Canes Football: Springing Into Action...

Another spring game is officially in the books and you can be sure there are going to be two completely different takes, as always.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Miami's offense won in blowout fashion, 52-3. For some, it's welcomed relief. The Hurricanes finally seem to have found an offensive coordinator in Mark Whipple.

Postgame comments from players heralded the new offensive schemes and overall 'proactive vs. reactive' game plan. More patterns for receivers. Different formations. Receivers throwing passes. Fullbacks lining up at wideout. Unbalanced offensive line sets. Whipple's experience and know-how are more than just words on a resume. Everything that the green Patrick Nix wasn't, Whipple is.

Of course the flip side is defense and you can guarantee the strides made offensively will be trashed by the Canes harshest critics (who ironically enough represent the orange and green.) Is Whipple offense making strides or is this a result of defensive setbacks and new coordinator John Lovett?

Personally, I believe it's the mind and arsenal of Whipple... but I know this fan base well enough to know a handful of haters will twist and turn the facts to fit their conspiracy theory. Jacory Harris, arguably the player who will benefit most from a veteran coordinator, is a believer.

"Instead of doing plays that go against that defense, we make the defense play against us," said Harris. "They have to adjust to us instead of us adjusting to them."

As simple and obvious as that sounds, it's hasn't been the case for years. That mindset itself is as important as the actual plays being called. The offensive culture is finally changing at Miami. Finally. 

Thanks to modern technology and the ol' Intraweb, I caught much of the spring game online and it was definitely a breath of fresh air. Miami isn't "back" yet, if you choose to measure this team up against some Cane greats... but we're seeing progress. Talent and depth are returning. This team truly looks like it can compete this year. Growing pains and mistakes will be there, but bar none this will be the best team Randy Shannon will field in his tenure.

Again, youth is key. How do the young players fare? Do last year's super freshman enter a sophomore slump, or do the become the players they're on target to be? What about the new crop of freshmen? Can they hit the ground running?

What about the stars of spring? Do they show up in fall or fade into obscurity? Anyone who watched the spring game or read the recap saw that cornerback-turned-running-back Damien Berry was Miami's offensive superstar at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday.

With Javarris James on the bench and Berry splitting carries with veteran Graig Cooper and newbie Mike James, somebody had to shine and in this case it was #20. Exciting as that was, will that be the case come August? On more than one occasion a back up running back has led the pack in spring, only to be a non-factor with the season underway.

Leonard Hankerson, LaRon Byrd and Kendal Thompkins shone at receiver, each with a big play or two, but again the question remains regarding what this means for fall. Hankerson seems to drop more passes than he hauls in and Thompkins is yet to do it for real, redshirting his freshman season. Byrd looks like the next Miami great, but wasn't consistently relied upon in Nix's offense. How will he handle his sophomore season and added responsibility?

Harris was a respectable 9 of 16 for 141 yards on Saturday, while Taylor Cook all but solidified the job of back up with an 11 of 14 performance and 103 yards. Cook led the second-team offense on two scoring drives and seems to fit the mold of a Whipple-style quarterback. Cannon Smith went 6 of 8 passing for 31 yards and will most likely slid into the role of third string.

Defensively a lot of talk regarding the secondary. Some new blood in the mix there and a glaring weakness for the Canes last year. A lot of hype regarding Vaughn Telemaque, the highly-touted safety who missed last season, yet is a clear cut favorite to start in 2009. Telemaque has earned Ed Reed-like comparisons from Shannon, but again is another who is yet to see any real game action. 

Opposite of Telemaque, a veteran who has seen his fair share of game time but has battled injury, safety Randy Phillips, who fared well in the spring game with an interception -- something Miami's secondary rarely came up with last season. Waiting in the wings, true freshman Ray Ray Armstrong, who fans are already dubbing the next Cane great safety (... or linebacker) before he even sets foot on campus. 

Brandon Harris and DeMarcus Van Dyke look to have the corner spots locked up, but from a depth standpoint the Canes must also rely on a hot/cold Chavez Grant and converted receiver Sam Shields. This unit has to go from 'weakest link' last year to 'overachiever' this fall if Miami's D is going to continue its turnaround.

After the scrimmage, Shannon focused on improvement. Seeing guys getting "it" and raising their level of play. The even keeled head coach realizes this is spring and that Miami is five months away from game action. Rebuilding is a process and right now it was all about taking another step forward. Get your guys stronger, smarter and better. Build depth. Get your underclassmen up to speed and playing like upperclassmen. Hope everybody stays healthy.

Hype is everything in sports and spring football has become part of the process that is college football. That said, the best approach is to follow that of Miami's stoic head coach; remain even keel. We're under half a year away from seeing college football Saturdays in fall... which is a little reminder that a lot can - and will - change between now and Labor Day in Tallahassee. Safest bet for all involved is to keep things in perspective.

Lou Saban, R.I.P.

Vagabond football coach Lou Saban passed away this morning at his home in Myrtle Beach, SC. He was 87. 

Late in his career, after stints in the NCAA, AFL and NFL, Saban spend two years at the University of Miami. He came to Coral Gables by way of the Buffalo Bills and brought name recognition to a then obscure bunch of Hurricanes. Saban went 9-13 between 1977-1978 and was instrumental in the recruitment of quarterback Jim Kelly.

Saban was essentially run out of Miami after a 6-5 record and win over arch rival Florida. Controversy brewed after Saban was deemed unsympathetic to a young man three of his players tossed into an on campus lake. The man was Jewish and outcries within the Jewish community proved impossible to overcome. Saban then spent a year at Army and then two years at Central Florida before returning to coach high school football in the late 1980s.

In his youth, Saban played for Indiana University and spent three years with the Cleveland Browns. One of the more colorful coaches in the game, Saban will truly be missed.

The Down Low On Art Kehoe...

His departure and the after effects were anything but pretty. That said, few have the UM resume of former Canes player and coach Art Kehoe. He is as diehard and old school as it gets.

Three years after his firing as Miami's long-time offensive line coach, Kehoe will finally get his due when he's honored by his peers after the First Annual Spring Game Alumni AfterParty on Saturday Miami 28th.

The festivities will take place at Miami Prime Grill in N. Miami Beach, where Kehoe will receive the first Canes-4-Life Lifetime Dedication Award.

Get out there and support this legendary Miami coach this weekend.

Miami Sports Fans : It's not just the Canes...

American Airlines Arena is hosting the first round of this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament and anyone watching the action has noticed a half full venue for each and every game.

Greg Shaheen, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball and Business Strategies has reported ticket sales dropping from 95 percent to about 85-90 percent at all locations, due to a slumping economy, though he went on to say, "we are normally at or near sellout in all of our sites."

While Villanova helped ticket sales at the Philadelphia region, Gonzaga also helped fill seats one state south in Portland. North Carolina stayed home and Oklahoma is in nearby Kansas City. Safe to say many were hoping the Canes, Gators or Noles wound up in the Miami regional, but that wasn't in the cards.

South Florida has a strong New York contingent, but even Syracuse traveling south wasn't enough to pique their interest. Shaheen reported that the attendance at the Miami regional is "close to 50 percent." The Miami Herald listed the number at 9,577 and local sports writer Greg Cote pointed out that, "A crowd of 10,000 for college basketball is unheard of here. The University of Miami can't fill up a tiny arena."

The anti-Canes contingent is always quick to play the attendance card, ripping Miami fans for not supporting The U. They're quick to ignore the fact UM is a private university with under 10K undergrads, an off campus stadium and a fan base made up up South Florida transplants that aren't UM alum. Not to mention all else there is to do in Miami on any given weekend.

Regarding the lack of ticket sales for the Miami regional, many have pointed out that timing-wise this was poor scheduling. The entertainment dollar only goes so far and with the World Golf Championship at Doral and World Baseball Classic last week, as well as the Ericsson Open (considered the "fifth major" of the pro tennis circuit) next week, people simply aren't in the March Madness mood.

The Miami Heat and Florida Panthers are prepping for the playoffs, Hurricanes football is gearing up for their spring game and the Florida Derby takes place next month. As for the weather, it's generally mid-70s/low-80s this time of year in South Florida, making Coconut Grove and South Beach much more desirable destinations, than an air conditioned basketball arena.

Most other cities hosting regional are dealing with winter weather (low 40s in Portland, OR today...) and folks are glad to be indoors rather an out.

The haters will continue to rip Miami fans for their lack of support at Dolphin Stadium in fall, but those with a clue realize that fan support in South Florida is as temperamental as the weather itself. Miami is a pro sports city of transplants, few of which put collegiate athletics on the same pedestal folks in Gainesville of Tallahassee do, as they simply have nothing else to do outside of sports. 

Canes pummeled by Gators; season over

The Jack McClinton era is officially over at the University of Miami and the search for a replacement starts next season. The Canes underachieved their way to a NIT bid, after starting 2008 with a high preseason ranking and loads of optimism.

After falling in the second round of last year's NCAA tourney, Miami set its sights on taking things further in 2009, thanks to a senior-heavy, veteran squad. Instead, a second round NIT beatdown at the hands of its most bitter rival.

I've ranted and raved enough about this team the past few weeks and don't want to dedicate too much time to a 74-6o thumping by Florida. It's the NIT, the season is over and there's nothing more to say. This game was a microcosm of the entire disappointing season.

Another slow start, Miami found itself down 20-2 and out of it before its first time out, at the 11:36 mark. McClinton was  3-of-9 from beyond the arc and 5-of-12 in field goals made, en route to a disappointing 13-point performance.

Dwayne Collins poured in a respectable 21 and was the only other Cane in double digits. Lance Hurdle and Brian Asbury were good for five a piece, while Cyrus McGowan was scoreless. Miami mustered up 20 points from its bench, but again another all around poor shooting performance. The Canes missed their first ten shots of the night. 

After a solid win at Providence earlier this week, Miami simply no showed against Florida - something that's completely inexcusable. Bad enough this took place in the second round of the post season (with a veteran team), but how can you not get up for a game against the Gators?

Frank Haith and staff need to right this ship and have the entire off-season to do so.

One final farewell to Jack McClinton. You deserved better this year and your time spent as The U was special for everyone who watched. So disappointing to see the ACC's best all time three-point shooter go out like this... especially on a night where his former Siena teammates were celebrating a double overtime win against Ohio State in the NCAA tourney.

Best of luck at the next level #33.

Thoughts for Kirby Hocutt Re: Miami/Notre Dame...

Kirby,

I saw an article today which referred to Miami and Notre Dame potentially renewing one of college football's most storied rivalries. Months back you mentioned your desire to schedule a home and home with the Fighting Irish and with a new athletic director in South Bend, it seems that there's finally interest on both sides for the first time in almost two decades. 

As a long-time Cane, I digest this news with cautious optimism. I won't legitimately be excited until I actually see Notre Dame running out the tunnel at Dolphin Stadium. Only then will I know this is real. A road game in South Bend or another at a "neutral" site? Both could happen, but that return game to Miami will be a sticking point -- as is the case with a big time, big money rival who feels they call the shots. Sadly, that became the norm on former AD Paul Dee's watch and it's something that needs to change during your regime. Miami doesn't have to bow down to anybody.

Should another bully AD try to paint you into a corner regarding Miami's fan base and lack of road support, remind him (or her) about TV ratings when the Canes play a big time foe. Last year's September showdown at The Swamp pitting an unranked Miami squad against a top five Florida bunch. The result? The eighth highest-rated show of the week, with 6,954,000 viewers. Florida wasn't drawing those numbers for SEC foes, but people tuned in when the Canes came to town.

The Miami/Florida contest was the third most watched regular-season college game in ESPN history. The second most watched? Florida State at Miami in 1994, with 7,667,000 households tuning in.

ESPN's most-viewed college football game in history remains the 2006 Labor Day match up between Miami and Florida State, two teams then barely clinging to top 15 rankings. The game earned a 6.9 rating with upwards of 6,330,000 households tuning in, edging out the highly-ranked Labor Day match ups of 2004 and 2005 for the Canes and Noles.

Even this recent post-season, a then 7-5 Miami team trekked west to play the unranked Cal Bears in the Emerald Bowl and drew a 4.6 rating with 4,535,000 homes tuning in. ESPN "won the night" on December 27th among all TV networks and was the ninth highest-rated bowl game last season (out of 34).

The common denominator here; Miami.

The Gators see their best regular season TV numbers when playing the Canes. Florida v. Florida State battle every year, both both see their best numbers against Miami. Same for Miami and Notre Dame. Last year's SEC Championship (Florida v. Alabama) was the highest rated non-bowl game or the year, with a 9.3 rating -- behind Miami and Notre Dame's last meeting in 1990, which registered at a 9.7 rating. No matter the foe, played out as the phrase is - it really is all about The U.

Rumors were swirling this week that Florida is looking to get out of their 2013 return game to Miami. This was on the heels of Kansas State bagging out of an upcoming home and home. (Bill Snyder's name is barely on the head coach's office door and he's already resuming his vintage cupcake scheduling...)

Once a Gator, always a Gator, Paul Dee lost the negotiating battle with UF's Jeremy Foley. Miami trekked to Florida in 2008 and the Gators have five years to weasel out of the return trip, attempting to pay the Canes off in favor of scheduling another home game against Nobody U. That'll be followed by a weekly reminder that the SEC conference is the toughest in the game.

I'll bet the farm Florida doesn't head south in five years. College football is cyclical and odds are Miami is back on top, while Urban Meyer has taken his road show to either South Bend or the NFL. No way he's still kicking around Gainesville in '13. Like Steve Spurrier before him, at some point the nature of the game will make it impossible to live up to the high expectations.

Don't let Notre Dame pull a Florida. If Miami goes on the road first for a home and home, make the return date within a year or two and raise the stakes so no one can pull out. Should a "neutral" site be chosen for a third game, make sure it's somewhere between Orlando and Jacksonville. Make it clear that Soldier Field in Chicago isn't exactly "neutral". 

The upper portion of the Sunshine State would serve as a great locations. Local Domers and national diehard fans would fill any central or northern Florida stadium in fall. Look back at a recent home and home with Florida State, which was beneficial for both programs and UND was well represented, figuratively speaking.

Also, don't let Notre Dame treat Miami like Boston College, drumming up a bogus reason to end the rivalry because the Irish simply couldn't hang anymore. Nobody loves to take their ball and go home after a beating like UND. 

College football fanatics are clamoring for a Miami v. Notre Dame series. This has to happen. That said, don't sell your soul to get the holier than thou Irish back on the schedule. It has to be beneficial to Miami.

If not, get a Notre Dame rival on the phone as I'm sure college football wouldn't mind a Southern Cal v. Miami showdown in the coming years. 



Sincerely,

allCanesBlog.com

Bryce Brown finally commits...

After dragging this thing out as long and as selfishly as humanly possible, top-rated recruit Bryce Brown finally committed today.

After verbally committing to the Miami Hurricanes within a week of Signing Day '08 and pledging to enroll early, Brown reneged on his word and is now inking a letter of intent a month after Signing Day '09. Along the way he's strung along the Oregon Ducks, LSU Tigers and Kansas State Wildcats.

The circus is finally over and Brown is headed to Tennessee to play for Lane Kiffin and the Volunteers. The Brown family wanted Miami, but it seems Randy Shannon stuck to his word and didn't re-offer Brown a scholarship. The Canes are sticking with Mike James, who's already turning heads in practice, and Lamar Miller, headed to The U this summer.

ESPN's recruiting guru Tom Luginbill chimed in on the action and said the following: 

"I have to applaud the University of Miami. They were not going to allow one player to manipulate or control the situation. I think they got to the point with the National Letter of Intent that they gave Bryce Brown had a life span on it and that date, I believe, was February 18th and they told him he had until the life of that Letter of Intent to sign and become a Miami Hurricane and when he chose not to do so, they withdrew their scholarship offer.

I like Miami taking the upper hand. You can't allow a player to just take control of the situation. They found two other good running backs in their class and now Bryce Brown has gone off and feels he's found himself in the best situation for him."

Good riddance, Bryce. Glad to see the circus will be setting up in Knoxville instead of Coral Gables. With the two freshman running back and veterans Javarris James, Graig Cooper and Lee Chambers, safe to say the Canes are stacked at running backs - not only talent-wise, but character-wise. These kids save their game playing for the field, not with the media.

Kudos to Shannon for sticking to his word. Part of me felt that if Brown wanted in, Miami would cave. Especially with older brother Arthur Brown Jr. one year into his UM experience.

In his speech, Bryce noted that both his brother and father were pushing The U. It was even reported that B.B. was even seen wearing a Canes cap early on at today's presser. Had a scholarship been re-offered, there's little doubt the running back would've headed to Coral Gables.

This is 100% Shannon's doing and I applaud him for keeping out the type of player he's been trying to weed out these past few years. Shannon has oft referred to himself as a teacher or father-type figure and he just taught Bryce Brown a very valuable life lesson about commitment, keeping your word and being a man. A big part of growing up is dealing with loss or disappointment and safe to say that while Bryce will be fine at Tennessee (and hopefully running all over Florida for years to come), he will always know he missed out on something special at Miami, most notably the U Family experience and getting to suit up with big brother Arthur.

Back to spring football. Go Canes.

Miami schooled by Virginia Tech, 65-47

With an outside shot at the NCAA tourney, the Miami Hurricanes laid the biggest egg of the season against conference foe Virginia Tech.

The Canes 47 points scored proved to be a season low, while the Hokies used solid defense to keep everyone in the black and orange from scoring double digits.

Watching this game, you couldn't help but wonder how Miami mustered up 18 wins this season as Virginia Tech's ability to shut down this one-dimensional offense should've been the blueprint every other ACC team should've followed; eliminate Jack McClinton from the equation and cruise to victory.

Down 12-2 early on, the Canes had a three-minute scoring drought and finally made it 12-4 with 13:43 in the first. Late in the half, Miami strung together three straight 3-pointers - two from Adrian Thomas and one from McClinton - cutting the 28-15 deficit to 28-24 at the half.

From there, Miami returned to ice cold. The second half started with a Dwayne Collins foul, a Tech 3-pointer and two missed free throws from Jimmy Graham. The sloppy play continued with McClinton missing two threes and Lance Hurdle missing a jumper.

Hurdle's first points of the game didn't come until the 10:58 mark in the second half, making is a 43-37 game. From there the Hokies went on a 14-0 run, putting the game out of reach and embarrassing a Miami team looking to make their claim for a spot in the final sixty-four.

Next up for the Canes, an NIT berth in a season where they garnered the most preseason hype the program had seen in forever. After opening the year 14-4, Miami closed with a 4-8 stretch, playing themselves out of a meaningful postseason.

Thankfully Miami fans can turn their attention to a sixth-ranked, 12-2 baseball squad prepping for a three-game home stand against Duke this weekend. Not to mention a football program primed for a turnaround this fall, based on the good news coming out of spring camp.

Some recent ESPN.com offseason ink...

ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman and Ivan Maisel both had some recent comments on the Miami Hurricanes regarding offseason changes and players poised to make some moves come fall.

Maisel's piece "Forward Thinking" discussed five teams poised to improve this upcoming season, based on last year's record and returning starters. Maisel had Miami ranked #1 regarding squads that are "poised to take a big step forward."

1. Miami -- The Hurricanes, 7-6 last season, have generated all kinds of hype for next fall. Coach Randy Shannon has nurtured a very young team through two mediocre seasons. Now 17 starters return (if you count punter/kicker Matt Bosher twice, which we do).

There's no longer any doubt about who will play quarterback. Jacory Harris is there. Robert Marve is not. If there's a question about newcomers at the U, it's the coaching staff. Mark Whipple, who will run the offense, may be the best coordinator hire of the college football offseason. John Lovett will run the defense. In other words, the table is set. The question, as it has been for five years, is whether the Hurricanes will arrive.


As for Feldman, he lists were "Top 10 Newcomers To Remember" and "Intreguing New Assistant Coaches", where Miami's Vaughn Telemaque and the new offensive coordinator received some praise:

- Vaughn Telemaque, Miami, safety: The Canes have produced more superstar safeties than any program in the country during the past 20 years. Maybe this Southern California product will be the next one.

Already UM people have compared Telemaque's playmaking skills to Ed Reed's. That's pretty big talk, although sources close to the program say the redshirt freshman is off to a superb start in the first two weeks of spring ball. He might be exactly what the Canes were lacking last season when they managed a paltry four picks. That's less than half the number of INTs Telemaque made during his senior season (nine) at fabled Long Beach Poly High.


- Mark Whipple, Miami, offensive coordinator: What used to be one of the most explosive offenses in college football has fizzled in recent years. The Canes have rotated schemes and coaches far too often, going from Rob Chudzinski at the start of the decade to Dan Werner to Rich Olson to Patrick Nix as UM drifted into a downward spiral. The shuffling only hindered the development of the Canes QBs. Former all-everything recruit Kyle Wright went from leading the ACC in TD passes as a sophomore to regressing with each subsequent season.

Whipple comes from the NFL with the blessing of many, including protégé Ben Roethlisberger. His new project is sophomore Jacory Harris, who is a bright kid and should do well under Whipple. Miami's stable of speedy young receivers will help. Whipple is preaching for Harris to make his reads quicker and to exploit mismatches. Still, Miami opens with the most brutal four-game swing of any program in the last generation. It'll be a big test to develop some confidence against the likes of Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Georgia Tech. There is no tune-up game in the bunch.

Jack McClinton named to All-ACC First Team

Not too many bright spots after an 18-11 season (7-9 in ACC) for the Miami Hurricanes, though one light continues shining bright -- Jack McClinton. 

The UM guard was named to the All-ACC First Team for the second straight season. McClinton and North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough were the only repeat selections from last year's squad. McClinton was the league's third-leading scorer with 19.7 points per game and led the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (.464).

A disappointing season for Miami, the Canes are a longshot for an NCAA berth. Next up, a Thursday showdown with Virginia Tech in the opening round of the ACC Tournament in Atlanta. The Canes are 0-1 against the Hokies this season, losing 88-83 late January at home.

Should ninth-seeded Miami get the win, next up is a Friday meeting with North Carolina in the Quarterfinals. The Canes at least need to get out of the first round to even have a shot at the postseason (NIT excluded).

Even with that, the postseason most likely went out the window with a March 4th loss to ACC bottom dweller Georgia Tech. Miami went 4-7 down the stretch after opening the season 14-4.

L-L-L-Larry finally gets a new job...

832 days. That's how long it took Larry Coker to land his next head coaching gig after the University of Miami finally let him go late November 2006. Let us proudly introduce to you the new head coach of the University of Texas - San Antonio. From a Hurricane to a Roadrunner.

For those keeping score, this is now the fourth head coaching gig in 38 years for Coker. Before landing the cushiest of cushy gigs at UM in 2001, Coker was the head coach for Claremore High School (1977-1978) and Fairfax High (1971-1976), both in Oklahoma.

Where are all the folks - mostly in the national media - who stood by Coker as a coach earlier this decade? When Miami fans saw the writing on the wall around 2003-2004, where are those who claimed Coker was a quality head coach, quick to spout off biased stats? "You don't fire a guy who went 24-0 and won a national championship his first year."

The hell you don't.

35-3 with your predecessors talent, three straight BCS games, two straight title games, one championship and another given away versus 25-12 the next three years, two Peach Bowls, a Blue Turf bowl and some lopsided, embarrassing losses. Not to mention the inability to recruit his own backyard and develop the talent he did reel in. What more do you need to know?

For those quick to Coker's defense, why did it take over two seasons for him to get back in the game. Furthermore, how come the best head coaching opp on the table was upstart University of Nowheresville Texas?

Congrats to Larry (I guess....). This chapter is finally closed.

The U showcases most four-year grads in NFL...

For all the fools who still spout the tired and cliche, "Thug U" moniker, Miami again is tops again regarding academics and athletics. Get with the times.

This past NFL season, 27 professional players earned their degrees from Miami -- the largest amount of graduates in the NFL from any college.

Ed Reed. Santana Moss. Reggie Wayne. Antrel Rolle. Some of the biggest names in the game.

Some who left returned years later to finish what they started. Cortez Kennedy and Duane Starks, to name a few.

Aside from the most four-year grads in the NFL, Miami also boasts a NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 969, which was 8th-highest in the country out of 119 Bowl Sub-division programs -- that's up from 966, which was 10th-highest in 2007.

Miami had 23 seniors in 2008 and going into the season, 13 had already earned their degrees. The rest either graduated December 2008 or will graduate in May 2009.

Canes sweep Gators...

Yeah, it's only baseball and football is the ultimate sport regarding bragging rights in the Sunshine State, but it's still sweet when the Canes romp the Gators. 

No. 10 Miami swept No. 12 Florida in Gainesville this weekend. An 8-5 win on Friday night, a 2-1 nailbiter on Saturday and a 16-2 beatdown on Sunday afternoon. It marked the first time the Canes have swept the Gators on the diamond since 2001. Entering this series Florida had taken six of the past nine against Miami.

Friday's win was fueled by Jonathan Weislow and his first two career homers - including the would-be game-winner in the sixth inning. Chris Hernandez earned his second win of the season, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five while the effective Kyle Bellamy closed out the game, allowing one his, striking out two and earning his first save of the year. 

Saturday's 2-1 victory came on the heels of a career-best seven scoreless innings behind junior David Gutierrez. A two-hit, two-RBI performance behind Ryan Jackson was the difference-maker. Florida picked up a ninth inning run, but Bellamy again shut down the hated Gators - forcing a pop up and strike out against his final two batters. 

Come Sunday, with the home team looking to save some face, visiting Miami poured it on with a 16-2 thrashing.

With both teams scoreless after three innings, a seven-run fourth inning got things rolling for the Canes. Harold Martinez cranked a solo shot to left and the Gators unraveled from there. A Dave DiNatale single was followed by a wild pitch, advancing DiNatale to second. Chris Herrmann was hit by a pitch. DiNatale and Herrmann both advanced on a balk. An inning full of singles, walks and overall Florida mishaps put Miami ahead for good. 

DiNatale, Herrmann and Yasmani Grandal proved to be the meat of the Canes line up, combining for ten hits and eight runs. Miami rattled off twenty hits against Florida in this game three massacre.

Next up for 6-1 Miami, Rhode Island and Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday and Wednesday. From there, a three-game home stand against ACC rival NC State.

Next up for Florida, some serious wound-licking. The casual Gators fan will downplay the sweep and act like they could care less about baseball... but that's merely due to a lack of success. Miami's four titles to Florida's zero doesn't sit well with the nutjobs at McKethan Stadium, many who love to reign down their racist slurs (oft forgetting UF has its fair share of Hispanic athletes.)

I've taken in my fair share of Miami/Florida games in Gainesville and the inferiority complex regarding Miami's accomplishments on the diamond warmed my heart. Florida has football bragging right (for now), but Miami's baseball success cuts to the core of many Florida fans and there's no way they're taking this sweep lightly.

Great to see the baseball Canes stick it to them this weekend.