Spring Game Summary

Brad Kaaya and Christopher Herndon connected for two touchdowns to lead the Green team to 24-7 victory over the Orange team in the 2016 Spring Game.

Thousands of fans packed Lockhart Stadium on Saturday to watch the Miami Hurricanes close out spring practice with a competitive game.

“Today, like most spring games, like most scrimmages, there were certainly some real highlights for both sides of the ball,” Miami head coach Mark Richt said. “Usually a highlight for one side of the ball is probably a lowlight for the other side of the ball, so it’s kind of hard to judge it. The good news is, Miami won today, but overall I thought it was a pretty good day.” 

Gus Edwards, who missed the entire 2015 season due to injury, received a loud cheer from the crowd on his first carry of the afternoon.  The redshirt junior scored Miami’s first points of the day thanks to one-yard touchdown run to put the Orange team on the board. Edwards would finish the day with a game-high 57 rushing yards on 16 attempts.

Michael Badgley’s 27-yard field goal with 8:19 to go in the second quarter scored the first points of the game for Green and cut the Orange team’s lead to four, 7-3.

Kaaya hit Herndon over the middle for a 22-yard touchdown that put the Green team ahead, 10-7, in the second quarter.

The Green team’s Jaquan Johnson picked off an Evan Shirreffs pass deep over the middle to close out the first half.

Kaaya connected again with Herndon with 3:14 in the third quarter for a 13-yard touchdown, their second score of the day, to give the Green team a 17-7 lead.

Corn Elder picked off Kaaya with 11:19 remaining in the game to give the Orange team a boost, but the Green defense forced a three-and-out to stop the Orange momentum.

Kaaya threw his third and final touchdown of the day late in the fourth quarter, hitting Braxton Berrios for a 23-yard touchdown to wrap up the Green victory. The rising junior quarterback completed 29 of his 45 pass attempts, throwing for 345 yards and three touchdowns.

Berrios was Miami’s leading receiver, hauling in eight balls for 127 yards and a touchdown, while Herndon caught six passes for 76 yards and a team-leading two touchdowns.

Gerald Willis was one of several defensive standouts for Miami, recording two sacks, while Jermaine Grace, Demetrius Jackson, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Shaq Quarterman each had a sack to round out Miami’s six on the day. Willis had six tackles to lead the Green team, while Quarterman. Sheldrick Redwine and Rayshawn Jenkins each had seven tackles to lead the Orange squad.

Comments

[SOUP]

JUCO K Diego Marquez will be joining the Hurricanes. According to Peter Ariz of CanesInSight.com, Marquez will be a preferred Walk-On (which doesn't use up a scholarship slot).

Miami got a talented kicker a year ahead of schedule. With the dismissal of Jon Semerene, P Justin Vogel being a senior, and K Michael Badgley being a Junior, depth for the future was needed at this position. Nice get for Todd Hartley here.

Marquez, a 6'1" 200lb right footed kicker, has a good leg.

[CaneRock]

YOU KNOW!...[]_ _[]NO!!!!!

[thirstybuzzardcane]

http://www.stateoftheu.com/2016/4/17/11445418/miami-hurricanes-spring-game-thoughts-and-more-brad-kaaya-mark-walton-defensive-line-more

[SOUP]

ESPN's take:

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/91923/three-observations-from-miamis-spring-game

[Mark from Atlanta]

So, now the real season begins. ...off season, when no one is making you attend. ..
Just work out, run, practice together, become brothers of the U!
Have fun, but stay out of trouble please God.
Integrity. ..do the right things, even if no one is watching or taking notice.
God bless you and Go Canes!

[Ohio_Cane]

Don't we always lose at least 1 player during this period of the year? Arrests, etc? God help us. Please "behave", as Richt likes to say.

[CaneRock]

I'm not well versed on evaluating kicking ability, but Marquez seems to have a pretty good leg...excellent pick-up if you ask me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asGiae0QsEU

[CaneRock]

Speakin' of kickers, Marquette King is blastin' em' out the stratosphere in this vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJoyqdouNxg

[thirstybuzzardcane]

I'm not well versed on evaluating kicking ability, but Marquez seems to have a pretty good leg...excellent pick-up if you ask me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asGiae0QsEU

Posted by: CaneRock | April 18, 2016 at 10:39 AM

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

I think he'll win the starting job this year. I love his trajectory on the ball!

[Lur-ker]

Looks like the leg is pretty good on a practice field, but unless the kicking is "live" it's near impossible to tell whether he's actually good or not. Kicking against no line or no pressure is a whole lot different than kicking in a real game.

This guy's here to replace Semerene anyway. Just kickoffs, unless he can prove he can kick with distance and accuracy when the bullets are live and it's real.

[Mark from Atlanta]

I'm still curious if anyone has thoughts on my over/under for players getting "Shaq'd"...this season?
I'm holding @ 4...
Nothing dangerous, just counting fingers and seeing some stars, momentarily....and having 2nd thoughts about going over the middle again. ..haha.

God bless you and Go Canes!

[Mark from Atlanta]

And, of course placing an opposing QB firmly in the ground.

[SOUP]

I'm still curious if anyone has thoughts on my over/under for players getting "Shaq'd"...this season? I'm holding @ 4...

Posted by: Mark from Atlanta | April 18, 2016 at 11:54 AM

If the over under is at 4, I'll take the OVER.

I have it at 6.

[CaneRock]

Deep kickoffs + Fast kickoff coverage team =s good defensive field position...I wouldn't call it "just kickoffs".

The kickoff guys have sucked these past few years.

[Ohio_Cane]

DMoney from CIS:

Thoughts on the first spring of the Richt era
These are some observations from the watching all three scrimmages and a few practices:

If I could describe the last few years of the Golden era in a word, it would be “frantic.” Starters like Deon Bush rotated constantly with less-talented backups. We shifted back and forth from pro-style with Kaaya to spread-option with Rosier. Even Golden’s post-practice interviews seemed scatterbrained and paranoid.

Richt brings predictability and stability. He’s already had success and is confident in his system. Every practice looks pretty much the same. There’s no more music blaring. Instead of rushing through Oklahoma drills before starting a scrimmage, the sides just warm up and play ball. The best eleven players play with the 1s and stay there. The interviews are straightforward and candid. Everything just feels more stable.

I spent some time with an NFL personnel man, and he marveled at the difference. He said that Richt’s schemes are simple and sound, while Coley tried to do too much. I think the same can be said of the entire staff. We are really going back to the basics.

QB- Not much more can be said about Brad Kaaya. He is a star and Richt is gushing about him to people within the program. The biggest improvement in Kaaya’s game has been his mobility. He is making throws rolling right and left and generally looks quicker inside the pocket. Another summer of mat drills should help his athleticism.

None of the backups shined, which can be largely attributed to the lack of talent on the second team offense. Malik Rosier struggled with the transition to a pro-style offense. His accuracy is inconsistent and he lacks length to stand in the pocket. Evan Shirreffs looked more comfortable in the offense and made better decisions. I would like to see him become more confident as a passer over the summer.

Jack Allison is raw but has a very high ceiling. He made some eye-popping throws, including a deep ball to Berrios that was Morris-like. He still locks onto his first read and has inconsistent accuracy, but Richt will be great for his development. The height, coordination and arm are there. I’ve also heard he has a great attitude, and that Kaaya has taken him under his wing. Vincent Testaverde is talented for a walk-on but he is behind the other four.

HB- There is still no clear starter in the group. Mark Walton had the best spring and is running a lot more decisive. He remains excellent in the passing game. Joe Yearby is consistent. I wanted to see a little more from Gus Edwards, but he is still rusty from his layoff. The competition should continue over the summer. Trayone Gray showed his usual flashes but was stuck on the third team. He just hasn’t shown the football IQ to win over a coaching staff, which is surprising given his background as a QB.

FB- This position was an afterthought last year, but now it looks like 2001 all over again. For the first couple weeks, we used a series of walk-ons like Cory Giordano with the starters. None were really qualified. Things took a turn for the better when Christopher Herndon started getting increased reps at the position. He is an incredibly well-rounded football player who can block and catch. With him in the game, you can line up in an I-formation and shift to a two-TE or three-WR look, or vice versa. He is one of the most valuable players on the team right now.

The staff desperately needs to find another fullback this summer. That could be preferred walk-on Zak Lawler or a graduate transfer. Maybe it’s Michael Irvin II, who played all over the field at STA and brings many of the same traits as Herndon. Whoever that guy is, the fullback position is here to stay at Miami.

WR- This group is Stacy Coley and everyone else. He has added weight and looks ready for a Hurns/Dorsett-type senior year. But as we saw in the last week, durability will always be an issue. Braxton Berrios was the second-best receiver in camp. Because we played so little 11 personnel, Berrios did a lot of his damage on the outside. He has surprising strength and body control to win those battles. Lawrence Cager can get open but needs to improve his hands. He struggled with drops all spring, including on Saturday. Darrell Langham can’t separate, and Malcolm Lewis wasn't much of the factor. We need the freshmen receivers to make an impact like the young linebackers did.

TE- David Njoku should be one of the top receiving TEs in the country this year. We already discussed Herndon. Stan Dobard lost weight and is moving really well. Now he needs to become reliable with his hands. Jovani Haskins was at the scrimmage and looks physically ready to come in and play. Strong group.

OL- The first team looks like they will have enough to get the job done. Danny Isidora has finally taken the next step. He played strong, balanced and consistent all spring. Kc McDermott and Trevor Darling are talented guys who can move people. Tyree St. Louis had rough moments, but played well overall and flashed his talents (especially in the spring game). Once Nick Linder and Sonny Odogwu come back, this unit should be fine. The only thing really holding this group back is the lack of a true left tackle.

Ty Gauthier played a lot of center and held up well. I still like him best at guard. Alex Gall improved but is physically limited. Bar Milo played mostly left tackle, but isn’t a natural fit there. He needs to get stronger. The rest of the offensive linemen will struggle to see the field at Miami. There was too much dead weight in the 2015 class and we need a strong group in recruiting this year.

DT- This group was one of the stories of spring. Golden recruited well here in his last couple years and now they are getting coached. Kendrick Norton and Courtel Jenkins are big, bulky guys who have the first steps to be disruptive in the run game. RJ McIntosh and Gerald Willis are taller, more athletic guys who can get after the passer. Some if not all of these guys will play on Sundays. Anthony Moten is behind those four but can climb right back in the mix with a good summer. Ryan Fines should strongly consider moving to offensive line. He has a chance to really help there. At DT, he is going to get eclipsed by more athletic players.

DE- Not as deep as DT but still in decent shape. Al-Quadin Muhammad is the alpha of the group and sets the tone with his effort. Chad Thomas improved over the spring but isn’t there yet. He is still a bit predictable in his pass-rush and doesn’t always finish the play. Some early success will help him make the leap. Demetrius Jackson needs to become more consistent in the run game but was highly disruptive in the pass game. He has excellent closing speed and gets his hands on a ton of passes. Trent Harris makes plays with effort and instincts but lacks impact tools. Pat Bethel is not ready yet.

LB- These guys might have been the story of the spring. Shaq Quarterman and Mike Pinckney came in ready and have all but locked up starting jobs. You can see the ability to run and hit, but I’m most impressed by their attitudes and intelligence. They act like they belong. Quarterman is the bigger, more powerful player who blows up ballcarriers and forces fumbles. Pinckney is a little quicker and plays with impeccable timing. Both guys diagnose quickly and look comfortable in coverage.

Jermaine Grace is the same player we’ve seen and should flourish in this defense. The backups look improved as well. Juwon Young doesn’t play with the intelligence of Quarterman and Pinckney, but he is a devastating tackler with speed. Mike Smith handled the MIKE surprisingly well and looks improved. CJ Perry is a run-and-hit guy who put on weight and looks more comfortable in this defense. He has a future at LB but could possibly help at the FB position. Jamie Gordiner lacks speed but has good instincts in the middle. Zack McCloud will be just as good as the other two freshmen but isn’t as polished. Maybe it’s the #53 , but the way he runs and strikes reminds me of Navarro Bowman.

S- Pretty good spring but a lot of work to do. Rayshawn Jenkins and Jamal Carter played most of the reps with the 1s and look likely to start. I was particularly impressed with Jenkins’s approach. He’s been immature at times in the past, but he is locked in from all accounts. Both guys flash good tackling ability but they are inconsistent. That needs to change by September. Jaquan Johnson is a quick, instinctive player who will be on the field at either safety or nickel. Robert Knowles took positive steps in the spring and flashes a knack for the ball. He needs to keep working to hold off the incoming freshmen.

CB- This is one position where Miami cannot afford injuries. Corn Elder and Sheldrick Redwine are good, not great, and there is very little behind them. I wish we had more depth at receiver to test these guys. Mike Jackson is probably the most talented of the backups but will struggle some with quickness. Ryan Mayes has length and flashes ability but is not consistent. Terrance Henley is not ready. Malek Young will have an opportunity to play a big role immediately.

Overall, it was a productive and relatively healthy spring. We will know more in August camp, but the big story is that the young linebackers are for real and the team looks to be enjoying the transition to the new staff.

[Ohio_Cane]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Rosier transfer from UM or go back to the baseball team.

[SOUP]

I could have written what DMoney did and I have been no where near the team this spring?

[CaneRock]

Rosier's the only other QB with game experience & a win under His belt, He ain't goin' nowhere...he'll be the back-up come Fall.

[Lur-ker]

^^^^^^^
Too soon

[Lur-ker]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Rosier transfer from UM or go back to the baseball team.

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 18, 2016 at 01:32 PM

^^^^^^^
Too soon

[Lur-ker]

CR is exactly right. We absolutely need a dialed-in Rozier. Wouldn't bother me if they had some spread packages just for him, in case we ever have to use him.

Soup also hit the nail on the head. Of course you could have written that, just from what you read around.p or can reasonably infer

[Ohio_Cane]

Shaq Q's dad:

My First Game as a Cane... Parent

I for one don't like Spring Games. Its like having your own kids compete against one another... you don't want anyone to win or lose. But I was extremely excited for this new endeavor. Got to the Stadium about 9:00 and set up for the tailgating... Had a great time ... I was joined by family and friends about 25 of us in all... Where I messed up was, I allowed my phone to go dead before logging on to Cane insight to find some of you guys... and about an hour into tailgating activities... I forgot my phone was in the car on the charger... next time. This was a new experience.. the first time watching Shaq play where I wasn't on the sideline... can't get in his ear when he needs it. The first part of the game I was tunneled in on him but then started watching the entire game the best I could... I honestly felt the game was toned down purposely not to expose any weakness... but It was enough to see what was working and what needs to be worked on. For the sake of redundancy I will not mention the thing already mentioned in other post.. but what stood out to me was Berrios ... all the RBs Gray included showed signs of great potential... Herndon and Njoku are ballers... Talked with Mullins at half time... he is ready to play... he was extremely excited and chomping at the bit. He said when "We" come in, we are going to shake some things up. They will be needed... I can't wait for them to get here... I think Shaq and Mike did a great job.. They appeared to fit right in... Zack fell behind a couple of weeks do to injury.. but I know he will catch up... Talked with Owens... he can't wait... feeling a bit down .. not feeling the love over on the sideline... but I told him he has nothing to worry about... I said the comp is between them two... pointing to Mike and Shaq... I said one of them is in your spot... You don't worry about any of that you just come back and work your a$$ off... and let the cards fall where they may... Met with the staff after the game... there is a very noticeable change in the staff... the tone is different... want say good or bad... the play on the field will determine which methods works. If I had to bet I would put my money on this staff. I bought Nick with me and they scooped him up right away... I was pleased... they act as if they were really happy to see him.. He had a great time... hanging with Shaq, Darrion and Mike after the game... got a taste of Miami's night life... He really wants to come to Miami. We finished the night off at Wet Willies at the HardRock Seminole.. Again had a great time #stillcan 'twait

[Ohio_Cane]

Soup also hit the nail on the head. Of course you could have written that, just from what you read around.p or can reasonably infer

Posted by: Lur-ker | April 18, 2016 at 02:29 PM
----------------------------------------

But neither of U did, and it's a nice breakdown of the entire Spring camp that people can read in case they missed any/all of it

[SOUP]

Ohio...not feeling the love? LOL

Yeah it is true, we didn't say it, but it is basic recap of what we heard all spring. It helps if you haven't been paying attention and was a nice summary.

I still got some stuff to send you for your man cave from the Canespace Four Play event, just have not had the time to get it done at UPS.

[Ohio_Cane]

Not at all, was just saying lol

Cool man! Thanks! Always appreciated!

[Lur-ker]

I have no problems with the Dmoney recap, it's just that this spring I, and probably a whole lot of other people, have been paying more attention to the new staff - naturally there's more excitement and expectations around the spring activities. If this was after couple years of coaching regime, I might not have been as tuned as I was THIS spring.

[SinisterCane]

Recruiting update

Per 247:
UM defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski identified Clearwater High School prospect Kane Taylor early in the process and now he is one of UM’s top targets as the Hurricanes look to solidify that position. Taylor is an impressive high school player that plays defensive line, linebacker, and fullback. He runs very well for a player of his size and plays with violence. Taylor now has offers from Michigan, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and South Carolina among others. Some schools are recruiting Taylor as a fullback, but Miami likes him as a defensive tackle. Taylor is a top level jumbo athlete that is bubbling with potential.

Another top target for Miami on the defensive line is long and rangy Dillard defensive end Jordan Wright, who at 6-feet-6 and 215 pounds is very fluid as he gets around the edge. Wright is a prospect with a ton of upside if he can gain weight and strength and maintain his speed and agility. The Miami staff would love to add Wright as an edge rusher in the 2017 class. Right now, Miami’s biggest competition is Kentucky.

Linebacker De'Andre Wilder (Opa Locka, Fla./Carol City) said he doesn't want to get too far from home.

He said Miami still sticks out.

"I don't want to get too far away from my little brother because he looks up to me," Wilder said.

He said he likes Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Florida as well.

"(Hurricanes linebackers coach Manny) Diaz is a great guy and a funny guy," Wilder said. "I like his schemes."

He said Notre Dame, Florida and Miami are in contact with him consistently.

(Gators linebackers coach Randy) Shannon hits me up on Twitter," Wilder said. "He sends me all kind of good stuff."

Wilder, who has 25 verbal offers, said he visited Michigan, Michigan State, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Notre Dame this spring.

"I liked Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame," Wilder said. "They in the same category. We sat down and talked (at Michigan) and had fun. I watching Devin Bush Jr. running around. We had a great time."

Some surprising update on Brian Edwards apparently Miami is recruiting him and they talk to him often but did mention that Syracuse is his #1 school.

Latavious Brini confirmed that his recruitment is a UF/UM battle but we already knew that. Miami is making him, Christopher Henderson, Marco Wilson and Shawn Davis priorities

Darrian Felix confirmed we're his leaders by a long shot

Anthony McFarland Jr, who has 28 offers, said he feels most comfortable with Maryland, Alabama and Miami at this time.

Nick Roberts update -

The new staff has made no bones that they prefer height at Roberts' (5-10, 170) position and he hadn't visited since the team faced Nebraska in September. He returned to South Florida for the spring game on Saturday with a specific objective in mind.

"Meeting the new staff, Coach Diaz and Coach Rumph, was very important for me," Roberts said. "They were talking about what they're trying to do in the new scheme as far as using press coverage. They loved that I came down to watch and they were ready for me to suit up right there."

Roberts has placed a specific focus on developing a bond with Mike Rumph, his future position coach. That took a step in the right direction over the weekend.

"I was kind of nervous at first but now we've been talking," Roberts said. "He's a very cool guy but he still takes things seriously. The corners had a rough time with Al Golden but it's going better. What he said yesterday at the spring game, that just built my confidence level up. I'm really starting to love Miami again now."

"I'm one hundred percent with Miami and I know for sure I'll be at their camp on June 23rd," Roberts said. "I might even get back before then, I haven't figured that out yet. I'm also visiting UCLA, Tennessee, and Alabama over the summer. I want to get around to look at the facilities and see how it is outside Florida"

You see that's a cane...none of that 85% **** Chris is spreading around

Per Rivals:

Jermaine Eskridge has UM on top

Marco Wilson came away very impressed from the spring game, sounds like another UF/UM battle

Miami offered 2018 OT William Barnes, who attended the game with Steven Larson Jr. He's very high on us

Per Scout:

This is basically a Marcus Minor update, everything is basically in the video at the bottom here

http://www.scout.com/college/football/recruiting/story/1661500-no-6-og-details-recruitment-status?s=13

[thirstybuzzardcane]

^^^^good stuff Sinister!

[SinisterCane]

I just copy and Paste :)

[Lur-ker]

But at least you and Ohio make the effort. Appreciate all the info posted here

[The Dude]

With Coley getting most of the attention, AR has Freshman Allen America chances if he shows up ready to get it, that is if Richt exploits what Golden refused to... Miami's natural speed advantage.

We're ready to compete.

[The Dude]

F*cking auto correct

[TonyCane]

Allen America....it's all about the U....S of A!

[30CINCO]

From Barry's Wed Buzz Column:

• The 2019 UM-UF football game in Orlando, which is nearly finalized, will be the season opener, UF athletic director Jeremy Foley e-mailed. That means UM will have tough consecutive openers: Miami plays LSU in Arlington, Tx. to open the 2018 season…

We hear UM four-star defensive end Scott Patchan sustained a torn ACL in the same knee for the second time. A UM official said last week that October is an optimistic timetable for his return, but Patchan isn't buying that. Patchan tweeted a few days ago that he doesn't plan to miss any games.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2016/04/why-do-heat-players-keep-sacrificing-money-exploring-the-issue-um-panthers-trump.html

[Ohio_Cane]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Edgerrin James stood on the sideline throwing up a U with athletic director Blake James. Jessie Armstead signed autographs.

Russell Maryland, Jon Beason and Randal Hill chatted with friends. Down the sideline at the other end zone, former coach Howard Schnellenberger stood in his usual shirt, tie, slacks and suspenders. They were not the only ones watching the Miami football game so intently.

Former players from across different eras all came together to see Mark Richt and what he has in store for their beloved alma mater, giving the entire program a collective bear hug that has been missing for years.

They are not the only ones. Fans have shown their support, too, doubling attendance at the spring game at Lockhart Stadium, about an hour north of campus. The turnabout is noticeable. Remember, this is the same school that drew embarrassing headlines for the ubiquitous banners that flew on game days urging former coach Al Golden to be fired.

“So far, it’s like coach Richt is the president of Miami,” quarterback Brad Kaaya said.

A record 300 former players attended a get-together Friday, held every year before the spring game. Last year, Miami had around 80 attend. Richt was one of the last to leave. "We just shot the breeze and told war stories. Just had fun talking about old memories and what could be in the future,” Richt said.

This is the same program that saw one former player after another openly bash Golden, splintering what is traditionally one of the most unified alumni bases in college football between those who chose to quietly support and those who chose to vocally oppose.

But in just four short months, Richt has changed the dynamic. Vitriol has been replaced with candy hearts that might as well spell out “We love U!”

“He’s one of us,” Edgerrin James said. “He’s a Hurricane. He understands what it takes. You look at the turnout we had, you look at the former players who came back. Everybody’s excited. There’s just a difference when you have one of your own in the stable.”

Richt is suited for the job perhaps more than any other coach in America. His background as a quarterback at Miami clearly helps. But so does his track record at Georgia, where he averaged nearly 10 wins per season with the Bulldogs.

On top of all that, Richt easily handles being a program ambassador and is never shy about shaking a few hands, speaking on the rubber chicken circuit or voicing his opinion when he needs to.

“We all know we got a gift from Georgia,” said Dave Heffernan, who roomed with Richt for one season when the two played at Miami.

Richt is no dummy. He understood the need to get former players unified and the value in getting them pulling in the same direction. Miami has not been allowed to welcome them back to the sideline for actual games while it is under NCAA probation. Getting them on the field for the spring game was just a taste of what should come once probation is over in October.

The good will extends beyond former players. Blake James said season-ticket renewal rate is at 85 percent, the highest number he can recall. Over 6,000 new season-ticket packages have been sold. There is renewed hope for an indoor facility to finally gain approval, with Richt taking the lobbying lead.

Players have noticed all the positivity, too. Let Kaaya explain how it felt to go to a game knowing there would be a banner flying overhead.

“It’s hard when I know any bad decision I make on the field is going to affect my coach,” Kaaya said. “If I throw a pick, or if I do something that’s going to lead us losing this game, there’s going to be a banner up at our next home game. We’re 3-0 and I’m going into the Cincinnati game and there’s a banner. I’m just thinking, ‘I hope we don’t lose this game. I hope I play well so my Twitter mentions aren’t going to have, ‘I hate coach Golden’ or ‘Fire coach Golden.’

“We put in all this work and there’s a banner saying, ‘Bring back Butch.' ... 'Throw it in the tank for the season.’ Geez you’re giving up on us, too? That part right there, it was hard to take at times as a player. It was a bit nerve-wracking.”

The pressure is not necessarily off. Buy-in is always high when a new coach is going through the honeymoon phase. His credentials made him the perfect choice, but Richt will be held to the same expectation as every coach before him: win a national championship.

“He’s got to,” Edgerrin James said. “The city of Miami isn’t going to accept anything but getting this thing back.”

[Ohio_Cane]

This is pretty badass. Check it out:

http://miami.247sports.com/Team/Miami-Hurricanes-Football-13/DraftPicks?year=alltime

[Mark from Atlanta]

Ohio cane....draft class. ....

1 glaringly common theme (until lately). ...absence of Phins picking local talent. ...
Shameful. ...

God bless you and Go Canes!

[Lur-ker]

It’s hard when I know any bad decision I make on the field is going to affect my coach,” Kaaya said. “If I throw a pick, or if I do something that’s going to lead us losing this game, there’s going to be a banner up at our next home game. We’re 3-0 and I’m going into the Cincinnati game and there’s a banner. I’m just thinking, ‘I hope we don’t lose this game. I hope I play well so my Twitter mentions aren’t going to have, ‘I hate coach Golden’ or ‘Fire coach Golden.’

“We put in all this work and there’s a banner saying, ‘Bring back Butch.' ... 'Throw it in the tank for the season.’ Geez you’re giving up on us, too? That part right there, it was hard to take at times as a player. It was a bit nerve-wracking.”
^^^^^^^^^
Those banners really helped, didn't they?

[CoCane]

Yeah, it did help. The "Golden shower" isn't raining on our parade anymore. A better coach is in place. It helped a lot...

[CoCane]

That fukker should've been long ago. It never would've come down to banners...

[Ohio_Cane]

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Mark Richt spent years trying to convince the people at Georgia how badly the football program needed an indoor facility.

Good thing he is well-versed in the art of persuasion. Because Richt is essentially doing the same thing now that he is coach at Miami.

“That’s all right,” Richt said with a chuckle. “I’m a little better at it.”

Last Friday, Richt outlined the reasons why Miami so badly needs an indoor facility at a meeting with the school’s athletic visiting committee, a group of Board of Trustees members and select community members that has a major say over what projects are approved.

He came armed with a huge list, but all he really needed was to run tape of pro day last month – when Miami’s top prospects for the 2016 draft had to run and perform drills in near monsoon conditions because there was nowhere else to go. Richt said afterward, “It was sad, really.”

Miami athletic director Blake James has been trying to get an indoor facility built since he took over the job in 2013, clearly understanding its priority. That was the same time Richt started fighting hard for an indoor at Georgia. The Bulldogs broke ground last February, two months after Richt was fired and took the job in Miami.

That made Georgia the last SEC program to build an indoor facility.

Currently, Miami is the only ACC school without approved plans to build an indoor facility. But Richt and James are confident getting an indoor done is only a matter of time.

“Everybody’s bought in, ready to get moving on it,” Richt said.

What Richt and James are lobbying for is similar to what Georgia is building: an indoor facility that also has coaches offices, meeting space and a weight room to give football an all-inclusive space.

It would be built on the artificial turf fields Miami has behind its current facility. James has said for quite some time that he is hopeful an indoor would get done. But with Richt now doing major lobbying, he believes the message will get out to many more people.

“To hear Mark wants it and that it’s important to Mark, that definitely makes it happen sooner rather than later because he’s the one who lives in the trenches,” James said. “He’s the one who’s out recruiting and doing all those things that all of us read about and some of us live indirectly. To know it’s a priority for our head coach makes it a reality in a shorter time span.

“We’ve placed the wheels in motion. How do we get shovels in the ground? It’s getting the message out to a greater group, probably in a more focused effort. Mark isn’t afraid to do his part in making it happen.”

Miami does have plans drawn up and a price tag for the project, though James was not ready to divulge that figure yet. He also anticipates that the building will need to be funded entirely through private donations.

“My hope is we can get to 50 percent and break ground at that point and then close out the campaign with a strong finish,” James said.

Once plans are approved, then the school has to go through a permitting process with the City of Coral Gables, where the university is located.

“With the individuals I’ve spoken to at the city, they’re fully supportive of it,” James said. “Obviously, they have to see the plans before they can approve anything but based on the conversations I’ve had and the feedback I’ve gotten, they’re going to be behind endorsing this, and they understand the importance to our university and specifically to our football program.”

Nobody knows that better than Richt.

“We have what we need,” Richt said. “We have grass, we have equipment. We have footballs and whistles and video. But you want everything to be first class and you don’t want to be at a competitive disadvantage by not being able to get out of the elements and get the work done.”

He knows that better than anyone. Because Richt has never coached at a place with an indoor facility.

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/91932/mark-richt-joins-efforts-to-bring-an-indoor-facility-to-miami

[CaneRock]

LOL @ blaming the Cincy loss on the banners. The "Don't rise to the occasion" pre-game speech ring a bell...Brad?

[Ohio_Cane]

I'm guessing Brad knows what he went through more than U do, CR. IJS

[Lur-ker]

Yeah, it did help. The "Golden shower" isn't raining on our parade anymore. A better coach is in place. It helped a lot...

Posted by: CoCane | April 19, 2016 at 03:34 PM

Golden's incompetence did him in, not the banners, whose only purpose was to highlight the sh*tty morons that populate some of our fan base.

[Lur-ker]

LOL @ blaming the Cincy loss on the banners. The "Don't rise to the occasion" pre-game speech ring a bell...Brad?

Posted by: CaneRock | April 19, 2016 at 04:08 PM

I'm sorry. Where did it say he blamed the banners for the loss?

[CaneRock]

He didn't have to say it. When you go to into a game with a "‘I hope we don’t lose this game" mindset because you don't want your HC to get negative "Twitter mentions", instead of focusing on beating the opponent, then yeah, the banners lost you the game. This was a flaky group under Golden.

Anyways, I'm tired of talkin' about that incompetent crook, feels good to have an offseason where a HC doesn't throw the previous year's players under the bus...LIFE IS GOOD!!!

[CoCane]

True^^^

[Lur-ker]

"the banners lost you the game"

Let that marinate

[Lur-ker]

How about a poor offensive game plan lost you the game?

How about a weak defense and scheme that couldn't stop a mid-tier offense lost you the game?

How about an offensive coordinator constantly trying to prove how clever he was lost you the game?

No.

A banner lost us the Cincy game, fo sho.

I get it know. All we have to do to win or lose game is have retard fans flying banners.

Why didn't we think of this before.

[CaneRock]

"Those banners really helped, didn't they?"

^^^^^^^ Sarcasm for..."The banners distracted us from winning the game".