Another Miami and Virginia Tech match up is on the books, albeit much earlier in the season than we’re all used to. When these two tussle, both squads usually have eight or nine games under their belt. Not this year. Two of the ACC’s best will go toe-to-toe right out the gate.
This time around it’s the 2-0 Canes headed to Blacksburg to take on the 2-1 Hokies. Miami, flying high after an offensive outpouring against both Florida State and Georgia Tech and feeling even better overall after an improved defense showing week two. The Canes held the option-happy Jackets to 92 yards on the ground after giving up 472 yards in Atlanta last fall.
The Noles moved the ball well against the Canes week one and fell short. A week later a 512-yard and 54-point outburst at No. 7 BYU, lending some credibility to Miami’s defense and the Florida State offense.
Jacory Harris has been all-world out the gate, torching Miami’s first two opponents and proving he’s one cool customer. Though it’s early, Harris is proving he doesn’t get too high or too low. Even keel and keeping it all in perspective, J12’s demeanor is rubbing off on his teammates. Toss in tremendous playcalling by new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple and great blocking by the Canes’ offensive line and Harris has virtually been flawless behind center.
The hype this week has been tremendous. Everybody is talking Miami. Are the Canes ‘back’? How far can this team go? ESPN went so far as to hint at a Miami v. Florida national championship in Pasadena, should both teams stay on track.
While all the Cane-related media and press is a welcomed site, everyone needs to pump the brakes and come back down to earth a bit. That’s not to say UM can’t win out and reach the title game, but at 2-0 the only thing anyone should be talking about is Blacksburg and a feisty opponent in the Hokies. Next week, start thinking Oklahoma. From there, Florida A&M, Central Florida, Clemson and so on.
Simply put, don’t talk Pasadena until you prove you can reach Tampa and win.
Randy Shannon has his hands full this week regarding expectations. This has been the first time on his watch that Miami cracked the top ten and is a national story. Can Shannon keep this team level-headed? Can he keep his Canes from believing the hype? Everyone is saying the right thing when the media sniffs around looking for quotes… but mentally is this team truly focused?
We’ll find out on Saturday.
Don’t let Virginia Tech’s lackluster player and 2-1 record fool you. 106th in the country in passing offense? 107th in run defense? This is still a fundamentally sound program. Frank Beamer has his kids knowing that a win over smokin’ hot Miami will put them right back on the map and in the driver’s seat regarding the ACC Coastal division. Tech has the horses to hang.
Defensively Bud Foster has two weeks of Whipple Ball to break down. He knows his front seven needs to pressure Harris and rattle the young quarterback in a hostile environment. That said, “knowing” and “doing” are two completely different things.
Ball control is key on Saturday. With Miami’s offense now a legitimate threat, teams need to keep the ball out of Harris’ hands. The Hokies need a balanced attack, strong special teams and sound defense to rattle the potent Canes. Doable in theory, but can they realistically pull it off?
Miami’s passing attack has reigned down on it’s first two foes, but come Saturday it’s all about the ground game. The Canes need to run the ball. A steady diet of Graig Cooper and Javarris James. Get physical with Virginia Tech. Move the chains. Get on the board early. Shut down that oft hostile Lane Stadium crowd.
The Hokies will rely on special teams and defense, attempting to grind it out and win a low-scoring slugfest. Offensively this is still a program with Tyrod Taylor behind center and Bryan Stinespring calling the plays. Tech has a capable back in Ryan Williams, so Miami will obviously look to slow the ground game, forcing Taylor to win it with his legs and arm.
This game has ‘pitfall’ written all over it… for past Miami teams. In 2009, these Canes appear to know what’s up. Offensively it won’t be the high-scoring affairs this offense saw the last two weeks, but the flip side is a Virginia Tech offense that has struggled to score points.
Toss in the inability to stop the run and a strong duo of Miami backs and the Canes seem to have enough to pull out another win, earning their way to 3-0 and putting a stranglehold on the ACC Coastal division. The ground attack is the difference-maker in what should be a hard-fought ball game.
Harris has been Miami’s superstar these first few weeks, so it’s a safe bet the Hokies’ defense will be gunning for him. Whipple will take the pressure off his sophomore sensation and will ride Cooper and James to a Canes victory.
The Call: Miami 24, Virginia Tech 16
The more i think on it, the more i feel this becomes a trap game. Lets hope these Canes stay level headed and put another ACC foe out to pasture. Lets go 'Canes!
UM 24
VT 10
No trap here…this is a great matchup for us…think about it: our only weakness?? defending the long ball? their biggest weakness…throwing the deep ball. Georgia Tech preparation prepared us for this game too…disciplined assignment D to control Tyrod and keep him confined to the pocket, plus D is fast. Also they're among worst in nation on 1st down run D. And whipple loves to throw on first. Theyre going to have to pick their poison on 1st down. thisll be over quick
Whereas past Miami teams led by Brock Berlin or Kyle Wright would have folded under the pressure of playing up to expectations while the lights are hot, especially in Lane Stadium (2003 was a pretty rough game for The U up there), I can't help but notice that there is just something different about this 2009 version. Jacory Harris gives me the same feeling that I used to get back when Ken Dorsey was playing QB for The U. That no matter how tough a stadium it was they were playing in, or how stacked the odds were against the Canes, that Ken Dorsey would find a way to win. That's same way I feel about Jacory Harris. He has "it" and that's not something that can be coached. J12 is special, and I truly believe this Canes team is special, too. I'm not saying the Canes are gonna go in and dominate the Hokies, because the Hokies have too much pride and are too well coached for that to happen. Still, if the game is close and the outcome is in the balance, my money is on Jacory pulling out the W every single time.
Allcanes,
What's up with Ray Ray Armstrong? Is he red-shirted this year?
Something I realized while reading this article is that it makes perfect sense for ESPN to hyping up UM. We've seen the articles on how Miami has played in 4 out of the 5 most watched college games. It's all the hype to get the fanbase back. I studied sport administration at UM and my sports communication professor taught us in college football and other sports that this is what goes on (when's the last time you saw an NHL show on ESPN?)… not to sound like a conspirator that it's all the media controlling ALL of the news, but I'm sure that the extra hype for Miami is revigorating the fanbase that does help them bring in viewers. You can't tell me after the amount of people that watched FSU Miami three weeks ago ESPN didn't realize how much they've been missing out since they stopped giving Miami as much attention.
A previous blog entry on here quoted Kornheiser on PTI saing "It's good for college football." It's also great for the networks.
I personally speculated at the idea of a UM-UF championship game at the beginning of the season… I love the thought. 9 of the Canes 12 games are in Florida, plus the ACC Champ is in Tampa the week after we play USF at home. There was no way these guys aren't ready to play this way after the last few seasons. BUT nobody can say that it isn't the dream game ESPN would love to publicize (storyline Baby Jesus Jacory vs. The Legendary virgin Tebow)…
Anyways, most UM fans and local media are in awe at the unexpected national bandwagon jumping on so quickly… but I just want to point out why.
Let's eat some hokie turkey today.
GO CANES!
At this point I've seen no indication that the Canes can lean on the running game. The run has been set up by the passing attack, and will need to be again. I imagine Tech will put 8 in the box, anticipating that the Canes will try to take advantage of their weak rush defense. If they stick with the run in the face of a overloaded front line, the result could be a lot of 3rd and long situations.
Ray Ray plays special teams… If you haven't noticed, he tends to get in a scuffle with an opposing player quite often….Time to gobble gobble up these turkeys… I mean hokies.
The word, which originated from the Old Hokie spirit yell, penned in 1896, is often used interchangeably with "Fighting Gobblers" to refer to sports teams, fans, students, or alumni. The official university school colors – Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange – also were introduced in 1896. The colors were chosen by a committee because they made a 'unique combination' not worn elsewhere at the time.[1] The mascot is the HokieBird, a turkey-like creature. The teams were originally known as the "Fighting Gobblers," and the turkey motif was retained despite the name change.
The Fighting Gobblers?
LMFAO
At this point I've seen no indication that the Canes can lean on the running game. The run has been set up by the passing attack, and will need to be again. I imagine Tech will put 8 in the box, anticipating that the Canes will try to take advantage of their weak rush defense. If they stick with the run in the face of a overloaded front line, the result could be a lot of 3rd and long situations.
… "at this point" Miami has played two games this season and the pass was there, so that's what Mark Whipple drew up. Virginia Tech has defended the run poorly this year and a physical team like Alabama rushed for 268 yards on them.
Whipple will either use the pass to set up the run, or the run to set up the pass. We'll see. Either way, I disagree with the notion that we can't expect Miami to lean on the running game because we haven't "seen" it yet. The Canes have played eight quarters of ball. At some point they HAVE to lean on the running game and no better week than now…
Also, you have to believe that if they stuff the box with 8 defenders, Whipple will just dial up some max-protect pass plays and allow J12 to beat Tech deep with any one of many awesome receivers.
Also, you have to believe that if they stuff the box with 8 defenders, Whipple will just dial up some max-protect pass plays and allow J12 to beat Tech deep with any one of many awesome receivers.
…. exactly, Brad. Tech has to pick their poison. If they stack the box, they get beat deep. If they focus on defending the pass, Miami runs the ball.
I believe it is going to be a blow-out this week, and that by tomorrow we will be sitting in the top 5. Let's Go Canes!
"Whipple will either use the pass to set up the run, or the run to set up the pass."
Way to state the obvious. All I was saying is that Tech hasn't been able to stop the run, and the Canes have a dominant passing game, so I think it will be the passing game that will be setting up the run. Tech will want to be sure that the aren't beaten on the ground again.
As a Hokie, I hate to admit it that this doesn't look like VT's year. Miami has significant edge on pass offence and will likely win this game.
Hi, I'm the anonymous commenter who was sarcastically replied to when I questioned whether the Canes would be able to lean on the run. I imagine you now understand why I was concerned.
U.S.F…. you're still missing the point.
Your "logic" was that Miami couldn't run the ball because they hadn't run the ball in two games — whey they haven't had to.
I said in my piece that VT's defense and special teams would come to play. I never doubted that. I just disagree with the sentiment that because Miami hasn't run this year, that they wouldn't be able to run.
If you said that they VT would simply stop the run because they had the personnel, because Bud Foster would have a solid game plan, et al — so be it. That wasn't your take. You felt Miami wouldn't run simply because they haven't had to run in two games this year.
Furthermore, the weather is killing this passing game for the Canes. Tech is absolutely keying in on this run because the pass isn't even a threat.
Side note… why did you sign in 'anonymous' the first time and now you take the time to log in? That starved for a pat on the back?
What a dissapointing game. I feel horrible. I think that if the sun was shining it would have been a totally different game.
I wish college football had a playoff system. If it did, this loss wouldn't seem so crushing.
AllCanes:
Love you commentary – agree with most of it…keep up the great work.
They laid a big egg today – let's not hear any drivel about the weather from fans either – they had the conference title within grasp by winning this game and completely checked out like Miami teams of the past five years – not with Coker players but with Shannon players – that's what bothers me the most; there seemed to be little sense of urgency, no leader stepping forward to motivate his teammates to rally and the tackling looked like something from the Coker not so distant past.
We better improve fast or OU will wipe us out in even greater fashion! After that, with a USF win today against the Noles today in Tallahassee, that game is no longer a certain "W" as the Bulls will go all out to beat 2 of the Big 3!
The National Title/Heisman hype is rightfully gone – now let's come back to earth and try to win from this point out.
Go Canes!
Well I was worried about this being a letdown game … and unfortunately it was.
That being said, Miami has a big opportunity to beat Oklahoma and rebound.
Can't dwell on the past.
Go Canes!
Todd Leonard, thats the biggest bandwagon talk I have ever heard, no chance in hell is that National title/Heisman hype gone. Miami lost to a quality team and VaTech beat a quality team. It's not anywhere near over for the Canes. The season is not determined by one loss, nobody is perfect. The Canes will rebound, Jacory Harris is a true leader, he could only do so much today. If he is not discouraged by one loss, then neither should you. He is a champion and he will not quit till the Canes are back to the top.
I havent seen VT that jacked up in a looooong time. They really, really wanted to off this hot Miami team and they did just that. Ouch. Ill be honest, i over looked VT and i think this Canes team did the same thing. We made Taylor look like a competent QB. Well, gone is the national hype, back to the basement we are. Lets hope this team can rebound againt OU and get back on track. Its still early and there is still alot of ball left to play.
"Your "logic" was that Miami couldn't run the ball because they hadn't run the ball in two games — whey they haven't had to."
I never used that logic. I said VT would stuff the box to negate the run and the Canes would have to throw to win. Your reading comprehension needs work. And I made a name thinking I would be able to comment without waiting for approval. In any case I was right, though I'm not happy about it and require no pat on the back.
I, for one, shall remember that several people thought we would be 0-4 to start our season. 2-1 sure looks better. Breathe in, breathe out, move on ! Tighten up the tackling. Foster is an excellent defensive mind, he won yesterday. Learn from the schemes they were throwing at us…..
Hated by many, loved by few, WE are the U
Anonymous:
Don't disagree with you but sometimes there is even a nugget of truth in the bandwagon.
My point is simply that this team was incredibly flat, and I think it was overconfidence – we were in a much better position when we were NOT supposed to win the first two, much less the first four…after two games, the bandwagon anoints us and it is apparent that some of that played a factor in the game. Sure VT is good and coached really well but if we play with the same tenacity and mentality that we had for the past two games there is no way we get thumped 31-7, period!
I don't discount a title, just that we better not make that the focus from week to week…short term goals for this team probably work better right now and the only wagon we need to concern ourselves with is the one that has OU on it coming our way on Saturday!
Thanks for the commentary – go Canes!