Duper, Hankerson Are Proof That Coaching Matters

Many Hurricane fans recently made a big commotion over the fact that UM WR Leonard Hankerson is getting all "coached up" by former Miami Dolphin WR and NFL superstar Mark Duper.  

In case you weren't around or simply don't remember, Duper was Dan Marino's favorite target back in the day for the Dolphins, accounting for 64 NFL touchdowns during his career. 

Here is a video flashback for your viewing pleasure for all of you 'Fins fans:

Hankerson (seen below with Canespacers at the team hotel prior to the 2009 FSU game) actually started working with the former Dolphins WR last year before the 2009 season.  The results were immediately evident.

Hankerson went from being just another receiver on the team in 2008 with just 11 catches for 140 yards and 2 TDs to being the Hurricanes leading WR and Jacory Harris' favorite target with 45 catches for 801 yards and 6 TDs in 2009. 

During that time Hankerson overcame an acute case of the "dropsies" that was so severe that it even rivaled former UM WR Lance "quick everybody duck" Leggett.  Last season the suddenly reliable and sure-handed Hankerson put those demons to rest once and for all.

Still, some fans were so excited and intrigued by the concepts included in the training sessions that they recently posted links to the videos on YouTube showing the specific techniques and drills that Duper had Hankerson performing.  The videos showed one drill in particular that is focused on improving eye-hand coordination. 

The drill involves a Duper assistant kneeling next to a couple dozen baseballs and tossing two balls at the same time directly at Hankerson from about 10-15 feet away.  The tosses are constantly varied in height and direction (high/low and wide/inside) so that catches must be made in different locations by each hand on each throw. 

Thus, the eyes must focus on both of the balls at the same time to allow the hands to act independently to catch the balls during the drill.  The goal is to snatch the balls out of the air quickly and without dropping any.  This requires a quick reaction and very accurate and agile eye-hand coordination. 

Hankerson consistently performs the drill very well.  Duper, not so much.  During the video the assistant tosses several balls at Duper who stops him and say, "Whoa!  That's not easy.  You ever try that?"

What is undeniable is that the significant improvement in Hankerson's performance between 2008 and 2009 is solid evidence that proves without a doubt that coaching does matter.

In fact, one could argue that in the case of Leonard Hankerson it made all the difference in the world.

Comments

[solarcane]

boink

[CanesFanStuckInCali]

FIRST!!!!!!!!

[SOUP]

DOINK

[CanesFanStuckInCali]

Nice one Solar!

[SOUP]

Cali...U got it! Solar doesn't count. Never has never will. LOL

[SOUP]

Solar...got your voice mail. I will call tomorrow around lunch time to finalize plans for the WYPT trip.

[solarcane]

canesfan you are first, nice shot

I just empty the trash and mop up around here

Ok soup I'll email you the easiest route in tomorrow also.

I'm going nuts for the trip

[windy1]

I met Duper and had a long talk with him about Hank. I was very impressed by Duper, and I hope more young WRs listen to what he has to say. Duper emphasized that the extra practice and extra reps are the key to success.

I think Duper lives in Jacksonville, but I am glad he took the trip down to S. Fla. to make sure that Hankerson took his extra reps and improved over the summer. Based on what I have seen at Spring practice, I expect Hankerson, Travis Benjamin and sfew other WRs to have GREAT years and get drafted to the NFL.

[SinisterCane]

2nd

[solarcane]

aight I'll catch you guys tomorrow

[CanesFanStuckInCali]

CaneSpace is the best space! GO CANES!!!

[raizecane]

Nice to see SH is coming our way......sweeeetttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!

['87 Canes]

Can "U" say Seantrel to the "U" baby !!!!!!!

HOW BOUT DEM CANES !!!!!!

[CanesFanStuckInCali]

Great article BTW.. really enjoyed watching Duper and Marino's tremendous quick strike! Watching all the Duper/Hank training vids right now.

GO CANES!!!

[canesteeler]

Nice article on how small simple drills can make a difference

[nobody]

Haven't read the blog lately, so maybe this has been discussed, but someone I know talked to Duper a few weeks ago. Duper told him that Marino has agreed to work with Jacory a bit this summer. Not sure if it has has happened yet, but obviously only good things could come from that.

[CanesFanStuckInCali]

Posted by: nobody | July 09, 2010 at 11:50 PM

That would be awesome... unless Marino is secretly acting as a Pitt spy trying to steal Canes secrets or sabotage Jacory by giving him bad advice before our game against his alma mater!

If Marino starts giving Jacory tips like "throw with your left hand every now and then to keep the defense guessing," or "try throwing with your eyes closed; i did it all the time," then we've got a problem!

GO CANES!!!

[nobody]

That was my first thought, but then I was thinking, Dan has no love for Wannstedt, so maybe this is to get back at Mustache Dave.

[raizecane]

Are we first in announcing SH is coming to Miami after it has been made offical?? where is everyone, at the bar?

[zarokon]

Raizecane...

its everywhere...

[SJMPARMAN]

What an unbelievable night for Miami sports. We get the trifecta, but, and I don't mean to diss those NBA guys but getting Seantrel is freaking ridiculous. I am a 12-0 right now for 2011, and a 11-1 for this year. God looks out for the good guys and Randy, that is you!!! And God Bless all of you who devote your time to this site and believe in Miami football. Tonight, that prayer was answered.

[CaneSawMassacre]

I love the ESPN Bias towards Miami..

They all suck at Lebron's teet for weeks, then when he announces he wants to play with friends for championships for LESS MONEY.. He is a pariah on ESPN>> >

Bill simmons one of my favorite writers is being a biased HOMER TURD>>I generally like Bill only because of his satire and his movie/TV references to sports. He is witty and funny usually as he writes.

His hatred for the trio has been pure garbage because HIS CELTICS TEAM CREATED THE BLUEPRINT.. That this team followed, only this team is in their prime…

HMM but it was ok for the celtics.. He said the alpha dogs of Wade/Lebron could not work…

But didn’t mention similar talk of Garnett/Perice/Allen..

He said that Jordan would have never left his city to team with Wade..
1. He didn’t have to, he had Pippen/H.Grant/Kukok/Rodmen and GREAT ROLE PLAYERS
2. He then diminishes what his Celtics team did because Garnett should have stayed in Minnesota and toiled in obscurity. Allen should have kept his 3 point act in Seattle….

BUT Bill Simmons has loved watching his Celtics win and be a good team again.. And loved hating the Lakers..

Which brings me to another hyprcritical fact..

He mentions Kobe wouldn’t have wanted to play with Wade, he is a competitor Lebron has proven he is not
1. Where is his USUAL ANTI-Kobe bias, I mean he is stepping on bordeline insanity by saying. Kobe wanted to stay and stick it out as alpha dog
2. Kobe BEGGED, I mean demanded a trade if LA could not get great players
3. Kobe won with Shaq… Then without he was the quintessential first round playoff exit star. When he b*tched and moaned, and MEMPHIS handed L.A. an All=Star big man in Pau Gasol to the Lakers for free, in what Many including Bill Simmons considered an almost blasphemous trade. He stated D.Stern should reject the trade because it was unethical…
4. Kobe now with 2 more championships has had the MOST STACKED TEAM from 1-9 in the country.. Everybody knows this. BUT Kobe doesn’t need talent LMAO!!

Worst of all, Bill tried to compare this situation to the 97 Rockerts.. WTF Bill you lost all credibility and you were my favorite BIG TIME ESPN sports writer.

With Seantrel Henderson I love HOW ESPN.. Changed our overall rankings from 13 nationally to 11, not even counting Latwan Anderson, BUT they didn't downgrade at all from No.7 nationally.. LOL How does that make sense to anybody..... They justified it by saying USC had a stellar class of impact recruits who could play immediately and Seantrel is only one of a handful for Miami.. YET - How is it possible that a TOP recruit switches from one team to another and positively impacts one teams national ranking but DOES NOT DECREASE THE RANKING of the team he left????? Come'the phuck on.. Thats common sense.

IF Miami only went up two slots nationally, then OSU should have at least when down a slot or two in correspondence.

[CaneSawMassacre]

BUT they didn't downgrade USC's ranking at all from No.7 nationally..

[orange 'n green in the vein]

I don't know if this made it on to here but this is from Maisel's 3-point stance yesterday re: The Big Get;

"2. Has there been a recruit as talented and pursued as offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson who popped onto the market this late? I’m betting that Henderson signs with a coach who treated his initial decision to go to USC with respect. I’m betting that coach wished him luck and never badmouthed him. Henderson’s decision on a Plan B school will be de facto evidence of a classy staff."

[autumn]

wow - a great article; enjoyed the videos.
from you soup?

and some of the first comments were pretty funny too:
"boink", "doink", "I just empty the trash and mop up around here"

good way to start the day.

[usagainstheworld]

great article-- who wrote it? why does hankerson need duper if we have aubrey hill? isn't hill his coach? hell let's make duper the coach! just sayin. . .

[CaneSniper]

Nice comments by Maisel in that OGV post

[autumn]

"On Udonis Haslem, Riley said, ``I have a very good feeling we're going to be able to do something to have U.D. consider.''

now that would be cool

haslem = favorite gator

[WindyCane1]

great article-- who wrote it? why does hankerson need duper if we have aubrey hill? isn't hill his coach? hell let's make duper the coach! just sayin. . .

Posted by: usagainstheworld | July 10, 2010 at 07:06 AM

College coaches and practice time is extremely limited and regulated by the NCAA. Duper's point is that it is up to the player to put in the extra work after practice and during the off-season.

[OCALACANE]

Sup SpaceCadets?

Soup...
Havin major cell phone malfunctions...
my touch screen is workin intermittently.
ring me when U can.
Solar...

I'm psyched!!!

Of to work the girls softball state championships here in the 352...

WE GOT SOME CANES OVER HERE!!!

[usagainstheworld]

great article-- who wrote it? why does hankerson need duper if we have aubrey hill? isn't hill his coach? hell let's make duper the coach! just sayin. . .

Posted by: usagainstheworld | July 10, 2010 at 07:06 AM

College coaches and practice time is extremely limited and regulated by the NCAA. Duper's point is that it is up to the player to put in the extra work after practice and during the off-season.

Posted by: WindyCane1 | July 10, 2010 at 08:50 AM

good catch windycane1 (pun intented).

[SOUP]

Are we first in announcing SH is coming to Miami after it has been made offical?? where is everyone, at the bar?

Posted by: raizecane | July 10, 2010 at 12:50 AM

It was posted on the blog at 3:13 PM yesterday by Al. We were FIRST!

[SOUP]

I wrote the article, When U do not see a tag line stating somebody else wrote it then you can always blame it on me. ;-)

[SOUP]

Nice article on how small simple drills can make a difference

Posted by: canesteeler | July 09, 2010 at 11:41 PM

Rule #7: It's the LITTLE things that always make a BIG difference.

[SOUP]

"Hankerson went from being just another receiver on the team in 2008 with just 11 catches for 140 yards and 2 TDs to being the Hurricanes leading WR and Jacory Harris' favorite target with 45 catches for 801 yards and 6 TDs in 2009."

I'm jus sayin'...

[SOUP]

by: Shandel Richardson July 9th, 2010 | 6:59 PM

Just got off the phone with Seantrel Henderson’s father, Sean.

He said his son will arrive on campus Aug. 3, two days before the start of preseason camp. There has been talk of Seantrel Henderson being out of shape after picking up about 30 pounds in the offseason. His father said Seantrel added the weight after basketball season ended, but has continued working out. They don’t expect it to be a problem.

Henderson has communicated solely with offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. There has been no contact with coach Randy Shannon.

“They seem pretty happy about it,” Sean Henderson said.

[IraqiCane]

Another awesome Canes clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcI4qVCu-t0&NR=1

GO CANES!!!

[SOUP]

FROM BARRY JACKSON AT THE MIAMI HERALD:

Sean Henderson said he called Stoutland on Thursday and was told that UM was still interested in offering his son a scholarship. Henderson accepted.

Henderson said his son is eligible to play this season and has been cleared academically. But Henderson still must go through the admissions process.

Seantrel Henderson on Friday changed his Facebook profile picture to a Miami logo. ``It's all about The U,'' Henderson wrote.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/09/1723731/henderson-will-enroll-at-miami.html#ixzz0tI2ywJPw

[canesteeler]

Iraqui Cane good video. I got a list of demands for 2010 "ACC Champions!

[Hurri']

For all the worrying we (me) did about #12's arm or hand, he very easily lofted that ball 45yds in the air to Hank.......after double-clutching it.

I'm certain that game was post-injury.

[phillyscott]

damn....no offense, but to hell with lebron.....the real news is we got seantrell!

[Hurri']

Marino's release.........

SIGH.

[IraqiCane]

Setting up for the perfect STORM!!!

2010 Miami Hurricanes Preview of the Season (a look back)

From canephin30 on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X31iR4bDCF0&feature=related

GO CANES!!!

[SOUP]

HANKERSON/DUPER VIDEO #8:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVk5z4H_9E8

[CanesFanStuckInCali]

From Marcus Forston's Twitter:

forston99
Gm just finish 7on7
about 2 hours ago via HTC Peep
Retweeted by DVanDyke8 and 1 other

BWash also posted something similar a couple of days ago.

Good to know our boys, especially our OL, are putting in voluntary extra hours during the offseason.

GO CANES!!!

[JUST CANE]

How funny would it be if everyone transferred from USC to Tennessee???

[CanesFanStuckInCali]

NCAA 11 Canes team entrance to the field:

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

Looks amazing!!!

GO CANES!!!!!!

[Esteban]

Just Cane, 1 so far. Curious to see if any others do that.

[Esteban]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2qqgmY9LDk

the special teams preview i put up.

[Hurri']

That entrance looks dope.

But EA left out the 30,000 or so empty seats.