Soundbites are usually nothing but ‘coachspeak’ or hot air. You can’t put much weight into the words as their either utterly contrived or never come to fruition.
Hearing an underachieving player talk about Miami’s “swagger” or talent, predicting a win and the faceplanting come game time – it’s enough to make you sick. That said, I’m feeling the exact opposite based on the what’s coming out of the piehole of new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple.
Unlike players with a two or three year unproven track record, Whipple has the resume cash the checks his mouth is writing. Sixteen years in Division I-AA head coach and a national champion at UMass in 1998. Five years as a quarterbacks coach in the NFL and a Super Bowl ring, as well. Whipple will now assume the role of offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and Assistant Head Coach.
Some quotes from Whipple earlier this week when asked about the logjam at wide receiver and players too lazy to learn the playbook: “If you want something easy, you should’ve gone Division III. You could’ve been a star, but no one would’ve cared.”
Classic.
Regarding guys wanting to play at the next level and his decision to have players breaking down NFL game film all spring, Whipple quipped: “What I said to the guys is that if you’re here at the University of Miami, then your expectations are to play in the National Football League… here’s what we do in the National Football League and here’s what’s been successful. We’ve played in three (league) championship games and won a Super Bowl. If you can’t do it here now, don’t think you’re going to learn it five years from now.”
Whipple saved the best for last regarding the logjam at wide receiver and the rotation: “We’ll rotate when they drop the ball.”
The ‘white glove’ treatment is over at UM, folks. Country Club Larry and his lackadaisical approach is a thing of the past. Seniority means nothing and competition is everything. You will produce or you’ll ride the pine. You’ll get your job done and make your mark while at Miami; not afterwards, riding the coattails of past players and a program’s legacy en route to the NFL.
Hard knocks at The U. Weaker players who fear competition need not apply.
While everyone knows preseason rankings mean nada, I’m still shocked that few outside of Coral Gables are putting more weight into ‘The Whipple Factor’. Top flight recruits are one thing, but the Canes now have an offensive guru who is going to get the most out of this talent. Miami is about to suit up their biggest name at offensive coordinator since Gary Stevens left town. Patrick Nix. Rich Olson. Dan Werner. All three are in the rearview and an established veteran is now on board, calling the shots. Look out.
Here’s hoping Whipple shocks the outside world and lights up that scoreboard against Florida State. No better time to make a statement and prove the critics wrong.
BZCanes here
"We'll rotate when the drop the ball."
Enough said Mr. Whipple.
I am counting down this next 30 days with cautious optimism…but I think if Jacory stays healthy and the 0-line plays ok…we could be dynamic on offense.
Personally–I'm ok with playing 7 guys at WR. I'd like 2 or 3 to step up…but I don't see anything wrong with having multiple guys who can make plays at any time. I just think there is too much talent at the position to actually cut it down to 4…and feel like Coach Shannon is saying that more for motivation.
I'm not saying he's bluffing—RS just doesn't seem like the bluffing type. But if 6 or 7 guys have great camps I think they should get a crack on Saturdays.
Like Whipple said—when..or hopefully if, they have a drop..then they can go to the back of the line.
I just hope we come out of camp healthy—and ready to roll.
Cheers to Mark Whipple, and coach Shannon for a great hire.
BZ – It's the no-nonsense attitude that this program was built on. Guys like Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson and Butch Davis were hard asses. Two of those guys won rings and the third would've had he not bolted to Cleveland after assembling the most talented college football team ever; Miami 2001.
Dennis Erickson knew how to run an offense, but he wasn't a hard ass and in a matter of years, the program was in shambles. Larry Coker was like Dennis, minus any talent or ability to run/maintain a program. The Canes declined on his watch to EPIC proportions.
Shannon has been building this team for 2+ years now and he finally has a staff worth it's weight. Whipple is a hell of a hire and he's a no-nonsense coach with a proven track record.
Fifth-choice Patrick Nix was in over his head from day one and besides being clueless regarding running an offense, he didn't have the street cred or resume to push players to their max. Whipple gets it. Guys have to get on board or get out of the way. When you're dealing with college kids, that's the button-pushing approach you need.
Regarding the wideouts, I believe there will be a core of guys who get the most reps, but talented players that perform in practice will get their chance. Maybe 1-2 will end up redshirting, but with so much depth at the position, you have to believe the mindset is to go with the hot hand.
30 days till oooooooooooo0000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO C A N E S!
… And then there's the soundbite of our OTHER coordinator:
"I’m not the smartest guy in the world where we’re going to out-scheme the offense. The head coach and the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech knows that offense better than I do. I’m not going to out-think those guys, but we’re going to try to out-work those guys.”
(Source: http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_college_hurricanes/2009/08/lovett-returns-to-the-basics-.html )
Uh, then maybe you should have been a POSITION COACH and not a DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR! Could you imagine Butch Davis saying this? Jimmy Johnson would have gutted him. I fear that Paul Johnson is going to make us look REALLY stupid on 9/17.
dont get me wrong, i bleed orange and green but I feel as if all of the same things are said every summer. talk about how this year will be different, and that its ACC champ. or bust. I feel as if im unable to get excited for this season because every year that I get excited to see the hurricanes crack skulls, they end up losing 5+ games. My resolution for this season, in an effort to preserve my sanity, is forego reading all of the rants about whipple, jacory, byrd etc, and just sit tight and wait until we play FSU.
Displaced – Lovett is well-respected in the coaching community and he knows the ACC. Whereas Whipple is a bit more brash, Lovett is coming off more as an 'aw shucks' kind of guy. I wouldn't read too much into that.
Whipple has a bit more of an ego because he's proven that his offense can tear up a good defense. Lovett's approach of 'outworking you, not outthinking you' isn't necessarily a bad thing.
As for "Anonymous" feeling that we hear this talk every summer… I agree, we do. That said, Whipple has the best resume of any offensive coordinator Miami has had in recent memory and he has a hell of a track record.
Hearing Jason Fox say that Miami is going to be great this year because he's a senior and he came to Miami to win a championship… that this team is disrespected and will prove the doubters wrong… I agree that's all hot air.
Hearing a veteran coordinator who has walked the walk? I'm all for it and I'm drinking the Whipple Kool Aid.
Well my whole thing on this is…mark whipple was a great hire and we all know this i believe that mr whipple will have us playing like the days of old…however my biggest concern is the playmakers at tight end because of our lack of depth and players staying healthy i think once graham learns the playbook he will be an offensive force to be reckoned with…also i haven't heard alot about our defense this year i don't know if that's a good thing or bad
Overall i think we'll be fine as long as players continue to step up as i'm sure mr.whipple has implemented on his players
One last thing not to get into recruiting too much but i was trying to find out about this kid teddy bridgewater? does randy think we can get him as we are already building stock at QB…but i think teddy is pretty high on these other teams right now. I know it's still early in the recruiting game but i would love to see this kid come in behind jacory just like at northwestern when they were in high school
thanks,
GO CANES
Anon – I think there are enough playmakers on offense to make a difference this year. Miami may be think at LB, CB and S — but on offense the lack of depth on the o-line is really the only stumbling block.
With a heady quarterback and a ton of depth at both WR and RB, the Canes should be able to move the ball.
Combine that with Whipple's offensive philosophy and you have something. Not only was Nix's playcalling elementary, but defensive coaches came out and said they knew what Miami was going to run last year based on the packages and formations.
Players this year are already talking about having some space to move and get more yards after catch — which guys like Benjamin, Collier, D. Johnson, Thompkins, etc. will thrive on.
Route running will improve and Whipple has worked with Harris to bring him along a second-year QB.
The lack of depth at TE hurts a bit… but if Epps truly is ready to go, how big a deal is that? When Shockey was here, how many reps was Ivan Mercer really getting? You don't need tremendous depth at TE. Especially not when you have a ton at WR and RB.
Defending national champion Florida tops the USA Today preseason football coaches' poll, receiving 53 of 59 first-place votes.
For alllll the haters……GO GATA!!!!
I think we will be a lot better offensively just because of Whipple. Their is no way to look past his experience and his accomplishments. It also helps a lot that he helped groom my hometown McNabb as well as Big Ben. Add that with another year of experience and we are sitting pretty. Remember we won 7 games last year with all fresh, and lost 4 of 6 game by less than 10 points.
On to Coach Lovett. I think it is good that he is not trying to out scheme other teams. That hurt us last year in games. Players were unable to grasp the play book,and by running zone blitzes and such, it was making players tihnk instead of letting them use their talent. I think this is good for the defense and add another year of experience and I think we are going to be a scary scary team in 2010.
I just hope this year we can atleast get 8 wins, thats all im lookin for, actually 9 hah
I agree we are thin on the OL and at CB. But we're not thin at linebacker, and I believe we're OK at safety with Phillips, Telemaque, Armstrong, Nicolas, Hill and freshman Jamal Reid, who, according to news reports, will get a shot first at safety.
If Epps is 100 percent, we should be fine at TE, with Gordon, Graham and Sanders as backups.
CAT5 Cane
I happen to like the soundbites from Whipple listed above. Both coordinators seem like no nonsense guys who won't put up with the same dumb mistakes we've seen the last few years. If you have a mental mistake, come sit. If you drop a ball, come sit. If you miss a key block, come sit. I love it. I just listened to Lovett on the radio (WQAM has Lovett and Shannon interviews out there now) and that dude seems pissed and ready to snap necks. We need that right now. I can't wait for the season. The Noles better get ready for an 0-1 start because I don't see them beating us.
-Columbus Cane
If Harris can put on some weight and get things going this year, I think the Canes can make a 2010 National Champ run. Im glad we have Miami talent and not Kansas Sandbags like Brown in the backfield for the future. The bottom line is winning, so If our team doesnt win, Bring back J Johnson , he loves south florida and could recruit with his hair and rings alone
Hi, I long for the days when we used 2 running backs at the same time and each could catch and run. Such as the schnellenberger/jimmy johnson years with guys like Melvin Bratton and Alonzo Highsmith. I was also wondering where could I find old video of these days. I've seen video playing at the store but wanted to know how to get a hand on it. Where can I find out? Thanks.
I understand people are concerned about the depth at O-line but like Whipple said, in the NFL you have 7 O-line. We need the starters to step up so the backups are only needed when someone is injured and for mop up duties. Am taking a big sip of the Whipple cool aid. We were not terrible on offense for the first time in years last year with Freshmen QBs spliitng time, freshmen wideouts and a guy who couldn't make a phone call for an OC. The sky is the limit. Forget the schedule, The teams from the ACC or not invincible. should have beat FSU even though were were terrible on offense and we had no business losing to UNC. These two teams are gonna struggle to score points…whic goes well for our defense. FSU is gonna be replacing lot of players on defense…we get back alot of people in reverse on defense. We beat VT and its early so the weather shouldn't be all bad up there. Group the games together they seem tough, single they are not difficult except OU. But the greatest thing could have happened this offseason is the schedule and everyone telling the guys they are going to go 1-3 or 0-4. Go canes
love your blog allcanes … ive been followin for awhile but havent commented & would just like to say keep up the good work. GO CANES!
Way to LET EM EAT WHIPPLE!!!!!
God's Speed to you and your offense. Lord knows we need one, since it's been absent from our game for a while now.
Go Canes ALWAYS!!!
RS…“Oh and four, out the door!''
GO GATA!!!!!!!!
I'm still not convinced until I see it. We've heard the same preseason talk before when Nix was here. Nix was a bust! I'm not going to get my hopes up until I see it. I've got faith but I wanna see results!
Derek, I understand your "I'll believe it when I see it" approach… but Whipple is proven as a coach and coordinator. A national champion as a head coach, success with many offenses, molding and teaching both Donovan McNabb and Ben Roethlisberger… he has the resume to back up his talk.
Patrick Nix was a pretender who wasn't even calling his own shots when at Georgia Tech. Fans there were ecstatic when he got fired, whereas all the talk on Whipple from past players and fans of any stop he's made have all been solid.
allcanes. by the way, great coverage of UM football, great analysis and great critical distance.
though not related to this topic, why have you not covered the story about Shannon turning down a contract extension. it would seem that this is a huge story given that many naysayers have been using the fact that he has not received an extension as fodder for their anti-shannon positions.
there are a number of stories there. (a) the story itself, that UM has tried to extend the contract but Shannon has refused , (b) the release of that information at this juncture and (c) who released it.
RSA
Appreciate the comments, RSA… I am actually writing something tonight on Shannon turning down the contract extension. It'll be live in a bit.
I do want to clear something up, though. I really don't *cover* UM Football and don't deserve the credit for that. I'm a long-time fan who is all about sharing an opinion and providing commentary.
Guys like Manny Navarro, Shandel Richardson and others who sweat in that heat and attend practice after practice, waiting for quotes, writing on a deadline — those guys are on the front line and truly "cover" the Canes. I give them all the credit in the world.
I'm simply a Cane freak who is benefitting from the world of blogging and the fact that we have so much technology at our fingertips these days. Ten years ago I wouldn't be able to do what I do. Thankfully the world is changing rapidly and doors have opened, allowing me to do what I do.
Thanks for the words…. C