Five straight is a hefty feat. Especially for such a freshman-heavy bunch. Should they stumble down the stretch, it’d almost be forgivable. This crew has proven they’re not last year’s squad. No one folded up the tent at 2-3. This is a team on a mission.
Low-scoring defensive battles. Grinding games out. Wearing down the opposition. Randy Shannon said he’d rid Miami of a loser’s mentality that set in last year. Bring in kids from winning programs, accustomed to being the best and ready to get busy fixing a program.
It’s working.
Miami is two games away from an ACC Championship berth and three away for their first BCS game in half a decade. Didn’t seem possible five games into the season, but five later, the Canes control their fate for the first time in a long time.
Logic will mess with your head, telling you that young teams on five-game win streaks stumble somewhere, somehow. At some point they have to play down to their age. Don’t they?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Georgia Tech is beatable and Miami has the motivation. Three straight losses and a crop of freshman who’ve made it their goal to get a senior class to their first BCS game. Those same seniors are winless against this week’s opponent and this is their final shot at redemption.
Yet another milestone opportunity for a young team that keeps defying the odds.
Logic. It’s the best way to look at the situation. But being objective isn’t always the most fun. With a proven team, you ‘expect’ wins. BCS games are almost a gimmie. Recruiting isn’t the hard sell it can be with a losing record.
A few down seasons took away my ability to cover this team with the occasional orange and green shades. I could throw more at the wall half a decade ago and it’d stick. Miami was a perennial top-five team. BCS games were commonplace. Losses were rare and unexpected. As a fan you could puff that chest out and the question wasn’t “if” the Canes would win – it was by how much.
The landscape changed and fans had to face some harsh realities about the state of the U. Some kept their heads in the sand, riding a mindset that simply strapping on that helmet and employing some ‘swagger’ (in recent years, false bravado) would ensure victories.
Compare and contrast this year and last. 5-7 was rock bottom. Some called for it then, while others called for a worse season this year and predicted a certain head coach getting run out of town after year two.
Hardly the case.
Shannon finally has Miami right where he wants it. The players believe and the team is building on that momentum. A season has been saved and the best could best is yet to come. Whether that starts with a BCS game this year or the stage set to make a run in ’09, remains to be seen.
The one many thought was the wrong guy at the right time, Shannon is proving he should’ve been a no-brainer hire for Miami. Played and coached under Jimmy Johnson. Spent time on Butch Davis’ staff. Ran the defensive side of the ball during this decade’s dominant run.
Randy knows Miami – the school and the city. He played as a Cane and was exactly the type of kid this program thrived on. Who better to send out in the recruiting trenches, looking for ‘it’s factor local kids with that built-in swagger. It’s not an accident when a Sean Spence, Marcus Forston or Travis Benjamin just look like the ‘fit’ the Miami mold. Shannon is following the blueprint. It’s a proven formula.
The young talent came to play. Besides proving their tomorrow’s stars today, they’ve changed the culture and have rubbed off on upperclassmen in need of a gut check. Sam Shields, Glenn Cook and Anthony Reddick all look reborn, after looking replaceable earlier this season.
Reggie Youngblood gave up the chance at a mid-season medical redshirt to play out his senior year because he believes his younger teammates will send this senior class off with that BCS berth.
These Canes are rising and if they believe, so can the fans. Tap into your emotions and enjoy what this team is doing. This isn’t the same Miami squad you saw back in September. Freshman are playing like veterans and seniors are playing like there’s no tomorrow. We finally have reason to start buying into the hype.
One game away from exacting some revenge. Two games away from Tampa. Three games away from the Orange Bowl – which prove rather fitting a year after the Canes missed the postseason and lost their home with the same name as this year’s potential BCS destination.
Let loose. Enjoy this ride. Save your criticism for when it’s necessary. Don’t waste your time nitpicking what could’ve, should’ve and would’ve been done. Live in the moment. The Canes are riding high and a BCS game is a distinct possibility for the first time in a long time.
Right now it’s pointless to focus on anything other than that.
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My how things have changed! I love the fact that everyone is on our nuts again!! 2 weeks ago ESPN picked us to play in the Eagle Bank bowl and now that have us in the Orange bowl. The fact that everyone is buzzing about us being ranked tells me that the college football universe is aware that they need Miami to be good!! The world is a better place when Miami is on top of it! I have never seen 23rd ranked team generate so much buzz! We got a headline story when we re-entered the top 25. As for your post 305, i agree completely, I hate that the past 2 seasons have damaged my confidence in this team! Truth be told I am worried about Thursday and the sad part is that it has nothing to do with this years Canes. It has to do with 2 years of gutless and heartless efforts by a bunch of quitters. Hopefully this win will will help me to lose something....my doubt!! Go Canes!! Win Ugly!!
Nice to see and feel the enthusiasm once again. Been a while.
Over the course of my life, there have been times where I just “felt something” about certain games, whether I was actually playing in them or just a fan. It is a tangible feeling or vision to me, be it via a dream or just something in my bones.
It has happened over the years way too many times to disregard, so I never do. I rarely miss, but in all honesty, I must say that I have.
I am feeling something very good about Thursday night. Something special is about to happen for this group. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do.
I would love to see them come out of the tunnel in ALL-WHITE with the black cleats. Old School. Then just fly around the field making plays. I can close my eyes and see it.
It’s all right there in front of them, the taking is all that’s left.
Go Canes
All Canes:
I just wanted to know what happened to randy phillips i haven't seen him play in awhile.
This Thursday November 20th the Palm Beach 'Canes Club is
CALLING ALL CANES FOR A HUGE MIAMI-STYLE PARTY
Networking Mixer and Game Watch v. Georgia Tech
at Bar Louie in City Place (1 Mile west of 95 on Okeechobee Rd. Exit 70)
The HURRICANES ARE RANKED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2006 AND ARE ON THE ROAD TO THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
7:30 PM KICKOFF -GET THERE EARLY TO CLAIM A SEAT!!
FREE APPETIZER BUFFET AND COOL DRINK SPECIALS AND AWESOME RAFFLE PRIZES
Check out http://www.561canes.com for more details!
Damn this feels good. GO CANES!!!!!
LETS GO LETS GO LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
We are headed in the right direction. I have said before, & I'll say it again, we need two more years & I hope the fans & administration gives Shannon the time & resources he needs to complete the job. It is crazy how at the beginning of the season fans were calling for heads to roll! Shannon knows what he is doing, he knows where this program is headed, & he knows what it will take to finish the process. But let us remember that it is a process!
Go Randy & Go Canes!!!
OK it's about time for those certain folks to start jumping back on the bandwagon now that we are looking better and better......and you know that they will. I however, never stopped believing that Randy would bring us back and I will be at this Tech game with my old orange and green blood just about freezing. I would love to see a win tomorrow night because I've not seen one in this stadium since I moved here to No. Ga. and have been at the last two. Go 'Canes !!!
big pimpin
NEXT STOP TAMPA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO CANES AFTER TAMPA WE COMING BACK TO THE OC
This has been a great year for this program and its fans. I love it. This game will come down to what I have said for the past two games- stopping the run. Obviously, against Tech, you keep the run in check and you win. The triple option is all assignment football. Don't get sucked out of position, and we win. The best scenario is for us to get out ahead by 10+ points and they have to change things offensively which will contribute to mistakes by them. But in order for us to get out ahead, we have to execute and call good plays. We have to have WR's and TE's catch balls, and secondary players not getting shook. I think everyone will continue to jell Thursday and get the job done against an average Tech team. I have enjoyed the ride this year and thank the Freshmen for this change. They made everyone on the team step up or get out of the way. Be physical, make plays early on, get ahead, and it will be over. The triple option is not a comeback type of offense. Be the Bully! Bring it on home. I love it. The sky is the limit for The U!
-Columbus Cane