Canespace

Hocutt Talks About Shannon, Future Of UM's Football Program And Coaching Search Process

Yesterday at 1 PM University of Miami Athletic Director held a press conference about the current state of, and future plans for, the Miami Hurricane football program.  Here is a complete transcript of that event from the official web site of the UM Athletic Department at www.hurricanesports.com:

Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt
Miami Football Press Conference
Edgerrin James Team Meeting Room
Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010

Opening Comments
Good afternoon. The University of Miami has the one of the nation's most successful winning traditions in all of college football, illustrated by our five national championships since 1983. This tradition has been built and established by those who came before us and they have established the expectations that we continue to embrace today. At the U, we expect to compete for championships and nothing less.

We have a group of talented young men in this program and our future is promising. To once again sit at the top of the college football world, Miami must be relevant in college football.

Make no mistake - we expect to be successful in everything that we do. We are proud of our success in the classroom, highlighted by our recent Top 10 ranking in the Graduation Success Rate scores. We are very proud of this group of young men and how they represent on campus and in the community and we expect to compete for championships. We will not compromise on winning. Because of these expectations, a decision was made last night to change the leadership of the football program. I made the decision last night after consulting with President [Donna] Shalala and the chair of the athletic advisory committee for the Board of Trustees. They supported my decision.

I do wish to thank Randy Shannon for his many contributions to this great program. Family is a word that is important around here and family is a word that means a lot. Randy Shannon is and always will be a part of this family and will always be a Miami Hurricane. However, we must move forward with new leadership at this time.

A national search will begin immediately. I have retained the services of Chuck Neinas and we will focus on bringing in an individual who can lead this program back to national relevance. As we enter the search process, I ask for your understanding in the process. I will not be in a position to comment on the search until its completion. And please understand one thing about our process and this search - we have a commitment to this program and we will be relevant and we will do what it takes to get there.

As we prepare for the month of December and the bowl game, I have asked [offensive line coach] Jeff Stoutland to accept the interim heading coaching title for this program and continue to see its day-to-day operations. Coach Stoutland has agreed to accept that role and I am also very appreciative of this group of assistant coaches, who this morning each and every one of them made a commitment to this program and its day-to-day operations as we lead and prepare for the month of December and our upcoming bowl invitation. Better days are ahead. Great days are ahead for this program.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

On loss to USF contributing to the decision...
Yesterday's outcome did not determine this decision. It was not made on 60 minutes. It was made with the total body of work in mind. I don't care to speculate, but it was not made on one football game.

On the timing of the decision...
The ultimate decision was made last night. We looked at the entire body of work. We looked at the last four years of our program, we looked at this season, and we looked at the future to determine the decision we made last night.

On why he made the decision...
It was a decision that I made last night looking a number of scenarios and facets around the team and the program that I made alone last night.

On Randy Shannon's reaction...
Randy is a good man. Disappointed. Disappointed. And that is all I care to share about our conversation.

On the state of recruiting...
I don't think any of us honestly know. I think that best thing we can do for recruiting is to move through this process as expeditiously as can. However, we cannot set a timeline. We are going to take as much time as we need. We have seven commitments right now. We anticipate that we will have 14-15 scholarships to offer and it's our hope that all seven commitments stay with us. They will know that the invitation for them to be a part of this program will be there and we hope that they will wear the U on their chest.

On reasons for making a change...
It wasn't one thing. It wasn't one thing. We've got to get better as a football team. We have to win games. As the season went along, we were not doing that. Simply stated, winning is important at the University of Miami. It always has been and always will be. We have to find a way to get on the winning side of that scoreboard more.

On whether money will be an issue regarding the coaching search...
It will not. We will do whatever it takes to get back to the top of the college football world. And we are going to find the best individual in this country to come in and lead this talented group of young men and lead this program back to where it belongs.

On whether Coach Shannon's contract extension in May was a mistake...
No, it was not a mistake. We are always going to make decisions at a given point in time that are in the best interest of the program at that time. And when we signed Randy to a three-year contract extension, that was the best decision for the program at that time as this is the best decision for the program at this time.

On why he was given a contract extension in May...
It was based on what was needed for this program to continue to move forward. We were at a critical recruiting time. We were coming off a nine-win season. We were very excited about the future of this program at that time. Randy Shannon had deserved the expression of confidence with that extension.

On the team's current recruiting process...
That is something that we are working through at the current time. Our current coaches will not be on the road recruiting. We have a weekend for recruiting setup from December 10-12 and we are currently deciding what is in the best interest of our program at that time... but our coaches will not be going on the road recruiting.

On what is important regarding the coaching search...
We need a leader. We need somebody that can come in and offer all the leadership elements for this program to be successful. We need someone that can come in and lead us back to relevance in college football and lead us back to the top.

On whether a timetable has been set for hiring a new coach...
No, I will not set a timetable. We will take as much time as we need to find the right individual.

On whether the new head coach should have prior head coaching experience...
It's something that we will consider. Ultimately, it's something that is important but not essential.

On this being a tough decision...
I have dealt with a number of issues in my career. I have had to discontinue four varsity sports programs at my previous school. We faced the death of a student-athlete at my previous school. I would say outside of the death of a young person, this has been one of the most challenging professional times. I say that because I care about Randy Shannon. He means a lot to this program and he means a lot to me. It was very, very challenging last night to visit with him.

On President Shalala's reaction...
There is no greater President in all of higher education than Donna Shalala. As an athletics director, as a head coach, you couldn't ask for somebody that is more committed and passionate about intercollegiate athletics. She believes in intercollegiate athletics' role within higher education. She believes in the lessons that it teaches to young people and she wants intercollegiate athletics to be front and center at this great university and great college. Randy Shannon means a lot to her as he does to all of us. But at the end of the day, we have a commitment to this program and doing what is in the best interest of this program today. And make no mistake; nobody expects to win more than Donna Shalala. She is a winner and she is a competitor. That has not changed.

On whether fan reaction played into the decision...
It was not a factor. We are very fortunate to have the support that we have from all of our constituents at the University of Miami. But this is about the program and doing what is best for the program. As the leader of this athletics program, I had to block out the noise, per se, happening around this building and ultimately make the best decision that will position us for success in the future. Ultimately, it was a challenging, difficult decision but I believe it is the right decision.

On balancing winning and off the field behavior...
We expect to be the best in everything that we do. We are one of the best programs in the country in the classroom, we are the best program in the country in the community and off the playing field and we expect to be the best program in the country competitively.

On what his conversation was like with the players Sunday morning...
Difficult. We've got a group of outstanding young men and it was very difficult. I couldn't be prouder to be associated with this group of 100 young men and what they represent and what's in their heart. It was very difficult, but we are very proud of these young men and everything they stand for and what they represent.

On whether any other coaches were dismissed...
No. None of the other coaches were fired. My expectations of our assistant coaches were that they will stay on in a day-to-day capacity and continue with operations of this program and coach this team in a bowl game. I shared that with them this morning and they all accepted that role. They wanted to be here for each other as a group of assistant coaches and they wanted to be here for this team. I believe we are fortunate that they will remain on board and lead us during this challenging time.

On the search process...
I gave Chuck [Neinas] a list of potential candidates late last night. He will help us throughout that process, managing the list that I provided.

On whether he sees a potential issue with Mark Whipple coaching under Jeff Stoutland...
Not at all. Coach Whipple expressed his support for Coach Stoutland this morning. There will be no issue as we go in the month of December with that.

On whether the players have underperformed...
I think the players gave everything that they could. There was not a lack of effort. The talent - we are close. We are very close. It's just all got to come together. Change is difficult and change is hard, but change sometimes is necessary. And this time, this change was necessary. This group of young men... they have given everything they had and will continue to do so.

On what went wrong from last year to this year...
I don't think there is one specific thing that you can point your finger to. Ultimately, we have to be better on the football field.

On whether there is certain number of games that the new coach will have to win next year...
We want to be relevant in the sport of college football and we expect to compete for championships. We have to make progress towards that. I can't set a timeline and say this is what we expect after two years or three years. I'll just say that the University of Miami must be relevant in the sport of college football.

On timing of dismissal with so few head coaching vacancies currently in football...
My thought was to do what's right at the University of Miami. This is a great job and this is a great program that has been set by so many men. I see Lamar [Thomas] here this morning and I appreciate him being here. And those that have come before us have set the bar high. Those around the country know that this is a great program and that you can win at the University of Miami. The time frame is what is best for this program.

On whether the decision was all about winning...
No. The other stuff is not secondary and we expect to win in everything that we do. We expect to win in the classroom, we expect to win in the community and we expect to win on the field. They are all equally important and all will continue to be emphasized for us as we move forward with this football program.

On whether Randy Shannon will have any connection to the University...
Not at this time. You never know in the future what the future may hold, but at this time he will not.

On whether the next coach will have a prior relationship with the University of Miami...
You know, that's not a prerequisite. If the right candidate emerges and they have been associated with this program, great. If not, great. We will find the best person to come in and lead this program.

On when the list of candidates was put together...
It was a list that I put together over the last couple of days. I would not be doing my job if I did not watch the landscape of college football, watch those coaches who have had and are having success. At the same time, it was a list that I provided to Chuck [Neinas] late last night and one I compiled over the past couple of days.

On donor reaction over the last 12 hours...
We all share the same common purpose and that is at the University of Miami we want to compete and win championships. From the donor constituents that you mentioned [and] to the former players that I have talked to. To everybody... we want to win and be successful on the field.

On whether there is a common thread or mold in the list of candidates...
Just finding the right fit. There is not a particular set of criteria that is essential or that we have outlined. It's the right fit and the right person at this time.

On whether all of the candidates are head coaches...
I don't want to say at this point in time.

On whether the crowd at the USF game on Saturday was a factor in the decision...
Sixty minutes of football - one event - did not influence this decision. It did not make this decision. Was I pleased with the crowd at the game yesterday? No. These young men deserve better than that and we are going to move forward. There are brighter days ahead and the U will be back where it belongs at the pinnacle of the college football world.

On whether Stoutland will be available today...
We are working with Coach Stoutland. I would expect tomorrow or Tuesday that Coach Stoutland will be available to visit.

On whether winning an ACC title would have made a difference in the decision...
No, it didn't take an ACC title. It took continuing to take steps to move this program towards national relevance. That in some ways could involve an ACC title, but it's not mandated by an ACC title. You can be relevant nationally and not win your conference. But at the end of the day, you must be relevant nationally here at the University of Miami.

On whether he is looking to bring in a coach that will feature an exciting brand of football...
A winning brand of football... winning is exciting. Our fans will show up to watch a winning team. We have to be relevant and we have to win.

On whether there was a minimum number of games the team needed to win this year for Shannon to remain head coach...
No.

This Is The End Of The Innocence

The Miami Hurricanes lost today.

Randy Shannon was fired today.

The disappointing, sad and at times tumultuous reign of "The Boss" has finally reached its brutal, bitter end.

For many Hurricane fans this is the end of the innocence.

So many wanted Randy Shannon to succeed for so many various and different reasons.  Hurricane fans, college football fans, fans of equality, African Americans in general.  Shannon had everyone in his corner yet he failed to produce the results necessary to retain his dream job.

Now he is gone, shown the door because he simply did not win enough games.  Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was named Interim Head Coach by Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt.

 
Yet Shannon, a former UM player, graduate, defensive coordinator and most recently head coach was not up to the task of leading ther Hurricanes back to the promised land.

Now he sits in the middle of nowhere, his dreams dashed, all hope lost and a shell of a man.

I am sad for him.

Shannon once bled orange and green.

Now, after being fired, he may have just bled to death.

This is the end of the innocence. 

A Must Win, And That's No Bulls

According to all of the statements coming out of Coral Gables from people that matter Randy Shannon's job is safe for at least another year.  Still, Shannon faces what most people inside the program and certainly all Hurricane fans would describe as a "must win" game today against in-state rival USF. 

Miami has won the previous two meetings between the teams.  The Hurricanes beat the Bulls 27-7 at the Orange Bowl in 2005 and also won 31-10 last year in Tampa.  Today's game will mark their first ever meeting at Sun Life Stadium.

When the Hurricanes face the Bulls at Sun Life Stadium at noon (ESPNU) the main question on everyone's mind will be: Who starts at QB for Miami, Jacory Harris or Stephen Morris? 

Shannon had stated all along that when Harris (concussion) was medically cleared to play by the team doctors that he would regain his starting position.  Harris was not listed on this week's injury reported released by UM yet it appears that backup QB Stephen Morris may get the starting nod in the game against USF. 

If Morris starts the game it would apparently go against long established team rules (players do not lose their starting position due to injury) and in spite of the fact that Harris has been ruled 100% healthy and ready to rumble this Saturday.  Go figure?

In other news today is "Senior Day" at Sun Life Stadium.  Fifteen UM players will play in their final game as a Hurricane.  Among those players are: Allen Bailey , Matt Bosher, Colin McCarthy, Josh Holmes, Ryan Hill, Pat Hill, Graig Cooper, Damien Berry, Orlando Franklin, Richard Gordon, Jared Campbell, Cory Nelms, Kylan Robinson, Demarcus Van Dyke and Leonard Hankerson.

Scouting Report on USF: 

USF had won three straight games against Cincinnati, Rutgers and Louisville before falling at home to Pittsburgh last weekend. The Bulls are 2-2 on the road this season, with losses at Florida and West Virginia and wins at Cincinnati and Louisville. 

The Bulls’ offense is directed by quarterback B.J. Daniels, who has completed 119 of 206 pass attempts for 1,457 yards, nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Daniels is also a threat on the ground, coming in with 235 yards rushing and four touchdowns on the ground. 

Moise Plancher and Demetri Murray share the running duties for USF. Planchar leads the team in attempts (123) and rushing yards (583), but both running backs have four touchdowns and average 4.7 yards per carry. 

Dontavia Bogan and Evan Landi are the go-to guys in the Bulls’ passing game. Bogan leads USF in catches (36), receiving yards (544) and receiving touchdowns (4), while Landi has 22 catches for 314 yards and two touchdowns. 

Linebacker Jacquian Williams leads the team with 54 total tackles, while Sam Barrington has 52 and DeDe Lattimore has 51. The Bulls have recorded a total of 27 sacks by 14 different players and 10 interceptions by eight different players. 

The Bulls feature two of the nation’s top return men in Lamar Lindsey and Terrence Mitchell. Lindsey is averaging 29.2 per return (sixth nationally) and has taken two of his 22 returns back for a touchdown while Mitchell averages 12.6 yards per punt return.

GO CANES, BEAT THE BULLS!!!

The Short List: Week 13

As the season winds down, only a handful of 10 teams remain listed on the Shortlist in order of worthiness for the top two spots as follows:

Auburn, TCU, Boise State, Oregon, LSU, Wisconsin, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Michigan State.

Two of the three teams I called for to drop from the Shortlist last week defied my predictions, both of them on the road and representing the Big 10 conference:

1) Wisconsin finally breaks through in Ann Arbour against Michigan to all bet sew up a Rose Bowl berth as they win 48-28.  Between finally defeating a top ten ranked and the within their grasp BCS bowl game, this season has all the ingredients to pass for a banner year of Badger football despite the long-shot Shortlist odds stacked against Brett Bielema's team as the final weeks are played out in 2010.

 
2) Ohio State refuses to let their own title dreams die against a determined Iowa squad on the road in Iowa City as they eek out a 20-17 win in ranked teams.   Now with only arch-rival Michigan standing in their way the Buckeyes are left to question just how they let a peach shot at the national title slip just out of reach during their brief stay at the top during the halfway point of the season.

 
Despite overextending my prognostication fortune into one conference too many last week, I expect the attrition of the Shortlist to increase on a percentage basis this week as so few teams left mean each upset spills the apple cart even more by comparison and the suspects to find themselves thrown off near the journey's end read as follows:

LSU, Michigan State and Boise State.

The three states of despair should stretch across half of the timezones in the country as the weekend concludes here on the Shortlist to the Site of the Shanghaied Ship when all is said and done but even barring a lack of eliminations the rankings themselves are likely to be prone to a shaking up of their staid organization regardless. 

 
Who survives and who falls will set the stage for a tenacious final few weeks as the top teams jockey for the inside track to play for it the biggest prize in the game in the only game that really matters in the dawning New Year.

Copyright 2010 by Christopher Whelpton for Canespace.com

Happy Thanksgiving Hurricane Fans!

On this Thanksgiving Day 2010 I thought it would be appropriate to comment on some of the things that I am thankful for.  So here we go, and in no particular order, I am thankful for...

The University of Miami: I attended UM and where I earned my degree in 1986.  The University has made significant progress over the last 30 years and has established itself among the nation's elite academic institutions.  UM was recently rated in the top 50 Universities in the United States and has made huge strides in shedding its "Sun Tan U" image and earning the reputation as one of the top research schools in the U.S.

 
Howard Schnelleberger:  If not for "The Pipe" Miami may have never achieved college football greatness.  UM was literally on the verge of giving up football until Howard convinced the University that he could bring a winning product to Coral Gables.  And he did, winning Miami's first National Championship in 1983.  The rest is history.

 
Cheerleaders:  Nothing excites Hurricane fans more than Miami Cheerleaders!  These fearless, high-flying young ladies (and some guys too) participate in what is one of the world's most dangerous sport.  There are more injuries to cheerleaders each year across the U.S. than U would want to know about.  The UM cheerleaders have been very good to Canespace over the years and we want to thank them for all of their time and effort in cheering the team in victory and defeat.

 
Five National Championships:There are so many great memories of players, coaches and big games over the past 30 years and chief among them are the five rings that Miami has won under four different head coaches since 1983.  Schnellenberger, Johnson, Erickson (2) and Coker all had different styles and used different strategies and techniques and to win National Championships at Miami.  All were memorable and each National Title holds a special place in every Miami fan's heart, mine included.

 
Ron Frasier: "The Wizard" of college baseball took the Hurricanes to their first National Championship in 1982 and then won it all again in 1985.  Known for his ability to promote the sport he loved, he raised college baseball at UM to levels that had never been achieved previously.  He established Miami as a perennial contender and college baseball powerhouse.

 
Brandon Harris:A true Miami Hurricane in every sense of the word.  Yet more than that, Harris is a likeable person, a solid young man and an excellent student-athlete at Miami.  He embodies all that is good and right about college athletics in a era where money, fame and selfishness rule the day.  If we are choosing sides to play a football game with players on Miami's current roster, I'm picking Brandon Harris first.

Andre Johnson: AJ was one of the first interviews I did that really mattered.  He was already an NFL star when I met him at the pre-Super Bowl charity park build out in Tampa in January of 2009.  The former Miami Hurricane was so cool and so open to interviews that it was off the charts.  Maybe my best day ever as a Canes fan.  No make that definitely one of my top 5 days ever.

 
Four National Championships: No that's NOT a misprint, we are talking college baseball here.  In addition to Miami's five football titles the Hurricanes baseball team has collected four of their own thank U very much.  In addition to the two championships won by the aforementioned Ron Frasier, Jim Morris came along and collected two of his own trophies in 1999 and 2001.  And Morris led Miami to its only ACC title in any major sport in 2008.  Thank U Coach Morris.

 
Canespace:The blog has come a long way from the day we launched it back in June of 2007.  We want to thank all of the current and former bloggers who have made Canespace THE place for Hurricane fans to talk UM sports.  After all 4.8 million hits and 300,000 comments in just over three years is certainly a lot to be thankful for, right?

 
Sean Spence:  Too small.  Too slow.  Not physical enough.  Sean Spence has heard all of those things said about him since arriving at Miami.   However nobody has ever questioned his heart, his effort or his productivity on the field.  One of the most consistent and hard working Miami defenders over the last three years Spence has left it all out on the field for the Hurricanes.  Spence bleeds orange and green and U can't ask for any more than that.

 
Arthur Brown and Cheerleaders: Well I was just kidding about Sir Arthur but I was serious about the cheerleaders.  Do I really need to explain this to U again?  Yeah, I didn't think so!

 
Leonard Hankerson:  During his first two seasons at Miami Hankerson found himself going nowhere fast.  Now, after solid and then spectacular seasons in 2009 and 2010 he finds himself going to the National Football League.  Hank is on the verge of a huge NFLU payday for all of his hard work, and make no mistake about it, it was the hard work and extra time and effort he put in with former Miami Dolphin All-Pro WR Mark Duper that got him to where he is today. 

 
So see Hurricanes fans, there is a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day 2010.  Here's to hoping that U and those who matter to U are healthy and happy on Thanksgiving.

And that we will have even more things to be happy about in 2011!

A Few Good Men Too

In the recently released sequel of the movie "A Few Good Men" Canespace brings you A Few Good Men Too (written by Canespace blogger Ungar). 

In the sequel we find Miami Hurricanes head coach Randy Shannon and the Miami Herald's Manny Navarro squared off on Greentree Practice Field in a heated exchange eerily similar to the courtroom scene between Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise in the original classic film from 1992.

Here is how the conversation goes down in 2010...

RANDY SHANNON:  You want answers?

MANNY NAVARRO:  I think I'm entitled to them.

RANDY SHANNON:  You want answers?

MANNY NAVARRO:  I want the truth.

RANDY SHANNON:  You can't HANDLE the truth!

RANDY SHANNON:  Son, we live in a world that has games. And those games have to be played by men with helmets.

Who's gonna do it? You? You, Steve Gorten? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Collier and you curse the Canes. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: That Collier's transfer, while tragic, probably saved sanctions. And my coaching, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, graduates players.

You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about on blogs, you want me on that sideline. You need me there on that sideline. We use words like swagger, process, consistency... we use these words as the backbone to a life spent playing something. You use them as a punchline.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and blogs about the very games I coach, then questions the manner in which I coach it. I'd prefer you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a clipboard and coach a position. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to.

MANNY NAVARRO:  Did you order the code orange?

RANDY SHANNON:  I did the job Donna sent me to do.

MANNY NAVARRO:  Did you order the code orange?

RANDY SHANNON:  You're goddamn right I did.

The Man In The Mirror

If you have been paying attention lately then you definitely would have noticed that there are plenty targets of blame "flying around" Greentree Practice Field these days. 

The once proud Miami Hurricanes football program appears to be teetering towards the brink of being rendered irrelevant not only for this season but what seems to possibly be a permanent basis. 

 
And depending who you ask it could be any body's fault but "mine".  While blame to go around seems plentiful, ownership and accountability seem to be in short supply in Coral Gables. 

Not a single person, player or coach has stepped up to take responsibility for the Hurricanes dismal 7-4 record in a season filled with such high hopes. 

Instead the response from inside the program is more like a poorly written political campaign ad called "Excuses 'R Us."  Interviews with the current head coach are starting to sound more like 1980's genre Saturday Night Live comedy skits than real, actual discussions about football. 

Randy Shannon is the man in the mirror.  And the reflection he sees of himself and his once highly regarded program is not very pretty right now. 

So far this year we have learned that Duke is a "tough place to play", that Virginia (4-7, 1-6 ACC) is actually a "very good football team" and don't forget about that entirely new thing in football called "The Process" whatever that is. 

All the while and all across the Internet the forgotten fans who supported Shannon and now feel hurt and betrayed have been heard wondering out loud:

• Is it the coaches or players? 
• Is it the offense or the defense or special teams? 
• Is it Shannon or Whipple? 
• Is it recruiting or player development?
• Is it the uniforms, the cheerleaders or the stadium? 

Even one time program savior and sure to be hero and resurector himself Jacory Harris and the once dependable and reliable and seemingly untouchable Matt Bosher have found themselves directly in the cross hairs of the blame game this season.

Regardless of who's to blame (and most likely it is all of the above) someone has to step up and fix this mess.  And that someone is UM head coach Randy Shannon. 

No matter how you slice it the buck stops at Shannon's desk and he must own the team's current record and address the situation to resolve it in an effective manner. 

And he needs to do so quickly too. 

I was never really a fan of Michael Jackson. 

I have always been a fan of Randy Shannon.

In 1989 Jackson won an Grammy Award for his song "Man In The Mirror."  Jackson spent much of the next 15 years looking for himself.  He never did seem to find whatever it was he was looking for and died a tortured soul as his career and life were cut short in a tragic Hollywood ending.

In 2007 Randy Shannon was hired for his dream job as head coach of the University of Miami football team.  Shannon has spent the last four years searching for the right coaches, the right players and the right chemistry to restore the Hurricanes to National prominence. 

He has failed to do so. 

Now coach Shannon should take some advice from the late Mr. Jackson and stop looking around for people and things to blame.  He needs to look straight ahead and accept responsibility.  Or else his legeacy could read something like this from one of the King of Pop's songs: 

"A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart, and a washed out dream,

They follow the pattern of the wind you see, because they've got no place to be,

That's why I'm starting with me, I'm starting with the man in the mirror,

I'm asking him to change his ways, and no message couldn't have been any clearer,

If you want to make The U a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change." 

Randy Shannon needs to take a good, hard, long look in the mirror to see what needs to change. 

He needs to do it for The U, for his team and yes even for us the fans. 

And he needs to do it now.

Just Another Day In Paradise

BREAKING NEWS REPORT FROM MIAMI...

We are getting word from the street that there was a college football game in the State of Florida yesterday between two teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference that for obvious "national security reasons" will go un-named. 

 
We had two reporters on the scene (RaizeCane and OGV seen below) who recanted these first hand accounts of the activities they observed while under the steady and consistent observation of the always lurking gorilla media.

 
First there were the usual obligatory tailgate photos of the many highly invested, well fed and well lubricated Hurricane fans often referred to as "tailgaters".  These hard core fans always reflect what is good and evil and necessary in every 'Canes fan.  At least as we know them!

 
Our two reporters on site went deeper into the scene to uncover the real story behind this event.  They then sent these images of those in attendance in addition to their written reports of the people, places and events of the day.

 
The "Band Of The Hour" rocked!  They found their way into our tailgate and proceeded to blow the doors off of the surrounding area.  Then these lovely young ladies showed up and this, as usual with RaizeCane, happened:

 
As U can see we were having a great time, relaxing to the tunes of the band, enjoying the company of fellow Canes fans and savoring every moment.

 
Then this guy and his friendly dog showed up and we knew we were all in trouble.  So I distracted them by taking a photo while the other members of our entourage hurriedly scampered far way from the highly alerted dog.

 
Next up came the full moon warning that Miami was almost certainly going to lose.  We don't know why or how but Miami has lost 37 of the 40 games played on a full moon night.  Not really we just made that up to fit the story line and because it sounded good.

 
But anyway there was a football game played and here we demonstrate actual evidence of that by demonstrating a photo image of the opening kickoff!

 
Number one, an "insider" told us this was an offensive play:

 
Number two, an alleged "insider" told us this was defensive play:

 
So that is our story of the alleged "game" that took place in an undisclosed location in Florida on November 20, 2010.  We hope that you like our recap of the events as we saw them happen. 

Or at least as much as we are willing to tell you...

Game Day: The Hokie Pokey

Today your Miami Hurricanes will face the Virginia Tech Hokies at Sun Life Stadium (3:30 PM ESPN) in a game that should have been for a chance to play in the ACC title game on December 4th in Charlotte.

That was until the Hurricanes somehow managed to inexplicable lose to the Hokies weaker in-state brethren the Virginia Cavaliers the day before Halloween.  Talk about your Nightmare on Elm Street!

The UVA game still haunts many Miami fan's dreams as if it were Freddy Krueger (seen below) himself on a regular if not almost nightly basis.

 
After that major faux paus that ruined what was an otherwise pretty decent college football season the Hurricanes find themselves looking for a little Lady Luck (seen below with the original wheel of fortune) as they must now beat the Hokies this Saturday and then hope that the same Cavaliers can somehow find a way of pulling off another big upset over the Hokies the following week to have any shot at their first ACC Championship.

 
So today's game at Sun Life Stadium still has some pretty serious significance for both of these ACC teams looking to salvage their seasons.

Miami will be trying to keep their two game winning streak alive, finish the season on a positive note, avenge their worst loss of the 2009 season and then pray for Lady Luck's intervention next week. 

The Hokies (mascot seen below) meanwhile are looking to continue their season long resurrection project after opening 0-2 and to seal the deal for one of the two coveted spots in the ACC title game. 

 
The lopsided loss to Virginia Tech back in 2009 occurred on a cold, rain-soaked day in Blacksburg at the hands of the Hokies and their head coach Frank Beamer. 

In contrast, today's game will be played in the warm, dry and friendly confines of the appropriately named Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.

 
SCOUTING THE HOKIES: 

Virginia Tech enters Saturday’s game having won eight straight after starting the season 0-2. The Hokies, who are a perfect 6-0 in ACC play, need a win in one of their final two games (at Miami, home vs. Virginia) to clinch the Coastal Division title and a spot in the ACC Championship game.

The Hokies feature a balanced offensive attack that depends on dual-threat quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Taylor has completed 61.2 percent of his passes, tallying 1988 yards, 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions this season. On the ground, Taylor has three rushing touchdowns and is second on the team with 581 rushing yards.

Virginia Tech’s backfield, much like Miami’s, features a number of different running backs capable of carrying the load. Darren Evans leads the team in both rushing yards (605) and rushing touchdowns (9), while David Wilson (462 yards, four TDs) and Ryan Williams (262 yards, five TDs) rank third and fourth respectively on the ground. Jarrett Boykin (39 receptions, 656 yards, 5 TDs) is Taylor’s top option in the passing game.

Bruce Taylor is the Hokies’ leading tackler with 77 total stops (34 solo, 43 assisted) thus far. He also leads the team in tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (6.0). Davon Morgan (61) ranks second in tackles, Steven Friday is tied for third in tackles (52) and ranks second in tackles for loss (11.0) while Jayron Hosley has seven of the team’s 16 interceptions.

Three different players share the kicking duties as Chris Hazley handles field goals and extra points, Brian Saunders does the punting and Justin Myer handles kickoffs. Hazley has made 17-of-18 with a long of 52 while Saunders averages an impressive 44.4 yards per boot.

This game will likely produce one of two results depending on the outcome:

1. With a win Miami will put a positive spin on the the 2010 season, end the "Shannon Must Go" talk for another year, clear the path for a decent bowl game and cement Freshman QB Stephen Morris as the man to beat in the QB race going into the 2011 season.  The 2011season then once again becomes one that will be filled with much optimism, no excusues and talk of an ACC title and a shot at the BCS championship.
2. With a loss the downward spiral of 2010 will likely spill over into next year as the "Fire Shannon" crowd will be out in full force, the team will suffer through another meaningless bowl game, followed by a long, cold Winter of turmoil where recruiting efforts and season ticket sales will likely struggle going into the 2011 season.

 
So we encourage all of you to come out to Sun Life Stadium as the the Hurricanes and the Hokies storm the field and support the home town team by cheering Miami on to victory. 

The Canespace rules will be applied and will be out in FULL effect:

1. U have to show up.
2. U have to stay until the end.
3. Good things are bound to happen.

GO CANES, BEAT THE HOKIES!!!

The Short List: Week 12

The second half of November still finds just 11 teams on the Shortlist and the contenders rate in order of worthiness for the top two spots as follows:

Auburn, TCU, Boise State, Oregon, LSU, Wisconsin, Stanford, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Michigan State.

With close calls all over the country among Shortlist contenders last weekend you figure somebody would have been caught looking ahead to their detriment but no one found themselves taken off or taken even down when it was all said and done, including the only team I called for to fall last week as:

1) Oklahoma State cooks their opponent to order well done and stays on pace to finally overturn the Big 12 hierarchy before it all falls apart for the current conference makeup with an impressive road victory against an unimpressive Longhorn team in Austin by the score of 33-16.  For this week at least, Mike Gundy's alma matter is the proverbial man, without a doubt, in the Big 12 as they zero in on an epic bedlam showdown against their in-state tormentors from Norman for the right to represent the south division out in the mid-west to close out the regular season.  I don't expect them to be caught looking ahead against Kansas in Lawrence this weekend so T. Boone Pickens could get his money's worth finally this year if the Cowboys can stay on the bull all the way to the buzzer to finish the season.

After last weeks limb I climbed out on collapsed behind me in the Big 12, yet again I'm tempted to predict no one falling off the Shortlist this week as well, but for some reason I'm doubling down instead and picking not one, not two, but yes three, count them, three surprise eliminations from the Shortlist out of the games this weekend and the suspects are:

Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

As 2010 on the Shortlist to the Site of the Shainghaied 'Ship winds inexorably down to its conclusion, what looks locked in might actually end up having a nasty way of turning out free to fall into total anarchy instead of sticking to the expected script of play in the homestretch of the season. 

Whether the Pac-10 can put another paper-mache, "powerhouse," into championship contention despite a schedule that falls short of muster, upon further review, as the conference did during the pay-for-play Pete Carroll days in south-central L.A., remains to be seen but unless someone unseats the team with the worst uniforms in the game, the voters will likely refuse to allow Nike's favorite beneficiary to fall by the wayside on their quest to shed the, "never-was," label they carry on their program with an opportunity to play for the championship. 

If Stanford finds themselves off the Shortlist at the hands of California this week, band-aided or not, they Ducks will have played even more of a lame slate than they have currently and the lack of a conference championship game out west this year could be the last advantage they need to capitalize on their string of breaks and possibly face a non-automatic conference qualifying team for their chance at immortality. 

Meanwhile no split title will be considered unless the foul fall to an outsider school's trick plays and then, perhaps, you'll see a divided crown that would make the Georgia Tech and Colorado dual coronation of 20 years ago look downright regal by comparison if both Boise State and TCU claim different number one final poll rankings by finishing as the only unbeaten teams in the country. 

But, hey, it could be worse.  Les Miles could win the whole thing again without even winning his division this time after all.

Copyright 2010 by Christopher Whelpton for Canespace.com