A Measuring Stick

Brick by brick.  Brick by brick.  Brick by brick.

That saying is based on the theory that you don't try to build a whole big, beautiful wall all at once. The objective is just to lay one perfect brick at a time, put one solid brick in place each and every day, and eventually the wall will build itself.

That was the latest and most creative of all of the slogans that Coach Al Golden has used to try to paint a picture for his team as they try to regain the glory that once once Miami Hurricanes football.

On Saturday during the second game of the 2012 season and even before the second layer of bricks were set in place and the plaster was allowed to dry, the proverbial wall came tumbling down all around the 2012 version of the Miami Hurricanes football team.

In what amounted to an absolute engineering nightmare Golden's team laid and egg, not a brick, against Kansas State.  The wall first showed early signs of cracking as the Hurricanes trailed 14-0 in the first quarter for the second straight week and then it eventually crashed down on them in Manhattan as Miami was dominated and soundly beaten 52-13 by the Wildcats.

It was as though the Wildcats took one of those bricks, smashed it through the front window of the Hecht Athletic Center in Coral Gables, and ripped out the heart of the Hurricanes football program.

In his own words after the game the Hurricanes were out-coached, out-played and so thoroughly beaten by the #21 ranked Wildcats that even the eloquent and smooth talking Golden had difficulty finding the right words to describe or explain the embarrassing and devastating loss.

The bottom line is that things got ugly in Kansas on Saturday. All of the nice slogans and wise sayings and accomplishments allegedly made from the "UTough" conditioning program over the Summer seemed to be all but erased on the Bill Snyder Family Stadium in a matter of just over three hours.

What should have been a motivational revenge game for the Hurricanes, a team that barely lost to the Wildcats last year in Miami, turned out to be just another depressing beat down at the hands of what now clearly appears to be a vastly superior opponent.

On Saturday before the UM football team got off of the buses outside of the Wildcats' stadium they were given a yard stick.  It symbolized the three feet that separated Miami from beating Kansas State last year at Sun Life Stadium when UM QB Jacory Harris could not get into the end zone from one yard out in the last minute of the fourth quarter.

Three feet was all Miami needed last year to beat Kansas State at home. But this year on the road against the Wildcats the distance between victory and defeat was so much greater than that.

In fact, you probably could have taken all 65 yard sticks from the UM players who traveled all the way to Kansas and lined them up end to end and they still would not have measured the gulf that separated the performance of these two teams on the Saturday in September.

This game was more than just the second game of the young 2012 season. In many ways it was a measuring stick to evaluate where this Miami team stacks up against a top 25 ranked opponent.

And simply put, Al Golden and the 2012 Miami Hurricanes football team just did not measure up.

Comments

[elliott]

First....

[IraqiCane]

Damn so close

[Clwtrdan]

1st loser

[solarcane]

shame UM isn't a Catholic school I would have enjoyed seeing a gang of nuns rush the plane and beat the coaching staffs ass with their own yardsticks.

[IraqiCane]

LOL, that would be good.

[Laquinton]

Yeah, I didnt sleep well at all last night. I watched the game again (i know..once wasnt enough for me)

This game reminded me so much of that Wisconsin bowl game. Where speed..talent we had them and in the trenches.. we were whipped ! when shayon green is making downfield tackles thats how you know your doing something bad. Golden needs to have a meeting with D'No and Jethro and get on the same page. I know second year and playing young players but McGee,Telemaque and Buch should be much better. The "plug" should be on the bench he was getting punished.. why wont they play more big bodys ? Jelani, J.Johnson should be playing DT.. 6'4, 6'6''..

[Laquinton]

after the first quarter Morris seemed to timid out there. he missed so many chances out their, granted duke didnt give him much.. mike james should be the starter.. he should be spelling duke. clements fumble killed the momentum . wheres #25...dallas? hes on twitter after every game..what seems to be mad. this game should have been a L but not a blowout. Bethune Cookman should be a great tuneup game and Miami will need to get it going because GTech,NC State and especially ND..these teams are coming to play.

[elliott]

Let me start off by saying that it is sad to have finally come to the conclusion that we just are THAT good. I really thought we would be good on defense this year. For some reason I was under the impression that in D'nofrio 2nd year we would be able to have some consistency and even though we would be young we would still have more overall talent. My hypothesis was wrong and I feel really bad for the team after this loss. At first I was pissed and even went on to saying Miami sucks. However, after watching this Golden interview I feel bad for the team and coaches. Now don't get me wrong I do not like Dnofrio but I am starting to think we just dont have the talent period to make any sort of run. This is not going to be a simple one year recruiting class fix in my opinion this is much larger. Take in the considerations of the NCAA sanctions and we are talking about another 4-5 years before your beloved CANES are dominant again and this is a big IF. I would love to see UM dominate again on the football field but sadly I feel that the collegiate game has changed and as one blogger has already pointed out small schools just can not make from an economic standpoint. Big schools have big money which equal to big time recruits and exposure. Yeah we have been able to land a "few" big time recruits but problem is they were not at the right positions. Hint: QB and DT. In order to win in today's CFB you must have three things. A good quarterback, dominate D Line and a good LB core. We have neither. Our D line looks extremely soft, LB's are terrible outside of Perryman. EJ is good but still too young and Morris has showed some improvement but he still is not the answer. Not expecting much at all this season and I have changed my prediction from 7-5 to 5-7. We will NOT be able to beat UNC,Virginia, FSU, VT, Notre Dame, or GT. We beat Duke, USF Bethune Cookman and NC State. The reality is we COULD lose to USF and NC State as well and go 3-9. Just depends on improvement and whether or not Porter comes back. Drink up it is going to be a long season folks. Good thing I just bought me a copy of Madden 2013. This might be the year I fully get engaged into the NFL instead of College. Have a great Sunday guys!

[elliott]

not THAT good ^ above typo I never proofread my bad...

[[email protected]@ne]

It used to be that if you could not play man to man you could not get on the field. So we played tight and the backs came up hard to fill the holes to make the tackle. On sweeps the corners would meet their sweep in the back field. The d line did not need to play head up on their man ..their responsibly was to shoot the gap and get penetration while the d ends pinched down to force the play outside. SO everyone was aggressively going toward the ball. We are not getting up field now.

[CoCane]

The biggest thing missing from da U in 1 word. AGGRESSION!

Think about it...

Scnelly brought in kids from South Florida. Are culture down here is an aggressive mentallity. Scnelly coached'em up & let'em loose with an aggression that complimented our culture.

JJ had an aggressive mind & scheme. It was perfection...

Erickson wasn't an aggressive personality but he knew to let them loose.

Butch is aggressive, so he looked for a certain aggressive nature in each player whether they were local or out of state...

Choker like Erickson, not an aggressive mind. But unlike Erickson he stayed away from players with that mindset. He failed

Shannon after becoming a mature adult grew ashamed of the programs troubled past. So aggression was not allowed. Throw in a lacking conditioning program... Failure

Golden has an aggressive personality his conditioning program is on point but he's on a path to failure because his x's & o's recipe lacks the main ingredient. AGGRESSION!!!

CHURCH

[86Cane]

CoCane...interesting theory there. Are the Canes trying to play "smart" like a Penn State or "aggressive" like Miami teams of old?

[BigTimeCane]

I think a small school can still dominate. As much as things change in CFB it stays the same. There was big time money back in the 80s and even earlier and 90s up til now. Miami was never about money just location. TCU is an example of a small school competing. They are exactly like Miami a small private school. They don't have half our history and are ranked and were in the top 5 last year.
When I first heard about the yard stick psychological tactic I thought man golden is great he is so smart and knows how to motivate. But now that I think about it, maybe it's just too much paycho-babble. I would have just handed the players a paper with last years score and made it all about revenge. There is a disconnect with all the talk from golden from the staff, from the players and what is actually happening on the field.
I'm gonna say it to make myself feel better but I know it won't happen. Just fire Dnofrio.
Golden has allowed his friend to be an anchor around his neck and this program. I have faith golden can turn it around. But he needs to let the players loose. Let them light people up. Let them play fast and hard. He says that's what he wants but it's not showing on the field not this year or last. You want your players to be gentlemen off the field I'm with that. But on the field I want players to play fast, hard and rough. And I just haven't seen that the past two games or even last year.Everyone on defense just stands around waiting to see what happens. He's taking their instincts away and it's showing on the field.

[BigTimeCane]

^^^^ oops TCU was ranked top 5 two years ago

[Tsully76]

Lol Elliot the same Virginia team that needed a depleted Penn State backup PlaceKicker to miss 4 field goals to win by one at home. The same North Carolina team that lost to Wake. forest, . Yessss our Canes got their pants pulled down yesterday. But I got news for you and others K-State gonna beat the holy hell outta a lot of teams and win 10 games again this season like last year but since K-State does not have a sexy name like Notre Dame or FSU or VT we just think all s lost. Changes are needed schematically but we will go about 7-5 about what. Vegas predicted. Calm down my Canespacers fam.

[BigTimeCane]

CoCane very interesting theory. You said in one succinct sentence what I tried to say in a long rant. I think golden says he wants aggressive play and is aggressive himself but oddly his defense and offense to a degree is very timid.

[nemo2002]

Nice post.

The K St game was a rude awakening. Why didn't we perform better on defense, after the dismal showing against BC? What adjustments did we (or didn't we) make? Why don't we have a credible running game? Why are we getting beat on both sides of the line? Why isn't the U Tough enough? Is it the players? The coaches? Or both?

So much for "making UM competitive" again, as boldly promised by Al Golden when he was signed. It appears that the team isn't getting any better, despite lots of wishful thinking and hyperbole to the contrary.

Moreover, with tough NCAA sanctions looming on the horizon one can't help but wonder WHEN and IF the U will bounce back to the top tier (where it belongs).

Then again, the team is young . . . and the season is young. Let's hope for better results (and some much needed upsets) in the remaining games.

[86Cane]

Can small schools still compete? OF COURSE!

Stanford
TCU
BYU
Louisville

All in current top 25 rankings.

And don't forget about Boise State.

[86Cane]

Then again, the team is young . . . and the season is young. Let's hope for better results (and some much needed upsets) in the remaining games.

Posted by: nemo2002 | September 09, 2012 at 01:41 PM

There IT is right there.

[The Dude]

Here is what is wrong in to me. Coach ahem "D" is always bring up what Bama does defensively comparing it to what he does because the systems are similar. He wants to get pressure with his front 4 which is in my opinion a really good strategy. Problem is, we do not have the talent to do this. If you are bringing 4 and they are blocking with 5 you have to have someone who can beat a double team. That is simple math. Chickillo is the only guy we have who can beat 1 on 1 blocking, so when we bring 4, he is the guy that is double teamed and becomes a non factor because he cant beat the double team yet. Every other DL on our team just isnt good enough to get the QB. He needs a new scheme for this D. You dont fit your players to your scheme, you fit your scheme to the players you have.

[86Cane]

Jimmy Graham: 17 career starts, 17 career TDs.

Reggie Wayne (IND), Andre Johnson (HOU), Jimmy Graham (NO) all with catches through the first quarter of #NFL action.

[Tsully76]

I agree the Dude

[usagainsttheworld]

good morning space cadets: the team does lack the breadth and depth of talent we need to be a high caliber team, however it is clear that too many of our players are blowing assignments and are out of place on plays-- this boils down to coaching. golden is not going anywhere (nor should any of us want him to go anywhere). d'no doesn't have the talent to execute whaat he's trying to do (he might have to go anyway).

also-- my gut is telling me that the game with bcc is going to be mroe of a dogfight than we think (or would like).

did you see that catch by jimmy graham?

[BigTimeCane]

One last angry thought/rant. Why didn't any of our players react when Morris got rocked after he threw the ball? Why didn't any of our players get in ksu players face? I don't want fighting or any of that I just want aggressive players that will out hustle and out muscle you from the moment they get in the tunnel to when they are in the locker room.

But as nemo said season is still young and hopefully we get it fixed. Just so much frustration.

[[email protected]@ne]

I dont like all this grading stuff. Cause i think it gets in the way of making the goal about winning. And guys can have great personal stats but can make a big mistake or are not there when we need a play.

And also this really is a cut throat job. Because it only matters what is done in the game ending in a win. I think Golden needs to develop better a fear in the players being uncertain about their position if we lose. And it doesnt matter what your name is or if your a freshman etc. I think he should have gone to Williams because the o wasnt producing.

[86Cane]

Do not reply to the trolls. I will delete them as they appear.

[Laquinton]

I remember one blitz from yesterdays game. course Miami is playing 3-4 and kelvin cain is at LOLB and when he came through a big hold Klein rushed to his left for a big gain. 3-4 works when you have the personel for it. your not going to install that defense in year 1.5 Al remember you need bigger DL that can take on double teams and bigger LB's..

[AlpharettaCane]

Dear Coach Fisch,
East - West: bad.
North - South: good.

Coach D'Nofrio:
Passive, reactive, bend don't don't break: bad.
Aggressive, dictating to offense, mistakes but at full speed: good.

[usagainsttheworld]

Do not reply to the trolls. I will delete them as they appear.

Posted by: 86Cane | September 09, 2012 at 02:23 PM

aye, aye captain!

[[email protected]@ne]

Its like motivating your kid. Some discipline which may look more mean may not send the message. So you got to take away something that means something. The question is how do you send a message to all the team that you will not accept losing?

[usagainsttheworld]

watching the saints and the redskins-- rg iii looks pretty good. one question-- where is leonard hankerson?

[[email protected]@ne]

This next game is a good game to send that message.

[Sarasota 'cane]

How many of the "greats" of old could qualify for admission today? How many old school maniacs could pass a drug test for PED's today?
For better AND for worse we are no longer a "win at all cost" program.

Grrrrrrr 'canes!

[CoCane]

CEO,

They're trying to be smart among an aggressive culture. Which has turned out to be dumb...

[[email protected]@ne]

My wife attended the U when Schnells was there. She hung around some of the players. She said if they lost a game the next week would be hell in practice.

[The Dude]

Here is where Miami is right now. Not enough pass rush frrom the DL to run a 4-3 right now. Can't run a 3-4 because the LBs don't know who to cover.

[The Dude]

The problem with the East/West offense we are running is that we aren't going over the middle or over the top enough so safeties are cheating up on us and the CBs are playing nice and tight. We have players quick enough to score with a couple moves, see Malcom Lewis TD vs BC, that's a prime example of what Fisch is trying to achieve. But also see the same game when balls were starting to get jumped and the safeties were cheating up so the CBs could jump the routes. That's when you go max protect and run the post at the safeties with a guy like Dorsett.

[BigTimeCane]

Hankerson doesn't finish plays so he's riding the pine. Had same problem last year. He stated before this season on a radio station that he never had to finish plays in college and that he had to adjust. Evidently he hasn't. He will probably be cut at end of season.

[Zakkee]

Imagine if we faced Stephen Morris playing QB for any college football team right now. If Stephen Morris was the starting QB for Bethune this week...would we win this game...hell no!

If you call yourself an optimist and then you scan the game tape looking for a bright spot (what optimists/fans usually do) over the last two games and don't come up with Stephen Morris...I don't what to tell you???

With the coordinator he has, the lack of WR's experience and depth (our Wr's are babies outside of Hurns who he lost in the last game), the defenses struggles, KSU's rush all game, inconsistent OL play, and many dropped passes-- Stephen Morris has played damn well.

We are lucky he stayed after coaches picked #12 over him despite all his poor/lackluster performances.

Through 2 games, there isn't a player who has performed better than #17 and thats a fact. His passes have been on point. If he was antsy in the pocket this week, its because he was pressured and hit blindsided all day long. If he held the ball too long (historically not a issue with him), then you must believe that the WRs weren't open on the play--and they weren't.

C'mon guys--lets give props where they are due. If we faced #17, he'd break records on us.

[[email protected]@ne]

The old days on offense we had like 15 plays and that was it. So we were run oriented.. mix of power and quickness.

On defense we were reactive not complicated. I here about guys studying the defense play book like its a full college course. How difficult can defense be? Make it easy to pick up your man by playing man to man. And teach the line to get penetration. The only study back in the day was film recognition of their offensive plays. You cant play fast if your thinking before you react.

[86Cane]

All 12 ACC schools have former players in the NFL and schools are led by Miami who has 47.

[Zakkee]

Dear Coach Fisch,
East - West: bad.
North - South: good.

Coach D'Nofrio:
Passive, reactive, bend don't don't break: bad.
Aggressive, dictating to offense, mistakes but at full speed: good.

Posted by: AlpharettaCane | September 09, 2012 at 02:43 PM

^^^This is the simple truth^^^

Alpharetta has been right on this blog for a LONG time now. His system has always been kool aid free.

[86Cane]

Has Jedd Fisch become Patrick Nix with all of those WR bubble screens?

[CoCane]

Golden has recruited aggressive minded players from Florida. Just to play an anti aggressive scheme. Wtf? When he said he understood our culture I thought he meant hard working off seasons, complimented by in your face aggression. That breeds wins, swagger & most importantly championships. Losing yesterday wouldn't have stung the fanbase so bad if they lost attacking.

Remember when Penn St beat us with the bomb to Fields back in 99'? That was the great ED REED that got burnt. He was just a soph. He was allowed to learn by making aggressive mistakes. Once he knew when to gamble he became a star & a leader. These youngsters need to be let loose...

Are players were coached to play in attack mode since little league. Now they're told to wait for contact??? Wait for plays to develop, then react??? FUKK DAT! This is DA BOTTOM. We smash sh*t before plays develop. Players are out of position not just because of youth. Because they're fighting instinct. Defying whats naturally imprinted in their DN FUKKIN A...

[[email protected]@ne]

We got to get out of this mindset when we lose there are good things done. Morris held onto the ball on some plays . Either we did not recognize what they were doing or guys missed their assignments but mentally it was not a good day. Morris also has the responsibilitie to get us out of bad plays.

[[email protected]@ne]

Posted by: CoCane | September 09, 2012 at 03:29 PM

LOL cocane...ITS A CANE THANG THEY WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND

[[email protected]@ne]

Back in the day Klein would have been red meat going up inside.

[86Cane]

Back in the day Klein would have been red meat going up inside.

Posted by: [email protected]@ne | September 09, 2012 at 03:36 PM

There IT is right there.

Problem is this isn't "back in the day".

[CaneRock]

Um....READING is to get you to ATTACK. The keys you read prompt you attack the right spots.

[[email protected]@ne]

Im just repeating what Sileo said yesterday. He said the dline would have held him up and let our lb take the shot.