Plant some seeds, watch 'em grow...

I hope the cynical, opinionated, know-it-all portion of the Miami Football fan base is paying attention to what we're seeing out of The U's baseball team - as well as what was just displayed on the hardwood this post season.

Success doesn't happen overnight. It's a calculated process. Hell, it's scientific. Plant some seeds, give them time to grow, nurture and in due time, prepare for the harvest.

Right now, it's 'grow' time for Miami Football.

A year from now it's back to 'go' time.

Randy Shannon is entering year two on the job. Year one - a disaster. Make no bones about it. Little positive comes out of 5-7 losing six of seven down the stretch.

Outside a Thursday night beat down of Texas A&M and a win at Florida State, the 2007 highlights included some off-season firings, a few new hirings and the dismissal of some players this coaching staff felt were dead weight.

Amazing what you can get done when your season ends late November instead of early January.

Miami's final spring game took place just over a week ago and a few things were apparent. (1) The Canes have some playmakers and (2) most of said playmakers are underclassmen or true freshman.

Youth is king in Coral Gables and with youth you have to expect some inexperience.

I believe wholeheartedly that Miami is on the mend and will be a top the hill again. It's not if, it's when. I echo the sentiments of defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, Clint Hurtt in a recent Sports Illustrated article:

"In my heart of hearts I believe we're back on the path to being what we were again."

Amen, Clint.

Miami will reap what it soughs and the past few seasons, the Canes haven't been soughing much worth writing home about.

Andy Staples hammers this point in this recent and rare SI gem on The U. Former coach Larry Coker went after the nation's top talent instead of finding success in his own back yard. Simply put, Coker didn't put the focus on the Tri-City area - Dade, Broward and Palm Beach - the way Shannon and staff are.

As Staples points out, some of the highly touted talent between 2003-2006 was big time on paper - but many kids failed to live up to the hype/their rankings due to playing against inferior competition in high school. The lack of production and lack of development during the tenure in Coral Gables, combined with a change in mentality helped produce the Canes recent decline.

You don't need to over-recruit the rest of the nation when you're this close to so much South Florida talent - quite possibly the hottest hot bed of high school football stars in the nation.

Any Texas or California doubters, look no further than Class 6A champs and national champions, Miami Northwestern. Same to be said for St. Thomas Aquinas of Ft. Lauderdale - the 5A state champs - and Miami's Booker T. Washington, who took home the 4A title.

After Northwestern showed Southlake (Texas) Carroll who was boss back in September, there's little doubt that the rest of Florida's best wouldn't take it to their 5A and 4A counterparts nationwide. The Miami kids 'outtalented' the Texas kids the same way great Hurricanes teams have over the years. Stronger, faster and better. Men amongst boys.

Shannon and staff target local ballers because they are damn well sure what kind of talent these highly touted players face daily in practice as well as Friday night, under the lights. That's why eleven of the aforementioned state and national champs are suiting up for The U this fall and ready to make an immediate impact.

Not only do the local high schools again have strong ties with Canes coaches - something that fell off during Coker's tenure where he didn't even employ a recruiting coordinator - but these local Miami-bound Bulls and Tornadoes were barely teenagers when the Canes made their last run.

"The Canes were gladiators that never could get beat," said freshman Miami defensive tackle and former Northwestern Bulls star Marcus Forston. "They always found a way to win. When I was growing up, those were my heroes, my role models."

How many incoming freshman across the nation had that same love and adoration for the Canes? Some, but nothing like the impact it had on the locals. When asked about the first time Forston runs through the smoke on game day as a Cane? "I might cry," he said.

Kids like Forston are the foundation for this rebuilding project. Local kids that could've played anywhere, but wanted to be a part of the Canes resurgence.

All the 'feel good' stories aside, Miami remains a work in progress. As impressive as these newbies are, fans have to remember that underclassmen are going to make rookie mistakes.

Ed Reed and Mike Rumph were both a huge part of Miami's title run in 2001, but peel it back a few years and you'd be hard pressed to forget both sophomores blowing their coverage in a 27-23 loss to No. 2 Penn State in 1999.

Nursing a 23-20 lead with 1:52 left to play, Chafie Fields streaked past Rumph and Reed, scoring the game winner on a 79-yard strike from Kevin Thompson. Years later, both Cane defenders would cite that as a career-defining moment and a learning experience, en route to a national championship and first round NFL Draft picks.

A similar tale regarding recent first rounder, Brandon Meriweather.

Trucked by running back Quincy Wilson on a nationally televised nailbiter against West Virginia, the sophomore safety endured the embarrassment of that highlight for the rest of 2003. A year later, a stronger, more experienced Meriweather was on the delivering end of a bigger blow when he sent a woozy Louisville tight end to the sidelines after breaking up a pass during Miami's thrilling 41-38 comeback win.

Even Mr. 38-2 Ken Dorsey proved mortal as a true freshman. Hurled into action at No. 2 Virginia Tech when Kenny Kelly went down, a wide eyed Dorsey's head was swimming during a 6-of-17 performance for 45 yards and an interception during that 43-10 loss.

Fans expecting Robert Marve or Jacory Harris to walk on water from day one and overcome all obstacles simply because of their high school accolades - look no further than the early history of the great Canes listed above. There will be mistakes when you're thrown into the fire and expected to perform early. There are gonna be some growing pains.

That said, if Miami Faithful remain patient, there will be also be reason to celebrate down the road. This thing is being rebuilt carefully from the ground on up. Patience must remain a virtue a while longer.

The seeds have been planted and the nurturing is underway. Anyone that's followed spring ball can attest to that. Shannon and staff threw the depth charts out the window a la Jimmy Johnson. No more seniority and other Coker-esque tactics are being employed. The best players will see the field.

In an effort to promote camaraderie, locker room assignments are being reshuffled every few weeks. As Staples' article mentioned, defensive backs will get used to sitting next to receivers, quarterbacks will suit up next to defensive lineman and scholarship players will be hanging out with the walk ons.

"You can sit by a guy for four years, and that's the only guy you're going to talk to," said Shannon. "Now, you mix them around the locker room, so you get to talk to four or five guys every so often. By the time your senior season is over, there are about 70 guys that you've had two to three months to spend every day with."

On paper it doesn't sound like much, but the mental aspect of the coaching game is as important as Xs and Os come Saturday. To the average fan, who cares about locker room assignments? In the coaches eyes, this promotes a "personal connection" to each teammate - making them more accountable to each other and less likely to want to let those guys down.

A far cry from the rumored issues a worn out defense felt these past few seasons regarding a lethargic and non-productive offense.

All these little moments, adjustments and fine-tuning are how you build a champion. Great teams don't just "happen". They're built from the ground up and only after you're a top the mountain can you look back and add up all these experiences, realizing the profound impact the had on a championship team.

Miami Basketball is coming off a 23-11 season, a No. 7 seeding in the NCAA tourney and a mid-season upset of No. 4 Duke. A year ago, 12-20 and no post season.

Miami Baseball goes 37-24 last season and has a streak of 13 consecutive NCAA Regional titles snapped. A year later, the Canes are No. 1 in the nation for the first time since 2004, are riding a 13-game win streak and sit pretty at 27-2 halfway through the season.

A year ago, this fan base wouldn't have given you a nickel for either squad. Critical of coaches and players involved with both squads, only the long-sighted fan base realized it was a rebuilding process and that both teams were a few players away from getting things back where they belong.

I hope the short-sighted contingent takes the lead of the long-sighted folks. Miami Football has officially turned the corner and the resurgence is on - but the ship won't be righted overnight. This is a process. Shannon and staff need to nurture these young, talented kids and grow some champions.

A double shot of Stoops...

The more I'm thinking about this Mike Stoops thing, the more I am liking everything about it. A few days back I blogged about Bob Stoops, his run at Oklahoma and how Miami needs a coach in that mold.

If we can't have Bob, give me Mike. Seriously. It has to be the next best thing. I've seen what he's done at Arizona these past few years. The guy has some fire and the more I think about it, the more I think this is the only move for Miami to make.

You can make a case for or against anyone else in the mix right now. Randy Shannon? No experience, but can recruit Florida. Mike Leach? All offense, no defense, loves pirates and can recruit Texas. Steve Kragthorpe and Gary Patterson? Nice resumes, but smaller schools.

The Stoops family knows coaching. It's in the blood. Bob made the first splash as defensive coordinator at Florida, winning the 1996 National Championship. Oklahoma recruited him away in 1999 and a season later, National Champions.

Brother Mike was side by side with Bob as defensive coordinator from 1999-2003 at OU. Before that, together at Kansas State, where their careers overlapped for three years. These guys have played, lived, breathed and now, coached football for the majority of their lives.

The Stoops coaching tree at Oklahoma produced some current Division-I head coaches. Mark Mangino (Kansas), Chuck Long (San Diego State) and Leach (Texas Tech) all cut their teeth at Oklahoma.

Mike was the other on the staff to get the call, earning his brother's praise.

"I say this in a humble way," Bob said when Mike was named Arizona's coach. "There's nobody more like me than him."

The Stoops are a close-knit football family.

So is Miami.

Paul Dee, do what you have to do. This is your guy. You need proof? Look at the lineage and the resume. Mike Stoops is ready for his shot. Bob got a big program like Oklahoma. It needed some fine-tuning, but it was still OU. Mike got Arizona. A fixer-upper in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Talk about the wrong time to attempt a rise as a Pac-10 power, 2004, when Southern Cal hit back-to-back title games and Cal was a force. This Stoops didn't stand a chance in the desert. He's done all he can do there. This year, two upsets - Cal and Oregon. For a lower end Pac-10 program, this team rose up on a few occasions.

Imagine what a Stoops can do with these Canes.

That's not a knock on Leach, Kragthorpe, Schiano, Patterson, Rodriguez or Shannon. All solid, but there's something about each of them which I question. I don't know what it is, but I think the Stoops family could turn things around in Coral Gables.

Mark Stoops is defensive coordinator at Arizona. Before that, he was the Canes secondary coach from 2001-2003. This Stoops has a national championship ring. He should have two, but Ohio State jacked his other one. He knows the Miami culture. He's recruited here.

Mark, I hope you're in Mike's ear telling him about how The U is ripe for the taking. Bob better be in the other ear telling him to go balls out to get this. Which could also explain the conference calls "Stoops" and Miami have had this past week.

Miami talking to Bob about Mike? Miami talking to Bob about Leach? Miami talking to Bob about Bob? That was the initial reaction courtesy of Internet rumors, but $3.4M things stand in the way of that ever happening.

If "Bob" is sold out, give me a "Mike" and throw in a "Mark" to even it out. Two Stoops for the price of one? I'll take it. And so would some current Miami assistants, I assume. All these rumors of Mario Cristobal leaving for FIU? I think those go right out the window if the right guy takes over. Mike Stoops is the right guy and brother Mark knows the lay of the land.

It almost sounds too poetic after the hellish season Miami endured.

After 6-6, this coaching hire is our bowl game. Forget Boise. That's now Larry Coker's funeral. This hire is the official turning point. The first day of a new era. It time to be optimistic after a season which was on life-support since losing at Louisville mid-September.

Swoop in and save a recruiting class. Give us something to look forward to in spring. Make 2007 exciting. That's my only expectation. After 6-6, I'm sort of numb to records and standings. I just want to see Miami competitive, confident and sporting a coaching staff with the better game plan than the other guys.

The Canes have been outcoached too many times to remember since losing the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Miami's staff lost their mojo that night and never regained it. The assistants got the boot in 2005 and this year it's Coker and ther rest. This program needs new blood. Hell, even Coker stated that on his way out at his press conference.

Miami needs a shot of Stoops. Make it a double. Mike and Mark. Cherry pick the right guys from this current staff, hit the recruiting trail and turn this thing around.

The Canes aren't that far off. This team is a coaching staff away from being something solid.

Make it happen, Dee. Chuck Neinas just earned his check and found your guy.


.:Canes305:.

Talk about a one-two punch...

Latest reports coming out of New York are that Miami has not only met with Mike Leach, but Randy Shannon is in town and has been brought into the discussion.

The pitch is to bring in Leach as Miami's new head coach and to promote Shannon to assistant head coach, while giving him a big time pay raise.

I don't know about you, but I like this premise. Hell, who am I kidding, I love it.

Bob Stoops to Miami would still be my #1 scenario, but the money is too impossible to overcome. Stoops makes almost double what the Canes were paying Larry Coker.

This Leach/Shannon scenario is a helluva second choice and it's infinitely better than bringing Greg Schiano to Miami. While I respect what Schiano has done at Rutgers, it wasn't enough for me to warrant losing Shannon and a slew of other assistants. No way Schiano would've kept another defensive guy like Shannon - not to mention what would happen to Tim Walton, Clint Hurtt and John Palermo.

My hat's off to Paul Dee and Donna Shalala if they can find a way to lure Leach to Miami without wrecking the infrastructure of this program. Miami would get their high-powered, high-octane offense without selling out on a defense which has been a top the nation since 2000.

Keeping Shannon means the defensive coaches are safe, I assume.

Offensively, Leach would bring in his own guys while calling his own plays and acting as QB coach. That eliminates Rich Olson, Todd Berry, Marquis Mosely and Joe Pannunzio from the equation, which is fine by me. Olson's offense was putrid this season, as were quarterbacks, wide receivers and special teams - all coached buy the aforementioned guys.

The wild card is Mario Cristobal as offensive line coach. This is a guy Miami can't afford to lose. He's a top recruiter and an up and comer. Other programs have already inquired about Cristobal, but The U needs to find a way to keep one of their own on staff. Up his pay if need be. Miami can't lose Mario. Same with strength and conditioning guru, Andreu Swasey. Those two are irreplaceable right now.

Leach & Shannon are a lethal duo, but they have to be a package deal. I'm not ready for Miami to turn the keys over to a B-level new guy and a new Texas-bred staff, but I also don't want to see The U promote from within and give Shannon the job based on seniority. The duo is Miami's best case scenario.

allCanesBlog.com will follow this story throughout the day. Check back for any late-breaking news.



.:Canes305:.

Decision time, Greg...

A failed two-point conversion was the difference-maker in triple overtime. An Orange Bowl berth died on an incomplete try for two. Rutgers' Greg Schiano earned Coach of the Year honors days before Saturday's 41-39 (3OT) loss at West Virginia.

How little does that award mean after going down in gut-wrenching fashion with millions in bowl revenue on the line? Ask runner up Jim Grobe.

Wake Forest won the ACC and is Miami-bound to take on Louisville. I'll bet Grobe woke up Sunday a lot happier with and Orange Bowl berth, than a trophy from the Home Depot.

Schiano and the Scarlet Knights wrapped up the season a more-than-respectably at 10-2. The highlight - a last second, 28-25 win over #3 Louisville. After that win, Rutgers went 1-2 down the stretch, losing at Cincinnati and West Virginia.

The Miami rumors have been persistent and with Rutgers' regular season finally over, it's time for Schiano to mull it over a few days and make a decision. Recruits, a fan base and the nation await.

This has loomed for weeks now, as much as it's publicly been denied. Schiano will be en route to Miami tomorrow, the day after. Soon. It's in the works. Paul Dee made the call today.

Schiano will get Donna Shalala and Dee's best sales pitch and then it's time to choose. It's a huge fork in the road for him, personally and professionally. What will be the deciding factor?

Before we get into that, I'll say I think Schiano is Miami's best bet. Still, I'm not completely sold yet. There are some solid traits, but there might be a better fit out there. This process can't be taken lightly. Chuck Nienas better earn his consultant's fee and help The U figure it all out.

Schiano turned around a Rutgers program which could've easily been confused for Temple a few years back. Both were bottom dwellers and punching bags for the rest of the Big East. In 1999, Miami beat both the Scarlet Knights and Owls, 55-0.

Today Rutgers is 10-2. A few weeks back they peaked, knocking off #3 weeks ago. Yesterday they came within an overtime of an Orange Bowl berth. A far cry from 2-9 in Schiano's inaugural season of 2001. That's more than "progress."

Hell, it's just short of a miracle.

Schiano also proved he can recruit South Florida. He's known this neck of the woods just shy of a decade now. He also cut his teeth at The U. It was 1999-2000. The end of the probation era and the dawn of a new day. Schiano saw the difference between a four-loss season at Miami and a one-loss campaign. He knows the culture and expectations.

Does he want to take on that challenge again, running the whole show this time, or is he comfortable in Jersey?

There's your million dollar question. Schiano's career-altering "fork in the road." This move determines what kind of man he really is.

There's no right or wrong here. I wouldn't fault Schiano for staying put, though I'd respect him more if he accepted the bigger challenge. Rutgers is the seemingly easier route. He's already the Prince of Piscataway. They were thisclose to an Orange Bowl berth this year. Combine that with the love he'll get for turning down big, bad Miami for his New Jersey hometown roots.

Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi could write a dozen songs between them on the subject matter.

Schiano can make Rutgers a consistent top-20 program with random bright spots due to overachieving and good coaching. 2006 is a prime example. Signature wins here and there. Two BCS berths a decade. Competitive football played by a once laughing stock. He'd be a god among men up there.

But he'd never sniff a National Championship unless he came to Miami.

Today's golden boy could also string together a couple of four-loss seasons. 2006's Coach of the Year, when? Fans have a short memory once you've showed them you can win and then lose your mojo. Larry Coker, who?

This is a case for getting out while the getting is good. Anything less than 10-2 last year is now considered a "down year" at Rutgers. That won't bode well for a coach some speculate is waiting out the Penn State job. Schiano's star has to keep burning bright if he expects to succeed a living legend. A few three-loss seasons with the Scarlet Knights and there will be another "coach of the year" type dominating the headlines then.

How high up the coaching ladder does Schiano want to climb?

Is Rutgers a high enough peak, or is there a more appealing challenge in Coral Gables? Schiano turned 40 this year. A new decade brings new challenges. He's in his prime. This is an ideal time for a Type A, "go getter" to take a leap of faith.

If he's got that fire in the belly and sky's the limit, then Greg Schiano will be the next coach of the Miami Hurricanes.

This is not a job for the weak, but succeed here and the reward is that much sweeter. Miami was college football's punching bag in 2006. Everyone made sure to get their licks in now because they know the Canes don't stay down long. They know the right coach will come in here and right this ship and when they do, to the victor goes the spoils.

When Miami was tabbed NFL U, that wasn't just for players. Hurricane coaches get snatched up like first round draft picks. Howard. Jimmy. Dennis. Butch. All went on to big money at the next level.

During the Rutgers/West Virginia game, the commentators stated that Schiano and Butch Davis were slated to talk early this week. You don't even have to read between the lines on this one.

Schiano is asking Davis about the upside/downside to taking over the program and Davis is telling him what five years and some success at that program will do for an up and comer. Davis rebuilt Miami and Cleveland turned it into a huge NFL payday. Things crapped out, Butch still got paid and spent this season pimping himself on the NFL Network as a commentator.

Weeks ago, North Carolina ponied up some big money to bring Davis to Chapel Hill. Those opportunities happen to "Miami" guys , not Rutgers.

By week's end, Schiano will have visited The U and talked to Davis. Rutgers top brass has answered back with a 10-year/$20M extension, waiting for him when he returns. It's real life "Let's Make a Deal" and Schiano is days away from choosing doors #1 or #2.

Stay at Rutgers, lose no more than three games a year, earn a few BCS berths per decade and you're a hero.

Or, Door #2. Come to Miami and play with the big boys. The stakes are higher, but so are the rewards when you get the job done. There's been a lot of negative focus on the media cracking down on Larry Coker as of late, but ask him about 2001-2002.

During the 24-0 run, Coker was Teflon and received nothing but praise as the good guy who finished first.

Schiano needs to look no further than Urban Meyer, another up and comer facing an identical situation, this time in 2004.

Meyer's Utah Utes rolled to 12-0 and whooped Big East champs Pittsburgh, 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl. The Urban One knew his star wasn't going to shine any brighter, so he got out while the getting was good. Utah is only going so far - which never sits well with a guy who wants to win it all. They're always ready to pounce on the next great opportunity.

Meyer accepted the Florida job weeks before the Fiesta Bowl, yet still coached his kids in the big game. His Florida team went 9-3 in 2005. Instant improvement from the back-to-back 5-loss seasons under Ron Zook, showing Florida had some talent but needed someone more skilled to run the show.

A year later, Meyer and his Gators (12-1) were voted #2 in the BCS and head to Glendale, AZ to take on #1 Ohio State for the National Championship.

Coach Schiano, here's your Urban-like moment. Miami or Rutgers. One or the other. You can't have both. You currently have a seemingly safe and secure out. Ride that wave and lay low for that Penn State dream gig, if you think that's the play.

Or you head to Miami for that "next level" kind of opportunity.

The good and the bad are all intensified down here. You want to climb the coaching ranks? Having "The U" on the resume gives you instant credibility. Hell, you already saw that first hand. After two years as Miami's defensive coordinator (1999-2000), Rutgers rolled out the scarlet carpet to bring you home.

The orange and green carpet is being rolled out now. Big time. Miami is digging deep. Schiano has supposedly been identified as their #1 and Randy Shannon is a distant #2. Dee and Shalala aren't going to hold back. Schiano will get their best pitch and then it'll be on him to make his move.

Whatever the choice, it's the "right" answer.

If Schiano has the stones to accept the Miami gig and invites the challenge, then good things are in store for The U. If he can turn around Rutgers, he can flat out make Miami a winner again.

If he stays put and takes the cushy route, then he lacks the character Miami needs out of its next coach who will clean up this current mess. Step up to the challenge of putting this program back on the map. Miami should have to sell someone on the premise. This is the most dominant program in the game these past 25 years. It always claws its way back to the top unconventionally. Just watch.

Schiano downplayed things well the past few weeks, but it's decision time. My take? The chat with Davis is a difference-maker. Schiano's old boss let's him know that while torn, Miami is too big of an opportunity to pass up.

The U is ripe for the taking. Schiano needs to speak now or forever hold his peace. Academic standards? Money? Facilities? He has a very captive audience who's been vocal he's their top choice. Don't hold back with demands that will help the program. Lay it out there. Chop that wood.

Schiano's facing a tough decision and a no-brainer all at once. Curious to see how it all plays out. Right now I'll put the "Schiano Bolts" odds at 53% entering Monday.

Watch it play out and check back Tuesday...


.:Canes305:.

No Limit Schiano Hold 'Em...

I'm really curious to see how things play out with Greg Schiano. This thing has more suspense and drama built in than all of last year's Hollywood blockbusters combined.

The Larry Coker Era ended just under a week ago and not much has come out of New Jersey other than Schiano pledging his allegiance to his current program.

I've seen a lot of message board action this week where fans of all shapes and sizes are rambling on about this current situation. Many are saying Schiano won't leave RU and others are quick to cut and paste his recent quotes, in an attempt to build their argument.

It's amazing how many don't understand the business side of all this. Come on now Scarlet Knights. Your one-loss season is impressive, as is the fact that you're one tough win away from an Orange Bowl berth. That said, we're still Miami and you're still Rutgers.

The U is where coaches come to win titles and make their careers. Win five National Championships, out 20+ first round Draft picks in the league over a six year span, do something to change your 0-11 record against Miami and then get back to us.

Good God, are we really trading smack talk with Rutgers fans?

Back to the point. College football is big business and with Rutgers one win away from a BCS berth, Schiano would be a moron to talk about the coaching vacancies at Miami and other big time programs. For what? Right now, it's all about RU. He's busy game-planning for a road trip to West Virginia. He's coming up with a defensive scheme to stop the Mountaineers' Pat White and Steve Slaton.

The man is strategizing for the biggest game in his coaching career. Right now he's not concerned with where he'll be coaching in 2007, yet some folks are hanging on to every canned answer which comes out of his mouth as long as it backs their stance on the Schiano situation.

If "Schiano to Miami" has any legs, you're not going to hear a peep about it until a week from now. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. For what? Why would he even "go there" with all he currently has on his plate?

My opinion has wavered on Schiano returning to The U. Right now, I believe he's Miami's best option. He was part of the family, he knows the culture and he recruits South Florida like a madman. Anyone who wants to discredit the job he's done at Rutgers? They've obviously forgotten how bad that program once was.

A few years back Rutgers and Temple were synonymous and now they're a contender. That's unheard of. Rutgers knocked themselves out of the title hunt with a loss at Cincinnati, but the fact they were even IN the title hunt is amazing in its own right. Should Rutgers knock off West Virginia this weekend and end the regular season with one-loss, Schiano should be coach of the year.

I know the job Jim Grobe has done at Wake Forest, but if Schiano can knock off Louisville and West Virginia in the same season, he's got my vote.

My question to the blog enthusiasts here... do you think this weekend's game at West Virginia will make a difference in Schiano's decision? Play out both scenarios. A win in Morgantown puts RU in the Orange Bowl and has optimism riding high for 2007. A loss will end Cinderella's run and puts the Scarlet Knights in a lesser bowl. Will a BCS berth make Schiano feel he's on the brink of greatness and that he can accomplish more there? Or will he know he's hit the ceiling and that it's all downhill from there?

Conversely, if Rutgers falls short of the BCS berth, does that convince him to return in 2007 to finish the job his team couldn't take care of this year?

Right now, I don't think we have a clue what Schiano is thinking. As I wrote a few weeks back, I haven't heard a coach deny these types of coaching rumors since Butch Davis fawned over his gig at Miami and bailed weeks later for Cleveland. There are uncharted waters for Schiano. What does he want as an up and coming 40-year old coach? How high does he want to climb regarding the coaching ladder?

Is he on the fast track or is he content to hang around Rutgers for a while, either building them up or waiting for the Penn State job to open? Many talk about Schiano's wife (Christy) not being a fan of South Florida, but what does that really mean? She married a coach. Bouncing around is part of the job description. She knows what she got into the day she said "I do" and it's a safe bet the Schiano family will move a half dozen times between now and the day he retires.

A 3 to 4 year stint at The U is a career-changer. Even the most diehard Rutgers enthusiast has to see that. Can Schiano really afford to turn Miami down?

We should know in the coming week. Stay tuned!


.:Canes305:.

The Coaching Carousel goes round & round...

Welcome to the Monday after. Larry Coker was let go Friday morning and it seems to have started a trend. Three days later more coaches heads have been put on the chopping block since and it's time for Miami to make a move. The Canes are currently on the clock.

Since Friday, some other names have been let go. Dirk Koetter of Arizona State, Chuck Amato of NC State and Mike Shula from Alabama. Months ago Michigan State canned John L. Smith and North Carolina gave John Bunting the boot. I can't recall a season where more big name programs gave their head coaches the curb sandwich.

Regardless of what The U pulls off, I hope the top brass files this one under "early bird gets the worm." The Tar Heels locked Butch Davis down a few weeks back and today, the Spartans got their man, Mark Dantonio of Cincinnati. Neither would've been the case has these programs not fired Bunting and Smith during the regular season.

Miami, Arizona State, NC State and Alabama all waited until the final hour and now all have full plates going into potential bowl games and recruiting season. Regarding each scenario, there was a case to have fired Coker, Koetter, Amato and Shula down the stretch, yet all programs waited.

Kudos to Michigan State and North Carolina for doing their dirty work in season as both have landed coaches which are huge upgrades from who they had in charge.

I could care less what Arizona State, NC State and Alabama decide to do in their hunt for a new head coach. I only bring them up because they're overcrowding the available seats on the coaching carousel. Any coach looking at Miami now has more leverage and options.

One plus for Miami is the hiring of Chuck Neinas, a consultant/headhunter type who will help the Canes nail down their top guy. He'll research candidates The U has targeted and he'll also assemble a list of his own, based on traits Paul Dee and Donna Shalala are looking for in the school's next head coach.

Neinas is the X-Factor here, for numerous reasons. The firing of Coker and hiring of Neinas is a bold move by Shalala. Many were whispering that she was happy with Coker maintaining the program, graduating players and keeping their noses clean as well as the shared revenue deal as a member of the ACC.

If football wasn't some sort of a priority at The U, Shalala could've gone against the grain and brought Coker back for one more season. Instead, he was fired 12 hours after the 17-14 win over Boston College.

This could all be a ruse and smoke screen, appearing to do a nationwide search and then bringing in old chum Barry Alvarez, but all signs are pointing to Miami putting the full court press on Rutgers' Greg Schiano. Schiano and his Scarlet Knights are gearing up for their season finale at West Virginia this coming weekend, so don't expect much "Schiano to Miami" chatter over the next week. If this thing has any legs, we'll hear about it hours after the bowl selection show next Sunday on FOX.

From everything I've heard and read, Miami is prepared to make Schiano an offer he can't refuse. He'll be compensated financially and a promise will be in place to upgrade the facilities. Rutgers will most likely match this in their attempt to keep Schiano in New Jersey, but at day's end it'll come down to his drive and desire as a head coach.

Despite what he has said publicly, folks I've spoke with close to the Miami program have stated that Schiano has verbally expressed interest in hearing what The U can offer. He's no dummy. Rutgers will only take an up and coming coach so far. If Schiano has big time aspirations, he needs to be part of a big time program.

Should Schiano not find what he's looking for at The U, there are a few other names which have been dangled out there.

>>> Steve Spurrier seemed the shoo-in candidate for about 36 hours two weeks ago. Those flames seem to have simmered, making it much ado about nothing - or proving that Spurrier and his people know how to keep things under wraps. I don't think Spurrier will wind up at Miami, but I also wouldn't put it past him to pull this off.

>>> Barry Alvarez is currently Miami's second choice, I believe. He's the safe play if Schiano turns The U down. I can see Shalala talking Alvarez into returning to coaching, making a run for a few years and then transferring over to AD after Dee steps down or is fired. That said, if Neinas can collect come solid info and interest regarding lesser-name candidates, that could push Alvarez to the back burner.

>>> Steve Kragthrope doesn't have the sexy name or resume, but he's done a helluva job with a nothing Tulsa program. He's also received a ringing endorsement from former Miami AD, Sam Jankovich. Jankovich believes Kragthorpe can be this generation's Jimmy Johnson, an up and comer waiting in the wings for a big time opportunity. Jankovich was one of a few architects of the Miami Dynasty and if Kragthorpe is OK by him, he's OK by me.

>>> Gary Patterson has done a good job at TCU, though some feel he's just maintaining the program that Dennis Franchione built between 1998-2000. In his six seasons with the Horned Frogs, Patterson put together four seasons with 1-2 losses. Is he ready for that next level or was he just a "right place, right time" hire at TCU? We'll see.

>>> Mike Leach is a name I've read on message boards, though no one from Miami has contacted him as of yet, which I find surprising. With a high-octane offense, all Leach needs is a defensive coordinator and some in roads to recruit South Florida and he'd be set. I wonder if Neinas will contact his agent or if he's completely off Miami's radar.

Is there anyone I've left off this list? Probably. If so, please chime in below in the comments section and let me know who you think should be the next head coach at Miami... and if anyone mentions a Johnson return, I'm gonna slap you.

The JJ we all knew and loved is long gone. Click here if you don't believe me. Hardly the coaching legend who won rings in Miami and Dallas. I'd ask JJ to make me a Mai Tai before I asked him to head back to Coral Gables and return The U to prominence. Think outside the box, people. No retreads. Give us something to chew on here.

There are tons of coaching options out there. Think of some legit ones. Not crap like, "I heard Bill Belichick was uphappy with the Kraft family and wants out of New England..."

More to come this busy week. Stay tuned.


.:Canes305:.