Charlie Jones is out. What does that mean for the Canes? We’ll see.
Two years ago Jones was making highlights when he stepped in for an injured Tyrone Moss. A 97-yard one touchdown performance in a 27-7 upset of then #3 Virginia Tech helped put Jones on the map until 2006 when he was supplanted by freshman tailback Javarris James. Since then, #34 has been relegated to a back up role.
Jones entered this fall as third string tailback behind James an superfrosh Graig Cooper, so the injury isn’t a huge blow at this point of the game. It also opens up the door for another highly touted freshman, Shawnbrey McNeal.
I never want to see our kids injured and I consider some of our fans sick regarding those who want to see one player go down so another will start. That said, I look for the silver lining in regards to the back up who will see the field by default. A lot of times seniority wins out and it takes an act of God to get a future star in the game.
Sort of like the injury to Glenn Cook. Miami’s most experienced linebacker suffered a recent injury which will sideline him at least three games. In his place, sophomore linebacker Darryl Sharpton will take over. Sharpton came on strong late last season, looks to have ‘superstar’ written all over him and is primed to break out in 2007.
This quandary puts the coaching staff in a pickle. How do you bench the experienced senior for the promising sophomore? When do you pull the starter for the back up? How do you answer questions regarding if one is successful and the other fails?
An injury, though disappointing for the team and individual, can eliminate all of that. It almost provided head coach Randy Shannon the perfect scapegoat for his current quarterback dilemma.
The sore knee of Kyle Wright almost made Kirby Freeman the starter by default, keeping the heat off the coaching staff should #7 falter.
Instead, Wright will be good to go and the critics will be ready to pounce when a starter is named next Tuesday. And Godforbid the chosen starter doesn’t “bring it” in a season-defining match up at Oklahoma in two weeks. Look out.
Here’s hoping all injured Canes get healthy as soon as possible, but in the meantime let’s hope the back ups prove to be superstars in the making.
For every suspended George Mira Jr. there’s a Bernard “Tiger” Clark just waiting to take over a game and lift a team.
Is there a Tiger on this squad waiting in the wings? We’ll see.
.:Canes305:.