The U: No class… in 2004

To the Larry Coker bleeding hearts, relax. I’m not insulting the man or his character here. I am however taking a shot at his inability to recruit. Coker has oft stated he didn’t deserve to be fired after a 7-6 season, but it’s getting easier to pinpoint exactly where the wheels started falling off. The 2004 recruiting class was an abomination.

College football has become a game where players have an immediate impact as freshman and sophomores. Look at some of the kids Miami has on the field this year – some of which were playing high school ball at this time in 2006. Same to be said for dozens of other major universities and their young talent. Superstars don’t stick around four years, so immediate playing time for ballers is now the norm.

I was reminded earlier today how putrid Miami’s 2004 recruiting class was and how much it set The U back. Think back to the probation era, where the Canes lost 31 scholarships over a three-year period (1995-1997) and stumbled to 8-3, 9-3 and 5-6 seasons during that span.

Coker and staff doled out 26 scholarships in February 2004 and safe to say the lack of production almost rivals the losses the Canes felt in the mid to late 90s. Don’t believe me? Check out the not-so-stellar class of 2004:

Ryhan Anderson – A DL bust. Kicked off the team entering 2007.
Carlos Armour – An average CB… before being exposed vs. UNC.
James Bryant – Freak athlete, big time head case, kicked off team entering 2007.
Tyrone Byrd – Average offensive line talent.
Calais Campbell – Surprise three-star of Denver, currently an All American DE.
Romeo Davis – Average linebacker. Smart, but lacks physical skills.
Kirby Freeman – Tons of heart, but not enough skills to play at Quarterback U.
Kellen Heard – Decommitted from The U, wound up at Texas A&M.
Dwayne Hendricks – Decent defensive lineman that’s hot and cold.
Andrew Johnson – Back up RB, never materialized, no longer with team.
Charlie Jones – Back up RB, average, lost starting job to Javarris James in 2006.
Khalil Jones – Back up WR. Average. Never will be a consistent factor.
Rashaun Jones – Average DB, kicked off the team entering 2007. Character issues.
Joe Joseph – Average talent on defensive line.
Lance Leggett – More cold than hot WR, mentally checked out. Underachiever.
Tyler McMeans – JUCO transfer OL, nicknamed “The Matador”. Average.
Eric Moncur – Solid defensive line talent. Four-star local kid (Carol City).
Lovon Ponder – Solid athlete, average safety.
Anthony Reddick – Top talent that’s been banged up, injured and suspended.
Chris Rutledge – Average offensive line talent, at best.
Jonathan St. Pierre – Sub par o-lineman, two-star recruit no longer with team.
Derron Thomas – Third/fourth string tailback who hasn’t done much.
George Timmons – Flip flopped between DB and RB. Out of football.
Bobby Washington – Head case, didn’t qualify, ended up at E. Kentucky.
Willie Williams – Left before ’06 and recently booted from Louisville for drug use.
Chris Zellner – Back up tight end. Average player.

Are you kidding me? Miami should add up at least 20 of those 26 scholarships and send Coker the bill. No disrespect to ANY player on there – seriously – but the majority of that crew flat out weren’t Miami-caliber kids. I challenge anyone to prove otherwise.

The biggest difference between Randy Shannon and Coker – one of many – is the ability to evaluate, recruit and sell high school kids on their would-be experience playing for The U and attending the University of Miami.

He also knows the recipe regarding success in Coral Gables. Shannon won as a player (1987), as a grad assistant (1991) and as a defensive coordinator (2001). He learned from arguably the best – Jimmy Johnson – as a player and assistant and spent years dealing with Butch Davis as a coach, mentor and boss.

Shannon has the Miami pedigree and besides knowing the city like the back of his hand, he knows how to keep the local talent close to home.

You don’t want to get to jazzed about recruiting season four months from Signing Day, but it’s impossible to not be excited about the future. When you see five-star local kids like Marcus Forston and Patrick Johnson verballing, throwing up the “U” hands in photos and talking about bringing Miami back – I’m sorry, but that gets the juices flowing and makes 27-0 halftime deficits easier to deal with.

Sean Spence, Aldarius Johnson, Jacory Harris, Brandon Washington and Forston are rolling in from the #1 team high school team in the nation, Miami Northwestern. Thearon Collier and and Davon Johnson are a duo of wideouts from 12th-ranked Booker T. Washington, staying home to rebuild.

Jordan Futch (LB) from Hollywood Chaminade. Four-star Jeremy Lewis (DT) from West Palm. Eighteen verbals already compared to a handful last season. Miami currently sports the #2 ranked recruiting class entering 2008.

After seeing freshman defensive tackle Marvin Austin starting for North Carolina, I was already prepping for 2008 and seeing Lewis and Forston having an immediate impact on that line. For any complacent lineman, watch your back. Shannon is bringing in the talent and nobody’s job is safe.

Those of you ready to end it all, relax. Seriously. It sucked to be in a 27-0 halftime hole and to lose the game. But take solace that the ship is in the process of being righted. These mistakes, the lackadaisical play and the players half-assing it are on their way out the door.

This is a new era of Miami Football. There will be some speed bumps, but Shannon is working tirelessly to reprogram this squad and teach them to win. I have no doubt he’ll get the job done.

Be patient. The days of Miami lacking talent, discipline and passion are coming to an end. The right guy is in charge now. Give him some breathing room. It takes more than six games to clean up the other guy’s six year mess.

.:Canes305:.

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