Five Questions : A Cane and a Nole have at it

I received a request from Florida State enthusiast Rich Halten regarding a Q&A on Monday’s game. Rich is involved with ChantRant.com and GarnetAndGreat.com. Below, five questions between a Cane and a Nole. Dig it.

Based on all you’ve heard, and given the talent on UM’s offense, how do you expect Mark Whipple to attack FSU?

When Randy Shannon brought Mark Whipple on board, I dove in headfirst and read everything I could about the veteran OC. If there’s one thing I learned… expect the unexpected. Whipple has a strong offensive mind, a riverboat gambler-type mindset and is arguably the brightest offensive mind Miami has had on board since Dennis Erickson or Gary Stevens were calling plays.

The Canes finally have a stable of wideouts and depth at running back. I believe Whipple will use a balanced attack – but has the wherewithal to know when to do what. Stretch the field. Create mismatches. Keep the defense guessing. Basically everything Rich Olson didn’t do with his conservative game plan as the new offensive coordinator in the last Labor Day season opener.

Mickey Andrews is obviously no slouch, but in this case he doesn’t know what Whipple will bring out the gate with Miami. That plays to the Canes favor. Offensive line is the x-factor. Miami has the bodies – some upperclassmen with talent and some younger kids ready to break out. For all the OL struggles these past few years, how much was talent versus scheme?

How much did Patrick Nix’s play calling hinder the line’s grown? How will they respond to Whipple’s play calling? Will quicker developing plays make a difference? Will new schemes put the line in a better overall position?

We’ll see come Monday.

How will having a true freshman back-up at QB affect Miami’s play selection and what Jacory Harris does?

I think that’s something that remains in the back of your mind, but you can’t over think that – playing out a worst-case scenario. If you go down that road, you play scared.

Look back at the Ken Dorsey era. Who were his back ups? Ethenic Sands in 2000? Derrick Crudup in 2001 and 2002? Walk-on Troy Prasek as third string?

When have the Canes had a stable of quarterbacks? Furthermore, whether it’s A.J. Highsmith or had it been Taylor Cook / Cannon Smith, safe to say that IF Harris were to go down, Miami is in a pinch regardless. The 2009 Canes will go as far as Harris takes them.

No back up is – or would’ve been – capable of carrying this team, besides Robert Marve. None of these guys had any real game experience besides Harris or Marve.

With a new D-coordinator, will the Canes defense be more consistent and able to limit big plays?

I don’t think it’s as much about coordinator (John Lovett) as much as it’s about talent and depth.

Miami started the season with the ability to stifle the run. The Canes also held the Gators to a 9-3 ball game until early in the fourth quarter in game two last year. Bill Young’s schemes were working when the personnel was there. Once injuries took their toll, Miami was a different team.

Eric Moncur, Colin McCarthy and Randy Phillips all went down early in 2008 and all three return as seniors this year. Their leadership was missed last season, as was their experience and depth. Moncur is out for Monday’s game, but McCarthy and Phillips return and will makes their presence felt.

Equally as important, the fact that last year’s true freshmen are back as seasoned sophomores. Kids like Sean Spence went from high school ball to early enrollment to spring ball to a full freshman season, with no down time. Spence is up from 193 pounds to 211 pounds. Rested, ready and a year wiser.

Whether it’s Spence… Marcus Forston… Marcus Robinson… the freshmen sensations of 2008 are going to go ‘next level’ as sophomores. Add all that up, combine it with Lovett’s experience, ACC know-how and focus on fundamentals and you’ll see a much-improved Miami defense in 2009.

Whether that improvement shows game one or takes some time to jell, remains to be seen.

Rain could be a factor again this year. If there’s a constant downpour, which team will have the advantage?

Tough call. I’d probably give Florida State a slight edge.

Rain will slow down Miami’s passing game, essentially canceling out the advantage at wideout. I like the Canes stable of running backs better, but the Noles have the more mobile quarterback in Christian Ponder. Florida State also has the better offensive line, which will play into the ground game.

Rain is part of the game and is manageable. Simply hoping we don’t see a 2003-like torrential downpour. That made for an ugly game. (Sean Taylor 22, Florida State 14).

Rain or shine, I think Javarris James and Graig Cooper are going to turn some heads on Monday. James has shed weight and has gotten his freshman-like speed back. He’s also fully healthy for the first time in years, while Cooper has added weight and will be fresh, after having to carry the majority of the load in 2008 – something a back like him isn’t built to do. A healthy James will allow Cooper to be used sporadically and in the role he was intended.

The broken jaw incident (defensive end Adewale Ojomo hit by a fellow player in the locker room) begs the question of possible negative chemistry on the team. True?

Disagree. Miami is the cleanest in-state program and Randy Shannon has run a tight ship since day one. This is absolutely an isolated incident and the fist-throwing walk-on was booted the morning after.

Since getting on board, Shannon has been removing dead weight and bad seeds from the program. Players suspended for missing study hall in Coral Gables while troublemakers in Gainesville and Tallahassee are still playing on Saturday for far worse offenses.

Shannon has spent the last 2+ years building team chemistry and changing the culture at The U. The Ojomo incident was definitely a black eye, but too much is being made of it.

If we were talking about two starters, two team leaders, two captains… had it been Marve/Harris throwing blows last year; different story. This is a walk on who got into with Ojomo – a stand up kid based on a great Miami Herald article on him last year. An unfortunate incident that thankfully happened weeks back and won’t prove to be a distraction with a new season on the horizon.

Negative chemistry is how rivals might try to spin it, but that’s definitely not the case here. There’s a ton of chemistry on this team – especially with the Miami Northwestern kids and other locals who have formed a strong bond over the years.

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We saw an early season 41-39 shootout between Miami and Florida State last year. This time around, another Labor Day game – which has generally produced a low-scoring finish. How do you see the 2009 version of this rivalry playing out?

I think we’re going to see a Whoa-Nelly barn burner — unless the weather spoils the fun (oddly, the rain didn’t seem to slow things down in ’08). Should be a lot like last year: full of more plot twists than a Hitchcock movie.

My take is that both offenses are ahead of opposing defenses. And both D’s have their injury problems.

Not only are the offenses healthy and primed for a national TV showcase, players have had months to get fired up, while coaches have the spent the summer scheming.

And that brings up the X-factor. Both offenses will have the element of surprise. Especially Mark Whipple’s, as the Canes O.C. will confound FSU’s D and give Mickey Andrews chest pains. Meanwhile, Jimbo Fisher has expanded the playbook to incorporate new wrinkles, encouraged by the progress of a QB, who has honed his passing and leadership skills.

There’s talk of rain for Monday night’s game. Should there be inclement weather, which team has the advantage and why?

I’d love to be able to say FSU will due to a strong OL and a stable of running backs. But you could also make the same case for Miami. The more realistic answer is whichever teams gets the lucky bounce of the ball. For example, in last year’s downpour game, FSU fumbled four times and lost two of them. Miami never coughed it up. Somehow the Noles still won, despite those momentum-killing flubs.

Christian Ponder rushed for 144 yards last year and Antone Smith put up 92 and a career-high four touchdowns. After surrendering 289 rushing yards in last year’s loss, Miami says they’ll be ready for the run this year. Ponder returns, Smith is gone and the Canes’ front seven looks to be stronger. Simply put, will Florida State run on Miami this or will the Canes stifle the run?

FSU will run on the Canes — IF they’re able to throw it, as well. Everything I read from Coral Gables says the Canes are convinced the Noles strength is the run and that Jimbo will try to replicate last year’s big performance on the ground. It’s pretty apparent Miami will key on the run game and dare Ponder to beat them with his arm. As mentioned, Ponder has spent the year improving everything about his passing skills, from staying in the pocket to looking off the safety to his delivery.

On the receiving end, contrary to what you might’ve been hearing, FSU does have guys who can catch and run with the ball. Sure, the top three receivers have moved on. But two guys who were factors last year against UM are back (Bert Reed and Tawian Easterling) plus some talented WRs who’ll get their chance to shine, and even a newcomer or two.

Jimbo Fisher says FSU must be able to run. But that may be just an attempt to play into Miami’s stop-the-run-first emphasis. The truth is a balanced attack is and always has been Jimbo’s mantra.

Bottom line: I think he’ll use play action to show run, then roll out the mobile Ponder to hit short to mid-range passes. At least in the first half. And that tactic, Nole fans hope, will eventually open up the ground game.

Who are the playmakers that will make a difference on Monday – both offensively and defensively?

On offense, Ponder is, of course, the make-it or break-it guy. Beyond that watch for RBs Jermaine Thomas and the debut of Tavares Pressley (JUCO transfer who missed all of last year with a pre-season injury). Canes fans know WR Bert Reed, but they may very well get to know sophomore Jarmon Fortson, a big, fast receiver in the mold of Anquan Boldin.

On defense, Markus White should be this year’s sackmeister. Chances are the breakout guy on the DL will be Jacobbi McDaniel, a true freshman who’s been tearing it up in practice. The star of the secondary is CB Patrick Robinson, one of Mel Kiper’s Top 25 picks for the 2010 NFL draft. But keep an eye out for #5 Greg Reid, a true freshman CB (and five star recruit) who’ll be in nickel coverage and probably see some kick return duty.

This year’s game isn’t sold out. Florida State is ranked #18 and Miami rolls in unranked. Hardly the top five – or top two – match up fans have seen in the past. If you’re a casual college football fan, why should you tune in Monday night if you have no allegiance to either team?

Because certain college analysts call it the game that set the bar for intense rivalries. Plus, it’s Monday Night Football on a holiday weekend with no other games to tempt channel flipping. And for any college fan 30 years old or more, damn — it’s FSU – Miami. The teams that pretty much owned the game for two decades.

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