Canespace

Wesley Dismissed From Team; Collier, Futch May Face Suspensions, Other Disciplinary Actions

The rules according to Randy Shannon are serious but simple really:

1. Nothing good happens after midnight.
2. Go to class and get good grades.
3. Treat yourself and others with respect.
4. Do NOT get arrested or carry a firearm.

If you want to play for the University of Miami you have to be a good student. To be a good student you have to attend and pass your classes. 

Orientation To UM Football 101: Go to class, follow the rules, study hard, practice hard, play harder and good things are bound to happen to you at UM.

Then, after four years on campus, you should have your college degree and a bright future ahead of you in the NFLU or in the real world of business if your talent does not take you that far.

In fact, the Hurricanes have done so well in the classroom under Shannon that they were selected along with Notre Dame for the prestigious AFCA 2009 Award for academic excellence:

The University of Miami and University of Notre Dame will share the American Football Coaches Association's 2009 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. Miami and Notre Dame recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its freshman football student-athlete class of 2002. This is the eighth honor for Notre Dame and the first for Miami since the award's inception.

This year's award marks the second time the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formula has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007 the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and AFCA.

The Academic Achievement Award was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997 the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.

So if you want to play for Randy Shannon you have to be a good student, good citizen and graduate.

Sounds simple right?  Sounds like common sense, correct?  Certainly all 85 smart and talented student-athletes on football scholarships at the University Miami could get that. 

Well not so fast my friend!  Apparently, some players at Miami may have the brawn but not  enough brains under their helmets and may have issues with meeting these requirements. 

Yesterday it was reported by Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald that there were rumors swirling around the Internet that WR Thearon Collier, DE Steven Wesley and LB Jordan Futch (seen above  with one of his favorite Canespacers) may have academic problems or other issues and may face disciplinary actions from Shannon.

Read Manny's entire blog feature on the troubling situation by clicking here:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2010/07/are-thearon-collier-steven-wesley-off-the-team.html

Today the Miami Herald confirmed that Wesley has indeed been dismissed from the team for "undisclosed" reasons. 

Some believe that it is possible that the same fate could await Collier.  Collier (seen at right flashing The U) is apparently set to meet with UM coaches on Monday to review his situation.

We have learned from other sources that Collier may have already been having issues related to his academic performance and off-season conditioning before other issues are alleged to have occurred off the field.

According to one source it is believed that Jordan Futch may also be dealing with academic issues.  The source indicated that Futch was tearing it up on the practice field, but not so much in the classroom.  He may be facing a suspension for the first two games of the season against FAMU and @ Ohio State. 

With UM thin at the linebacker position and Futch a projected starter at OLB this suspension may have the biggest impact on the Hurricanes' season.

Stay tuned for breaking news and other updates as we get them.

Hurricanes On Track To Hit Broward County

Your University of Miami Hurricanes are on track to begin Fall practice on August 5 in preparation for the 2010 campaign. 

UM fans are excited about their team's potential for this season and Miami's chances of winning an ACC title (and more) this year.

If you live in or around the 954 and would like to come out and meet some of the UM players and coaches this weekend, the Hurricanes are holding a meet-and-greet event just for U.

Wet Your Pants Tour 2010: Part II

The day started out like so many other typical hot and humid Summer days in Northern Georgia.  As usual for this time of the year, the early morning fog and haze was slowly relinquishing itself to the blazing mid-July sun as it rose above the crests of the southernmost Appalachian Mountains.

The wild and scenic Chattooga River, where 40 or so adventure seekers had lost their lives over the past 40 years, growled menacingly in the valley below. 

The raft drifted slowly forward at first and then began to pick up steam as the water and the rapids foretold the tension and danger that lay ahead.

Sitting on the left side and in the back of the raft, clearly disappointed and angry after his failed first attempt at total blog control, Old Skool went back to the drawing board and was now intending to implement "Plan B" of his nefarious plot to take over Canespace.

In his lustful greed to control the Internet's most popular Hurricane sports blog, he would stop at nothing to bring the sudden and painful demise of some of the blog's principal operators.

His joyful and easy-going demeanor had changed over the first hour on the river.  He had changed into a focused and determined agent of destruction.  There was never a doubt that this was going to get ugly.

In the brief history of running the Chattooga, 28 of the forty deaths have occurred at three sites on the river: Bull Sluice (11), Woodall Shoals (10) and Five Falls (7).  On this trip we would be running two of those deadly rapids.  This is precisely where Old Skool intended to make his next, and final, moves.

Here Skool goes to work, the anger clearly etched on his face, as he dives in behind OcalaCane but to no avail, at Woodall Shoals:

 
 
In his first attempt Skool had tried to flip the raft and push SolarCane completely out and into the turbulent waters below.  Failing in his first shot at real death on the river, he was now desperate for a final and fatal conclusion to his mad yet well thought out scheme.

Entering Five Falls, Skool grows more determined than ever knowing that this is his last chance at success.  He goes all in and completely tries to first eject and then choke Ocalacane into submission:

 

 

Foiled once again, Old Skool drifted slowly back in the raft and back into anonymity on the blog to resume his rightful position.  While the criminal investigation is still pending, no charges have yet been filed.
 

Cassano Wins The Lotto

Everyone is familiar with the phrase: "It is better to be lucky than good."

And when it comes to being lucky, Mike Cassano is your man. 

Now that's not to say Cassano is not a good coach, but when it comes to being in the right place at the right time, Miami's new running backs coach could not be any luckier.  And he didn't have to drive very far to get there either! 

You see Cassano was working across town in the 305 as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at FIU for former UM player and coach Mario Cristobal when he got the call from Randy Shannon at Miami to join the Hurricanes staff.   

Fortunately for Cassano he fell into a perfect situation at UM with the Hurricanes once again on the rise to National prominence and also currently in possession of a boatload of talent for him to coach.

Just take a look (and try not to salivate) at the talent he has to work with:

• Graig Cooper*
• Damien Berry
• Lee Chambers
• Mike James
• Lamar Miller
• Storm Johnson
• Eduardo Clements
• Darion Hall

* - Returning from knee injury in the Champs Sports Bowl.

With Javaris James graduating last year and Graig Cooper returning from injury the running back position may be the most wide open and competitive of any on the team.  Here are some of the players expected to fight for carries in the crowded backfield at Miami:

Damien Berry came on strong late last year to the delight of many Hurricane fans who called for him to play at games and on the Internet message boards, chat rooms and blogs.  The big, bruising converted safety was dominant at times and his tough, straight-forward, punishing running style was a refreshing change of pace in the UM backfield.

Mike James played early and often as a true freshman in 2009.   The Central Florida (Davenport HS) product saw quality playing time at RB and returning kickoffs for the Hurricanes last season.  James is effective at picking up the blitz and at catching the ball out of the backfield.  Always solid and stout in stature, he has bulked even more during this off-season and looks to make even more of an impact in 2010.   James is another powerful, yet shifty runner who is able to gets yards after contact.

Lamar Miller is the type of speedy, elusive back not seen at "The U" since Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee left town to play in the NFLU.  Speed kills and Miller has speed to burn as he proved on the track as part of the UM 4 X 100 relay team, on the field as a red-shirt freshman on the scout team in 2009 and during Spring practice this year.  Miller (seen below in 2008 representing Miami Killian HS at the FSHAA track meet) will likely return kickoffs this year and look to get his opportunities on specially designed plays to get him the ball in space to let him work his fleet-footed magic. 

Lee Chambers is a senior RB who is expected to get more playing time this season if Cooper is not 100% ready after undergoing extensive knee surgery for the injury he suffered in the Champs Bowl in December.  Chambers has paid his dues and has shown some flashes of talent while at Miami but he may get passed by a few of the talented freshman and sophomores now roaming like hungry young lions all around the practice field in Coral Gables.

Storm Johnson:  The name says it all right?  A Miami Hurricane player with the name "Storm"?  Even Hollywood would have a hard time topping that one!  Johnson plans to storm right through the stacked and talented field of running backs now at UM and earn some serious playing time as a true freshman.  Storm may be the most talented of all backs and is certainly was as highly recruited as any on the UM roster.  Many predicted he is too good to keep on the bench and will play for The U in 2010.  Some UM fans have even selected him as their Legend of the Fall for this season and have come up with this cute little slogan: "Fear The Storm!"

If you asked Eduardo Clements who should be the starting running back at Miami in 2010 he would without hesitation say: "Eduardo Clements".  Thought to be a good candidate to red-shirt this year, Clements was recently quoted by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald as saying: "Red-shirting me would be a waste of time.  I can line up at running back or wide receiver." 

Uh, Eduardo we like your attitude and 305 swag but in case you haven't been paying attention wide receiver and running back are the two deepest positions on the team.  If Clements plays at UM in 2010 he will have done it the old fashioned way: He will have earned it.

For The Love Of The Game

This article was written for Canespace by blogger UMike

 

Ask anyone that knows me and they will tell you there isn’t much I love more than Miami Hurricane football. 

For as long as I can remember I've bled orange and green.  From watching as a child when my grandmother would yell at the TV whenever the Hurricanes were playing to cheering my beloved 'Canes on to victory at the historic Orange Bowl as an adult my love for "The U" never faded.

 

But over time, and as you grow older, you find out that there are some things you love maybe even more than the 'Canes...like children.

 

Some of you here on Canespace have meet my son in person, and to some he is just UMike’s kid, but his love for Canes football runs just as deep as mine. As a lot of you may know, he is in the process of trying out for his middle school football team and is just about a lock to make it.

 

I can’t express the joy I feel watching him play or talking to him about football. I feel closer to my son now more than ever and football is a big reason for it.

 

I have been part of the Canespace family for a few years now and I have received personal advice, legal advice, football knowledge and more on here. Whenever I have posted something non-football related, people were always eager to help out.

 

I have tried to return the favor by writing articles when I can and telling anyone who will listen about “Da Space”, but now I need to ask for a huge favor.  Plain and simple, my son’s football team needs help. 

 

The help is not just for my boy, but all the other kids busting their humps every day out there in the heat to get better. This team reminds me of our ‘Canes in a lot of ways. They are a team with a rich tradition that has recently fallen on hard times with a new coach bringing in old school discipline and hard work to turn things around.

 

 

In 1976 and 1977 the Soddy Daisy middle school team went undefeated and were HCL champs both years.  In 1984 they were the HCAC champs and the runner-up in 1987, 1992 and 1993. However in recent years there has been a steady decline as evident by the JV’s 1-7 record a year ago.

 

Not only haven’t they played like winners as of late, they also didn’t look like winners. From speaking to other parents and listing to coaches comments I learned that last year these kids played with holes in their pants, out of date helmets and on a muddy, dirty field.

 

 

The school hired Coach Ron Cox to turn this program around and I firmly believe he will. Parents like myself and the players have all bought into his system and style of play. Coach Cox is from the old school and is a disciplinarian, much like coach Shannon. He has put academics and hard work first and is doing all he can do to build these kids into winners.

 

And just like coach Cox, I believe these kids deserve more.  After all, it is the kids’ fault they live in a small town with limited revenue or that the economy has caused a lot of budget cuts? These kids love football and their team just like we love our ‘Canes and they are putting in the work every day in practice to get better.

 

They don’t care that the field is a mess, or that the bleachers may fall apart at any moment. They don’t even care that their pants and jerseys may have holes in them.  They just want to play.  They want to play because they love football.  These kids play football for one reason and one reason only:

 

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME.

 

For that they should be rewarded. They deserve to look like winners, because they are certainly acting like winners. They deserve a nice field to play on, new and safer helmets and uniforms that don’t have holes in them.  These kids deserve our support.

 

Since the start of practice we have had a car wash, sold t–shirts and Coke-Cola products and stood outside of Wal-Mart and begged. We even spent a few hours cleaning up an old run down cemetery to help out the community. 

 

These kids did all this without hesitation, for the community, for their teammates and for their love of the game.  Although they managed to raise some money, they need more. They are trying to install a new sprinkler system, refurbish the bleachers and buy new pants, helmets and jerseys.

 

I think we can help. In fact I know we can.  

 

I know that here on Canespace we don’t always agree on a lot of things, but we can always agree on one thing: our love for football. 

 

I’m asking you to help these kids, because they deserve it. Not because they asked, but because they have earned it with their hard work and dedication.  Let's help these kids become winners again.

 

You do not have to give a lot, but I encourage you to give what you can.  Please follow the link below to donate to the Soddy Daisy middle school football program.  And, to make it easy, you can donate via PayPal, credit card, check, money order or cash. 

 

To donate, and make a difference in the lives of these kids, please visit:

 

http://www.centralvacuumplanet.com/sdms.htm

 

Thank U!

Manny Navarro Is Keeping His Eye On The U

Yesterday I had a chance to catch up with our old friend Manny Navarro from the Miami Herald.  He happened to drop by Canespace late last night (as he is known to do from time to time) and I managed to corner him for one of our most popular features: "Five Questions With Manny Navarro".

Affectionately known here as "The Mandingo" (part man, part dogged reporter), Manny has been generous of his time and shared his knowledge of all things related to your University of Miami Hurricanes here on The Space over the last three years. 

With the 2010 college football season just around the corner and Fall practice set to start soon, Navarro is now back on the Hurricane beat after covering the Florida Marlins for most of the Summer. 

After getting his fill of baseball and the struggling (below .500) Marlins, The Mandingo recently posted a flurry of feature articles on the Herald's UM blog, "Eye On The U", to prove he (much like UM) is coming back with a vengance! 

Those articles can be found here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/

Here are Manny's responses to my five questions:

Q: The Offensive Line is the primary concern for UM this year.  Who will start, who will play and who will dominate?

A: Just a preseason prediction, but here is my two deep for September 2: 

LT Orlando Franklin | Seantrel Henderson

LG Brandon Washington | Malcolm Bunche

C Tyler Horn | Brandon Linder

RG Harland Gunn | Jared Wheeler

RT Joel Figueroa | Jermaine Johnson

I know you might be surprised to see Joel Figueroa at right tackle. But I've been hearing for awhile this is a real possibility. I was told Jermaine Johnson came out ahead of Ben Jones in the spring. If he proves he's ready, he'll start at right tackle and Figueroa will slide over to right guard. But if Johnson isn't, UM will go with their best five. Eventually, I expect Henderson and Linder to make a strong push to play. Both are too talented to at least not get into the rotation.

 

Q: The Linebacker position has Hurricane fans guessing.  Will Kylan Robinson really start at MLB?  Will Colin McCarthy move to the middle?  Will Sean Spence rebound?  Will others show up?

A: All great questions without clear cut answers and a serious area for concern for Canes fan. I've been told the ball is ultimately in Kylan Robinson's court. If he can stay healthy and continue to improve, he'll win the job in the fall and keep McCarthy and Spence on the outside. Word is defensive coordinator John Lovett wants McCarthy to play the middle, but Randy Shannon would prefer to keep him outside. The biggest thing UM needs this season is for both McCarthy and Spence to remain healthy. Ramon Buchanon did a nice job last season. But it wasn't amazing. Jordan Futch is coming back from injury. Outside of that those five, UM is counting on C.J. Holton to take the next step and a bunch of freshmen to grow up fast. Obviously, the Canes can't suffer any major injuries here or we could see some guys make a position switch. Marcus Robinson, in my mind, would be the first called on to move back to linebacker.

 

Q: The WR position is locked and loaded.  Which WR excels this year for the Hurricanes?

A: It's more like who doesn't excel. Leonard Hankerson should once again be the go-to guy in the offense with Travis Benjamin the big play threat and Aldarius Johnson the guy you go to on third down. LaRon Byrd finished second on the team last year with 33 catches. But somehow, he doesn't feel like he did enough. I think if anybody breaks out with more TD catches and big plays it is him. I think we'll also see a lot more of Kendal Thompkins and Tommy Streeter than we have the first two seasons. 

 

Q: Opposite Brandon Harris who starts?  Who gets P/T?  Who should we look for as a PTP?

 

A: After Brandon Harris, the starting job is Demarcus Van Dyke's to lose. I've been hearing about how much he's improved. We'll see. After that, the nickelback job will likely go to either Brandon McGee or Ryan Hill. The way the Canes have used the nickelback spot in the past is to give it to a veteran. I could see Hill being typecast for that and McGee being pushed to be more of the deep corner like Van Dyke and Sam Shields were used last year because of their natural speed. I think the biggest development could turn out to be what happens with Jamal Reid. We know he was pushing Ray Ray Armstrong hard at safety in the spring. But Vaughn Telemaque told us Wednesday Reid has been doing great things at corner during 7 on 7 work. With Jared Campbell and Jojo Nicolas back as serviceable backups at safety, it almost makes sense to try Reid out at corner since it is a bigger need. UM could ultimately decide to just put the best guys on the field like they do on the offensive line. 

Q: We all know that Mike James will be the starting RB for the Hurricanes this year.  After James which RB do you see as making a difference in 2010? 

 

A: Good one 86! Well, ahead of Mike James, Damien Berry will probably get between 20-25 touches a game and be asked to carry the brunt of the load. Since he and James are such similar backs in terms of their running styles, I actually see redshirt freshman Lamar Miller getting more touches than James because he's a change of pace. Berry told me Wednesday Miller has looked really good being shifty and hitting holes hard with his breakaway speed. Either way, all three are pretty much entrenched to handle the bulk of the carries. Depending on what happens with Graig Cooper, I think Storm Johnson or Lee Chambers are next on the depth chart. We'll see them play sort of a Shawnbrey McNeal type role -- 5-6 carries in games that are decided before the fourth quarter. Eduardo Clements and Darion Hall probably won't get off the scout team all year. And that's a good thing. Let those guys develop and stay healthy for when Berry and Cooper are gone. 

 

That's all for this installment of "Five Questions With Navarro".  We thank Manny for his time and insights into your Miami Hurricanes. 

 

Stay tuned as Fall practice starts on August 5 and the news coming out of Coral Gables picks up over the next couple of weeks leading up to the season opener against FAMU at newly re-named Sun Life Stadium on September 2. 

When Was The Last Time That Happened?

This article was written for Canespace by RoachCane77

OK, quick answer these questions, get them all right and win a prize:

 

When was the last time UM returned a kickoff for a TD?

 

When was the last time Miami blocked a punt for a TD?

 

When was the last time a UM QB threw for 400 yards or three TDS?

 

When was the last time a UM running back ran for over 200 yards in a game?

 

Some of those answers can be found in the stats below.  Dig deep...

 

Kickoff Return For TD

By Hurricane: Devin Hester at North Carolina State, 10/23/04, 100 yards

By Opponent: C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 10/24/09, 90 yards

 

Punt Return For TD

By Hurricane: Thearon Collier vs. Virginia, 11/07/09, 60 yards, UM 52-17

By Opponent: Ricky Hall, Virginia Tech, 11/13/99, 64 yards, VT 43-10

 

Blocked Punt Return For TD

By Hurricane: Quadtrine Hill vs. North Carolina, 10/29/05, blocked by Hill

By Opponent: Bill Schautz, Virginia, 11/07/09, blocked by Trey Womack

 

Interception Return For TD

By Hurricane: Darryl Sharpton vs. Duke, 11/24/09, 73 yards, UM 34-16

By Opponent: Kendric Burney, North Carolina, 11/14/09, 77 yards, UNC 33-24

 

Fumble Return For TD

By Hurricane: Marcus Robinson vs. Clemson, 9/20/08, 10/24/09, 53 yards

By Opponent: Chris Cook, Virginia, 11/10/07, 44 yards, VA 48-0

 

Shutout at Home

By Hurricanes: vs. Florida International, 10/14/06, UM 35-0

By Opponent: vs. Virginia, 11/10/07, VA 48-0

 

Shutout On Road

By Hurricanes: at Syracuse, 11/18/00, UM 26-0

By Opponent:: at Florida State, 10/4/97, FSU 47-0

 

Blocked Punt

 By Hurricane: Richard Gordon vs. UCF, 10/11/08, UM 20-14

 By Opponent: Trey Womack, Virginia, 11/08/09, UM 52-17

 

Blocked Field Goal

By Hurricane: Thomas Carroll vs. Florida, 12/31/04, UM 27-10

By Opponent: Duane Brown, Virginia Tech, blocked 52-yard attempt, 11/4/06, VT 17-10

 

100-Yard Rushing-Game

By Hurricane: Damien Berry vs. USF, 114 yards, 12 carries, 11/28/09, UM 31-10

By Opponent: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech, 150 yards, 34 carries, 9/26/09, VT 31-7

 

200-Yard Rushing-Game

By Hurricane: Willis McGahee vs. Virginia Tech, 205 yards, 39 carries, 12/7/02

By Opponent: Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech, 204 yards, 37 carries, 10/13/07

 

300-Yard Passing-Game

By Hurricane: Jacory Harris vs. Duke, 348 yards, 11/21/09, 25 of43, UM 34-16

By Opponent: Riley Skinner, Wake Forest, 10/31/09, 349 yards, 29 of43, UM 28-27

 

400-Yard Passing-Game

By Hurricane: Ken Dorsey at West Virginia, 10/26/02, 422 yards, 22 of36

By Opponent: Luke McCown, Louisiana Tech, 10/28/00, 418 yards, 42 of72

 

100-199 Yard Receiving-Game

By Hurricane: Travis Benjamin at Florida State, 9/7/09, 128 yards, 4 receptions, UM 38-34

By Opponent: C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 10/24/09, 104 yards, 6 receptions, Clemson 40-37  

 

50+Yard Field Goal

By Hurricane: Matt Bosher vs. Clemson, 10/24/09, 51 yards, Clemson 40-37 OT

By Opponent: Dustin Hopkins, Florida State, 9/7/09, 52 yards, UM 38-34

 

Three TDs-Game

By Hurricane: Jacory Harris at Wake Forest 10/31/09, (35 pass, 2 pass, 13 pass), UM 28-27

By Opponent: Kyle Parker, Clemson, 10/24/09 (15 pass, 56 pass, 26 pass), Clemson 40-37 OT

 

Three Rushing TDs-Game

By Hurricane: Tyrone Moss vs. North Carolina, 10/29/05 

By Opponent: Reggie Merriweather, Clemson, 11/6/04 

 

Four Rushing TDs-Game

By Hurricane: Tyrone Moss vs. North Carolina, 10/29/05 (1 run, 1 run, 4 run, 15 run), UM 34-16

By Opponent: Antone Smith, Florida State, 2008, (19, 2, 5, 20), FSU 41-39

 

Four Passing TDs-Game

By Hurricane:     (5) Kyle Wright at Wake Forest, 11/12/05, (64, 11, 15, 76, 10), UM 47-17 and (4) Jacory Harris at Duke, 10/18/08

 

By Opponent:     (5) Cade McNown, UCLA, 12/5/98, (77, 7, 14, 61, 59), UM 49-45 and (5) Sam Bradford, Oklahoma, 9/8/07 

It All Starts With Stoutland

This article was written for Canespace by RoachCane77

In my opinion, the biggest reason for the University of Miami's slide from prominence and lack of a National Championship since 2001 has been weak line play, both offensively and defensively.

 

But, of the two, I think most would agree that the poor performance of the offensive line should take the brunt of the blame for our recent lack of success.

 

What separates a National Championship winning line from the also ran squads of the past few years is difficult to ascertain. Is it Coaching?  Recruiting?  Heart?  Depth?  Or is it a combination of all of these?

 

Coach Jeff Stoutland is charged with coaching up our offensive line. Stoutland spent seven seasons as the offensive line coach at Michigan State, following three years as an assistant coach at Syracuse and four years at Cornell.

 

He’s developed some excellent pro level players over the years, and in his third year as the Hurricanes OL coach, he’s probably got his most talented unit to date (especially with the recent addition of Seantrel Henderson).

 

Is Coach Stoutland up to the challenge of our Canespace band of 12%ers?  Well, we’ll know for sure if we win National Championship #6 won’t we?

 

Here’s a quick look at some past UM offensive lines, and comparisons of season point stats. Included are our 5 National Championship front lines, leading up to last year’s effort. The list includes some names from the past; some famous, and some not so much.  But ALL were responsible for opening holes for our running backs and protecting our QBs.

 

1983- NC#1:

TE - Glenn Dennison

OT - Paul Bertucelli


OG - Juan Comendeiro


C - Ian Sinclair


OG - Alvin Ward


OT - Dave Heffernan


OL Coach- Chris Vagotis

OC- Gary Stevens

HC- Howard Schnellenberger

Record 11-1-0    PF-PA 313-136 (12 total games) (2.48%) – (177 Points For differential)

 

1987- NC#2:

TE - Charles Henry

LT - Matt Patchan

LG - Mike Sullivan

C - Bobby Garcia

RG - Scott Provin

RT - John O'Neill

OL Coach- Tony Wise

OC- Gary Stevens

HC- Jimmy Johnson

Record 12-0-0    PF-PA 412-125 (12 total games) (3.29%) - (287 Points For differential)

 

1989- NC#3:

TE - Rob Chudzinski

OT - Mike Sullivan

OG - Rod Holder

C - Bobby Garcia

OG - Darren Handy

OT - Leon Searcy

OL Coach- Art Kehoe

OC- Bob Bratkowski

HC- Dennis Erickson

Record  11-1-0   PF-PA 426-127 (12 total games) (3.35%) - (299 Points For differential)

 

1991- NC#4:

TE - Coleman Bell/Joe Moore

WT - Leon Searcy

WG - Rudy Barber

C - Kelvin Harris

SG - Claude Jones

ST - Mario Cristobal

OL Coach- Art Kehoe

OC- Bob Bratkowski

HC- Dennis Erickson

Record 12-0-0    PF-PA 386-100 (12 total games) (3.86%) - (286 Points For differential)

 

2001- NC#5:

TE - Jeremy Shockey


LT - Bryant McKinnie


LG - Sherko Haji-Rasouli / Ed Wilkins


C - Brett Romberg


RG - Martin Bibla


RT - Joaquin Gonzalez

OL Coach- Art Kehoe

OC- Rob Chudzinski

HC- Larry Coker

Record 12-0-0    PF-PA 512-117 (12 total games) (4.38%) - (395 Points For differential)

 

2009- Champs Sports Bowl:

TE – Dedrick Epps


LT – Orlando Franklin

LG – Brandon Washington

C – A.J. Trump

RG – Harland Gunn

RT – Matt Pipho

OL Coach- Jeff Stoutland

OC- Mark Whipple

HC- Randy Shannon

Record 9-4-0     PF-PA 394-288 (13 total games) (1.36%) - (106 Points For differential)

 

2010- TBA:

TE – Richard Gordon, Billy Sanders

LT – Orlando Franklin, Ben Jones

LG – Brandon Washington, Harland Gunn

C – Tyler Horn, Stephen Plein

RG – Joel Figueroa, Harland Gunn

RT – Jermaine Johnson, Jared Wheeler

OL Coach- Jeff Stoutland

OC- Mark Whipple

HC- Randy Shannon

Record ?     PF-PA ?

Wet Your Pants Tour 2010: Part I

NEWS FLASH: There is life beyond blogging and Miami Hurricanes football.

Here on Canespace we spend most of the year blogging, debating and at times even arguing about Miami Hurricane football, baseball and basketball.  Sometimes we do even worse damage when we bash heads about cultural diversity issues, politics or religion.

So once in a while is is not only nice but absolutely necessary to step outside the box and leave our minor differences and petty grievances behind and remember what life is really all about.  This past weekend four Canespacers actually did just that. 

 

SolarCane, a long-time blogger and "Original 10" Canespacer who lives deep in the heart of the beautiful North Georgia mountains, invited us to stay at his house and go white water rafting one of the most treacherous stretches of whitewater in the U.S., the famous Section IV of the Chattooga River. 

In what we hope will become an annual event, Solar developed the "Wet Your Pants Tour" concept and we went all in.  We decided to leave the blog behind and step out of our comfort zone and step into a whole new world.  We entered a world of fast moving water and huge jagged boulders to experience the wonder and excitement of rafting on the scenic and historic Chattooga.

As many of you may know, the River was made famous by the Academy Award nominated movie Deliverance.  Filmed in 1972 the movie was shot on scene on the Chattooga and showcased the river's natural beauty as well as its raw power and potential for extreme danger. 

The year the movie was filmed only 8,000 people experienced the thrilling scenic vistas of the Chattooga.  The following year 21,000 ill-prepared and improperly equipped people flocked to its banks for a trip down the most famous river east of the Mississippi. 

Between 1970 and 1975 eighteen people died on the river, most because of their failure to follow clearly defined safety measures or their refusal to wear a Personal Flotation Device.

In 1974 the Chattooga was named the East coast's first National and Wild Scenic River.  The National Forest Services now manages the use of the river to maintain its natural pristine condition and to enforce safety regulations.  Still, while there has never been a commercial (guided raft tour) death on the river, nearly 40 people have lost their lives on the Chattooga since the early 1970's.

SolarCane, Old Skool, OcalaCane (above Center, Right and Left) and I (86Cane) spent a weekend in northeastern Georgia far from the maddening crowds and traffic of the 305.  It was a time to forget about who would start at running back, if the OL would be improved this year or which new recruit might sign and whether he was actually 5'9 or 6'0" or ran the forty in 4.4 or 4.6 seconds.  

Little did we know we would be stepping into a world of spectacular panoramic vistas, natural beauty and spiritual awe.  The surrounding area is just blessed with scenic wonders everywhere you look.  And trust me, we did a lot of looking around!  In fact you could say we went to Helen back.

There is a small town known as Helen that we visited in and around.  They have a unique shopping district, fantastic restaurants and all kinds of neat places in and around the town. 

There is a river water powered grinding mill, a local winery and a fresh-roast gourmet coffee shop adjacent to a trout filled stream.  By the time we left they were still grinding corn meal and serving coffee but the wine and trout were in short supply.

We met this friendly store manager (seen above) at The Jumping Goat Coffee Shop.  She, like many others on our trip, learned to express themselves in the appropriate manner as instructed.  The coffee we sampled and hospitality we experienced were beyond compare. 

We wondered through the towns, down the highways and all in and around the lovely lakes, rivers and streams that cascade their way down the steep northern Georgia slopes to the valley below. The sun splashed tree tops glistened above as the rushing water in spring fed creeks rumbled gently below.

We all had a great time joking, laughing and relaxing for most of the trip. 

Away from the blog, we were living large and enjoying time together.

We were in complete awe of the natural world and beauty all around us.

Yes, we were cruising along and everything was going just fine. 

That is until Old Skool unleashed his evil plot to take over Canespace by taking out SolarCane and myself all at once.  That is when this happened:

Foiled in his first serious attempt at gaining control of the blog, Old Skool was not done yet, as you will see in Wet Your Pants Part II.  

His next attempt would make this one look like a day at the beach...

From Quarterback U To Quarterback Who

You have heard the names that made the University of Miami "Quarterback U" many times before:

Jim Kelly (Started the Dynasty; Super Bowl QB and NFL Hall of Famer)

Bernie Kosar (National Championship 1983; long NFL Career)

Vinny Testaverde (Heisman Trophy 1986; longest NFL Career)

Steve Walsh (National Championship 1987; NFL Career)

Craig Erickson (National Championship 1989)

Gino Torretta (Heisman Trophy and National Championship 1991) 

Those are the names that made Miami "QB U" during the Decade of Dominance from 1981 to 1991.

Then just ten years later in 2001 Kenny Dorsey tried to restart the dynasty by leading the most talented team ever at Miami to their fifth National Championship. 

Unfortunately is was a level of competition and success that even high school Gatorade Player of the Year Kyle "I Ain't Quite" Wright and future FSU game hero Kirby "Tattoo U" Freeman simply could not live up to.

We analyzed the University of Miami's quarterback recruits from 2000 to 2010.  What you will see will surprise you (if not depress you) as we analyze the mistakes made along the way.

Here are the list of Miami QB recruits from 2000-2010 (blinking is allowed but try not to flinch):

• 2000: Derrick Crudup, TJ Prunty
• 2001: Buck Ortega
• 2002: Marc Guillon, Brock Berlin (transfer from UF) 
• 2003: Kyle Wright
• 2004: Kirby Freeman
• 2005: None
• 2006: Daniel Stegall
• 2007: Robert Marve
• 2008: Jacory Harris, Taylor Cook, Cannon Smith
• 2009: AJ Highsmith
• 2010: Stephen Morris

Derrick Crudup played in several games during his freshmen, sophomore and junior seasons at UM. 

He played in eight games as a redshirt freshman in 2001 as the backup to Kenny Dorsey, completing 10-of-22 pass attempts for 100 yards and one touchdown without throwing an interception  In 2002 Crudup played in eight games and completed 15- of-26 pass attempts (57.7%) for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception.   

In 2003, he completed 34 of 57 attempts for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns while throwing 3 interceptions while compiling a completion average of 59.6 percent and a pass efficiency rating of 122.1.  Crudup started one game (the Syracuse game) after a tight quarterback competition in the spring when he was beaten out by Brock Berlin for the starting QB position.

TJ Prunty never played a down of football for UM but he did win a National Championship ring.  He redshirted his freshman year in 2001 as Hurricane QB Kenny Dorsey led Miami to the National Championship in the Rose Bowl.  What happened to Prunty's career at UM after that? 

Here's the short version: When first recruited to Miami, Prunty garnered plenty of attention at various camps as a 6-3, 215 pounder who was a two sport star that could fire lasers from the pocket or the mound. He was drafted in the 20th round by the Twins, but he ultimately chose college in Miami in hopes of playing both sports, and becoming the starting QB, for the Hurricanes.

After a tough redshirt year, followed by the departure of Hurricanes coach Butch Davis to the NFL, Prunty switched his scholarship and focus to baseball.  Prunty was drafted again in 2002 after his sophomore year of baseball at Miami, this time in the 21st round, and signed with the Twins for $110,000.

Buck Ortega never played QB for Miami as he too was stuck behind Ken Dorsey in 2001 and 2002 and then UF transfer Brock Berlin in 2003 and 2004.  However, he did become an excellent tight end at UM, a position he played his way into the NFL at.  Last year Ortega even won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints as former Hurricane Jeremy Shockey's back-up.  Not too shabby, but still not the QB Miami was looking for when he was recruited.

Brock Berlin would go on to live in infamy for leading one of the greatest comebacks in UM history by  Gator chomping of his former team, the Florida Gators, at the Orange Bowl in 2003.  Trailing 33-10 with just three minutes left in the third period, Berlin brought Miami all the way back for a thrilling 38-33 victory over the Hurricanes' arch rival.  How sweet it was!  However, Berlin was inconsistent and was done after the 2004 season with nothing more to show for his efforts than the one Gator hide he collected along the way.  But that alone probably made the trip from Gainesville to Miami worth it.

Kyle Wright was the Gatorade High School Player of the Year when he arrived in Coral Gables in 2003.  He was the starting QB at UM for the 2005 and 2006 seasons.  Unfortunately Wright never fulfilled his promise or his potential for greatness at Miami.  It was a dark and dismal time for Hurricane fans as the team struggled to find an identity and any sense of continuity on offense. Kyle was sacked, harassed and hurried throughout his career at UM and ate more turf than than an entire heard of cattle could consume in a year.  Even through three different offensive coordinators he could never manage to get the offense going and the end for UM Head Coach Larry Coker was at hand. 

Kirby Freeman was highly recruited out of Texas in 2004 when he signed with the Hurricanes.  He earned the starting job at QB for the Hurricanes to start the 2007 season under new Coach Randy Shannon.  He had a few minutes of fame when he led the Hurricanes to a come-from-behind victory over the dreaded Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium when he replaced the woozy Kyle Wright late in the fourth quarter.  Freeman would later set his mark at Miami in a game that will live in infamy by going 1-14 with 3 interceptions against NCST.  Kirby started four games at Miami before being benched in favor of Kyle.  He later would move on to Baylor and get the large "U" tattoo on his back changed to an "O".  All Hurricane fans could say was "Oh my."

Marc Guillon came all the way from California to Miami.  He never played a down in a real game at UM.

Daniel Stegall was promised by Larry Coker that he would be the only QB the Hurricanes would recruit in 2006.  He never attended Miami and instead became a pitcher.  He is allegedly playing baseball somewhere but never played QB at UM.

Robert Marve started one season at UM in 2008 before being chased away by current UM QB Jacory Harris.  While at Miami, Marve had issues with law enforcement and poor grades which led to a couple of suspensions to start and end the 2008 season.  "Bobby Drama" as he became known among Hurricane fans is now said to be pouting, I mean playing, at Purdue which is apparently located closer to his ill father than Miami.  His Dad lives in Tampa.  Go figure.

Taylor "I can't play but I can really" Cook and Cannon "FedEx" Smith both transfered within days of each other right before the 2009 season.  Their transfers left Miami with basically no options at QB if "The Franchise" got hurt.  According to media accounts they both allegedly left on good terms with UM and Randy Shannon.  But rumors from behind closed doors in Coral Gables is that the door did hit them in the, well U know, on the way out.  But of course those are just rumors.

Current QB's on the UM roster include starter Jacory Harris and backups Spencer Whiple, AJ Highsmith and Stephen Morris.

Jacory Harris is the chosen one at Miami and is destined to lead the Hurricanes back to national prominence and back into the BCS spotlight in 2010.  He is now "The Man" at "The U".

Spencer Whipple is a UM offensive coordinator Mark Whippel's son.  He is smart, talented, and short.

AJ Highsmith has shown some flashes of talent at QB although some say he may be destined to be a career back-up at UM.  Others have suggested that he could possibly be a great safety.  Time will tell.

Many insiders believe that Stephen Morris is all set to back-up Jacory Harris should the unthinkable happen at UM in 2010. 

Morris would then battle the already designated "Next Great One" at UM, 2010 verbal commit and recent 7-on-7 star Teddy Bridgewater for the starting role in 2011 if Jacory bolts after his Heisman winning Junior season.

Did I just mention a UM QB's name and the Heisman Trophy in the same sentence?

I think I did!