Golden's Golden Moment

This is it.

The time has finally arrived.

Al Golden has reached his moment of truth.

All of the cute little slogans, and promises, and interviews come down to this:

The current head coach of the Miami Hurricanes faces his first MUST win game. Al Golden must find a way to beat Virginia Tech to have the possibility of reaching the ACC title game for the first time since UM joined the ACC.

Failure, or losing, to most Miami Hurricane fans is simply not an option today at home as it was last week on the road against highly ranked FSU.

The Miami Hurricanes under head coach Al Golden MUST win this game.

Anything less would be totally unacceptable.

CANESPACE PREDICTION: CANES 34 - VT 20

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Comments

[herbieibis]

Look Cane spacers, Duke is not our savior! Okay , if he had played maybe we would had another offensive weapon but in Coley's scheme, we ignore our strenths and worry about our weaknesses, which are many. it seems to me that we are so consummed about getting 100yds rushing that we ignore the pass until we are in 3RD down, which is quite often. Logan Thomas is now a Heisman candidate, which shouldn't be of no surprise to the Canes faithful, since we make a habit of making a slug look like an A-A. Congratulation Deno, your scheme has succeed again, bend but don't break. Morris Suks! A half azz Qb leads us to another loss. If we are going to play bad and lose why not play Williams and look to the future. Look at what the Mach kid does for Mizzou. Bring on anyone else that suks offensively and we we'll be sure to pad your stats, Savage, oh I forgot , you just beat N. Dame>

[PapaCane1963]

Williams won't come to college . The issue is that recruiting has been tough and injuries has cost this team allowing D'no to not call the game How he wants . Porter,Robinson,Pierre, Green are not starters and the last 5 or 6 games we have seen them more and more, Maybe 80% of snapS. But then we have AQM and McCord . And the talented freshman though they are still freshman . We have to be patient. Look we are 7-2. Granted nobody wants to lose. Not to Tech or FSU . I believe the canes will run the table. Finish 3 and 1 the last 4 games and win the bowl game. Momentum will have to be on our side

Posted by: laquinton | November 10, 2013 at 12:15 AM

u sound like a loser

[laquinton]

You think so ? Ask me if I care about what you said now ? 2 weeks from now ? Or 2 Years ?

[j.w.]

I haven't seen any posts on this site yet, but I'm ready for my fu*cking rant of the year.
This game f**cking sucked., Every Go**amned coach, player, trainer, headset guy, and employee of that ba**ard who owns whatever they now call Joe Robbie Stadium sucked. From Golden Al to our longsnapper, I'm embarrassed for you. You couldn't have coached, played, or worked any worse than you did.
Starting at the top, Golden: It's beyond obvious to every opponent we play, every fan who watches, and every commentator who works a game that Morris is injured. Not hurt, but injured. He can't compete in this condition, yet we pretend he's perfectly normal. If we had Kirby Freeman behind him I would understand, but Williams made the offense look better when he played than in ANY game Morris has played. I don't care about the long ball, Morris can't complete the simple passes. Sit him.
2) RB: Gus isn't ready, and Crawford is a prototypical Denver Broncos back- let him make one cut, running downhill, and don't try the go**amned stretch paly with him because he doesn't have the ability to make that play.
3) WR: Waters, catch the fu**ing ball before you turn upfield! And hit Walford when he's alone or moving upfield, not standing still. The rest? Hurns don't just make one play, make four! And Coley, figure this damned game out soon, opportunity isn't going to knock forever when we get the new recruiting class in.
4)OL: Remember when we thought they were the strength of the team? Me neither, as they've proven they're mostly JAGS. Pass protection sucks, no holes opened, but at least you didn't hold.
5) DL: The root of all evils lies elsewhere, but not one of these guys looks like they'll play Sundays any time soon. Weak, disinterested and/or poor conditioned, they can't make plays and won't next week.
6) LB: Why in the name of Sweet Baby Jesus does Cornelius do anything other than rush a passer? He can't cover anyone, sucks against the run, yet he plays over a kid who might actually improve (Figs). Even Perryman sucked tonight, he couldn't cover 45 year old me on a wheel route or a swing pass.
DB: These guys Flat. Out. Sucked. Every single one of them, but my wrath is directed primarily at Highsmith who can't play at this level, and Jenkins. Jenkins missed four tackles (two TD's), should have had a fumble recovery but tried to pick it up rather than fall on it (leading to another TD), then could have had two picks but instead went for a kill shot rather than a deflection. How he got 26 is a friggen mystery to me. Bush: I hear about how great he is, but I'm still not seeing anything special.
P: C'mon, taking a fu**ing knee on a punt? Seriously, a 5th year doesn't know better? Thanks for nothing. At least Goudis finally connected.
OC: Coley, figure out what you're team can do and STICK TO IT!! Enough of the timid game plan, if you don't have faith in Morris, tell Golden to start Williams.
DC: D'Onofrio: Two games in a row you've had you're ass handed to you. I don't know if the scheme is why we refuse to cover any short pass, or if it's too many dumb players who can't recognize it. I know D'Onofrio didn't miss any tackles, but enough already of keeping the same guys in if they're not getting the job in. I find fault in stubborn refusals to not try something different when it is plainly obvious what is being done SUCKS. Get the job done, or get out.

[PapaCane1963]

You think so ? Ask me if I care about what you said now ? 2 weeks from now ? Or 2 Years ?

Posted by: laquinton | November 10, 2013 at 12:44 AM

didn't mean to piss u off. i had no idea ur a sensitive spoiled brat.

[SOUP]

The rain at the stadium was really tears.

[SOUP]

I am so sad.

I will try to get some sleep.

But nothing is guaranteed.

[Terrance Sullivan]

I am just speechless, and saddened.

[TGU_CANE]

Amen, j.w.

[SOUP]

SMOKE AND MIRRORS:

The 11th-ranked Miami Hurricanes unveiled a special uniform set named ‘The Smoke’ for Saturday’s Homecoming game vs. Virginia Tech at Sun Life Stadium.

#TheSmoke uniform features an anthracite jersey (grey) top and a Hydrographics designed helmet with grey smoke accents rising from the back base of the helmet that represents the Miami Hurricanes’ tradition of “running through the smoke” prior to every home game. The helmet is white matte with a gray smoke pattern around the back and is highlighted by chrome U decals and a metal gray facemask.

“We’re excited to unveil a new alternative uniform for the Miami Hurricanes,” said Blake James, the Hurricanes’ Director of Athletics. “Along with the new basketball uniforms, it reaffirms our desire to be on the cutting edge with our great partners at Nike.”

[WWIN]

Soon as I seen dem uniforms wit "hurricanes" on the back instead of the players names, I said this is gon be a bad day. Who's idea wuz that??? I bet it wuz Golden's, sounds like him. Dats some pop warner type $h*t, and we played like it. Who gets new uniforms this day in age and puts the team name on the back?? Dats what division 2 & 3 schools do, dats what tenn state has on dey uniforms... SMH still

[SOUP]

What can I say that hasn't been said?

TOTAL SUCKAGE.

[SOUP]

Sat in the cold, blowing rain for three hours to watch a team that had no business being on the field. Just misreable and sad.

[DeeCane]

Yo, would everybody stop bitchin' n moaning???? No one predicted we would be even 7-2 at this moment..people said at the beginning of the year we would probably lose to Florida and N.Carolina....granted, I'm not happy about the loss but this team is much improved from a year ago....same team last year, and we probably would be 4-5 or 5-4 at best...we dnt come back to beat WF, North Carolina, or Ga Tech possibly...Golden had bullshit to work with the last 2 years, everybody says that by the third year in a coaches tenure a team should be better...and we are...we need to make better adjustments...and the Duke Johnson loss is greatly missed...we had shit for a run game..I just felt Clements should get more touches..relax guys we have matched our win total from last year with 3 to play...I think we win out, but I think the Pitt game will be tougher than we think

[j.w.]

Soup, if I could send you a bottle of Jack and a beer, I would. Thanks for going, for all of us who can't make one, I do appreciate the fact you make it out.

[Terrance Sullivan]

If we dont get our stuff together we might either lose out or only win one more game. SMDH. No Charlotte for US, and from the looks of it We will be lucky to go to the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando.

[herbieibis]

Special unis didn't have anything to do wiff that azz kickin. I don't want to hear Al's process shyt. I can't wait for this group of Sr.s to leave so we won't have an excuse to play them.
it's obvious to The herb that the coaches don't have any confidence in Morris, by the play calling and furthermore don't have any confidence in a healthy Williams to lead us. had the o-line done their job against Sav. St, maybe we wouldn't have an injuried Qb. leadind us to another loss against another turd team.
Duke holds this bunch to 6 pts. on their home field and they almost get 50 on us. You tell The Herb who is responsible for this B.S. I'll say this about the depth chart put the dam best players on the field and quit worrying about the chart. How many times have we started the same line-up game to game, aside when someone is injured? We flip flop everywhere but QB. Who is holding him accountable?

[Mia Chi 'Cane '98]

I try to be a level headed fan win or lose. But I have to say I see no positives after tonight's game. Since Al was hired I have given him the benefit of the doubt along with the coaching staff. They have been behind the eight ball since Al accepted position with the roster, recruiting and the whole Shapiro fiasco. I knew this was going to be a work in progress and take at least 3,years to change the culture.

What I saw tonight was pure regression from every single facet of the team. I honestly feel we could lose our last 3 games. Or at least go 1-2. I think the team is reeling and are beggining to doubt themselves with injuries to Morris, Duke, etc.

I don't want to sound pessimistic but you think next year we will be better? We have seen a few of 2013 recruits and some show promise but who are the other ones that' will make a difference? Fine we should get a good 2014 recruiting class but only a handful of those guys will have an impact next year. At this point I would like to see more of Ryan Williams because something is wrong with Morris both physically and mentally but you really think RW is going to lead U to an ACC title? Olson is not ready and Kayaa could be good after red shirting for a year. Now I am looking at 2015 as a year where things maybe start to fall in place. That's not taking into account departures, injuries misses on recruits, etc.

I enjoyed your rant J.w.. I agree 100%.

[WWIN]

Herb, the qb position is excluded on the depth chart. He's the only one allowed to make mistakes. Remember when Duke had those two fumbles and he got benched in practice? Well what happened when Morris threw those four picks?

[Terrance Sullivan]

Herb, the qb position is excluded on the depth chart. He's the only one allowed to make mistakes. Remember when Duke had those two fumbles and he got benched in practice? Well what happened when Morris threw those four picks?

Posted by: Willie Will in Nashville | November 10, 2013 at 02:25 AM
Great point WWIN!

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[IraqiCane]

Hey where is the link to Butch Davis?

[nemo2002]

Happy Birthday Marines.

[CGNC]

Good morning!

[360Cane]

This team doesn't play no since of urgency. We are going to play man to man defense? The d-line is not getting it done.

Posted by: 1miamifan | November 09, 2013 at 10:34 PM

And that is all it is. Everything else is overreaction.

[CGNC]

Good rant j.w. It was a mess from top to bottom.

Maybe now that the Coastal is out of reach, AG makes some changes. The early high ranking didn't help, as I didn't think at the beginning of the season that we would be ranked until towards the end of the season and at the bottom top 20 if that.

Strap it up coaches. We can go 10-2

[CGNC]

360 - you sat in the rain at the game, did it look as bad there as it did on TV?

[CaneRock]

Murphy's law is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong".

[360Cane]

I'm telling you, plays are called that are putting guys in position on D. But we get pushed around on the DL and THAT is our problem.

The biggest thing that popped my eyes wide open last night? Seeing Deon Bush's closing speed. We're just soft in too many areas.

D'No mixed coverages, pressed man, all kinds if things. But when you have guys up front that can't get off blocks, what are you going to do? I am trying to tell you guys but you won't listen. We do not just play a soft zone. I don't care how many blogs you post that on.

D'No is calling the right plays. We're just not executing because we don't have the ballers all these other great D's have. Name one first founder on this D that a Jr or above. It's truth. 74 man roster, scrambling to bring in 3 linemen in the offseason like we're in the NFL.

And those drag routes worked because we were spying the QB. The man in the middle spying would have the drag. Go back and watch it. Man in the middle is standing flat foot, eyeing the QB each time. And on another one, we blitzed the middle so it caught us there, too. But if you can have guys that can actually get to the QB without disguises and blitzes then this scheme works brilliantly. We just are two years away still.

Can't keep comparing this team to the 2001 team with 6 first rounders. FSU sent 11 to the NFL lady year and look how they're team performs.

Why in the world we think 3 stars magically become 5 stars is beyond me. Our 36th ranked recruiting class is what you see on that field. This class and next will start solidifying that team like the Bama's and FSU's we keep thinking we are. Not yet my friends. Not yet.

[nemo2002]

Why in the world we think 3 stars magically become 5 stars is beyond me. Our 36th ranked recruiting class is what you see on that field. This class and next will start solidifying that team like the Bama's and FSU's we keep thinking we are. Not yet my friends. Not yet.

STARS MATTER

[VA Cane]

Preacher is here Sunday morning. When you do not have a game plan that makes sense, plays to your strengths on O, addresses your opponents strengths and weaknesses on D, play lights out no mistake STs, do not commit penalties and TOs and carry out said plan within the confines of basic fundamental football you are likely to lose. I did not see that last night. That was some bad football.

Todays words are focus and fundamentals. People often do not understand these concepts......but that's why my kids are 75-2 over last 5 years. it works trust the plans.

[canezilla]

GCNC THE RAIN WAS REALLY BAD!!! WE SAT IN IT FOR 2 HOURS.JUST TO WATCH CRAP ON THE FIELD

[4-Real]

The people I actually feel 4 are the ones who were actually at the game last nite :(

[Sarasota 'cane]

This team is not going anywhere with D'No. If he is not let go soon then we are not anywhere with Golden either. The game itself reminded me of UVA the last night in the OB. They ran the same play to the same gaping hole in UM's defense all night.
How many times was the D Back not even in the shot when the VT TE/WR caught the ball? A dozen? It was a joke.
I feel like I did when it was painfully obvious that Shannon had to go. I supported him to a fault and I am not going to do the same with D'No. If he isn't fired soon then Golden can go with him when he eventually is let go.

[usagainsttheworld]

Unacceptable and inexcusable.

[Sarasota 'cane]

D'No math:
3rd and 17 + 3rd and 12 = 14

[CoCane]

360 Cane, WTF are talking about??? Not yet??? How about not ever. Lmao! 1 class ranked 36. Those are the Jr's. The classes before & after were all top classes. Teams with MUCH worse recruiting are playing much better. Like the team that beat the fukk out of us last night. VT doesn't recruit on our level but they whip our azz conistantly because of COACHING. I said from Golden's first game, 3 years ago, that SOFT zone shit won't work. If I can see that trust our opponents coaches can too. Duane Starks has been saying it all season. Throw it short & exploit our big 10 yard cushions on 3rd down. DUUUUH! Our d-line coach sucks azz. Thats why we don't get pressure. PLAYERS PLAY THE WAY THEY ARE COACHED TO PLAY. Butch Davis built the greatest team with mostly 2 & 3 * recruits. 1st rounders aren't recruited, they are DEVELOPED BY COACHING. How many times to do I have to prophesize this shyt before anybody gives me my props. I tell you what will happen. It happens. Then everyone is dumbfounded. WTF?!

[360Cane]

Someone that runs a 4.5 is just faster than the guy that runs a 4.7 hence why that drag was opening up. It's just painful to watch a slow defense and is why Bush's closing speed was so shocking. Our D is just ssslllooowww.

[BigWindyCane1]

Terrible game. This loss is on the defense. Waters had a few drops and the OL underperformed AGAIN but Kehoe is popular with our Canes fan base so i will not criticize him. Morris didn't make many bad throws.

If this doesn't improve, the Canes should focus on trying to hold on to their recruits because the other programs are still recruiting negatively but instead of using the NCAA investigation, they will simply refer to the way they underperformed in important games.

[360Cane]

But yea, the two fumbles and kneeled punt completely sucked any momentum we had. Game started great until those. Then it was down hill from there. So you need...

Coaching
Talent
Luck
Momentum

And boy, was luck on VT's side last night like it was on Duke's side when they beat VT. Sometimes, things just don't go the way you want them to and we don't have the horses to solidify us in that top 10 status yet.

[CGNC]

Zilla - sorry you had to sit in the rain for that.

360 - nice post, very informative

[CGNC]

360- question- the coaching staff has made all the players gain some extra weight - is this having an impact on our slow D? I would think yes

[360Cane]

Based on Scout:

2010 14th ranked class
2011 40th ranked class
2012 9th ranked class
2013 20th ranked class

Top classes huh? I'm telling you again, stop drinking the boos and stop comparing this team to 2001. It ain't the coaching...it's the non-executing 3 stars.

[CoCane]

If the WR's on the crossing routs were covered man to man then the spying LB could work but the LB to stay in his zone. The CB's are downfield in their zone so when WR, RB or TE head to the flats they are WIDE OPEN. It's been the same shyt since Golden got here. Also, our LB's aren't slow. They all run in the 4.6 range. But if they're 10 back on 3rd & 3, the TE, RB or WR will get to the 1st before them. How many times do you have to see it. DAM! No pass rush will stop that. It's a scheme that is built to fail...

[360Cane]

360- question- the coaching staff has made all the players gain some extra weight - is this having an impact on our slow D? I would think yes

Posted by: CGNC | November 10, 2013 at 08:53 AM

Nah, usually when you put on muscle, you get faster. We just don't have that 4.6 Warren Sapp. We've come down from the 4.9s to the 4.7s but we need 4.5s. We're getting there. Patience.

[mi@mic@ne]

Two cardinal sins that losers practice. They always have a hole in their defensive scheme..which we have seen all year...getting beat on a particular play over and over again.

Taking care of their best offensive weapons. We do not shut the down they guy that can beat us.

When you teach guys to react in a passive way at the start of the play then it is too late to make it up on the pursuit.

We cover the field good but we are never around the ball. lol

[DallasTX Cane]

Missed tackles
Fumbles
Dropped passes
Idiot long snapper & punter

This team cannot get out of its own way. We need to take advantage of every opportunity & play near perfect to beat a decent team. We are not good enough to over come so many f*cked up fundamentals.

OL & DL lost LOS control all game.

Really hard to understand why making a tackle is so difficult.

[360Cane]

If this doesn't improve, the Canes should focus on trying to hold on to their recruits because the other programs are still recruiting negatively but instead of using the NCAA investigation, they will simply refer to the way they underperformed in important games.

Posted by: BigWindyCane1 | November 10, 2013 at 08:50 AM

That's fine. Golden will simply explain that's why we need them here.

[CGNC]

Co! You know I always give you your props LOL. Seems like it is a combination of both. But yeah, we need a change somewhere players - coaches or both. Even I can see it is the same ol same ol.

[CGNC]

A DallasTxCane sighting! YAY. LOL SHayon Green bounced off of their QB - he is big and we need a bigger D Line