All things being said, I haven’t been in the mood to talk Canes. The lack of a bowl game made December through February drag like never before. No fun having your season end while still eating Thanksgiving leftovers.
Recruiting season had some perks, but also its lulls. It was great seeing Randy Shannon reel in Arthur Brown, with Micheal Barrow getting the assist. Pure garbage to get strung along by Matt Patchan, in favor of Florida, while the Patrick Johnson renege and sideshow circus was just one more strike against an already pathetic recruiting process.
Don’t think I forgot about the antics of Lerentree McCray. It just doesn’t deserve anymore thought or convo. Good riddance.
In a surprise move, Shannon canned Tim Walton and has been on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator ever since. No ‘official’ hire yet, but during the process, wide receivers coach Marquis Mosely was also shown the door.
Sort of a ballsy move thisclose to Signing Day, but hard to question the process and mindset of the guy sitting on ESPN’s #1-rated class. Shannon is either en route to Jimmy Johnson incarnate, or this city’s next Cam Cameron. When you’re this bold, there’s no in between.
I believe the former, not the latter. Randy will turn this around. He’s too driven and well-schooled not to. Surrounded by all-time Canes as a player. Coached by Miami’s best and years later assistant coaching it.
Almost two decades around this program, learning the blueprint for success. Learning from what didn’t work. Shannon just needs to restock the talent. Give it time.
As for what’s going on Canes related, here’s the Cliff Notes version from a burned out, “counting down ’til Signing Day comes and goes” fan of all things The U:
> Talk of a new defensive coordinator surfaced this evening. Bill Young of Kansas. CSTV is reporting and everyone else is denying it. Critics are pointing to their wrong call regarding ‘Steve Spurrier to Miami’ prediction late 2006.
A pretty random rumor and under the radar type of name, so I’ll buy it for now. Sounds like a good fit and Shannon saw Kelly’s defense first hand at the Orange Bowl weeks back. There was the coaching convention which wrapped a few days ago where paths again could’ve crossed.
We’ll see how it plays out, but I’m all for the hire. It’s not a lame duck candidate coming in as Shannon’s puppet. Young had the 12th ranked defense in the country last season and was 4th in the nation in scoring defense with 16 points-per-game. He spent the past six seasons at Kansas under the tutelage of Mark Mangino. This could be a promising hire. Now about that receiver’s coach…
> … speaking of which. Every time a position coach is hired, can people stop throwing our random names of Miami alum for every gig? When we’re out a quarterback’s coach or offensive coordinator, folks start throwing out Bernie Kosar. With Mosely gone, today’s hot topic is Michael Irvin.
Great players don’t always make great coaches. Furthermore, there should be some gauged interest before throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks.
Kosar is loaded. Hell of a businessman. In his spare time, he likes to help the Miami quarterbacks and play cheerleader on game day. Same can be said for Irvin. His first love is running that mouth in front of a camera in an overpriced suit and collecting a hefty salary for giving his opinions – and like all media members, not being accountable for those opinions.
Why sign on with a private university and deal with all the red tape and bureaucratic nonsense? Infinitely easier to help on your own watch. Especially when you don’t need the cash.
Those quick to cite Barrow and his efforts, let’s not confuse great recruiting with great coaching. Funny how some praise Barrow, yet trash Shannon. Miami’s linebackers didn’t set the world on fire in 2007 and 5-7 falls on every coach on the staff.
Barrow is showing promise and is reeling in recruit after recruit, but he’s still inexperience. Before the one-year stint at The U, it was a year at Homestead High and before that, over a decade in the NFL.
The staff doesn’t have to be 100% Miami Football alum to get the job done.
> Recruiting news – short version. Northwestern kids didn’t early enroll due to finals hold up. Some kids flip-flopping. End of story the next few weeks. All the real-deal, Miami lovin’ kids are in. Solid commits and vocal about it. Those still taking trips will talk out of both sides of their mouth until the wee hours of February 6th.
Recruiting sites make their bank this time of year, so they lay it on thick and play on the suspense. I’m over the game. Wake me on the 6th.
> I don’t talk enough Miami Basketball here, but I need to give some love to the only winner in South Florida these days. 14-1 going into yesterday’s loss at Boston College. Two losses mid-January is huge and a weekend win over Georgia Tech in the ACC opener was a good start.
The Tech game was sold out and the next home match up is against #1 North Carolina on January 23rd. Maybe the Canes can return the favor on the hardwood and stick it to the Tar Heels.
With Miami football, the Dolphins and the Heat all in the toilet – it’s time to enjoy the lone winner in South Florida. Get out there and support Hurricanes Basketball.
> I stumbled across the pic above out of the hundreds I took during the Orange Bowl finale. I’d see the ying-yang “U” chest guy on TV and needed that moment saved to digital memory. I also liked the fired up kid in the “305” shirt menacing like he’s in the WWE. To me, it was the last electric moment of 2007.
Coming off the OT loss to N.C. State, the air was sort of let out of the balloon. The Virginia game lost its luster all week, but once it was night time and almost kickoff, it was all about the finale. The record went out the window. This pre-game was three decades of big time memories all reenacted one last time.
The Canes laid and egg and then rolled over the final two road games. A four-game losing streak ended the season. It was pathetic. But for a good half hour before kickoff on November 10th, it felt like Miami was good again. There was something in the air that hadn’t been that way in forever. It was gone within minutes, but it was enough to let me know I want it back.
Time for Miami to get it together and turn this thing around. Down too long if I’m celebrating electric pre-game warm ups. Right the ship, Randy.
comments
The constant re-litigating of the winning-cures-all-while-losing-exposes-warts sentiment rolls on as Miami faithful continue flailing in…
Josh Pate gets it... and I'm not just saying that because he dedicated an entire…
Tyler Van Dyke may very well have thrown his last meaningful pass for the Miami…
We can debate the merits of winning-curing-all and losses-killing-perspective at another time. For now, focus…
Winning might not cure everything, but it certainly can shift a narrative overnight—immediately lightening…
The only remedy for a gut-wrenching loss to Georgia Tech would've been the Miami Hurricanes…
View Comments
All I know is, being a fan of college football but Miami in particular, I found myself thinking about all these mediocre teams playing in all these bowls and Miami is not even in those. I watched game after game and could not believe The U was sitting at home.
We definately need a change in attitude of the players. We have been having more and more bad losses. 48-0 in the last game at The Orange Bowl against VIRGINIA. Inexcusable. These teams out-effort us. No excuse for that EVER to happen at The U.
For me, all there really is to do is follow recruiting after our season ended prematurely. It's just something else to compete in against other teams and I love competition and bragging rights. Just like anyone else, I like to see the program do well in this area as well as on the field. But juts because they are highly ranked does not translate into on the field success, as we have seen with several players in the past. I do look forward to Signing Day however, then seeing what happens with the DC and WR positions, and then the preseason and on into a tough 2008 season. I try to stay optimistic as long as I can.
-Columbus Cane
Looks like the dude from Kansas will be our new DC, according to Rivals.
-Columbus Cane
Aubrey Hill is the New WR coach
and we got Aubrey Hill from Pitt as our WR coach.
we got former gator for WR coach
Aubrey Hill
Hearing a lot of good things from him. Hope we will see the production next yr.
This still burns bad,,,,,,,,,,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1ru2603cYw&feature=related
To all CANE potential recruits,,,, if you are not "in it" to bring this love (see video) to our program,,,, then we don't want you here.
..they lay it on thick and play on the suspense. I'm over the game. Wake me on the 6th.
Sounds like your going through a bad break-up, eh 305?
Miami Herald:
Despite reports to the contrary Wednesday, University of Miami coach Randy Shannon has apparently hired 61-year old Bill Young away from the University of Kansas Thursday afternoon in a move I can only deem eye-opening.
Young, a 38-year coaching veteran who turned the Jayhawks into one of the nation's best defensive units last season, told the Lawrence Journal World he wanted a new challenge. Well, Mr. Young, you got one. Miami was pretty bad near the end of last season. But if Young can do what he did in his six years at Kansas (with guys a little more less athletic than at UM to say the least) with some of the defensive talent the Hurricanes are hording in recruiting now, Randy Shannon may have hit himself a home run today.
"This is a huge move for Miami," national recruiting analyst Larry Blustein told me moments ago. "This goes with everything Miami has done in recruiting this year. He's a guy who has proven himself. What probably got him the job was what he did at the Orange Bowl against a Virginia Tech team Miami couldn't stop. I don't think Kansas athletes can compare to what Miami has and is getting in recruiting. Miami could have a very, very special defense in a couple of years."
It wasn't that long ago when Shannon's defense was special here at Miami. It was obvious last season the Hurricanes not only had a drop in talent, but likely coaching too. Tim Walton, whom Shannon promoted to defensive coordinator before firing him last month, simply couldn't maintain what Shannon had achieved -- even with two potential first round picks on the defense in Calais Campbell and Kenny Phillips.
What the Hurricanes are getting in Young is someone who won't have to look over his shoulder. While I believed the Hurricanes would actually go after a Patrick Nix-type like it did with the offensive coordinator job -- someone young, hungry and relatively cheap -- it appears Shannon tried swinging for the fences on this one and connected.
The Jayhawks finished as the 12th ranked defense in the nation and the No. 4 scoring defense, allowing just 16 points per game last season. But what I liked most about them last season was the fact they produced so many turnovers, and took chances and they were good at stopping the run. Young's teams have always been good at that. In 1999 at Southern Cal, the Trojans led the nation in takeaways and led the Pac-10 in rushing defense.
Perhaps the best part of this hiring too is that Young is a veteran coach. If you look at what Miami has, the majority of its staff is filled with guys relatively young in coaching experience -- guys like Clint Hurtt, Michael Barrow. Young will provide leadership and coaching experience to those guys.
"I thought Randy would take his time, wait until after signing day -- at least that's what I heard," Blustein said. "But what probably happened was that he took a shot at a high-caliber guy and it just so happened Young was interested too. This is a perfect place for a guy like Young who probably isn't looking to be a head coach. He's an older guy who has been there, done that. And Miami is certainly a nicer place than Lawrence, Kansas -- especially this time of year and for retirement."
With the current early enrollees unavailable for comment, I made a few phone calls to current Hurricane commitments coming in the fall. I spoke to Rivals 2-star linebacker Zach Kane, a 6-3, 220-pounder from New Jersey, who is supposed to be visiting UM this weekend. Kane was excited.
"I actually watched Kansas a lot this year and I didn't know who their coordinator was, but I was very impressed by what they did," Kane said. "He definitely knows his stuff.
"The best part about it is he's coming in fresh and we're coming fresh. He doesn't know any of the juniors or seniors more than he does us. It gives us all equal footing."
I see now that Ramon Buchanon has decommitted to Miami and committed to Florida. All I can say is, if you are not sure then don't commit in the first place. I also hope we go after other schools commits just like they do ours. Randy needs to be extra vigilant in the next 2 weeks to hold on to who we have and get a couple more, because other schools are going to do and say whatever it takes to get the players they want. I'll say this again, if you aren't sure you want to be a Cane, don't commit in the first place. There needs to be some sort of early signing period like there is in basketball so we don't have all these commits/decommits at the last hour. This has really been an issue the last 4 or 5 years for Miami and has hurt us in the end. You can't take a kid's word, and have to kind of have a built it backup plan which can be very difficult. I would love to know what the other coaches are saying to get them away from us, aside from our record. Bring it home Randy!
-Columbus Cane
canes305, are you going to have anything up about Buchanan jumping ship for Florida?