• In an article titled, “Feel The Breeze: Is The Hurricanes Swagger Returning?” CBS Sportsline’s Dennis Dodd said the following:
These Hurricanes were back enough to scare the bourbon out of Urban lovers right in The Swamp for more than three quarters. For most of the night. Superman wasn’t wearing Tim Tebow pajamas. The Florida quarterback was wearing Miami defenders. His counterpart, Robert Marve, showed how good he will be if his receivers stop dropping passes. That’s a heck of a start for a program trying to live down its worst season in 30 years. Miami lost the game 26-3 to No. 5 Florida, but gained a backbone….
This was a statement game. The statement: We still matter. The last time the Hurricanes had two freshman quarterbacks in the two deep was 25 years ago. Their names were Bernie Kosar and Vinny Testaverde. This time they’re Marve and Jacory Harris. That Miami team also lost at Florida by the eerily similar score of 28-3.
Those Hurricanes in ’83 never lost again. This one is looking to have its self-esteem boosted. When you’re coach Randy Shannon and you’ve got 14 freshmen in the two-deep, you’ve got to walk a fine line between the disappointment of getting beat by 23 by an in-state rival and the reality of knowing it wasn’t that bad. Even better, there was progress…
For one night, Miami backed away from that precipice, with mediocrity waiting over the cliff. Nebraska, for one, has fallen in. Michigan is teetering but, like Miami, has hope with a new coach. USC climbed out when they hired Pete Carroll. Is Shannon the South Florida version? Way too early to tell. In fact, that’s still one of the biggest questions: Can Shannon coach?…
Saturday proved that at least Miami is closer to wearing fatigues again than being fatigued. They might even live up to their promise in the moribund ACC…
• ESPN’s Ivan Maisel’s take on the game:
In the cold print of the history book, Florida’s 26-3 defeat of Miami on Saturday night will look like a blowout. It will say that junior quarterback Tim Tebow completed 21 of 35 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns, and added 55 yards on 13 rushes. Ho-hum.
But ask any of the 90,833 people at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the largest crowd in Gators history, and the honest answer will describe the tension that kept this game taut for more than three quarters…
The Miami defense played well enough to win plenty of games. When the offense catches up, the Hurricanes will reassert themselves not only in the ACC but also nationally. The final score notwithstanding, Florida is fortunate to have played Miami in the second week of the season…
• Matt Hayes from the Sporting News had this to say about the Canes:
A new ACC contender: Once Miami gets more comfortable on offense — and once the staff allows quarterback Robert Marve to throw downfield more often — the Hurricanes could develop into the ACC’s best team.
Let’s face it — the ACC has issues. Heavyweight Clemson was embarrassed by Alabama. Conference favorite Wake Forest needed a horrendous pass interference call to beat Ole Miss.
Miami clearly has the conference’s deepest pool of defensive talent. Don’t be deceived by Florida’s 26 points; defense will keep the ‘Canes in every game. The question: How quickly will the offense develop…
Bill Young can flat-out coach. One of the game’s longtime successful defensive coordinators, Young left Kansas to join Miami this fall because — ready for this? — he wanted to live in the sun and fun that is Coral Gables and eventually retire in South Florida.
Working with fast, dynamic athletes isn’t a bad reason, either.
Kansas was fourth in the nation in scoring defense last season, and this Miami defense will be among the best in the nation by season’s end. The ‘Canes can rush the passer and cover in the secondary in man matchups with cornerbacks Bruce Johnson, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chavez Grant.
And forget about running against this group; they’re too fast laterally at linebacker and within the front four.
• Terry Bowden from Yahoo! Sports chimed in with:
Florida beat Miami 26-3 and showed again why it is a legitimate contender for the SEC and national titles.
But it was the Hurricanes who made the biggest impression on me. No team I have seen this season looks to have made more improvement from last season than Miami.
UM gave the Gators all they could handle for three quarters. The ‘Canes showed a level of talent, speed and effort that more closely resembled the championship teams of old than the one that I watched at the end of last season. Miami still must find a way to get more big plays out of its running backs and wide receivers, but if you ask me, the ‘Canes are a lot closer to being back than a lot of people think.
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View Comments
Agree totally with all the assessments of the Canes new look on defense. That's where you lay the foundation,,,, on defense.
Awesome job on that side of the ball. That being said,,, too bad that the SEC refs don't realize that you have to actually CATCH the ball before it matters if your el-freakin-bow was in-bounds.
All in all,,, I loved the results of our measuring stick matchup with them GAYtors. We are poised to return to the hunt.
Let Marve play,,,, no more "we need to build depth at quarterback" crap. If Marve didn't end the question mark at QB last night, then we have the wrong folks making those decisions. Clearly.
I am so proud of the composure that this team displayed last night. That light at the end of the tunnel just got brighter.
great post!
respect we deserve. the defense grew up last night, maybe the offense will in 2 weeks in another hostile road game at a&m.
nicely put! 2 yrs just wait til 2010 and we will compete for a national championship. One question is freshmen Brown playing this yr? puting him in the line up will just make this team's D more fun to watch. Good luck Canes
Hmm... is that?...No...perha. Naw it couldn't be, wow I'm confused this all sounds like the "Media" is giving Miami RESPECT! wow wow wow! how i have missed that seven letter word, that is too often deserved but not given, rarely earned rather than served on a platter of Weak conferences, Powder puff schedules, and High-dollar Heisman candidates. At last, i shall savor the walk up the winding staircase that is the National Perception of the arrival of University of Miami to your local universities and colleges: "I cant stand those guys they always beat us"
Canes 305, i wanted to get ur opinion on something. What do you think of Jacory Harris getting snaps this season?
Im all for Harris, i think the guy is gonna be a playmaker at this school, but at the same time i want this to be Marves time. I think Marve is the real deal and needs to have everyone rally behind him. Im jusy afraid if Harris gets too many snaps we'll run the risk of not knowing our identity at QB.
Your thoughts?
47, I agree and am curious on Chris' take, I'm all for JH getting reps and experience. I just think he should get it the ole fashion way...mop up duty. Marve had great rhythm before his time was up. Jacory went in and did nothing, not to say Marve would have but we will never know.
Open up the playbook a little bit and we should be able to generate points. Midway thought the 4th if all is in hand already get JH in. If by chance is goes the other way and we are being destroyed, put Jacory in. At this point Jacory has more playing time than Marve.
If they can score points and the D plays lights out like they did Saturday Jacory should get plenty of play time in mop-up. Marve should be in until the game is in hand either way. If it’s too close to call then Jacory has no business being in, the coaching staff just ruins the offensive rhythm putting in a fresh QB every couple of series.
That BS about Marve being fresh now for the second half is nonsense. JH played 1 series, which is not going to keep Marve fresh. Again don’t take this as an anti-Jacory post, I love the kid’s moxie, but unless Marve isn’t getting it done on the field, in practice or in the classroom, he should be playing until the Canes have a comfy lead or are being humiliated.
i have to agree with the above. i felt that the field goal drive by marve was something to build on. he had found a certain rhythm, his receivers were catching balls, and it looked good. then the very next series shannon throws in jacory. i think that hurt us bad on saturday night, and despite the fact that we will never really know, it could have been the difference going into half time down six or up one.
305 knows my views on the QB situation, but honestly,,,, how can what is going on with this "Jacory is going to play" philosophy, be good for the team in any sense. It keeps the players divided and also disrupts the flow of the game.
We finally got a comfort level on offense,,,, moved the ball and hit a BIG field goal. That alone could have sparked them their next possession.
But no,,,, in comes Harris, really didn't do anything,,, and the rest of the night we do pretty much nothing at all offensively.
Why screw with it?? Why make it a damn issue? I don't get it. I fear Shannon is out-thinking himself. Does he think he is Urban Crier with Chris Leak and Tim Tebag??
Is Arthur Brown playing this year or is he redshirting?
-Columbus Cane
A star was born Saturday night. Spence was all over that field. I can't wait to see him in a few years