U Either Believe In The Process, Or U Don’t

This piece started out another what-went-wrong type recap but was quickly scrapped. How much analyzing truly needs to be done when a team has lost a fourth straight heartbreaker making the same mistakes that plagued it all season?

How many ways can one talk about slow starts, comebacks that fell short, defensive holes and a lack of consistency? How much criticism needs to be given regarding boneheaded third down or special teams play that kept drives alive and resulted in points for the opponent?

Unfortunately the current mantra remains – two steps forward, one step back. North Carolina and Georgia Tech were steps in the right direction. This one wasn’t.

No matter how the Miami Hurricanes try to avoid the type of game it had against the Virginia Cavaliers on Thursday night, old habits continue to die hard. Mistakes inevitably creep in. Penalties rear their ugly head.

Even more frustrating, having to suffer through another season where UM simply can’t get over the hump – finding that “it” factor good teams have, instead continuing to play the role of goat. The footnote. The almost-was.

Against Maryland, a valiant effort for a shorthanded Miami squad. If Stephen Morris hits Lamar Miller on a third down wheel route, the Canes are at worst in field goal range, down two with under a minute remaining.

Instead, an overthrown pass and a play later, the Terps corner jumps the route on Tommy Streeter and a pick-six has Maryland up, 32-24 for good.

Two weeks later against Kansas State, another furious rally with with 1st-and-Goal from he Wildcats one, Harris underthrows a ball that tight end Clive Walford should’ve caught for the game-winner.

Three plays and one yard later Harris is pulled down from behind. Turnover on downs and Kansas State escapes with a 28-24 win, remaining undefeated today.

Game five Miami heads to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech, falls in a 21-7 halftime hole, outscores the Hokes 28-17 in the second half, takes a 35-31 lead with 2:46 remaining. Two minutes later the Canes are watching quarterback Logan Thomas scamper 19 yards on 4th-and-1 en route to a game-winning touchdown.

Against Virginia, yet another “almost” moment that fell short. Another halftime deficit (17-7) and another spirited second-half rally that just wasn’t enough.

First-year head coach Al Golden is earning his money this year. Hitting the ground running on the recruiting front in January. Mending fences and burned bridges with local high school coaches who felt shunned by UM in recent years.

A few months later, with opening day hype building, the Yahoo! Sports expose drops.

Suspensions are doled out, uncertainty fills the air, a ripple effect is felt and the Miami many expected to see the first half of the season was instead a watered-down, makeshift version that has never fully been in sync since.

The Canes got off on the wrong foot this season and that proved detrimental in a year when winds of change were blowing.

With a new coaching regime, a new mantra, a new attitude and a desire to shed old ways, Miami needed to get off to a good start and simply didn’t. Success breeds success while setbacks allow doubt to creep in.

When pressed by the media about this, that or the other, Coach Golden always returns to two things — core values and “the process”. Old habits aren’t broken overnight and attempting to undo years of bad coaching, poor conditioning and harmful habits – it simply takes time. Problem here is that after half a decade of mediocrity, fans are tired of waiting.

The 2011 season is now two-thirds over, the ACC Coastal is out of reach and it’s time to acknowledge that the Canes are no longer just playing for this year; it’s time to focus on a bigger picture.

Miami honored the 2001 national champions during Thursday night’s loss to Virginia – a tribute to arguably the greatest collegiate football team in the modern era. A big portion of those players were inked in the 1999 recruiting class.

When you look back at the Class of ’99 you see some important names in regards to the dominant run UM was about to embark upon. Kevin Beard. Philip Buchanon. Ken Dorsey. Vernon Carey. Jason Geathers. Andre Johnson. Bryant McKinnie. Jarrett Payton. Clinton Portis. Maurice Sikes. Every name on that list played a role in the 34-game win-streak, consecutive BCS berths and back-to-back national title games.

This proved to be the fourth class reeled in by then-head coach Butch Davis. By then, Davis’ “process” was gaining steam. 8-3 out the gate in 1995, 9-3 in 1996, full effects of probation felt for a 5-6 campaign in 1997, 9-3 in 1998 and 9-4 in 1999 before a setting the stage for a 46-4 run over the next four seasons.

Davis took over a Miami team that went 11-2 in 1994 and finished the season No. 3 after losing to No. 1 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. A far cry from the 7-6 Canes that Golden inherited, punctuated by an embarrassing bowl loss to Notre Dame, complete with sideline snowball fights with some players who spent the better part of the season openly mocking their then-head coach.

When you look at Davis’ early squads in the rearview, it’s now obvious that the recruiting of Dennis Erickson eventually crippled Miami as much as Pell Grant fraud and NCAA sanctions.

Erickson won two titles in three seasons with the team Jimmy Johnson left, but within time had Miami losing three games in a season (1993) for the first time in eight years, the lowlight being a 29-0 Fiesta Bowl loss to Arizona.

Davis’ first roster was littered with freshmen like Magic Benton, Cameron Binion, Bryan Bippen, Tavokius Bonner, Jay Gordon, Cliff Jackson, Michael Lawson, Rod Mack, Jason McCullough, Damond Neely, Chad Pegues, Nelson Smith and Gary Thompkins, to name a few.

No disrespect to the aforementioned, but the future of UM was hardly in good hands.

After the 8-3 campaign, Davis and his staff got busy recruiting, starting to reel in some names that would start the reverse the curse. Al Blades. Daniel “Bubba” Franks. James Jackson. Edgerrin James. Damione Lewis. Jevon Rhodes. Nate Webster.

A year later the next class brought in Martin Bibla, Najeh Davenport, Markese Fitzgerald, Daryl Jones, James Lewis, Kenny Kelly, Dan Morgan, Leonard Myers, Ed Reed and Reggie Wayne. Santana Moss was also part of this class, albeit on a track scholarship.

A foundation was being laid, though it should be noted that every one of the 1997 signees witnessed first-hand the pain that comes with 5-6 — Miami’s first losing season in upwards of two decades.

The six-loss season impacted the 1998 recruiting class, which couldn’t hold a candle to the previous or forthcoming year. Chris Campbell, Howard Clark, Jamaal Green, William Joseph, Brett Romberg, Mike Rumph, Todd Sievers, Matt Walters and Andrew Wilson, the highlights of Davis’ third class.

The purpose of this detailed and long-winded rant – to show that even though a process is underway, it takes time for true change to occur. Coaches work with what they’re given, but unless their given a solid squad with chemistry, depth, talent and heart, it isn’t going to happen year one. Maybe not even year two or three.

Davis eventually set the stage for one of the most dominant runs in college football history, but his first three seasons at UM ended in a 22-12 record, the low point being a 47-0 loss at Florida State year three.

In due time, old ways were flushed out. As were bad seeds and non-Miami, non-Davis kids. There was staff turnover, too as defensive coordinator Bill Miller was replaced by Greg Schiano after year four. That footnote a notice to anyone calling for coaching change eight games in. Not gonna happen.

By his fifth season Davis inked his crown jewel of a recruiting class and had a full roster of his kids. Once that was the case, sky was beyond the limit. Of course in the moment, many were ready to run Davis (and staff) out of town – and by “the moment” I mean every year leading up to 2000’s 11-1 campaign.

Four losses in eight games is frustrating regarding the present and immediate future, but looking at Golden, his vision, work ethic, coaching smarts and hard-ass approach, you see a great coach in the making.

Still, as great as Golden will be, fans must be realistic. How much can you truly expect right now from a a program that is 35-30 and on its third head coach since, and including, that 40-3 curb stomping LSU gave Miami in the Peach Bowl years back?

How can there still be a sense of entitlement among this fan base when the Canes have truly been irrelevant for half a decade?

Those irrationally handling last night’s loss, painful as it is to say, are you not used to it by now? Miami hasn’t lost a truly meaningful game since falling to Georgia Tech late in the 2005 season, pissing away a No. 3 ranking and ACC title game berth against Florida State. A Thursday night loss to a Virginia team it could’ve a should’ve beaten? Add it to the stack of miserable losses and sort it out later.

When rattling off all the supposed talent on this squad, attempting to justify why Miami should be winning more, again, based on what? High school accolades, faux swagger, potential and the mere fact they wear orange and green?

Without naming names and calling guys out, there are several players on defense that if they were sporting garnet and gold or orange and blue, would be considered hot garbage by Miami’s fan base. Because they’re “our” guys, we rattle their names off every pre-season talking about this being the year it all comes together.

There are a lot of players on this squad who lack that “it” factor for one reason or another. Maybe some never had it. Maybe some had a chance, had they been coached up properly from the get go.

Others might’ve benefitted from being on a winning squad, feeding off the energy that comes from being successful, but when in a rut, a snowball effect occurred and they checked out.

Whatever the case, there are a lot of broken upperclassmen who should be further along in their playing careers, yet are still being fooled and making freshman mistakes week in and week out.

It’s more than a lack of overall talent at Miami right now; it’s a lack of chemistry, a lack of discipline and at times, a lack of heart. Big moments haven’t been seized and as a result it’s painfully obvious that this year’s squad has lost it’s mojo.

With four games remaining, it’s time to start getting a feel for what Miami will field in 2012, though it needs to be done tactfully as this staff still must reward this team’s playmakers and guys who are getting it done.

At quarterback Harris has absolutely earned the right to lead these Canes. He’s benefitted of the tutelage of first-year offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, he’s cut down on the interceptions, he’s moving the ball and leading the team offensively.

Four games remain in his collegiate career and Harris has more than proven he’s the guy. That being said, coaches should find a way to get Morris more reps so they can analyze him in-game before opening the job for spring.

At cornerback, arguably Miami’s weakest link, it might be time for a baptism by fire for guys like Thomas Finnie as opposed to investing more time in a senior transfer like Mike Williams, who has four game remaining in his collegiate career and has only been part of the squad for a matter of months.

Same with a converted running-back-to-corner like Lee Chambers. Get some more playing time for Kacy Rodgers II and Keion Payne so coaches have a better in-game feel for these kids before next season sneaks up.

It’s a fine line between bailing out completely and staying the course too long. Bench upperclassmen for freshmen in order to get them more playing time and that sends a message to recruits that coaches don’t care about the individual.

That said, keep losing games at this capacity and that turns recruits off, as well.

It’s a no-win situation both on and off the field right now for Miami and with Duke, Florida State, South Florida and Boston College remaining, Golden and staff must continue pushing, motivating, grinding and finding a way.

It’s not an optimum situation, but “the process” will work. It’s simply a matter of time and as things play themselves out, you take solace knowing today’s freshman are getting the right coaching from day one.

They’re being battle-tested out the gate and it’s the crushing losses year one that will build character over the duration of collegiate careers.

When Miami made that run to the 2001 championship, both Reed and Rumph referenced a last second loss to Penn State two years prior as a pivotal moment in their careers as Canes. The pain of that loss made them work harder. Made the better. It resonated with them.

As painful as these four losses have been, the lone upside is that it too is part of the process and that years down the road kids like Chickillo, Perryman and others use this year’s heartache as a stepping stone to a legit run when the Canes are chock full of Golden’s kids and “the process” has gained full steam.
IN OTHER NEWS : … and speaking of hot garbage, who really believes there were 40K at Sun Life on Thursday night, as reported? Over four million residents in Dade and Broward County, many of which are Canes fans, and that’s the turnout for the hometown team?

The complaints are always the same. Stale stadium environment. Ticket prices and parkings costs too high. Blah. Blah. Blah.

A truth that I’ve learned in this life – we do what is important to us and if your a Canes fan and want to get to a game, you’ll find a way.

Stale stadium? Grab some friends, show up and raise some hell.

Ticket prices too high? Go to StubHub.com where you could’ve found your way into the stadium for the Virginia game for about $10. (Tickets for the Duke game are currently as low as $3 and 2,500+ tickets remain.)

Cost to park is too high? Meet up with friends, leave a few cars outside, pack six amigos into one ride and split the cost.

Alec Baldwin said it best as Blake in ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ – “your excuses are your own”. If you’re a fan and you truly support this time, you’re going to make it a priority to do so. If not, then that’s your prerogative.

That said, if you live in Dade or Broward County, have the ability to get to the game, actively choose not to (as HD and flat screens are good enough) then you have less of a say than those who truly live and die with this program on a daily basis.

You want UM to improve? These kids needs you. You want the top recruits in the country and wonder why they wind up in Gainesville or Tallahassee instead? A big reason is their full stadiums versus all the empty orange seats we saw on Thursday night.

You can’t play the chicken or egg theory here. As a fan you have to be there through thick and thin. You can’t say that if the team wins, you’ll start showing up.

A full stadium against Kansas State or Virginia might’ve been the difference-maker had these kids known that 75K were standing strong behind them in crucial moments.

Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd was on sports talk radio earlier this week discussing the homefield advantage the Tigers have in Death Valley and how it literally the fans that willed them to a season-changing victory over Auburn early in the year.

Where might Miami have gone if it got that extra yard against Kansas State, stadium shaking as the Canes approached that late 1st-and-Goal? 3-1 going into Virginia Tech and maybe Miami isn’t in that 21-7 halftime hole.

Of course until fans start showing up, we’ll never know.

Either way, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the program. Time to stand for this U and to truly mean it. Be part of the solution as Coach Golden and his kids more than deserves it. – C.B.

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