The Tar Heels Are Coming To Town

After its fourth road game in the first six weeks of the season, Miami will open a three-game homestand Saturday when it faces North Carolina at Sun Life Stadium at 2:30 p.m (ESPNU).

Several Canespacers will be on hand to witness what will hopefully be another big ACC win over the Tar Heels. A victory would move the Hurricanes ever closer to that elusive ACC Coastal Division title and almost guarantee UM a shot at their first ACC Championship.

• Saturday will mark the 15th series meeting, with both schools having won seven games. The Hurricanes have won the previous two meetings, including a 30-24 win at Chapel Hill in 2011.

• Miami, tied atop the ACC Coastal Division standings, is the only ACC team with three conference wins thus far. The Canes are looking for their first 4-0 start in ACC play.

• Senior CB Brandon McGee recorded a career-best nine tackles against Notre Dame. Eight of the tackles were solo and one was for a four yard loss.

• Nine different Miami players had a reception in Miami’s loss to Notre Dame, including four catches each by senior WR Davon Johnson and sophomore WR Rashawn Scott.

•  In each of Miami’s four wins, Miami made up a deficit of at least seven points to come back and win.

•  Miami is 7-7 all-time against North Carolina, but has won the last two meetings with the Tar Heels.

•  The series opened in 1946, with UNC beating the Canes 21-0 in the Orange Bowl.

• The Canes are 6-3 against North Carolina at home and has won six of the last seven meetings on their home field, including a 33-10 win at Sun Life Stadium in 2010.

• Miami defeated the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill for the first time in five chances last season.

IF MIAMI WINS ON SATURDAY IT WOULD:

• Give the Hurricanes their 4-0 start in conference play since joining the ACC in 2004 and make CGNC, Hassan, DTX, UMike, RaizeCane, LB and WillieWill really happy.

• Surpass Miami’s ACC win total from 2011 and shut up OGV and Zakkee for at least one week.

• Give the Hurricanes their third consecutive win over UNC and an 8-7 all-time series edge between the teams and help SolarCane be able to celebrate like it is 1999.

Comments

[pbcfrcane13]

First?

[Zakkee]

the last shall be first

[Zakkee]

Us versus them. Apparently my posts give off an impression that my team's success makes me unhappy or that I'm rooting for our demise lol! Nothing could be more untrue.

I picked the Canes to win this game 31-17 on the previous blog

Love Truth

[86Cane]

NCAA 2012 RANKINGS, TOTAL DEFENSE:

FSU #4
UF #12
UCF #35
USF #65
FIU #80
FAU #95
UM #118

[86Cane]

NCAA 2012 RANKINGS, SCORING DEFENSE:

UF #6
FSU #7
UCF #38
USF #72
FAU #87
UM #101
FIU #111

[nemo2002]

NCAA 2012 RANKINGS, TOTAL DEFENSE:

UM #118

Who is lower than UM?

[86Cane]

NEMO...LA. Tech #119 and Baylor #120.

As CGNC pointed out earlier Miami (OH) is #116 Miami (FL) is #118.

[SJMPARMAN]

Louisiana Tech and Baylor share the dubious distinction of being worse in Total Defense than us. Amazingly, Louisiana Tech is 5-0 and has beaten Virginia, Houston and Illinois.

[WWIN]

After watching the game again here are my silver linings

*The refs were not going to let us win regardless
*Terry was clearly blocked into the punter on the running into the punter call
*Our wr's were open
*Defense actually played good the first half (compared to what they usually do)
*Offense is in good hands with morris, will be unstoppable next season

[SJMPARMAN]

Here is an interesting statistic. West Virginia has a bad total defense ranking 102nd. But they are able to force the opponent to do one thing. They are the 37th ranked defense against the run. Unfortunately for them, they aren't good at all in the pass defense. But because they force teams to do something, they know each week they have to make one play in the passing defense and let Geno do his stuff.

Let's look at North Carolina. They are 20th in total defense. They are 26th in scoring defense. They are 11th in rushing defense. But they are 62nd in passing defense. So their strategy is to take away the run and make you pass. They do that using the 4-3 gap control scheme Jimmy Johnson implemented at UM that NC still runs after Butch was let go.

You ask your linemen not to engage the offensive blockers but to go into gaps between offensive linemen and control the gaps. You may lineup directly in front of the offensive lineman but your responsibility is gap control after the ball is snapped depending on the defensive call.

That is the 1980's defense of the Canes that was played up to the time Al Golden arrived. Most of the high school is Florida have played that defense for years. I suspect that is why our players struggle with this idea of not shooting gaps and not making plays in the backfield. It is a brand of football that are not familiar with and do not want to play.

[Dude on a Pale Horse]

Matt Shodell from rivals is a complete fool.

[CaneRock]

You ask your linemen not to engage the offensive blockers but to go into gaps between offensive linemen and control the gaps.

Posted by: SJMPARMAN | October 10, 2012 at 11:54 PM

On the contrary, from what I've seen, our D-Line would be better served to engage the O-Line, as opposed to the "Slantin'-n-Stuntin'" that I've seen from time to time. And shooting gaps is not the only way to achieve gap control, you can also achieve gap control from engaging the O-Line. For example, let's take a 3 Technique (FYI: A 3 Technique is a DT lined up on the outside shoulder of the Guard). The traditional way to play the 3 Techique is to basically get off the ball, knock the Guard back, and play with your feet in the neutral zone.

Basically, what the 3 Technique is doing, is USING THE GUARD'S BODY to close the A gap (Gap between the Center and Guard), and using HIS body to close the B gap (Gap between the Guard and Tackle).

[BigWindyCane1]

Defensively, the Canes are just not very good right now. There is no excuse for it. Good defense begins with stopping the run, and the Canes are not very good for a variety of reasons.

DNo has not figured out how to deploy THIS defensive personnel to stop opponents. Over 6 hames, I have not seen any progress in this defense at all. I will watch this North Carolina game closely with the hopes that I see some steps forward in this defense. I would like to see the defense finally put a full game together where the number of opponent punts outumber the opponent's TDs.

[BigWindyCane1]

Until the defense can improve, the Canes will need to score 40 points to have a chance to win. This means eliminating mistakes (missed blocks,drops, penalties and turnovers).

If the Canes can find a way to beat North Carolina (the Canes are a 6 point underdog), they have to be the favorite to win the Coastal despite the lackluster non-conference embarrassments. With 4 games left, the Canes will can easily go 2-2 or 3-1. That will be a huge step forward for Al Golden and this program.

[canezilla]

After watching the game again here are my silver linings

*The refs were not going to let us win regardless
*Terry was clearly blocked into the punter on the running into the punter call
*Our wr's were open
*Defense actually played good the first half (compared to what they usually do)
*Offense is in good hands with morris, will be unstoppable next season

Posted by: Willie Will in Nashville | October 10, 2012 at 11:36 PM
YES,YES,YES YES AND YES

[86Cane]

Matt Shodell from rivals is a complete fool.

Posted by: The Dude | October 11, 2012 at 12:48 AM

Tell us more?

[86Cane]

I am all about gap control but what I would really prefer is just to blast into the backfield and tackle the ball carrier for a 3 yard loss. I'm jus sayin...

[CaneRock]

I am all about gap control but what I would really prefer is just to blast into the backfield and tackle the ball carrier for a 3 yard loss. I'm jus sayin...

Posted by: 86Cane | October 11, 2012 at 08:04 AM

LOL. I'd really prefer that to, CEO, but that's not an easy feat to accomplish, when you have to go between 600+ LBs of human mass obstructing you...especially when that 600+ Lbs knows the SNAP COUNT!

[CaneRock]

Another way to look at it CEO, is to picture a wall. The O-Line's job is to BUILD A WALL, the D-Line's job is to KNOCK DOWN THAT WALL. At one point in the game, I saw a D-Line consisting of Chick and Green at the DTs, and EJ44 and McCord at the DEs. Given THAT! material, it's pretty damn hard to knock down a wall with a ball peen hammer...

[mi@mic@ne]

I hear polygrip is good to help close up those gaps...

[raizecane]

Leach calls out his seniors in public, lol

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8486774/washington-state-cougars-mike-leach-compares-seniors-empty-corpses-zombies

[Ohio_Cane]

Raize, I don't have one problem with what Leach did. Not one.

[pbcfrcane13]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/11/3044217/miami-hurricanes-likely-will-be.html

Heres your chance to ask about a staduim lol. Glad to see the interim AD is showing face already more than our last one.

[Ohio_Cane]

Miami now an 8-point home underdog to North Carolina in the Caesars/Harrah's line.

[LB]

Fuel:

"North Carolina 35, Miami 31: The Tar Heels are getting it done on offense and defense, now the key is to do it on the road. UNC is 0-2 in road games this year, but it has scored 45 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1993. UNC has the No. 9 scoring offense in the country, and it will be a handful for Miami’s struggling defense, which is last in the ACC in scoring defense at 35 points per game. The Canes won’t be able to stop running back Giovani Bernard and quarterback Bryn Renner."

Via Heather Dinich, ESPN

----------------
"Raize, I don't have one problem with what Leach did. Not one."

The seniors earned it.

"Miami now an 8-point home underdog to North Carolina in the Caesars/Harrah's line."

More fuel.

[JameriCANE]

Good posts, Willie Will and SJMPARMAN. Very insightful.

[SuperCane1]

Funny song by an Auburn fan....

http://youtu.be/S-rt1DVIHMU

[The Dude]

86,
Watch their week in review on rivals and you will understand.

[Ohio_Cane]

Papa Cane - Recruiting Update: Even though 2013 DE Tim Williams lists UM as his #1 school, it will be hard for him to commit. Has a small child in LA.

[raizecane]

I am glad to hear that DS is going to hold off in selecting a new AD. One of the smartest things she has done in some time...

[Ohio_Cane]

Thoughts and Prayers out to #proCane Greg Olsen, wife Kara, and newborn son TJ. TJ will undergo heart surgery soon.

Story on the Olsen's here: http://ufootball.tumblr.com/page/2

[CaneRock]

Ohio State Video Game Tribute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AReWdFzlag

[Ohio_Cane]

CaneRock, I saw that last week...

As much as I hate OSU, that was awesome, and their band is fantastic

[Ohio_Cane]

UM injury report is out: RB Duke Johnson (lower extremity) listed as probable; OT Ben Jones, S Rayshawn Jenkins are out

[Al]

UNC will be another ND for Miami. We won't be able to run the ball. We will have the ball for five minutes the whole game, and the defense will be on the field the whole day giving us the "slow death".

[j.w.]

Diude: for those of us who don't subscribe or go there, what did he do this time? :)
Soup- I'd love to see that as well, actually I'd love to see something, anything, that works.

[The Dude]

Beano Cook died. 81 years old.

[j.w.]

Dude ^^^

[The Dude]

Beano He was basically blaming the players and defending the defensive system. He was saying that the system is to let the other team drive but to only give up FGs. The guy is a tool and the video is free. I don't pay for that garbage either.

[The Dude]

That was weird, typepad added "Beano" to my post.

[Ohio_Cane]

Miami Hurricanes vs. North Carolina Tar Heels - By the Numbers

7 – Sacks allowed by Miami’s offensive line through the first six games, the fewest total for the first half of a Hurricanes football season since 2003 (three).

9 – Tackles by Hurricane senior cornerback Brandon McGee last week against Notre Dame, a career-high.

14 – Times that Miami and UNC have met in the past; the series is currently tied at 7-7.

35:07 – Average amount of time, in minutes, the Canes defense has spent on the field in its first six games. That mark is the fifth-highest number in the nation.

57 – Average points scored by the Tar Heels in their last two games against Idaho (66) and Virginia Tech (48), the first time UNC has scored 45 or more points in back-to-back games since 1993.

63 – Points scored by the Hurricanes in the last two meetings against the Tar Heels. UNC has scored 34 over the same time span.

115 – Consecutive extra points made by UNC kicker Casey Barth. Barth has been successful in 149 of his last 150 attempts, with his last miss in the season opener of the 2009 season.

157.5 – Career pass efficiency mark of Tar Heel quarterback Bryn Renner, ranking him third among all Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in the category.

262 – Rushing yards by UNC tailback Giovani Bernard last week against Virginia Tech, which served as the second-best individual performance of any running back this season.

306.0 – Passing yards per game racked up by Miami quarterback Stephen Morris, ranking him first in the conference. Morris is also second in the ACC in total offense (313.5 yards).

[vegascane]

I have a strange feeling that the Heels are going to come into this game a little too confident after watching Miami get trounced by Notre Dame, and Miami will come in angry and focused. I truly think we pull out a much-needed W in this game.

[Gin & Tonic]

Miami now an 8-point home underdog to North Carolina in the Caesars/Harrah's line.

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | October 11, 2012 at 10:00 AM

Miami will cover.

UNC beat V-Tech at home by 6.

They lost on the road to Wake by 1 and needed a huge comback at Louisville to lose by only 5.

The other games? Home wins against the taditional powers Elon and Idaho by a combined score of 128-0.

[raizecane]

I hope the fans show up because watching it on TV and seeing open seats 10 rows up is sad!!

[86Cane]

Ohio...wurd is that Duke has been nursing an ankle injury for the last 2-3 weeks.

Raize...we will be there but now Ocala and Solar have both backed out. Anybody need 2 tickets?

[raizecane]

Raize...we will be there but now Ocala and Solar have both backed out. Anybody need 2 tickets?

Posted by: 86Cane | October 11, 2012 at 04:00 PM

************************************
Would love to go but oldest is coming home from college for the weekend. I am taking her to the UCF game to prep her in what NOT to do at tailgates. She will be attending the Florida / Georgia game which gets "out of hand" when tailgating so I need to clue her in....lol

[86Cane]

Miami has to score over 40 to win this game.

I think they will.

UM 41, UNC 37

[86Cane]

Hurricane Club Pre-Game Tailgate Party
Miami vs. UNC

Location: Sun Life Stadium- Gate C Courtyard
Time: 2.5 hrs prior to kickoff until 30 minutes before kickoff
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2012
Entry fee: $15 per adult, $10 for children 12 and under.

For more information or to pre-register click here.

NOTE: only CASH will be accepted on the day of the event. Credit Cards will not be accepted.

Hurricane Club members are invited to attend the annual pre-game tailgate party to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Hurricane Club. Food will be catered by Shorty's Bar-B-Q. Special guests include Band of the Hour, Sebastian, and the Cheerleaders. This invitation is open to current Hurricane Club members and up to 3 guests with your 2012 Hurricane Club Membership Card. If you have any questions please call 305-284-6699.

[tjl3909]

How many kickers with the last name Barth are there for UNC? They have been kicking for them since the 80,s

[LaQuinton]

Just like the coldquits at Tennessee