Miami 52, Charleston Southern 7

It was only Charleston Southern. A team like Miami is supposed to unload a 45-point beatdown and shut down a team of that nature. Don't get excited over this 52-7 win. Nothing to see here.

That's what the critics will say Friday morning after the Miami Hurricanes made an opening game statement at their new home, Dolphin Stadium.

But for a program coming off of 5-7, winless since last October and curious to see how their youth movement would respond, courtesy of a top-ranked recruiting class hauled in last February - fans of The U can breathe a little bit easier this morning. The resurgence is officially on.

The Canes have their work cut out for them, but the foundation has been laid. Playmakers are returning - and will continue to do so, with another top class expected in 2009. Randy Shannon is bringing in his kids, his coaches and has a game plan regarding getting The U back on the map.

Not too much to break down regarding Xs and Os, so let's keep this one to some random thoughts about opening weekend, the move to a new home and the influx of first-year talent:

Miami had 18 true freshman on the field last night, which is incredible. Shannon has oft stated that the young kids were going to see the field - and they did, making an impact on both sides of the ball. The recent trend at Miami, in the pre-Shannon era, was based on seniority. No mas. The best players will play and battles are won on the practice field, just as they were when Shannon was a player at The U.

It might not seem like all that much right now, but come 2010 when this year's freshman class are juniors, the Canes will be as talent-heavy then as they were the earlier part of this decade. Depth is being built and when these kids have some experience under their belts, look out.

Jacory Harris proved he's a superstar in the making. 190 passing yards was the most by a true freshman quarterback since Ken Dorsey did it against Rutgers in 1999, throwing for 194 yards.

Harris' decision-making is oh-so-refreshing. Knowing when to run versus throw. Spreading the ball around (11 different receivers got touches). Getting rid of the ball when the pressure is on. Poise. Composure. Great touch. Harris is the real deal and over time, will develop into something special...

.... that said, Harris is still green and is not ready to start. As good as Harris looked at times last night, you still have to believe that Robert Marve is going to be even better after a year on the scout team, learning the playbook and working with his teammates. Both he and Harris appear to have the 'it' factor, but Marve's extra year at the collegiate level is the biggest difference-maker here.

Here's hoping the critics don't create an unnecessary quarterback controversy after next weekend. Harris looked pretty darn good picking apart lowly Charleston Southern, whereas Marve is being baptized by fire in The Swamp.

Harris shouldn't be judged for pounding a nobody the same way Marve shouldn't if a somebody pounds him. He was named starter for a reason and deserves a handful of games to prove his mettle.

Javarris James looked solid and healthy - besides the fumble. Graig Cooper appeared bigger and with an extra gear and Shawnbrey McNeal separated himself from the rest of the back ups, though Derron Thomas looked capable against a lesser opponent.

Miami's ground attack will take a huge load off both quarterbacks, if they - and their offensive line - can remain healthy.

Reggie Youngblood was out for last night's contest and back up Chris Rutledge left with an undisclosed injury. The Canes o-line looks competent regarding the first string, but depth is an issue and season-ending injuries will definitely take their toll. The line needs to jell and grow this year and can't afford any steps back.

Travis Benjamin and Thearon Collier are a welcomed site. Miami's bread and butter has always been having some fast, shifty and elusive flanker-type playmakers -- be it Randall Hill, Jonathan Harris, Santana Moss or Roscoe Parrish.

Benjamin and Collier are going to have an immediate impact on the offense, as well as special teams. Between the newbies and Cooper's skills as a punt returner (the 66-yard return for a score was a sight for sore eyes), the Canes are going to start winning the field position battles they've been losing the past few years.

Sean Spence is the real deal. All the online chatter and experts predicted he'd have the biggest impact of this freshman class, and in this case they may be right. Though a bit undersized, Spence has a knack for getting to the football and making plays and seems fundamentally more sound than some Miami veteran linebackers.

Amazing how much is pure instinct and talent, versus what is taught. Without naming names, safe to say some upperclassmen are going to have to step up their game or risk losing out to the youth movement. Will competition bring out the beast in some older Canes, or will talented underclassmen continue to play above their age and experience level? An interesting scenario to keep an eye on this season.

Spencer Adkins was a forgotten man in Tim Walton's defensive schemes, yet found a way to do more game one than he did all last season. Adkins registered two sacks and found some time at defensive end - a position he played in high school, though he's only played linebacker at Miami - until last night. Great moves, great speed and a nose for getting to the quarterback as a pass rusher.

Adkins is part of a few special defensive packages and it seems new defensive coordinator Bill Young is going to find a way to make some 'tweeners' and non-factors into role players for special situations. No mystery why Young was able to find success at Kansas, with lesser athletes.

I am ever-so-curious to see what Young has up his sleeve for Florida. You have to think last night's game plan was ridiculously watered down, knowing who the foe was and who's on deck.

Though it was only Charleston Southern and game one, Miami appears to have some bounce in their step. Granted, I don't feel chest bumps are necessary after every play - I welcome the enthusiasm and the energy that's been missing. Older players seem to have their heads on straighter, while younger players from successful programs are used to winning ways and have carried over the tradition from their high school programs.

Of course the real test will be seeing how Miami reacts in crunch time or after a loss. Easy to have that 'feel good' mentality when you're rolling en route to 52-7. What happens if the wheels come off a bit next week a la Oklahoma 2007? Does this team have the grit to keep fighting? Can they rebound at Texas A&M after a bye week?

Whatever high these Canes are on, it needs to continue win or lose this season. Their collective attitude and demeanor were solid last night. Keep it up.

Patrick Nix did a good job last night and I like seeing him down on the sidelines, instead of up in the booth. Get knee-deep in the action. Have a feel for what the offensive players are going up against. Sense what's working and what isn't. Nix finally has some playmakers and can prove if he has the 'it' factor, or if Miami will be looking for their fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.

While it may have only been a lowly non-BCS opponent, I would think the fan base feels much better about 52-7 in 2008 than 31-3 against Marshall in 2007. Kirby Freeman looked lost in last year's season opener -- much like he did opening Baylor's season with a 4-of-11 performance and INT before getting yanked. Defensively, the Canes hung in there against the Thundering Herd, but didn't dominate any aspect of the contest.

There will be some rough patches this year, but as far as opening games go - there were many more positives to be taken in 2008's opener than 2007.

Last but not least.... Dolphin Stadium. I've read the complaints online and talked to buds at the game who said the bitch-fest started outside before fans even entered the stadium.

The move to a new venue cannot and should no be judged after one game. Especially a Thursday night contest against a lowly opponent. Next time the Canes take the field, they'll have three games under their belt, the U will be midfield and striping will be in the endzones. With the Marlins' season most likely over, the infield should be covered up and the overall aura will be better.

Not to mention the next two home games are North Carolina and Florida State, back-to-back.

Dolphin Stadium will NEVER replace the Orange Bowl. That's like asking your stepdad to replace your real dad. Impossible. But that doesn't mean ol' "uncle dad" can't bring something to the table as well, making for a positive life experience.

The Canes need to build a new tradition - and that takes more than a game. Hell, it could take at least half a decade before it even starts to feel like home. Miami needs to win some big games there. A few thrilling comebacks. Some big plays taking place in certain parts of the field, making them indelible in your memory.

You could look around the OB any given Saturday and remember a litany of big time plays that went down here, there and everywhere.

Give it time to come together... and in the meantime, appreciate the new aesthetics and the feel of a first-class venue. Also, remember how much the players love it - as many were raving about the Jumbotron and locker rooms after the game.

As fans, we may miss the tradition - but you have to remember most of these current Canes were zygotes when Miami was a force in the late 80s/early 90s. Facilities and an NFL stadium matter to future recruits and if a move to Dolphin Stadium is something the kids love, then us crotchety old fans need to get on board with the youth movement.

College Football Live :: Sound Off

I made a point to catch ESPN's College Football Live earlier today, being the official kickoff of the season. During the show they have a segment called, "Sound Off" where some psycho fan can record a poorly shot video hyping their team, with the hopes it's the one of thousands that will be broadcast live.

I'm definitely ready to 'sound off' but won't waste my time recording some anti-ESPN video those clowns would never broadcast.

A thirty minute special today on ESPN and absolutely ZERO mention of Miami's game versus Charleston Southern tonight. Nada. Zilch. Zip. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN360.com, yet the talking heads still failed to offer any commentary about the Canes.

They did however put together a feel-good piece on Ryan Perrilloux, the former LSU quarterback who will suit up for Jacksonville State when they visit Georgia Tech tonight.

They referred to the highly touted prospect as the Tigers' "the odds on starter until irresponsibility led to his dismissal". During the piece, Perrilloux offered explanation for his dismissal, stating that a missed English class was the straw that broke Les Miles back.

They conveniently left out some of those other 'straws' that led to Miles giving him the boot.

Three violations of team rules between May 2007 and February 2008. Use of a fake ID. Involvement in a brawl outside a nightclub, where witnesses say he brandished a firearm, but due to a lack of evidence, charges were dropped.

Perrilloux said strike three came in the form of a missed English class, but reports last May stated that the highly-touted quarterback failed a drug test, missed team meetings, skipped out on some conditioning workouts -- as well as ditching English class.

Funny how none of that made the 'feel good' piece ESPN put together, as Perrilloux attempts his rise from the ashes.

Meanwhile, Randy Shannon gets trashed all week for his suspension of Robert Marve for 'thugging out' and breaking a car mirror ten months ago - as well as six other Canes, who proved they were a 'menace to society' by doing such dastardly deeds as missing study hall or showed up late for team meetings.

I realize a lot of folks are sick of Miami faithful complaining about some sort of ESPN bias, but it's hard to ignore it when College Football Live pulled a stunt like they did today.

ESPN did throw one little tidbit of exciting news out there, though. Florida's all-everything wide receiver Percy Harvin will most likely be sidelined the first three games of 2008, meaning Miami probably won't have to face him next weekend. Bad news for Harvin and the Gates, but good news for the Canes. Get well soon, Percy. Just not by September 6th.

Greg Cote can't leave well enough alone...

I'll start by saying I like Greg Cote. I always enjoyed his work with the Miami Herald and looked forward to his Friday NFL column with his Sunday picks and commentary, when I lived back east and got my sports info from the newspaper, instead of online.

That said, why he felt the need to chime in on the Robert Marve and Randy Shannon saga, I don't get. Barry Jackson, Susan Miller Degnan and Manny Navarro have all bases covered - but Cote felt the need to pile on and beat a dead horse.

Cote took his first shot regarding the timing of the suspensions, as if Shannon wouldn't have sat players for a bigger game and only did so because Charleston Southern will be across the line of scrimmage tomorrow.

I guess Cote missed Shannon's suspension of Sam Shields for five games last year - most notably a stretch that included Florida State, NC State and Virginia, back-to-back-to-back. Shields was Miami's second best receiving threat, behind Darnell Jenkins and the then sophomore remained in Shannon's dog house the majority of 2007 - big game, or small.

Attempting an even harsher stance, last Shannon told Sports Illustrated's Gary Smith that it was his desire to dismiss every Cane involved in the FIU brawl of 2006, but was met with resistance by then-head coach Larry Coker and the top brass.

If Miami had another Labor Day tussle with Florida State, bet your bottom dollar Shannon would have sat the same seven players missing Thursday night's game.

Anyone who's paid attention to the second-year head coach's words, attitude, demeanor and decisions knows Randy is all about right vs. wrong, character and integrity. Everyone is held to the same standard and no one gets a free pass, regardless of position and opponent.

Like the rest of the media looking to make a mountain out of a molehill, Cote jumps on the 'timing of the suspension' bandwagon; worried more about the way the message was delivered instead of the actual message itself.

First off, every Miami Hurricane signs a contract regarding their conduct and the ramifications. After midnight phone calls and trouble with the law equate in automatic one-game suspensions, if not longer.

Knowing this, where were all the crack reporters ten months ago asking if Marve would miss game one, or at least hinting that it could happen? No one asked, so no one was told.

Just because it wasn't advertised, didn't mean a suspension wasn't looming from day one.

"When I took the job at the University of Miami, I was going to hold everybody to higher standards than most teams in the country," Shannon said, months ago. "We have our rules and regulations as far as academics, curfew, study hall, and doing the right things in the classroom. We move forward."

Cote gave a cute little example about one's daughter getting in trouble last October, no punishment being handed down, the fact she's done well since and then suspending her before senior prom, saying that's essentially what Shannon did to Marve.

Marve sat out 2007, so Charleston Southern was the first time the law could be laid down. If he could've sat out a game last November, bet that's when the punishment would've been swift and just.

Furthermore, Charleston Southern is no senior prom. Next Saturday at #5 Florida, maybe, but not this glorified scrimmage doubling as the season opener. Marve will miss a throw-away game, but has been handed the keys to the Canes offense and was named starter, getting that shot in Gainesville and the 'game of the year'.

If Marve is "missing prom", he's sure getting a hell of a consolation gift a week later.

Cote calls Marve's mistake, "dumb testosterone stuff", rambling on about the Marve family being "furious" with the decision, saying star players have left for less.

News flash, if #9 wants to go the way of Brian Fortay and give up his career at The U over a one-game suspension, then he doesn't have the grit and moxie to be a University of Miami starting quarterback. It's that simple. That'd be a quitter's move and would show he didn't have broad enough shoulders to handle the load.

Why this topic is being discussed ad nauseam is beyond me. Last I checked, this was football and these are sports writers. These aren't a bunch of yentas at The View, beating a topic into the dirt, over analyzing every angle and trying to drum up controversy - yet that's exactly how the sports media is playing it.

Marve screwed up. Shannon suspended him for a game. Jacory Harris will get the nod against Charleston Southern. Marve has been named starter for the rest of the year. Period.

Leave it at that and you have no drama.

Cote asks what happens if Harris plays terrific on Thursday night. Pretty simply answer. Marve starts at Florida. He didn't win the job on a whim and a stellar performance from Harris against a doormat like Charleston Southern isn't going to undo months worth of hard work and preparation.

Marve's efforts since spring earned him the starting gig, as did spending all of 2007 as a member of the scout team, learning the offense.

Quarterback controversy? Only in the eyes of the fire-starting media that continues to blame a coach that did right, instead of a player who did wrong.

Where are the local media members, on their soapboxes, championing Shannon's cause? Look a few hundred miles north, where Urban Meyer re-welcomes Ronnie Wilson back on board, having kicked him off the squad last year for pulling - and firing - an AK-47 at a student he had just beaten down and spat on. The Gators need depth on the line, so Meyer puts his own best interest in front of the young man's, completely blowing any chance to send a message or make a dent in Wilson's life.

Bobby Bowden gives wide out Preston Parker a two-game suspension for possession of marijuana and a loaded gun, where at Miami, Parker would've been shown the door because of Shannon's "no gun" clause.

The legendary Joe Paterno has 46 players arrested since 2002 for over a hundred infractions, yet gets away with a sheepish, "I can't control what they do off the field" excuse.

Georgia earns a #1 ranking entering 2008, but Mark Richt's bunch had upwards of eight players arrested this off-season.

Shannon is making a stand few others do. He's doing exactly what sports fans criticizes other coaches for not doing - and instead of praise, he's being nickel and dimed over the timing or how the message was delivered.

How did doing the right thing put the second-year coach in a lose-lose position? Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Doesn't seem fair for a guy so hellbent on doing the right thing.

The Canes have enough of a struggle this year, trying to pick up the pieces and move forward.

How about an ounce of love - or at least respect - from the local media who should have Randy Shannon's back, instead of sticking a knife in it every time a decision is made?

Rules are rules; suspensions & depth chart info

Robert Marve isn't the only player missing Thursday's contest against Charleston Southern. Six more Canes were added to the list of pine-riders - Damien Berry, Kayne Farquharson, Eric Houston, Chris Ivory, Adewale Ojomo and Randy Phillips.

No official reasons were given, but offenses supposedly range from missed study hall or class, tardiness, improper cell phone use or any other rule Randy Shannon has implemented and players have broken.

I'll again go on record saying I applaud this move. Mess with the bull, get the horns. Shannon laid out these rules when he took the gig almost two years ago. Screw around and he'll hit you where it hurts; with playing time.

Regarding the Marve situation, anyone who really sees this as 'new' news, hasn't been paying attention. All current Canes were made to sign a contract regarding off the field transgressions and the punishment that would be accrued for such behavior.

Marve had a run in with the law and even though charges were eventually dropped, it's another to file under "nothing good happens after 2am" and a one-game suspension should've been expected, even though it hadn't been made official.

Another thing to note, Ojomo and Ivory were the only freshman on this list. Marve is a r-freshman and Berry is a sophomore, while Farquharson, Houston and Phillips are all seniors.

Safe to say #82 and #6 better get it together quickly, or both can bank on little playing time as the season rolls on. Competition will be fierce regarding wide outs and in the secondary and neither wants to start this season in Shannon's doghouse. Just ask Sam Shields, who missed almost half of the 2007 season due to grades and attitude issues.

As expected, ESPN opened today's edition of College Football Live with info on the Miami suspensions and was refreshingly non-biased. ACC blogger Heather Dinich reported nothing new, but thankfully ESPN went to Canes expert Bruce Feldman for his take on the matter, after talking to Shannon and sources at The U:

"Word inside the UM program is Randy Shannon is adamant his players be accountable in all aspects of their lives. The second-year coach is determined that message, above all else, gets through.

Shannon understood how this news would play externally; 'Canes suspend seven' but a source at UM said Randy's not so worried about 'that stuff'. He's more concerned with trying to build back the Canes program the right way -- the way he wants it handled.

As for the timing of the Marve announcement, Shannon didn't want a season-opening game suspension for Marve influencing the way his team approached fall camp or the way that his quarterbacks competed. Only time will tell if he got this decision right."

Shannon is going to continue doing things the way he feels they need to be done. As someone who's won at Miami as a player, grad assistant and defensive coordinator, he knows the formula for success and will get the right kids on board, believing. How anyone can question his thinking -- at this point and in regarding this situation -- is beyond me.

While ESPN loves the good business that comes with Cane-bashing, one analyst seems to have Miami's back. Kirk Herbstreit usually has his thumb on The U's pulse, calling for the resurrection around 2000 before others were on board. He's also been dead wrong at times, penciling the 2006 Canes into the national championship game against Notre Dame, while Miami stumbled to a 7-6 season and Larry Coker's firing.

This time around, Herbie sees something that has him calling for Miami to win the ACC Coastal in 2008 and facing Atlantic representative Clemson in this year's conference title game in Tampa.

Miami has a rough go early on, with games at Florida and Texas A&M, but obviously neither are conference games. The Canes get North Carolina, Florida State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech at home and have ACC road games at Duke, Virginia, Georgia Tech and NC State.

With the meat of the conference schedule coming to Dolphin Stadium, it helps Miami's cause. As do some questions at Virginia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Duke. Virginia Tech is still the team to beat - and if Miami picks up steam, they just might be beatable in a Thursday night home game (Nov. 13) making Herbie look like a genius... or a hell of a guesser.


The 2008 depth chart was released on Sunday night. It doesn't include the seven suspended players for Thursday night's contest, so it'll have a little bit different of a look and feel for next Saturday's contest at Florida. A few things to note:

- Leonard Hankerson locked down a starting wide receiver role, giving him a chance to pick up where he left off, finally earning some playing time at the ned of last season. True freshman Aldarius Johnson is his back up.

- For all the preseason hype LaRon Byrd earned, he didn't crack the two deep. Might have something to do with Harris starting in place of Marve and some familiarity between quarterback and receiver from their high school playing days.

- Xavier Shannon walked on from FIU and earned the starting nod at center. The apple must not fall too far from the tree.

- Dedrick Epps and Chris Zellner are splitting duty at tight end. Epps is the better pass catcher and Zellner, the better blocker. A battle to watch as the season rolls on.

- Par for the course, Khalil Jones had another strong spring and fall, but how will that translate into games? He earned the starting nod, but true freshman Travis Benjamin and perennial doghouse dweller Shields are on his heels. I'd bank on Shields getting the nod next week at UiF, as long as he keeps his grades up.

- Neither Eric Moncur or Allen Bailey are anywhere to be found on the defensive line, due to injury. Look for a depth chart shake up next week as both are needed for Gainesville.

- Veteran leadership bested the youth movement at linebacker. Seniors Darryl Sharpton and Glenn Cook are both healthy and will start alongside junior Colin McCarthy, though Jordan Futch and Sean Spence will see significant playing time. Super frosh didn't crack this first depth chart, but should as the season progresses.

- Chavez Grant and Bruce Johnson are your starting corners, with JoJo Nicolas and a finally healed Anthony Reddick back at safety. Brandon Harris is making a push at corner, though DeMarcus Van Dyke is said to not quite have some of the mechanics down regarding the new Bill Young defensive scheme.

- Matt Bosher earned the starting role at both punter and kicker, holding off freshman Jake Wieclaw and back up quarterback Taylor Cook.

- Graig Cooper will return punts, with Benjamin and Thearon Collier also seeing some action back there, while Ryan Hill can add kick returner (and back up safety) to his list of duties. B. Harris will join Hill, while Shawnbrey McNeal and true freshman Davon Johnson will also get their chance to shake and bake.

WR Leonard Hankerson (Aldarius Johnson)
LT Jason Fox (Tyrone Byrd)
LG Orlando Franklin (Matt Pipho)
C Xavier Shannon (AJ Trump or Tyler Horn)
RG Joel Figueroa (Harland Gunn)
RT Reggie Youngblood (Chris Rutledge)
TE Dedrick Epps/Chris Zellner (Richard Gordon)
WR Khalil Jones (Travis Benjamin or Sam Shields)
QB Jacory Harris (Cannon Smith)
RB Javarris James (Graig Cooper)
FB Patrick Hill (John Calhoun)
K Matt Bosher (Jake Wieclaw)

DE Steven Wesley (Gavin Hardin)
DT Antonio Dixon (Marcus Forston)
DT Joe Joseph (Dwayne Hendricks)
DE Marcus Robinson (Andrew Smith)
LB Darryl Sharpton (Jordan Futch)
MLB Glenn Cook (Romeo Davis or Spencer Adkins)
LB Colin McCarthy (Sean Spence)
CB Chavez Grant (Brandon Harris)
CB Bruce Johnson (DeMarcus Van Dyke)
S JoJo Nicholas (Vaughn Telemaque)
S Anthony Reddick (Ryan Hill)
P Matt Bosher (Taylor Cook)

LS Jake Byrne (Lovon Ponder)
PR Graig Cooper (Travis Benjamin and Thearon Collier)
KR Ryan Hill and Brandon Harris (Shawnbrey McNeal and Davon Johnson)

Marve suspended for season opener...

Robert Marve is suspended for the season opener against Charleston Southern this coming Thursday.

The university hasn't released an official statement, but rumor has it Marve shared the news with his high school coach and family members. This morning the story was confirmed by Barry Jackson at the Miami Herald.

The suspension is said to stem from an incident last Halloween in Coconut Grove when Marve was arrested on two misdemeanors; criminal mischief for breaking a car's side mirror and resisting arrest by briefly fleeing police.

I spent some time on a few Canes-themed message boards today, as a fallout was guaranteed.

Par for the course, a slew of knee-jerk reactions from Miami's fan base. The sky is falling. Randy Shannon should be fired. A quarterback controversy is now fait accompli, due to a one-game suspension.

Hold the phone, people. We're talking about a redshirt freshman and a suspension against Nobody U, during a rebuilding year. Let's keep things in perspective.

First things first, anyone blaming Shannon for consistently pressing on with his role of disciplinarian is off base. If you want to assess blame, look no further than #9. Marve's actions landed him in hot water and a one-game suspension for a run in with the law is hardly out of line.

The redshirt freshman quarterback also blew off counseling appointments that were either part of his probation, or university implemented - which are rumored to be the bigger reason a suspension was handed down.

Attend the court-mandated meetings and Marve is suiting up on Thursday. Mess with the bull, get the horns and ride the pine.

Timing-wise, this is somewhat hard to fathom. I don't disagree with that.

For an incident that occurred almost ten months ago, handing out punishment less than a week before the season opener doesn't seem prudent. Especially with early reports that Marve was set to be named started tomorrow morning when depth charts are released.

Then again, maybe Shannon's timing is perfect and he knows something about the psyche and demeanor of this particular player that the average fan doesn't.

How would Miami's quarterback battle have played out this spring if Marve knew he was missing the season opener? Would there have been resentment? Would he have worked as hard, or would he have checked out and remained bitter?

How would freshman quarterback Jacory Harris have responded? Would the suspension news have been a distraction? Would he have worked as hard if he knew game one was handed to him on a silver platter?

We'll never know, but is sure sounds to me like Marve was been 1a to Harris' 1b since day one and the long-term goal was not to disrupt the on-the-field battle with an off-the-field distractions.

What is known is that both quarterbacks battled day in and day out for the starting position, which Marve seems to have locked up. While he'll sit out the August 28th opener, Marve will be back behind center on September 6th when Miami heads to Florida for the big time rivalry game.

Shannon has made no bones about doing things his way, punishing players when and where he feels it's necessary - in an effort to mold young men and teach them some Life:101-type lessons many NCAA athletes aren't receiving.

While this seems to go over the heads of many armchair head coaches, it should resonate with mature adults, concerned parents and anyone who sees a world where professional and college athletes have become entitled and above the law.

If this were the NFL, Marve would be slapped with a fine that wouldn't even put a dent in his weekly check, let alone his bank account. Where's the lesson there - taking a few bucks from an uber rich athlete?

If he were at some collegiate football factory elsewhere in this country, it's a slap on the wrist and conformation that NCAA starting quarterbacks operate by a different set of rules and standards than other players or classmates.

Marve is in his formative years and coach Shannon is hitting this kid where it hurts; by taking playing time. Leaders don't want to watch from the sideline, nor do they want to let their teammates down. This Thursday, Marve will do both.

''Robert is upset. Robert's family is upset. We were having trouble seeing the wisdom of how an incident from last season is being handled,'' said Eugene Marve, Robert's father and a former NFL linebacker. "But at the end of the day we have to say that his actions created this."

There might've been a better way to handle this situation, but the end result most likely would've been the same if the news broke in April or August. A one-game suspension for this infraction is impossible to argue and that should remain the focus. Not the timing or delivery of the punishment.

Robert Marve is going to learn from this and will become a better person - and player - as a result. You can take that to the bank.

In the grand scheme of life, what is one game? An evening. A few measly hours? It's the blink of an eye - though the fallout and lesson learned have the potential of being monumental regarding a young man at this stage of his life.

The next time Mr. Marve gets so mad he could punch something, guess what? He probably won't. Not when he knows the price tag attached to such an immature and selfish act. This suspension is going to help Marve grow, the same as the car accident which almost claimed his life last summer.

This isn't a time for Marve to ask, "why me"? It's a time for self-refection. Look within. Realize that there are repercussions for our actions and that no one is above the law. At least not at this point of his collegiate career and not during his tenure at the University of Miami.

Those of you frustrated with Shannon, what would you have done? Do you sweep this under the rug? Does the first-time starter run some stadium stairs and get a slap on the wrist? Where's the lesson learned in all that?

Sometimes punishment has to be painful and just as a parent tells a child, "this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you" - the same goes for a second-year head coach on somewhat of a hot seat after a 5-7 season.

You make a statement while you still can. You do so while your quarterback can still be housebroken and before his arm and ego takes him places you can't bring him back from.

The actions of these players impact the lives of their coaches and families of coaches. It's big business. It's bigger money. It's real life. Does anybody really believe that Shannon and staff want to bench star players? Hell no. Coaches' jobs and paychecks depend these kids winning ballgames and Miami is better off with Marve behind center.

That said, Shannon is all about right and wrong. Right is rewarded and wrong is punished. It's a black or white issue, there is no middle ground and it takes some serious integrity to stand by your principles in situations like this. Personally, I applaud it.

As much as any Cane, I wish Marve were under center on Thursday, earning some valuable playing time for game two at Florida.

I also wish he never broke the damn mirror.

C'est la vie.

Rally behind Harris, gear up for some Miami Hurricanes football and think logically before directing your venom as The U's skipper. In the end, Randy did the right thing here. 'No Excuses', remember?

This may be a small step back for a young football team, but it will be a huge step forward in the growth and development of a young man.

Shannon drawing Zook comparisons, already?

I'm pissed off. The negativity and the angle the local media is choosing to take regarding this year's Miami Hurricanes and head coach Randy Shannon is deplorable. South Florida sportswriters are forcing me into the role of some blogging vigilante - defending the Canes honor - which is the last thing I expected at this point of my life.

For a kid who grew up with a guitar in hand and aspirations of rockin' like Dokken, online debates with sportswriters was never supposed to be in the cards. Then again, Bruce Wayne never expected his folks to get clipped, forcing him into a life of crime fighting in Gotham City.

Sometimes we just do what we're called to do, regardless of our own personal agenda.

A few weeks back I mentioned the lack of love The U was receiving from Israel Gutierrez at the Miami Herald and Jorge Milian at the Palm Beach Post. This week's toughest critic; the Post's Greg Stoda and his latest piece, "UM's Randy Shannon faces questions about his coaching ability".

Shannon hasn't coached a game in 266 days and won't take the sideline again for about two more weeks. Between last November and this August, Shannon has reeled in top talent, dismissed dead weight from last season's 5-7 squad and he's rejuvenated his coaching staff with a veteran and some fresh blood.

The intensity during fall and spring practice has new school Canes performing like old schoolers. Competition is the name of the game, no one's job is safe and this mentality is being embraced by Shannon's kids. The culture at The U is changing. Old is new again as vintage ways are being embraced by a second-year head coach who won at Miami as a player in the 80s, as a grad assistant in the 90s and a defensive coordinator in 2001.

Instead of entering this fall with a bit of optimism and belief, the media continues piling on - with Stoda's piece comparing Shannon to former Florida coach Ron Zook, whose since found success in Illinois after being ousted from Gainesville.

The knock on Zook was an inability to coach, though he could recruit like a madman and relate to his players. Florida's championship squad in 2006 was made up of Zook's recruits, which Urban Meyer coached to a one-loss season and the program's second title.

Shannon knows there's no honeymoon and that all eyes are on he and his Canes, yet the crux of Stoda's article is that Miami's boss needs to be prepared for any criticism that would come his way IF the Canes stumbled to another 5-7 record.

Stoda acknowledges that Shannon can recruit, but to draw Zook-like comparisons after year one is a joke. Zook had three years to attempt his turnaround at Florida. He also inherited a Gators team that went 10-2 in 2001, beat Maryland in the Orange Bowl and finished the season #3 in the nation. This was on the heels of 10-3, a #10 ranking and a Sugar Bowl loss to Miami in 2000.

Shannon took over a battered and bruised Miami squad that went 7-6 in 2006 and was mentally whipped. Stoda listed Coker's career record as 53-9. It was actually 60-15, with 12 of those losses coming over his final three seasons.

Aside from inheriting a program in better shape and having three years to implement his agenda, The Zooker also had state funding, one of the largest athletic department budgets in the land and better facilities, en route to a 23-14 overall record at UiF.

As for all the talk that Zook couldn't coach his way out of a wet paper bag, he took over at Illinois in 2005, went 4-19 his first two seasons and year three, led the Fighting Illini to a 9-4 season and the 2008 Rose Bowl -- a bit more prestigious that the Capital One Bowl the Gators played in last January.

Stoda admits Coker left the cupboard bare, but is ready to turn up the heat and expect a turnaround thanks to a top-flight recruiting class -- as if the impact should be immediately felt.

Shannon did reel in a top-flight recruiting class back in February and while many of those players will see some playing time this fall, the notion that it's on them to turn things around overnight is preposterous.

"It's not fair to expect anybody - at Miami or anywhere else - to ask first-year players to contribute so much that everything changes immediately," said Shannon. "The goal is to establish depth that will allow us to do the things that are necessary to be great for the long run."

Patience is a virtue that uber fans and diehards don't want to employ, but an informed writer should know better. Miami's 2008 class was the cornerstone of a rebuilding project that will take a few years to complete. The goal for this upcoming season is improvement, a new attitude and changing a losers' mentality that plagued the program for the past three years.

It's no accident Coker's teams went 35-3 his first three years on the job and 25-12 his final three. It took years to turn a great program into an average one and it'll take a comparable amount of time to right the wrongs done by the Canes previous skipper.

If opinionated, uninformed writers like Stoda want to make the Zook comparison, save it until fall 2009, when Shannon's tenure in Coral Gables matches Zook's in Gainesville. Even then, it's still off-base regarding the shape of both programs with each respective first-time head coach assumed the reins.

Here's hoping South Florida's newsfolk can adopt a 'wait and see' mentality as this new season comes and goes. Shannon and the Canes not only deserve some homefield advantage with the local papers, but the benefit of the doubt as well.

Even ESPN can't dispute this one...

ESPN has gotten into the blogging game this college football season, assigning writers by conference. The ACC was landed Ms. Heather Dinich, an Indiana grad who's covered the Big Ten and most recently worked for the Baltimore Sun.

Dinich self-admittedly has taken some shots at the Miami Hurricanes. Ranking them seventh in the ACC power poll is forgivable for an outsider, but her credibility took a hit when she ranked Maryland third, calling them a 'darkhorse' - the same Terps bunch many have picked dead last in the Atlantic division.

Last week Dinich gave some predictions for 2008 and when it came to to the Canes, she said "somebody at Miami will win rookie of the year... but somebody else will be ineligible or in trouble".

Could Dinich be anymore cliche, while also stating the obvious? ESPN ranked Miami's most recent recruiting class No. 1 in the nation, so calling for a 'rookie of the year' with the Canes talent-starved offense is hardly going out on a limb.

At one point, Sam Shields was said to possibly be ineligible (grades) but Randy Shannon squashed out that notion in a recent press conference. Safe to say Dinich went for the easy lay up, assuming Shields was still in the doghouse.

As for the cheap shot regarding a troublemaker, it's 2008, not 1988, darlin'. Dinich covers Florida State for the ACC, yet never a stab at St. Bobby Bowden and his merry band o' thugs - yet quick to point the finger of blame at the Canes.

All of which makes today's column that much more surprising. Dinich gave credit where credit was due today, regarding The U and academics:

"Since I came down hard on Randy Shannon earlier this month for having a handful of players who were struggling to qualify, it's only fair I report the good news, too.

This just came in from Miami's sports information department:

- Of the 23 seniors on this year's squad, 13 have already earned degrees, while the remaining 10 are all on course to graduate either in December of 2008 or May of 2009.

- In 14 of the past 16 years, Miami's graduation rate far exceeded the national average of the American Football Coaches Association's member schools. Since 1991,
UM's average AFCA graduation rate is 71.52 percent, well ahead of the national average of 58 percent.

- This past spring, the NCAA released its annual Academic Progress Report (APR), and the Hurricanes football team scored 969, the eighth-highest mark out of the 119 Bowl Sub-division football programs.

- Last season, Miami had 12 early graduates -- the second-highest total nationally behind Boston College.

Kudos to the Canes."


Regarding that 'handful of players who were struggling to qualify', like most media vultures, Dinich jumped the gun. ESPN's talk of eight signees not making the grade, now looks like upwards of three headed to prep school as Gavin Hardin, C.J. Holton, Andrew Smith, Ben Jones, Jeremy Lewis and Joe Wylie are all officially on campus.

Nothing like that late breaking news that several Canes won't qualify and then barely a retraction when the majority of them do.

While today's blurb doesn't make up for two months of cheap-shotting the Canes, at least Dinich finally reported the truth, proving that Shannon and staff aren't running a football factory.

Side note... our buddy Lamar Thomas has been hired as an assistant coach at Boynton Beach High, reuniting with his former Gainesville High coach Rick Swain. Congrats to LT and in honor of this Canes graduation-themed post, we wanted to show one of our all-time favorite Canes a little bit o' love regarding his recent graduation from The U.

Brandon McGee to The U...

Chalk up another big time recruit for the Miami Hurricanes. Lauderhill (FL) Plantation High School DB Brandon McGee is headed to The U. Randy Shannon and staff have reeled in another big fish for 2009.  McGee chose Miami over Tennessee, Florida State and Ole Miss and had over thirty scholarships offers.

"My whole family loves Miami. My uncle pressures me every day about going to Miami," said McGee during the recruiting process. Looks like Uncle is a happy man today, as is Hurricane Nation.

McGee is a four-star recruit and is listed as the nation's 10th best corner, overall. 6'0", 180 lbs. and running a 4.45 forty, McGee is slated to graduate early and if so, will be another early enrolee.

The U was a good fit for McGee, based on the current standings regarding cornerbacks. Miami has two seniors, one junior, one sophomore, no redshirt freshman and one true freshman. CB is a must-have position for the 2009 class, with Miami looking to nab 2-3 more corners. 

Miami now has 11 verbals towards the 2009 class. McGee is the fifth four-star the Canes have landed this off-season, four three-stars and a two-star. Running back Bryce Brown currently is the lone five-star for next year's class.

IN OTHER NEWS: Only two non-prep school-bound Canes are waiting for the NCAA Clearinghouse OK. Linebacker Brandon Marti and safety Joseph Wylie are the last men standing, with the good news hopefully coming this week.

Most recently admitted, defensive tackle Jeremy Lewis was on the field Monday morning for his first practice as a Cane. Defensive end Gavin Hardin learned over the weekend that he was cleared, both on the heels of C.J. Holton coming aboard last week.

Brandon Washington, Zack Kane, C.J. Odom and Antonio Harper are the four signees who didn't make the grade, while Holton, Hardin and Lewis did (as should Marti and Wylie).

A far cry from the eight potential signees ESPN reported wouldn't make the cut a few weeks back.

This week it's "Overworked U"?

A few days back the Miami Herald's Israel Gutierrez is calling Miami "irrelevant" and this week it's the Palm Beach Post's Jorge Milian who feels the Canes are overworked.

Shouldn't the Canes at least catch a break with their beat writers?

Where Gutierrez labeled the Miami Hurricanes a non-factor, Milian at least posed the question, based on some recent Greentree practice field casualties.

At the time of Milian's piece, defensive tackle Antonio Dixon was thought to have been overcome by dehydration. A day later, downgraded to 'overexcited'.

"Dixon was hyperventilating," said Randy Shannon. "He got excited during practice in the drill he did, his adrenaline got going and he got short of wind, short of breath. His body temperature wasn't beyond and above the normal."

Wednesday's excitement, combined with Javarris James cramping up on Saturday has some crying "overworked".

I say welcome to life after 5-7.

Miami was knocked for throwing in the towel last season. The "Q" word. Sort of sounds like 'quitters'.

That won't cut it in '08. Not with so many valuable, impressionable freshman on board; the building blocks for the resurgence.

The country club mentality is gonzo. Winning ways are going to return and any long-time Cane knows those battles start on the practice field. New blood means new competition. Starting jobs up for grabs and the return of a type of hunger that can't be fabricated.

Last I checked, football is one of the roughest games out there. Dehydration? Cramps? Child's play in comparison to what happens for three-plus hours on Saturday afternoon.

Miami's bread and butter; always been being stronger, tougher and better than the other guy. The rougher the conditions, the more conditioned you are come Saturday. The heat and humidity are the Canes' main ingredient. It's no accident South Florida athletes are one step ahead the rest of the best.

Yes, we're living in an age where heat exhaustion and dehydration have found their way into preseason football, with some tragic results. Which is exactly why UM had an ambulance ready to roll when Dixon showed signs of dehydration. Proactive, not reactive. Get their student athlete necessary medical attention -- care infinitely better than that of newspaper columnists and sports bloggers.

The result, a false alarm. Tests were run and Dixon should be back to action by week's end.

Milian calls for Shannon to 'loosen the reins' during two-a-days. I say, let 'em play. Build that endurance now because there's a lot of football ahead these coming months. If these Canes are tired come August, it's going to make for a long season.

Adrenaline alone should carry these kids until October.

Get those juices flowing. Game one is three weeks away and Miami needs to steamroll into 2008 with some energy, optimism and much missed excitement.

This team's motto is "no excuses".

This year's schedule poster theme is "Built To Win", featuring Canes wielding construction tools, rolling up their sleeves and ready to kick off a rebuilding project.

When you're on top, there's room to cruise. When you're trying to reclaim you place and plant your flag a top the mountain, you're playing catch up.

Up earlier than the other guys. A few extra reps in the weight room. A little more effort on the practice field. Talking, living and breathing football. Possessing an excitement that only comes on the way up, but gets buried when you finally achieve your ultimate goal.

The Canes are in a unique, yet familiar position; rebuilding mode. The stage is set. It's time to dive in head first. Let's party like it's 1999, when the last renovation was underway.

The opener is three weeks out, but Miami's season started a week ago.

Put the pedal to the metal this pre-season, because the Canes have a lot of ground to make up.

Irrelevant U? Not buying it...

College football season is less than a month away and some local writers are piling on, essentially writing the Miami Hurricanes off, as it seems the trendy thing to do in 2008.

The latest critic? Israel Gutierrez of the Miami Herald. His Friday article, "Hurricanes bordering on irrelevant" hardly gave the hometown team a ringing endorsement and sounds like the same drivel every writer north of Orlando is spewing.

The Canes can't even get some 'homefield advantage' from the local rag. Hardly a shock.

Last year's losing record was embarrassing to all parties involved. From the coaches and players, right down to the casual fan, everyone associated with the program was feeling the effects of a losing season.

That said, 5-7 was a few plays away from 8-4. North Carolina, Georgia Tech and NC State were all winnable games for Miami, but a losing culture and quitters mentality forced the Canes to break instead of bend.

While "almost" means nothing in regards to the final score, Miami's potential for 2008 should earn them more than a top fifty ranking when entering the new season. Especially when so many other programs are given the benefit of the doubt.

Gutierrez is quick to point out that the Canes are getting no respect in the coaches poll. Forget the top 25; Miami didn't even crack the 'others receiving votes' category. A top-ranked recruiting class, a new, proven defensive coordinator, a few healthy running backs and a handful of promise mean nothing in this 'what have you done for me lately?' era of sports.

Notre Dame is coming off of 3-9, yet gets more love than the Canes. Same to be said for Florida State, putting together back-to-back 7-6 seasons and losing to Miami at home last year - FSU is ranked higher than The U. A Kevin Smith-less UCF bunch even cracked the 'others receiving votes' category, while UM was absent.

More insult to injury? Randy Shannon ranked last of the 66 BCS coaches listed. Dead. Freaking. Last. West Virginia's first-year skipper Bill Stewart garnered more praise, even thought he's yet to step on the field as the Mountaineers' head coach and his last previous stint was an 8-25 run at Virginia Military Institute. 

Shannon's mindset? The past is the past. Let it go. Gutierrez's take? A cheap shot at the Miami skipper's potential fate should he 'ignore' history - with a reference to a famous George Santayana quote ("Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.")

Remembering the past and dwelling on it are completely different actions. Learn from your mistakes, but don't place your focus on the failure. Let it motivate you, while also reminding you where you've been.

Gutierrez is a Miami guy and if he were really paying attention, he'd see what was going on.

It doesn't take a bleeding heart to feel the winds of change in Coral Gables.

The local media knows Shannon's tale of woe and the adversity he's overcome. Last year's Canes may have been losers, but their second-year coach is born winner. Sometimes a step backward is required to take those two steps forward. 

5-7 was the story last fall. By year's end, the dismissal of some players and coaches who contributed to that losing record. 

A few weeks later, a top-ranked recruiting class and a shot in the arm for a stagnant, mentally whipped bunch. They'll make their rookie mistakes, but big time talent is returning to Miami and it's only a matter of time before they make their presence felt. 

These aren't Uncle Larry's recruits. Top local talent and a handful of cherry-picked players from across the nation who will have "Shannon: 101" instilled in them for 3-4 years. Larry Coker proved bad management can ruin a "can't miss" prospect and that cloud hovered over Miami a few years longer than it should.

Any legit Cane will tell you that the past few seasons have been marred with false hope. Any hype or belief entering the new season was faux. As much as anyone wanted to back last year's quarterbacks and wide outs, it was tough to believe in guys who had failed the program year after year.

You'd pray for a miracle, but always found yourself expecting the worst. The result? A 13-15 run since an upset of Virginia Tech back in November 2005.

The Canes will line up a slew of freshman this season, but there's reason to believe. Not the false hope this fan base felt the past few years, but a legitimate change in the air. Miami-caliber kids rejoining the program, with a winner's attitude and desire to right this ship.

Local writers should know better because they've seen this before. Butch Davis came to Miami unheralded, but after a few solid recruiting classes and bringing Miami-caliber players back into the fold, the Canes turned things around. The talent returned - as did the right attitude - and before anyone knew it, The U was back on top after being left for dead.

Gutierrez should back the hometown coach, instead of piling on like the rest of the national media is choosing to. Where is his inside scoop? Where is his opinion of Shannon, based on his interaction as a writer for the hometown paper? Gutierrez graduated from North Miami Senior High and grew up with the Canes in his backyard.

Then again, something may have been lost when he trekked north, attended the University of Florida, wrote for the Independent Florida Alligator and let that orange and blue seep into his veins. Yet another dirty Gator writing for the Herald, Gutierrez doesn't write like a Miami native - unbiasedly covering the hometown team, yet sticking up for the program when he should.

Gutierrez is the anti-Manny Navarro.

Navarro's blog offers an in-depth look at the Canes. He's a fan, but also plays the role of an unbiased reporter. He calls out what needs calling out, but also delivers the inside scoop and can provide positive insight on the program, covering the Canes on a daily basis - something the biased folk at ESPN, the Sporting News, SI, Athlon, etc. can't do.

While Gutierrez chose to rant about Shannon's low ranking, last year's decline and the fact that as many as eight freshman might not report for fall camp (it'll most likely be four, with the other four receiving clearance this week), Navarro, armed with his video camera, got knee-deep in fall practice and chose to offer some positive tidbits regarding Saturday morning scrimmage:

- Playmakers at the wide receiver position. LaRon Byrd was today's standout and is predicted to have an instant impact this season. Davon Johnson, Kendall Thompkins, Travis Benjamin and Thearon Collier all stepped it up today as well.

- Regarding the quarterbacks, both Robert Marve and Jacory Harris looked sharp today in 7-on-7 drills, on rollouts and with their deep ball. Though it's only practice, the feeling  is that both are ahead of the damaged-beyond-repair Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman.

Irrelevant? Hardly. Unproven? Definitely.

The Canes will have their growing pains this season, but they're not as far off the radar as some uninformed folks are predicting. For the first time in years, there's a legitimate reason to be excited. The talent is returning and will continue to do so, with upwards of ten commitments already on board for 2009.

Everything that made Miami "The U" a decade ago - it's happening all over again. Shannon is following the blUeprint and is doing his best Jimmy Johnson in  an effort to resurrect this sacred program.

Ignore Israel. Read Manny. Be patient. Have faith. Hold on.