tremendously.  Laron Byrd (seen at R) finished with 33 catches for 460 yards and a TD. Travis Benjamin collected 29 passes, for 501 yards and four TD’s.

Unfortunately the offensive line was one of the biggest disappointments of the season.  Miami’s OL allowed 35 sacks this season. That ranks 100th in the NCAA. Also, Miami allowed 75 negative yardage plays, tied for 60th nationally.

Now let’s shift our attention to what wins championships: defense and special teams.  The Hurricanes finished 29th (NCAA) in total defense (fifth ACC) giving up 329.6 yards per game. The Hurricanes’ rushing defense allowed 122.3 yards per game (third ACC, 32nd NCAA). Miami’s passing defense gave up 207.3 yards per game, good enough for fifth ACC and 43rd in the NCAA. Scoring defense surrendered an average of 22.2 points per game (fifth ACC, 37th nationally).

UM LB Daryl Sharpton finished the season tied for fourth in the ACC with 106 total tackles. Junior LB Colin McCarthy stockpiled 95 tackles (ninth ACC).  Sophomore DB Brandon Harris finished first in the ACC with 15 pass break-ups, averaging a little over one per game.  He also intercepted two passes. Allen Bailey had seven sacks (fourth ACC) and Marcus Robinson earned four sacks (t-16th ACC). Allen Bailey and Colin McCarthy each amassed 11 TFL (t-10th ACC).

Miami Junior kicker Matt Bosher (seen above with OcalaCane) made 14 of 16 FG ATT (third ACC). He also made 50 of 50 extra point attempts (first ACC).  Bosher punted 51 times for an average of 42.5 yards per punt, good enough to be ranked second in the ACC. 

Miami’s kick return unit was led by Cooper and Mike James, with Cooper having 26 returns for 582 yards, a 22.4 average. James had 19 returns for 404 yards, a 21.3 yard average. Thearon Collier had 12 punt returns for 158 yards and returned two for touchdowns.

In conclusion, let’s see how the Hurricanes improved from 2008 to 2009 (all rankings are national). Passing offense improved greatly, going from 77th to 30th. Rushing offense saw a minor gain and went from 78th to 70th. Total offense also reflected the improvement under new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, bouncing from 89th to 45th. All offensive categories from 2009 were an improvement over 2008.

Defensive passing efficiency stayed about the same dropping one spot from 45th to 46th, rushing defense improved from 76th to 32, total defense (yards/game) went from 28th to 29th, and scoring defense jumped from 56th to 37th, another significant improvement over the 2008 statistics.

While Miami didn't finish the season like we all would have liked, there's still reason for optimism around Coral Gables. Shannon (seen here with Canespace blogger 404Cane) will enter his fourth year as Head Coach at Miami with a roster full of his own players and maybe a leader or two he can call rely on to motivate the team. 

Offensive Coordinator Mark Whipple and Defensive Coordinator John Lovett will both be entering their second year at Miami.  It will be their job to improve the skills and strengths of the players on the UM roster while coaching the players to run their respective schemes on offense and defense.

Oh, and remember that #1 recruiting class from 2008?  Yeah, that one.  All of those players will be entering their third year in the program, many of those will be second or third year starters. The roster has been balanced and the depth has also been replenished behind the starters.  It is now time to perform on the field.

Despite the negatives (losing the bowl game, J12's surgery, Cooper's knee and Forston's injuries), I expect the 2010 edition of the Miami Hurricanes to be even better and more explosive on offense. The defense has grown up and there are no more excuses. Bosher is among the elite kickers in the NCAA and I expect his play to garner All-American status.

Look for no less than an ACC Championship Game appearance, which would mark Miami's first. UNC, VT, and FSU are at home. Winning the ACC and returning to a BCS bowl game should be the goal.

Anything less is well, simply unacceptable.

The following sites were used to gather information for this article:

http://web1.ncaa.org/football/exec/rankingSummary?org=415&year=2009&week=19

http://web1.ncaa.org/football/exec/rankingSummary?org=415&year=2008&week=19

http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2009-2010/teamcume.html

http://www.ncaa.com/statistics/index.html

http://espn.go.com/college-football/