The U: No class... in 2004
To the Larry Coker bleeding hearts, relax. I'm not insulting the man or his character here. I am however taking a shot at his inability to recruit. Coker has oft stated he didn't deserve to be fired after a 7-6 season, but it's getting easier to pinpoint exactly where the wheels started falling off. The 2004 recruiting class was an abomination.College football has become a game where players have an immediate impact as freshman and sophomores. Look at some of the kids Miami has on the field this year - some of which were playing high school ball at this time in 2006. Same to be said for dozens of other major universities and their young talent. Superstars don't stick around four years, so immediate playing time for ballers is now the norm.
I was reminded earlier today how putrid Miami's 2004 recruiting class was and how much it set The U back. Think back to the probation era, where the Canes lost 31 scholarships over a three-year period (1995-1997) and stumbled to 8-3, 9-3 and 5-6 seasons during that span.
Coker and staff doled out 26 scholarships in February 2004 and safe to say the lack of production almost rivals the losses the Canes felt in the mid to late 90s. Don't believe me? Check out the not-so-stellar class of 2004:
Ryhan Anderson - A DL bust. Kicked off the team entering 2007.
Carlos Armour - An average CB... before being exposed vs. UNC.
James Bryant - Freak athlete, big time head case, kicked off team entering 2007.
Tyrone Byrd - Average offensive line talent.
Calais Campbell - Surprise three-star of Denver, currently an All American DE.
Romeo Davis - Average linebacker. Smart, but lacks physical skills.
Kirby Freeman - Tons of heart, but not enough skills to play at Quarterback U.
Kellen Heard - Decommitted from The U, wound up at Texas A&M.
Dwayne Hendricks - Decent defensive lineman that's hot and cold.
Andrew Johnson - Back up RB, never materialized, no longer with team.
Charlie Jones - Back up RB, average, lost starting job to Javarris James in 2006.
Khalil Jones - Back up WR. Average. Never will be a consistent factor.
Rashaun Jones - Average DB, kicked off the team entering 2007. Character issues.
Joe Joseph - Average talent on defensive line.
Lance Leggett - More cold than hot WR, mentally checked out. Underachiever.
Tyler McMeans - JUCO transfer OL, nicknamed "The Matador". Average.
Eric Moncur - Solid defensive line talent. Four-star local kid (Carol City).
Lovon Ponder - Solid athlete, average safety.
Anthony Reddick - Top talent that's been banged up, injured and suspended.
Chris Rutledge - Average offensive line talent, at best.
Jonathan St. Pierre - Sub par o-lineman, two-star recruit no longer with team.
Derron Thomas - Third/fourth string tailback who hasn't done much.
George Timmons - Flip flopped between DB and RB. Out of football.
Bobby Washington - Head case, didn't qualify, ended up at E. Kentucky.
Willie Williams - Left before '06 and recently booted from Louisville for drug use.
Chris Zellner - Back up tight end. Average player.
Are you kidding me? Miami should add up at least 20 of those 26 scholarships and send Coker the bill. No disrespect to ANY player on there - seriously - but the majority of that crew flat out weren't Miami-caliber kids. I challenge anyone to prove otherwise.
The biggest difference between Randy Shannon and Coker - one of many - is the ability to evaluate, recruit and sell high school kids on their would-be experience playing for The U and attending the University of Miami.
He also knows the recipe regarding success in Coral Gables. Shannon won as a player (1987), as a grad assistant (1991) and as a defensive coordinator (2001). He learned from arguably the best - Jimmy Johnson - as a player and assistant and spent years dealing with Butch Davis as a coach, mentor and boss.
Shannon has the Miami pedigree and besides knowing the city like the back of his hand, he knows how to keep the local talent close to home.
You don't want to get to jazzed about recruiting season four months from Signing Day, but it's impossible to not be excited about the future. When you see five-star local kids like Marcus Forston and Patrick Johnson verballing, throwing up the "U" hands in photos and talking about bringing Miami back - I'm sorry, but that gets the juices flowing and makes 27-0 halftime deficits easier to deal with.
Sean Spence, Aldarius Johnson, Jacory Harris, Brandon Washington and Forston are rolling in from the #1 team high school team in the nation, Miami Northwestern. Thearon Collier and and Davon Johnson are a duo of wideouts from 12th-ranked Booker T. Washington, staying home to rebuild.
Jordan Futch (LB) from Hollywood Chaminade. Four-star Jeremy Lewis (DT) from West Palm. Eighteen verbals already compared to a handful last season. Miami currently sports the #2 ranked recruiting class entering 2008.
After seeing freshman defensive tackle Marvin Austin starting for North Carolina, I was already prepping for 2008 and seeing Lewis and Forston having an immediate impact on that line. For any complacent lineman, watch your back. Shannon is bringing in the talent and nobody's job is safe.
Those of you ready to end it all, relax. Seriously. It sucked to be in a 27-0 halftime hole and to lose the game. But take solace that the ship is in the process of being righted. These mistakes, the lackadaisical play and the players half-assing it are on their way out the door.
This is a new era of Miami Football. There will be some speed bumps, but Shannon is working tirelessly to reprogram this squad and teach them to win. I have no doubt he'll get the job done.
Be patient. The days of Miami lacking talent, discipline and passion are coming to an end. The right guy is in charge now. Give him some breathing room. It takes more than six games to clean up the other guy's six year mess.
.:Canes305:.
posted by allCanes at
10:49 AM
17 Comments:
Chris, thanks for that post. I do try to focus on how far we have to go, digging out of the hole we've been in for 4 years or so. It's just frustrating to see the football landscape this year, there for the taking, and we can't do it. The loss kind of took the wind out of me, but I'm forever a Cane. In addition to Coker's misses, I think perhaps even greater were the 3 decommits at the last second by QB's. I am still baffled that three straight years, The U is stiffed by a QB. Coker did not sell the program correctly in my opinion. Derek Shaw to ASU, Pat Devlin to Penn State and last year the kid from San Antonio to Alabama. There was even a 2 start prospect from Arkansas who nobody heard of who ended up choosing baseball over The U. Maybe they sensed Coker's desparation. The lack of comeptition at QB could have also set us back many years as well. I consider it a minor miracle how well Shannon did in 3 months with getting the players he got, including and especially Robert Marve. Hopefully all of these kids giving their word to The U and Randy, will keep it and not be swayed by other programs' promises and flash. We have just as much and more to offer a young man. Unlike Coker, Shannon has shown his willingness to play the best players regardless of class (Van Dyke, Cooper, etc) if they can make a difference. We will improve quickly as soon as we become mentally stronger.
-Columbus Cane
Coker addressed my high school football team in the spring of 04 and i remember thinking that "This Guy is the Head Coach at the U?". Randy has the potential to be a legend but he needs a Star at QB to make that happen. Harris is that STAR!.
Excellent article. It pinpoints the exact reason why this program is in the shape it is right now. From some of the things Shannon has said over the last few days, I believe some of these players from the 2004 class may be dropped from the team in 2008 if they don't shape up. Good riddance to most of them.
Can I get an AMEN!?!
This post should be framed and put on all miami fans screen savers and realize that this is what Randy Has left over to Work with that are upper class man. Not enough talent by any stretch. However the recruits are coming - we just need 2-3 more years and we'll be Ok. Give the man some time.
Bobby Washington isn't out of NCAA football, he's playing (very well) at Eastern Kentucky.
And you're waaaaaaaaay to kind with your "average" listings. Romeo Davis isn't "average" he flat out SUCKS!
I like what i read.. although i do disagree that the safety haveing the most tackles isnt good. obviously u dont want to give up pass plays but thats a good thing that he is atleast backing up our cornerbacks mistakes. Also when playing the run Kenny is a great athelete and can get there pretty quickly also most run plays arent designed to block the safeties. I agree that obviously it would be great to have a dominate LB that makes alot of tackles but i also feel that a good defense can have a safety with the most tackles. Take Meriwhether for instance great safety despite how inept our offense was while he was here he the defense was still dominate not last year cuz he split safety/ cb time but all in all i agree we are definately headed in the right direction and I feel Matt patchan 5 star o linemen will be added.. seeing as his grandpa and pa went to the u and since he is visiting on the last game ever at the orange bowl it should be an exciting moment for his family i think he is going to wait on his commitment. But what a great present thatd be to his pa and grand pa. If he where to commit to the u
If "U" build it they will come!
Bobby Washington isn't out of NCAA football, he's playing (very well) at Eastern Kentucky.
Thanks for the heads up. I lost track of him after the Miami to NC State to wherever else debacle.
And you're waaaaaaaaay to kind with your "average" listings. Romeo Davis isn't "average" he flat out SUCKS!
I have to be politically correct here at least a LITTLE bit. I don't want to say kids flat out 'suck' when they busting their asses on that practice field day in and day out.
These kids don't 'suck' but most definitely weren't Miami-caliber kids. Read into that what you will.
Do you know how much input Randy had on some of these defensive picks? Moncur and Campbell will play next year on Sundays, but there are real defensive duds in that class, too. If he had little to say in the final decision on these kids, then we're probably going to be good to go in three years. However, if Randy picked kids like Ryhan Anderson, Carlos Armour, Romeo Davis, and such, we may have STILL a problem, because those guys don't belong in Div. 1 football IMHO.
I have to agree, what i saw on Saturday was pretty ridiculous, the guys are not going full speed at all. Guys missing tackles, miss block, and lack of enthusiastic in the first half lead to the 27-0 UNC. Its pretty disappointing to see but i cant worry too much since rebuilding takes time. Even though most fans wont admit its a rebuilding season. Im looking forward for what Shannon's class can do and their efforts on the playing field.
305,
It's easy to direct all those recruits to the head coach, but keep in mind that Shannon shares some of the responsibility.
A better hypothesis would be to evaluate the kids that Shannon personally recruited versus all other coaches. Were Shannon recruits the cream of the crop of the 2004 recruiting class, were they bottom of the barrel? Whatever the answer may be, we have a small test base to see what the future might hold.
Also, how well do the other current coaches recruit? Shannon isn't out there by himself correct.
I ask for a more in-depth analysis than the one you have offered thus far.
Hey Canes305 - you speak the truth man. You're being referenced on other blogs as having ID'd a large part of UM's problem right now, with your recent blog "Class-less". I agree with you too.
Randy will get us straightened out - here's to looking forward to better days, and soon!
GO CANES
wow you think the same way i do at half time all i was thinking is this is comming to and end next year kirby should pack his bags and go to FIU they'll love him there.Randy Shannon will get this team back to prominince. I know this recruiting class up and down there will be many true freshmans next year when you see Jacory Harris Putting up the U in front of the #2 high school team in the country i get goosebumps all i can say is that this will end soon and we need to stay strong cause we are the U. RESPECT IT!
These are kids, amateurs, not pros. I can agree that the recruiting of Choker was horrid to say the least, but to point out individual kids and call them average, head case, sub-par...this just is not right. Yes, they are in the national spot light, but until they are paid to play this game, the criticism should only be done by those that coach them to get better. The names are gone from the jerseys because this is a team effort, not an individual. Let's just face it, as a team they are not what we are used to seeing because of the lack of evaluating talent by the former staff. Call it for what it is, but don't single out individual amateur athletes. After all, these are still kids.
I love your blog, but this is not your best post. Just my opinion.
These are kids, amateurs, not pros. Let's just face it, as a team they are not what we are used to seeing because of the lack of evaluating talent by the former staff. Call it for what it is, but don't single out individual amateur athletes. After all, these are still kids.
Ken, appreciate the comments but still stand by the post. These kids don't get the Sunday paychecks, but they're playing at the highest level collegiately and are stars, for all intents and purposes.
You do something high profile in life, prepare for the accolades, criticism and/or fame and recognition that comes with it.
These kids take brutal hits on the field every week. If they can't handle the word "average" then they have bigger problems.
If any of them take issue with my assessment of them, I have three words: Prove Me Wrong. I'd love nothing more than to eat these words.
The point here was to call out Coker and point out how his true colors showed recruiting-wise a year after Miami wasn't a title contender anymore.
2004 was turning point year for Miami - a year removed from back to back title games and entering the ACC. It was the year to make a statement and show Miami football could hang.
Instead, the Canes worst recruting class in over a decade and worst season (9-3) since 1999.
As for the kids comment, these are 18 to 22 year olds. Those aren't kids. Kids don't play football.
These are young men and part of having character is being man enough to accept criticism and work towards changing it, prove people wrong, etc.
I spoke the truth. There are things in this life I'm simply 'average' at. There are other things I suck at. It's part of life. Time to man up and deal with it.
Canes305
Real quick, if you go to Rivals and check out the 'Canes page, go to the "Commitment List", you can go back as far as 2002 to see all the commits to Miami. You can check out their national-state rating-rank and you can also check out the schools they turned down. You can also see all the ones that were busts, that left-transferred-kicked off, or that de-committed and ended up elsewhere. Next to the drop down menu to check different years, there should be "Page 1", "Page 2", and "Capsules". If you click on "Page 2", you can see who the player was recruited by .. the only problem is, it only goes back to 2006 in that aspect. In the 2006 Commitment list, the recruits that were directly recruited by Randy Shannon were Chavez Grant, Josh Holmes and Tervaris Johnson. In the 2007 Commitment list, the recruit that was directly recruited by Randy Shannon was Adewale Ojomo.
I like hearing Coach Shannon say that "I think the biggest problem that has happened in college football is all this recruiting stuff. Honest opinion. Because when you get them, you have to de-recruit them. They've been put on this pedestal, like they're the #1 guy in the world .. and when you get them, you have to de-recruit them, make them feel like they are back human .. and when you finally get them back to that point, then they just don't want to work anymore .. and I think that's the hardest thing .. and I think that's the one thing we're doing at the University of Miami and these early commitments we have .. we've got guys that we feel are great players and great people skills - no matter what happens - that they're going to play football .. not one player talked to me about playing time .. only thing they want to do is win games .. they're not worried about playing time and what you can do for them." Maybe some the guys that were recruited under the Coker era weren't "de-recruited" and brought back down to earth. I bet I can name a few of those players.
Give Coach Shannon time. If you listen to his press conferences, he talks about how he tries to get the kids to believe in what the coaches are telling them. It's his job and his coaching staff's job to get the kids prepared and to believe in what they tell them. He has to work with what he has - it's not as easy as the NFL where you can cut or trade a guy. The system that Coach Shannon has in place of where you better bust your ass in practice if you want to play on Saturday is a great motivator. No one's job is safe, complacency will not be tolerated at the starting level. Where was this type of attitude and thinking before during the Coker era?
Everyone has heard it, Coach Shannon has to "deprogram" the kids from their old habits under Coker and get them to believe in the new Shannon way. North Carolina game was a perfect example .. the 'Canes ran the same things in the second half that they did in the first half - difference was, they actually seemed to believe in what the coaches told them in the second half and they dropped 27 points on the scoreboard as opposed to 0 points in the first half. I have no clue why it took so long to get it in their heads what the coaches had shown them and told them all week leading up to that game. The 'Canes had been prepared for what UNC threw at them by seeing the same type fronts and plays in practice that they were seeing during the game - why didn't the players listen to their coaches? Just like Coach Shannon said, "kids are kids, I don't understand it, that's what I'm tryin to figure out" - you have to beat it into their head through mental attrition. Maybe one day, a light will go off in the entire teams head - not just a few players. That's the day the corner is turned. You know that the kids are screwed up mentally from the Coker era, especially last year. It's like in the movie Seabiscuit, "I just can't help but feelin they got him so screwed up .. he's forgotten what he was born to do .. he just needs to learn how to be a horse again". Obviously if you replace the "they" with "Coker", "him" with a "them", and replace "horse" with " 'Cane" .. then you'll get what I mean. They need to get instant amnesia about the past and open their minds to believing their future under Coach Shannon. When Pete Carroll took over USC, it didn't happen for them his first year (6-6 overall, 5-3 conference play) ... same with Bob Stoops at Oklahoma in his first year (7-5 overall, 5-3 conference play). I think Coach Shannon will be better than both of those coaches. It will happen for Coach Shannon and the 'Canes .. but not overnight.
-S.Woodward, a die-hard 'Cane living in Tampa
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