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Here we go again.
Let the hate commence!
It is always hate week when Miami plays Florida State.
This year is no different even if everything else about the game is different.
We don't have too much to say say about the game other than our prediction.
Canespace says: UM 34 - FSU 13.
It seems that this happens every year around this time.
The University of Miami Football team wins a couple of games, one impressively, and their fans get all excited, and cocky and then decide to stare directly into the bright light given off by their Nationally ranked football team.
Then they are blinded by the light and completely lose their hope and vision for another successful season after a few inexplicable losses.
But will this year be different? Maybe, just maybe. Here's why.
It now appears that after some first game jitters and maybe trying to hard (pressing) that the Hurricanes new QB may actually be all he was hyped up to be. D'Eriq King looked so impressive during the Louisville game that one of the TV announcers actually said: "Miami fans have not seen tight spirals like that since Ken Dorsey was the QB at Miami."
OK, sure it was only one game but still it gave fans hope that the man behind center may have the skills to lead Miami not only down the field but into the end zone more often than the opposing team. What a concept!
So far, both of the internationally sourced special team kickers are looking tatted up, tough and terrific. Aussie Punter Lou Hedley and Hispanic kicker Jose Borregales have been rock solid and better than even imagined so far this season. This, maybe more than anything else, gives Canes fans great confidence that at least 1/3 of the game can be managed effectively. If Miami can develop a return game then this could become the strongest part of the team.
The Hurricanes could very well have the best backfield and tight end combinations in the Country. Period. No questions asked. So instead we will move on to the next area of the team that need much more attention.
The defense has been just above average and anything but great. DL = B+, LB = C and DB = C-. No killers here but good enough, with some continuous improvement, to possibly compete with the best of the best. We will see.
The offensive line remains offensive and inconsistent but may have a fighting chance based on the mobility of the QB and Rhett Lashlee's new offense. Time will tell on this unit and any improvement during the season is welcomed.
Next up is some team called FSU. Here is our Canespace prediction:
Miami 34 - FSU 13.
Your Miami Hurricanes travel to Louisville, Kentucky to take on the Cardinals in an early season ACC match-up.
Let's see how much improvement happens between games one and two in this strange and unpredictable 2020 college football season.
Canespace Prediction: Canes 34 - Da Ville 13.
So after a definitely successful, if not quite awe inspiring, first game victory over UAB last Saturday, your University of Miami Hurricanes are about to really find out what they are about this season.
The Canes will kick it up a notch when they face the Louisville Cardinals this comming Saturday at 7:30 pm. It is time to man up, hopefully unleash the beast and see what this team is made of in 2020.
According to some "expert fans" (seen above), Louisville has the type of "talent" that could give Miami problems. So that leads us to the following questions:
Only time will tell, but the answers will most certainly come soon.
Is Manny going to be "The Man" or is he just another guy?
Stay tuned, the spotlight is soon to shed light on the answer to this question.
And so it begins.
The 2020 college football season starts NOW!
Your Miami Hurricanes will face UAB in the first game of the season tonight at 8 PM on the ACC Network.
During the game, post here, post often... but try not to get your knickers all in a wad!
CANESPACE PREDICTION: UM 51 - UAB 13.
See you after the game.
One tradition that we have established here at Canespace over the last thirteen years is that each year, when Fall practice starts and before the season begins, we ask bloggers to select their personal choices for what we like to call "Legends of the Fall".
This tradition actually started when CGNC, who is without a doubt a legend herself here on Canespace, started a series of player features with the same title. Years ago she wrote features about former UM players QB Kenny Dorsey and TE Jeremy Shockey and called them "Legends of the Fall".
In our fan selection process true "Legends of the Fall" are those players who the fans feel will have outstanding or "breakout" season for the Canes on offense and defense this year.
It's not about simply picking the Hurricanes' best players, but your personal favorites among the UM players apart from the usual suspects and most obvious stars. Some bloggers choose first or second year players who are likely to break on the scene as freshmen or sophomores.
Former winners include LB Sean Spence and WR Aldarius Johnson (seen above) and QB Jacory Harris and DL Allen Bailey. Other winners were WR Leonard Hankerson and CB Brandon Harris. Then there was RB Lamar Miller and RB Duke Johnson and LB Denzel Perryman.
There are your unusual selections and surprises like kicker, punter and lead body slammer Matt Bosher (seen below) who happened to be the Canes 2008 MVP. Hwas a beast on special teams, but who woulda thunk it?
Other bloggers are more traditional or conservative in their picks and select juniors or seniors who are projected to finally have that one incredible breakout season that leads them to become a high round NFL draft selection.
These picks could really be any defensive or offensive player who may be primed to explode on the scene after a solid previous season or a spectacular Summer. Offensive and defensive linemen may not be popular or sexy picks but they are just as eligible as any other position player.
And don't forget special teams standouts too who can change a game with that one big play that shifts the entire momentum of a game. Some bold predictions even result in selections of completely unexpected dark horse candidates for this honor like Sam Shields a few years ago. If these long-shot picks actually play out, the blogger who picked them look like an absolute genius. This is the most risky, but potentially most rewarding, approach of all.
Then again if you decide to take a leap of faith on a player and they don't ball out like you might have hoped or expected then you might wind up like old time blogger Cat5 who selected LB Arthur Brown or SolarCane who selected WR Thearon Collier and then well, you know what happened then.
It's your choice. Here are the 2020 LOF rules:
And remember: U gotta be in it to win it!