Deacons Get Rude Awakening... Canes Roll

Admit it, Hurricane Faithful. You were mildly concerned.

Wake Forest 17, Miami 14 late in the second half. The Canes with a 1st & 20 and the Demon Deacons crowd starting to come alive. Was this turning into a proverbial pitfall game? A typical letdown the week after a stellar, season-changing effort at Virginia Tech? No one expected Miami to keep up that intensity level in a lesser outing – but when trying to gain ground in the BCS and prove that the Canes were back, this was hardly looking like the dominating win everyone was hoping for.

Within the next 2:40 a 17-14 deficit turned into a 34-17 halftime lead for the Canes. So much for the letdown some predicted.

Kyle Wright found Sinorice Moss on a 64-yard touchdown strike. Moments later a Kelly Jennings interception resulted in an 11-yard Darnell Jenkins score. Wake Forest took possession, Chris Barclay fumbled, Kenny Phillips pounced on the loose ball and within seconds, Ryan Moore found the end zone for the first time since the Temple outing.

The second half – typical Miami coasting. Put the foot on the brakes, grind it out, don’t embarrass the opponent and start running the clock out in the third quarter. Even with that approach, Miami outscored Wake Forest 10-0 in the second half en route to a 47-17 beat down.

For those who witnessed it, it was another North Carolina-like effort. Miami goes through the motions, but when the beast has awoken – get out of the way. The defense began swarming and the Canes had the bounce in their step – dancing all over the field again, chest bumping and having fun. An endearing quality you see when players play as a team and check their egos at the door. That passion is a quality that isn’t coached. It’s an intangible. A confidence and something special which championship caliber teams exude. Though the Canes don’t control their Rose Bowl fate – the attitude displayed these past few weeks shows they will be ready should Southern Cal or Texas stumble along the way.

Up next is Georgia Tech. A make up game from October 22nd that was postponed due to a then impending Hurricane Wilma. What would’ve been a good home game last month has now been upgraded to ESPN Prime Time under the lights and one that commands national attention.

What a difference a month can make.

In late October Miami sat at 5-1 and worked its way back to a No. 6 ranking with five straight wins after the Florida State loss. October proved to be a lackluster month with wins over South Florida, Duke and Temple. Hardly the type of games to garner national attention.

Toss in the fact Miami let up on Temple in a 34-3 victory – a game with no second half scoring and little building upon a 27-0 first quarter lead. Injury was actually added to insult when Wright sustained an injury to his throwing hand while lining up behind a paper-thin second team offensive line. With the Yellow Jackets looking and the true start of ACC play on deck, it was no time to suit up an injured starting quarterback.

Four weeks later, it’s finally time for Miami and Georgia Tech to tussle. Over that span, the Canes had their awakening – a second half beating of the Tar Heels. A week later, on a national stage they upended then No. 3 Virginia Tech and officially put the Marcus Vick Show on hiatus, forcing six turnovers and rolling to a 27-7 victory. Miami was back. A week later – sporting a No. 3 ranking – The U avoided the letdown against Wake Forest and now are two wins away from a rematch against Florida State in the inaugural ACC Championship game.

Over that same time span, Georgia Tech eeked by Clemson, 10-9 and beat Wake Forest to the tune of 30-17. Last week – their third loss of the season, 27-17 at Virginia. Though the Yellow Jackets are hardly reeling, they are definitely catching the Canes at a worse time in late November than on the originally scheduled date of this match up.

After a few lesser games buried on ESPN U and GamePlan – the Canes are prime time again. The win at Virginia Tech opened the nation’s eyes and folks are more apt to pay attention to No. 3 than they are No. 6.

When Hurricane Wilma did a number on the Orange Bowl last month, it was then decided that Miami’s final games would have noon kickoffs. The lighting issues would be fixed in the off-season as few gave the Canes any shot at winning in Blacksburg. Of course the rest is history. Beat Virginia Tech and ESPN can’t roll those trucks and temporary lighting structures into the Orange Bowl fast enough. There’s even talk of doing the same for next week’s season finale against Virginia. ABC Prime Time. More exposure for The U.

Feels good, doesn’t it? Just hearing “Miami” and “National Championship contender” in the same sentence? It hadn’t been the case since mid-2003. Amazing how one stellar road win against a then-media darling can reinvigorate a program.

Of course that can all go out the window should the Canes lose focus at any point over the next eight quarters of football. While Georgia Tech and Virginia are both beatable – especially in the Orange Bowl – they are no doormats. Both will come to play. Both believe they can win. Both will save their seasons by ruining Miami’s.

I’d be shocked if the Canes can’t close out this season strong. Many have knocked this current coaching regime with not being able to finish – be it a game or the season. While that may have been the case in 2003 and 2004, that certainly isn’t how this 2005 team will react. The last two seasons were built on expectations set higher than the team’s talent level and chemistry. High preseason rankings, a few close calls and a November collapse could easily sum up the past two seasons.

2005 has been the opposite. Miami stumbled out the gate but continued to improve weekly. This team is still jelling and once hitting that turning point in the second half against North Carolina – there’s been no looking back. Simply put, they’ve worked too hard to get where they’re at right now and they know what’s on the line. Miami ate a lot of crow regarding year one in the ACC.

Three conference losses, tied for third place and a Peach Bowl invite were a far cry from four straight BCS games and a 46-4 record this decade. 9-3 wasn’t a full on debacle – but in a season where Miami needed to make a statement in a new conference to prove it could hang with anyone, anyplace, anytime – they didn’t. Sure, the three losses were on a last second field goal against North Carolina, a dropped pass in overtime against Clemson and possession of the ball down 16-10 against Virginia Tech with time to score a game winner. The Canes were never beaten like a drum – but letting those games get away hurt just as bad.

Year two in the ACC started in Tallahassee and resulted in a 10-7 loss to Florida State.

How badly do you think Miami wants another shot at their arch rival – a team who started 5-0 and has since lost three of their last five? Getting to the Rose Bowl requires some help from other teams falling short – but winning the ACC is where the Canes control their destiny. If a legit title run is in the cards in 2006, it starts with a high pre-season ranking. Win the conference, get to the BCS and whether the outlook it Rose-y or Orange – it’s all good in Coral Gables. Miami is Miami again. Win out. Everything else will fall into place.

We definitely know Miami is back when The U is making headlines on a national level and the critics are out in full force. A national media who hardly gave the Canes enough credit for the dominating 27-7 win in Blacksburg definitely had Miami on the forefront today regarding a rap tape which surfaced this past Wednesday.

I only bring this up because I’ve received several emails asking me my stance on the matter. Truth be told, I’m extremely disappointed.

Disappointed in the media – not the Canes.

If you are a teen or twenty-something, you know it’s a hip-hop culture. Look at the NBA and the NFL. Turn on any modern radio station or video channel. Kids want turntables and recording equipment these days to emulate their musical icons – not guitars and drum sets.

Pat Forde and Colin Cowherd of ESPN tried all they could to hype this story the past 24 hours. Like a candle in the wind, that flame quickly flickered out. Why? Because it’s not a big deal.

Arizona State's then-starting running back Loren Wade’s cold-blooded murder of former Sun Devil Brandon Faulkner outside a nightclub in Scottsdale this past spring didn’t garner this kind of media attention.

How about a Fulton County (GA) judge reinstating Georgia Tech defensive back Reuben Houston after a year long suspension as he awaits felony drug charges?

Before the 2005 season kicked off, in state rival Florida State had one starting linebacker dealing with domestic violence issues and another reeling from a DUI arrest. When head coach Bobby Bowden started both against Miami - the national media never batted an eye and praised the legendary coach in the ABC broadcast.

Even more of a double standard - the fact that Southern Cal has embraced rapper Snoop Dogg as an honorary Trojan.

Snoop – the rap artist/pop icon who stood trial for murder, is affiliated with local Los Angeles gangs, dabbled in the porn industry with a Girls Gone Wild video, endorses marijuana use and whose lyrics are as misogynistic as any in rap – the Trojans take no heat for him hanging around practice and parading the sidelines on game day. But a few Miami Football players record a rap in an on campus dorm two years ago – and it’s a federal offense.

Anyone still want to argue a media bias against the Canes?

Were the lyrics offensive? To some. If that’s how you feel – don’t listen. Rap music isn’t for everyone. This recording may have been in poor taste – but for Forde to suggest that the past ten years of image overhaul at Miami, zero arrests on Larry Coker’s watch and a cleaned up Hurricanes program can be tainted by this recording?

That form of ‘journalism’ is as offensive as Sports Illustrated’s Alexander Wolff suggesting Miami drop football a decade ago. It’s sensationalism. Stirring the pot to drive traffic to websites or new listeners to call in radio shows at the expense of a program who’s kept it’s nose clean the better part of the past decade and is on track to graduate 87% of its players this year.

Stepping down from my soapbox.

The focus needs to remain on Saturday night. Prime time. Under the ESPN provided, temporary Orange Bowl. Rowdy crowd. The new Nike Revolution Jerseys. Georgia Tech looking to ruin our season. Two games from clinching an ACC Championship game berth and rematch against Florida State.

Yet another week where it’s proving to be Miami against the world – and that’s just fine. It’s a Canes thing. Always has been, always will be. Bring it on. This team has the heart and character to respond accordingly.

Focus. Execute. Realize what’s at hand here. Winning the ACC is a must – and is not an option with a loss this weekend. Take care of business, fellas.