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

[CEO]

260

[86Cane]

NEW BLOG IS UP!

[Ohio_Cane]

Canes are on ESPN3 only this week, I believe.

[tjl3909]

..the sky is falling because our fresh/sophs lost to a bunch of 24 year old 6th year players..anyone know if this weeks game on TV?
If not- I'll drive south and support my team

[Jiggafras]

Posted by: herbieibis | September 10, 2012 at 02:31 PM

I don't understand you anology...of course none of these guys are All conference, does that mean they have no talent...hardly. They haven't perform most of them but that doesn't mean its because they have no talent. We had to fight hard to get some of those guys from top schools, as soon as they reach Miami they have no talent. Telemaque was all conference 2 seasons ago, he has disappointed since...doesn't mean he has no talent. When Randy got fired he was one fo the bright spots that season. H ewa sbeing coached to play in a man scheme for 3 seasons, now he is forced to play in a zone passive scheme. You can see the conflict can't you? That is just an example. These don't come to campus as All conference, they are are coached to be ones. And btw teams are not just about star players, its about the unheralded guys stepping up and becoming household names when no one knew about them in the beginning. Stop saying we have no talent. Here is another statement for you....while Butch was the coach at UNC not once did they have a better recruiting class than Miami and don't give me the recruiting ranking blah blah, most of Miami players were recruited hard by other top programs like Bama UF and FSU, therefore they had to be something. Flip it around and look at the players Butch put out on Saturdays and compared ours. Its not a talent thing, the NFL alone says that is a lie. You know like Sam Shields who had all those mental errors at Miami but is able to pick up the scheme of the Super bowl champs in one season after playing CB only one season before that.

[dg]

I've refrained from posting for a while BUT damn all the excuses are just SAD. Is the third stage of grieving - bargaining, aka we are young. I saw a James Franklin coached Vandy team play with S. Carolina. No way my Dores have the same level of talent as the Canes. Since Franklin got there, they simply bring heat plan and simple. D'Onofrio is not even an average middle school coach. His arrogant a$$ comments--he's going to find out quickly this ain't Temple dumb a$$.

On a another note, there is a certain D coordinator is at a BS school that may be willing to come down and consult to rebuild his image. Sean T was his favorite player and Gregg Williams may be receptive if asked. Al Golden is showing that he is not that smart..book sense vs common sense. Give the common sense guy b/c he is a survivor and will do whatever it takes to succeed. The book guy thinks he is smarter than everybody else. JJ and Schnelley and probably Erickson were combos. I hope Bethune WINS on Sat just so the D'Onofrio thing ends and gives addition by subtraction. Yeah I said that..

[CGNC]

I bet Jon Gruden is seeing this and thinking myyyyyyyy laaawwwwddd

[THE MAN]

In addition Miami cannot be viewed as an elite program anymore. We all need to face that fact. No team respects them anymore, no reporter, analyst, coach or anyone for that matter. Playing games on FX at noon? Why would anyone view them as elite? Look what they have done the last 5+ years. They have literally shown ZERO improvement in 5+ years and arguably have gotten much much worse. Oh yeah, but they are FAST! Who gives a crap how fast they are if they can't catch, see a hole, tackle, or create turnovers. Every single team is as fast or faster than Miami. I don't get how there are so many things wrong with this program for YEARS now with no end in sight...

[CGNC]

I don't know if you guys are seeing what am saying but until we get proven Co-ordinators we will keep going in this cycle and the excuses either going to be we are young or the system is new.

Posted by: Jiggafras | September 10, 2012 at 02:20 PM

Yes I get it. And you are right.

[86Cane]

Jig...here U go:

http://www.footballscoop.com/coaching-awards/2011-coaches-of-the-year/2011-defensive-coordinator

[CGNC]

Posted by: 3G Cane | September 10, 2012 at 01:19 PM

Good post

[Montreal-Cane]

The Badgers fire their o-line coach after 2 weeks of a pour rushing performace -
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8361472/wisconsin-badgers-fire-offensive-line-coach-mike-markuson-reports-say

We need to really think about our d-coordinator.

Posted by: raizecane | September 10, 2012 at 11:21 AM

We will know more after the Georgia Tech game on sept. 22nd 2012

[herbieibis]

How most people thought we would be better on defense this year is beyond me. You could say that if we had depth of talent, which we don't. It guess it's like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, type thing. We do have sum talent. We have speed at WR & we have the Duke. Problem with having The Duke, is there is only one of him and no back-up, plus he just a FR. Our O-Line has sum talent but we are only Average at the QB spot and minus Duke we are average at best at RB, which with that combo only makes the O-Line look average.
I've already hammered the defense 100 times, so aside from what I've seen, it looks like a levee after Hurricane Katrina. Think about the players we have on defense:
Gaines, Caine, Robinson, Telemaque, Rodgers, Cornelius, Smith, Davenport, Porter, Buchanan, Green and McGee all these players were Randy's boys, are all upper classmen, and not an All-conference player among them. All would be desent back-ups at most big time univ's. or starters at places like the Buffalo's or Akrons of the world. I can't speak for Johnson, Paul, Finnie Bush, Grimble, Pierre or Howard yet because of there youth. Perryman & Chick are going to be good because they have shown flashes but 2 guys don't make a defense. Not alot to work with, is there? The sad thing is DeNo was satisfied last year with the bend but don't break approach, well it didn't work this week because we got snapped. We got smoked like a fine cigar and lest we forget Betty Cookman had over 400 yds against us last year. If we are going to go down in flames lets open the offense up and on defense, hell I don't know, if there is anything he can do but try bump & run but since we can't get to the QB, that probably wouldn't be a good idea but it's about the only thing we haven't tried yet. What have we got to lose but another game!

[Jiggafras]

Here is why i say stop blaming the players ok. We had the whole drama last season, therefore the coaching staff kinda got a pass for how poor we were on D. I don't care how you guys tell me we are young, we were not that young last season and we basically had no improvement. Through 14 games and 2 offseasons, we have given up better than 68% completion to very very very average QBs. That is not anything to do with youth...that is terrible coaching, that is Savannah St.

Who remembers Logan Thomas completing 90%+ on us. We manage to do that against every single QB we have faced bar GT and OSU when their program was in turmoil.

Stop telling us we are young. I see the young guys out there playing hard and tough and not getting any answers from the staff. if that is the case just let them go out there and call their own plays. Why are we paying No'D? He says he doesn't care about the yards given up, only the points. Well guess what...when the other team drives the entire length of the field whether for 7 or 3 or even zero, thats less time for your offense to score and then they start pressing and get nervous knowing they wont have much time on the ball.

Shannon was not a very good coach but after GT demolished us in 2008, they never beat us again. That is making adjustments, that is coaching. K State killed us last season and we watched them do the same thing again. If you can't stop them from running, how about you put 8 in the box on every play, how about you put 9 in the box on every play. How about you tell them, you can beat us but you will not beat us running the ball with the QB. I saw us playing 6 on 6 football knowing that kansas st is going to run with the QB in any situation where they have equal or better numbers.

I am very passionate about this because some of us seem to think just giving No'D time is gonna solve our problems...it wont. He has no idea what he is doing, keeps on referring to temple. Temple was playing MAC teams, not teams with top class coaches on their staff. You have to match wits with the best.

Now check this out in 2011. LSU front 4 was 4 Sophomores, 1 Freshman, 2 Juniors and 1 Senior in the 8 deep. We have similar numbers. Therefore the difference is we have No'D, they have Chavis. Quite simple for me.

Now check out Clemson, they were the ACC champions and got murdered in the OB....they relieve their DC and brought in Venables. Do you guys think it was lack of talent why WVU murdered Clemson in the OB? I don't know if you guys are seeing what am saying but until we get proven Co-ordinators we will keep going in this cycle and the excuses either going to be we are young or the system is new.

[86Cane]

My posts have always been designed to evoke thought--thats the essence of blogging correct?

Posted by: Zakkee | September 10, 2012 at 01:23 PM

CORRECT

[Ohio_Cane]

Miami @ GaTech on 8/22 set for a 3pm kickoff.

[Zakkee]

ok sarasota

of course you don't/didn't and of course I am/did ;-)

textbook

[WWIN]

D'Onofrio said best players on D will play and get most reps going forward. No longer Pop Warner "everybody plays

Posted by: 86Cane | September 10, 2012 at 12:25 PM 

---------------------------------------

Uhhh, it's about time?

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | September 10, 2012 at 12:28 PM

Exactly what was he doing at first?? Is it me or does it seem like d'no is more concerned about how many players he can get into the game instead of just playing the starters?? I always hear him bragging about how many snaps he got for a lot of players. That's part of his problems, other teams don't sub their starters out as much as we do

[Old Skool]

This ought to be interesting

A biopic of the late Penn State football coach is in the works, with Al Pacino attached to star as JoePa.

Of course, whoever plays Jerry Sandusky will probably get the "Say hello to my little friend" line.

[Ohio_Cane]

BIG TROUBLE in LITTLE CHINA.

Posted by: 3G Cane | September 10, 2012 at 01:19 PM
-----------------------------------------

GREAT movie! Kurt Russell is a stud.

[Sarasota 'cane]

No harm, no foul from me Zakkee! I could care less what you write. I was just giving you my opinion about your opinion!

Not my enemy??? Don't take this so seriously! :-)

Grrrrrrr 'canes!

[BigTimeCane]

I wonder if golden understands the impatience of an elite program. He played at PSU so he must. You cant think that this is a teaching/learning year and well we can get blown out and its ok cause we are building for the future. Hes not changing thr game plan cause he wants the players to execute going into next season. But at big time programs you just dont have that luxury from the fan base. Wrong or right there are expectations and 10 years of mediocrity has made most of the fan base impatient.

Raizecane - i believe when golden says there are lots of things we can do better he's talking about the players. He's not gonna change the game plan. So all he can do is try and force this team to play in a way they have never played before. It could take all season it could take two games who really knows. But a change in tactics would really go a long way. And even if we beat. BCC this weekend yet they manage to rack up yards and points the discontent will grow louder and uglier. Young players or not when you play a Bethune cookman it should not even be close. We will see.

[Zakkee]

Sarasota, I'm not your enemy and I didn't take away your liberty--I don't have that kinda power.

If Questioning the powers that be is taking away your liberty to blindly follow then I apologize. I just want Us to think. My posts have always been designed to evoke thought--thats the essence of blogging correct?

[3G Cane]

Nobody's mentioned what ranking KSU earned for its last 4-5 recruiting classes,
Posted by: Pre83 | September 10, 2012 at 01:38 AM

That's because their classes are JUCO'd up.

Posted by: CaneRock
----------
30+ JUCO/Transfer players on their team. When I saw this I had the feeling we were in for a long day. Great Coach, senior QB and experienced team at home vs. young, green, overmatched team = BIG TROUBLE in LITTLE CHINA.

I'm not into the whole pitchforks and torches thing anyway but this loss falls on all shoulders equally. We did plenty of footshooting on offense as well. On the checklist of do's and dont's to win a college football game, we double checked the entire dont's column. Anything that could go wrong, did. This was a throw away game. Learn from it but dont dwell on it, we got a long ways to go.

[]_[] GO CANES []_[]

[Zakkee]

Of course 86

So Sarasota, we only are allowed to post facts on this blog? And no ever posts their opinions? Is this not a forum for opinions?

People have accepted their conditioning (your prerogative), and will vehemently combat someone who doesn't accept theirs (totally unacceptable). sad.

[Ohio_Cane]

Golden said Jimmy Gaines being listed as a starter us a "misprint." Tyrone Cornelius worked with the No. 1 defense today.”

[86Cane]

Zakkee...like your comments and opinions but please stop with the whole money and mercenary thing. We get your point but it's getting old. Let's move on...

[Old Skool]

Yeah. D'No's got a plan
Everybody's got a plan to fix things: D'No, Romney, Obama.

Of course, we'll never know the specifics lest the competition, fans or citizens find out. So we just have to believe in the process, believe in the plan and trust that like the mysterious Function 920 all will be revealed ... one day.

[86Cane]

Sarasota...got your calls and messages over the weekend just didn't have the will or time to respond. LOL

I have some things I need to send U for the UMAA Atlanta club.

Email me at: canespace86@aol.com.

[Sarasota 'cane]

My opinion is that you're wrong Zakkee. You take way to much liberty describing what is going on behind the scenes when the reality is you haven't a clue. You're guessing.

"Our kid's don't believe Golden and they don't trust the process...", says you! It's simply not a fact. Let's stick to facts.

Our players are smaller and can be man-handled at the line on both sides of the ball against most of the teams we will face. That's a fact!

Grrrrrrr 'canes!

[Zakkee]

Sarasota, I didn't say it was fact, its definitely my opinion and you didn't refute any of it lol!

There's no difference between you and I...stop defending the people who created the supposed difference, so we can do just this--fight--while they make money off of us both.

[Zakkee]

What? My post wasn't about the lack of talent at UM. If you read any of my gazillion posts this weekend you'd know that I'm a staunch critic of the coaching and firm believer that we have enough talent at this school to at least compete in very game...every season.

You don't want to agree with me, but we are saying the same thing lol!

[Sarasota 'cane]

Posted by: Zakkee | September 10, 2012 at 12:30 PM

That's simply your opinion dressed up as facts. Most of us knew last year that this was going to get worse before it got better. Hell we haven't even been handed our beatdown from the NCAA yet!

Grrrrrrrrrr 'canes!

[Panamacitycane]

***move the !@#$ on I mean haha

[Panamacitycane]

Reading what coach D'no is saying today. He says that he doesn't care about what the fans think he only cares about his family and kids think. I get it but you better start caring what others think. Ask randy Shannon what happened when the fans finally turned on him. And you have no resume to find another coordinator spot somewhere; what your gonna tell them how your Miami defenses set records for yards allowed and points allowed? Get a clue and stop trying to play it cool asshole..so either get this fixed. Or more the $&*# on.

[Jiggafras]

Posted by: Zakkee | September 10, 2012 at 12:30 PM

I don't agree with this at all. You guys are under selling how good our coaches were. The 2001 team wasnt like the old 80s teams. Put Saban to coach this team and immediately 85% of the excuses are gone, and we would be like choir boys on the field. The coaches on the defensive side of the ball are not earning their paychecks. Im tired of hearing the no talent excuse. Its simply not true, because i find it difficult to see why the NFL is taking so many of our guys that have no talent.

[raizecane]

What really bothers me about the loss is that what we saw on Saturday from K-State was nothing new.

Coaches / players have tape from last year yet I didn't see any adjustments from last years game plan to this years game plan. And there were no adjustments at half time. Maybe i missed something but......just frustrating.

[Ohio_Cane]

Joe Rose - When in the week did U decide Luther Robinson wasn't going to play?

Golden - Uh, again, Luther decided he wasn't going to play. I did not. But it was Tuesday.

[raizecane]

"I think there's numerous things we can do better on and that we can fix certainly.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/#storylink=cpy

When coach...when?????

[Jiggafras]

Posted by: CGNC | September 10, 2012 at 11:57 AM

When i say we, i mean the administration and the people who matters...its all Miami. No one cares what i think, of course not. Wisconsin Administration didn't tolerate underperformance, ours does. And we will continue on this road filled with excuses and wait till next season

[bad bart]

Guys, guys, guys....let's not forget that we played a very solid team....but we got beat because that K State team played disciplined football. They stayed on their blocks until the whistle. It hurt to watch but it was beautiful at the same time. We have talented players and if we would stay on our blocks like that? WOW! That would be something!

[Zakkee]

There's a reason why this administration ignored Mike Leach and it doesn't have anything to do with winning ball games, scoring points or motivating kids, because he does that.

UM's administration wants to win a certain way, but more importantly--they want to lose a certain way (keep it close and show good effort). This coaching philosophy/culture comes down from the top. We need a coach who says, "f' that" (behind their backs of course because they won't hire a coach who they believe will buck on their concept/approach. They were stuck with JJ because he was winning and the $ looked good. JJ bucked their complacent and mediocre code.

It was us against conformity and money as the whole goal and source of inspiration in life.

The old Miami Hurricanes bucked the American master mentality/morality culture--thus the dubious distinction as "thugs", convicts and rebels. Thus the hate that exists till today and will always exist for Us. There is nothing we can do to alleviate that distinction--so why would we try.

We are the despicables and undesirables for life. Once you buck the system of ventriloquy (lol!) its over for you (blackballed).

We are victims of our past. Our administration never wants that to happen again--but the downside is that its the only way the demographic of our players + their environment can win.

The administration is embarrassed of the athlete that the surrounding area (State of Miami) Dade, Broward, and Palm produces. That athlete is usually poor, a minority, and extremely thirsty to change his future. There is ONLY ONE way up for them...there is no side ways! The have to coach these kids to go straight ahead and over folks. They are sick of waiting and complacency doesn't work where they are from.

JJ knew this

#1 F' money...it'll come regardless (whether via your free education or 2nd--the NFL
#2 Go out there to win a certain way

The essence is being combatted internally. The U is not on the same page. We must embrace each other and not demonize a label that WAS GIVEN TO Us by jealous outsiders who wanted us to get in line. Stop believing that we deserved those labels because we didn't. We watch every other team play with the same flair, self-fratification, and grandiose as we did then. Its cool from them but not for Us???

Our kids don't believe Golden and they don't trust the process because all they have witnessed is selfishness and an administration that doesn't love them the way they are--not to say that they are perfect or finished product as men when they hit campus--they certainly are not. The point is that they aren't bad either.

That fight in them just needs to be channeled correctly/positively. You CANNOT kill a persons energy..you must harness, praise/appreciate, acknowledge, and then redirect it if its negative.

The adults are all about the $ at the U, so the children have learned the culture that = KSU 52 UM 13.

Mercenary culture (capitalism) is the essence of Miami (their environment).

Next years motto should be: Honor, Integrity, and Sincerity....F%@k Money!

[Sarasota 'cane]

Posted by: Jiggafras | September 10, 2012 at 11:34 AM

They fired a line coach, not a coordinator. We have to "run what we brung" until when/if we can replace him.

Grrrrrrrr 'canes!

[Ohio_Cane]

D'Onofrio said best players on D will play and get most reps going forward. No longer Pop Warner "everybody plays

Posted by: 86Cane | September 10, 2012 at 12:25 PM
---------------------------------------

Uhhh, it's about time?

[Hassan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bostad

this is Wisconsin's old O-Line coach, he got a promotion to the NFL last year. If the bucs struggle in a year or two he can have a job coaching O-Line for the Canes or even the Phins.

[86Cane]

Manny Navarro‏@Manny_Navarro

D'Onofrio said best players on D will play and get most reps going forward. No longer Pop Warner "everybody plays

[CGNC]

Posted by: Jiggafras | September 10, 2012 at 11:34 AM

"Tolerating"? We are kind of stuck with what we have. LOL the AD and President of the school do not care one iota what Jiggafras thinks in the blog world

[Jiggafras]

Now do people understand what i say when we are the ones tolerating what this team has been doing for the last 8 years or so. Wisconsin gets it. You don't wait till it festers and talk about how young you are and how much time you need. No excuses, you don't get it done, you're let go. It quite simple. No'D has had two offseasons to get through to these players. Giving up 500 yards per game is unacceptable no matter if its your first or last game. We can't stop teams from running and we can't stop them from throwing? Someone please tell me what can we do. Golden, i love the guy but he told us n excuses and proceed to give us plenty. Stop taking up for No'D what ever he is selling, no one is buying, he has had 14 games for this to get better and it actually has gotten worse. We're young, yes but i think we were younger in 08 and other than the GT game, i never seen us this bad. Honestly, and Shannon was quite lax with the team. So now we play BCC this weekend who has a running QB, who wants to bet we can't stop their QB from running anytime he wants to?

[raizecane]

The Badgers fire their o-line coordinator after 2 weeks of a pour rushing performace -
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8361472/wisconsin-badgers-fire-offensive-line-coach-mike-markuson-reports-say

We need to really think about our d-coordinator.

[THE MAN]

There are people who get it and their are people who don't get it and it's that simple. Obviously the current scheme isn't working so change it. All DB's should be playing at the line and bumping the wr's. They are getting beat anyway so why not? Blitz a LB or two. Obviously they aren't making the plays when needed so let them try and get pressure. This defense will give up 500+ yards a game till there is pressure on the Qb plain and simple.

[orange 'n green in the vein]

And just for a frame of reference, yes, coordinators get let go after week 1, so do position coaches after week 2. I wonder if Markuson got into a big shouting match with his fellow staff watching the tape of their embarrassing road loss Monday before the ax?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8361472/wisconsin-badgers-fire-offensive-line-coach-mike-markuson-reports-say

[pbcfrcane13]

I understand coaches see players everyday and know more than we do, but I wish somebody would ask why Cain is playing DE and not LB and why Tyrone is at LB and safety.....

[pbcfrcane13]

OGV I agree with what your saying the problem is if the DL could hold the block and the small fast LB could get the gap we would be fine.....but the OL are getting off our DL and getting to the second level. Most plays to the wide outside we can stop because we have the speed. Its the plays that stay in the middle or between the guard and tackle or counters.

[orange 'n green in the vein]

If the 300+ OL is too slow to touch the 210 LB before he makes the tackle on the 195 RB, the extra 90+ pounds don't matter. Now if you're running a defensive scheme designed for slow guys with more strength and weight on them and he can't get there then the 75+ pounds become a factor and the LB needs to be strong enough to do what screaming D'No keeps yelling about on the practice field, engage, shed, then find the ball. I'd cut out the engage and shed part and get the fastest defense I can find to screw things up for an offense as quickly as possible. But then again, I did go to a school that made it's living doing just that unlike the current coaches, so I probably have a different frame of context to draw from when I envision a championship college football team.

[Brevardcane]

I was hoping for short and sweet

[Brevardcane]

I agree. I think the only thing missing from golden's "process" talk is long and painful.

[THE MAN]

Before the snap everyone on the defense is looking to the sideline like they have never stepped foot on a football field before wondering what to do. It's no wonder they are constantly out of position, taking bad angles, getting absolutely engulfed by blockers and missing assignments and letting guys run free. I highly doubt all those things are resulting from inexperience and coaching. These guys have been playing their whole lives.

[THE MAN]

The problem is the whole team is soft and not very smart. Sick of the inexperienced schtick. Tons of teams have "inexperienced" players play at a high level or even at an average level! We've been hearing the same expcuses to the same problems for 5+ years now! Someone needs to stop the bleeding that has been ocurring for so long. So far it hasn't happened.

[pbcfrcane13]

Is it more or does anybody else have an issue with a DE who weighs 245 and a LB who is 210! Cain should be playing LB IMO and Tyrone needs to be a Safet and or not play till he gets bigger. Thats why we get pushed around all over the place...we have had undersized LBs for years and yes it worked back in the day but not now when you have a 210 LB going up agains a 310 Olineman. Well hopefully Ill still be able to make it out to the game on Saturday so I can finally meet some folks all depends on the surgerory blah!

[nemo2002]

NOTICE FROM THE MANAGEMENT:

Let me just say that I have never been as POSITIVELY impressed with the people here on this blog as I have been over the last few days. People, and by people I mean everybody in general here, have expressed their opinions in an open and fair manner without direct attacks at each other.

Posted by: 86Cane | September 10, 2012 at 09:26 AM

THANKS! Too bad the CANES football team is not nearly as good as the CANESPACE blog.

[CGNC]

Just listened to AG's WQAM interview - I did not realize that we are playing so many frosh on the two-deep on Defense. I think the only seniors are McGee and Telemaque and the only senior on offense is Mike James. I know everyone is tired of the word "rebuilding" but that is what we are doing.

This young team has my support.

GO CANES

[Ohio_Cane]

No black jerseys for anyone on defense today. Rightfully so.

[86Cane]

The Hurricanes are a perfect 4-0 in home openers at Sun Life Stadium. Miami has defeated Charleston Southern (2008), Georgia Tech (2009), Florida A&M (2010) and Ohio State (2011) since it left the Orange Bowl following the 2007 season.

[86Cane]

DEPTH CHART: DEFENSE

DE 71 ANTHONY CHICKILLO 6-4, 262, So.
99 Jelani Hamilton 6-5, 271, Fr.

DT 98 DARIUS SMITH 6-2, 315, Sr.
72 Earl Moore 6-1, 300, Fr.
92 Jalen Grimble 6-2, 295, So.

DT 91 OLSEN PIERRE 6-4, 300, So.
67 Corey King 6-1, 295, RFr.

DE 51 SHAYON GREEN 6-3, 260, RJr.
94 Kelvin Cain –OR– 6-3, 245, So.
17 Tyriq McCord 6-3, 236, Fr.

OLB 44 EDDIE JOHNSON 6-1, 238, RFr.
34 Thurston Armbrister 6-3, 222, So.
58 Gabe Terry 6-3, 215, Fr.

MLB 52 DENZEL PERRYMAN 6-0, 229, So.
36 Gionni Paul 6-1, 230, So.

OLB 59 JIMMY GAINES 6-3, 230, Jr.
31 Tyrone Cornileus 6-2, 210, Jr.

CB 20 THOMAS FINNIE 5-10, 183, So.
3 Tracy Howard 5-11, 185, Fr.

S 2 DEON BUSH 6-1, 190, Fr.
22 Kacy Rodgers II 6-2, 210, Jr.

S 30 A.J. HIGHSMITH 6-0, 202, RJr.
29 Rayshawn Jenins 6-1, 203, Fr.

CB 21 BRANDON McGEE 6-0, 194, Sr.
39 Antonio Crawford 5-11, 188, Fr.

[86Cane]

DPETH CHART: OFFENSE

WR 80 RASHAWN SCOTT 6-2, 190, So.
86 Herb Waters 6-2, 185, Fr.

LT 79 MALCOLM BUNCHE 6-7, 325, RSo.
55 Ben Jones 6-5, 310, Sr.

LG 70 JONATHAN FELICIANO 6-5, 314, RSo.
68 Jeremy Lewis 6-4, 316, RSr.

C 62 SHANE MCDERMOTT 6-4, 295, RSo.
75 Jared Wheeler 6-5, 314, RJr.

RG 65 BRANDON LINDER 6-6, 308, Jr.
78 Jermaine Johnson –OR– 6-6, 316, RJr.
63 Daniel Isidora 6-4, 320, Fr.

RT 74 ERECK FLOWERS 6-6, 314, Fr.
77 Seantrel Henderson 6-8, 340, Jr.

TE 49 DYRON DYE 6-5, 255, RJr.
46 Clive Walford 6-4, 250, RSo.
82 Asante Cleveland 6-5, 263, Jr.

FB 33 MAURICE HAGENS 5-11, 240, Jr.
43 Sean Harvey 6-4, 262, RSo.

QB 17 STEPHEN MORRIS 6-2, 214, Jr.
11 Ryan Williams 6-5, 221, RSo.

RB 5 MIKE JAMES 5-11, 220, Sr.
8 Duke Johnson 5-9, 188, Fr.
23 Eduardo Clements 5-9, 195, Jr.

WR 9 MALCOLM LEWIS 6-0, 192, Fr.
83 Kendal Thompkins 5-10, 182, RSr.

WR 4 PHILLIP DORSETT 5-10, 185, So.
24 Davon Johnson 6-0, 188, Sr.

[86Cane]

^^^^^ There IT is right there. ^^^^^

[Old Skool]

Somehow Golden got the cliche' wrong this weekend. He had he players walk softly and carry a short stick.

[86Cane]

NOTICE FROM THE MANAGEMENT:

Let me just say that I have never been as POSITIVELY impressed with the people here on this blog as I have been over the last few days. People, and by people I mean everybody in general here, have expressed their opinions in an open and fair manner without direct attacks at each other.

Sure there has been some really good back and forth arguements but people have stuck to their opinions and pretty much have avoided attacking each other and instead have attacked the issues and the problems that face OUR Miami Hurricanes.

It shows thast even in the most difficult of times the bloggers here take the high road and are solution focused not problem oriented. Just look around and U will find that Canespace is by far the best, safest and most productive place on the Internet for Hurricane fans to talk UM spports.

Of that I am most appreciative and VERY proud!

[86Cane]

Miami head coach Al Golden released the latest regular season depth chart following the Hurricanes' non-conference road loss at Kansas State. Miami returns to Sun Life Stadium this weekend for its first home game of the 2012 season against Bethune-Cookman (12 p.m. EDT, ESPN3).

The latest depth chart is without WR Allen Hurns, S Vaughn Telemaque and LB Ramon Buchanan. Buchanan suffered a season-ending injury at Kansas State.

Miami's receiving corps is led by three underclassmen at the No. 1 receiver positions - sophomore Rashawn Scott, freshman Malcolm Lewis and sophomore Phillip Dorsett. On the defensive side, junior Jimmy Gaines takes over at OLB for Buchanan, while freshman Deon Bush and redshirt junior A.J. Highsmith are listed as the No. 1 safeties.

Season and single-game tickets for the 2012 football season are available online, by phone at 1-800-GO-CANES (1-305-284-2263) or in-person at the Miami Athletics Ticket Office, now located on the first level at BankUnited Center.

For the latest information on Miami Hurricanes Football, follow @HurricaneSports on Twitter and the official blog for Hurricanes Football, www.theufootball.com.

[CGNC]

Good morning! Taking a vacay day here and it is beautiful!

TOnycane - LOL K-State may just wind up very highly ranked by season's end.

A belated Happy Birthday to LB!

[j.w.]

Posted by: j.w. | September 10, 2012 at 12:26 AM
you see my misguided friend. The good teams become great by how good their unheralded players develop. I bet you can't guess what rating the Honey badger had? UF has a team full of talented players but Muschamp is struggling to coach them up. I really don't want to hear the no NFL talent bull, schools like TCU and OK ST feed off OU and Texas left overs and develop them into great CFB players. All of our players are big and fast period bar a few. When is people going to man up and stop the bull. I brought up 2 years ago because Alot of those players are still year and Golden has recruited better than Shannon was in the last few years of his tenure. Excuses, man. South Carolina, Boise State, these teams never beat us in recruiting....ever. Why can they develop their players but we cant. We have become and team and a fan base of excuses. Lots of the excuses we hear now, they were the same ones at Bama before Saban took over and shut that shit down.

Posted by: Jiggafras | September 10, 2012 at 01:37 AM
Amigo, you're missing a few points- Boise doesn't look as good without their Senior QB, K State is led by Seniors and Ju Co transfers who are as big and talented as their Seniors; South Carolina was mediocrea at best until their best players became Juniors, and Seniors. Seeing a trend here? :)
UCLA is the better comparison for you on this issue- why are they being successful with 6 freshmen starting on O? They beat Rice in Houston, then followed up by beating NEb. at home. They struggled for more than a half with Houston, though, and playing Nebraska in L.A. is a lot different than on the road for a back to back. Nonetheless, we should have played better, and coaching needs to improve a lot in the next few weeks. We'll see what the staff is made out of now that they have few options left but to play a ton of kids.

[CaneRock]

I said it before, why were our players watching Morris on the ground after an illegal hit. Why was there no jawing or pushing?

Posted by: BigTimeCane | September 10, 2012 at 08:29 AM

Maybe because they know Stephen ain't know option QB.

[TonyCane]

OhioCane, how does our roster compare at this point to the 2008 squad?

[TonyCane]

And remember, with this loss the number one goal is to become bowl eligible. So that we can take the second consecutive self-imposed ban. At that point the worst that the NCAA would impose would be one additional year (although I could see two).

[Ohio_Cane]

Canes have three true freshmen, one redshirt freshman, six sophomores & three redshirt sophomores at 1st team.

[TonyCane]

Canerock, exactly. It's hard to qualify K-State's recruiting classes because they are loaded with JUCOs. Every year.

I watched K-State manhandle Texas' offense last year in person, and I can tell you that Mack Brown has far, far, far outrecruited Larry Coker and Randy Shannon in the last decade.

[UpNorthCane27]

FUnny line about that poor Penn St Kicker.

Penn State Kicker Sam Ficken Misses Wide Right, Wide Left, Too Short, Too High, And Pretty Much Every Which Way Possible

[4-Real]

Damn!! 1st time I didnt read the article first and look what happened lol

[4-Real]

Remember how our players were walking around with yardsticks b4 the game 2 represent how close they came 2 a victory last year?? I heard after the game they combined all their sticks 2 measure how far they were from a victory this game lol

[UpNorthCane27]

Well guys finally, ive awaken from this self induced coma i put myself in after the loss..

Now im hearing Ramon Buchanon is out again for the year knee injury?? what a damn shame that means more of cornelius and gaines ooooo lawdddddd..

The canes will be back Fish and Golden need to make sure that they go all out this week in practice, lay it on B.Cookman and build some confidence.

[BigTimeCane]

^^^^ I should have added - seeing the images on the wall and believing them all.

[BigTimeCane]

I feel like the guy in Plato's cave. I've been staring at the shadow images golden has been projecting on the wall. The ksu game was the guy that got me out of the cave and showed me a new reality.

I just want to win and am so tired of "rebuilding" being young,, being soft, and finally and mostly losing.

[BigTimeCane]

Panamacity revealed another problem. We keep trying to shy away from our past by not being allowed to play with attitude and passion. Shannon neutered his players. I think golden says he wants to relive the past be physical etc and yet this team plays soft. Sure some of it is the youth and some is the reactive scheme but we got bullied by ksu. I think I saw some of our players our players giving the good job tap to ksu players on their helmet or helping them up. Maybe that's nit picking and stupid but I want our players to hate their opponent like has been mentioned here. I said it before, why were our players watching Morris on the ground after an illegal hit. Why was there no jawing or pushing? Nothing. Golden can talk all his legacy physical talk fact is his words aren't translating on the field. So either he's full of it or I'm overblowing it am being impatient.

[raizecane]

Al Golden on WQAM this morning -

http://wqam.com/

[4-Real]

Better do something quick b4 we lose air play, which is the only real exposure we get.

[CaneRock]

Nobody's mentioned what ranking KSU earned for its last 4-5 recruiting classes,
Posted by: Pre83 | September 10, 2012 at 01:38 AM

That's because their classes are JUCO'd up.

[Jiggafras]

we have the entire ACC season to look forward to. This will show our strength of character or lack thereof. If this doesnt change Golden will be on the hot seat and no one will care that he stayed when the Shapiro mess hit

[Panamacitycane]

Miami has had a habit the last few years of not truelly blowing the small teams out like fsu or Oregon or any of the big teams are supposed to do.. we seem to play the nice guy..but after this past weekend I hope golden and the team comes out and takes their anger out on Bethune. Sorry for them but we need to just demolish them into embarrasment. I'm done with this weak soft play..need to get back to the good ole days and accept our role as the bad guys. We don't need to play dirty or anything like that. But you get what I'm saying....I just hope this defense has it in them to pull through and move on! NEVER EVER LET UP

[RDurk4]

I had to watch the game with an FSU and ND fan. Nuff said.

[Ryan Durkee]

No state school money & exposure = loser these days. Sad but true.

[Pre83]

Some great posts from Zakkee re conformity, the Dude, CoCane, SJM, and others.

I'm sorry, but, ok, we can say Miami needs more talent and that will get them on the right track again.

People just got all over RS's a$$ week after week and said that what amounted to the #1 recruiting class wasn't really that talented after all - really? What is it as you can't have it both ways.

Let's imagine that same class ended up in Bama, would we really be saying the same thing?

Nobody's mentioned what ranking KSU earned for its last 4-5 recruiting classes, but somehow they were big enough, fast enough and talented enough to be the 21st ranked team in the nation and having won the Cotton Bowl last season.

Does anyone remember just how bad it got in Manhattan before Coach Snyder returned? Now who's laughing?

How piss poor were Wisconsin, Oregon, Stanford and they have been highly ranked teams in recent years?

I hated the D scheme last season, last week and this week I thought I was going to go insane - thank God I DVR'd the game and couldn't watch it live.

I sure as hell hope that AG came to Coral Gables to unleash the emotion of the Miami players. RS tried to corral it and of all the people in the world, I would never have thought it. And look what it got him.

I am not calling for AG's head yet, but before he was selected as HC, I was calling for Butch Davis. Of course NC'S infractions timed with Miami's current investigation doesn't make that work so well.

However, I would think that Kehoe would be the link that could guide AG as to what was done to create the most dominant program in a generation.

AG needs talent, but what good is it if you don't use it.

Someone in CG needs to know how to unleash the beast. I don't care if you have to use your own funds and pay Schnelly and JJ for consulting, but if Miami could be dominant with four different coaches, then there is an answer.

It pisses me off and pleases me at the same time that players who played for mediCoker and RS make it to the NFL and succeed at high levels while the U has been average at best. Like I said, if you don't know how to drive the Porsche, then it's only as useful as a Malibu.

[Jiggafras]

Posted by: j.w. | September 10, 2012 at 12:26 AM
you see my misguided friend. The good teams become great by how good their unheralded players develop. I bet you can't guess what rating the Honey badger had? UF has a team full of talented players but Muschamp is struggling to coach them up. I really don't want to hear the no NFL talent bull, schools like TCU and OK ST feed off OU and Texas left overs and develop them into great CFB players. All of our players are big and fast period bar a few. When is people going to man up and stop the bull. I brought up 2 years ago because Alot of those players are still year and Golden has recruited better than Shannon was in the last few years of his tenure. Excuses, man. South Carolina, Boise State, these teams never beat us in recruiting....ever. Why can they develop their players but we cant. We have become and team and a fan base of excuses. Lots of the excuses we hear now, they were the same ones at Bama before Saban took over and shut that shit down.

[SJMPARMAN]

Petrino really committed the worst mistake a college coach could do hooking up with a student. The guy is a fabulous college coach ala Saban. In time he will resurrect his career. Like Mike Leach will do. I don't like either guy personally but I respect their abilities.

With Howard, I loved the man. Dolphin heritage and a smooth talker. Jimmy also handled the media well. You pulled for him because of his passion. Erickson didn't bleed orange and green but he was likable in a weird way. Butch was honest. He told you what you needed to hear even though the results on the field weren't what we expected. Coker was just not honest. There was a disconnect between performance and what he said. Randy was a disaster from a PR point of view. But he had BAD coordinators during his tenure. Golden returned us to sounding good again.

But sounding good and performing good are different things. I know the Miami area. Although I don't live there anymore, there is alot of pride in Canes football. When the Dolphins suck, and it has been a decade or so now, the town needs something to believe in. In the past that has been the Canes.

I think Golden needs to win this year. I really do. Yes, he was put in an untenable position but the town doesn't care. They won't get it from the Dolphins this year, and they expect to be a winner. The Marlins aren't doing it. The Pathers didn't do it. And so they expect it from the Canes. For most Miami fans, you turn it around now. I am not saying that is right, or even fair, but that is how this town rolls. So either you correct the defensive problems or you will be done. It is just how it works.

[WWIN]

Posted by: SJMPARMAN | September 10, 2012 at 12:49 AM

hit the nail on da head wit that one

[orange 'n green in the vein]

ULM's headcoach is . . . Todd Berry.

You know, Coker's protege, failure of a coach at Army, QB coach and pass game coordinator going into Coker's last year at UM who couldn't get anything out of Turf Face either?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Arkansas got screwed this year by Petrino's infidelity and Smith's tendency to coach like John L. Smith in a BCS conference.

Hey, if Al Golden is really the smartest guy in the room he'll smartly come to the conclusion sometime in the next three weeks that the problem with his defense lies in a name that will live in infamy and his basic football philosophy molding at the hands of this name and then send this scheme philosophy to a corrections facility to rot till death like its namesake will soon as well.

I'll give you a clue if you don't know what I'm alluding to here, it relates to rhythmic slapping sounds and coached a really bad coordinator when he played the d-line in the late 80's/early 90's.

[SJMPARMAN]

Who on the defense may be in the league in the future? Good question. Brandon McGee ran the 40 once in 4.23, slightly slowed than the 4.20 time Sam Shields ran. In the NFL that is ALL that matters. I predicted Shields would be an NFL player back in the day based on that alone. I think McGee will be as well. I think Chickillo will get a shot at the NFL as well. Perryman will be Ray Lewis one day, I really believe that. I can see Eddie Johnson making it as well. Although they are young I can see Bush and Howard developing into NFL players. Porter and Smith also have a chance. I could actually make a case for several others. This team is not devoid of talent on the defensive side of the ball. That is the problem, it is not being uitilized. It is scheme irrespective of talent.

[WWIN]

^^^^^^

you'll be surprised who goes to the league off of this d

[j.w.]

That was two years ago, Jiggafras. Two long years ago. Who on this D will be in the NFL next year? Telemaque? Maybe a practice squad, but I'd be stunned if he's drafted. Porter? He might get drafted, but I don't see him being more succesful than Fortson (practice squad if not out of a job). Robinson? Same thing as Porter. D'Nofrio has his flaws, but nobody is making All-ACC other than Perryman on this D.

[Zakkee]

Thanks solar, I hate being right about this mess.

Blog Rule: Do not use all caps in your posts if you are clearly wrong. It just looks ridiculous. Its ok to be wrong (we all have been many times over), but wrong with an attitude is reprehensible.

Passionately wrong lol!

[4-Real]

Louisiana Monroe beat #8 Arkansas. Nuff said