Five Questions With Canespace: Chris Yandle

Today we take a completely new turn in the latest feature of what now appears to have become a very popular feature series known as "Five Questions With Canespace".  After interviewing several of the media reps that cover the Miami Hurricanes we now turn our attention to the staff at the University of Miami who often operate behind the curtain but without whose help the show simply could not go on. 

Canespacers meet Chris Yandle, the officially designated "new kid on the block", who is the new Director of Communications for the UM Athletic Department. Among his many other assigned duties Yandle handles the all important day-to-day operations of the media scheduling and interviewing process as it relates to the UM football team.

Chris joins the very creative and always progressive Chris Freet at UM, who was recently promoted to the job title of UM Associate Athletic Director for Communications and Marketing. Apparently, it really helps if your name is "Chris" if you are looking to get a job at UM these days?

So here are our five questions with Chris Yandle of the University of Miami:

Canespace: You just recently joined the UM SID staff as Communications Director. Help Miami fans get to know you a little better tell us about your professional experiences in college athletics and a little about your personal life in general before UM?

Yandle: My foray into college athletics began with a chance encounter while I was a freshman at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2000. I never knew sports information / media relations / athletic communications existed until I happen to walk into the Southern Miss SID office. I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do but I always knew I wanted to work in sports, college athletics in particular. Mike Montoro (then at USM, now at West Virginia) was the first person to give me my big break in the business. I still talk to Mike often to this day and he still tells me he knew I had a future in this.

Because of a family illness, I transferred to Louisiana-Lafayette in August 2002. It was at ULL where my career took a more professional path. Working at ULL was one of the best things for my career. Being a part of a small office, I had the opportunity – whether I wanted to or not – to learn everything. I spent three full years as an undergraduate student at ULL, working every sport and traveling with baseball.  

In addition to working in sports, I knew I wanted to write. I studied public relations at Louisiana-Lafayette (minor in history) and was the Outstanding Graduate in Communications. I moved to Huntington, W.Va., in July 2005 to start graduate school at Marshall University. I traveled with the football and softball programs for two years and I was there during the filming of “We Are Marshall”. It was a very cool experience to walk home to my apartment and spot Matthew McConaughey at the neighborhood Subway. 

After graduating from Marshall in 2007, I only had one professional option… and that was returning to Louisiana-Lafayette as Assistant SID. It worked out well personally because I was getting married in June 2007 and my wife still had a year left of school at ULL. I spent 13 months at ULL, working with volleyball, men’s basketball and baseball. I contemplated leaving the profession and pursuing a private career in public relations. That was until I got a phone call from Baylor. After only one year of full-time experience, I had the opportunity to be the men’s basketball SID for a Big 12 school and a rising powerhouse. 

In four years in Waco, I had the chance to experience two Elite Eight appearances for men’s basketball, four NBA draft picks, a WBB national championship, two bowl trips, a 10-win football season and a Heisman Trophy winner. I played a small role in the RG3 Heisman Trophy campaign last year in Waco. A year later and it still feels surreal looking back at the #YearoftheBear. I don’t think any school will ever experience that again.  

In June – while we were hosting the NCAA Super Regional in Waco – I got a phone call from Chris Freet, asking if I would be interested in joining the UM staff. I wasn’t looking to leave Baylor and it was certainly a difficult decision, but the opportunity, the energy and vision of the Miami Athletics Department was too good to pass up. To be 30 and the Director/Football Contact at a FBS school was a great chance to continue my career aspirations of becoming an AD. 

Canespace: I was born and raised in Miami so I know that the 305 is a dynamic, diverse, busy and sometimes difficult or challenging place to live, that to be honest, is not for everyone.  What excited you about the opportunity to move to South Florida and join the University of Miami athletic department staff? 

Yandle: For me, the opportunity to work with Chris Freet and Shawn Eichorst and the rest of the senior staff was enough for me. The energy I felt during my interview at Miami was the same way I felt during my interview at Baylor in 2008. Yes, Miami is different. But, so is Waco, Texas; Lafayette, La.; Huntington, W.Va.; Hattiesburg, Miss.; and so on and so on. During my interview process, people would tell me: “you know, this isn’t like Waco.” Where you live is what you make of it. To me, Miami is just like any other town I’ve lived in, except with amazing ocean views and a beach.

Canespace: In your short experience at UM so far what has pleasantly surprised you and what have you found challenging (apart from working with that Freet character) about living in SoFL, working at UM and dealing with the Hurricane beat reporters and Miami's fickle and demanding fans base? 

Yandle: Every fan base is different from other schools, yet the same. I love the passion of the Canes fan base. It’s something I’ve never experienced at my previous schools (to this magnitude). And the media – no matter the city or the school – will be different. Every school/city/media market presents its own unique set of challenges. Miami is no different. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m very proud to be at The U.

Canespace: We do something called Legends of the Fall each year. Bloggers at Canespace select one player on offense and one on defense that they feel will have a "legendary" or "break out" season each year. Apart from obvious choices Stephen Morris and Denzel Perryman which two players do you think are going to really burst onto the scene in 2012?  Also select one Freshman and one assistant coach that U feel will make an impact this year? 

Yandle: My first days on the job were spent in Greensboro at ACC Kickoff with Scott Zavitz (Assistant Director), Mike James and Brandon McGee. Mike and Brandon are fantastic representatives for The U and I’ve become big fans of both. I think both can have outstanding senior seasons.  In terms of the freshmen, I can’t limit it to just one. I think many will make a contribution in 2012, including but not limited to Tracy Howard and Duke Johnson.

Canespace: What new changes or features can Miami Hurricane fans expect from the UM web site and the SID in general this season?  Will there be any in-depth player profiles, weekly player personal diaries or changes in the game day experience for fans attending games in 2012?

Yandle: HurricaneSports.com is the front porch for everything Hurricanes Athletics and it’s important that we put our best information there and we push all of our social media content back to that site. And with the addition of Brian Bowsher as our Digital Media Strategist, I can promise we will have plenty of new things coming soon, but I’m not willing to spill the new stuff quite yet. The one thing I will tell you is that we will be more social media heavy and social media savvy.  

Our football game program will feature tons of social media-produced content; fans don’t care what questions I ask Mike James, but they do care if Mike James answers their question(s) for the game program. I believe in social media engineering and that’s what we are going to produce – fan generated content.

Comments

[orange 'n green in the vein]

First, the brow is bipolar.

[Hampton Inn - Plantation]

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS TODAY!

We look forward to having the Canespace Crew at the Hampton Inn in Plantation once again this season and hosting your special events like the "Party on the Patio" after every UM home game.

You can make your reservations on-line by using the Canespace Corporate ID 0002702804 or by calling me or the hotel front desk at 954-382-4500. Make sure to mention the special "Canespace Rate" for college football games this year.

Thanks again for your business and all of us at the Hampton Inn look forward to seeing all of you crazy orange and green Miami fans once again this Fall.

GO CANES!

[Hampton Inn - Plantation]

Just click on the Hampton Inn -Plantation link at the bottom of my comment to be redirected to our web site to make a new reservation or to change or check your existing reservations.

Susan Stern, Hampton Inn - Plantation

[Jack]

4th yo!!

[86Cane]

Picked by media to finish fifth in the six-team Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division, Miami enters Saturday's opener at Boston College with some of the lowest expectations in years. But here's a story line that should keep you engaged: following a freshman class that Miami hopes will be the nucleus of a big-time winner eventually.

"This class has got to be the one to lead us back," five-star cornerback Tracy Howard said this summer. "Me, Malcolm Lewis, Deon Bush, Duke Johnson, we're coming in with passion and hunger to turn things around. No disrespect to the upper classmen, but we've got to make things happen ourselves."

Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch admits: "I didn't realize how good our young guys were" before August.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/25/3779646/freshman-class-should-give-fans.html#storylink=cpy

[86Cane]

“For us to get back to where we want to be in the college football world, we can talk about everything and what the expectations are and anything on the outside,” Golden said. “But the reality of it is, for us at the University of Miami, right here, right now, there’s only one way out, and that’s the [ACC’s] Coastal Division.”

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/sports/college/2012-08-24/story/miami-hurricanes-its-here-and-now#ixzz24mR4uioY

[THE MAN]

I wish players would stop talking and just play! If they produce on the field they won't need to talk, people will be talking about them...

[Hassan]

Next year UTough will start Chi training. We can do amazing things with Chi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZM3t9JpGjw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Our tackling is about to become ELECTRIC!!!

[Hassan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf3k_4Obv7g&feature=g-vrec

[solarcane]

"This class has got to be the one to lead us back,"

gee We never heard that before

[Dude on a Pale Horse]

Hassan,

2003 Defense is my favorite ever. All that talent should have won a National Championship.

[86Cane]

Solar...at the UNC game you will hear this:

"This is the tailgate that has to be the one to lead us back!"

[Hassan]

Hassan,

2003 Defense is my favorite ever. All that talent should have won a National Championship.

Posted by: The Dude | August 27, 2012 at 07:28 PM
----------------------------------------------

i loved them too but we never had a leader quite like Jerome Brown, that dude was special. How do you recruit a Jerome Brown? I think u just get lucky.

[WWIN]

does anybody have an updated ncaa13 roster that i can download??

Posted by: swamper | August 27, 2012 at 10:52 AM

I do for PS3

[solarcane]

The Cane fan atmosphere right now feels just like it did when Kelly was a redshirt freshman and Schnel had just arrived.

We had sat through so many crappy years in a row it was hard for us to grasp how good we were going to get so quickly.

I think a majority of the fans here are in the age bracket that became fans during the dominant years, so seeing a real shiddy Canes team for 6 straight years was even harder to take for them than it was for us old farts that sat through the pre 1981 seasons oblivious to what the hell swagger was all about.

[UMike]

OK..so who all will be tailgating a the Miami-GT game? Cause Im broke like a joke and will be looking for food haha

[solarcane]

hassan,
you been killing it with good links thanks

[solarcane]

Posted by: 86Cane | August 27, 2012 at 07:28 PM

lol I'm all in!!

[solarcane]

soup,
moments I wish you were standig next me:

I'm at the equipment rental place looking at fork lifts to pick a trailer up and move it 25 yrds

me:
"I have a small mobile home I need to move off a foundation, I think your fork lift is just a little too lightweight to handle it."

Salesman:

"well, we have some cranes over here"

me:
"whoosh whoosh"

Salesman:

"wtf?"

[usagainsttheworld]

Next year UTough will start Chi training. We can do amazing things with Chi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZM3t9JpGjw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Our tackling is about to become ELECTRIC!!!

Posted by: Hassan | August 27, 2012 at 05:10 PM

hilarious! can you imagine?

[BigWIndyCane-Forecast1]

Canes seem to be a slight favorite to win their first game, but the pundits are giving the Canes little chance of winning many ACC games this year.

The pundits are about to be surprised by Al Golden's Canes. Al Golden has recruited some good players, and he has done a good job developing every player on his roster. I think the players and coaches are better than last year's Canes at most positions having another year under Golden's system. More importantly, the QB play will improve by leaps and bounds with Morris and Fisch, and they have the potential to score a lot of points if the offense stays healthy this year.

Even though the Canes are very young, I would be surprised if they did not play very well every single game. With Al Golden's leadership and the talent the Canes have on the field, the Canes will surprise some people.

[86Cane]

"whoosh whoosh"

Salesman:

"wtf?"

Posted by: solarcane | August 27, 2012 at 07:59 PM

Two most common things heard when hanging around SolarCane?

Whoosh, whoosh! and WTF?

[UMike]

Good read about Florida players..

http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1399313

[Tsully76]

I feel that our Hurricanes will be better than the experts think because I think our overall team is better. If we get Stephen Morris to give us what J12 gave us last year we will win 8 or 9 games because I feel we have fewer busts ala Marcus Fortsons of the world.

[Tsully76]

Laron Byrds, Ray Armstrongs, etc that didn't put in the effort to be as productive as they could have been and neutralized the efforts of Spence, J12, Miller, Streeter, etc. Its up to the total team to make that seal block to free the running back up to get those few yards to extend drives, to make the stops on 3rd downs when we on defense to give our offense the ball back. Our Canes need to create turnovers again because that ballhawking has been missing for at least 7 years. Go Canes

[Ohio_Cane]

High praise from former UM king:

Schnellenberger: "That's the best-looking squad I've ever seen in my life physically...expect them to be damn good". http://t.co/1usawEQE

[86Cane]

A BIG shout out to UM's Chris Yandle for taking the time to come on Canespace and answer our FIVE questions. We look forward to working with you over the coming years!

GO CANES!!!

[CoCane]

^^^ I hope Schnelly ain't senial. That's a lot of props...

[roachcane77]

Solar, as one who HAS been here to see the Canes through MANY lean years. (The U Class of '77 after all.) Not to mention the years I followed them before that while in high school at Miami Norland... I gotta say, I agree...

There's something "special" about this class. I got my hopes WAY too high with the NW group a few years ago, but with that last Schnellenberger quote from Ohio_Cane... Dude... that's awesome!

I'M ALL IN! I'm drinking a gallon of the Cane Kool Aid, and then some!

SATURDAY BABY! Let's Go Canes! RELEASE THE HOUNDS!

[roachcane77]

Schnelly:

"That's the best-looking squad I've ever seen in my life physically including the Miami Dolphins, the University of Alabama, anybody. In 56 years of coaching, they looked better physically than anyone I've ever seen."

HOLY SH!!TE!!!!

[86Cane]

Tomorrow night we have Chris Freet UM AD for Communications and Marketing whose FIVE questions article will run at 8 PM.

Wednesday night: Miami Hurricane newspaper sports editor or PapaCane from Twitter will answer FIVE questions with Canespace.

Thursday night: OGVs Countdown to South Beach weekly series begins with the chase for the National Championship.

Saturday morining: Game Day Blog!

[86Cane]

I'M ALL IN! I'm drinking a gallon of the Cane Kool Aid, and then some!

SATURDAY BABY! Let's Go Canes! RELEASE THE HOUNDS!

Posted by: roachcane77 | August 27, 2012 at 10:47 PM

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning. It smells like....Victory!

[j.w.]

Thanks, Chris! Great blog as always, CEO

[SJMPARMAN]

That Schnellenberger quote is amazing. It is hard for me to folow things from afar, but this team looks in better shape. There was a nice article in the Herald today by Manny on Ereck Flowers. That kid has worked his butt off since coming to the team. His Dad is a powerful mentor for him after he lost his mom to cancer. Great story. He is definitely in shape. Even though Seantrell hasn't practiced he does look more fit than he has at any time since he arrived at UM. For the past few years our O line were these huge guys who were slow on their feet. I think those days are gone now.

I am cautiously optimistic about this team. I think this team has three dynamic running backs. It has a strong armed quarterback who will improve after watching Jacory last year. The biggest question marks are the recievers and the tight ends.

The defense will be okay. As long as Perryman roams the middle, and Buchannon stays healthy, they will be okay. Spence was a great player, and his speed will be missed. But I think they will find a third linebacker who will be okay. Gaines played alot of snaps last year but he did look lost out there at times. But he has the physical skills to develop into a good linebacker. I also think the safety play will improve. I think the youth in the secondary will be a good thing. It will be interesting to watch anyway.

5 days to game day. BC at BC has never been an easy trip for even the great Canes teams, nevertheless a team this young. But I really believe that the process matters, that these players believe in it, and that they will beat BC up there.

[solarcane]

Say aren't those 2012 CANESPACE decals?

And yes you too can have one to slather across your car's rear window,laptop, forehead or anything else to show you support CANESPACE

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/solarcane/12stickers-1.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/solarcane/12stickers2.jpg

I'll be shipping these and a bunch of other stuff down to soup to give away here for trivia answers, or meet him or me at a game and score one.

or just email me if you live outside South Florida and you would enjoy the prestige that comes with cruisin around with Canespace on your ride.

gonz1320@yahoo.com

[Tsully76]

Great stuff Solar and 86 keep doing your thing man these 5 questions segments are priceless and getting all us Canespacers pumped for the season. Go Canes.

[solarcane]

thanks tsully,
I'll see to it one comes your way just email me an address

aight im down

[Pre83]

Schnelly:

"That's the best-looking squad I've ever seen in my life physically including the Miami Dolphins, the University of Alabama, anybody. In 56 years of coaching, they looked better physically than anyone I've ever seen."

HOLY SH!!TE!!!!

Posted by: roachcane77 | August 27, 2012 at 10:49 PM

Like Coke said, those are some HUGE props. I have the utmost respect for Schnelly's opinion on CFB matters. I hope his eyes and mind are as sharp as they once were!

SOLAR - Speaking of Schnelly, yes, I was thinking the same thing about this season's atmosphere. Those not old enough cannot fathom what Schnelly accomplished - It is truly Hollywoodesque and the enormity of what transpired so quickly and so successfully may never be seen again.

Of course and unfortunately, fast forward to 2012 and the once bitten-twice shy mentality wants to rear its ugly head from a long time fan's perspective. You know, like we are not allowed to "go there". We are really going to see marked improvement THIS season...really?!?!

Well, like I said a few days back, as an individual and as a team, you know that you know that you know. When you have put the work in the weight room, on the practice field, in the film room, when you're eating with and away from your teammates. It's is exactly in those times that your swagger is built - ain't nobody takin' whats yours...nobody!

A football team is made up of many, many parts that have to all be in synch for success to be realized, so we'll see if each of those parts has come ready for prime time. That includes the coaches. I find it difficult to believe that anything could surprise AG, so you have to believe he is prepared. But in practice and under the lights are two very different things and we shall see soon enough. My gut is telling me to hedge towards AG & Co coming out on top. I hope I'm right!

[CoCane]

I think Scnelly is a lil' biased. He'll always be a cane at heart. I do think the team is on a new level of conditioning...

[Tsully76]

Anytime Solar. My e-mail is terrance.sullivan24@gmail.com

[Tsully76]

Pre83 you are spot on.

[Tsully76]

CoCaine u are correct Scnelly is at heart a Cane.

[Randall McDade]

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/08/schnellenberger-talks-up-miami-but-not-conference-usa/1#.UDyJr6MsHC3

[LB]

"Schnellenberger: "That's the best-looking squad I've ever seen in my life physically...expect them to be damn good". http://t.co/1usawEQE"

Usually articles like that are fluff, crap. But from him... not likely. That's a good indicator of where we're going.

-----------

Via Manny:

"“He skipped homecoming, prom, graduation,” Everald said. “As a parent, you’re proud. But at the same time it’s what we’ve been working for. We’re just seeing the fruits of our labor. He says, ‘Dad, somebody might be better than me or faster than me, but they’re not going to work as hard as me."

That's exactly why he should start. In the end, he'll be better than anyone. Great read.

[raizecane]

86 - great job with the blog these last few weeks. Getting everyone's input is awesome. I think in the future, you should ask a 6th questions and that question is how they think Miami will finish record wise.

[Ohio_Cane]

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning. It smells like....Victory!

Posted by: 86Cane | August 27, 2012 at 11:15 PM
---------------------------------------

Classic!!

[Ohio_Cane]

Casagrande - For the first time since Friday, the Miami football team practices outside. http://twitpic.com/aol7eu

Thurston Armbrister wearing black this morning.

[Ohio_Cane]

Seantrel Henderson still wearing scout team No. 74.

[Ohio_Cane]

Beast London - Wideout in yellow with dreads that isn't Hurns

Seantrel still wearing scout team 74

In Black-21,22,7,52,71,34,91,13

[Ohio_Cane]

Canespace twitter now over 550 followers!