It was a throwaway comment on the official allCanes Facebook page this week, but it spoke volumes as this individual isn’t the only UM fan who agrees with the sentiment.
To paraphrase, a message to head coach Al Golden to not start junior quarterback Stephen Morris as he’s “the worst”.
And so it goes. Another year, another jaded bunch with knee-jerk reactions.
A handful of fans too distraught by Miami’s recent downturn to actually see any silver lining with this new staff, or to have any hope in the immediate future.
Make no mistake, the Hurricanes have their work cut out. This squad still lacks depth, leadership, skilled upperclassmen and is loaded with green talent. Injuries are already taking their toll on the practice field and Golden’s squad is still two years away from a true, “next man in” mentality.
Still, there are some areas where UM is finally ready to take a step forward and quarterback is one of them.
Anyone on Morris’ back at this phase of the game has a pointless axe to grind. The junior first saw action as a true freshman in a loss at Virginia in October 2010.
The Canes were down 14-0 at the half, with starter Jacory Harris knocked out early and the Cavs led, 24-0 early in the fourth quarter before Morris helped rally UM to a, 24-19 loss in the waning moments.
A week later, Morris got his first start against visiting Maryland and connected with wideout Leonard Hankerson for the game-winning touchdown – a 35-yard strike with :37 remaining. Morris went 18-of-30 for 286 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Next up, with Harris still sidelined, a 35-10 win at Georgia Tech – Miami’s first in Atlanta since 2004. Morris finished 10-for-18 for 230 yards and his lone touchdown pass, a perfectly-placed strike that Hankerson took 79 yards for the score.
Morris absorbed his first loss in late November when Virginia Tech headed south. Tied 17-17 after three, it was the Miami defense which broke down first, not the freshman quarterback.
Down 24-17, after giving up an 84-yard run to Ryan Williams, Morris was intercepted mid-field and five plays later, was up, 31-17. Morris was again picked off on the Hokies’ nineteen-yard line.
UM amassed 464 yards to VT’s 369, but lost the turnover battle 6-to-1 and while the freshman quarterback made some mistakes, he kept Miami in a very winnable game against a formidable opponent, in his third career start.
Harris got the nod in 2011, which wasn’t a shock as a new coaching staff was seeking stability and looked to avoid controversy.
Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch managed to help Harris turn things around, going from 148 completions on 270 attempts for 1,793 yards and a 14-15 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2010, to a 195-of-300 for 2,486 yards and 20-9 ratio, with four of those nine picks coming in the season finale against Boston College.
If Fisch could save the three-years-damaged Harris, one has to believe that Morris, with two years remaining, a better arm and more athleticism, can take a nice leap forward in 2012.
Coaches gave Morris the nod over Memphis transfer Ryan Williams and cited his leadership, understanding off the offense and work ethic, rehabilitating from off-season back surgery – as well as his arm – for the leg up on Williams.
Nothing was handed to Morris, as coaches were quick to point out that he stepped up and took what was rightfully his.
“He earned it,” Golden said. “He had a great off-season, had a great summer. He’s unquestionably the leader right now.”
Fisch echoed that sentiment, while focusing on Morris being completely healed.
“He showed us that he’s 100 percent healthy,” said Fisch. “That was our first question when he came back from the [surgery]. The next thing is he showed us that he has tremendous command of the offense. He really spent this spring almost like a redshirt year.
“The spring he spent with me, next to me, really leading the young kids and all that other stuff, was awesome. He showed us, No. 1, that he was mentally prepared, and then, No. 2, totally physically prepared. His arm strength has been tremendous. His feet have been great.”
Fisch went on to say that Morris has also grown as a leader on and off the field, which should be music to the ears of all who longed for Harris to slide into that role, though he never did in four years.
Things came close in 2009, but a disastrous junior campaign a year later seemed to rattled the Miami Northwestern product’s confidence and even with a cleaner 2011 campaign, Harris never truly became “the man” and never led.
As Miami preps for a September 1st showdown at Boston College, it’s time for fans to back “the new man” as this coaching staff has.
Morris stepped in to relieve as a freshman, paid his dues as a sophomore and earned his starting job as a junior. This is his team and again, time to believe in his maturity, growth and decision-making until given reason not to.
This fan base’s skepticism is understandable after the last half decade of football, but let’s not make a young man on the rise pay for the sins of his predecessors. Clean slate for No. 17. Give him a chance to show what he’s got. – CB
Don’t forget in the VT game 2 years ago when VT was up 24-17. Morris hits T. Benjamin in perfect stride deep. TB drops a sure td which would have tied the game. Everyone around Morris that game let him down. Last year v. MD, Morris marches the team down the field to take the lead 3 times only to have the D give up the lead each time plus M. James fumbled into a MD player’s arms resulting in a defensive TD. Morris will be fine. The real question on O, as always, is our O line. In the past it’s been luck if UM can move the ball on 3rd and short and 4th and short. The O line has been manhandled year after year. We’ll see if AG’s strength and conditioning program will pay off. If the O line can consistently step up then the entire game will take on a new dimension.
Solid points all around, Richmond. Had forgotten about the TB3 drop.
I believe there are a couple things you left out that should be mentioned which actually help your argument. First and foremost, in that Virginia tech game, down 24-17, Morris threw a PERFECT long ball to a Travis Benjamin who easily had 3-4 strides on his cover man which hit him right in the hands and he dropped it. That would easily have been a TD and would have changed the course of the game. Those interceptions were the result of having to force passes in a short amount of time into coverage that was antcipating this. Next, he threw for I believe 290 yards in about 2 or 3 quarters against Notre Dame and clearly outperformed his expectations. Lastly in that Maryland game, he created opportunities with his feet on that game winning drive, something jacory rarely did and something we haven’t seen in a while. I personally thought he played well enough at Maryland with a depleted team the following year to maintain the starting position, and I was nit alone in that sentiment. Several sportscasters agreed.
I think anyone not giving this kid a chance has to be blind about his potential. He’s a better athlete than Harris, has a better arm (won’t be seeing those rainbows anymore), and stronger leadership. I for one will absolutely have his back this season. He’s shown me no reason to question him otherwise.
We’re still a long way from where we need to be. I tell everyone I know to circle 2014 because that’s the year we are going to blow up. By then, all of Golden’s players will be 3-4 years in his system and fully developed. Not saying they couldn’t surprise people next year, but my expectations this year are definitely not conference champs, let alone national. I see 7-5 with a lot of errors by green players but if anyone on this team is going to elevate people on that offense it’s going to be this kid. Sure wish we could have had miller and streeter for one more year to help him out, but we play with the cards we’re dealt. And I think Morris is our ace in the hole.
Great points, Jose. Had forgotten about that ill-fated pass to Benjamin against VT.
Left out the Notre Dame game as Morris came in when Miami was down 21-0, promptly threw an interception and didn’t really get anything going until MIami was down 30-3, entering the fourth quarter. Made some nice plays in the fourth, but safe to say the Irish were mailing it in at that point with the big lead.
Agree that Morris did enough against Maryland last year, but don’t think he was mature enough to lead then. For a fragile team and a first-year staff, and not much separation between Morris / Harris, at that point you go with the senior.
That said, Morris is a junior and is growing mentally and physically, as well as with leadership skills. This is definitely his time and it’s a damn shame that anyone pulling for this program would clamor for a true freshman over a kid who put in the time, earned his shot, wowed coaches and is ready to go.
I agree! I was not aware of the stats on Jacory’s improvement in the last year under Fisch. I always liked Morris, he seems to be a good leader, and always seems to lift the team when he is playing. I think we will see a pretty notable improvement at QB this year, and each year going forward. This is the first time I can recall in recent memory that pretty much the entire coaching staff is intact from the previous year. Go Stephen!!! Go CANES!!!