Mama Who's That Man?

When the 2011 FHSAA playoffs were taking place to help determine a State champion in high school football fans all across Florida had to inquire:

"Mama who is that man?"

When the 2012 UM recruiting class was in the process of being signed no player seemed more important and more supportive of the process than one running back from Norland High School.

When Miami Hurricane fans were trying to decide who to pick for their Legends of the Fall this year the name of one Freshman running back kept coming up as a logical choice.

When the University started practicing this Fall in the heat at Greentree Field in Coral Gables the name of one Freshman running back kept coming up as a standout.

When the University of Miami started playing football games that really count this season Hurricane fans all across the Country had to ask themselves:

"Mama who is that man?"

That man is Duke Johnson.

Since the 2012 season started no player on the entire University of Miami football team has been more talked about, more dominant or more spectacular than Duke Johnson.

Duke, who has already been crowned a King in Miami, has done this in just three weeks:

• Leads the ACC in scoring
• Leads the ACC in TD scoring 
• Leads the ACC in all purpose yards
• Ranks second in kickoff returns
• Ranks second in rushing

We watched in awe as Duke ran four four touchdowns in last Saturday's game against Bethune-Cookman College. It is not just that he scored multiple times against an inferior opponent, it is that he showed the incredible vision, decision-making and acceleration that all great running backs have.

Even when he was in high school wearing #3 and playing with future UM offensive tackle Ereck Flowers (#75 below) he showed some of the same incredible skills.

We were seated in section 446 of the upper deck of Sun Life Stadium as we watched Duke run wild. From that vantage point we could see the formations and plays setting up as they happened. But just as we thought he would be caught or tackled he would cut back or accelerate into a hole that nobody else saw. That is his greatness.

So if you find yourself at a UM football game this season and you happen to see a player wearing number 8 running wild just turn around and ask:

"Mama who is that man?" 

We are confident that his Mama would quickly and firmly reply:

"That man is Duke Johnson."

Comments

[86Cane]

ACC highlights, Duke goes last:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hZo7vhAaV4&feature=youtu.be

[86Cane]

UM vs BCC highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMUhX9RuJeE&feature=relmfu

[solarcane]

ACC playerts of the week rookie

ROOKIE - Duke Johnson, Miami, Fr., RB, 5-9, 183, Miami, Fla. Johnson accounted for 245 all-purpose yards in four touchdowns in Miami's 38-10 home-opening win over Bethune-Cookman. The freshman rushed 14 times for career-high 94 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson also posted three receptions for 57 yards and one touchdown - a 50-yard TD reception in the third quarter. He added 95-yard kickoff return for a TD in the first quarter. The return is tied for eighth-longest in UM history and was the first kickoff return for a TD by a Hurricane since Lamar Miller in 2010. Johnson became first Miami player to score four TDs in game since Tyrone Moss in 2005 against UNC and is the 10th FBS player since the start of 2006 season to have a receiving, rushing and return TD in the same game. Johnson has 638 all-purpose yards through three games with six touchdowns.

[UMike]

Jigga..I agree..if we go on the road and beat GT then we are 3-1 and 2-0 in the ACC. Also, there is a big difference imo in being young with guys like Duke, Bush, Howard, McCord, Perryman, E. Johnson etc and being young with guys like Ray Ray, VT, Forston, Etc...I truly believe Golden is recruiting a different type of player. This COULD have been a veteran team with a load of freshman talent added in, but our old buddy Rosenthals changed that. My only 2 concerns with this program are D-No and what seems like the lack of big time d-tackles.

[86Cane]

NOTES

n Georgia Tech has not allowed a point in the second or third quarters this season. The Yellow Jackets are outscoring opponents 52-0 in those two quarters.

n Tech opponents have scored a combined 43 points this season, with 15 of those points coming on the game’s last play from scrimmage or in overtime.

n Just an oddity: both FBS programs in the state of Georgia won by identical scores of 56-20 on Saturday.

n Three of the ACC’s top 10 rushers are Yellow Jackets: Tevin Washington (t-2nd), Zach Laskey (6th) and Orwin Smith (10th).

n Tech will be facing one of the ACC’s top offensive threats Saturday in Miami’s Duke Johnson, who leads the ACC in scoring, touchdowns and all-purpose yards and is tied for second in rushing.

n Georgia Tech (44.0 ppg) and Miami (30.7) combine to average 74 points per game.

n The Yellow Jackets lead the ACC and rank sixth nationally in pass efficiency rating (180.6).

n Two future Georgia Tech opponents – Clemson (10th) and Georgia (5th) – are ranked in the top 10 nationally (AP poll).

n In Paul Johnson’s five seasons at Tech, the Jackets have scored 50-plus points five times.

[orange 'n green in the vein]

The last six words up there UMike is why the line is growing by 3.5 points. If you can't stop the dive you can't stop the option so first things first, who's stuffing the dive? Smith? Not sold on him. The underclassmen? Maybe this is their coming out party? Robinson and Porter could do it but ones snake bitten as usual and the other is better getting up field and pissing off his coaches for making plays in the backfield like that than he is engaging a center/guard and shedding them so he'll likely not see the field much.

[Ohio_Cane]

Surprise, surprise... Duke is ACC Rookie of the Week.

[herbieibis]

Hello spacers, it's time for Herbie's weekly rant. Once again I didn't get a chance to see the game but from what I have read, it's the same old song & dance. The defense is a mess, oh sure we held Betty Cookman to 350 total yds or so of total "O" but we can't stop the run on a consistent basis and now we are supposedly getting led to the slaughter house when we play Ga. Tech. We have to hold Tech around 200 yds on the ground to have a chance to beat them. Easier said then done. Yes there are several young pups on defense who better learn assignment football real quick or Tech too, will hang half a hundred on us. Perryman will be out a while and most likely his ankle will bother him the rest of the season because you know they'll have him in there whether completely healthy or not. Lets face it we need help on the D-line. We do have some kids that I believe will become stars, it just won't be this year. We can pound DeNo all we want but in all honesty, we new we had a problem at D-Tackle and we keep getting average players at that position. The bleeding will not stop until we can address this problem, the same goes for Linebacking. We can have all the talent in the world at DB & DE but who's going to get any push up the middle or who's going to stop the run up the middle?
Can or will Morris lead us out of mediocracy, I doubt it! We have to get our Vanilla Fudge offense into high gear. Open it up. It's going to be a coin flip each week, so see which Morris shows up. We have 2 games left on our schedule that aren't winable, FSU & N.Dame. The rest depending on which team shows up, are winnable. Now we might have to score 35 to 38 pts to win them but it can be done. We have enough talent on offense, to reach those numbers, if we don't play not to lose. The Herb has spoken!

[LB]

"We all grate on each others nerves at times mostly because we all love the Canes and right now the Canes aren't loving us back"

+1. Canespace has given me the opportunity to communicate with some truly excellent people.

[tjl3909]

They are closing an Irish newspaper and 120 people will lose their jobs for publishing topless pics of Kate:

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/385221/20120917/kate-middleton-topless-photos-irish-daily-stae.htm

I hope soup doesn't publish any topless ones or the space may get shut down!

[raizecane]

Morris needs to play like Testaverde this weekend and not Kenny Kelly---Is it possible to trade for Geno Smith?

Posted by: tjl3909 | September 17, 2012 at 10:11 AM
******************************************
Hopefully, not the Testaverde that decided to throw 5 int's to Penn State.

[raizecane]

1. Canespace has given me the opportunity to communicate with some truly excellent people.

Posted by: LB | September 17, 2012 at 12:52 PM
****************************************

Anytime LB.....hahahahaha

[Jiggafras]

Posted by: UMike | September 17, 2012 at 12:06 PM

Definately. A part of me is glad those guys are gone because, the quicker Golden can have his own team and in some ways alot of people like to fall back to the old "Its Shannon players" line. And you and i share the same concerns. I feel like all we need now is a great batch of Monster DTs and our team will be set, if you look at depth and projections at each position. In 2 years our secondary will be sick, Kirby Perryman and EJ44 should be a star group at LB hopefully Big 6 will be in that group, our DEs should be fine McCord is star power along with chick, one thing we lack is star power at DT and there is no great D i can remember without that and then our LBs can make plays. Golden needs to get 4 DTs in the class imo,not serviceable players. Bryant is star power, hopefully he stick, we need another Star there. The guys we have now may develop into stars but none jump out at you at this point....i think Pierre will be a star in year. He is constantly in the back field but he is just not strong enough yet. The rest are serviceable but we need penetration right up the middle.

Then you move to the offensive side, Ryan Williams will be a SR in 2 years, Olsen will be a redshirt So plus the other guys we have. We will have the Duke and hopefully Sony Michel and others. And our WRs and TEs should be on point with the group they are bringing in this year added to last year. Our OL is quite young too, Linder will be gone in 2 years and Henderson but i don't think that will be a problem, we have Kehoe to coach up these guys and Gall is just nasty from Ohio.

The reason i focus on 2 years is because next year we have to play VT, FSU and UNC on the road again, plus we have UF on the schedule. But in 2 years, we have all our tough opponents down here in south florida.

The biggest thing i worry about, is No'D he is the only one i see preventing us from being NT contenders in 2 years. He has not shown me anything in 15 games. NT teams defenses don't play that passive shit he plays hoping the offense makes a mistake instead of forcing them into one. He has also not shown the ability to make any adjustments, despite having a whole offseason to prepare for K State, he could not show one hint of understanding of how to stop them. I know the team is young but it irks me that he continues to blame the players. BTW saying it was MEs that cause problems is blaming the players in case you guys don't know.

I fear that we will have NT talent but 9 win coaching on D. I dread it. I still believe in Golden and Utough, not the same for No'D and the next m'fer that brings up Temple is getting punched in their shhhh.

[LB]

Our depth in the front seven is razor thin. Are there any new names in recruiting?

[tjl3909]

Ok Raize--How bout Jim Kelly!! not K Kelly

[WWIN]

Can't believe we made head lines on yahoo lol. Soon as I go to yahoo this morning I see this

Onetime power enters near-empty stadium

http://m.yahoo.com/w/ygo-frontpage/lp/story/us/2648239/coke.bp%3B_ylt=A2KL8xeWY1dQLi0AyCZi_tw4%3B_ylu=X3oDMTFzb3Flc3RvBGNwb3MDMQRjc2VjA21vYmlsZS10ZARpbnRsA3VzBHBrZwNpZC0yNjQ4MjM5BHBvcwMyBHNsawN0aXRsZQ--?ref_w=frontdoors&view=today&.tsrc=attcf&.intl=US&.lang=en

[Ohio_Cane]

U may delete when ready CEO.

Posted by: 4-Real | September 17, 2012 at 02:20 PM
-----------------------------------

Ask and U shall receive, fake 4-Real.

[UMike]

4-Real...that was hilarious lol

[UMike]

Fake or not..was funny lol

[UMike]

I do think we have more going good for us, than against us..imo

[UMike]

I agree the DT's may be this missing piece of the puzzle along with a new D-coordinator and and improved D'No...if you look at the dominate SEC teams, and even FSU, they have great DT's. Maybe we need to go out of state, idk, but we got to find some.

[Lou of M]

to be real with all of you, the only thing i want from this year is 4 more wins so we can subtract another bowl game ban.

[CGNC]

Let's Go Canes!!

[CGNC]

Stone Mitts McGee has been hitting hard and seems to be in the frame more and way more physical

Posted by: solarcane | September 17, 2012 at 11:48 AM

Yes!!! He is going to get an INT one of these days

[solarcane]

Hope we don't schedule Aloha HS in Oregon for homecoming anytime soon

Thomas Tyner Rushes for 644 Yards, 10 TDs in a High School Game

[CoCane]

McGee got a INT at KSU CGNC

[THE MAN]

That attendance was truly pathetic! How in the world will they ever get any elite recruits with that nonsense? There is a lot more problems to UM football besides the D coordinator. The players, coaches and fans need to be held more accountable. I understand that there is a lot to do in Miami, blah blah blah, but that is ridiculous! They really need a smaller stadium that better suits the university and fan base...

[solarcane]

hi cg!

[86Cane]

Thomas Tyner Rushes for 644 Yards, 10 TDs in a High School Game

Posted by: solarcane | September 17, 2012 at 03:09 PM

I got tired just thinking about that.

RaizeCane told me about the time he once ran for 644 yards, but the PoPo was chasing him so that doesn't really count, does it?

[LB]

"That attendance was truly pathetic! How in the world will they ever get any elite recruits with that nonsense? There is a lot more problems to UM football besides the D coordinator. The players, coaches and fans need to be held more accountable. I understand that there is a lot to do in Miami, blah blah blah, but that is ridiculous! They really need a smaller stadium that better suits the university and fan base..."

Cane fans are smart fans. Fans hold sway over the university by influencing cashflow (tickets, jerseys, etc.). There are tons of things to do in south Florida (more than say, Birmingham, Morgantown, or Manhattan). When they win, they will come. Guaranteed.

As for elite recruits, it's already been done. Chickillo, Duke, Howard, and Grimble were all five-stars recruited by Golden. Kevin Olsen is coming in 2013 (as well as Burns, Dobard, and Carter). Playing time is a big deal, and every position is open every week... especially now. See Bush, E. Johnson, etc.

The players are absolutely being held accountable. See the revolving depth chart.

The coaches? We'll see. The first quarter of the season is soon to close. We must beat Georgia Tech. End of story.

My biggest concern with the team isn't the defense. It isn't the coaches. Those who know my rants know exactly what's coming...

...it's the fact that we haven't won a bowl game since 2006.

The middle of the season is going to be killer. Beat Ga. Tech. Get some momentum. Let's go.

[CGNC]

McGee got a INT at KSU CGNC

Posted by: CoCane | September 17, 2012 at 03:10 PM

That's right. Well then he will get ANOTHER one - LOL

[CGNC]

Cane fans are smart fans. Fans hold sway over the university by influencing cashflow (tickets, jerseys, etc.). There are tons of things to do in south Florida (more than say, Birmingham, Morgantown, or Manhattan). When they win, they will come. Guaranteed.

Posted by: LB | September 17, 2012 at 03:29 PM

Agreed. You should see B of A stadium here in Charlotte when the Panthers are stinking it up - you could sit anywhere you wanted

[CGNC]

Hi Solar - getting a lot of rain here today

[myndraize]

With perryman out hopefully G.Paul can handle the mlb spot til DP gets back,i have no confidence in J.Gaines and maybe just maybe R.Kirby might be ready (PLEASE!)

[Ohio_Cane]

myndraize, Kirby won't be ready this week. He's just now back to jogging.

I bet Gaines has more snaps than Gionni vs GT simply because he's experienced playing against the triple option, not because he's the better player.

[myndraize]

It looks and sounds like S.Henderson may take someone's starting spot.Personally i would like to see a combo of Henderson&Flowers,Bunche looks like he's a bit tenative waiting to get steamed rolled

[CGNC]

Ohio - have there been any Curtis Porter sightings?

[Ohio_Cane]

Ohio - have there been any Curtis Porter sightings?

Posted by: CGNC | September 17, 2012 at 04:31 PM
-----------------------------------

Still an unknown as of yesterday. Haven't heard from today's walkthrough/practice

[myndraize]

Damn no Kirby huh,just don't wanna see EJ trying to be superman and do it all yeeaa for T'Corn

[Tsully76]

Lol at the lame their is so much to do crap. Every city in America got movie theaters, bowling alleys, parks, courts, fields, sports bars. Etc. So tired of these lame fairweather fans with all their lame excuses. Lb are u high to compare Birmingham with Morgantown and Manhattan Ks. Stop acting crazy. The only difference is South Florida has pro teams which they don't.support except the Hea. Yet u are throwing out this lame crap about so much to do. Translation I am a fairweather fan and I could give two craps about the Canes or sports in general.

[Ohio_Cane]

I'll say this once, and only once: If I lived close (within a few hours drive), I'd be at every game, every year. End of story.

[UMike]

I dont know how talented or fast Tyrone Cornelius is, but every time I look at him he reminds me of so much that was wrong with the RS era....He has been here 3 years and is the same size as our DB's...how can a LB not get not get any bigger, especially after TWO UToughs? Tells me he just doesnt want it. I could be 100% wrong, but I HATE looking at that thin little guy lined up at LB

[UMike]

Ohio..Im the same way

[solarcane]

sully,

I grew up in and lived in Ft Lauderdale for over 50 yrs

I have lived in rural N Georgia for 7 years
There is NO comparison to what distractions good and bad are available to folks in South Florida compared to rural areas like here.

Football is king here because it is the common social activity that gathers people from small town to small town together.
You can hunt fish attend a county fair or you can go see the Dawgs or Jackets play.

Unless you have lived in a big city and then a tiny farming district I don't think you can really know how much bigger football is to country folks with little else to do than to average city dwellers with entertainment available 24/7.

[Tsully76]

Exactly Ohio Cane

[herbieibis]

UMike,

Corny is from that by-gone era, that Shannon still lived in, small LB's that could run.6'1 220. We got away with for years because we were so fast and since it's the vogue thing to do and we were trend setters, everyone else went out and got more speed but the difference being the size to go with it. Bama has LB's that are 6'3 245 running 4'6's and that be on the small size for them.
Dam straight Ohio, If I lived close I'd be at the games too! Don't get me wrong I love the beach but I'm married to my Canes.

[UMike]

solar..I agree 100%..grew up in Miami, lived in South Florida until 3 years ago. Football is definitely king in these small country towns. There dont even car about the Titans lol, from youth league, to middle school, to high school to college, football is definitely king.

[solarcane]

Mark Richt has been selling Ford trucks on TV here for as long as he's been HC at Georgia.
If Golden did an orange juice commercial we would get cut 5 scholarships and a bowl game.

[Montreal-Cane]

...Even though I don't always agree with some of Tom's opinions I have utmost respect and gratitude for the things he has done with this blog 99% out of his own pocket for over 5 years...

Posted by: solarcane | September 17, 2012 at 10:56 AM

Once again you are right on Solar.

[solarcane]

Mike how many houses you drive past with Warrior Pride, or an Eagle lives here sign in every front yard? lol

The COUNTY I live in has 3 traffic lights, ask soup ocala or skool if its rural up here.