In part four of our "Five Questions" series of feature articles we reached out to our long-time friends at WVUM. For those of you who don't know WVUM is the on-campus radio station that plays music that old guys like me and many other bloggers at Canespace have never heard before.
In addition to their eclectic music menu the student-run radio station also has an excellent sports department led by our good friend and Sports Director Chris Whittyngham.
Whittyngham is a solid student, a rabid 'Canes sports fan and an excellent broadcaster who can be heard on WVUM covering football and baseball games. Chris is also an insightful analyst and helped break down the five questions in great detail for his opportunity to be heard on Canespace.
Here are our Five Questions with WVUM Sports Director Chris Whittyngham:
Canespace: Tell us your opinion on QB Stephen Morris winning the starting role at the most important position on the field and whether or not you have faith in his ability to lead the 2012 Hurricanes team to victory against a tough schedule? Can Morris get the job done in Jedd Fisch's pro-style offense?
WVUM: I do believe that Stephen Morris is ready to lead the Canes. I actually thought he should have been the starter last year because I think we probably should have known that we were in for growing pains last year, and it would have been wiser to have been a little more forward-thinking and prepare your then sophomore QB for the future. As it is, I think Stephen has far better arm strength than Jacory Harris did last year which opens up the vertical passing game. The key is going to be the receivers. Hurns, Dorsett, Thompkins, and Scott have all shown it in flashes, but they all need to step up to be regular contributors in every game. And I don't think Gray Crow will be the starter here for a while. From what I saw in spring and fall he doesn't look even close to ready yet. I think Morris will have a good year. Interceptions will be a problem because he has a tendency to throw them (Career 7 TD/11 INT in 6 starts) and because I don't know how reliable the receivers will be.
Canespace: How many kids who are fresh out of high school and can barely shave are going to be on the field and under the bright lights for Miami this season?
WVUM: There are 15 freshmen listed on the most recent two-deep depth chart (Lewis, Isidora, Flowers, Duke, Waters, D. Crawford, Hamilton, Ivery, Moore, McCord, Terry, A. Crawford, Bush, Jenkins, Howard) and I imagine 10 of them will probably hit the field. It could be more depending on injuries and where the season goes.
Canespace: You know about our Legends of the Fall routine from last season. Select one offensive and defensive player that you think will "break out" this season? Also pick one Freshman and one assistant coach that you think will be difference makers for the Hurricanes in 2012?
WVUM: For break-out I imagine on offense it will be Allen Hurns and for defense I think it will be Shayon Green. Allen had good games, like Ohio State last year, but for the most part was overshadowed by the great play of Tommy Streeter. I think this year he's probably your number one
receiver and he will play well in the role. I think Green has been one of the coaches favorites and has kept the black jersey for most of camp. There's a reason the coaches like him and I think he'll have a good season. In terms of freshman, without question it's Duke Johnson. He's already making explosive
plays in camp and I think in the role they're giving him he will flourish. And I think Jedd Fisch will be the difference maker as an assistant. UM is glad to have him back, along with the rest of the staff, because uniformity in what you're being taught is huge. They'll need to improve in the red zone to be
better and I think Fisch has some new ideas to build on his offense from year one, like his idea to liven up the pace and break the huddle faster and get more plays in.
Canespace: Where can the strength of this team be found, is it on offense or on defense?
WVUM: I would say right now that the offense is probably the strength of the team. They have playmakers that have played well in camp and I think with the exception of a guy like Denzel Perryman, I don't think there's anybody on defense you can count on to make big plays consistently. Hopefully Miami's games won't turn into shootouts but I think the defense will need to get better over the course of the season.
Canespace: OK, time to get real. I need your season record prediction for the 2012 Miami Hurricanes football team in their second year under head coach Al Golden?
WVUM: I'm going 7-5. I think there's a good chance the Canes start the season well. I think Canes fans expectations should be to start the season 2-1 and from there you have to take the season in quarters. I think Miami fans and students have a big burden to provide a home field advantage
because Miami's 2 biggest games of the season (FSU, VT) are at home. Fans need to come strong in those games to help lift the home team. But in the end, I think it will be 7-5 for Miami in 2012.
CEO, I bet that was some fine dining; I can only imagine!!
Just curious, are you still doing CS shirts?
Posted by: VA Cane | August 25, 2012 at 03:25 PM
I have an orange one, 2 green ones....if you still do them, I am going to give it to my player whom we think emerges as the overall leader of camp...at this moment, it is my QB, David C. Fast, tough, athletic, smart, conditioned....a verbal take control leader, stern but not loud...he is mad because he thinks I think he cannot play D....I need him so bad at QB....though I have an able back up.
Posted by: VA Cane | August 25, 2012 at 03:30 PM
RIP
Neil Armstrong first man on the moon
Posted by: Hassan | August 25, 2012 at 03:40 PM
RIP Neil Armstrong.
Posted by: BEERicane | August 25, 2012 at 03:41 PM
I am not an expert on who is doing what at this point in practice but Crow is not a bad athlete or QB. I am not saying he is great or will even start a game for us but he is a really good kid, he has a strong arm and a big body so he does have some things that you look for. A former NFL QB coach wanted him so i am going to guess that he is a LOT better then most of you thinks. We live in the days of the 24/7 news cycle where we want to know everything about these kids. in the old days guys like Crow would come in and Redshirt and hold a clipboard til their RS SOPH season, Crow will be vastly improved 24 months from today.
Posted by: Hassan | August 25, 2012 at 03:45 PM
Just curious, are you still doing CS shirts?
Posted by: VA Cane | August 25, 2012 at 03:25 PM
Yes we do. However, this year we are charging $10/shirt if U have a FIRST (which U do) and $20 if U don't to cover the costs of the shirt, printing and shipping. If U can swing the $10 then I'll send one for U and freebie for your QB.
Email me the details: canespace86@aol.com.
Posted by: 86Cane | August 25, 2012 at 03:51 PM
Sounds like a very fair deal to me Boss, as always you are a gentleman and a scholar. I will send you an e mail, and I think I have your address, but we will get it all straight. Thanks for Canespace and all that you do for all of us!!!
Posted by: VA Cane | August 25, 2012 at 03:57 PM
In the old days guys like Crow would come in and Redshirt and hold a clipboard til their RS SOPH season, Crow will be vastly improved 24 months from today.
Posted by: Hassan | August 25, 2012 at 03:45 PM
There IT is right there.
Posted by: 86Cane | August 25, 2012 at 03:59 PM
Ask Cris what is in the future for our uniform look, if and when, will they be closer to the 83-89 look?
Posted by: solarcane | August 25, 2012 at 03:59 PM
Thanks for Canespace and all that you do for all of us!!!
Posted by: VA Cane | August 25, 2012 at 03:57 PM
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Posted by: 86Cane | August 25, 2012 at 04:00 PM
In its third match of the Hurricane Invitational, the University of Miami volleyball team breezed past Rutgers, 3-0, on Saturday at the Knight Sports Complex. Sophomore Alex Johnson and junior Taylor Hollins led the way with 25 combined kills.
UM, who clinched the tournament championship, won by set scores of 25-15, 25-21 and 25-14. It was the first meeting between the programs since 2003.
Posted by: 86Cane | August 25, 2012 at 04:01 PM
Solar...got it. Anything U or anybody else want me to ask Chris Freet?
Posted by: 86Cane | August 25, 2012 at 04:04 PM
Neil Armstrong. That was a guy who could have cashed in on his fame in a big way, but chose to live a quiet life with his family. You got admire his integrity. He refused to be defined by his big moment in the spotlight.
Posted by: Old Skool | August 25, 2012 at 04:12 PM
Ask Cris what is in the future for our uniform look, if and when, will they be closer to the 83-89 look?
Posted by: solarcane | August 25, 2012 at 03:59 PM
I hope never, I don't want to see any six packs flying around out there wit those extra small jerseys. You want em wearing gold floss chains too?? You know the chains so skinny you can floss wit lol
Posted by: WWIN | August 25, 2012 at 04:17 PM
anybody have the full rosters for ncaa???
Posted by: swamper | August 25, 2012 at 03:51 AM
Yes I do, but I need to edit it to put armbrister on it and subtract vernon davis
Posted by: WWIN | August 25, 2012 at 04:28 PM
Neil Armstrong: A guy who is the definition of putting your money where your mouth is. Anyone who is willing to be shot at the moon (hell, be shot into space for that matter) really has an unquestionably profound faith in something (in this case physics and its application) to be willing to face the possibility of no-return with no hope should theory not translate into reality. Hats off to that guy and all who have been shot into space.
Posted by: BEERicane | August 25, 2012 at 04:28 PM
I met N.A once, this guy was a class act and a true american hero.
Posted by: Hassan | August 25, 2012 at 04:49 PM
86 can you ask Chris and others could they get the pricing of the tickets, parking, etc out earlier than they do normally. I know some of it is predicated on the ACC and scheduling, but for us Canes fans that live outside of South Florida or even out of state the more time we have the better to get things together. Like Hotel stays etc. Our Canes have a national following. 7 days till Gametime. Go Canes.
Posted by: Tsully76 | August 25, 2012 at 05:59 PM
Sully...I will ask him that for sure. And more than that for a DISCOUNT for out of State season ticket holders. How's that?
Posted by: 86Cane | August 25, 2012 at 06:10 PM
Players on Scout Team for BC Week game preps (ie wont travel):
OT Seantrel Henderson
RB Dallas Crawford
DE Ricardo Williams
DE Tyriq McCord
DE Dwayne Hoilett
OL Hunter Wells
DE Jake O'Donnell
WR Robert Lockhart
WR D'Mauri Jones
WR Jontavious Carter
LB JaWand Blue
CB Larry Hope
RB Danny Dillard
Posted by: Hassan | August 25, 2012 at 06:10 PM
86 U da man.
Posted by: Tsully76 | August 25, 2012 at 06:18 PM
86 ASK HIM CAN WE GET OUR PARKING BACK TO WHERE IT WAS . THIS NEW SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!!! WE COME IN WITH 6 CARS THEN THE PARKING AHOLES ALWAYS SPLITS US UP!! THEY SAY COME IN TOGETHER WE DO AND THERE IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM
Posted by: canezilla | August 25, 2012 at 06:26 PM
I hope never, I don't want to see any six packs flying around out there wit those extra small jerseys.
Yea these Winter Olympic downhill skier/ superhero Nike jokes make us look sooooooooo intimidating.
Those old Russel Jerseys were cut way bigger than the crap Nike is making us wear, no idea how you think they were extra small, they were shorter but way bigger in the shoulders.
lol at the gold chains, you have a point there. thats a whole other subject, like wearing sunglasses and fatigues
Posted by: solarcane | August 25, 2012 at 06:48 PM
Cane unis through the years
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagesportsart/5634627253/in/photostream/
Posted by: solarcane | August 25, 2012 at 06:57 PM
Tenn US LL World Series champs
Posted by: solarcane | August 25, 2012 at 07:03 PM
soup,
remember when you put the kiss of death on this guy? lol
hope GC fairs a lot better than your last future NFL hall of famer prediction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ltq_fuKPyw
Posted by: solarcane | August 25, 2012 at 07:08 PM
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/um-hurricanes/miami-hurricanes-blog/sfl-um-closing-campus-canes-move-practice-20120825,0,2411497.story
Maybe will we make Hard Knock
Posted by: Hassan | August 25, 2012 at 07:32 PM
My youngest son had 4 tackles from the MLB spot today at his jamboree..he also absolutely leveled the qb,..but he had already handed the ball off lol
Posted by: UMike | August 25, 2012 at 07:45 PM
solar..will you be making the GT game this year?
Posted by: UMike | August 25, 2012 at 07:48 PM
Soup... maybe this is a dumb question, but has there ever been thought to building an indoor practice field?
How many practices do we lose every year to thunderstorms and lightning?
Posted by: roachcane77 | August 25, 2012 at 07:55 PM
86 Cane, it is good to finally see some quarterback depth on the roster. Morris, Williams, Dewey, Crow, Thompson...when was the last time that we had 5 quarterbacks?
Hard to believe that we went through a decade when the average number of quarterbacks on the roster seemed to be two, or that we went three years without signing a new quarterback.
Posted by: TonyCane | August 25, 2012 at 07:58 PM
VA Cane that is funny - and thank you, but I am no expert. Let's see it goes something like this:
Defense: see ball, get ball
Offense: throw ball, catch ball or
run like he** with ball
Posted by: CGNC | August 25, 2012 at 08:14 PM
GREAT QUESTION ROACH!!
Posted by: canezilla | August 25, 2012 at 08:16 PM
umike it is looking pretty good that i can go to unc and gt will you be in atlanta?
Posted by: solarcane | August 25, 2012 at 08:20 PM
Soup... maybe this is a dumb question, but has there ever been thought to building an indoor practice field?
How many practices do we lose every year to thunderstorms and lightning?
Posted by: roachcane77 | August 25, 2012 at 07:55 PM
prolly not a bad idea, except that with the indoor facility i wouldn't want to lose any days practicing in that good ole' thick, oppressive, miami heat-- pays off in the 4th quarter!
Posted by: usagainsttheworld | August 25, 2012 at 08:23 PM
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/um-hurricanes/fl-miami-hurricanes-news-0826-20120825,0,7359401.story
Posted by: Hassan | August 25, 2012 at 08:32 PM
CGNC you have followed UM ball a long time; you know your stuff. Plus being a horse expert, you also know quite a bit about speed. You are in the know always!!!
Posted by: VA Cane | August 25, 2012 at 08:42 PM
I TOTALLY agree usagainsttheworld... indoors is ONLY for lightning.
PERIOD!
Posted by: roachcane77 | August 25, 2012 at 08:52 PM
NEW BLOG IS UP!
Posted by: 86Cane | August 25, 2012 at 09:06 PM