… the uber-hyped Latwan Anderson is finally headed to Coral Gables. Considered one of the most coveted recruits in the nation (unless you’re an Ohio State fan who swears Jim Tressel didn’t want him), Anderson was waiting for clearance from the NCAA, which has since been received. (Anderson’s had transcript issues as he attended several high schools.) He’s expected on campus later this week.
Anderson was considered the second-best safety prospect and the 15th-best overall player. He is headed to UM on a track scholarship and will walk-on for football.
Originally a West Virginia commit (he pledged his allegiance during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl), but had second thoughts, visited UM during the spring and had a change of heart.
… Wideout LaRon Byrd is out with an undisclosed leg injury, though head coach Randy Shannon remains aloof. Sophomore receiver Davon Johnson is out with a knee injury and freshman wideout Allen Hurns has a nagging hamstring. Deep at the position, Miami can absorb the losses, though Byrd was expected to be a big contributor this year. Let’s hope it’s minor.
… Junior running back Lee Chambers is doing his best Sam Shields, going from offense to defense. Miami’s ground game is loaded — Berry, James, Miller, Johnson, Cooper, Clements, etc. — whereas the secondary needs some depth. Chambers is 5’10”, 192 pounds and came to UM as a highly touted running back. Will the move work? Time will obviously tell. Shields didn’t necessarily adapt to the position (but did shine on special teams and earned a roster spot with the Green Bay Packers), but there were also knocks on Sam’s worth ethic.
Simply put, how hard is Chambers willing to work? Jimmy Graham shone year one at tight end because he was praised for his work ethic and being a gym rat. Chambers has a better chance seeing playing time on defense than he does offense. How bad does he want it? Definitely another interesting storyline as the 2010 season is about to get underway.
… speaking of a lack of depth in the secondary, the position got a boost this week when Jamal Reid returned to the practice field. Reid wasn’t injured, but was forced out by coaches so that he could fully deal with academics, getting back on track.
Shannon told the Miami Herald that yes, on some level this was a message to other players to keep their grades up. He cited the commitment he and the other coaches make to parents nationwide, that kids will put school first and will graduate. Sometimes taking away that thing you love most can serve as a great motivator. Here’s hoping Reid learned his lesson, keeps the grades up and lays some lumber this fall.
… It’s a minor footnote when a scout team quarterback gains some traction, but for this year’s Canes the emergence of Spencer Whipple is an important one. Miami lacks depth and experience at the position and the fact that the junior quarterback is the son of offensive coordinator Mark Whipple – it makes the whole thing that much more intriguing.
The younger Whipple is a student of the elder Whipple’s offense, which has allowed him to help Jacory Harris and the other quarterbacks better understand what pops is drawing up.
While he’s not slated to see the field as a quarterback this season, Whipple has been assigned the duty of getting snaps down for kicker Matt Bosher on points after and field goals – something the recently graduated Matt Perrelli had been doing for Bosher since high school.
… Seemed like it was only a matter of time before Steven Wesley would break his silence. Asked to leave the Miami program a few weeks back, the former defensive linemen gave TheLedger.com a few quotes regarding his thoughts on his former coach and how his dismissal was handled.
It’s easy to sympathize with Wesley, with all this coming down his fifth year with the program. The Hurricanes are on the brink of greatness this year and to miss out on that, being asked to leave and starting over at North Alabama (under former Auburn coach Terry Bowden) – that flat out sucks.
That said, sometimes life isn’t fair and in time Wesley will learn that. He’s a college kid who feels sandbagged, so he’s speaking out, but in time he’ll understand.
Wesley had five years to complete his degree and is still one semester shy from receiving his undergrad. Nowhere in the interview did the former Cane accept responsibility for dragging ass and not holding up his end of the bargain.
Wesley’s parting shots include some digs at Shannon, (“If I had a chance to do it all over again, I wouldn’t play for coach Shannon”) while praising Bowden as a players’ coach, though he hasn’t played a down for the new guy yet.
The venting and knee-jerk reactions are acceptable because again, we’re talking about a frustrated college kid here … but the words hold little merit. Shannon has been praised by many of his current and past players for being accessible and having an open door policy in his office (literally).
There was obviously some level of friction between Wesley and Shannon – which happens. Almost a hundred kids on the team and there’s no way coach is going to get along swimmingly with all the different personality types.
Wishing Steven the best and hoping that he learns a valuable life lesson from this, in time.
… Lastly, for all of you with that football-or-bust mentality, give it up to the University of Miami on the academic front today as the school just surpassed the University of Florida – for the first time ever – in becoming the state’s top-ranked school, according to U.S. News & World Report’s college rankings.
Miami came it at 47th in the guide to top national colleges and Florida dropped to 53rd. (Florida State representing strong at #104. Go git ’em, Noles.)
Yes, we get it. Football is what most fans live and die by and the majority of Canes out there didn’t go to UM – a small private school in a large metropolitan city. That said, if you have any pride as a true Hurricane you realize this is bigger than what happens on the gridiron. The University of Miami could survive with out football – but the program couldn’t survive without a university.
Since president Donna Shalala took over in 2001, there have been increases in graduation rates, freshmen retention rate as well as the academic caliber of incoming freshmen. UM has steadily climbed twenty spots on the annual U.S. News survey since then.