The former coach showed up in the ESPN U booth for Miami’s season opening 31-3 win against Marshall and gave several Canes-themed interviews that week and shared his opinions regarding the firing and the state of the program.
Game one of the Randy Shannon era showed some promise and was a breath of fresh air, but it’s the past three weeks where the Miami football program has truly grown leaps and bounds. These Hurricanes would be nowhere near the team they are today if certain off-season changes weren’t made after 2006.
Change. That’s the operative word here. A former coach who seemed to fear it, versus a new coach who absolutely embraces it. Shannon doesn’t give the grass time to grow underneath his feet. He sees a glaring issue, it’s fixed immediately. Four games into the season, look back at the amount of shuffling the Canes have seen since the season opener against Marshall twenty-four days ago.
While I always respected Freeman’s attitude, I oft mentioned during the off-season that he was yet to play a big game for Miami and that I wasn’t impressed with what I had seen skills-wise. Conversely, Wright has knocked on the door of a big win on many occasions, but has rarely delivered. Even the 27-7 upset of #3 Virginia Tech in 2005 was more a defensive effort and a night where Wright simply didn’t kill the Canes.
Halfway through the 51-13 thrashing in Norman, both Shannon and offensive coordinator Patrick Nix saw the writing on the wall with Freeman. Wright came in, made some plays and Freeman got one last chance to do something. He didn’t and days later Wright was named starter.
Whether it was a motivational tactic or not, it worked. Wright was benched for the first time in his career and it looks to have been that spark he needed. He’s made the most of his “last hurrah” and is finally showing the character and poise this fan base has expected since he took over in 2005. The competition made him better. Freeman ‘wowed’ coaches in practice, but failed on game day. It’s been the opposite for Wright.
This staff could’ve stuck with Freeman to save face. Especially considering he’s the better long term investment as a junior and Wright being a senior. No chance. Shannon and Nix pulled the plug on the Freeman Experiment. The result – a 21 of 26, 275 yard and 2 TD outing for Wright in the 34-17 upset of #20 Texas A&M last week and a bounce in the step this program hasn’t seen in a few years.
A year ago, Wright is sacked on a play like that and with a 4th and long, Miami settles for a field goal. This time around, the Canes go for the jugular early and set the tone – on a drive where Miami needed four 3rd down conversions and a quarterback sneak on 4th and 1 to keep the drive alive. Shannon’s faith in his team paid off. Last Thursday was a huge turning point.
We’ve also seen the whip cracked discipline-wise with Sam Shields benched the first game for breaking an undisclosed rule, as well as Bruce Johnson being absent the first two games for tardiness in regards to practice and class.
The message is clear. Mess with the bull, get the horns.
That said, the current MVP of this bunch is Jeff Stoutland in regards to what he’s done to toughen up this offensive line and trim the fat. I liked the Stoutland hire immediately, based on what I read
There isn’t any other position on the field where I’d want a fast, athletic Miami team to emulate the slower paced Big Ten, except offensive line. Stoutland has brought that toughness to The U and is doing it with a mix of players who haven’t gotten it done the past few years.
The rest of this new staff is performing quite nicely and it’s refreshing to see the chemistry they have with the players. Watching defensive line coach Clint Hurtt chest-bumping players after the first defensive stand sounds trivial, but it means something. As does seeing Shannon grabbing Dedrick Epps, reeling him back and slamming in the chest after #18 fought for extra yardage on a touch catch.
Coaches will ride these kids on the practice field, but come game day it’s time to celebrate and give that pat on the back for a job well done. We all seek approval and the camaraderie between Miami players and coaches on game day is a refreshing site. Work out the kinks next week at practice (i.e. – Cooper’s fumbles), but during the game keep the kids playing loose and fearless.
It’s took four games, but Miami is finally establishing it’s identity on offense. That opening drive against aTm could prove to be the turning point of this 2007 season.
I like having a coaching staff and group of players, wide awake hours after the big game – being eaten up by what went wrong in a 17-point victory, instead of resting on their laurels. It’s this type of intensity that wins championships over time. Coop knows other backs are vying for his job and that he’s on the bench if he can’t hold on to the rock. That ‘fear’ will motivate these kids and make them even greater assets to this team.
I don’t want to keep harping on the old regime, but I can’t imagine things were this way the past half decade at Miami. Jobs weren’t on the line like this. Kids weren’t living in fear of letting down their coaches. There’s a reason the program eroded and 7-6 was a reality last season.
I recall Shannon getting in Gordon’s face and going off after a special teams penalty and thinking to myself that our new coach was more fired up over a boneheaded play the fourth game of the season, than our past coach was over a bogus flag in the end zone which decided the National Championship and went on to end a 34-game win streak.
Finish. It something Miami has struggled with over the years. Putting an opponent away for good. Jimmy Johnson was a master at it and it seems Shannon took that trait from his former coach and boss. I love it. That killer instinct will be learned and will be a Miami thing in the near future. You can feel it.
Wright is winless against both (an 0-4 record since 2005) and has to build on the aTm win with two big weeks before the meat of the schedule. No more mental setbacks. Find that groove against two lesser teams and get into a rhythm with the receivers.
Shannon has this ship righted and is getting the most out of these kids. The ACC title game is definitely within reach and a BCS berth is hardly out of the question, yet seemed insane after the whipping OU put on The U. The Canes are growing leaps and bounds each week. If that trend continues, look out. This team is going places.
.:Canes305:.
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I am comfortable with where this program is and its direction right now as well. We're 3-1, making positive progress, and building a foundation. Maybe the game in Norman wasn't a total disaster, in that it showed the players just how far they have to go and what it takes to be a top team, as OU is right now. We are getting the pieces in place for a run at the top again.
As far as Duke, yes we won last year, but to me this IS a payback game. It took a last second interception in the endzone to seal the win against a pathetic Duke team. I hope we come out fast, step on the gas, and crush them. Pile on some points, work on what needs done(kick-offs, honing the offense, defensive communication), and go to 4-1.
Lastly, despite what the polls show, I believe Miami is a top 25 team. We are doing the right things are continued to be slighted at every turn. I hope the program uses this as motivating point among others and crashes the party. There has been more talk nationally about an 0-4 team (ND) than a Miami program rising like a Pheonix. I don't understand it, and I don't appreciate it. But if we keep winning, they will not be able to ignore us for long. I love where this program is going and I hope prospects can see this and jump on for the ride. We don't need the flash of Florida or Florida State and their promises in recruiting- we have substance. We are The Mutha**** U! Let's do this!
-Columbus Cane