Vikings Are Victorious As Duke Runs Wild

The Miami Norland Vikings won the 5A State Football Championship by the score of 38-0 over Wakulla at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Friday behind another dominating performance by running back Randy "Duke" Johnson. 

Johnson rushed for four TDs and returned a punt for another score as he racked up 266 all-purpose yards on what was just another ho-hum day for the talented high school star and soon to be Miami Hurricane.

After all Johnson (seen throwing up The U above and lined up at running back below)  averaged over 10 yards per carry on the season playing against arguably the toughest competition in the entire State down in the 305.

We had the chance to chat for a while with our good friend Manny Navarro, who now officially wears Canespace (note shirt on shoulder), and who wrote this article about "The Duke" over at The Miami Herald blog that U can check out in it's entirety at the link provided below:

Johnson's final senior season rushing stats -- 208 carries, 2,087 yards, 29 TDs -- rank ninth all-time in Dade history. His career rushing numbers -- 504 carries, 5,109 yards, 70 TDs -- rank third all-time. But when you consider he averaged 10.0 yards per carry and had 103 rushing attempts fewer than the great Frank Gore (2,953 yards in 2000) this season, Johnson's performance stands out even more.

"To me, I once thought Duke was the most exciting player I'd ever seen," said Norland athletic director Ira Fluitt, a basketball star during his old playing days at Miami Springs. "But after what he did last week in running for 375 yards I think he's the best player I've ever seen. I'd put him right up there with the greats like Frank Gore, Elvis Peacock and Troy Davis."

Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2011/12/duke-johnson-turns-in-mvp-performance-in-5a-title-game-final-game-for-norland-vikings.html#ixzz1glP3iNIY

The game was never in doubt as Norland surged out to a big halftime lead against the severely over-matched team from Wakullla High School. 

It will certainly be a long drive back to the Tallahassee area for the Eagles who never threatened to score and were eventually shutout by a talented, tough and swarming Viking defense that is stocked with D-1 players at several positions.

If you blinked, you would have sworn that former UM players Michael Barrow and Baraka Short were playing for the Norland defense on this cloudy, overcast day in Orlando.

Canespace rules were in full effect on this Championship Day in Orlando as Canespace blogger Hassan and I had the incredible opportunity to sit in the stands with a Miami Hurricane legend, former player and current offensive line coach Art Kehoe.

Kehoe was on hand along with several other UM coaches at the game including the previously mentioned special teams coach Barrow, running backs coach Terry Richardson (seen standing) and wide receivers coach George McDonald (sitting with his back to camera).

Kehoe was feeling comfortable and confident while he chatted candidly with us for the entire second half about Miami Hurricane football past, present and future. 

Coach Kehoe was sitting in the stands with the proud parents of UM verbal commit OL Ereck Flowers, who is the BIG guy seen below wearing #75 and standing next to Manny, in front of Duke #3 and near #8 getting seriously coached up on the sidelines.

As a long time Hurricane fan it was a little surreal sitting next to and chatting openly and honestly with Kehoe like we were old buddies.  It was like Art took off his coaches hat and just decided he would talk to us and tell us things like we were good friends and not just some crazy fans. 

He was an encyclopedia of knowledge and stats and quoted UM player and specific game histories like he was reading from some sort of Hurricane history book.

Now because he agreed to talk to us in such a real and revealing way we promised not to share the information on the blog.  So, unfortunately, most of the best stuff we have to leave out. 

But trust me when I tell you that with Hassan as my witness we were there in person to hear the Good News according to Kehoe that goes something like this:

• He has an absolute and unshakeable belief that Al Golden is THE MAN and he will get it done at Miami.
• The team underwent an incredible positive change in the 10 months since he came back to Coral Gables.
• The team will be talented, tough and win more games than anybody expects them to in 2012.
• While he would not talk about specific recruits or any "silent" commits he did say that this recruiting class will be the mother load.  That's right he actually said "The Mother Load!"

Oh yeah, we were speaking of The Duke, right?  Well we met him and his wonderful family at the game.

They had a group of about 50 people all wearing shirts that read "WWDD" on the front and had UM #3 in orange and green on the back. 

If you can't figure it out and must ask, then WWDD stands for:

"What Would Duke Do".

So go ahead and ask: What Would Duke Do at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando?

Why he would score five touchdowns in the State Championship game.

What else would you expect from this future Miami Hurricane?

Comments

[UMike]

SaveUMFootball Papa Cane
Last week I said that Mario Cristobal would last less than 2 years at FIU. Multiple sources in CFB saying he has a great shot at Pitt job.

[86Cane]

Six says:

1. Also, 86 and Hassan, tell me that the food being served at the Citrus Bowl didn't suck and also was insanely over priced. $10 for a flat hamburger and fries that were the size of toothpicks?

2. One last thing, I saw Manny on the field after the Plant/Miramar game - shook his hand and talked with him a bit. Manny has a crazy good memory, I started to say that I met him at .. and he finished the sentence by saying "at the Booker T. Washington state championship game" - that was 4 years ago?

3. Miami-Dade/Broward might have some arguably faster athletes or a few bigger kids, but, as you saw the coaching of the Tampa Bay teams (Armwood, Plant, Bradenton Manatee) was superior when it came to their systems, game planning and adjustments. The Tampa Bay area kids were no joke either when it came to speed and size - Armwood especially. The football IQ of the kids at Plant, Armwood & Bradenton Manatee is very high as well.

Here is my response:

1. True. We did NOT eat anything there. The field looks great, the food NOT so much.

2. Manny is way cool and very sharp. Nothing gets past that cat.

3.Totally agree with the coaching and schemes and play calling being superior in the Tampa area than Miami. When the athletes are about equal (slight edge to SoFl) the coaching makes the difference. Heck even Mrs. 86 said that about watching the Armowood vs Central Game.

[86Cane]

Ohio...roger that and a plus one. ;-)

[Hassan]

Gore released at lsu

Six, Guy looks good is a big guy stands tall in the pocket

[CaneRock]

While I'll give props to the Tampa schools for winning the Ships, I'm not gonna say one area has better coaching than the other. I think the theme of this year's Ships is the Power run game with the backside guard(s) pulling.
BTW didn't have an answer for it against Bolles.
Miramar didn't have an answer for it against Plant.
Madison didn't have an answer for it against the Bryant kid (forget the name of the team He played for).
Chipley didn't have an answer for it against Jefferson County.
And speaking of Bryant, He was the most impressive running back that I saw in the 'Ships this year, that kid just PUNISHED! Madison County. He's MAY not be as elusive as Duke, but that kid runs like a MANCHILD!

[Hassan]

2014 Cook from central looks like a beast to me.

Allen Baily got his 1st sack today

[Hassan]

Six the 10 dollar burgers are b.s i got the 3 dollar dog. But the tub sized pissers in the bathroom remind me of the O.B

[j.w.]

What timing, six, I was thinking that Crow could turn into the next Buck Ortega for us. Shapr kid who loves to play but can't play QB at the next level, also willing to do whatever it takes to help the team, including scout team QB if we need one.
Great info here today, all, and really good to see six and solar back- try and make it a habit, guys!
Fantasy football players ill get a kick out of this- Calvin Johnson may have just got me into the title game today! Got a good start from Matt Ryan, nothing from almost everyone else, then CJ has the game of his career. He scored 16 for me with bonus points and ppr stats on that last drive alone. I'm up by 35 and my opponent has Antonio Brown tomorrow. Praying that Roethlisberger sits this one out. . .

[Six]

Kim Jong Insane .... dead.

In honor of that nutjob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXQ8unERVTE

[Six]

Hassan - one of the guys I work with took a pic of those pee troughs b/c he said he hadn't seen something like that in a long long time

I'll shoot you an email lata, gotta actually do some work now

[j.w.]

Six- they have them out here at Candelestick and the Oakland Colliseum. Once saw a guy put his beer underneath it while he went, totally oblivious to splashing. You gotta go with the Labrador Retreiver approach if you're ever in that situation.

[SOUP]

CaneRock...U are 100% correct sir!

The spread offense was OUT this year at the State playoffs and the power running game was oh so back IN.

Good call, keen eye.

[Johnsons Tiles]

Really nice.Thanx to share it.

[SOUP]

NEW BLOG IS UP!