"Another Run For The Roses?"
by Chris Bello - allCanes.com
CanesTime Magazine - August 2005


Pasadena. For those Miamians who made the trek west a good three and a half years ago, you know what I mean when only one word describes the experience. Special.

We were rather backed up, weren’t we? An extremely un-Hurricanes like record of 40-22 in the late nineties. No title game appearance since the shellacking Alabama administered in the 1993 Sugar Bowl. A snub in 2000 keeping Miami from a shot at the ultimate prize. No National Championship since the 1991 season.

When the 2001 Canes descended on Pasadena just after Christmas – the ultimate gift was days away when program brought home “one for the thumb” after chasing that goal the nine previous seasons. Four years after that 2002 Rose Bowl victory – Miami remains on the hunt.

Hurricane Nation is backed up again. Two title game berths this decade, a 35-2 record between 2000-2002 and a 34-game win streak were a dream come true after the probation ramifications were felt last decade.

Recent success spoiled Hurricane Nation once again – much like we were after four titles during the Decade of Dominance. The bar is always raised after such precedence is set. No resting on laurels, living in the past or reminiscing about yesteryear. The program, the coaches, the players, the fans and the City of Miami all want more. Hurricanes aim higher. It’s why Michael Irvin coined the phrase “The U” and how the college football community knows there’s only one program which can get away with such a confident, prideful - and borderline arrogant - moniker.

Miami version 2005 has its work cut out for it if a return to the upper echelon will occur. Another changing of the guard and morphing process are underway. Who are the next superstars? Who will step up and lead this team much like Ed Reed did four seasons ago? How will the coaches handle the adversity of 9-3? Can the Canes remain “on” every week for what could be a thirteen game season?

If there’s one word to summarize this upcoming season – it’s this: optimism.

In hindsight, 2003 and 2004 were full of false hope and doing something Miami never does – living off past glory. The program occasionally seemed fat and happy based on the success of its recent predecessors. The groundwork laid by the likes of guys like Dan Morgan, Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Ken Dorsey, Andre Johnson, Clinton Portis, Jeremy Shockey, Ed Reed, Bryant McKinnie, Joaquin Gonzalez, Willis McGahee and a slew of other now-legendary Canes – it was taken for granted at times these past two seasons.

A combination of things occurred. Instability at certain skills positions due to graduation, early departures for the NFL, student athletes transferring to other programs, etc. At times what seemed a myriad of problems kept Miami from that ultimate prize.

The optimism for 2005 is based on great recruiting classes and super talent lining up to play ball this season - combined with the fact no one on this current team has a National Championship ring. That emptiness creates a hunger which cannot be fabricated.

The talent is locked, loaded and ready to explode. How it attacks the challenges of this upcoming season, we’ll soon find out. One thing for certain – the program is in no way content or merely expecting success entering 2005. That’s one good which comes out of 9-3 versus 12-1 – an intensity which was missing since 2002.

Four straight BCS bowls – including two title game berths - were followed up with a December 31st appearance in the Peach Bowl. The New Year was spent watching Southern Cal rout Oklahoma in the title game for back-to-back titles while Virginia Tech took the ACC crown and hung tough against Auburn in the Sugar Bowl – the game Miami truly expected it’d be in come late 2004 as ACC Champs.

One thing the Miami Enthusiast – and realist - has learned these past two and a half decades is that the Hurricanes are only going as far as the man under center takes them.

Jim Kelly. Bernie Kosar. Vinny Testaverde. Steve Walsh. Craig Erickson. Gino Torretta. Ken Dorsey. Two Heisman winners, a few Heisman hopefuls, five National Championships and nine title game appearances were produced by the aforementioned bunch which earned us the name Quarterback U.

Brock Berlin never proved to be that “next level” quarterback we’re used to at Miami. Hardly the cerebral, savvy, drop back passer his predecessors were. A gamer? Absolutely. A ton of heart? As much as I’ve seen from any Hurricane in my lifetime. The kid had guts. Period. He took his skills set as far as he could and for that, he’s owed his due. Berlin’s legacy deserves to be defined by two stats - 3-0 against the Noles and 2-0 against the Gators. Stellar comebacks against both teams – as well as rallying Miami to victories over West Virginia and Louisville. He left it on the field and went 19-5 as a starter. Absolutely commendable – but not Quarterback U worthy.

One door closes and another window opens. In this case, one has to be excited about what they’re seeing when looking out that window. The Kyle Wright Era is underway. After two long years of waiting for this gem of the 2003 recruiting class to make his mark in Hurricanes’ history, it’s finally go time. Quarterback U looks to be in good hands.

The Road to the Rose Bowl will obviously take much more than solid quarterback play – but make no mistake, that’s where it all begins. Look no further than 11-2 in 2003. The Canes had as solid a defense as the program has ever seen, but fell short offensively and played its way out of a shot at the title.

The most offensively offensive performance? A 10-6 loss to Tennessee in November 2003. The Volunteers coaching staff openly stated their game plan was to let Berlin self destruct – as he did the previous week in a 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech.

The Canes didn’t find the end zone once in the loss to the Vols. It was the first time Miami was held touchdown-less at home since a 38-3 loss to Florida State in 1984.

Berlin threw two interceptions – the second coming in the games final moments when it looked as if Miami was about to get that go ahead score. The loss eventually kept Miami out of the championship game in the Sugar Bowl, where some number crunchers believed a 10-1 Hurricane bunch would’ve faced off against Louisiana State for the title. Whether Miami played for it all in 2003 or not – the defense was there but could only carry a sputtering offense so far.

Optimism. The word rings true when one thinks of the potential the offense has in 2005. Wright’s recent comments to Hurricane Nation have fans believing in the aerial assault once again.

"Since I've been here we've played down to our opponents. It is frustrating from a player's perspective, fan's perspective. I want to get that mentality back on offense where we just go out and bury people,” said Wright.

”I think our offense has the capability of putting up 40 points a game. I don't want to score 14, 20 points a game. We're definitely capable of doing what that offense did in 2000, 2001 - when that offense was feared.”

There’s that attitude which seemed to be missing the past few seasons. Sure, there was that sometimes cliché “swagger” at times – but it has to be more than just bravado.

Head Coach Larry Coker echoes similar sentiments about the overall mindset.

"We've set the bar pretty high here, not just me, but a lot of coaches before me," said Coker.

"We want to keep it high. I don't have a problem with that. I'm not happy with [our record]. I don't think our staff is and I don't think our players are."

It has to be a mindset that winning isn’t enough. At Miami you do have to bury the competition. Make them pay. Let that confidence build as you pound an opponent into the turf. Don’t feel satisfied just eeking out that win, playing from behind and winning that thrilling comeback. National Champions just don’t want to win – they want to dominate. It was the mantra in 2001 and hopefully a mindset shared by this 2005 bunch.

If not – Pasadena isn’t in the cards. This is the ACC, not the Big East. The Canes have to bring that “A” game weekly as even the bottom dwellers in our new conference can sneak up on you and steal one. It was witnessed first hand last October in Chapel Hill and even felt the effects on our home turf the following week when Clemson stole a 24-17 overtime win. The same Tigers team who rolled into Durham a week later and lost to Duke, 16-13. On any given Saturday.

Miami learned the hard way last year. One step backwards will hopefully be two steps forward in 2005. 46-4 over the four year span of 2000 through 2003 definitely earned the Canes a free pass at times and had everyone’s confidence level at an all time high. Still, in a year where The U truly needed to storm into a new conference and make its presence felt, it faltered. Instead, Virginia Tech did was most expected Miami to do. Smack up the ACC and take home that conference title. The result? Instant respect. A loftier preseason ranking for the new season. Immediately being penciled in to the ACC Championship game this December to defend their crown. They earned it – confidently rolling into the Orange Bowl for a 16-10 win in the season finale, with everything on the line.

Dropping three in conference games last season didn’t help Miami’s cause – especially with North Carolina and Clemson both finishing 6-5. The Canes proved fallible. Rumor spread that the reign was over. The dominance? A result of thirteen years in a lesser conference.

While we know that’s hardly the case, how can Miami Faithful argue based on last season’s results? The Canes never lost to the Big East bottom dwellers during 1991 and 2003 – “proving” to some that maybe it wasn’t a Canes Thing… it was a Big East thing.

All of this only makes a legit Rose Bowl run in 2005 that much more crucial. Another season flirting with the likes of 9-3 hurts Miami’s credibility and aura.

Time to silence those critics and get back to Miami Hurricanes-style Football. Consider year one in the ACC a trial run. Injury, early departure to the NFL and a lack of depth reared their ugly head. Put 9-3 behind, focus on the now and what this current Miami bunch can accomplish in 2005. Dominate the ACC from here on out and few will remember the losses to North Carolina and Clemson, year one.

Like last year, no breathing room early. Road trips to Florida State and Clemson are first and foremost. Need a seventh straight against the program’s biggest rival and that performance has to be followed up with a revenge game in Death Valley. No small feat.

A home stretch against Colorado, South Florida and Duke follow – then a quick trip to Temple. All winnable, but the outcomes will be dictated by the first two road games. 2-0, 1-1 or 0-2 will obviously shape the entire season and psyche of this team.

The defining stretch is the final five games. Georgia Tech and North Carolina travel south before Miami hits Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech – a team it hasn’t beaten since a month prior to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. A week off and then a dangerous Thursday night road game at Wake Forest – a Jeckyll & Hyde team who can be feisty in their own confines. Nine days later, Virginia heads to the Orange Bowl for the season finale and if all is well then, the ACC Championship in Jacksonville the first week of December.

A tall order – but doable. Wright has little margin for error. The offensive line must gel immediately. The Miami Ground Attack has to become the force it was the early part of this decade. Leaders must emerge. Moore needs to regain old form and lead the receivers. The defensive line must be the most dominant force on the other side of the ball. The secondary needs those big playmakers creating turnovers as it did in 2001 – producing three first round NFL Draft picks from that squad. Willie Williams needs to be all he’s expect him to be and more – while the rest of the linebackers take advantage of the depth and talent it lacked in 2004. Miami version 2005 has to hit the ground running. Anything else will result in less than perfection.

A trip to the Rose Bowl could be a reality for the Canes if they fly under the radar, feed off the fact their underrated in the preseason and proceed with caution – taking one game at a time.

Born and raised in Miami, FL and a CanesTime.com columnist since 1996, Chris Bello now resides in San Diego, CA and handling online sales and providing content for allCanes.com. Feel free to send your comments or to contact him at chris@allCanes.com