Thank God I live out west and was able to score a Gator-less copy of the Sporting News College Football ’08. I’ll take USC’s Rey Maualuga on a cover instead of Jesus Christ Tebow and a dirty Seminole (Greg Carr) as the inset.
Not only are the Miami Hurricanes absent on the regional cover (pictured above), but outside of the ACC preview, The U gets virtually no love anywhere else in the mag.
That’s not an implication of a Sporting News bias. It’s simply life after 5-7. No preseason All-Americans. Nobody on the Heisman Watch list, or any other award list. No games that’ll dictate the National Championship chase – in our out of conference.
All-ACC was the best Miami could muster up and that was OT Jason Fox. No skills players and no defensive superstars. Just a senior offensive lineman in what TSN calls the sixth-rated conference.
The two bright spots? Wide receiver Aldarius Johnson was one of eight named to the ‘Freshman of Impact’ list and linebacker Arthur Brown was named the ACC’s Top Impact Freshman.
The writing’s on the wall. A youth movement is underway and for the Canes, it’s a “rebuilding” thing.
TSN did acknowledge Miami’s top-flight recruiting class, ranking it #1 in the ACC (5th overall) and has the Canes penciled in for the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando.
A few years back that’d be considered a down year, but after no bowl in 2007 and the Blue Turf Bowl the previous one, this year’s prognosis may as well be a BCS berth for this win-starved program.
Humbled Hurricanes. That’s what happens after going 12-13 over the past 25 games and leaving the Orange Bowl with a whimper thanks to a 48-0 shellacking at the hands of Virginia.
TSN has Miami ranked 2nd in the Coastal behind Virginia Tech, meaning divisional rights could be on the line come November 13th when the Hokies trek south to Dolphin Stadium.
TSN’s Power Ratings give Miami a 3-of-5 regarding offense, 4-of-5 for defense, 3-of-5 for special teams and 3-of-5 for coaching. Nothing to write home about, but until the Canes prove it, no one is going to hand it to them or give The U the benefit of the doubt. Not after the past few seasons.
Potential and name recognition doesn’t win ball games.
The offense gets a boost thanks to a new crop of receivers, a now-healthy running game, the best offensive line Miami has seen in a handful of years, as well as new life at the quarterback position – albeit, green.
Defensively the Canes will be as deep at linebacker as they’ve been in half a decade, though most of that talent was playing high school ball last season.
On the coaching front, Randy Shannon seems to have grown leaps and bounds thanks to addition by subtraction. After Miami’s first losing season since 1997, Shannon cut ties with first year defensive coordinator Tim Walton and welcomed defensive veteran Bill Young from Kansas.
A more stubborn coach might’ve stuck by his guy – and few would’ve faulted Shannon for giving Walton one more shot – but he didn’t. The culture needed to change and experience was necessary at DC if Shannon was going to remain hands-off and focus on being a head coach.
Respect. It’s something Miami isn’t going to get a lot of this year until it starts winning some ball games and turning some heads. Shannon knows that, as do his players.
“We lost a lot of respect,” said junior running back Javarris James. “People don’t respect us, so it’s time to outwork people so they will respect us.”
It all sounds good on paper, but will it translate to the field?
The Canes have always played the ‘us against the world’ card, but that only means something if you earn the “W”. This isn’t about moral victories. It’s Xs and Os, execution and this youth movement surviving their baptism by fire by not making ‘rookie’ mistakes.
James is quick to play up the now-healthy backfield, calling it the ‘focal point of the offense’ – which is a must, considering quarterbacks Robert Marve and Jacory Harris are yet to take a snap as a Cane.
Shannon seems mildly ‘wowed’ by the receivers, applauding their receptions and ability to get some yards after catches this spring, but until it’s done on game day, it’s all theory. Kayne Farquharson, Sam Shields and Leonard Hankerson all return and Jermaine McKenzie is ready to do some damage after missing his freshman year due to a preseason car accident.
Toss in a half dozen highly-touted freshman wideouts and Miami is loaded (with potential) at the position. Marve or Harris won’t have the same excuses as their predecessors. The talent is returning to the skills positions and it’s put up or shut up time.
TSN’s Miami coverage called it as fair as you’ll see it after the past two seasons of Hurricanes football. They applauded the recent recruits and gave reason to be optimistic, but logic was still employed as nothing has been proven.
Second-ranked in the Coastal Division is a fair assessment after watching Miami go 2-6 in the ACC last year.
One last note – the ‘Game To Watch’ section, where TSN writes, “A visit to Florida gives the Hurricanes a chance too prove the doldrums of 2007 are behind them and create early momentum.”
Last year’s Canes couldn’t do a thing after a “statement game” against Texas A&M, rolling 34-14 in the Orange Bowl and losing 6 of their next 8. Can this year prove different?
Shannon said he was recruiting winners from winning programs. A 2-0 start out the gate and a win against a hated rival would be epic, but most likely isn’t in the cards for a young Miami team. Motivation will have to come either at aTm or when conference play kicks in and regardless of a ‘signature’ win, the Canes will have to take one game at a time and focus. This a young team that needs to find itself.
However it plays out, 2008 will be a year of growth and moving forward. The 5-7 campaign of 2007 was Miami hitting rock bottom. All that could go wrong did. Close, winnable games were all lost. Players quit and the new coaching staff went through it’s growing pains.
It’ll take a few years to turn it around, but improvement is on the horizon come fall.
We are in the unenviable position of “flying under the rader” (if that is possible for a Miami program) for the next couple of years. I am excited to watch this group of players progress and grow into the potential that we all believe is there. I am going to enjoy the ride for the next few years. I don’t think we will be under the radar for very long.
Hey Canes305, do u know if Nike is coming out with any throwback jerseys this year? Thanks!
Hey Canes305, do u know if Nike is coming out with any throwback jerseys this year? Thanks!
I’ve heard rumors of an 80s-throwback style jersey (to be worn by the team) at some point this year, but I haven’t confirmed that.
The only thing I heard from our Nike rep is that there are no black alternative jerseys being made. That was just a rumor started on some other blogs…
Would you happen to know if the Sean Taylor #26 jersey is coming out?
I went to my local sports store in Dolphin Mall and they told me yes but I have yet to read anything. A Japanese jersey store on ebay has them but I’m not going to give that guy a single penny to profit off of ST’s death.
That’s too bad concerning the black alternative jerseys…i think it would have been a welcome change to go with our rebuilding year but,then again it doesn’t matter when were more concerned with x’s and o’s. getting back to the way we used to be in our 01 & 02 seasons.
Nothing as far as any jerseys being made available to the public though, like the Bernie Kosar and Michael Irvin jerseys that they had for the past few years? Thanks
bring back the best jerseys they ever had.. the 99-03 season
Those black jersey’s would be raw. I’ve always wanted them, maybe there’s something we can do to show Nike we really want them? Although i’m pretty optimistic about this upcoming season, reading all these predictions make me want to cry. Honestly. Anyway, that’s not why i’m writing, I was wondering why our Canes basketball is getting no love by these blogs! I read them all the time and there’s nothing. They’re ranked what, 8 now?? Give credit where credit is due. If we can’t take the ACC in football, we definitely can in basketball!
Canes305-
Another solid post. Hey, not to sound like I’m dishing out a homework assignment or anything, but I’d be interested to read a post on what you’re expecting the atmosphere to be like at the new venue. In reading this latest post, I had to stop for a second when I read the sentence “Hokies come to Dolphins Stadium” b/c it just didn’t sound right. How long before you think it feels like home? Will the Canes have to play with Dolphins logos all over the place (like USF does at RayJay) or baseball dirt for part of the year? Also, do you expect the West End Zone guys to pick up where they left off at the OB or is it just not going to be the same? I can’t help but think The U will lose a lot of the local flavor fans that were prevalent at the OB. Do you think the pregame atmosphere will be watered down now that there’s huge, boring parking lots instead of the craziness of the side streets, “hood” environment at the OB? I always felt that gave The U a unique identity and I wonder how it will be affected at the more corporate Dolphins Stadium.
Anyway, just thought it would be interesting to hear your insight on that situation. Can the Canes recreate the “mystique” at the new stadium?
Keep up the great writing.
Will the Canes have to play with Dolphins logos all over the place (like USF does at RayJay) or baseball dirt for part of the year? Also, do you expect the West End Zone guys to pick up where they left off at the OB or is it just not going to be the same? I can’t help but think The U will lose a lot of the local flavor fans that were prevalent at the OB.
From what I’ve read/heard, Dolphin Stadium is going to orange and green on Saturdays. They’re going to do all they can there to ‘brand’ the stadium for the Canes. They’ll have the ‘Ring of Honor’ and signage regarding the national championships.
As for the West End Zone crew, I believe that vibe will be lost as the make up of the stadium is different. Those guys were right on the field the way the OB was laid out. Fans won’t be as on top of the game, which is the biggest knock about DS.
Do you think the pregame atmosphere will be watered down now that there’s huge, boring parking lots instead of the craziness of the side streets, “hood” environment at the OB? I always felt that gave The U a unique identity and I wonder how it will be affected at the more corporate Dolphins Stadium.
Supposedly it’s going to be a more fan-friendly game day environment with events set up in the parking lot and what not. I’m sure it’ll have more of an NFL game day feel.
It’ll be much more corporate than the ‘hood’ environment, which is good and bad. For us crazy fans, the OB game day environment was everything. I spent my days at a house party on 6th Avenue and loved the energy in the streets on game day.
By moving north I believe you’ll get more families and the ‘casual’ fan might be more enticed to attend games. The Broward and Palm Beach folk that didn’t want to trek into Dade, they’ll be more inclined to go – while the old school Canes will still attend.
Anyway, just thought it would be interesting to hear your insight on that situation. Can the Canes recreate the “mystique” at the new stadium?
Miami will never recreate the Orange Bowl mystique – but let’s be honest, that ‘mystique’ has been missing for the better part of this decade. Tennessee (2003). Clemson (2004). Virginia Tech (2004). Georgia Tech (2005). The Canes have been slipping at home for a while. 2006-2007 aren’t even worth mentioning.
The last time the OB really felt like the OB – full of star-studded players and a top-five team was 2004 against Louisville.
The Canes need to start winning again. End of story. Win ball games and asses will be in the seats. The U is still a private school with 10K undergrads and the students represent well on game day. The problem is the rest of the fan base having no real allegiance to the school – making it easier to write off the program when the chips are down.
Miami is a bandwagon, pro sports town. It’s not a rah-rah college town that has nothing but a college football team it has to support through thick and thin.
Dolphin Stadium will take time to get used to, but over time it’ll start to feel like ‘home’. Especially when the Canes get some signature wins there. Right now it’s foreign and everyone misses the OB.
After a few down years and the loss of the OB, Miami just has to start rebuilding and creating a new legacy.