FIVE THOUGHTS FROM THE MIAMI HURRICANES’ SPRING GAME

For the first time in a long time, there was some genuine excitement surround the Miami Hurricanes’ spring game. Does that mean “The U” is back? Not necessarily—but it doesn’t seem premature to celebrate the fact that the UM is back on the right track for the first time in well over a decade.

All the energy former head coach Al Golden seemed to suck out of the program—first-year head coach Mark Richt has reignited the fan base; despite the Canes doing little more than salvaging a recruiting class and going through some practices and scrimmages since his hiring.

In regards to the actual stats from Saturday’s showdown at Lockhart Stadium, it was junior quarterback Brad Kaaya leading the charge with 345 yards and three touchdowns on the day.

Receiver Braxton Berrios was good for 127 yards and a score, while tight end Chris Herndon had two scores and 76 receiving yards.

The green team topped the orange squad, 24-7

#5 — Linebacker youth and talent is the blueprint for Miami’s recruiting rebuild and benchmark for the program.

When you look at guys like Shaq Quarterman and Mike Pinckney making and immediate impact; the sentiment is two-fold. (1) These are Miami-type kids that the program was build on and (2) why is this program (and position) in such a pinch that two true freshman are starting in the spring game?

Both were part of the first team defense on Saturday; Quarterman with seven tackles and Pinckney with five.

The past few Hurricanes’ head coaches might not have throw these kids to the fire so quickly.

Golden and defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio ran a complicated, ineffective scheme that relied more on head and experience than physical abilities and instinct—making upperclassmen the default go-to.

Prior to their regime, former head coach Randy Shannon favored seniority and guys who knew the program—linebackers like Romeo Davis or Glenn Cook getting playing time over freshmen phenom-types.

Miami’s linebacking corps have taken a hit over the years. Golden had to weed out a ton of riff-raff; dumping guys like Eddie Johnson, Gionni Paul and Gabe Terry in a matter of months, a year after booting Travis Williams and Kevin Nelson. (That’s not even counting a few guys that never wound up enrolling for various reasons.)

With so many would-be seniors no longer with the program, Miami is forced to rely on talent like Quarterman and Pinckney as Richt rebuilds. The first-year coach will also have to find guys like that other positions void of old school Canes-type talent.

#4 — Lack of depth at cornerback is the epitome of why Miami still isn’t “back” and needs time to right the ship. 

While it’s not a fair example and was a once-in-a-lifetime type situation, it’s hard not to look at Miami’s secondary turnover between 2001 and 2002 as the ultimate benchmark for where the Canes should aspire to be.

After hauling in the program’s fifth national title with what was damn near college football’s version of a Pro Bowl team, the secondary departed. Safeties Ed Reed and James Lewis moved on; as did cornerbacks Phillip Buchanon and Mike Rumph.

Three of the four were first rounders. Lewis went in the third; arguably fueled by an epic pick-six in the national title game against Nebraska.

Miami took the field the following fall with a crew of newbies whose learning curve was minimal thanks to an aggressive front seven that took the heat off.

Even without that, the talent level was up to par as Sean Taylor and Maurice Sikes took over at safety, while Antrel Rolle and Kelly Jennings locked down the corner spot. (Another situation with three of four eventual first rounders for the Canes.)

Present day Miami lacks both a front seven that aggressive, as well as that type of overall talent and depth in the secondary. (So do the majority of programs in college football for that matter.)

Whatever the case, the position has been lacking for a while and is a ways from being where it needs to be. Even highly-touted talent over the past few years—guys like safety Deon Bush or cornerback Tracy Howard—didn’t live up to their high school star-ranking hype.

Artie Burns came off a banner season that caused the would-be senior to give up his final year of eligibility, though track speed and the untimely passing of his mother Dana Smith helped force his hand.

The Canes signed one cornerback last February; Malek Young—as well as safety Romeo Finley. Nice pick-ups, but a lot more work still needs to be done.

Miami returns Jaquan Johnson, who had a quality spring game with the second team. Corn Elder is also back; but is another guy more about speed and instinct than actual lock-down corner skills.

Jamal Carter and Rayshawn Jenkins return at safety, though both are more Randy Phillips or JoJo Nicolas-like, than Taylor- or Reed-esque.

Again, these aren’t knocks on any kids who are balls-on-the-line suiting up to play at the University of Miami and out to make a difference. These are simply cold, hard fact for a portion of this fan base who believes The Richt Effect absolves all sins and a decade worth of sub-par results.

Lots of work to be done depth-wise across the board before the Hurricanes are a major player again. That was proven across the board last weekend, though nowhere more prevalent than the secondary.

#3 — Miami’s tight end production is the x-factor for the Canes’ offense this year.

The offensive line remains a work in progress, a lack of depth and overall speed at receiver is still an issue and the Gus Edwards‘ effect at running back is still a bit of an unknown—can the junior serve as a true bigger-back compliment to the likes of Mark Walton and Joe Yearby?

While all that gets worked out, the Canes have some bonafide talent in David Njoku, Standish Dobard and Herndon that needs to be taken advantage of. Be it a standard tight end role or the h-back look—it adds another dimension and option for quarterback Brad Kaaya.

Njoku jumped right into action last season, stepping in for the departed Clive Walford in a role that many expected Dobard to fill.

Njoku was good for 21 receptions, 362 yards and a score; playing in all 13 games and starting four while Dobard was held to eight receptions and 90 yards, with a touchdown. Herndon even one-upped Dobard, hauling in 18 receptions or 237 yards and a score.

Stacy Coley returns at receiver for the Canes, but the consistency hasn’t always been there—nor has the health, with the senior oft banged up. Lawrence Cager looked the part at times as a freshman last season, but had a few untimely drops in the spring game. Berrios has been clutch this spring, but again, injuries and inconsistency has been an issue for the junior.

Outside that trio, sophomore Darrell Langham is another option—while redshirt senior and Malcolm Lewis looks to regain form from an injury earlier in his career. Regarding the true freshman—someone from the Sam Bruce, Ahmmon Richards and Dionte Mullins will fit into the fold, though the timing with Kaaya won’t yet bet up to speed.

Without the numbers at receiver, with a shuffled line and without a proven bigger back, the Canes are going to have to rely on some of that low-hanging fruit that the tight end depth is going to provide.

#2 — It’s Kaaya-or-bust for Miami as the Canes will go as far as their quarterback leads them.

The same could’ve been said for their turn-of-the-millennium Hurricanes with Ken Dorsey under center, backed up by Derrick Crudup—but Miami was so loaded elsewhere, it just seemed they’d find a way without Dorsey if need be.

Kaaya represents more to this squad due to the lack of depth and talent here and there for the Canes. Miami simply needs more out of it’s starting quarterback and without him, it’s a huge blow.

Malik Rosier hasn’t developed into the quality second-string back the Canes had hoped for. Neck-and-neck with him, redshirt freshman Evan Shirreffs. Vincent Testaverde—Son of Vinny—is on the roster, though not expected to contribute much.

True freshman Jack Allison is next in line and could always pull a Kaaya—thrown into the fire as a newbie if need be, but that would be a waste much like it was starting No. 15 in 2013. If Miami has to burn Allison’s redshirt this season, it’d be tragic.

Kaaya’s health is the ultimate key to 2016—but also next year and beyond as it could impact the Allison years at “The U” and depth at the position moving forward.

#1 — All the hype and feel-good stuff aside; the culture is still broken and is in need of a huge overhaul. 

Nothing has been more-telling this spring than defensive coordinator Manny Diaz discussing the lack-of-toughness surrounding his unit.

“We want to be defined by that word, and we’re still quite a ways from that,” Diaz told the Palm Beach Post weeks back. “Our calling card, a little bit, has been to let go of the rope,” the first year coordinator explained when discussing a few grotesque blowouts the Canes suffered last season.

After the spring game, Diaz had another complaint—not enough swag, in a sense.

“If I still had to lobby a complaint for us—it’s the craziest thing—but when we do something good, we just don’t get excited about it,” Diaz explained to the Miami Herald.

“I still want us to play with more passion. I mean the first drive of the game, I think we stopped them on fourth down and the guys walked off like they were going to detention. We’re still trying to get the Canes to play with more passion and get our guys more energized when good things happen, but I think that will come.”

Old school Hurricanes’ supporters almost have to adjust their eyewear, focus and re-read as it comes off like some straight up Bizzaro World shit—present day Miami “lacks passion” and doesn’t celebrate success.

All the ball-busting about the Canes being “Goldenized”—or even “Shannonized” as the issue has been ongoing—it unfortunately holds water. Miami has forgotten how to be “Miami”—both in it’s play, in attitude and in overall essence.

Forget four national titles in a nine-year span, a 58-game home win-streak and an aura that had opponents defeated before the coin toss—on the most-basic level, the Canes have morphed into a lifeless bunch.

Can that and will it change, absolutely—but it’s going to take time. Miami has lacked that energy and fire since Davis’ recruits moved on to the NFL—somewhere in that 2004 or 2005 era, the change taking place.

The epitome of this mental weakness; blowing a 23-10 halftime lead against top-ranked, defending national champ Florida State in 2013—falling apart in the second half, unable to hold on to a lead or mount a late comeback.

Even worse, the collapse that saw Miami lifeless in losses to Virginia and Pittsburgh in what were very winnable game—carrying over to a bowl loss to a sub-par South Carolina team.

Mike Tyson has that famous saying that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Miami used to be on the punching side of that, but has since become the punched.

Changing that role—it’s the ultimate key to the Canes’ resurgence.

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