Seems a lot of sports media outlets felt the need to chime in this week regarding Miami’s first round NFL Draft streak coming to an end this week. Sad how “outsiders” feel the need to tell their version of the story, not having lived through it and basically Googling their fingers off in an effort to fact check.
The New York Times even had their say, as sports writer Judy Battista attempted to craft a clever little tale. She spoke of the length of the streak, mustered up an anecdote about streak-starter Warren Sapp playing his entire career and even participating on “Dancing With The Stars” before the streak would end.
Like most, she got her shots in about Miami’s recent demise and the fact that some smaller schools are producing some random first round talent these. As if it’s so unheard of that a Delaware (Joe Flacco) or Tennessee State (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) can trap lightning in a bottle once in a blue moon.
Credit to Judy for getting some quotes from Howard Schnellenberger, the legend who officially put Miami on the map, as well as Tom Luginbill, the recruiting expert who pinpoints the program’s decline (recruiting-wise) in 2003. Schnellenberger got his digs in about Miami’s previous coaching regime not focusing enough on local talent, chasing too name national big names. She even got a quote from Larry Coker, a man still in denial and defending his tenure:
“The overall talent in South Florida wasn’t as good as it has been as far as really great talent. The key for Miami is always the talent level in South Florida. When I left, I think there was good talent. Were there six first-round draft choices? Obviously not, but the talent was good.”
Keep telling yourself that, Larry. Banished to Nowheresville, Texas after two years in the TV booth.
Of course there were the cliche statements that national, non-Miami writers will make. Battista took her cheap shot at the Orange Bowl (“But just as the decrepit Orange Bowl stadium crumbled a few years ago, so did Miami’s supremacy”) and dig that UM was losing recruits to smaller in state schools (“es have proliferated, more teams play on national TV. That has helped put lower-profile teams on the recruiting map. On national signing day in February, Miami Pace defensive back Kayvon Webster, who had committed to Miami, signed with South Florida”).
It what should’ve been a pro-Miami article, applauding what has been accomplished over the past fourteen seasons — 33 first round draft picks — Battista instead finds a way to stroke Florida and Urban Meyer, praising the UF coach for “hurting Miami the most” by “making inroads into what had been Miami recruiting territory”. She goes as far to say “everyone agrees” with this sentiment.
Battista then enters “idiot” territory when she wrongly explains the Bryce Brown situation. Forget that his signing with Tennessee has absolutely zero to do with today’s NFL Draft or Miami’s streak – she’s quick to point out that he signed with the Vols, “even though his older brother plays for Miami”. I’m sure that had nothing to do with Randy Shannon pulling Brown’s scholarship offer and taking the Canes out of the recruiting battle for the top flight back. Nice fact checking, Judy.
Enough about yet another ignorant writer who followed the standard “How an outsider covers Miami” type fluff piece. Today is about celebrating the streak, acknowledging why it’s coming to an end, learning from mistakes and starting a new.
Bruce Johnson will be the lone Cane drafted this year… if he’s drafted at all. The last time Miami had a mere one draft pick was defensive back Gene Coleman in 1980. The last time no Canes were drafted? 1974. The 2009 Draft will either match 1980 or 1974 today. That’s how far this thing has fallen.
I spent the better part of this decade longing for NFL Draft weekend; a spring time football escape. A reason to talk Canes and a day when ESPN would stroke all things UM for several hours on end. It was basically a free, subliminal infomercial for next year’s recruits. “Come to Miami, become an NFL superstar someday”.
A lot of folk in the anti-Shannon camp get miffed when the rest of us beat the anti-Coker drum. “How long are you going to blame Larry?”, they ask. Personally, I’ll blame him until his final recruit is off campus and no longer part of this team.
How can you NOT blame Coker when you watch today’s draft? Today a fourteen-year old streak ends. One that even endured the late 90s probation era. Butch Davis still brought in top flight talent when UM was stripped of scholarships and on probation. Coker was recruiting when the program was reaching BCS games and riding a 34-game win streak and he still found a way to screw things up. No recruiting coordinator in place, no in roads with local high school programs and his thumb nowhere near the pulse regarding UM’s culture and the way things are done.
This isn’t about Urban and the Gators, Bryce and Kayvon’s last minute snub or the effects of a move to the ACC. This is about an old man and first time head coach who had no business taking over one of the strongest brands in college football.
Coker ran this thing into the ground, which is why 2+ years after his departure Miami is still going 5-7 or 7-6 and it’s the sole reason the Canes are matching numbers achieved in ’80 or ’74 on draft day, instead of enjoying the success the program has grown accustomed to.
Rebuild it, Randy. Get this thing back on track and let’s start a new streak in 2011. (Yes, ’11, not ’10. Keep the seniors home next year as part of the rebuilding process.)
Wow. That NY Times article was pure garbage. That broad is absolutely clueless. I bet she’s never even been to a Canes game and known nothing about the program, other than that we were supposedly “thugs” in the eighties.
Seriously, what did Bryce Brown or Kayvon Webster have to do with anything? Amazing how these writers literally invent new ways to get a dig in. Way to pick on the demolished Orange Bowl, too. Stupid moron.
I’m on board with All Canes here. Coker was a cancer and anyone who doesn’t blame him for what we’re watching today, you’re an utter fool. He is the lone reason the U of M is in the position it is in today.
Great analyis of our current troubles and their roots in the Coker era.
I’m looking for a turnaround year this season, followed by some serious broken-field running in 2010.
– CAT5 Cane
Another great blog. It’s amazing how many “Cane Haters” there are out there.
People never realized how much talent we actually put out there. No repect they just hate on us.
Larry “The Clapper” Coker is def. the reason we are in this state. I don’t care what the Randy Haters say either. We will rebuild and be back with first rounders soon!
Go Canes and thanks for the great blogs!
Miami streak of first round players ends with a an embarrassing 0fer, meanwhile Rutgers gets its first first round draft pick ever.
That’s called a sea-change, the end of an era, a new world order.
Hi Miami, you’re yesterday’s news.
Ahh yes, another Rutgers roach trolling on a Canes blog. Little dick syndrome, and all.
You got your inaugural first rounder. Cute.
It’s not a “sea-change” or “end of an era” you fool. It’s called an aberration.
Miami had 33 first rounders over the streak, 26 of which are from this decade alone.
62 total Canes drafted since ’00 and 84 drafted during the streak itself.
The only ‘new world order’ is Randy Shannon replacing the inept Larry Coker. You can pin this decline on one man — an in over his head, first time head coach who had no clue how to recruit south Florida.
Yesterday’s news? Please. The only yesterday’s news is RU — who had five good minutes in 2006 and has since fall back to a middle of the pack Big East team.
UConn had a first rounder go before Britt. By your genius rationale, I guess there’s a ‘sea-change’ in the Big East, as well. Huskies are the the new team to beat.
I am amazed that all these loser Rutgers fans troll around here the way they do. Why? Miami pounded you like a drum the entire time we were in the Big East.
You had ONE good season two years ago and you’re an average program. Great, you have a DC for head coach who spent five minutes at Miami. That doesn’t make you a new version of “us”.
Y’all are a freakin joke.
hahaha Rutgers… thats just funny. U had a first rounder for the first time so you think the times are changin? ur must be dumb. Ray Rice backs up Willis McGahee. We will be contending for a NC in a few years and ull be stormin the field as U upset Louisville.. So glad im not a Rutgers fan. It must be real hard on U. Baby dick.
This Rutgers chatter is laughable.
305, you hit the nail on the head… these RU fans have such Cane envy and little wee-wee syndrome. The only thing worse than Miami’s (temporary) slide is that RU had their one year run when we were down. Now they think they’re hot s##t and can play the “IF” we played you, we’d beat you game… all because they’re still scarred from the ass beatings The U gave them over the years.
I hate Rutgers. Can’t wait until we’re back just so it can shut their ignorant, white trash Jersey asses up.
Mike T.
Wow….. what’s it say for Rutgers when Miami’s back up linebacker Spencer Adkins is drafted before your starting quarterback Mike Teel?
The streak is over and it sucks, but you know, that won’t be touched by another programs. All programs have an ebb and flow, and we are just coming out of ours. USC was bad in the 90’s, OSU was bad in the 90’s, Notre Shame has been bad for 20 years…Miami is turning it around. I am not happy the streak ended, but what are you going to do? We still put players in the league every year. We still have PRO BOWL PLAYERS YEARLY repping us. If players want to make it in the pros and get a degree, you come to Miami. If you want to win by gimmicks where success doesn’t necessarily translate to the next level, then head North. We produce Pro talent. Period. As far the people who pile on, yet no nothing about us, F them. Talk while you can, because it’s coming to an end soon. We’re back for good and will run you the F over.
-Columbus Cane
Judy went to Miami.
If Judy went to Miami, then shame on her. Her article was putrid. I could’ve crafted a better argument or story when I was in sixth grade.
Just try to embarrass yourselves at Raymond James this year. All the trash talking on the Big East will look pretty sill when USF blows you off the field.
C’mon now, Bleed Scarlett. That’s all you got? Don’t get our asses kicked by South Florida? You’re really trying to live vicariously through what the Bulls could theoretically do to the Canes? Wow.
Where’s my “trash talking” on the Big East? Only comment I made about the conference was RU falling back to the middle of that pack the past two years — which it has. You’re 16-10 since your Cinderella season two years ago.
You Rutgers clowns come around here woofing over your lone good season, because it’s all the history you have. One measly 11-2 run which y’all tout like a national championship… which happened to come when the Canes bottomed out on Coker’s watch.
Since then you’re 8-5 and 8-5. Honestly, you were ONE F’N GAME BETTER THAN MIAMI LAST YEAR, yet you talk shit like it’s an accomplishment. Why? Because you’re Rutgers; a nobody program. 8-5 to you is like 11-2 at Miami.
Why do you fans even lurk around here? You’re not a rival, you’re not in the same conference and until a few days ago, you weren’t even on the schedule down the road. You guys have SUCH Cane envy and you’re literally living off the fact that you MIGHT’VE beaten Miami had the two teams played in 2006.
That’s all you got… and it ain’t much.
Can’t wait until we’re back on top and y’all are back in Nowheresville, where you belong. Looks like we’re both on our way.
allCanes…let me correct you…Rutgers is not on there way back to Nowheresville, they’ve always been there!
Hey Rutgers trolls. Miami was down back in the mid 90’s and how did that turn out. I am sure you haven’t forgotten the beatings you took on your own home field. Your loss in 2000 at home, 64-6, was your worst since the 1880’s. It’s ironic that you have your one good year when Larry is here, and you were able to recruit in our backyard. Since Shannon took over you’ve taken a step back because he’s kicked you out. Enjoy your medicority until JoePa retires. Shiano will be gone, and you’ll go back to being Big East dormats.
The Rutgers talk is pretty funny and irrelevant.
Here’s the real reality check! All told, only seven players from instate schools were drafted this weekend, including just one first-round pick (UF receiver Percy Harvin).
1 – Hurricane, 1 – Seminole and 3 – Gators (1-USF and 1-UCF). So as bad as we are, in the eyes of the NFL the other schools don’t have much NFL talent either.
So just who is pathetic?? I say a National Champ and all they produce are 3 draft picks. And yes we all know “Baby Jesus” Tebow did not declare for the draft.
Just goes to show future recruits, you’re not likely to get into the NFL playing in a gimmick offense. You will by competing against the best at UM practices, rather than running from competition to start at USF, UCF, FIU, FAU and dare I say Rutgers. Take Matt Cassell and Mark Sanchez. Not many starts and in the case of Cassell no starts at USC. Yet NFL scouts know USC’s second and third teams are better than most top 25 programs. They know what they’re getting by picking a Trojan.
UM has always been a Pro style program, 3 deep (depth we’re returning to) with talent. We’d simply reload year after year. USC is the new UM, but I feel we’re on our way back. Whipple knows what the Pros want and will groom these guys to be Pros, sorry I mean 1st round draft picks in the very near future. That sounds a hell of a lot better than simply making the highlight real of the Gators championship season.
Allcanes…, I have faith in our draft streak. I think at minimum, Jason Fox will get drafted in 2010 and Javarris could get draft on name (James) alone in like the 5th-7th round. But 2011, we do in fact start a new first round streak with a minimum three ‘1st rounders’ headed by Sean Spence and Laron Byrd.
Oh and GO CANES!! Can’t wait for the 1st game already and it’s still April.
Wow Rutgers really??? not even worth a comment…Another article taking a swing at the U..thats typical..and some really wonder why RS is so untrusting of the media..IMO the guy with the best potential(i know i hate the word also)is A.Bailey its his 3rd position in 3 years but he has freakish strength and very well could start “the streak” all over again..Thats my prediction and i`m locked in!!!A.Bailey the next #1…then the rest will follow
sorry but i have to chime in on this rutgers crap…because that is what it is…crap…all canes you drilled that guy…what a clown…i would have liked to see them play us last year…i would have put money on it that if they had..we would have beat them last year with a young not so great team…that is bad …their program is shit…and they had one nice year…oh my…lets call them a dynasty now…yeah right…they got a first rounder …nice…sad thing is one of our back up linebackers was drafted because he is a freak in the weight room and tested well…watch spencer turn out to be a nice player in the nfl…rutgers doesnt even come close to shit like that…randy would not put there team on his practice squad…they are garbage…
this goes to all the rutgers fans…florida fans..fsu fans and whoever else…you guys keep kicking us when we are down…it is only going to make it worse for you when we get up …and yes…we are on our way back up…the players and these coaches wont forget all this shit…and the fans wont let them forget it either
and to you rutgers clowns..go clean up the jersey shore…that glorified nasty fucking trailer park…and then try to gain a couple inches on the end of your hang down…learn some english…then come talk to us
va cane
You REALLY need to get off the Coker hate bandwagon. Its pathetic. ONE individual is NEVER completely responsible for an organizations rise or downfall. I agree with you about R.Shannon, i think he’s gonna help restore this program but hes not doing it alone. Its one thing to attack Coker’s performance, but you are stooping to a much seedier level and attacking him personally and thats uncalled for and is one reason why so many think as this program as a low class program. This program has come far enough, it doesn’t need bloggers like you spewing hate speech at a FORMER head coach. I agree, Coker was a terrible head coach, just wasn’t ready for the job but there is no reason to attack him personally the way you do EVERY time you mention his name. Stop looking backwards and trying to make excuses for future failures.
47 – I don’t need to get off any “hate bandwagon”. I’m not preaching hate. I’m stating fact. A man who was WAY in over his head got a job he didn’t deserve and let the program fall apart.
How do you inherit arguably the best college football team ever and within a few years you’ve sunk to 9-3, 9-3 and 7-6? I’ll tell you. Succeed off someone else’s hard work recruiting (Butch) and fail miserably as a head coach and recruiter when it’s your turn to build a team.
I don’t arbitrarily bring up Larry Coker. I bring him up when he deserves to be mentioned. The day that NO Canes go in the first few rounds of the NFL Draft — based on the 2005 class that Larry brought it — seemed like a damn good time to reference the man again.
Last time I brought him up was when he was hired by Ass Crack Texas State, after spending two years in the booth and NO ONE ELSE even THINKING about giving him a coaching job.
All I try to do is build a case against his tenure and days like the 2009 NFL Draft or the day a nobody school finally gives him a shot at head coach — it needs to be said.
I am not trying to trash Coker as much as I am trying to build a case for the ignorant anti-Randy camp that thinks he should’ve “turned it around” by now.
My comments on Coker are simply to highlight how far the program slipped on his watch, in an attempt to buy this new coaching staff some time.
You need to learn the difference between “spewing hate” and critiquing one’s lackluster career. I am telling the truth. If you’re sick of hearing it, so be it… but don’t confuse what’s being said here. I’m not getting personal. All I’m doing is ripping Coker’s “effort” while he was Miami’s head coach.
Miami still has the most players playing in the NFL. That pretty much speaks for itself. So make your weak comments about one bad draft year in the last 10 for us, but we’re well represented at the next level. On top of that, the players we have are impact players, not just sitting on a roster, getting splinters on their asses like yours, RU and USF fans. We get into the league and make a difference. We put in Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers. That’s a fact.
47…I AM A COKER HATER TOO! HAHAHAhahaaaahhaaaaaa….
All these Randy S. haters out there need to realize that when you are the HEAD COACH you are the blame no matter what and Coker was responsible for the fall of the program. I remeber everyone saying that it was Randy’s fault for the screw up in the call game (I agree somewhat) but who was the OC?(dare I say his name) Everyone has a job on and off the field that they are responsible for and when they fail the head coach gets the blame. So don’t give me this, well he was on cokers staff bull bla, bla, bla crap, when you have a job you do what your boss says or you know what will happen.
Anonymous… Agree with what you said.
To your point, Shannon has to take some heat for the Cal game. I agree that he was giving Nix enough rope to hang himself, but they definitely blew the final few minutes of play. Shannon got rid of dead-weight Nix and will hopefully learn from that mistake. Thankfully Whipple is an experienced coach and highly doubtful we ever see a blunder like that again.
Spot on with your assessment of blame. Coker was the head coach, so the buck stops with him. Shannon was on his staff, but anyone who knows anything about recruiting knows that the head coach calls all the shots.
Anyone who doubts is, go read Bruce Feldman’s “Meat Market” for the ins and outs of recruiting. Ed Orgeron was absolutely running the show, doling out assignments to all his assistants. He was a leader. He had a vision. He knew what he wanted and expected. He pushed his coaches to recruit harder. Put in the long hours. Sell the program. Do whatever it took to land a kid (within the rules, of course.)
I was never in the ol’ war room with Coker, but watching his demeanor over the years I can’t even imagine how he handled that compared to a coach who “gets it”. He seemed like he wanted to be liked by everyone and never cracked the whip. Anyone who needs proof of his failures, look at last weekend’s NFL Draft. From the lack of Canes there — so seeing another five-star recruit (Reggie Youngblood) who didn’t pan out and went undrafted, like Kyle Wright last year.
Thank you allCanes…. I would say that players that were recruited by Coker were talented players, but being talented dosen’t make you a good football player. You have to be willing to get in the film room and weight room and push yourself to get better and Coker’s players did not follow that mold. This is why I like Randy S. he is finding these players that are hungry to bring this program back and us as fans need to be patient and let him do that. Some fanes get caught up in star rankings and we had plenty 5 stars with Coker, but a guy like Laron Byrd is 3 stars and he is looking like a gem. Now there is that highly rated player that you need to get, but recruiting a guy not based on stars I think is the best way to recruit. Easier said then done, but you can’t just look at stars beside a players name without evaluating him yourself. Some players reach there peak in high school, others in college, and some in the NFL.
allcanes is on that Coker “HATERADE” for a reason… a$$h0les!
The streak did not end because of Larry Coker. Check out where these 32 kids played high school football. NOT ONE FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE IS FROM SOUTH FLORIDA, not only that, but not one player drafted in the 2009 draft played high school football IN FLORIDA! Larry Coker was spot on in saying there’s been a drop in talent and you can’t blame Coker for any of that!
The streak did not end because of Larry Coker. Check out where these 32 kids played high school football. NOT ONE FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE IS FROM SOUTH FLORIDA, not only that, but not one player drafted in the 2009 draft played high school football IN FLORIDA! Larry Coker was spot on in saying there’s been a drop in talent and you can’t blame Coker for any of that!The streak ended because of Larry Coker.
If there was a drop in South Florida talent back in 2005, then look to California, Texas and other states and poach their talent. Miami was still a player in 2005… on paper, at least.
How does Coker reel in five-star offensive lineman Reggie Youngblood and the kid goes undrafted? How did he bring in five-star Kyle Wright and he too goes undrafted?
I saw 32 kids taken in the first round of the last weekend’s draft and a lot of those kids could’ve been Canes…. or the kids that Coker DID reel in could’ve been coached better.
To say “there’s no talent in South Florida” is a pathetic cop out by Larry. If that was a bad year for local talent, the GO F’N LOOK ELSEWHERE AND GET WHAT’S OUT THERE!
That comment has me even more furious with Larry Coker than I already was.
On top of being a horrible head coach, an awful recruiter and terrible developer of talent… now he’s also an excuse maker as well. Boo hoo, there’s no talent in our backyard. Give me a break.
This was the first time since 1980 that only ONE Cane was drafted. Pa-the-tic.
allCanes, at first I thought Anonymous had a mild point, but then I quickly realized something. It’s not a matter of South FL having a drop in talent. Coker just had no eye for talent unless stars (ratings) were gleaming in his eyes.
South FL talent that got away during that time period include Super bowl MVP, Santonio Holmes – graduated from Glades Central ’02 and went to Ohio State. The list goes on and on.
J’can…. I hear you. Yes, there was a mild drop off… but as both you and I have mentioned, there was talent abroad and Coker didn’t (1) reel it in or (2) develop it properly.
A lot of good local kids got away on Coker’s watch. If 2005 was a “down” year in South Florida, so be it… but what about all the local kids that left for Florida, Florida State, Southern Cal, Ohio State or LSU during that time?
Coker didn’t know how to recruit. I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again — ANYONE who hasn’t read “Meat Market” go read that book and get back to me. Go learn the ins and outs of the recruiting process… add them up… factor in what Coker landed by (1) simply being at Miami and (2) having a fully LOADED team.
Forget BUILDING a team. Coker didn’t even have a clue how to MAINTAIN the gift he was given.
There’s a reason the old man was canned like tuna, spent two years in the booth, lobbied for other jobs and the only one he could land was start up San Antonio State. If he was worth his weight in the least, he and his national championship ring would’ve landed somewhere else before now.
Proof is in the pudding.
look bottom line is larry coker was country club…was a nice face…seemed like a nice guy…and liked to play golf with the boosters…yay …that is what we need at miami?..he was in over his head…he f’n sucked…he let shit slip…just face it…he did…like you said ..his wins and a national title should have at least landed him a OC job somewhere but it did not…people with good football brains did not want coker…because why?…they knew he was a f’n joke…and people all around this country..not just cane fans…watched him dismantle a wonderful proud program…people who defend him…should go move to san antonio…you must be on crack to defend his short shit stint as head coach…dude was a fuckin clown…his old country club ass belongs in the circus.
HE WON WITH BUTCH’S PLAYERS YOU FUCKING IDIOTS…AND WHAT DID HE DO WITH HIS TALENT…SHIT…HE GAVE RANDY A PROGRAM WITH MINIMAL TALENT AND NO DIRECTION…GET A GRIP COKER LOVERS
va cane
Anonymous said…
“not only that, but not one player drafted in the 2009 draft played high school football IN FLORIDA! Larry Coker was spot on in saying there’s been a drop in talent and you can’t blame Coker for any of that!”
NFL Draft 2009
2nd Round
Lions: CB Louis Delmas – Western Michigan (North Miami Beach High)
Cardinals: DE Cody Brown – Connecticut (Coral Springs High)
Broncos: CB Alphonso Smith – Wake Forest (Pahokee High)
Patriots: CB Darius Butler – Connecticut (Coral Springs Charter High)
3rd Round
Patriots: LB Tyrone McKenzie – USF (Riverview High)
49ers: RB Glen Coffee – Alabama (Ft. Walton Beach High)
4th Round
Saints: LB Stanley Arnoux – Wake Forest (Glades Day High)
Raiders: WR Louis Murphy – UiF (Lakewood High)
Chargers: OL Tyronne Green – Auburn (Woodham High)
5th Round
Dolphins: FS Chris Clemons – Clemson (Arcadia High)
Eagles: TE Cornelius Ingram – UiF (Hawthorne High)
Steelers: CB Joe Burnett – UCF (Eustis High)
6th Round
Falcons: LB Spencer Adkins – THE “U” (Naples High)
7th Round
Chiefs: WR Jake O’Connell – Miami (OH) (Gulf Coast High)
Giants: CB Stoney Woodson – South Carolina (Middleton High)
Chargers: WR Demetrius Byrd – LSU (Miami Central High)
49ers: DL Ricky Jean-Francois – LSU (Carol City High)
Bucs: CB E.J. Biggers – Western Michigan (North Miami Beach High)
Hey Anonymous, you f*ckwit, I have something for ya ….
“Research” (Noun)- systematic investigation to establish facts or collect information on a subject
Scoreboard, me.
S.Woodward 1
Anonymous jackhole 0
To say that “not one player drafted in the 2009 draft played high school football IN FLORIDA” is beyond some idiotic f*ckery.
Think about that for a second … no, really, just sit there and really think about that for a second. If someone would have told me that of all the players selected in the 2009 NFL Draft, not a single one of them played their high school football in, say, North Dakota – I would’ve probably believed them after putting in a little thought and that strange word I brought up for you … reee-search.
But, for someone to say that of all the players selected in the 2009 NFL Draft, not a single one of them played their high school ball in Florida? Not even laughable b/c it’s so stupid.
Basically on the same level of stupidity as anyone trying to say that Coker didn’t: leave the cupboard bare .. conduct lazy recruiting .. run a factory known as The “U” into the ground.
Someone needs to quarantine your dumbass in your room Anonymous – and take away your computer, phone, or any other form of communicating device with the outside world to prevent the spread of your imbecilic seed.
S Woodward – Our dear friend Anonymous was referring to first rounders, but your point – as always – is still valid.
Upwards of 20 Florida kids were drafted and only one was from Miami. (Also, the Chargers drafted Colorado State’s Gartrell Johnson out of Miami Springs). There may not have been a ton of first round talent in the class of 2005, but for Miami to only have ONE guy? That’s an absolute joke.
C,
Anonymous needs to convey his thought through the keyboard correctly if he wants to make any sort of argument -or- sense. The way he typed it, it read that not a single player drafted in 2009 played their high school ball in Florida.
"but not one player drafted in the 2009 draft played high school football IN FLORIDA!"
Let me help here Anonymous with what you should have typed, "but not one player drafted in the FIRST ROUND OF THE 2009 draft played high school football IN FLORIDA!"
I guess I should have realized that Anonymous came on here, strolled up to bat, pointed to the upperdeck outfield seats & tried to call his shot, but then went on to go down in flames on 3 straight pitches without even lifting the bat off his shoulder … b/c that's essentially what he did.
If he/she or anyone else still fails to realize one of the two major sticking points you made, that Coker didn't 1)reel it in or 2)develop it properly … then there's really no hope for that person as a logical thinking "fan" of the Canes.
Here's an example:
Thaddeus Lewis anyone? Starting QB for Duke from Hialeah Miami Lakes? The guy that Jacory Harris credits with helping him and turning him on to the position?
In his 3 years at DUKE:
6,735 passing yards
47 TD pass, 5 TD rush
32 INT (It's Duke, remember? – Kyle Wright threw 31 INTs in 3 years and he was the #1 recruit in the nation)
Coker recruited Lewis strictly as an athlete, even though Lewis wanted to compete as a QB. Coker then went with Daniel Stegall out of Greenwood, Arkansas …. who decided to play baseball instead, and said that he "went with his favorite sport". Wow. Way to really know your recruits there Larry. You have a kid in your backyard who wants to play FOOTBALL and QB, but yet, you go with a kid whose favorite sport isn't even what you coach?
Yea.
S.W. – You’re spot on. I didn’t see that part of the post. I saw the earlier part where he/she mentioned the first round, but not the latter part. Smack away.
Great point on Thad Lewis, as well. Pretty much the exact opposite of a Butch Davis, who landed a Clinton Portis because Florida wanted him as a CB and not a DB.
Another one to add to that list is Vince Young. I recall hearing that Young wanted to play for the Canes but Miami didn’t want him as a QB. If true, that would fall on Coker’s watch as he was a recruit during Larry’s tenure.