Miami Does Manhattan

After dispatching of Boston College in the season opener last week in Chestnut Hill, MA your Miami Hurricanes will travel well outside the footprint of the Atlantic Coast Conference and take their road game to Manhattan, Kansas to face the #21 ranked Kansas State Wildcats in the second game of the 2012 season.

Not to be confused with its big brother in New York State, the "Little Apple" is not known for its big business, bright lights and broadway stars but for its small, college town appeal and its consistent, steady and successful brand of football under long time head coach Bill Snyder (160-83-1).

Snyder has been doing Manhattan way before Manhattan was cool.  And, after 20 years at the helm of the Wildcats program there is no doubt that the old, sly, silver fox knows a thing or two about coaching college football. Miami will face a disciplined, well-coached team that executes a solid game plan.

That means that second year Hurricane head coach Al Golden (along with coordinators Jedd Fisch and Mark D'Onofrio) really has his work cut out for him today.  Golden lost last year's head-to-head match-up with Snyder 28-24 in the Orange Bowl in a game the hinged on two big plays.

Late in the fourth quarter Wildcat RB John Hubert busted loose for a 47-yard run on third-and-1, catching UM in a goal-line defense with just about everyone on the line of scrimmage. After that momentum building burst Kansas State went the full 80 yards on eight plays capped by Hubert's score from 2 yards out and putting Miami in need of late game heroics.

Miami did manage to drive the distance of the field with little time left in the game but Kansas State's defense rose up and stopped UM QB Jacory Harris at the goal line on fourth down with :49 seconds left in the game to seal the victory for the Wildcats.

This year Golden and company are hoping for a much different outcome in Kansas.  This year's Hurricane football team, although much younger and less experienced than last year's team, are bigger, stronger and faster thanks to another year of the "UTough" conditioning program instituted by Golden and managed by long-time UM strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey.

This UM team is much more dangerous and has more weapons, some of them even top secret, to work with (seen below).  We have reason to believe that the term "Wildcat" does not just refer to a team from Kansas, but of course that is just be wild speculation on our part.

The question still remains: Will that be enough to get the 'Canes across the goal line late in the fourth quarter when needed?  Only time will tell, but we have reason to believe that it will.

This year we expect to see OL Seantrel Henderson lined up at fullback (yeah I said it!) in front of hard-charging RB Mike James carrying the ball and not lanky QB Jacory Harris trying to desperately nose the ball across the goal line.

In a line from a song titled "I Know A Little" performed by legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd there is a line that goes a little something like this:

"The bigger the city well the brighter the lights,

The bigger the dog well the harder it bites."

As everyone knows Miami, FL is by far much bigger and much brighter than Manhattan, KA. So we say: LET THE BIG DOG EAT!

Canespace Prediction: Big Dog Canes 34, Little Kitty Cats 31

Comments

[86Cane]

I AM STILL SAD.

[Account Deleted]

so where will the D rank for Div 1-A when the stats come out tomorrow? Last??

[orange 'n green in the vein]

Another coach that needs to step his game up or get lost is Jethro, never have been impressed with his DL at Southern Cal and he's been atrocious here. How a guy goes from South Central to Temple without a head coaching change is a major red flag. Being an upgrade over turn-coat Clint isn't much of an accomplishment.

[Zakkee]

86 is hilarious. You should have washed clothes during the game (i did), getting outside and into the fresh air is always good after being plundered and pillaged. Weeds.

Nemo...why? Money over passion.

RARA-- you are correct about the defensive scheme.

[RARA]

CGNC...Yes it is. And it will continue to be painful until AG instructs (demands) D'No changes his philosophy. If not, the D will not improve and his loyalty to his friend will be his demise.

The team is better conditioned, this was a matter of being outschemed on D. While the offesne wasn't great, it's a lot of pressure on a young team to know right off the jump that you have to score a touchdown on virtually every possession because the defense can't stop anybody

[Hassan]

As hard as Golden works we he need to not sleep until this Defense is great. in the long run I am not worried but for this season We have to hold serve at home, we have to win 6 games guys. Our HS players are getting a lot of PT and they will get more next week. Porter will help. We need Kirby back, #59 and #31 have got to improve. All but 20 teams would trade our Total talent on D with us but we are the among the worst in CFB right now. We can talk about Coach D all day long and a lot of that is justified but at the end of the day I see Football players out there not making plays. I see bad angles all day long, I see guys that can not shed a block to save their life. VT should not start again ever BTW use his injury as an excuse, Bush is the future back there.

[Account Deleted]

I'm not sure what we can assess at this point. Conditioning, coaching, play calling, coaching scheme etc.

We are playing alot of underclassmen, so there is an experience issue as well.

The sum of it all is that the D is non existent, and as long as that continues no amount of miracles by Morris can save us from being a losing team.

The great U teams had the D, the O just finished the job.

[Montreal-Cane]

Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds
Most points allowed by Miami in 167 games.

[FinCane]

So then being mediocre or average is the best we can hope for?

That's a defeatist attitude if I ever heard one. Glad you weren't around preScnelly or pre-2000

Who says this can't be fixed, either by these coaches or other coaches? Oh, Alabama players can't jump to the NFL, too? They looked real sucky too, pre-Saban

It's not building an atom bomb!!! It's football, and it's fixable.

But if you want to wallow in misery and mediocrity, so be it. The canes will rise again, not this year, but they will. Why do I have the feeling you're rooting for them not to succeed again?

Stop with this it can't be done again. That's pessimist loser talk.

[Tsully76]

Excellent stuff Hassan. Well I have flushed this game down the toilet. Bethune Cookman next Saturday and then on to two critical ACC games.

[Hassan]

ok just keeping the news out there. who knows if is it true that rumor train seems to come off the tracks a lot.

[RARA]

Hassan, I hear you and agree with you to a point. But the reason guys are not making plays is that they are playing too slow. There are playing too slow because they are reading instead of attacking. As a result they are THINKING TOO MUCH and are out position and then don't make plays when they have a chance. I'm not a fan of a read and react defense, but with that said if you are gonna run it you need the right personnel. We don't have it at the key positions (DT and to some degree outside LB). We lack talent and/or experience at both those positions and the last thing we need is for them be THINKING TOO MUCH. We can have an 8 win year, but not if we don't change the scheme to a more attacking version.

[FinCane]

That was directed to whoever said 8 win seasons is the best we can EVER hope for from now on.

[The Dude]

I am not willing to go through another 3 or 4 years of this.

[Account Deleted]

I've been around to see it all, since Chuck Foreman to Bernie. From Vinny to Ken to Kirby.

There as a time when the U was everyone's homecoming opponent. Then we became landlords coming to collect the rent instead. Then back to patsies, and back to the feared teams of 2001 or so.

Such is the cycle of U football. Right now, I think Western Carolina called Donna about our schedule for next season....

[RARA]

The Dude...I don't think we will go through this for another 3-4 years...but we will this year if the defensive approach doesn't change. On championship caliber teams, the defense is always the most consistent part of the team. Some games the offense struggles. But it's the teams whose defense 1-2 games per year that win conference and BCS titles.

[Montreal-Cane]

Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds

Miami has allowed 1,035 yards in first two games. Most in consecutive games since 1,168 in last two games of 1998 season

[tjl3909]

at least the gaytors are getting it handed to them

[LB]

"Uh, I think LB needs to hit his catch-phrase right about now."

No thanks. That whole game made me want to vomit.

Hassan, agreed on Telemaque. We need Bush to get experience before we start conference play.

I'm also starting to forget the last time we made an opposing QB uncomfortable in the pocket.

I'm going to RibFest to enjoy my birthday, now. I'll be on vacation for a week or so. I shall do my utmost to return in a better mood...

... see you guys soon.

[360Cane]

Well, I think it's the fact that stock in crystals is $4 million. It's over for the small, no money schools.

Money has officially ruined CFB, an amateur sport.

Sad. :-(

[Ohio_Cane]

Well, I DVR'd the game, but I think I'll just delete it...

[Zakkee]

Yes, as long as we have coaches and players that believe in a mercenary culture. Florida's whole defense is 5 stars and they are getting handled right now...their culture is in mercenary mode as well. It aint about talent its about culture my friends.

DMX said in the movie Belly: "learn how to bag weed...then get money!"

these kids have their eyes on the prize and not the process. their coaches are getting millions no matter what they do and especially for UM players-- all they see in Miami is Lamborghini's, bikini's, jets, yachts etc.. capitalism by ANY means necessary. They aren't in a college town environment where they can pull inspiration from pure (not really) sources. Its dog eat dog and our coaches talk team/process, but the only process the live by is win a couple of games at a big name university (build my resume) so I can jump to the league.

Our teams culture is selfish and its the adults fault for this trend, not the kids--they've just adjusted to it over the years.

Question to die-hards: when the greats come back to UM's locker room to deliver stirring motivational speeches about what it means to be a Cane, does the video footage of the speeches (Irvin, Lewis etc) bring you to tears or make you well up with tears?

The answer is yes because you know what the mean and can feel that uncorrupted passion. Why don't we see any of the players tear up or cry as well? This is a business and they know it.

Our team has become a stepping stone for players and coaches...it looks good on resumes. Ask Forston, Vernon, Streeter, Lamar, Brandon Harris and many others.

SWAG can be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram...not on the field. Its in words, not action.

I see why Shannon removed the names from the jerseys now. He was trying to combat the new culture. It was futile though...everyone thought he was trippin because self-glorification is paramount.

[TonyCane]

UM after 2 games since 1994:

Year Record, PF, PA
1994: 2-0, 103-10
1995: 1-1, 57-34
1996: 2-0, 82-13
1997: 1-1, 57-37
1998: 2-0, 104-29
1999: 2-0, 80-15
2000: 1-1, 90-48
2001: 2-0, 94-7
2002: 2-0, 104-33
2003: 2-0, 86-42
2004: 2-0, 64-10
2005: 1-1, 43-43
2006: 1-1, 61-23
2007: 1-1, 44-54
2008: 1-1, 55-33
2009: 2-0, 71-51
2010: 1-1, 69-36
2011: 1-1, 48-39
2012: 1-1, 54-84

MOST POINTS ALLOWED BY A UM DEFENSE AFTER TWO GAMES IN THE LAST EIGHTEEN YEARS!

[CoCane]

I know Legion. It's sucks. All we can do is hope that this team improves as the season moves forward...

1 thing I believe is playing so many close games last year & not losing by less than a TD gave the coaches too much faith in D scheme. They thought playing it safe would work again this year & keep games close. Psyche! Being exposed like this sooner would've made the coaches reevaluate their scheme & philosophy during the off season. Instead, everything fell apart today. Back to the drawing board for Al & D'No. I hope they learn quick. If they don't, everyone will play them the same way & the ugly 4-8 predictions will come true... Thank God they have tune up next week. I hope...

[TonyCane]

Al Golden's record after two games:

Year, Record, PF, PA
2006: 0-2 03-71
2007: 0-2 26-72
2008: 1-1 44-19
2009: 0-2 30-58
2010: 2-0 44-34

2011: 1-1 48-39
2012: 1-1 54-84

[Account Deleted]

Are we so sure next week is still a tune up?? It wouldn't be the first time a big time school got embarrassed by a smaller one...and GT is next up after that

[Tsully76]

FinCane I said we will win about 8 games this year I never said that will be our fate forever. I honestly think we will be much improved in the next couple of years. I know we are down and depressed but some of this talk is of us being down and out is ridiculous. Most people had us going from say 6-6 to about 9-3. Most people had us losing this game not this badly I might add. Perspective peeps. Our Canes will be just fine we were beaten by a better team. I said the other day that the Ga. Tech and NC State games will decide whether we are a 6-6 team or a 7-5 or a 8-4 team. Go Canes.

[orange 'n green in the vein]

CoC, it's like I tried to get across to the CEO last year when he kept talking about the less than a point per game reduction in the defensive scoring average by UM meant D'No was an improvement over Shannon's crew, the O was playing a snails pace all year to make it closer than it would have been if D'No had to defend any more series at all if they had just played a little faster here and there.

This team is somewhere between a 3-9 and 6-6 team with the coaching on display.

[Montreal-Cane]

Texas A&M's Freshman QB Johnny Manziel is verry impressive...What was his ranking?

[Felipe]

He just shouldn't be the primary tailback. If he's in there on other than goal line or other short yardage situations, it should be in the role of a multi-purpose fullback, a la Najeh Davenport (who was, of course, much faster than Mike James, but otherwise pretty similar).

Posted by: dj moonbat | September 08, 2012 at 02:36 PM

^Well bleeping said DJ.

[TonyCane]

Here's whats disturbing...the 2008 Hurricane squad was replete with freshmen...just as loaded as our roster is. Plus they had a QB making his first ever start. They went to Florida and played an inspired, relatively close game in week one.

The 2012 Hurricane squad, replete with freshmen and led by a junior quarterback with college football starts, goes to K-State and is obliterated.

Were the 2008 freshmen that much better than the 2012 freshmen? Is 2012 K-State that much better than 2008 Florida?!

[CoCane]

Ogv,

It ain't just the coaches. Too many garbage Seniors & juniors. Too many inexperienced frosh & soph's...

IF this coaching staff don't get it together by year 4, It'll be time to open the pockets for a big name. What say you Legion?

[TonyCane]

CoCane...who in theory would be the big name? Stoops? Jimmy Johnson? Mitt Romney?!

[CoCane]

Even though I felt a big name was needed after Choker

[Ohio_Cane]

The ship jumping makes me sick.

Ya, we should worry about Bethune Cookman because we lost to the underranked #21 team in the country.

[raizecane]

Texas A&M's Freshman QB Johnny Manziel is verry impressive...What was his ranking?

Posted by: Montreal-Cane | September 08, 2012 at 05:10 PM

***********************************

Not sure of his ranking but they say he was the best QB in the state of Texas....ever. Kid had over 140 TD's in high school...

[CoCane]

Depends on who's available. Better yet, let Butch Davis find him, so he can hire himself. Lol

[herbieibis]

I didn't get a chance to see this debocle, I had a showcase baseball tournament. I don't know why there is such an uproar over this ass beating, As I've been saying to those who would listen, hello we DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TALENT AT DEFENSIVE TACKLE OR LINEBACKER. It's plain and simple, period. Blame DENO all you want, the hand he is dealt, is what he has got to play with. This past class is really the first group of recruits they recruited. The class before this one Golden had 6 weeks to throw together. We play not to lose on offense and we don't have the depth of talent to win, period on defense. We need impact linebackers & D-Tackles to come play here. I don't care if we send out an S.O.S or an A.P.B., whatever just get some damn wrecking balls & talent in here, or should I say some Damn *****. If we are going to cough up 52 to freaking K-St, we might as well play all under classmen and just take our lumps this year. You can't win with a majority of guys that would be nothing better than back ups at most big time Universities. You can bitch & moan about DeNo all you want but he has maybe 2 guys that would start at Bama this year, Chick & Perryman and I don't know if Perryman would start because he isn't 6'3 245. The other problem that we have is that we can't redshirt enough players, we have to play them. I agree with whoever said M. James should be the fullback. He or Morris are nothing more than back-ups at most top 20 schools. U-tough held them to half a Hundred. Just Think K-St ain't that good. It's only going to get worse before it gets better, so I don't know why the shock. We all should just pray that we can crawl our way to 6 wins, so we can take another bowl sabatical, this year instead of next.

[Zakkee]

Ship jumping vs. blind-following

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But everyone else is "extremists" lol!

I hope questioning the football programs culture is not considered unCanetriotic or ship jumping.

[TonyCane]

Ohio Cane, not jumping ship. I just do not want to face the reality that we're in.

Over two years ago, as Shannon's last recruiting class collapsed I was despondent because the 2010 Hurricanes were so top-heavy towards one class. His 2007 class was weak, and the 2009 class middling. Once the 2008 class was gone there was going to be serious trouble. And now that's happened.

Basically we have a team that is comprised of:

2009 Class: Ranked 15th
2010 Class: Ranked 16th
2011 Class: Ranked 36th

So apart from the freshmen, the average ranking was 22nd. Not that good, and indicitive of the lack of talent above the freshmen.

[orange 'n green in the vein]

Ohio, go watch that DVR before you tar and feather those of us who just sat through another D'No abomination. Just go watch the first 42:30 of it actually, you can skip the piling on with the 2nd and 3rd string.

CoC, most of those 'garbage' upperclassmen aren't here anymore and as much as new coaches love their own recruits that excuse holds less and less water every ticking second on the clock. Fact is Golden took a step back record wise from the guy they paid not to coach, now, if he doesn't start getting some forward momentum soon, it's definitely time to go get Patterson out of the Big 12, Shannon can get a promotion at TCU to fill that void.

[Felipe]

K.

It's Coach Onofrio now. The reason he was stripped of the first letter should be obvious.

Same reason Brandon Jennings for the Milwaukee Bucks is referred to as Ennings. No J.

[pbcfrcane13]

LOL Ohio I did the samething you suggest just got home from watching the game went to my DVR and hit delete.....this game reminds me of the OU UM game in what was it 07 when we went up there and got whooped. AH!!! I didnt think we would win this game, but not get killed like this. The thing that killed me the most is your LBs are playing 8 yards off the ball all game on a running team. Let Klein bet you with his arm. I would have made him throw the ball 40 times and if he bet me that way than so be it. Why is DNo so hard headed and Golden! 8 men at the line should have been the game plan all day long!!!

[Zakkee]

herbieibis, how would you explain whats happening at Florida then?

They're roster, especially on defense-- has nothing less than 5 and 4 star recruits on the 2 deep. The talent is there and they have been getting spank just like us the last couple of years.

[Felipe]

LOL @ anyone being frustrated when losing by 52 & spotting teams 14 points as being accused of "jumping ship."

What a joker.

[Tsully76]

Lol at K-State ain't that good as I recalled they won 10 games last year and might do that again this year. To those that say we will be lucky to win 6 games please name the other 5 teams we lose to cause right now I don't see it. Virginia was lucky to beat a depleted Penn State team NC State struggled to beat UConn, USF nor Duke scares me either. Ga. Tech is not world beaters either. So tell me where the loses are coming from.I see probably 3 more no more than 4 more Loses.

[The Dude]

Golden better not win fewer than 6 games. It will be scorching hot if he wins 5 and people will HAVE to fired if they only win 4. Considering we canned a guy that could win us 7 most years, Al better figure this thing out quick. We are being embarassed out there and his staff is the reason why. I for one will be ready to blow this thing up if we only win 5 games. This sh*t can not continue!

[Zakkee]

Rece Davis hates us and is piling on. "The program formerly known as The U was housed today......completely HOOOOOUSED!!!!" He actually yelled this on-air.

I want to smack him lol!

[Felipe]

Inexperience and D'Onofrio being a giant burro are the issues. Golden won't be on the hot seat regardless, nor is he deserving overall, considering all of the obstacles he's faced. I'm on board with him, esp. with his diplomatic way of saying, in his own way, "the system blew goats today so maybe you're on to something" re: re-considering everything on the defensive side of the ball.

[orange 'n green in the vein]

Terrence, you're cool with me, you're always generous with your fine adult beverages at tailgates after all, but I'm telling you right now, NC State, GT, VT, FSU, USF, Notre Dame, UNC and UVA, not in that order obviously, are probably losses right now as I look at them today, none have moved out of that evaluation since before the season started for me. BCC, Duke are probably wins. If they upset 2 of the 3 of FSU, VT, and ND and have a losing season I won't be completely ticked off for the entire off season but I'm not going to be excited for the press conferences or the weight lifting videos.