One more time, Canes…

After all that, we’re down to one. One game. One chance. Even one quarterback. A crazy four-month journey, indeed.

The highs. The lows. Eking out a few wins in games that could’ve gone either way. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory on other occasions. There’s been nothing easy about 7-5 this season for the Miami Hurricanes and a season-ending match up with Cal won’t be an exception.

Few are giving the Canes a shot Saturday night. Thousands of miles from home. Temperatures in the 40s. An unofficial ‘home’ game for the Bears, with 3Com Park closer to Cal than Dolphin Stadium is to The U. 

On paper, Miami could be a double-digit underdog by game time. Five players are suspended and a slew more sidelined due to injury. This is hardly the same bunch of Canes that hit the field late August for a season-opening rout of Charleston Southern.

The only real similarity is behind center, with Jacory Harris starting game one and now the finale.

After 7-5, I’m done going on a limb and predicting wins and losses. In the same breath, I haven’t given up on the kids either.

After missing a bowl last year, Randy Shannon and staff are preparing to coach their first post-season outing in their tenure. Last year this time, recruiting was the name of the game as the season came to a crashing 5-7 halt in late November. The only December travels were to the homes or schools of recruits.

How will Shannon and staff handle double-duty this year? After so much talk of the bowl game being a blessing, how prepared and focused will these coaches have these players?

Depending on where your allegiance lies — pro-Miami, anti-Shannon, pro-Cal, anti-Nix — you could argue every side of this equation and still not find an answer. The bookies like the Bears, but this is the least clear-cut match up of this long season. In the end, it all comes down to who shows up.

For Miami, is it the team who willed itself to victories against Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia and Virginia Tech? Or is it the lost bunch who could do no right in back-to-back losses against Georgia Tech and NC State?

Regarding Cal, a tale of two quarterbacks and a team seemingly overhyped. 6-3 in the Pac-10, yet only five conference teams sport a winning record. Cal earned five wins against rivals who finished 4-5, or worse. Against the best the Pac had to offer (Southern Cal and Oregon State),the Bears were outscored 51-24 in early November. When they faced an ACC team earlier this year, a 35-27 loss at Maryland.

All that isn’t to say Cal isn’t a formidable foe or that Jahvid Best isn’t a threat, but the 5’10” and 193-pound running back put up his best numbers against defenses that weren’t quite Miami-esque and didn’t boast the same athletes. 

A 311-yard outing against Washington deserves kudos, but lest not forget the Huskies finished this year’s campaign winless. Against legit foes, Best had much more down to earth numbers. 30 yards against USC. 93 against Oregon. 85 against Colorado State. 25 against Maryland.

Best threw up 200 yard outings against Washington State and Stanford; who were a combined 7-18 and at the bottom of the Pac. Against middle of the road conference foes, Best barely averaged 100 yards and a touchdown per game. Sounds much more mortal than he’s being made out to be.

As much hype as #4 received down the stretch, Miami’s defense took a statistical hit after losses to Georgia Tech and NC State, being made out to be a liability. Prior to the final two games, the Canes defense held strong late in the season. The highlight, shutting down eventual ACC Champion Virginia Tech’s then-potent rushing attack.

Freshman sensation Darren Evans posted a 253-yard outing at Maryland the week before, yet against the Canes his second-lowest total of the season; 43 yards.

Line up a big-bodied back with your standard drop-back passer and Miami proved it could play defense. It was the gimmicky offenses that gave the Canes fits, be it a funky triple-option or a versatile mobile quarterback on a mission, with his team on his back. 

This isn’t to say Miami’s D will return to mid-season form or that Best’s recent success won’t continue. It simply means the stats the gurus and geeks keep shoving down your collective throat are skewed.

Throw out the numbers. This game comes down to one simple question; who comes to play? Come bowl season, that’s what it’s all about. Who is thrilled to be there and who is going through the motions? Who wants to put an exclamation point on their season and who has checked out, already thinking ahead to next year?

For Miami, no one knows. While Cal has won three straight bowl games under Jeff Tedford, (albeit against lesser opponents – Air Force, Texas A&M, BYU), Shannon and staff are yet to prove their post-season mettle. With a month to prepare for an opponent, what will the Miami coaches bring to the table?

Can Patrick Nix finally break out of his offensive shell? What does he have in store for Harris? Will he finally bring a balanced rushing attack and give this O an identity?

What about Bill Young? With a month to prepare for Best, how will this supposed guru plan on stopping one of the nation’s hotter backs?

With months to game plan against Florida, Young found a way to shut down Tim Tebow and a potent Florida offense for most of the night. Cal has been the name of the game for a month now. Time to walk that walk.

There’s a lot of talk from Miami that the Emerald Bowl is the beginning of the 2009 season, as opposed to the end of 2008. A jump start on next year, where this team expects more growth and another step forward after another top-flight class is inked in February.

That said, talk is cheap. It’s put up or shut up time for Miami, come Saturday and for this program moving forward.

In recent years this team still had players talking like it’s 2001, while playing like it’s 1997. As early as today, offensive lineman Jason Fox provided a few more signature soundbites.

“Nobody came to Miami to be mediocre. Everybody came here to win championships and have those undefeated or one-loss seasons. That’s what everybody expects, that’s what everybody holds themselves to, and that’s what we want to get back to.”

Early last season Fox all but guaranteed a win at Oklahoma, a game Miami lost 51-13. Since then, the junior lineman always seems to be the first to talk about what the Canes should do, yet the program is now 19-18 since his freshman campaign.

Miami’s overall resume speaks for itself. Especially the run earlier this decade. While this group of Canes is 19-18 since 2006, the class of 2000 Canes were 35-3 entering their senior season. More than twice the record with a fraction of the chatter. 

Ironically, this decade’s BCS staple Canes were all business – talking less and letting their play speak for itself. Hopefully this next generation of Canes followed the Gospel According to Ed Reed and chooses to get it done on the field, instead of on media day.

That isn’t meant to be a knock of Fox, he’s just the most vocal.

These guys came to Miami, aspirations high and when the program was better off. The past few classes simply haven’t carried the torch or even maintained. It’s been backslide city.

For this current crop of Canes, another chance to let their play do the talking. One more game, a formidable foe, a prime time contest and the ability to get rid their mouths of that losing taste.

Miami may be void of the depth and talent necessary to compete for a national title, but there’s enough under the hood to hang with a fourth-ranked Pac-10 team, in a conference where only five teams went bowling. 

Quarterback controversy? Mr. Harris can settle that argument on the field tomorrow. All season long he and Robert Marve progressed and regressed in tandem. No one snatched the brass ring. Harris will get his first start since game one. Prove you’re “the guy”. Leave no doubt.

Mr. Nix, the majority of this fan base is calling for your head. Legendary Canes — with proven track records and national championship rings to their credit — have called you out, saying your offense lacks an identity.

You said this team’s strength was a power running game and improved offensive line, yet you never established an effective ground attack all season. Your approval rating is Bush-esque,  be it with the fans – or your boss’ mentor, on speed dial in the Keys.

One game. Show promise and probably save your job. Lose and that hammer probably falls. Again, one game. Let’s see what you got. (I’d start with a lot of Harris to Aldarius Johnson, for Bulls sake.)

Coach Young, tap into that pre-Florida mojo. Whatever you were out to prove that night, find it in San Francisco.

For Randy, it’s bowl season. A winner as both a player and assistant. Rings to show for both. Now a first-time head coach. How will it play out? Miami needs a win. 8-5 sounds a hell of a lot better than 7-4. 

Throw in a win over a ‘quality’ Pac-1o program, a big time recruiting class, some Harris hype in spring and Miami rides the momentum train into a decent preseason ranking.

The Canes need this game. It’s the difference between sitting in neutral for a few months or taking the next logical step in the journey back. Living with a three-game losing streak until fall or going out with a much-needed bang. 

Rebuilding efforts start with games like these. Everybody knows, but in this case how do things play out. 

Tomorrow night we’ll know. No excuses, right?

Go Canes.

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