Miami Hurricanes recruit Zach Kane was arrested over the weekend and charged with aggravated assault, back home in Toms River, NJ.
Around 11pm on Saturday, the linebacker prospect “allegedly” broke a bottle over the head of a fellow teen, causing the victim to receive upwards of nine stitches.
I know what I’m going to say here isn’t going to jive with some, but those who put life over football will most likely agree with my sentiment.
Randy Shannon needs to cut bait now. Pull Kane’s scholarship and send a message that this type of behavior simply isn’t acceptable.
Harsh? Not really. We’re not talking about a kid like Willie Williams boosting a few car stereos while in junior high school. We’re talking about a privileged 18-year old who obviously doesn’t realize the ramifications of his actions as well as the honor of being recruited to play for The U, while getting free education and showcasing his talent for the NFL.
During the recruiting process, some schools shied away from Kane, citing him being a bit of a hot head and a troublemaker. That said, he was a star athlete and got the preferential treatment that came along with being defensive player of the year in a podunk northeastern town.
Look where all that coddling got him.
The University of Miami had a handful of early enrollees this past spring. Recruits from the 2008 class who busted their ass to graduated early, only so they could have their asses busted on Greentree trying to get ahead during spring football.
While (potential) future teammates were doing all they could to help put Miami back on the map, Kane is running around his hometown – fresh out of high school and looking for summer trouble.
Late night underage boozing? Assault? All of this with a college scholarship on the line and a chance to play for a team he adores?
It’s moronic behavior by another modern day teenager with a sense of entitlement and an ‘above the law’ mentality.
I have two words for Kane; Jordan Futch. You want to talk about everything right with a 
college football recruit, look no further than the outside linebacker out of Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood, FL.
Futch graduated early but couldn’t enroll until fall. Before he signed with Miami, his personal mission was spreading the ‘Gospel according to Randy’, contacting other potential recruits and selling everyone he could on The U.
While Kane is drinking his summer away and assaulting teens in Toms River, Futch is spending his summer as a plumber, working 7am to 5pm Monday through Saturday.
After a hard day’s work, it’s straight to L.A. Fitness for a two-hour training session and then off to bed to do it again the next day.
Futch doesn’t have to come out and say why he employs the 60 hour work and is a gym rat. It’s obvious. This kid puts football first and is doing all he can to avoid the pitfalls that come with being a teenage athlete with a scholarship awaiting and a bright future.
A week from today, Futch reports for duty at The U, having been cleared by NCAA Clearinghouse and having received his admission’s letter from UM.
Where will Zach Kane be a week from now?
What are the legal ramifications from this boneheaded act?
How will Randy Shannon respond?
The second-year head coach is a hard-ass and a disciplinarian. That much is known. What isn’t known is Shannon’s immediate reaction regarding a situation like this.
Miami gets a bum rap and has earned the ‘Thug U’ moniker from opposing fans and rivals, who ironically enough support programs that have seen a ton more off-the-field drama than The U. (17 Gators in hot water on Urban Meyer’s watch the past 3 years ring a bell?)
The Canes will forever pay for their brash ways in the 80s, being the anti-establishment bunch who not only won – but did so in a loud and proud manner than the traditional ‘rah-rah’ college football enthusiast didn’t appreciate.
Shannon is working tirelessly to change Miami’s image and Kane’s recent blunder is a black eye for a program that’s spent the past decade trying to heal.
A month ago, Shannon was overseas visiting injured soldiers and has spent the past few weeks applauding the efforts of these young men and women. He spoke of their team effort and the maturity it takes to do what the soldiers are doing on a daily basis.
“I’m watching 19, 20, 21 year olds do various jobs and do it with perfection,” said Shannon. “You get amazed because I’m coaching 20, 21 year olds in football and it’s the same thing – you want perfection.”
“I’m pleased with is the teamwork of the military forces, how they work together, mingle together. If the Air Force wasn’t effective, then the Marines and Army wouldn’t be effective. If the Navy wasn’t doing their job the right way, the Marines wouldn’t be a part of it. If the Army didn’t do the things they were doing, the air force wouldn’t be effective.”
It seems the military experience had a profound impact on Shannon, regarding their maturity, teamwork and camaraderie. It’ll be interesting to see how he chooses to deal with the immaturity, selfishness and boneheaded actions of Kane after seeing other 19 to 21-year olds hitting on all cylinders and mature beyond their years.
Kane might not be a lost cause. 15 years ago, Pat Tillman was a high school senior arrested and charged with felony assault after coming to the aid of a friend in an altercation outside a pizza parlor.
Tillman had the charges reduced to a misdemeanor after spending 30 days in a juvenile facility, went on to have a stellar career at Arizona State and made his way to the NFL before being killed by friendly fire, overseas in 2004.
“I learned more from that one bad decision than all the good decisions I’ve ever made,” Tillman said, regarding the incident.
“It made me realize that stuff you do has repercussions. You can lose everything.”
Shannon and staff recruited Kane and obviously know the kid better than a hack writer, message board jockeys or fans of other programs who Kane spurned to come to The U. In the end, Shannon’s punishment will fit the crime – as it always does.
Whether Kane winds up at Miami or not, here’s hoping the kid learns his lesson pronto – be it on his own, through his future coaches, through a story like Tillman’s or even learning from a peer like Futch and his recent example.
One mistake can cost you everything. The older you get and with more on the line, there is little margin for error. Everyone is responsible for their actions and the hard-hitting needs to be saved for the football field; not weekend house parties.
Treating a peer like a human pinata and busting a bottle of one’s head like it’s the bow of a ship is inexcusable with all Kane has to lose.
For his sake, hopefully he gets a shot at redemption.
If I’m calling the shots, he’s figuring it all out somewhere other than Coral Gables.
Miami doesn’t need Kane’s baggage.