Kayvon Webster to The U...

Not much good can come out of a 28-24 weekend loss to a conference rival, where breakdowns in the secondary allowed a third-string quarterback to find open receivers for late scores.

One bright spot is the recruiting trail and the fact that ballers nationwide are watching the Miami Hurricanes, see some glaring weaknesses and know that freshman will be relied on to get the program back where it belongs.

Kayvon Webster knows his hometown Canes are in need of some immediate help, which prompted a Monday night phone call to Aubrey Hill and the announcement that Webster is headed to The U.

The three-star safety from Monsignor Pace High watched the Canes fall to the Tar Heels and said that the defensive back struggles helped him come to his decision.

Webster is a 5-f00t-11, 181 pound, three-star prospect who runs a 4.4-forty. He chose Miami over Ole Miss, South Carolina, Sourth Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida and LSU. He said his commitment is almost 100% solid and has mom in his corner, as Mrs. Webster wants her boy to stay home for college.

Webster joins Jamal Reid (DB/ATH), Prince Kent (WR/DB) and Brandon McGee (DB) as the four Miami commit that should immediately boost the 2009 secondary.

Last February Miami coaches stockpiled at linebacker and wide receiver, which were two glaring weaknesses for the Canes. For next year's class, the secondary, offensive and defensive lines are all areas Randy Shannon and staff plan to reboost.

Welcome to The U, Kayvon.

Growing Pains: Opportunity blows by Canes

The growth process. Full of bumps and bruises. Ups and downs. Highs and lows. They say what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger and that you learn from your mistakes.

While that may ring true, it offers little consolation while the wounds are still fresh.

Had you zigged when you should've zagged, it might've resulted in a different outcome. Even if not, it'll eat at you for a while. You find yourself asking, "what if?" instead of basking in the glow of accomplishing the task at hand.

For the Miami Hurricanes, it'll be at least a week full of "what if?" type of questions after losing a 24-14 fourth quarter lead to North Carolina last Saturday; their first blown double-digit fourth quarter lead since 1984.

The Canes were firing on all cylinders out the gate. Robert Marve was on target, going 4-of-4 for 27 yards, including a nine-yard strike to Kayne Farquharson. Graig Cooper got in on the action with three straight rushes for a combined 60 yards, his longest of the drive a 31-yarder.

Miami's foot was on the gas and this looked to be a team on a mission. North Carolina's initial drive lasted six plays and amassed a total of 12 yards. A 41-yard punt resulted in a 37-yard return by speedster Travis Benjamin, while Hurricane special teamers decleated two Heels and sent a message that this wasn't last year's Canes.

The Canes ensuing drive stalled as Matt Bosher missing a 43-yard field goal attempt, but the Miami defense held steadfast, forcing a three and out and a muffed snap that set the Canes up on the Heels' 11-yard line. On 3rd and 10, Marve found Cooper out of the backfield for a nifty 11-yard touchdown and with just under a minute to play, Miami was sitting pretty with a 14-0 lead.

Who knew it'd be the only quarter of football the Canes would win on Saturday?

Down two touchdowns and getting no production out of freshman quarterback Mike Paulus, former Canes coach Butch Davis yanked his starting QB in favor of Cameron Sexton, a junior who threw one pass in 2007 and was yet to see the field this season.

For the second week in a row, a back up quarterback had it's way with a Miami defense. The Canes somehow kept Tim Tebow in check, yet was picked apart by aTm's Jerrod Johnson last week and Sexton seven days later.

For the second year in a row, the master bested the pupil, with Davis calling a better game than Randy Shannon. The Canes were forced to play the Davis' brand of football - keeping it close to eventually pull away and relying on a late specials teams play to make a difference.

2-2 sounds infinitely worse than 3-1 and a two-game win-streak entering Florida State week. There was momentum after aTm - especially after giving up the early score, going down 7-0 and then responding immediately. The post-game talk was that last year's team would've folded after an early score. How will this year's team respond after a heartbreaking, last-second loss?

There were several frustrating aspects to this recent setback, most notably another game where Miami was outwilled and outplayed in the fourth quarter.

For a program that once held up four fingers to signal dominance in the final fifteen minutes, Miami players raising their arms late is proving to be a sign of surrendering. The Heels outscored the Canes, 14-7 in the final quarter. At aTm it was 6-0, in favor of the home team and before that, a 9-3 fourth quarter deficit in Gainesville resulted in a 17-0 run by Florida in the final ten minutes of play.

Shannon may be preaching 'finish' to his squad, but it's falling on deaf ears and something has to give. Is it conditioning? Playcalling? A lack of effort due to back-to-back fourth quarter leads? Whatever the case, it's proving to be this team's Achilles' heel and will result in a few more losses if the curse isn't reversed.

It wouldn't be a post-game recap without mentioning the playcalling of oft-criticized offensive coordinator Patrick Nix. I've gotten Nix's back early this season, citing a tough road game with a young team at Florida as well as a strong game plan in the 41-23 win in College Station a week ago.

Nix isn't getting a free pass this week. If anything, I find myself on the side of the doubters until he proves otherwise.

Coaches can't coach scared. They have to call the shots, know when to roll the dice and let their players play. That was the case early, but sitting on a 17-7 halftime lead, Nix flinched and spent the rest of the afternoon being reactive instead of proactive. Miami's offense went into 'survival mode' while North Carolina fought on, their coaching staff trusted their players, their play dictated the momentum and they wore Canes down with a better brand of football.

Some would say it's easy to second-guess the playcalling after the fact, but you could first-guess Nix's second half game plan as it played out before your eyes.

After a 38-yard swing where the Tar Heels received the second half kickoff on the 40-yard line instead of the two, a ten-play drive took 5:22 off the clock and gave North Carolina the momentum, trailing 17-14.

Cooper had seven first quarter touches for 71 yards and a touchdown. Over the next two quarters, three touches -- 1st-and-10, 2nd-and-23 and 3rd-and-6. The workhorse who singlehandedly was wearing down North Carolina, quickly became a non-factor.

A power running game gave way to dinking and dunking with the passing game and an offensive game plan that resembled the timid play at Florida instead of the explosive playcalling at Texas A&M. No middle screens. No deep passes. Nothing to keep North Carolina on their toes.

Cooper was relied on midway through the fourth, where Miami went into bleed-the-clock mode, nursing a 24-21 lead with over nine minutes to play. After a defensive stand, Nix called three straight runs - the final on 3rd and 12, which resulted in a two-yard loss and eventually a semi-blocked punt.

Equally as frustrating as the conservative second half; the stubborn first-half mindset that Miami second-stringers would see the field.

No disrespect to Jacory Harris, but the true freshman is light years behind Marve and Shannon's insistence that he gets some meaningful first half snaps is killing the Canes offensive momentum.

Harris saw his first action with 12:49 left to play in the second quarter. He went 4-of-6 for 39 yards, rushed for a total of four yards and scrambled for three yards on a 3rd-and-5 when a first down would've set Miami up at the UNC 15-yard line in a then 14-7 ball game.

Harris took 7:42 to get 3 points. Marve needed a combined 8:48 to put 21 on the board. Had Farquharson reeled in the potential game winner, it'd have been 28 points in 9:24.

The Harris Experiment has to end here and now. He is a capable back up and a future sensation, but it's an injustice to this team and a momentum-killer to remove Marve and Cooper for Harris and Derron Thomas sitting on a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Marve had the hot hand and Cooper was smokin' the Heels' defense. Keep that burning. Push 14-7 to 17-7 - or even 21-7 - and see what Harris could do on the final possession of the second quarter.

Coaches have charts regarding two-point conversions. If Shannon is hellbent on meaningful playing time for Harris, I suggest a chart or system as well. Miami's field position. Time left in the half. A 10 to 14 point lead. Gauging the intangibles such as momentum or Marve's hot hand.

Last but not least, how did this defense wilt against a third-string quarterback, allowing Sexton to go 11-of-19 for 242 yards and two meaningful touchdowns? Where is the Bill Young defense Miami fans were teased with at Florida? It's now been missing for upwards of nine quarters.

Much blame falls directly on Miami's playmakers not making plays. The secondary got torched. The defensive line missed the presence of Marcus Forston, which shouldn't be the case. Playing a true freshman should be a luxury, not a necessity - proving that Miami's line is in serious need of bodies and fresh talent. Get this squad the shot in the arm that the Canes' receiving corps scored last Signing Day.

Young's defense set the tone in Gainesville and played with a sense of purpose, yet looked winded, reactive and one step behind in the second halves against North Carolina and Texas A&M. The Canes forced some turnovers last week at Kyle Field, yet couldn't force one against the Tar Heels and a washed up junior quarterback.

In all the negativity being spewed here, on some levels Miami earned yet another 'moral victory' against North Carolina. Mr. Marve is the real-deal and the Canes have found their most legitimate quarterback since the Ken Dorsey era. Aldarius Johnson showed incredible hands and and footwork. Benjamin is the kick returner Miami's been searching for since Roscoe Parrish left the building.

Even more impressive, the character of this team with 0:46 on the clock and playing from behind the first time in 59:14. The Canes of this past half-decade wouldn't have crossed midfield, let alone reached the red zone.

Marve looked more like a Favre, finding Farquharson for a 29-yard strike as well as the wherewithal to chuck it out of the end zone one 1st and 10 from the 20-yard line, instead of jamming it into crowded space and giving the game away.

The redshirt freshman in Marve sailed his final throw a few inches too high, but it gave hope that Marve v. 2009 or 2010 will make that throw when you need him to. While this game never should've come down to that final play or drive, Marve proved he is battle-tested and a gamer. Give him the rock and let him go to work.

The tragedy here is that Nix handcuffed the young gunslinger in the third quarter, after Shannon benched him in the second. Had either let the player play, who knows how many more times he might've found the end zone.

If there's one thing Nix must learn, it's that has has some serious gamers on his roster. The governor was off Marve early in the game and at full speed, the redshirt freshman shone like the star he is. When restricted in the middle portion of the contest and with Nix nursing a lead, Marve played tight. But in the end, down four with less than a minute to play, #9 played with the same loose nature his displayed early on when it was 0-0 and 7-0.

One final saving grace; seeing how Miami's freshman took this loss. You saw the pain on Marve's face. You saw Sean Spence making plays during the game, yet hanging his head and looking physically ill after the final interception.

When cameras panned to injured freshman receiver Tommy Streeter on the sidelines, a look that said he wanted to be in position to catch that game-winner.

Shannon's mentality of recruiting winning players from winning programs is going to pay off. These kids will not accept losing.

As of Sunday morning, Shannon spoke of a long Saturday night and a cell phone that didn't stop ringing as players called to discuss what went wrong. They knew the result was unacceptable. If Shannon's message to finish wasn't received before Saturday's loss, these kids heard it loud and clear when the clock his 0:00.

Shannon's players will learn from their mistakes. Winners find a way to win.

By season's end, I hope the same can be said for the coaches calling all the shots.

North Carolina 28, Miami 24...

Miami had this one. 14-0 after one. 17-7 at the half. 24-14 with just under ten minutes remaining.

In what looked to be a great start regarding ACC play, the Canes crapped the bed in the final minutes, allowing some big plays from the Heels and surrendering 14 points in the final quarter.

Miami's defense folded late while the oft-criticized offensive playcalling again went conservative and reactive, instead of assertive and confident.

Butch Davis again outcoached Randy Shannon, rallying his troops late and keeping the score close late. This marks the second straight week a back up quarterback outsmarted Bill Young and his defense.

Patrick Nix began his attempt at running out the clock with 9:00 left on the game clock. Over the next two drives, six of eight play calls were handoffs to Graig Cooper. Not once did he test North Carolina's defense, choosing the conservative route and relying on ball control.

Robert Marve provided some fireworks - right down to a potential game-winning pass that Kanye Farquharson couldn't snag in the final seconds. Marve finished 18 of 27 with three touchdowns and two interceptions, the final one coming on the last play of the game.

Marve hit the ground running, throwing for two first quarter touchdowns before Shannon and staff gave way to Jacory Harris in the second quarter. Harris again looked shaky out the gate, pulled it together, finished 4 of 6 on the day - but in no way did the true freshman show the poise of #9. Marve didn't regain his mojo until early in the fourth quarter, which is precisely when the Canes defense fell into a lull and was a non-factor for the duration of the game.

Who'd have though Young's defense's best outing would've been in Gainesville three week ago?

Kudos to UNC for weathering the storm and stealing a win behind the arm of a junior quarterback who attempted one pass in 2007 and was 3 for 8 with two interceptions in a loss against Virginia Tech last week. After blowing a 17-3 lead against the Hokies, the Heels rallied from the same deficit to spring a comeback against the Canes in what many predicted would be a defensive battle.

It's back to the drawing board for Shannon and staff. Nix is going to hear it - deservedly - for his conservative playcalling, while Young's defense is now responsible for back-to-back, late game collapses.

A young Miami team was expected to have its share of rookie mistakes this season.

To have so many occur in a 'redemption' game at home with a late 24-14 lead - it's simply unacceptable.

Miami vs. North Carolina: Turning Point

When the Miami Hurricanes joined the ACC entering the 2004 season, only the folks in Chapel Hill were circling the annual meeting with The U. To the Canes, just another conference game with the Tar Heels looking comparable to Pitt or Syracuse if Miami were still a member of the Big East.

Since then, the Canes backslid while the Tar Heels revamped their middle-of-the-road football program, making for a 2-2 split between the teams since 2004. In each case the home team has held court and got the "W".

Gone are the Larry Coker and John Bunting era. Right now it's all about Randy Shannon, Butch Davis - two guys with a rich Canes history - and an influx of talent on both sides that's given these programs some new life.

Miami and North Carolina enter Saturday's contest with matching 2-1 records and both are in position to make a run in the ACC's Coastal Division. The Heels will come ready to play, but all signs point to this being the Canes' time.

Last year's match up had a 4-1 Miami team headed to Chapel Hill, looking for a win but leaving with an embarrassing loss that proved to be the season's turning point. The Canes dropped five of their next six games after falling to the Heels, 33-27. The wheels were off and Miami simply couldn't recover with a first-year head coach and some damaged-beyond-repair players.

For those who've watched Miami work it's way to 2-1 early this season, you've seen a different brand of Hurricanes Football. 2007 is in the rear view. This is a rejuvenated, albeit 'green' squad. While some quality depth was added, thanks to a top-ranked recruiting class - in some cases, addition came from subtraction.

Last year's contest saw North Carolina jump out to a 27-0 lead, taking to a program that always prided itself on defense. Hardly the case in the short-lived Tim Walton era.

Outside of the 48-0 beatdown at the hands of Virginia in last year's Orange Bowl finale, nothing was more embarrassing than a 27-0 deficit at Kenan Stadium. Miami was 4-1 and proving doubters wrong... and then the wheels fell off.

The Canes made it respectable, going on a 20-0 tear in the third quarter, making it 27-20 entering the fourth, but two more field goals were the difference in the contest.

Miami only found the end zone once more in the game, while the real story of those final fifteen minutes was Kyle Wright tossing his third and fourth interceptions of the day - this last with over six minutes remaining and taking place on the UNC 3-yard line with a 1st-and-goal opportunity.

Walton and Wright are yesterday's news. Today's news is Bill Young and Robert Marve - currently the two most important cogs in the resurrection of Miami Football.

Young's defense was gangbusters against a solid Florida offense and did the job at Texas A&M last week, holding a 41-10 lead late in the third quarter before giving up a few late scores. Turnovers, gang tackling, pressuring the quarterback and a renewed energy are all traits of the current Canes' D.

Marve was masterful in his first win, going 16 of 22 for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns - and almost 17 of 22 for 278 yards and 3 scores had a Thearon Collier screen not been called back for a hold away from the play. #9 showed composure in the pocket, found his second and third receivers and when pressured, showed poise and found a way to get rid of the ball, making would-be negative plays into positive ones.

Miami lost last year's contest by less than a touchdown, thanks to a poor defensive game plan, worse execution and glaring issues regarding quarterback play.

This time around, the defense is rolling, the quarterback is ready and it's North Carolina who enters the contest with a few question marks - most notably, at quarterback. T.J. Yates injured his foot in a 20-17 loss to Virginia Tech last week, knocking him out for upwards of six weeks.

The Heels will play Mike Paulus and Cam Sexton - a r-freshman and a junior, who only threw one pass in 2007. Sexton also went 9 of 28 for 136 yards and 2 interceptions against the Canes two years ago in a 27-7 loss.

Some folks believe in the 'football gods', others don't. Personally, I'm a believer. When it's a team's time, so-called "lucky breaks" seem to go their way. Miami couldn't buy a break in 2007. North Carolina. Georgia Tech. NC State. All were winnable games for the Canes, but impossible to overcome when you spot the other guy 27, can't stop a running back in the second half and your quarterback has an unfathomable 1-of-14 outing, where you lose by three in overtime.

We'll see how 2008 plays out, but early on it seems the football gods are smiling down on the Canes a bit. The loss at Florida had a lopsided final score, but 9-3 going into the fourth quarter gave Miami some good press and will help come signing day as the nation's elite saw that the Canes aren't too far off.

Last week at Texas A&M showed that Miami is starting to click on offense, which hasn't been the case in a few years. Marve looks the real deal, Jacory Harris is proving to be a capable back up and Graig Cooper is looking like the superstar back many expected. Wide receivers are catching on and making plays, defense and specials teams are doing their job and the Canes looked much more complete in this year's contest against the Aggies, as compared to last season.

North Carolina is another turning-point game for Miami. Injuries aside, the Heels will come to play - looking to get a win for their former Canes coach, as well as to stay alive in ACC play where they suffered their first loss last week.

Defensively, UNC is strong, allowing a mere 32 points in back-to-back games against Rutgers and Virginia Tech and forcing six turnovers in three games. The Hokies only averaged three yards per carry against the Heels last weekend. Safeties Deunta Williams and Trimane Goddard will be roving, waiting for Marve to make a costly mistake.

Brandon Tate is a special teams guru for UNC and their go-to wideout. Tate has five touchdowns in the past three games, one coming on an 82-yard punt return in the opener against McNeese State. Also a deep ball threat, Tate has caught touchdowns of 57 and 69 yards, albeit both came from Yates who is sidelined.

Miami will most likely be without the services of defensive tackle Marcus Forston this weekend, as he hurt his arm against Texas A&M. Lacking some depth on the d-line, the Canes really can't afford the hit there, but will have to absorb the loss and pressure the young Carolina quarterbacks, regardless.

The Canes secondary looked spotty at times last week against the Aggies, allowing 275 passing yards by a back up quarterback. Jerrod Johnson's legs definitely helped buy some time, which won't be the case with Paulus or Sexton. Young's defense needs to rise to the occasion and correct some mistakes it made in a blowout win last week. Most notably, the secondary.

Without getting too philosophical, the stars seem aligned for a Miami win this week. It took one of those "everything that could go wrong, did go wrong" games last year for North Carolina to eke out a six-point win at home last year. Throw in four interceptions and a poor defensive game plan and the Canes handed the game to the Heels on a silver platter.

Such won't be the case in 2008. This time around is a high-noon kickoff at Dolphin Stadium with 85 degrees and scattered thunderstorms expected. Perfect Miami Football weather.

Gone are Walton and Wright, while a new-look Hurricanes squad seems to have arrived. The lack of Yates behind center gives Miami a distinct advantage in one of those 'turning point' games that can alter the season. Defense, special teams, turnovers and a short field for the Canes are the difference-maker this Saturday.

The Canes lost a few of those turning point-type of games last year, but should pull off a win against North Carolina, getting this thing to 3-1 with Florida State on deck.


Miami 30, North Carolina 16

Canes land four-star corner Reid

Miami got a nice surprise Thursday night when four-star corner Jamal Reid of Mayo (FL) Lafayette High committed to the University of Miami.

Reid had 18 scholarship offers, including Clemson, South Florida, Maryland and Louisville. Reid is 6-foot-1, weighs in at 175 lbs. and runs a 4.45 forty.

Signing Day isn't until February 2009 and Reid is unsure if he'll take any of his scheduled visits (Oregon is still on the books) but the commitment sounds solid and Mom is on board as a long-time Canes fan.

The most interesting aspect of this recent commit is the fact that Reid has yet to step foot on Miami's campus. He will set up an official visit later in the season and might unofficially trek south for the Florida State game next weekend.

When asked why he committed sight-unseen, Reid said he was 'worried' his spot might not be available and didn't want to lose out on his shot to play for Miami.

Again, one more reason Randy Shannon is proving to be a masterful recruiter and the guy to lead the Canes back to the 'promised land'. In an era where recruits are playing college coaches and have all the power, Shannon is stressing that there will be no game playing a The U. You're either on board, or you're not.

Give your word and commit, or a spot might not be open for you when you're ready to make up your mind.

Another great pick up for the Canes. Kudos to Shannon for laying down the law and congrats to Reid for picking the right school. Welcome to the U family.

The 'Ring Of Honor' welcomes five more legends...

After a nine-year hiatus, the University of Miami's "Ring of Honor" just landed five more legendary Canes, bringing the grand total to 13.

The 2008 class includes RB Edgerrin James (1996-1998), QB Jim Kelly (1979-1982), DT Cortez Kennedy (1988-1989), C Jim Otto (1957-1959) and QB Gino Torretta (1989-1992).

James rushed for 1,416 yards and 17 touchdowns his junior season of '98. After a productive career with the Indianapois Colts, James has spend the past few seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.

Kelly passed for 5,228 yards as a Cane, reached four Super Bowls and four Pro Bowls with the Buffalo Bills and was inducted into the 2002 Pro Football Hall of Fame.

At The U, Kennedy played for the No. 1 defense in the nation, earned All-American status and was the MVP of the 1989 National Championship team. With the Seattle Seahawks, he made it to the 1991 Pro Bowl and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1992.

Otto was a two-year starter at Miami and was inducted to the 1980 Pro Football Hall of Fame after a 15 year career with the Oakland Raiders. Otto was a 13-time All-Pro and earned a dozen Pro Bowl berths.

Torretta captured the 1992 Heisman Trophy and passed for 7,690 yards and 47 touchdowns in his four years as a Cane. He helped lead Miami to the 1991 National Championship and undefeated season.

James, Kelly, Kennedy, Otto and Torretta joint eight other legendary Canes in the Ring of Honor.

1999's class included FB Don Bosseler (1953-1956), RB Ottis Anderson (1975-1978), QB Bernie Kosar (1982-1984) and DB Burgess Owens (1970-1972). In 1997's inaugural class, Miami inducted QB George Mira (1961-1963), HB Jim Dooley (1949-1951), DE Ted Hendricks (1966-1968) and QB Vinny Testaverde (1982-1986).

With two years between the first and second class and now nine years between the second and third class, there is no timetable for another induction. Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt did say that it will take less than nine years.

''We won't have an induction every year," said Hocutt. "But it's a process we hope to continue in the years to come."

The five newest Ring of Honor members will have their names unveiled on a banner displayed at all home games, starting November 13th in an ESPN nationally televised match up against Virginia Tech.

With so many legendary Canes, which four or five would you choose for the next Ring of Honor induction ceremony. Do note that James is the youngest Cane in this mix, having left the program in 1998. If the next ceremony is in three years, that'd make the 2001 class a logical cut off point for inductees.

A few names I'd throw in the ring - Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, Ed Reed, Michael Irvin and Russell Maryland.

Canes trounce Aggies, 41-23...

It wasn't a perfect game, but it was another step in the right direction and enough of an offensive showing to quiet the haters... at least for this week.

The Miami Hurricanes descended upon College Station and laid a 41-23 beatdown on the Texas A&M Aggies, in a game with a little bit of everything for the success-starved U-enthusiast.

The Canes are starting to look 'complete' for the first time in a long time. Quarterback. Running game. Receivers reeling in the ball and getting those coveted yards after catch. A defense that's again swarming, gang-tackling, creating turnovers and scoring. As well as a special teams that once again emphasizes speed, made up of shifty players who make the other guys miss.

Welcome "almost back", Miami. The Canes are still young, but that young talent looks scary-good. The win at aTm was another step forward for this growing team and each week this season should be an adventure. Every remaining game is winnable, if the right team shows up.

How realistic that is, we'll see as the season progresses.

Where are all the Patrick Nix haters this week? I'm sure they're saying, "it's just one game" but Florida was "just one game" and it had the critics out in full force, trashing the second-year offensive coordinator who kept it conservative against the then fifth-ranked Gators.

Against aTm, Miami passed for 239 yards and rushed for 159. Balance was the name of the game with 29 attempts in the air and 28 on the ground.

Nix mixed a little bit of everything into Saturday's game plan. Passing on first down. Deep balls thrown to talented receivers. A running game more diverse than handing off up the gut. Rolling out Robert Marve, allowing him to be a threat with his arm or his feet.

Nix also took a page out of last year's playbook against aTm, sticking with plays that worked against the Aggies defense. In 2007, it was the direct snap to the running back which proved effective. This year, it was the middle screen and short passes to speedsters like Travis Benjamin and Thearon Collier, which aTm had no answer for.

One game does not define Nix, for better or worse. This is a long season with a lot of ball to be played and new stars surfacing every week. Regarding the Aggies, Nix had the right game plan and got the right playmakers the ball at the right time. Such was the case last year and a few weeks later, Miami is on the wrong end of a 27-0 halftime deficit against North Carolina and lost six of it's final seven games.

Be patient. Let Nix do his job, let the players play and evaluate this team as a whole come December.

It didn't come until :20 left in the second quarter, but Marve finally connected on his first career touchdown - a 26-yard pass to a wide open Collier - officially kicking off the Robert Marve Era at The U.

There's a little thing in sports called the "it" factor. You either have "it" or you can't find "it" with a map. Marve has "it" in a way that some recent Miami signal callers never found "it".

Early in the second quarter, Marve showed he possesses that instinctive trait which you either have or spend your sports career searching for.

On a 1st-and-10 from the aTm 43-yard line, Marve faked the handoff to Derron Thomas and dropped back, alluding two aTm defenders and a would-be 10-yard sack. Marve scrambled right, picked up a few blocks and delivered the ball to Thomas.

The result was a six-yard pick up and 2nd-and-4 instead of 2nd-and-20; a 16-yard swing.

Four plays later, Miami faces a 3rd-and-8, with Marve finding Kayne Farquharson for a 21-yard pick up and first down. Marve hung in the pocket, took a helmet in the sternum but delivered a clutch pass to Farquharson, keeping the drive alive, resulting in a field goal and stretching the then-lead to 17-10.

This type of play hasn't been seen at Quarterback U in years and is a welcomed site. All the five-star accolades and post-season high school awards don't amount to a hill of beans if you lack "it". Marve has "it" and this program will benefit from that the next few seasons.

Some folks are saying Bill Young took a step back with his defense this week. I disagree. I saw good playcalling most of the game, but some poor execution. Fundamentals were lacking at times - simple stuff like wrapping guys up and being in the right position, instead of overpursuing.

Miami's defense was swarming and playing with a purpose. Early on when the Canes were beat, much of the time it was due to a mobile quarterback making something happen on the fly.

Jerrod Johnson may have been the talented, up and coming second stringer, but he proved much more effective than would-be sitting duck Stephen McGee. McGee lacks Johnson's wheels, which proved to be a big difference maker. The Canes got to McGee with ease last year and would've done it again with a faster, more aggressive defense this season.

Miami allowed 275 passing yards and 87 on the ground. The 362 total yards were too many for a team of aTm's caliber. Young's Canes need to tighten up a secondary that looked occasionally out of place and didn't make the big plays breaking up the passing game.

The goal for next week will be to finish off an opponent, if the opportunity is presented. Up 41-10 late in the third quarter, Miami was outscored 13-0 in the final 17 minutes of play.

A visibly frustrated Shannon let his team have it in the fourth quarter and will obviously drill his point home all week.

Who'd have expected Miami's first interception of the season to come from a defensive lineman? Eric Moncur picked off an errant Johnson pass, after a Darryl Sharpton blitz rattled the aTm quarterback. For a kid not slated to play on Saturday, Moncur logged the Canes lone interception of the season and a clutch sack on 3rd-and-7, when it was still 17-10.

Moncur dealt with a sports hernia operation this past summer, the death of his mother this past month and has been a bit nicked up since the Florida game. No better kid to wear the 'hero' cap for a bit the third game of the season...

... except for the equally-deserving Glenn Cook, another upperclassmen who deserves some kudos for his tenacity and leadership. In August 2007, Cook tore ligaments in his foot and it looked like the end of a collegiate career for the then-fifth year senior linebacker.

Cook spent all last season on the sidelines, donning some headsets and helping coaches send in plays while 'coaching' his teammates. After petitioning for a sixth year of eligibility, Cook received the good news this summer and suited up for one last season.

Up 34-10 late in the third quarter, Cook participated in the second defensive turnover of the day, batting the ball out of Johnson's hand and recovering it for a touchdown.

Cook coined the phrase 'no excuses' for this year's team, making the wristbands player have been sporting since the pre-season. He's taken some grief for not always wrapping up or making the play, but Cook is more than making up for it with leadership skills, effort and heart.

Jacory Harris saw some action, but not to the degree he saw in Gainesville two weeks ago. Shannon stated Marve would see three series at Florida, with Harris getting the next two. Such was the case and even though Marve seemed to have the hot hand, Harris wound up playing the majority of the second quarter against the Gators, but never again in the game.

What might Marve have done in that second half against UF - a game that didn't break wide open until early in the fourth? We'll never know.

Against aTm, Harris' first action came when Marve was knocked out for a few plays midway through the second quarter. Harris got the ball on the 22-yard line and went 2-of-4 for 22 yards, with Miami settling for a field goal. He ended the day 4-of-7 for 27 yards, with his last action coming in the game's waning moments.

Marve enthusiasts can finally rejoice that 'their guy' has the quarterback race locked up. While Shannon will continue to give Harris some playing time during the game, it seems Canes coaches know who their starter is and who is the capable back up.

Look no further than Marve re-entering the second quarter with just over a minute to play and leading the Canes on a 41-yard touchdown drive in less than a minute; 3-for-3 and flawless.

Next up, a season-changing game for Miami. Charleston Southern was a pushover, Miami was too green at Florida and Texas A&M is proving to be on the decline, while a visiting North Carolina team looks to be on the rise.

The Canes found themselves down 27-0 at the half of last year's October showdown in Chapel Hill, en route to a 33-27 loss. Miam had a defensive collapse in the first half and a tremendous second half offensive effort which almost proved good enough for the comeback.

North Carolina struts into Dolphin Stadium, like Miami, as an improved bunch. After hanging on against McNeese State, UNC upset Rutgers, 44-12 last week and dropped a heartbreaker against Virginia Tech this past weekend, 20-17.

This week's game in Miami will be the homecoming of former Canes coach, Butch Davis - who not only spurned the Canes in early 2001, but also took some heat for negative recruiting tactics this past season.

It's cliche to use the term "statement game" as every game this year holds so much meaning, but there's a lot on the line against the Tar Heels this weekend. Bragging rites. Revenge. ACC Coastal Division standings.

Quarterback T.J. Yates is questionable, which might have r-freshman Mike Paulus behind center against Young's tenacious D. A huge advantage for an up and coming Canes team if this is the case.

Last year, the teacher bested the pupil. This time around, Shannon and staff have homefield advantage, a better defensive coordinator, stronger quarterback play than a year ago, as well as a mindset that should prevent the type of letdown seen last year in Chapel Hill.

More on game four as this week progresses.

One last parting though... there's a lot of focus on the polls and the fact that Miami remained unranked, while Florida State snuck into the top 25 after starting the season 2-0.

Who. Freakin. Cares. It's late September, polls don't matter and as we saw Saturday night, things have a way of working themselves out.

Sporting faux confidence after punking Western Carolina (69-0) and Chatanooga (46-7), Florida State got their first test of the season against a Wake Forest team that's beat them two in a row - including a 30-0 skunking at Tallahassee in 2006.

Prior to the game, newbie QB Christian Ponder ran his mouth a bit.

"I've got to say we're not going to lose this game. It's going to be tough. I think everybody is going to be prepared and everyone is going to be excited, so I think it's going to be tough for us to lose this game. I'm not guaranteeing anything, but ... I think we're going to make a statement", said Ponder.

Statement made, big guy. Florida State's in trouble.

After fooling the voters with a 155-7 scoring output games one and two, the Noles faceplanted on the main stage Saturday night in a turnover-marred 12-3 loss to the Demon Deacons - a game nowhere near as close as the final score.

For all the woofing Ponder did, he went 6-of-18 for 52 yards and three interceptions. Back up D'Vontrey Richardson put together a similar 6-of-18 campaign for 66 yards and two picks.

The Noles might get more media love for Bobby's sake, but at day's end the proof is in the results. Miami is on the rise, while Florida State's tailspin continues. Bowden has no control of his squad, fails to develop talent, hasn't had a legit quarterback since 2000 and the immediate future looks clouded for the once-proud program.

For the sake of the rivalry, Florida State remains a dangerous game for Miami - but after watching both teams this past weekend, it's very obvious the opposite directions these two programs are headed.

Let the Noles get the kudos early on. The Canes will get theirs when and where it counts.

Miami/Texas A&M Highlights...

Miami/Texas A&M recap coming Sunday night. For now, check out highlights from the 41-23 beat down in College Station as put together by our main man RustyUM98.

Click here and click on 'watch in high quality' for a better version of the highlight reel.

Miami @ Texas A&M - Random Thoughts

The Miami Hurricanes are gearing up for one of those season-turning games... again. Seems that's been the case often the past few seasons. How does The U respond after an early season loss? Will prosperity turn the tide, again? Miami upended Texas A&M, 34-17 last season before a life-less win against Duke, followed by an embarrassing road loss at North Carolina.

Does this team have the grit to build on a semi-close game at Florida? How will 1-2 impact their mindset going into ACC play starting next Saturday should the Canes lose to the Aggies? More importantly, where are Jermaine McKenzie and Arthur Brown?


Miami heads to College Station after a bye in the third week of the season. Fundamentals were the name of the game on the practice field. Special teams. Getting on receivers to reel in catchable balls.

Per Randy Shannon today, the Canes are focusing on upwards of seven receivers - as opposed to nine who caught balls against Charleston Southern and ten who saw playing time at Florida. With two games under their belts and both quarterbacks having started a game, it's time to develop a rhythm and determine who the playmakers are versus who should redshirt.


This week's depth chart has been released and there are two new faces starting at receiver - true freshman Aldarius Johnson and oft-troubled junior Sam Shields. They're backed up by LaRon Byrd/Leonard Hankerson (second string) and Khalil Jones/Travis Benjamin (third string). That six pack of wideouts leaves room for one more TBD. Will one of the smaller slot receivers make his presence felt (Davon Johnson or Thearon Collier) - or is this where McKenzie finally cracks the line up?


Speaking of McKenzie and his lack of playing time, Shannon cleared things up today, citing a sprained MCL as the reason #15 hasn't seen the field. McKenzie is 100% healthy, so we'll see if that equates to any playing time Saturday afternoon. Regardless, it sounds like those transfer rumors were nothing more than message board yahoos fanning some flames.

Brown is the other youngster fans are clamoring for. The LB out of Wichita, KS has seen some small special teams duty but no big game action, supposedly due to an ankle injury. Speculation is that Brown is still struggling to learn the playbook, but will see an increased special teams role starting this weekend.


A youth movement is taking place on special teams, with new blood on the return teams. Brandon Harris and Travis Benjamin will handle kickoff duty, while Collier has been named this week's punt returner. The man they call "Pimp" is replacing Graig Cooper, who will have his hands full at running back with Javarris James sidelined for at least another 1-3 weeks.

Three true freshman will be responsible for the Canes field position against Texas A&M. Here's hoping for some breakout performances...


Regarding Cooper, expect a heavy dose of the sophomore tailback this weekend as the Aggies are ranked 113th in the nation defending the run. Surprisingly enough, aTm is 24th against the pass - which means the passing game's handcuffs could remain tight for at least another week.


Robert Marve and Jacory Harris will most likely air it out a bit more than at The Swamp, but expect a plethora of carries for Coop and Derron Thomas. Miami has to establish the run and attempt to wear down the hometown Aggies.

Shannon stated earlier that Marve will continue as starter, but that Harris will see playing time in both halves. While I usually support Shannon, I'm against these 'absolute' type statements.

The talk before Florida was Marve getting three series and Harris getting two. Proving true to his word, that's exactly how Shannon had things play out. Unfortunately, drawing that line in the dirt doesn't allow you to go with the 'hot hand' for the sake of being a man of one's word.

Harris deserved playing time at Florida, but yanking Marve early in the second quarter of a 7-3 ball game had some scratching their head. Especially with Marve seeming to find a groove.

There is no quarterback controversy at The U, with Marve your #1 guy... but there's a difference between getting your #2 guy some playing time and predetermining where you'll insert him into the game. Marve needs snaps and deserves to run this offense without looking over his shoulder.

At some point, Harris needs to be part of special packages and relegated for 'mop up' duty. Curious to see how this week plays out. Will the quarterback situation bring more unity or confusion?


Huge game for Miami this weekend. Make no mistake of the fact that Texas A&M stumbled out the gate. Kyle Field is a difficult venue and the Canes are a high profile team that will get the aTm crowd rowdy and ready to go. The Aggies haven't forgotten last year's embarrassing, nationally televised beat down where Miami led 24-0 at the half.

Another wrinkle is the status of Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee. Injured for the first time since fourth grade, McGee has been dealing with a separated throwing shoulder two weeks ago. Miami owned McGee last September, holding him to 109 yards and 1 INT on an 11-for-20 evening.

McGee's back up is sophomore Jerrod Johnson and usually sees the field as a receiver. He threw for three touchdowns in the 28-22 win over New Mexico on September 6th. Doing that against a speedy Canes defense is a completely different feat.

How does Miami react to a possible changing of the guard? This is a shot for Bill Young to again bring an aggressive defense and rattle either a newbie quarterback or a gimpy one. Make aTm one dimensional and force the turnovers that didn't come at Florida two weeks ago.


This week's parting thought... Patrick Nix. The second-year offensive coordinator is Public Enemy #1 for a percentage of Miami's fan base. What they're saying?

The reigns were too tight on Marve and Harris at Florida. Harris is 'smarter' than Nix, as he had the wherewithal to audible from the 1-yard line, finding Kayne Farquharson for a 12-yard catch late in the second quarter against the Gators.

They're also saying Michael Irvin was right in his assessment of Nix, telling Shannon not to hire him as his complicate scheme required receivers to read the defense and know where defenders were, impacting their route running - which is now the reason young receiver aren't catching on immediately.

My take? It's too early to tell and Nix deserves time to prove the doubters wrong. Whether he can do that or proves everything above to be correct, time will tell. Regardless, you don't judge the man based on two games - one against Charleston Southern and the other at #5 Florida, both with first-time, brand new quarterbacks.

Everyone wanted a more aggressive attack against the Gators, but the game plan was to slow down the pace of the game and keep it close. Going three-and-out and giving Florida the ball back would've made a 26-3 final closer to 40-3. Miami couldn't afford a blowout and the closer score will pay dividends on Signing Day next February, though that means little right now.

Has Nix made some mistakes? Absolutely. But the first two games of 2008 aren't indicative of the season. Miami faces no one of Charleston Southern or Florida's capacity down the stretch. Marve and Harris will only be newbies for so long.

John Lennon wanted you to give peace a chance. I say give Nix one... for now. Let's see how he responds against aTm and then three straight home games against North Carolina, Florida State and Central Florida.

Marve and Harris will grow every snap they play, as will Nix. He's heard the negative criticism. Let's see how he responds. Should he continue to falter, I'll help the haters lead the charge at season's end. For now, ride it out.

No one is getting fired mid-season, so let's can all the "let's hire (insert name) as our OC" chatter we've been hearing. An NFL head coach on the chopping block isn't going to go from top dog to college OC at a private school not know for paying big money. Especially when that head coach is still has a job in Oakland.

Miami v. Nebraska - rivalry renewed

The Miami Hurricanes and Nebraska Cornhuskers have officially inked a deal for a home-and-home series, taking place in 2014 and 2015.

The teams last met in the regular season in 1976, but have been bowl foes five times between 1983 and 1991. The Canes won three national championships, beating the Huskers in the postseason in 1983, 1991 and 2001.

Nebraska beat Miami in the 1995 Orange Bowl for their first title since 1971.

The Canes will travel to Huskerland on September 20th, 2014 with a return trip to Dolphin Stadium on September 12th 2015.

Kudos to University of Miami athletic director Kirby Hocutt for inking this deal. Upon taking the job, Hocutt talked about high profile out of conference games being a priority, as always at The U.

Miami/Nebraska is just another big-time, high profile, out of conference match up for the Canes. Some others that will take place in the coming years:

Miami/Oklahoma - 2009 (return game from 2007)
Miami/Ohio State - 2010 & 2011
Miami/South Florida - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013
Miami/Central Florida - 2008 & 2009
Miami/Kansas State - 2011 & 2012
Miami/Cincinnati - 2012
Miami/Florida - 2013 (return game from 2008)

Hocutt has also thrown it out there that Miami would like to schedule a home-and-home with Notre Dame, but nothing from the Irish on that one yet.

Running it up... a Cane's take

I swear to God, I was done with this topic. The game was 72 hours ago. The matter at hand was discussed, both sides spoke their mind and it seemed like a done deal.

'Til Tuesday when Pat Dooley and Israel Gutierrez decided to chime in on a subject discussed ad nauseam on Sunday and Monday.

Dooley's article, "UM's Shannon should watch game tape" and Gutierrez's piece, "Shannon's rant unnecessary" both ran this morning and had Gators abroad forwarding both articles as if they were gospel.

For those who missed it, the No. 5 Florida Gators beat the Miami Hurricanes, 26-3 on Saturday night. UM hung tough, fell late and UF pulled away after a few questionable calls went their way.

The point of contention; a late field goal by Florida with :25 left on the clock, a half-hearted handshake from Randy Shannon when he met Urban Meyer midfield and Shannon's anti-Gator rant Sunday morning when the dust had settled.

Dooley and Gutierrez put together different, yet similar anti-Shannon/pro-Meyer articles, which caused dissent among Canes enthusiasts and unity amongst Gators.

"You see, even these writers are calling Shannon a whiner. Florida was in the right!"

If the two were unbiased parties, I'd have let it slide. Such isn't the case. Dooley is a long-time beat writer for the Gainesville Sun, while Gutierrez writes for the Miami Herald, yet sports a journalism degree from the University of Florida. Gator fans nationwide have been forwarding these articles around as their form of "proof" that Meyer did the right thing.

There might've been some valid points in all their drivel, but both media men left out key details and missed Shannon's point, prompting this Cane's rebuttal.

Dooley wants Shannon to 'get a grip' and encouraged readers to fire a block of cheese to the Miami skipper, so he'd have something to go with his "whine".

Shannon is taking grief for a post game presser where he made the statement, "Sometimes when you do things and people see what kind of person you really are, you turn a lot of people off. Take from that what you want. (The field goal) helped us more than you will ever know."

Meyer explains his final shot at three, stating that he wanted his young kicker to get game experience before Florida headed to Knoxville after this week's bye.

Ahh, yes. Nothing like a meaningless kick up 20, in front of your home crowd with :25 on the game clock to get your guy ready for a meaningful kick in front of over 100K at Neyland.

For the record, I don't have an issue with tacking on three extra points if you think it'll help you in the polls. Welcome to big time college football and top five rankings. Bring it on.

My problem lies in keeping your Heisman winning quarterback, Heisman candidate receiver and entire first string offense in the game after getting the ball back with 1:56 remaining and trying to fire one in the end zone on 2nd and 1, trying to make it 30-3.

Try that stunt against an SEC foe or a coach with less class and Florida will watch Mr. Heisman leave the game on a stretcher. Some coaches are classless enough to consider it 'open season' for their defense, regarding a starting quarterback left in the game with under 120 seconds and hucking it towards the end zone while sitting on an almost-three touchdown lead.

What's more important, keeping Tebow healthy or trying to dupe voters into thinking 23-3 was really 26-3 or 30-3? It's all moot if your star player gets hurt.

Florida took over possession from the Miami 16-yard line with 1:56 remaining and attempted two passes before a 3rd and 1 run went for a four-yard loss. If it was all about the field goal, run three times and kick on 4th down.

A week ago, Miami is up 45-3 with 6:25 remaining, a third-string quarterback and fourth-string running back are in the game and the Canes are pounding the rock. Five of the six plays were on the ground and the other, a two-yard pass. One rush went for 31 yards and from the one-yard line with 2:33 remaining, Miami punched it in with it's fifth rush of the drive.

Pull the first string when you have a big lead and let your second string try to run your first team offense. Put your Heisman trophy winner back in the box and play with another toy.

The win was in the bag. Insert the second string team, rest your star players and run your second and third teamers, with the intent of scoring.

It's called Sportsmanship:101, though neither orange or blue writer sold it that way, going as far to say Shannon ran up the score in week one.

Dooley twisted those facts and some others, using them to fit his Gator agenda; most notably playing the 'age' card. All the talk was about Miami's youth, but this Gainesville Sun reporter used his crack skills (i.e. - opened a media guide) and pointed out that the Canes were actually the younger team.

True, Miami started 13 seniors and juniors to Florida's 12 sophomore starters. The Canes had four seniors on defense and eight total senior starters, while the Gators sport no defensive starters.

The U was younger, on paper, but green where it mattered most - at quarterback and wideout.

Tim Tebow is year three into Meyer's offense and working on timing with wideouts. Three years ago, Robert Marve is in 11th grade, balling at Plant high. This year's freshman receivers were playing 10th grade ball when Percy Harvin stepped on campus as a freshman and started to dazzle.

While both defenses came to play, you can't trivialize the impact Heisman-winning upperclassmen will have on an offense, compared to a r-freshman taking his first ever snaps behind center.

No comparison, Pat.

Another Dooley cheap shot came when he boasted that Shannon should "know the rules" before he complained about Carl Moore's overturned catch.

Shannon argued that if you're body is out of bounds, you're out of bounds. He also mentioned getting both feet inbounds, which is incorrect in the college game (only one foot is necessary.)

As for knowing the rules, Dooley might want to do a little homework of his own.

According to the NCAA rules on "Catch, Interception, Recovery", Article 7 - section 2 states, "Loss of ball simultaneous to returning to the ground is not a catch, interception or recovery."

Moore left the ground for a the ball and while his elbow might or might not have landed in bounds, he obviously lost the ball 'simultaneous to returning to the ground.' It was a no-catch and the call on the field stands if anyone other than SEC officials are working that game.

Both Dooley and Gutierrez chastised Shannon for his Sunday morning rant, after sleeping on it and still feeling the same way - yet both writers did the exact same, penning their pieces for Tuesday's edition and continuing to beat a dead horse. Oh, the hypocrisy.

Miami and Florida will continue to see this situation with their own brand of tunnel-vision. There is no gray area when you're on the winning side versus the losing one. We can agree on that much.

But it seems Gator faithful - and their sportswriters - are missing the key component. The three points aren't the point of contention. It was the 'pour it on' mentality with a Heisman-winning quarterback going for six and throwing twice on that final drive, instead of inserting that second-string, attempting to run the ball and settling for three.

Meyer can rant and rave all day about helping his kicker, but running the ball late might've been a more prudent choice being that UF's three tailbacks rushed nine times for a total of seven yards. The running game needed more of a tune up than a kicker who already drilled three extra points on the night.

Curious to see how the football gods let this one play out. Oh the irony if Florida misses an important kick at Tennessee next week, or somewhere down the road this season.

ABC picks up Miami at Texas A&M on 9/20

While Texas A&M has gotten off to a slow start - falling 18-14 in the season opener versus Arkansas State and struggling against New Mexico State, pulling out the 28-22 win - ABC Sports still wants Canes vs. Aggies in their prime time line up next weekend.

The Miami Hurricanes fell 26-3 at No. 5 Florida last Saturday, but out of the loss came the message that The U is not as far off as some had predicted.

For over three quarters, the Canes were in the Gators' face, holding it to 9-3 the majority of the contest and proving that defense is still the name of the game for Miami. Even with a Heisman winner and two Heisman candidates running Florida's offense.

Miami/Texas A&M is either slated for 3:30pm ET or 8:00pm ET, depending on how this weekend's games play out. Both the Canes and Aggies have byes this Saturday.

The media's take the morning after...

Miami fell at No. 5 Florida on Saturday night, but even though the Canes came up on the short end regarding the score, last night's game was a victory regarding the perception of The U this morning. Check out what some in the media are saying about UM today:


• In an article titled, "Feel The Breeze: Is The Hurricanes Swagger Returning?" CBS Sportsline's Dennis Dodd said the following:

These Hurricanes were back enough to scare the bourbon out of Urban lovers right in The Swamp for more than three quarters. For most of the night. Superman wasn't wearing Tim Tebow pajamas. The Florida quarterback was wearing Miami defenders. His counterpart, Robert Marve, showed how good he will be if his receivers stop dropping passes. That's a heck of a start for a program trying to live down its worst season in 30 years. Miami lost the game 26-3 to No. 5 Florida, but gained a backbone....

This was a statement game. The statement: We still matter. The last time the Hurricanes had two freshman quarterbacks in the two deep was 25 years ago. Their names were Bernie Kosar and Vinny Testaverde. This time they're Marve and Jacory Harris. That Miami team also lost at Florida by the eerily similar score of 28-3.

Those Hurricanes in '83 never lost again. This one is looking to have its self-esteem boosted. When you're coach Randy Shannon and you've got 14 freshmen in the two-deep, you've got to walk a fine line between the disappointment of getting beat by 23 by an in-state rival and the reality of knowing it wasn't that bad. Even better, there was progress...

For one night, Miami backed away from that precipice, with mediocrity waiting over the cliff. Nebraska, for one, has fallen in. Michigan is teetering but, like Miami, has hope with a new coach. USC climbed out when they hired Pete Carroll. Is Shannon the South Florida version? Way too early to tell. In fact, that's still one of the biggest questions: Can Shannon coach?...

Saturday proved that at least Miami is closer to wearing fatigues again than being fatigued. They might even live up to their promise in the moribund ACC...


• ESPN's Ivan Maisel's take on the game:

In the cold print of the history book, Florida's 26-3 defeat of Miami on Saturday night will look like a blowout. It will say that junior quarterback Tim Tebow completed 21 of 35 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns, and added 55 yards on 13 rushes. Ho-hum.

But ask any of the 90,833 people at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the largest crowd in Gators history, and the honest answer will describe the tension that kept this game taut for more than three quarters...

The Miami defense played well enough to win plenty of games. When the offense catches up, the Hurricanes will reassert themselves not only in the ACC but also nationally. The final score notwithstanding, Florida is fortunate to have played Miami in the second week of the season...


• Matt Hayes from the Sporting News had this to say about the Canes:

A new ACC contender: Once Miami gets more comfortable on offense -- and once the staff allows quarterback Robert Marve to throw downfield more often -- the Hurricanes could develop into the ACC's best team.

Let's face it -- the ACC has issues. Heavyweight Clemson was embarrassed by Alabama. Conference favorite Wake Forest needed a horrendous pass interference call to beat Ole Miss.

Miami clearly has the conference's deepest pool of defensive talent. Don't be deceived by Florida's 26 points; defense will keep the 'Canes in every game. The question: How quickly will the offense develop...

Bill Young can flat-out coach. One of the game's longtime successful defensive coordinators, Young left Kansas to join Miami this fall because -- ready for this? -- he wanted to live in the sun and fun that is Coral Gables and eventually retire in South Florida.

Working with fast, dynamic athletes isn't a bad reason, either.

Kansas was fourth in the nation in scoring defense last season, and this Miami defense will be among the best in the nation by season's end. The 'Canes can rush the passer and cover in the secondary in man matchups with cornerbacks Bruce Johnson, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chavez Grant.

And forget about running against this group; they're too fast laterally at linebacker and within the front four.


• Terry Bowden from Yahoo! Sports chimed in with:

Florida beat Miami 26-3 and showed again why it is a legitimate contender for the SEC and national titles.

But it was the Hurricanes who made the biggest impression on me. No team I have seen this season looks to have made more improvement from last season than Miami.

UM gave the Gators all they could handle for three quarters. The 'Canes showed a level of talent, speed and effort that more closely resembled the championship teams of old than the one that I watched at the end of last season. Miami still must find a way to get more big plays out of its running backs and wide receivers, but if you ask me, the 'Canes are a lot closer to being back than a lot of people think.

Miami hangs tough with Florida...

Miami versus Florida wasn't a football game - it was a title bout.

In one corner, the 'champ' - a seasoned veteran, a heavy favorite and the hometown crowd behind him. In the other, a feisty up-and-comer given little shot for the upset, but amped up after being disrespected and counted out.

Early on, the underdog took everything the champ could throw his way and kept fighting back. For nine of the twelve rounds, it was almost evenly matched. The champ won a few rounds, but so did the underdog, absorbing blows and delivering enough of his own to strike fear in the favorite.

For a while, it looked like the newbie actually had a shot at dethroning the champ. The capacity crowd spent most of the evening in stunned silence, worried that the unexpected might soon become a harsh reality.

In the end, the champ used his experience and maturity to get out of the hole he found himself in and put away the underdog in the final rounds, even delivering one last cheap shot after the final bell, frustrated that it took over three-quarters of the evening to flex his muscle.

Miami may have walked out of Florida with a loss, but if there's any such thing as a moral victory, this may have been it. Nationally, some folks will see 26-3 and assume the Gators blew the Canes out. If that's the case, they didn't watch the first three quarters of action. The Canes said they were coming to play and that they did.

Leading up to game day, Florida faithful were talking 'blowout'. The Gators were going to hang half a century on the Canes defense. Tim Tebow would own Miami. Florida's defense would punch Robert Marve in the mouth all night and snap the first-time starter like a twig.

Then the game started and both sides came out swinging, proving that talk is cheap.

Miami proved for the majority of the evening they could hang with the No. 5 team in the land, rattle a Heisman-winning quarterback and leave the largest crowd in the history of The Swamp (90,833) in stunned silence for over three quarters.

The "most hostile environment in college football" was a monastery until early in the fourth quarter, with Urban Meyer looking like a confused, rattled monk on the sideline. Maybe that's why the frustrated, arrogant Gators coach decided to tack on a final field goal with :25 remaining in the game. One last attempt to 'pour it on' since his team was unable to do so the majority of the contest.

With 1:56 on the clock and a 23-3 lead, Meyer had Tebow passing on first and second down, ran on third down and with an opportunity to run out the clock, instead sent his field goal unit on for a 'run their nose in it' final score (much to the chagrin of gamblers nationwide who took Miami plus the points.)

The classless move, typical and what the sports nation has come to expect of the Gators - prompted a half-hearted midfield handshake out of Randy Shannon at game's end.

The score may have read 26-3, but those who watched all sixty minutes know that two special teams blunders by Miami and two questionable calls accounted for 16 of Florida's 26 points.

After the initial three-and-out, Matt Bosher sailed his first punt 14 yards, setting Florida up at the Miami 35-yard line. Five plays and a miracle grab later, it was 7-0, Gators. Bosher kicked and punted out of his mind the rest of the evening, nailing a 50-yard field goal, setting up good field position and twice leveled Florida returners.

With the score 7-3 late in the second, a Florida punt pinned Miami at the 1-yard line. Seven plays later, faced with a 3rd and 14, the young Canes suffered their first meltdown of the evening in the form of a personal foul on Orlando Franklin. Punting from the end zone on 4th and 24, Bosher's punt was blocked and the ball was pushed out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

The third quarter proved scoreless for both teams. The defensive battle ensued.

Miami stayed the course, chewing up over seven minutes of game clock with two drives. The Canes succeeded in keeping the Gators potent offense on the bench, yet failed when it came time to punctuate their offensive drives with scores.

Late in the third, Florida got their third gift of the night, this time in the form of an all SEC officiating crew who reversed a questionable call.

On a 3rd and 9 from the Miami 33, Tebow threw a strike to Carl Moore. Miami's Randy Phillips got underneath Moore, appearing to drive him out of bounds, where the ball popped loose as soon as he hit the ground.

The play, called incomplete on the field, was reviewed and eventually reversed, stating that Moore's elbow hit inbounds.

Maybe it did, maybe it didn't - but no crew in the nation other than some SEC homers are overturning the call on the field. The 'conclusive evidence' was only conclusive to a handful of officials who announced the reversal of the call with a full-on southern twang.

The Canes held steadfast, forcing Tebow into an incomplete and stuffing Brandon Moore for a one-yard run. On a 3rd and goal from the five, Phillips was again the victim of a semi-questionable call, getting hit for pass interference on Percy Harvin on what looked like a bang-bang play. With the way the SEC crew called the game, hardly a shock Miami got hit with another there.

With a 1st and goal from the two-yard line, Miami stuffed Mr. Heisman twice en route to the end zone but buckled on third down, giving up the two-yard score to Harvin - a play in which Miami's Chavez Grant was held, yet the all-SEC zebras again let one slide.

Even with a fairly officiated game, Miami most likely still loses - but a shame that the officials were so blatantly biased with some calls and non-calls.

16-3 with 5:50 left to play, Florida's gift touchdown proved to be the straw that broke Miami's back. The final minutes of the game played out the way the masses expected the previous 54:10 to. The Gators defense penetrated a tired Canes' offensive line, sacking Marve while the potent offense tacked on 10 more points in consecutive drives, while Tebow and crew stepped up their game and put together an impressive scoring drive.

Florida got the lucky breaks, capitalized and did what good teams do, putting the underdog away late. But Miami's effort for over 54 minutes of play - there's your real story. The Gators did what was expected, but the Canes on some level shocked the world, proving they could hold No. 5 in check.

Some positives? How about Miami's gem of a defensive coordinator in Bill Young? The Canes though Shannon was a guru, calling the defensive shots the better part of this decade, but Young proved he was a true mastermind. Close up shots of both Tebow and Meyer showed the nation their frustration all night. New looks were brought every series and confusion was the name of the game.

Based on last night, you have to believe the Canes defense is going to run roughshot all over ACC offenses this season. Young proved he's the real deal and that sound you heard was a collective, "oh s**t" from offensive coordinators conference-wide.

Offensively, Marve looks like he's a great one in the making. In his first-ever collegiate action he strutted into the Swamp, flexed his muscle and never once flinched or backed down.

Unfortunately, Marve's receivers didn't always help him out, his highly-lauded offensive line looked porous at times and the rushing attack that needed to play difference-maker was only good for 61 yards. Miami's ground game better improve as the season rolls on and the wideouts need to haul in more passes to help out their rookie QB.

The 'Fire Patrick Nix' posts are already sprouting up in cyberspace, with armchair quarterbacks chastising Miami's signal caller. While all that talk might be premature, Nix is definitely guilty of calling a conservative game and will need to open things as the season progresses. In his defense, this was Marve's first game in a hostile environment and keeping it close to the vest offensively was the best way to chew up clock time.

Nix has the rest of 2008 to get this offense rolling. If not, he needs to look no further than former defensive coordinator Tim Walton to see what happens if a playcaller isn't cutting the mustard. Nix got a mulligan for last year, due to damaged goods at quarterback and a lack of playmakers. That excuse won't hold water in 2008. These kids may be young, but the talent is there to complete. Show some cojones, Patrick.

While Miami's defense played stout and was in Florida's face, there were no defensive turnovers to help a green offense. Just once, it'd have been nice to see the Canes offense with a short field and a chance to build up some confidence.

The Canes are 1-1 and head into a bye week before heading to Texas for an out of conference road game at Texas A&M and then conference play will be underway. While a win at Florida would've been great for bragging rites, it means nothing in regards to the ACC and trying to get to Tampa.

Miami needs to crawl before they walk and yesterday was a big step forward. The Canes proved they could hang with the Gators and that all this talk of The U's demise has been grossly overrated.

Florida didn't pour it on and expose a huge talent gap between the two programs, even though Meyer inherited a better team than Shannon and has been building depth, hauling in four solid recruiting classes at UF. Shannon saved the 2007 class, but 2008 was his first year of recruiting his own talent and reeled in what ESPN thought was the best class in the land.

Let's see where the Canes are at after Shannon repeats the feat and has as much time to stockpile as Meyer has.

If anything, Miami showed that with a few more players and a little more experience, the Canes should be back on the Gators' heels as quickly as next season.

Until then, it's all about 2008 and getting better every week. After seeing the effort and potential last night, an ACC title game berth is certainly within reach, if Miami can play with the heart they showed against No. 5 in a hostile environment.

Miami vs. Florida - The Preview...

"Everybody's got a game plan.... 'til they get hit." - Mike Tyson


Miami and Florida. The oldest Sunshine State rivalry, though the teams haven't met consistently since the late 1980s.

With all the time apart, absence hardly made the heart grow fonder. If anything, the bitterness between the two programs is as strong as ever, making Saturday's contest in The Swamp as potent a match up as you're going to find this season.

The Gators are fifth-ranked in the land, two years removed from a national championship, sport a Heisman-winning quarterback behind center and have taken over as big dog in state.

The Canes? A powerhouse the earlier part of this decade, crippled by a lame-duck head coach incapable of maintaining the expected level of dominance and now turning its eyes towards a first-time head coach who is as Miami as they come - born and raised, earned his "U" as a player and later as a top-notch defensive coordinator.

There's also the three national championship rings, all from Miami. One more than Florida's program has in over a hundred years of football.

The series stands at 28-25 in the Canes' favor, but it isn't as close as the all-time record might indicate. Florida spent the first two thirds of the rivalry beating up on a lesser Miami program. The big-time state power with the big-time booster money and state funding loved pounding on little brother over the years.

From 1938 to 1977, Florida owned the rivalry with a 22-17 advantage - having won seven straight between '71 and '77. Later in the decade, little brother learned how to fight back and turned the tables to the point where big brother cried 'uncle' in 1987, wanting out of the rivalry.

Over the past three decades, it's been virtually all Canes, with an 11-3 advantage for Miami - including six straight since 1985. Florida has had their chances, but either took a beating or found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The Canes have proven to be the Gators' kryptonite over the years, giving Miami fans a reason to at least believe this weekend, despite Vegas calling for a three-touchdown blowout.

Florida players have chosen to ignore history this week, looking no further than Miami's 5-7 skid in 2007. Though the Gator stumbled four times last year, their players and fan base feel invincible and unbeatable with an 'in repair' bunch of Canes headed north this weekend.

Winning isn't enough for Florida. This one has officially gotten personal. Certain nameless Gators are talking about a beatdown of epic proportions and running up the score, as well as feeling UF is "The U" instead of their brethren down south, who sports a richer football history, three more rings and a 23-year win streak.

Unfortunately, this off-season and every day leading up to the season opener has been nothing more than trash-talk from fans on both sides and players at the big state power. The drivel has even found it's way into the 'Comments' section of this blog, growing more tired and cliche everytime one poster tries to one-up the next. I too am guilty of getting caught up in this web of nonsense, but that stops today.

Let's get down to brass tacks here. Enough of the pointless smack. Save the name-calling for the playground. Quit playing the 'attendance' card, regarding a fanatical fan base in a college town versus a sometimes bandwagon bunch in the big city. This is about Miami vs. Florida and what will take place on the field Saturday night.

Anyone in Gainesville who thinks Miami isn't coming to play is sorely mistaken and anyone who feels 5-7 isn't reversible hasn't been paying attention.

The Canes bottomed out last year. That is fact. Randy Shannon had a big time mess to clean up and things needed to regress before progress was made. A few poor coaching hires, rookie mistakes and player personnel lacking some heart and talent caused Miami to fall apart. Six straight losses down the stretch and too many players hanging their heads in shame, past that point of no return.

Anyone who watched Miami last year knows the Canes weren't as bad as their paltry record. Between a horrid showing at quarterback and a poorly run defense, courtesy of a since-fired coordinator, UM gave away some winnable games that should've been the difference between 5-7 and 8-4.

It wasn't, Miami tanked and history was made, in the form of the Canes worst record since 1977.

Since then, a lot has changed. Bill Young was brought in to revamp a defense in need of a serious overhaul. Young brought decades of experience to Coral Gables and has been game-planning for this tussle with Florida since setting foot on campus.

Player personnel has also changed, for the better. While Miami may be inexperienced at quarterback, the sky's the limit. Florida may have a Heisman-winner and Mr. Florida Football 2006 on their roster, but Miami has Mr. Florida Football 2007 starting this Saturday and Mr. 2008 waiting in the wings as a second-stringer. It's addition by subtraction, trading two inexperienced freshman for two beaten down and incapable seniors.

Miami's freshman class may be green, but this top-flight bunch can flat out play and might possess just enough inexperience to not realize they're supposed to lose.

This isn't Miami and Oklahoma in week two of last season. This is Miami at Florida. There's much more familiarity involved. These are kids playing for state pride and grew up going toe-to-toe with the guys on the other side of the ball. Gainesville isn't some great unknown. For many Canes, it's the other place they almost signed with back in February, as both programs chase the same coveted recruits.

It may be No. 5 against some unranked foe to the rest of the sports world, but not to Miami - a program who knows how badly they need this win to make a dent on the national radar for the first time since 2006. An overconfident Florida better realize that their opponent is headed north with optimism and an agenda.

Should Florida win? Absolutely. Should they roll? Based on their ranking, maybe. No. 5 in the land against an unranked. A Heisman-winner at quarterback, while Miami's guy has never taken a snap. The last six times the Canes and Gators went toe-to-toe, The U was the higher ranked team. The last time both teams weren't ranked; 1985 - when then No. 5 Florida beat unranked Miami, 35-23 in the Orange Bowl.

State pride alone won't win this football game. Miami must play a near-perfect game to have a shot against mighty Florida. They need to take a page from Auburn's playbook last year, holding the Gators to just over 300 yards and 17 points, while holding the time of possession advantage.

Robert Marve doesn't have to play with a Heisman trophy in his back pocket, but he can't play like a true freshman either. Miami's running back tandem of Javarris James and Graig Cooper need to help with ball control and force Florida to respect the run. Of course that's only possible if the Canes' offensive line steps up to the challenge, opening holes against the Gators' defensive line.

Defensively, what does Young have up his sleeve? Can the gritty 62-year old veteran outsmart Dan Mullen, like few others have? Or do the Gators roll like the well-oiled offensive machine they've proved the can be on numerous occasions in the Tim Tebow era?

I don't know... and neither do any other Gators, Canes or so-called experts.

How many know-it-alls had Clemson rolling Alabama last week, behind the nation's best duo of running backs? Who had Fresno State waltzing into New Jersey and beating down a good Rutgers team? Utah in the Big House, embarrassing Michigan in another season opener? East Carolina taking a page out of Virginia Tech's book, beating Beamer Ball at their own game?

There's a reason these kids line up to play the game, instead of letting fans predict outcomes. All this talk of blowouts, beatdowns, lessons in humility - it's premature and immature.

Florida deserves their ranking and to be favored, but that's about it. After six straight wins and a history of winning big football games, Miami at least deserves an ounce of respect going into Saturday, yet UF refuses to give it and continues disrespecting The U.

This ain't the Canes first rodeo. Big games get the juices flowing and this isn't last year's 5-7 bunch.

The logical pick here is Florida. I know that and if I were a member of the mainstream media, I'd see something along the lines of a big time Gators' victory. Miami would play their asses off, but simply not have enough in the tank to compete with a deeper and more experienced Florida squad.

But I'm not mainstream. I'm a supporter of all things The U and I've seen this rivalry played out many times in my 34 years on this planet. I've learned that you should expect the unexpected. When you think a game is a 'gimmie', that's rarely the case. When you certain it's in the bag, something happens and things change on a dime.

I'm not bold enough to call for the Miami upset... but I also refuse to gift wrap this one with an orange and blue ribbon, just giving it to Florida.

I hesitate to call this one, as the head tells me one thing and the heart says another. My logical, side says 31-17, Gators. But as a lifelong Cane who feels this team is on the verge, an epic battle and 27-24 Miami win wouldn't shock me either.

Here's to an epic battle Saturday eve.


(Note: Regarding your comments below, keep them to football, the rivalry and don't act like a bunch of idiots -- Canes and Gators alike. Run your mouth like a moron and your posts will be deleted. It's usually an open forum here, but I don't want stupid commentary taking away from this article or tomorrow's game. 70 years of football history here, people. Respect it.)

Prayers for Eric Moncur and family...

It's been reported that Miami defensive end Eric Moncur lost his mother Sunday morning after her long battle with cancer. Moncur missed last week's season opener due to a sports hernia, but is expected to be healthy for Saturday's contest at Florida.

Head coach Randy Shannon has obviously given Moncur the green light to sit this weekend out, but the senior defensive end has stated that he wants to play, in an effort to move on with things.