Gameweek is finally here….

The Monday before Marshall. Who hasn’t been counting down to this week? My calendar started the moment Chavez Grant picked off what’s his name from Nevada in the Smurf Bowl.

It’s been a long eight months of eating crow. A 7-6 season. An on the field brawl. A murdered player. A bowl game in Boise. Some firings and some hirings.

There have been some bright spots, though. Randy Shannon appears to have the ship righted regarding recruiting, disciplining players and laying down his law and brand of football. |

Now he gets a chance to show it on the field and I believe he will.

My thoughts on what’s going on around The U a few days before that opening kickoff:

Today’s Miami Herald had a solid piece regarding true freshman who will see the field. Coach Shannon estimates at least six true and redshirt freshman will play for The U this year. Leonard Hankerson, Graig Cooper, Orlando Franklin, DeMarcus Van Dyke, JoJo Nicolas and Jared Campbell all expect to see some serious playing time and I love it.

Life isn’t about seniority or putting in time. It’s about efforts equaling results. Do your job well, bust your ass, perform better than the guy next to you regardless of age, experience, size, etc.

Pete Carroll runs USC this way, as do head coaches at other top notch program. It used to be the Miami way under Jimmy Johnson and Butch Davis, but that changed during the Larry Coker era, where freshman were only used as a result for sub par recruiting, injuries or early exits to the NFL.

Opening up the depth charts is a great thing. It promotes competition and gets the best players on the field. What a breath of fresh air for a fan base who watched a Devin Hester rot on the sidelines during some three-loss seasons, yet he’s taken the NFL by storm after year one.

The Kyle Wright v. Kirby Freeman riddle will be answered on Tuesday and I’m glad Shannon is making this decision, because I sure as hell wouldn’t want to. I’ve received email arguments from fans of each QB and both sides make some valid points.

The Freeman camp cites that he’s a play maker and what he lacks in arm strength he makes up for with his head. They also point out that Freeman has two years of eligibility left, to Wright’s one, making him the wiser long-term investment.

The Wright camp is quick to point out that #3 is on his fourth offensive coordinator since signing with Miami in 2003. He has the physical tools, but no one has been there to develop them. Patrick Nix has been on board a few months now, but is that enough to have righted Wright’s wrongs?

If it were on me, both quarterbacks would get significant playing time versus Marshall and I’d pick my starter going into the Oklahoma game. Practice is practice. I’d want to see both kids in game time situations before making the call.

My gut tells me Wright gets the nod as there is more potential for upside if he gets it together. That said, the leash is short and the doghouse close by if he can’t get off to a quick start.

If you missed Dave Hyde’s piece on coach Shannon in this weekend’s Sun Sentinel, click here to read the article as soon as you’re done reading my post. We’ve all heard the Cliff Notes version of Shannon’s rough upbringing and tragedy which ensued, but this takes things to the next level. You want to know as much as you can about this no-nonsense coach? This article is for you. Miami landed a gem when they handed the keys over to Shannon. No doubt in my mind.

I’m livid I missed the ESPN broadcast of 16th-ranked Booker T. Washington @ 13th-ranked Summerville on Saturday night. High school football nationally televised? Future Canes showcased all night long? Shame on me for missing it. From what I’ve read, it was a real coming out party for Dade County and South Florida football as a whole. The boys from the bottom rolled to a 36-3 victory.

Miami verbal Davon Johnson was the game’s most valuable player with 4 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns, one of which came on the game’s second play – a 62-yarder.

Miami will wear orange in the season opener against Marshall and fans are encouraged to do the same. The U’s marketing department is calling it the “Wear Orange” campaign but it’s really the work of Rory Ellis and the guys at The Orange Revolution, who pushed for something similar at the end of 2006. Orange is the call for game one, white is being discussed for the Texas A&M night game and for the finale against Virginia, there’s talk of a split u with half the stadium in orange, the other in green and the west end zone in white.

Five days ’til kickoff. Are U ready?

.:Canes305:.

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