Take it outside, you two…

The verbal sparring between injured starting quarterback Kyle Wright and current starter Kirby Freeman continues. Come spring, this thing will be an all out war. Bank on it.

Jorge Milan of the Palm Beach Post wrote a piece today regarding both gunslingers and their desire to hold down the starting gigs come spring 2007. Wright feels the spot is his when healthy again, while Freeman plans on making his case against Nevada on Sunday, his fourth start since Wright injured his throwing hand.

Personally, I’m a fan of all this stuff. Not so much guys talking the talk and not walking the walk, but more so the fact that we’ll enter spring football with something intriguing here.

I’m neither a Wright or Freeman guy. I prefer whoever will give the Canes the best chance to win and to date and I’m still waiting for someone to step up and do so. Wright has started 20+ games to Freeman’s three, so you can’t judge the two solely on their accolades. You have to base your opinion on the intangible and that’ll come out in the next few months.

Unlike former coach Larry Coker, it seems Randy Shannon is going to open this thing wide up and may the best man win. I like that. I’m not a fan of seniority. Save that for law enforcement and folks in the airline industry. I could care less if a kid has been on campus four years or four months – put the best players on the field.

Miami’s success – past and recent – has always come from the competition on the practice field. The best man winning out. The senior unable to get complacent because he knows a freshman is gunning for his job. It’s a healthy and sometimes heated process.

Wright did his fair share of talking in 2006, en route to a 5-4 record as a starter. I think he has more raw, natural talent than Freeman but the prototypical kid isn’t always the most successful one. Sometimes the guy who’s a gamer, a winner and a playmaker has the intangibles needed to lead a team. Freeman seems to have that “gamer” quality about him.

A full on quarterback controversy entering spring will truly separate the men from the boys once and for all. If Wright has the right stuff, he’ll elevate his game and the push from Freeman will make him a better all around player and teammate. But if he gets caught up in the process, talking the talk but not walking that walk, he’s done. Freeman will win out.

Things will be in full force by April, but entering this weekend it’s Freeman who will get his first crack at auditioning for the starting job. The MPC Computers Bowl isn’t a big time game, but Freeman gets four quarters to strut his stuff and leave a lasting impressing, for better or worse.

Another large factor here is the offensive coordinator hire. Who does Shannon go with? A pro style coach (Dirk Koetter) will gravitate towards a prototypical drop-back passer like Wright whereas a coach who prefers a spread offense (Kevin Rogers) will utilize Freeman’s abilities.

Miami’s season finally comes to an end on New Years Eve, but something tells me the fireworks will continue over the next few months.

.:Canes305:.

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