The Beast : Horror-ble Showing

Let me say this before I go into anything else. I really hope Jacory Harris is alright. That was a brutal hit and you’re always breathing a sigh of relief when you see a player walk off the field, instead of being carted off. But all that said, Harris’ injury has nothing to do with most of what I saw wrong yesterday. Anyone that uses the loss of No. 12 as an excuse for this recent showing is blind.

I’ve been through a lot of bad days with this team. I was there in Tallahassee when we got blown out 47-0 in 1997.

I was in Blacksburg two years later when Clinton Portis fumbled a dozen times, Kenny Kelly was knocked out of the game and Miami was ransacked by Virginia Tech, 43-10.

I was front and center in Seattle when Miami was overmatched by Washington. I was there in Tempe when Terry Porter threw that infamous flag.

I was on hand for the Tennessee loss, where Kellen Winslow II proclaimed that he was a f’n soldier. I was in Chapel Hill when the Canes fell to the Heels on Connor Barth’s kick.

I was there when Louisville upended Miami on the road and I was in the Orange Bowl when it shut down after that 48-0 shellacking.

I’ve been there for some good times, but also my share of bad ones, obviously. As bad as I felt after all those games, I survived believing there were better days ahead.

As I sit here today, I can’t say I feel the same way. Right now I’m as disheartened today as I’ve ever been since following this team.

I’m so disoriented I don’t even know where to start. I’ve read all the other columns and it seems like we’re all in the same boat. No one can pinpoint what the issue is.

It’s too easy to say that Randy Shannon needs to be fired. For starters, it’s not going to happen unless Miami loses two or three more games – and even THEN, I’m not sure it’d happen.

Second, who are the Canes going to get … and please don’t say Mike Leach. Leach is never going to coach at Miami. He failed miserably in his final interview and he’ll never be the head coach here. Period.

We all know that the University of Miami is not going to pay someone several million dollars to come in here and coach. THat wouldn’t even include the monster salaries that a coach of that caliber would require for his staff.

Third, coaches aren’t coming to Coral Gables if they feel the expectations are too high and the fan base is going to call for his head every year they’re not in contention for a national championship.

While I don’t believe Shannon should be fired (as of today), he desperately needs to make changes. Starting with:

– No more practicing at 6am. This team looks tired when they get to games and waking up at 4:30am as a college student is akin to asking AC/DC to play disco. Bad call.

– Settle on an offensive identity and stick with it. It’s one thing for a NFL team to be able to change its schemes week to week, depending on an opponent’s defense, but this team has show it can’t adapt like that week in, week out.

Feed Damien Berry, Lamar Miller, Mike James and Graig Cooper the rock and go from there. Yes, take some chances downfield, but if you don’t have something to hang your hat on, your offense isn’t going to work.

– Changes absolutely have to be made on defense. If you have to sit some seniors, then sit them. This is not an overcomplicated scheme. If guys are still out of place and missing tackles two thirds of the way through the season, maybe they need to watch the game from the sideline.

Shannon has been criticized in the past for playing favorites. I don’t know whether he does or doesn’t, but whatever he’s doing, it’s not working.

There is no excuse in the world that Virginia’s offense walked all over Miami’s defense and that has zero to do with J-Harris getting knocked out.

– Someone needs to get inside the head of Matt Bosher and figure out what’s going on. You cannot miss extra points. Unacceptable for a Lou Groza Award candidate. Put fliers up on campus and pull in some students who can kick extra points if Bosh can’t. These misses are getting ridiculous.

– Lastly – and this is a big one, so I’ll say it as delicately as I can – Randy needs to change his attitude. I love the man and he’s always been great with me, but I’m hearing more and more that he’s rubbing people the wrong way. Boosters. Former players. People in the general public who’ve met him.

For a long time I thought that Coach Shannon’s attitude issues were simply directed at the media. To those who don’t know, Randy was burned badly by a reporter a while back and since then he’s not had the most respect for the media. However, more and more you realize it’s not just us that write or speak for a living who feel the wrath of Randy.

Sadly Coach doesn’t realize that MOST of us out here would have his back through thick and thin if he just helped us help him. The majority of the people who cover the Canes honestly root for this program to do well. It’s so much more fun to do our job when this team wins.

Randy refuses to help himself. When asked by one of his closets friends (Don Bailey Jr.) postgame, about Jacory’s injury, Randy responded with “we don’t know”. WE DON’T KNOW??

Coach, no offense but I’m not going to buy that some member of the medical staff didn’t update you on Harris’ condition at some point. It’s one thing to protect your quarterback, but it’s another to say “we don’t know”.

I can’t tell you how many texts, emails, tweets and Facebook messages I got yesterday from concerned fans who simply wanted to ensure one of their own was alright.

As head coach, sometimes you have to understand that the reason you are on the radio after the game is to TALK to your fan base. You know, the same people who buy tickets, merchandise and donate money to this program.

Some believe the media owes us – media and fans – nothing in terms of communication. That’s bull. If it weren’t for the fans, why would you play the game?

Communication isn’t one of Randy’s strengths but if he doesn’t realize he needs to open up more (let more players / coaches speak, improve his attitude, etc.) there is no way we in the media can help him.

I’ll even take it a step further. If Randy wants to be in a spot where he doesn’t have to deal with the media, boosters, season ticket holders and all the other hoopla that comes with being a college head coach – head to the NFL and coach up the linebackers. Those guys lead anonymous lives and can sit in their office all day, breaking down film.

The job of head coach is a combination of CEO and politician. Shake hands. Kiss babies. Rally the troops at CanesFest. And on top of all that, run the football program. There are a lot of requirements for the job, but that is all part of the territory.

I regret having to be so harsh and writing this doesn’t make me feel good at all. In fact, it’s actually pretty painful.

No one wants Randy to succeed more than me. Somewhere in my mind there’s a vision of a movie about Shannon and the job he’s done – from a life of turmoil to championship caliber coach. The type of piece you can picture on 60 Minutes and an awards ceremony where Denzel Washington is thanking Shannon after accepting an Oscar for his portrayal in the film.

I picture all that and because of that, I wake up everyday hoping that Coach Shannon succeeds. A few years back I’d have gone to Vegas and put money on it, but right now I’m not so sure that’d be a wise investment.

Changes have to be made and I’m hoping Randy is ready for the challenge.

More to come on Tuesday on Twitter / Facebook from our weekly media gaggle …

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