Faith, Hope And Love: These Three Remain

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Many of you will not be familiar with this bible verse from the New Testament,1 Corinthians 13:13. But today is your lucky day, and lucky for you, I am very familiar with this verse. And, it holds serious meaning for us Canes fans.

Miami Hurricane fans should maintain FAITH in new head coach Manny Diaz.

It would appear to most fans that Diaz inherited a group of players who apparently are either not talented enough, not motivated enough or are not properly dedicated to the sport they play. It now seems as if only effective coaching, external motivation or roster turnover will solve this problem.

Miami Hurricane Fans should sustain HOPE in Manny Diaz.

He will find ways to cure what concerns all of us: Offensive line play, special teams, third down conversion rates on offense and defense and a general malaise that seems to let weaker teams stay in games with UM. Miami's reruiting has not been stellar but it is better than most teams they face. Yet, they simply don't play like it and many fans wonder why.

Miami Hurricane fans should LOVE their University and their team.

I attended UM from 1980-1986 and had some of the best years of my life there. I eventually graduated with honors. Both my Mother and Father both worked on campus for many years. All told, I spent over 10 years on that campus learning to love the University of Miami. I have not lost that loving feeling. 

Now, as to the football team and the current head coach, and their performance on most Saturdays...well that has to improve significantly and soon. After 20 years of greatness we have suffered through 15 years of mediocrity. Through four head coaches and countless recruiting classes the same results have been demonstrated over and over again.

We are in the most fertile recruiting ground in the Country we have to keep the best players home. We have to find other players that can make us great again wherever they may play. Recruit, coach, play and win.

And, we have to coach and motivate these players to be the best they can be.

Then, and only then, can "The U" ever be great again.

And now these three remain, faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Comments

[AeroCane]

Alpine - not Willis but norton FYI
But we get your point

[86Cane]

When the culture truly changes...the Tar Heels will change. Once that culture is in place, we roll.

Posted by: TonyCane | September 29, 2019 at 12:25 AM

Just curious...is that a quote from first year UNC head coach Mack Brown?

[BigWindyCane]

Norton was the player that lost his arm. I really liked him, and thought he and McIntosh were a force. They should have both stayed for their senior seasons, and along with Gerald Willis III, this defense would be the best in the country.

Willis is still on the Dolphins practice squad. I am rooting for him. He only played one season here, but I like how the coaches worked with him and allowed him to work through his issues.

I saw him at a Canes camp, and I did a double take because I expected him to be bigger. Willis was in great shape though, and it’s amazing what he could do at his size. His brother, Landon Collins is a great safety. I don’t know what he is listed at, but I think his size may work against him at the pro level. Maybe the right system could benefit him. But Willis was a heck of a DT for us in college

[86Cane]

Not one single person commented on the photos in the blog. Not when they were taken. Not where they were taken. I find that interesting.

[Terrance Sullivan]

I will say this once again for the people in the back until the 4 Star Players play like 4 Star Players we won't get to the elite level. That's way more important than Guys that actually were good here that left early. I don't understand how y'all excuse make for these 4 Star busts who haven't did didley poo here but y'all stay clowning guys that were good who left early. I can't relate with y'all on that thinking at all. Go Canes! Beat VT!

[alpine]

Alpine - not Willis but norton FYI
But we get your point

Posted by: AeroCane | September 29, 2019 at 08:10 PM

thanks for the blog-post-fix

willis getting picked up for the practice squad must've neuron'd some synapses ... the fins actually looking at multiple canes players this year (i'd swear that's a first)

[alpine]

Not one single person commented on the photos in the blog.

Posted by: 86Cane | September 29, 2019 at 10:51 PM

- lots of nice smiles
- those throwing up the U do a good job making sure their thumbs touch

[alpine]

speaking of canes-fins connection . . .

how is it that they both have the same two glaring weaknesses:
OL's and kickers!!!!!!!!!!

[Go Canes!!]

Our recruting rankings aren't much different than UNC's over the last four years.

Think that 2 win season last year was a little misleading, they've been decimated by injuries several times.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football-recruiting/2019/2/7/18215228/college-football-recruiting-rankings-2019-class

[raizecane]

"Ohio State is overrated"

- Nebraska Fans on Friday

"Did someone get the license plate of that truck that just ran us over"

- Nebraska Fans Sunday morning...

[Old Skool]

Soup, Solar

Sorry for the delayed response. Just got back from Italy. Rafting the Chattooga and fishing in North Georgia was some good times, however, if rafting is in the cards, there won't be any shirtless pics of me for a while. The Italian food and wine was too damn good.

If Manny wants to steel the nerves and quicken the reflexes of his players in the off season, I would suggest letting them drive for a few hours in Naples. The hairs on my white knuckles stood straight up.

[raizecane]

The hairs on my white knuckles stood straight up.

Posted by: Old Skool | September 30, 2019 at 07:32 AM

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

Are you sure it's not because you pissed off a member of the Corleone family?

[Terrance Sullivan]

Some of our Positional Coaching (OL) in particular has sucked in particular for years as well.

[alpine]

Some of our Positional Coaching (OL) in particular has sucked in particular for years as well.

Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | September 30, 2019 at 07:50 AM

i'm pretty sure there's a TWSS lurking in there
. . . i'm just not Kama Sutra savvy enough to figure it out

[solarcane]

Lo heading for the transfer portal?

Navarro reported that family members of Lingard’s have reported on social media that the sophomore is growing impatient and is unhappy having to wait to make his 2019 season debut. The Miami football staff wants to bring Lingard along “slowly and smartly.” according to Navarro.

[solarcane]

Williams Lawrence common opponent

Williams unquestionably had the better game against the Tar Heels. The Hurricanes redshirt freshman QB was 30-39 for 309 yards with two TDs, obviously no interceptions and a passer rating of 172.1 against the Tar Heels.

Lawrence was 18-30 for 206 yards, one TD, no interceptions and a 128.7 passer rating against the Tar Heels. Lawrence did add 11 carries for 45 yards against North Carolina. Willams had six carries for negative nine yards against the Tar Heels. Four of Williams carries against UNC were sacks. Three of those by Tomon Fox.

[solarcane]

ESPN that has erroneously been accused of hating Miami on this blog for years
Has the Hurricanes ranked a laughable 27th in the country
31 Baylor 4-0
33 Duke 3-1
34 Boise. 4-0
35 Fl St
37 Va 4-1
40 Minn 4-0

[Terrance Sullivan]

Well Played Alpine! Well Played!

[solarcane]

Gore's run to the 15,000-yard club put him in all-time great company with Emmitt Smith (18,355 yards), Walter Payton (16,726) and Barry Sanders (15,269). He's on track to run past Sanders later this season.

[solarcane]

Real World Rankings

CBS Sports. MIAMI 50
ATHLON MIAMI 48
VS COMPUTER MIAMI 65
HERO SPORTS MIAMI 43

[raizecane]

Real World Rankings

CBS Sports. MIAMI 50
ATHLON MIAMI 48
VS COMPUTER MIAMI 65
HERO SPORTS MIAMI 43

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

In other words......WE SUCK

[86Cane]

I have got a feeling that the CMU game was an anomaly and that you will see a much better prepared and performing team from here on out. Not sure why I feel this way but for some reason it just came to me this morning. We will see.

[Herbieibis]

We've dipped 10% in recruiting the last 4 years, according to a rankings guru.
Must be from all that talent on the Oh line.
Mentioned a couple weeks ago about Linegard possibly being the next to pack his bags but what I'd like to know is exactly what kind of knee operation was it? ACL I could see this kind of time table but cartledge or ligament, I just can't see it taking this long. If u try redshirt him he definitely will be gone.

[solarcane]

Not sure why I feel this way but for some reason it just came to me this morning. We will see.

Posted by: 86Cane | September 30, 2019 at 10:24 AM

Nyquil?

[solarcane]

California passes the pay for play act this morning.
Transfer portal to USC might heat up quick.

[solarcane]

VT blog

Some of this sounds very familiar

The trend is down. We've been young forever. Its apparent we have a broken culture. The team just had their worse loss since 1974.

Some fans still expect excellence. This gee-gosh country bumkin love them through thick and thin attitude is not what got us to national prominence. Some of us aren't willing to accept turning into Wake Forest. We should be battling for ACC Championships year in and year out. We are not UVA, WF, or Duke football.

This staff has earned this criticism. To borrow a mantra, Excellence IS Expected.

[Go Canes!!]

Posted by: 86Cane | September 30, 2019 at 10:24 AM

Ok who is this?

[Terrance Sullivan]

LOL Wake Forest is 5-0 and Ranked but I get the point

[solarcane]

Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | September 30, 2019 at 12:00 PM

Hi sully,
denial is a Bytch isn't it?
Been there done that.

[solarcane]

...and about those pictures soup.
You still the chairman for the Cheerleader fundraising/benefit/vacation committee?

[solarcane]

Ok who is this?

Posted by: Go Canes!! | September 30, 2019 at 11:57 AM

Go Soup!!

[raizecane]

you will see a much better prepared and performing team from here on out. Not sure why I feel this way but for some reason it just came to me this morning. We will see.

Posted by: 86Cane | September 30, 2019 at 10:24 AM

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

Enough about UCF........ :-)

[86Cane]

Transfer portal to USC might heat up quick.

Posted by: solarcane | September 30, 2019 at 11:31 AM

I can't wait to see how this "well intended" law creates a complete cluster F#%$ in basketball, basketball and eventually baseball to a lesser degree.

When 5 star QB Johnny gets $3 million and wears a mink coat, seven gold necklaces and a few carat diamond earrings to practice, has 5 girls at his side and drives a Mercedes to the OL protecting him get NOTHING let's see how that turns out.

Then they will claim "income inequality" and pass another "law" to make sure all players get paid the same amount.

Then Johnny QB will say hey I'm the star and I want more than the third string DT and then what law will they pass?

You can't legislate your way out of this fine mess you have gotten into. Just watch.

The end is nigh...

[86Cane]

Enough about UCF........ :-)

Posted by: raizecane | September 30, 2019 at 12:54 PM

LMAO!

[86Cane]

Enough about UCF........ :-)

Posted by: raizecane | September 30, 2019 at 12:54 PM

LMAO!

[Terrance Sullivan]

LOL Solar U already know!

[alpine]

The end is nigh...
Posted by: 86Cane | September 30, 2019 at 01:13 PM

i agree with you, 86, that this will probably open a pandora's box of unforeseeable problems that will shake up sports for the next decade or 3, in a way that will probably not be good for the game

. . . i don't follow this closely, but two things that have irritated me about this amateur college stuff:

1- the ncaa is a closed club with zero transparency; no one seems to know why certain cases get handled quickly and/or leniently; others need lots of time and/or big punishment . . . nor does it feel like the process of investigation is fair
. . . and this makes it hard to support this structure
. . . i already forget the name of our bb center last year: but the way they unfairly handled his case made me want to shoot a double bird in their direction

- also, the dollars are out of control in college athletics . .. it feels like there need to be some kind of "socialistic constraints" on those profitting from amateurs: maybe a much higher "education tax" or something, for all salaries (coaches, trainers, athletic directors) earned beyond $500,000? 1 million? 2.5 million? i don't know, but i'm sure it's impossible to keep out corruption the way it's being handled at this time ...
those wanting the big bucks should move on to the profi leagues

FAIRNESS & TRANSPARENCY need to be the two main currencies of amateurism . . . and they're not . . . and we know from the samson story what happens when two pillars collapse . . .

[alpine]

3- almost forgot: an institution like the ncaa, needs to also look at the interests of the student . . . in the dewan huell (finally remembered his name) case, they should have made clear transparent progress at an early stage . . . they could have knocked him out of some games and given him some community service, where dewan (and OTHERS!) would have benefitted from the disciplinary action

the ncaa is simply a closed club, seemingly with it's own prejudices and definitely with a total lack of awareness
. . . "unfairness" seems to be it's middle name;
ooops alpine repeating himself

to sum up: burn it down; build a new one: the NNCAA!!!

[DallasTX Cane]

Posted by: solarcane | September 30, 2019 at 11:37 AM

“National prominence”?? Ha ha. Me thinks some country bumpkins been sipping at the moonshine trough a tad too much. Their bag of crap program became nationally known for playing UM tough for a few seasons... when UM was winning NC’s, not just dreaming about em. When it comes to the “blue blood” down on their luck programs, or even only the once great now down on their luck programs, trust me... nobody outside of shit-hole used to be a coal mine living large in the Meth Belt WV thinks of WVU.

NE, USC, UT (TN), and... wait for it... WVU.. lol. Never been said on sports talk radio ever anywhere

Of course.... our Canes are just about as nationally irrelevant. But at least we do actually have “good ole days” to sadly reminisce about...

[VA Cane]

on the bright side, Frank Gore crossed 15,000 yards gained in a career...only 4th NFLer to do so! ...Emmitt, /walter, Barry and Good old Frank! He will pas Sanders this year soon. The man had two bad knee injuries at UM. Was on UM NC 2001 team, Big East freshman of the year.

First player in NFL history with 12 consecutive 1,200-yards from scrimmage seasons.

One of five RBs in NFL history with nine 1,000-yard seasons, joining Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and Curtis Martin.

The man has never quit, and never said a lot. Just a great guy, great pro, great cane and sure HOFer.

Where have all his kind gone....great man!!

[86Cane]

But at least we do actually have “good ole days” to sadly reminisce about...

Posted by: DallasTX Cane | September 30, 2019 at 05:06 PM

"The good old days weren't always good,
And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

Name the music artist?

[roachcane77]

Not one single person commented on the photos in the blog. Not when they were taken. Not where they were taken. I find that interesting.
Posted by: 86Cane | September 29, 2019 at 10:51 PM

I ALMOST said something about the first picture... The cheerleader on YOUR right, (far left in the pic), actually graduated from the high school I taught at for 39 years. She was in my TV Production class and we used to talk abut her going to The U after she graduated!

[roachcane77]

"The good old days weren't always good,
And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."
Name the music artist?
Posted by: 86Cane | September 30, 2019 at 06:46 PM

"Keeping the Faith," Billy Joel

[DallasTX Cane]

I learned stickball as a formal education...

[solarcane]

. nobody outside of shit-hole used to be a coal mine living large in the Meth Belt WV thinks of WVU

Posted by: DallasTX Cane | September 30, 2019 at 05:06 PM

I swear sometimes I think you ghost write lyrics for Bob Dylan

[solarcane]

roach nice catch on the picture and the lyric

[solarcane]

The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame announced its eight-member 2020 class on Monday.

Three football players — Jay Brophy, Phillip Buchanon and Kevin Williams — were added, along with Yasmani Grandal (baseball), Johnny Hemsley (men’s basketball), Brittney Steinbruch (women’s soccer), Laura Vallverdue (women’s tennis) and Mike Ward (track and field).

[solarcane]

Miami Herald LogoBlake Baker expects changes in the Hurricanes’ defense this week. This is what he said | Miami Herald
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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
Blake Baker expects changes in the Hurricanes’ defense this week. This is what he said
BY ALANIS THAMES
SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 05:02 PM, UPDATED 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES AGO
Play Video
Duration 1:22
‘All our guys can do a good job playing press man,’ says UM defensive coordinator

University of Miami defensive coordinator Blake Baker talks to the media during a press conference at the Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida on Monday, September 30, 2019. BY MATIAS J. OCNER
A lot has changed since Miami Hurricanes’ defensive coordinator Blake Baker took over ahead of the start of the 2019 season.

The team lost its leading tackler in defensive back Jaquan Johnson, in addition to defensive lineman Joe Jackson, who recorded a team-high 8.5 sacks. And after ranking first in the nation in passing yards allowed last year, Miami ranks 49th against the pass through four games.

In his weekly press conference, Baker spoke about the Hurricanes’ defensive struggles and some of the differences in the Hurricanes’ coverages from last season to now.

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Miami plays much more man-to-man coverage this year, compared to under then-defensive coordinator Manny Diaz when the Hurricanes played zone nearly 50 percent of the time. Baker said the reason for the change in the team’s defensive approach is a combination of the team’s personnel, and how they’ve adjusted for the run-pass-option.

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“I think with as much RPO game out there in college football, that’s a common answer from a defensive coordinator standpoint,” Baker said. “Obviously, you have to have the guys that can do that, and I believe we do, and then also, just maybe from a personnel standpoint, who we have, I think all our guys can do a good job playing press-man, so it’s probably a combination of the two.”

Despite a run defense that allows just 2.06 yards per rush (sixth-lowest yards per attempt allowed), the Hurricanes’ struggling secondary is allowing 209.8 passing yards per game (6.66 yards per attempt).

The defensive staff has tried different options. With sophomore Gurvan Hall starting all four games at safety, Amari Carter and Robert Knowles have shared time at the position opposite him.

Hall leads the team with 28 tackles (13 solo), and he has a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss, while Knowles and Carter have 17 tackles and 12 tackles, respectively.

The secondary will get a needed boost Saturday against Virginia Tech (2-2, 0-2 ACC) with the addition of redshirt sophomore safety Bubba Bolden, who transferred from USC after the 2018 season.

“I think for sure from a depth standpoint they can provide a huge boost for us,” Baker said of the two additions to the defense. “But also, just a spark. Their energy, they both had two really good weeks of practice. I think their role is gonna be determined through the flow of the game, so I can’t give you a snap count on either one of them, but both of them have played really, really well the last two weeks in practice and they both have a really good energy about them.

“I expect to see both of them on the field on Saturday.”

Though the Hurricanes No. 13 defense has barely looked like the dominant force that many had grown accustomed to in the past, it has had success in stopping the run and getting off the field on third down.

Miami is ranked fourth in the country in third down defense and No. 6 against the run, allowing 59.8 rushing yards per game.

Baker said he thinks the team played well on third down all year until last week’s matchup against Central Michigan. The Chippewas converted on six of 10 third downs, which is the highest third-down conversion percentage the Hurricanes have allowed all season.

Baker took responsibility for the defensive breakdowns against Central Michigan during Monday’s press conference.

“I don’t think we necessarily had a great game plan going into it,” he said. “Credit Central Michigan. I thought they did a better job coaching than I did. So it starts with me. I think, looking at it, and really having a bye week and looking at the entire season, I think we identified multiple things that we can do better, especially as a play caller.

“I expect to see some different things on Saturday in our third-down package.”

THIS AND THAT
▪ Baker said he’s been pleased with Gregory Rousseau’s production on the field.

Rousseau played the most snaps that he has all season against Central Michigan, and Baker said that’s a result of Rousseau getting more comfortable with what the coaches have asked of him.

And Baker said he expects that he’ll continue to play more as he continues to produce on the field.

▪ Cornerback Christian Williams has impressed Baker.

He said the freshman has shown more improvement than any of the other first-year guys from a competitive edge standpoint.

Baker added that he and fellow freshman Te’Cory Couch still need to get a better understanding of the defense and the adjustments that the coaches make during the games, but they’ve built confidence with the defensive staff each week.

[solarcane]

Enos

One-third of Dan Enos’ first regular season as the Miami Hurricanes’ offensive coordinator is over, and the results so far have been a mixed bag. There’s marked improvement from a year ago, but 2018 set a low bar to cross. There have been games when Enos needed Miami’s defense to lift up his offense, but there have also been moments when the offense has outperformed the defense.

After four games and a second bye week, Enos has a substantial sample size on which to judge his offense. The final question to end his weekly news conference Monday in Coral Gables was simple: “Do you feel like you have the right scheme?”

“Absolutely,” Enos said. “We think that these guys are really starting to understand it better and better the more we do it. The bye week was again good for us to do it. I think the more reps our quarterbacks get, the better they’re going to play and, again, I think the big thing is if plays don’t work, there’s really three reasons why: It’s a mental error, it’s a physical error or it’s a structural error.

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“To be quite honest with you, whenever there’s a structural error, I kind of stand up here and tell you guys it was a structural error. We’ve got to clean up really the mental and the physical side of things, and again that’s what happens in offensive football. If you have 10 guys do what they’re supposed to do and one guy doesn’t, the play’s not going to be efficient.”

It’s a familiar refrain. Former coach Mark Richt spent 2018 preaching something similar as his offense struggled and finished near the bottom of the country in most national rankings.

Diaz hired Enos in January in part because of the assistant coach’s track record with developing quarterbacks, but also because he could make Miami’s offense more innovative and dynamic. Through three games, the overhauled offense looked the part — the Hurricanes had jumped more than 50 spots in the national rankings for total offense despite starting a redshirt freshman quarterback and two freshman offensive linemen — before it crashed apart Sept. 21, when they managed only 303 total yards against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Hard Rock Stadium. The running game, previously the Hurricanes’ strength, unraveled and Miami averaged only 1.5 yards per carry. The offensive line, already the Hurricanes’ weakness, gave up four sacks and played perhaps its worst game of the year.

More than a week removed from ugly 17-12 win, Enos addressed his offense’s deficiencies for the first time and cited the running game and offensive line as the two primary culprits for what went wrong at Hard Rock Stadium. The running backs didn’t run north the way they have most of the year, the coordinator said, and the offensive line was simply overmatched by Central Michigan’s front.

“We’ve just got to get guys to make routine plays right now back from last week that we didn’t do in the couple games before that,” Enos said. When we were making routine plays, we were moving the ball much better.”

[Harry Miller]

Turned 77 yrs old this day and still love the Canes as much as ever if not more.

I just hope they can improve as the year goes on and not lose any recruits.

Thank 76 and all of you that supply all of the Canes information. Not sure what I would do without
you.