What’s new at The U…

Things were relatively quiet for the Miami Hurricanes after signing day, but in the past few days there’s been a lot of chatter and some new news to report: 

Randy Shannon has finally settled on a defensive coordinator, 18-year veteran John Lovett. Lovett’s most recent stint was special teams coordinator under Butch Davis at North Carolina. He’s also spent time at Clemson, Auburn and Mississippi. 

Lovett wasn’t the “sexy” hire the message board contingent was looking for. Georgia’s Willie Martinez was a hot name early on, while Notre Dame’s Jon Tenuta was mentioned, though was never confirmed.

Like last year’s Bill Young hire, Shannon again went for a veteran. Lovett doesn’t have Young’s track record or resume, but he received a ringing endorsement from Tommy Tuberville, who he worked for at Auburn. Shannon respects Tubbs’ opinion and if his former position coach backed Lovett, that proved good enough for Randy.

Experience with North Carolina and Clemson also mean that Lovett knows the ways of the ACC, which is another plus as Miami needed to fill this defensive coordinator void. 

While this Lovett hire doesn’t garner the same buzz that Young’s did this time last year, time will tell if this is a strong hire. Combined with Mark Whipple on offense, Miami now has an experienced staff that will help Shannon as a third-year head coach. Lovett inherits a defense that returns 15 players with starting experience and three Freshman All-Americans.

I stumbled across a message board post (from a reliable poster) regarding Shannon’s recent visit to Palm Beach. Some interesting tidbits from that experience:

Shannon never intended to run this defense himself. That ‘rumor’ was simply started by the head coach himself in an effort to thwart out any negative recruiting tactics other schools employed as Signing Day was on the horizon and Miami still lacked a DC… Shannon consults with the likes of Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells regarding the selection of a coaching staff and what it takes to jell… Shannon recently spent some time with mentor Jimmy Johnson regarding all things The U.

Kirby Hocutt joined Shannon at the function and it was stated that Miami’s athletic department raised upwards of $4.5M last year with the move to Dolphin Stadium. Though the stadium needs more bodies in seats, it’s hard to argue with the bottom line. The Canes left the Orange Bowl for money and for a strapped program, it’s hard to argue with almost a $5M increase… in a down economy, no less.

Shannon drove some other obvious points home regarding Miami not being a college town, 8K undergrads (as opposed to the built-in student body you get with 40K), UM alum being scattered nationwide as valid reasons for the lack of week in/week out fan support. While Miami fans know all this, let it serve as a reminder to other state funded programs who don’t deal with the issues The U does.

I read a recent blurb in USA Today about Florida’s athletic budget being upwards of $85M for 2009. Again, no mystery why the Gators can afford state of the art weight rooms and the biggest name coaches in the game. You’re supposed to win national championships when money isn’t an issue. The fact Miami still has five to Florida’s three (in football) is nothing short of amazing.

Florida has a high eight-figure budget, while The U is canceling two chartered flights this football season (Central Florida, South Florida) and will opt to take buses to Orlando and Tampa. Keep that in perspective when comparing these two programs.

If anyone knows how to rebuild Miami and do so in an under the radar, unorthodox manner… it’s Randy Shannon, with the help of Jimmy Johnson. Be patient, people. This thing is finally on the right track. 

Bryce Brown is still in hiding. Over a week after signing day, all is still quiet regarding the Kansas native. Miami? Oregon? LSU? What about the CFL, recently mentioned by Brown family ‘mentor’ Brian Butler. 

Miami is officially in a sticky situation with Brown, strictly because Arthur Brown is a Canes linebacker. With big brother on the roster, Shannon and staff can’t pull a scholarship offer from little brother, without ruffling any feathers.

Brown is a talent. I’ve seen the film and I can appreciate what a running back of this caliber would bring to the Canes roster, but this “me first” attitude is the exact type of player Shannon has spent two years weeding out.

Even if Miami winds up with Brown, safe to say this is no more than a two-year experience. Money seems to be the motivating factor and that ‘team first’ mentality is nowhere to be found.

Lamar Miller and Mike James both signed with Miami a week ago and both are top flight running backs who can make an immediate impact. They’re not Brown caliber, but if you weigh out talent, heart and attitude, both probably trump Brown, Plus, both committed early to Miami and never wavered. That has to count for something, doesn’t it?

If this is my team, I’m cutting ties with Team Brown. Enough is enough. Brown was an early commit who flaked down the stretch, a la Patrick Johnson. Sometimes it’s about more than talent.

Character has to come into the equation and while Brown says some of the right thing, citing his faith and letting God guide him to the right decision through fasting… you have to question anyone who’s in bed with a person of Butler’s character — a former rapper (“Big B”), liquor store employee, telemarketer and cellphone call-center manager who now charges $9.99 a month for updates on Brown’s recruitment and ‘mentors’ several players. Doesn’t seem very Jesus-like, if you ask me. Where’s all that humility the son of man preached we should employ?

As good as Brown may be, this is a situation you absolutely run from. There writing is on the wall and the University of Miami doesn’t need to be associated with a character like Butler, who played much more of a background role when the Canes were recruiting Arthur.

Ironic that LSU Is now in the mix and slated to get Brown’s last visit. A year ago rumors surfaced that Johnson’s family was looking for money and the Tigers eventually won that battle. Now the seemingly money-hungry team of Butler/Brown is talking CFL and money, while LSU suddenly blew into the picture.

No player is bigger than the team. Here’s hoping Brown goes elsewhere. Seriously. Enough is enough. With Miller, M. James, Graig Cooper and Javarris James on board, the Canes have a slew of capable backs to carry the load in ’09. 

The 2009 ACC schedule has been released and Miami better hit the ground running as there are no warm up games and there’s no breathing room. Labor Day will be another season opening match up against a hated rival, followed up by two tough conference games and a match up with the title game runner up.

9/7 – @Florida State (ESPN)
9/17 – Georgia Tech (ESPN)
9/26 – @Virginia Tech
10/3 – Oklahoma
10/10 – Florida A&M
10/17 – @Central Florida
10/24 – Clemson
10/31 – @Wake Forest
11/7, – Virginia
11/14 – @North Carolina
11/21 – Duke
11/28 – @South Florida

Opening with the Noles is never a picnic, but the national exposure and money make it too hard to turn down. The loser can win out and the ACC can still get their dream conference championship match up between the two rivals.

Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech back to back is a rough go of it, as well. Miami will get their three toughest conference games out the game, in less than three weeks. From there, a home game against Oklahoma.

Miami players and coaches have their work cut out for them this season. An absolute baptism by fire for Coach Whipple and Coach Lovett.

Defensive end Eric Moncur recently found out he was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.

Moncur was injured four games into the 2008 season and was unsure if he’d be back at Miami for 2009. The Canes went 5-4 down the stretch without Moncur in the line up and the senior’s presence was truly missed in back-to-back losses against Georgia Tech and NC State, where Miami’s run defense was shredded for 691 yards.

Only at Miami could a Major League Baseball steroid scandal hurt a program when the player in question didn’t even attend the university. Westminster Christian product Alex Rodriguez was named in a recent report and was linked to steroid use back in 2003, days before a ballpark adorning his name is slated to open. 

Should be an interesting banquet Friday night fundraiser and naming ceremony for Alex Rodriguez Park, thanks to the slugger’s $3.9M donation.

Former Miami linebacker Brandon Marti was arrested today and charged with battery and false imprisonment. Shannon suspended Marti last season for violating team rules and was let go at the end of the 2008 season. Marti never saw any game action and played mostly on the practice squad. Sounds like a tragic ending for a troubled kid and sounds like a wise move for Shannon to cut ties with Marti as last season came to a close. 

After a three game losing streak, Miami’s basketball team rebounded with a beatdown of then-sixth ranked Wake Forest, 79-52. A few days later, the Canes took third-ranked Duke to overtime in Durham, but fell, 78-75. 

At 15-8 (4-6 ACC) it’s safe to call this season a bust. Loaded top to bottom with experienced upperclassmen, this was the year Miami needed to make a run. Unfortunately there were too many games that got away. Ohio State. Virginia Tech. NC State. Maryland. If the Canes had any realistic NCAA dreams, 19-4 would be where this team sits today. 

North Carolina, Florida State, Boston College, Virginia, Georgia Tech and NC State remain, with the ACC tourney on the horizon. If I had to call it, I believe the Canes limp into the conference tourney with a 18-11 record.

Frank Haith and staff did get some good news this week when Baltimore Cecil Kirk AAC standout Antoine Allen decommitted from Providence and committed to Miami. Haith and staff are hoping they found the next Jack McClinton in the 6’2″ and 182-pound shooting guard.

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