Welcome to Miami Hurricanes football in 2009; year three of a five-year rebuilding project. Close to being back, but not quite there. As strong and able as the depth chart will allow, but still having to change a game plan or scheme based on one or two in-game injuries.
My inbox has been flooded since Saturday, fans venting and rivals gloating. I still marvel that at 5-2 so many people are abandoning ship. The same Randy Shannon who was a hero in the wee hours after an early October win against Oklahoma, is now back to being the goat after an overtime loss.
Welcome to Miami, eh?
The Clemson loss was ugly. No doubt about that. Everyone knew the Tigers had the athletes, but that doesn’t excuse not having an answer for C.J. Spiller. The senior is a hell of a back and a special teams demon, but that doesn’t excuse a school-record 310 all-purpose yards. Save those stats for Duke. How does a Miami defense and special teams get torched at that capacity?
Even more frustrating, the Canes letting freshman quarterback Kyle Parker look like a Heisman contender. Instead of planting the newbie on his back and bringing the house, Miami let Parker go 25-of-37 for 326 yards and three touchdowns – including the game-winner in overtime.
Jacory Harris was a respectable 17-of-27 for 256 yards and two touchdowns, but three interceptions proved to be the difference. As frustrating as the turnovers were, the timing and overall result were ever worse.
Late in the second quarter, Harris goes 4-of-5 for 53 yards, the drive capped by a 23-yard Damien Berry touchdown run. Up 10-7 with under five minutes to play, a poorly placed Alex Uribe kickoff put the ball in Spiller’s bread basket and resulted in a 60-yard kickoff return. 14-10, Clemson.
Two solid Graig Cooper runs put Miami on Clemson’s 37-yard line with a first down. A field goal should’ve been the worst case scenario, but an errant Harris throw turned the ball over in the end zone. Half over.
Both squads traded scores and turnovers throughout the third quarter, making for a 24-24 tie entering the fourth quarter and after a 51-yard Matt Bosher field goal, Miami quickly shut down Clemson and took possession at the Canes 15-yard line. An errant Harris pass later, gone was the momentum and a 27-24 lead.
DeAndre McDaniel picked off a pass Harris rifled into traffic and returned it for a 23-yard touchdown. 31-27, Clemson.
As schizophrenic as this game proved to be, Harris’ first pass after the interception proved to be a 69-yard strike to Travis Benjamin. 34-31, Miami. Hi, I’m Jacory. Meet my other friend, Jacory.
Clemson put together a 65-yard drive, ending with a Randy Phillips end zone interception and from that point on, Miami coaches went conservative, having lost faith in Harris and the passing attack. Or at least that’s the current take.
Did Shannon handcuff Mark Whipple, or was the first-year offensive coordinator relying on a ground game he felt could provide a few first downs? Javarris James was the big bodied back in the game, but three straight runs are inexplicable. 1-yard, six yards and 1-yard, setting Miami up with a 4th and 2 from the Canes 28.
Like it did against Florida State, the Miami defense made a stand when it needed to, holding Clemson to three. The clock kept ticking and the Tigers needed to force overtime.
Miami’s missing ground game reappeared on the first play in the extra period. Cooper rushed for 19 yards, to the Clemson six-yard line. 1st-and-goal from the six, James was stifled for one, Cooper was stopped for no gain and on third down, an inexplicable passing play. Harris seemed to be looking for Leonard Hankerson up top, but there didn’t appear to be a good second or third option. A forced pass to Tevaris Johnson fell incomplete and was almost intercepted with Johnson blanketed by three Clemson defenders. Miami was forced into kicking a field goal.
On the ensuing possession, Parker’s first pass fell incomplete and on second down, Spiller was stuffed. Facing a 3rd and 11, wideout Jacoby Ford called for a passing play that hadn’t worked all week in practice. Coaches were sold, pulled the trigger and within seconds Parker hit Ford for the 26-yard game winning touchdown. For added emphasis, two Miami defenders crashed into each other, allowing Ford to waltz in untouched. Game. Set. Match.
I don’t have the authority to question the play calling, nor do I pretend to be in the know. Amazing what I’ve read on message boards this morning about Shannon, Whipple, the run versus the pass, etc. No one really knows the inner workings of a big time college football program – especially folks in the media, bloggers or message board know-it-alls.
A win against Oklahoma didn’t make this staff infallible, the same way an overtime loss to Clemson doesn’t mean heads need to roll. Fans need to have the wherewithal to look at the bigger picture here. Step outside of this most recent game and look at the overall state of the program.
Look at the talent which is returning, but isn’t quite there. Depth-wise, Miami is still relying on too many freshmen to carry the load. Shots some fans have taken against strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey, take inventory.
When established programs and humming along as they should be, you get your underclassmen on a program and in a regime that will put some ‘man weight’ on them. By junior or senior year (especially if you had the luxury to redshirt), your players are closer to resembling NFL talent than looking jacked up high schoolers.
It’s one thing for a Southern Cal or Florida to rely on a true freshman here or there, but the Canes are an army of underclassmen right now and that will be the case until next season. Year four, the depth will be one step closer to being back. Last year’s freshmen will be juniors and the latest crop of incoming freshmen won’t be thrown into the fire.
Miami’s sideline again looks like a MASH unit, meaning more underclassmen will be relied upon as the year rolls on. Gone are the days of the Canes relying on an Eric Moncur to provide that senior leadership and experience. Instead, it’s a defensive line chock full of underclassmen filling holes.
Blame Shannon all you want, but championship caliber teams aren’t so reliant on underclassmen. Until the depth and talent return, the Clemsons of the college football world are due for their day against a Miami. Even at 3-3, no one doubted the Tigers didn’t have the athletes – and the will – to hang with the Canes.
Talent and depth aside, Shannon faces arguably his biggest challenge of this season; getting his team out of the toilet. An overtime loss when sitting on a top ten record and 5-1 ranking – it’s crushing. All the talk about Miami’s brutal four-game opening stretch, to get through virtually unscathed and then to lose a heartbreaker weeks later? A crushing blow.
Wake Forest is on deck and Miami needs to quickly pick its collective head back up or 5-2 will be 5-3 before you blink.
It’s not about the BCS or ACC right now; it’s about keeping things together year three. It’s the halfway point of a five-year rebuild. Take inventory, right the ship and save this season. A two-loss season would’ve been more than welcomed when 2009 kicked off. Right now it still remains a reality, if Miami can get back on track. Focus. Don’t let Clemson beat you two weeks in a row. Take down Wake, get to 6-2 and press on.
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I have a lot to say about this game but, I will keep it short. The most basic thing I saw in this game is that they played not to lose instead of trying to win. What I mean by this is run run run with 5&1/2 minutes to go won't win, where is the open playbook that got it done at the end of the Oklahoma game. Also and just as big of a problem like Allcanes says, you need to go after the young quarterback. Each time the canes blitzed the youngster had no answer.
In essence the Canes need to be and stay aggressive!!
Dude great insight! I will gripe about that defensive game plan. Back ups or not bring some pressure, worked with Oklahoma sure as hell would have worked against that QB. Also, why would you have a linebacker on Spiller. Don't understand that one.
Good write up allcanes. I too have been amazed at some of the reaction by supposed "fans" on some of the other message boards. After the first 4 I took a look at the schedule and this one definitely had me concerned more than any other. Clemson is a better team than their record shows and they made us pay dearly for some costly mistakes. Here is the one thing that bothers me most. Special teams have been inconsistent at best the last few years and don't seem to be getting any better despite the weekly "focus" on them. At what point do we cut bait with our special teams coach? Clearly NOT getting it done and I don't buy for one second that missing Jordan Futch (while a great special teams player thus far) is the reason for that debacle Saturday. Find 11 guys that can fly down the field and lay a dude out and get them in the game.
ml - The "playing not to lose" stuff makes sense for the final minutes of the fourth quarter and OT... but that wasn't the case the majority of the game.
Even after the Harris pick-six, coaches still turned to him a play later and went deep to T. Benjamin. That's not 'playing to lose'.
Miami scored 34 in regulation. That should've been enough to beat Clemson. I know people don't want to blame specials teams and defense... but that really did the Canes in.
How does C.J. Spiller -- bar none the BEST player on Clemson's roster -- amass more all-purpose yards than ANY OTHER PLAYER IN TIGERS' HISTORY???
The ONE guy you know you have to stop and you let him run roughshot on you all day long. No excuse for that.
A frustrating game, but one to put in the rearview. A 5-1 start was exciting, but let's be honest... Miami isn't a championship caliber team this year.
It's a good team and winning the ACC should've been/should still be attainable... but dreams of an at-large or getting to Pasadena -- this team hasn't paid it's dues. It takes time to build a championship caliber team and Miami can be a dark horse next year and a contender in 2011... but not 2009.
Not with a rookie quarterback making rookie mistakes. Not with a depth-challenged offensive line. Not with issues at linebacker and in the secondary. Even a d-line that should've been a strength is now banged up and underclassmen are being asked to carry the load.
Miami needs more maturity... and sadly, that can't be rushed or fast-tracked.
Two more recruiting classes until the Canes are back.
ml - The "playing not to lose" stuff makes sense for the final minutes of the fourth quarter and OT... but that wasn't the case the majority of the game.
Even after the Harris pick-six, coaches still turned to him a play later and went deep to T. Benjamin. That's not 'playing to lose'.
Miami scored 34 in regulation. That should've been enough to beat Clemson. I know people don't want to blame specials teams and defense... but that really did the Canes in.
How does C.J. Spiller -- bar none the BEST player on Clemson's roster -- amass more all-purpose yards than ANY OTHER PLAYER IN TIGERS' HISTORY???
The ONE guy you know you have to stop and you let him run roughshot on you all day long. No excuse for that.
A frustrating game, but one to put in the rearview. A 5-1 start was exciting, but let's be honest... Miami isn't a championship caliber team this year.
It's a good team and winning the ACC should've been/should still be attainable... but dreams of an at-large or getting to Pasadena -- this team hasn't paid it's dues. It takes time to build a championship caliber team and Miami can be a dark horse next year and a contender in 2011... but not 2009.
Not with a rookie quarterback making rookie mistakes. Not with a depth-challenged offensive line. Not with issues at linebacker and in the secondary. Even a d-line that should've been a strength is now banged up and underclassmen are being asked to carry the load.
Miami needs more maturity... and sadly, that can't be rushed or fast-tracked.
Two more recruiting classes until the Canes are back.
We lost by 3 points in OT and you would think that Clemson crushed us by 50! Cane fans are suicidal again, members of media (Like Heather Dinich of ESPN, who was especially brutal)are making us out as a flavor of the month special, and other fans are once again enjoying our mistakes. I think we are losing site of what is important. How many Cane fans would have thought that Miami would be 5-2 afer 7 games? At the beginning of the year I predicted losses to OU and Clemson and a 10-2finish, so this loss is not that big of a shock for me. We are a young team and CJ Spiller is the type of player who punishes young players. The rest of our schedule is very managable, we won't see the speed of Clemson or the Defense of VT again this year, so we can buckle down and win out. Get a good bowl victory and start 2010 as a sexy pick for some! Personally, I am thrilled with 5-2 and I think we will win out and get to 10 wins! Let's get behind this team and stop jumping ship everytime we hit a wave! Personally, I am going to pack up my crutches and head to Winston-Salem (broken foot and all) and cheer on my Canes!
Hey folks....if the critics and "experts" had been right, we would be sitting at 2-5 right now !!! I gladly take 5-2 with the current bunch of young people we are playing. Did I appreciate the coaches not making necessary adjustments on the defense, no I did not. I'm still shaking my head....but I'm not trying to sell my Miami/NC tickets I bought off of stub hub either ! Seen ups and downs before. We are heading in the right direction. If you don't agree, I suggest you roll when you hit the ground after jumping off the bandwagon, and mind the wheels too !
Hated by many, loved by few, WE are the U
All Canes thank you for being a "realist" and telling it how it is, US true cane fans knew that this season was going to be tough especially in the beginning but Randy and Whip enlightened us and gave us hope to dream of BCS berths,ACC Championships blah blah blah. I still believe we're a contender but truth be told our defense is hurting w/ injuries,inexperience and then some but we'll regroup I still believe in Randy yeah he makes mistakes but so do all the coaches out there a BIG mistake would be letting go of Randy "Miami" Shannon and Mark "Miracle" Whipple and hoping someone that doesn't know the U and the Miami scene to come in and turn around something that is already turning the corner but then again some fans just dont Understand the U. People that don't know the U the MIAMI FOOTBALL VAULT SOLD AT ALLCANES IS A STARTING POINT. EDUCATE YOURSELVES!!!!!
this game drove me nuts...and i am not sure where to place blame...but i know this we are young but we are too good lose games like this at home...this was a game we should have won by 20...like coach shannon said...the canes played sloppy..they looked flat and sloppy...i dont understand it...are we not going over things and coaching them up on game day as well?...the play calling the entire game was questionable on both sides of the ball, i felt like i watching a game from last year...i was just hoping for a big play...instead of knowing we could do it...almost like a feeling of lets get lucky on one...it was borderline pathetic
i am tired of everytime miami has a game they get a game plan together to stop a particular player and make someone beat them...i swear everytime that happens that player beats us and looks like a first round draft pick doing it...we just let that kid sit back there all day and throw darts all over the field looking like he should be in the running for the heisman...shit was nuts
and how do we lose to a team and give up 40 to a team that literally uses two players on every offensive possesion...if they did not run the ball with spiller or ford then they threw the ball to spiller or ford...are we really not good enough or coached enough or cannot scheme enough to stop two players...shit is crazy
bottom line, we need to somehow fix the secondary fast...like now..and blitz different or find four guys who can get pressure on the QB...now..i dont care if they are walk ons from the street corner..if they can get pressure..sign them up
i know the depth is not there and we are injured...but come one this is a game we should have had...we made that sorry ass QB look like he was all world...pathetic
we score 34...we should win..period..the rest is details..
canes, handle your business, stop thinking so damn much and play the game, stop with the bullshit penalties, especially at key times in the game, let your testes drop and stop turning the fucking ball over jake...shit throw the damn ball away , not picks!!!
i just watched us beat ourselves, i am sick of seeing that crap
VA CANE
Great insight! A few observations though:
First, it is inexcusabe that Uribe kicked it to Spiller and that belongs squarely on the coaches - there is NO excuse for miscommunication, which was the reason put forth after the game - give them the ball at the 35 but never put it in his hands in that situation.
Secondly, I read a comment by Shannon that the coaches never second guess their play calling - he was stating this in regard to the so called "conservative" play calling at the end of the game. WHAT????? I love Shannon but that defies reality! If this staff never reevaluates the play calling then we are in for a long road ahead. Good coaches always admit mistakes and learn from them - I agree that the players failed to check off and execute but play action or a roll out had a far better chance to work in that situation than three up the middle.
Lastly, Jacory has got to stop making such glaringly poor throws in key situations - throw the ball away ot take the sack. Along those lines, he seems to lose the football every time he gets sacked - that has got to end, along with ten to twelve penalties a game - we will never win the close ones playing like that.
Everyone stay the course - go Canes!