Canes305 Drops Some Knowledge at EveryGameCounts

EveryGameCounts contacted me to go toe-to-toe with am FSU columnist in regards to Monday’s match up. Below is the article, reprinted with the permission of the EGC blog:

Under the Orange Bowl Lights: Don’t Underestimate the Canes
By: GUEST BLOGGER Chris Bello FROM allCanes.com

How can Miami/Florida State be next week? It feels like just a few months ago, The U was on the wrong end of a bowl game beat down thanks to LSU.

The 40-3 pasting was actually the best thing that could’ve happened to the Canes, sitting at 9-2 in a second-tier bowl game. Anything less, and Miami wouldn’t have cleaned house regarding its assistant coaches. Former offensive coordinator Dan Werner was in over his head these past two seasons and he’s been replaced by Rich Olson. Olson had a stint with Miami in the early 90s and has been in the NFL since. He’s going to revamp what’s been a vanilla Miami offense. Bank on it.

Kyle Wright is at the helm for Miami and Drew Weatherford returns for Florida State. Both are gamers, yet Weatherford is stealing all the headlines and Wright is flying under the radar… which is actually the way we prefer things at The U. Please doubt and underestimate us. Give the glory to the other guy. Then come game day, we’ll embarrass U. Just ask Marcus Vick and heavily-favored Virginia Tech about last year’s 27-7 beat down.

Miami was proactive this off-season, upgrading the program by bringing on Olson while Florida State is sticking with Jeff Bowden for a sixth straight season. Miami also upgraded regarding offensive line coach. Art Kehoe is out and Mario Cristobal is in to retool an o-line which gave up a school record nine sacks to the Noles last September.

The Canes upgraded several other coaching vacancies – defensive line, linebackers and wide receivers. All problem areas since Miami’s mind-boggling streak of 34-straight wins, four straight BCS games and a National Championship between 2000-2003.

Meanwhile, the Noles have lost 3 to 5 games each of the past five seasons. The last time Florida State lost more than two games in one year was 1986.

The program has struggled to developing players and has slipped a bit since Mark Richt left for Georgia (2001) and Chuck Amato took over at N.C. State (2000). All the recent love from ESPN and Bobby Bowden hype isn’t enough to turn things around in Tallahassee. The media wants 2006 to be Bowden’s fairy tale – a Joe Paterno-like (2005) one-loss season, but it ain’t gonna happen.

Florida State still gets some of the nation’s best athletes and they’ll take it to most of their opponents this year. But I also believe the ‘let down’ games will continue like last year. Virginia, N.C. State and Clemson all got the better of them. Even in-state rival Florida whooped Florida State, 34-7 in The Swamp last season. And last year’s Gators weren’t exactly anything to write home about.

Why are the Noles destined for greatness this year, yet the Canes are a team surrounded by question marks? No matter. Come Labor Day, this thing will get sorted out under the Orange Bowl lights.

Miami is ready. The Canes blew a golden opportunity at Doak last season. Down 10-7 in the waning moments, Miami failed to get the ball in from the 2-yard line. Minutes later, a game-tying field goal opportunity was muffed and the Canes lost to the Noles for the first time in seven tries.

Miami then blew their shot at a rematch in the first annual ACC Championship game, losing to Georgia Tech late in the season. The Canes threw in the towel after that loss, limping through their win over Virginia and then getting throttled by LSU. A big flaw in the Miami program is a quitter’s mindset when not playing for the ultimate prize. 40-3 drives that point home.

The best quality about the Canes is their ability to play with a chip on their shoulder. If you disrespect Miami, count them out or hype the opponent – the Canes pin their ears back and come out swinging.

That’s how Miami will enter Labor Day. Stinging from the Peach Bowl beating and still bitter over 10-7 last September.

The Canes will be without WR Ryan Moore and TB Tyrone Moss. Don’t even sweat it. Veterans like Darnell Jenkins, Lance Leggett and Charlie Jones are ready to step in and Miami sports one of the best in TE Greg Olsen, who shredded the Noles for 137 yards in 2005. Also, don’t overlook fab freshman like Sam Shields, Ryan Hill and Javarris James, cousin of Edgerrin. These kids came to The U for games like this. They’ll be ready.

This rivalry is better when played in October, with both teams on a roll. No matter, though. It’s still Miami and Florida State. Once those butterflies are worked out and both teams find their groove, there will be a lot of top level, prime time action that even the casual college football will appreciate.

As for us diehards, this is as good as it gets.

.:Canes305:.

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