Senior Day

Hello All,

Well, this is kind of strange. We have reached the end of another season, and this one seemed to go by faster than any in history.

It is not time for final reflection yet, as there is still more football to be played.

However, I think it is safe to say that the depression that is my life for 8 months a year with no ‘Canes football has begun to set in.

Win or lose, the ‘Canes give me something to look forward to every week. Watching these kids go out and compete and grow is my favorite thing.

One of my co-workers was talking to me the other day and said “You should be glad you have your thing. You are more passionate about the ‘Canes than anyone in this office is about anything. It keeps you going. I can’t honestly say I have a thing and that is kind of sad.”

She was absolutely right. But before this turns into a cry fest, it is time for final reflection on one group of players.

Saturday is the last home game for a Miami senior class that has actually turned into The U’s best in five years.

Roll Call

Damien Berry, RB – Berry has been my favorite player for 4 years. He initially came in as a safety and played injured his freshman year, making a contribution only on special teams. After a mostly non-descript sophomore season he made the switch to running back, where most thought he would get lost on the depth chart. Instead, Berry became UM’s best runner since a healthy, in-shape Tyrone Moss and will leave as a fan favorite after two seasons of hard-nosed, take no prisoners running.

Graig Cooper, RB – Coop is another personal favorite who was derided by fans for years for no reason. He made plays, ran hard and did the best with what he was given. Sometimes he danced too much, and his speed wasn’t all that was advertised. Still, he was an all everything recruit that stuck by his ‘Cane commitment when everything was going wrong. He played hard despite being surrounded by mediocre talent for two seasons and will end up a Top 5 statistical player in the history of the program that will stick with an NFL team.

Leonard Hankerson, WR – What can I say about Hank that hasn’t already been said this season? The kid was labeled a bust after two seasons. I wrote that “there is no point in having a receiver that cannot catch the ball…move him to linebacker” back when I was writing my column in the school paper. Boy did he prove us all wrong. He committed himself through tireless work in the offseason and has now put together arguably the strongest two year statistical stretch of any receiver in program history. He still drops some easy ones but has become UM’s Go-To Guy in almost every situation and has positioned himself as a high draft pick. He will do great things and will probably be the most missed of all the seniors next season.

Allen Bailey, DL- The Freakshow seems like he just got here from his Island home in Georgia. He lost his freshman year to an ill-advised experiment at Middle Linebacker and was learning on the fly his sophomore year. After being shuttled back and forth between tackle and end for the last two seasons, it seemed like Bailey was always on the verge of a massive breakout where he put together 2 or 3 dominant games in a row. It never happened, and he is one of those guys you wish you could have for a couple more seasons. He is a member of the All Time Freak team for Miami and will be a first round pick based solely on potential. He showed glimpses throughout his career; hopefully some position stability will allow him to reach his Suh-like potential.

Matt Bosher, K/P- Bosh was the toughest kicker I have ever seen. He was also damned good. A little streaky as a placekicker but phenomenal as a punter, Bosher will forever be remembered for his willingness (eagerness?) to not only come up and tackle but also come up and lay the wood; this was important, given our coverage teams’ complete inability to cover kicks lately. My favorite moment will always be when he recovered his own onside kick in the Champs Sports Bowl (which I prefaced by saying “the only way we will recover this is if Bosh gets in there because he’s all we got”) that lead to my brother saying “If we had a sister Bosher could definitely f*ck her right now”. Others include his personal foul penalty for body slamming an FSU kick returner and his going down into the scrum to rip away an onside kick recovery in a doomed comeback attempt against Virginia this year. I never thought I would be this invested in a freakin’ kicker, but this is not a normal kicker.

Colin McCarthy, LB- If you can get past expecting him to be Dan Morgan (just because he is white and plays the same position and wears the same number) then he had a pretty damned good career. Was a little slow and not great in coverage, but the guy was mean and nasty and played with a chip on his shoulder. Also holds the current heavyweight title belt for banging slutty Delta Gammas and D Phi Es. Another likely 3rd-5th round pick that will make an impact somewhere in the league.

Orlando Franklin, T- Franklin was a three year starter at guard and then moved to left tackle. He will be a guard in the NFL, where his size will play well and his semi-slow feet can be hidden. I loved Franklin at guard but have been disappointed this year with his mental game at tackle, as he has repeatedly false started and been called for holding. Franklin will be missed more than some folks think, and he has certainly been a program leader. He will most likely be a mid round pick in the draft and will one day be saying “The U” on Sunday Night Football.

Pat Hill, FB- One of my favorites because of his unselfishness. Was very content with blasting linebackers for three years and clearing the way for other guys to get stats. Hill will be hard to replace, as was evident last year when the running game slumped after he was hurt.

DeMarcus Van Dyke, CB- A great cover corner who almost never got beat but also had NO ball skills. Is in the same camp with Coop when it comes to uncalled for personal attacks by fans. Will not be drafted but his speed will get him a shot and he might be this year’s Sam Shields if he can learn to tackle.

Joel Figeuroa, OL- Good guy, good run blocker, that’s about it. Wish him well.

Ryan Hill, CB- This was the ultimate company man. Moved from DB to WR as a highly touted frosh because we needed bodies. Made some big catches but was too inconsistent, so switched back to DB halfway through his career. Worked for two years and finally got on the field for his senior season, where he won a starting spot and…gasp…made some plays on the ball. Also, as an aside, was a very nice guy and my roommate Graham’s favorite player.

Josh Holmes, DT- Role player who really never lived up to his potential as an inside pass rusher. Most of his time was spent as a body in the rotation, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Kylan Robinson, LB- Came in as a record setting running back but could not gain any traction and was moved to linebacker. Career highlight was starting this year’s season opener. Really, that was about it.

JoJo Nicolas, S- He might be back next year, I am just putting him on here as wishful thinking. Nothing personal, he’s just not good at all and takes minutes from young guys for some reason.

Richard Gordon, TE- Freak show that looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane. Was a good run blocker but looked about as coordinated as a giraffe trying to take a piss while walking on a frozen pond when going out on a pass route.

Jared Campbell, S- Not sure if he is a senior but this was a guy who maxed out his minimal talent (which still didn’t lead to much production) and was a benefit to have on the scout team.

Corey Nelms, DB- Walk on special teams guy who made an impact with some big hits over his career and shows the value of working in conjunction with the track team.


To each of them, I thank you for your time in a transitory phase of the program and wish you the best of luck.

Quick Picks (Doing these early Friday morning):

‘Bama over Auburn
West Virginia over Pitt
Nebraska over Colorado
Oregon over Arizona
Ohio State over Michigan
Michigan State over Penn State
Kansas over Mizzou (Upset Special!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Arkansas over LSU
The SAT over UiF and FSU
Utah over BYU
Wisco over Northwestern
Clemson over The Real USC
Oklahoma over Oklahoma State (BEDLAM!!!!!)
The Meteor over Notre Dame and USC (I can hope, right?)

Rapid Reaction

Hello All,

About to sit down and watch the UNC- Vagina Tech....errrrrr, Virginia Tech...game and decided to rattle off the quick response to today's beat down of Georgia Tech.

What I liked the most about it was the consistency.

It was multi-fold.

First of all, the gameplan was great. Pound the rock against the worst run defense in the conference with a deep stable of running backs. Take pressure off your freshman quarterback and let him work out of playaction. Attack the option and force Georgia Tech's green quarterback to make plays to win the game.

The most remarkable thing about this pretty standard game plan was that Miami stuck to it consistently, for a full game. 4 different running backs scored touchdowns, and the success in the play action and quick hitter passing games (both set up by the running game) lead to big plays.

Secondly, the players finally put together a consistent MENTAL game. There were few penalties. The refs taking another score off of the board did not send them in to a shell. There were mental mistakes, but no glaring mental errors that lead to points or big plays. Penalties were kept to a minimum. This was all offset by two forced turnovers when backed up in the opponent's red zone and a knack for coming up big when it really mattered on offense. All in all, this was a big effort for 4 quarters.

That is what I asked for heading into this week. 4 quarters of consistent effort in a winning cause. We caught a glimpse for the first time since UNC of what this team can become on any given Saturday. Next week, we will see if we can put this type of effort together two weeks in a row for the first time this season. The potential for it to be a playoff game would obviously add to the environment;it would make it the biggest game of Randy's tenure, as a matter of fact. But even if the Hokies beat UNC today (which i think they will) it will be an important game. It will give this team a final chance to prove that they aren't soft, they aren't weak and they CAN get the job done.

Here's to hoping they get the chance to prove it in a game that would mean a trip to the title game, because otherwise I will be mad I skipped my upset special pick coming true over on the other channel in order to watch a game in which I hate both teams...

Bringin' the Noise

Hello All,

Well, let's not say The U is back.

Let's not book a trip to the ACC Title Game just yet.

Let's not look ahead to the two Techs.

We have been down that road too many times.

Instead, let's just talk about the ASS WHUPPING that Miami put on North Carolina the other night.

I know, 'Canes fans, UNC was playing without some studs. Blah blah blah. Before this game, everyone and their mother said that if Miami lost than Randy Shannon should be gone. So what happens? Miami puts an old school beat down on a team that has had their number for years, and they do it with style.

And in typical 'Canes fan fashion, North Carolina goes from an opponent to be feared to an overrated tomato can.

I don't buy it at all.

UNC was a scrappy team that won 4 games in a row, and was a few plays from being undefeated, for a reason. They came out and hit Miami in the mouth early, which prompted everyone in the stadium to pucker their butt cheeks and get ready for the inevitable 17-3 halftime deficit followed by a long-shot comeback attempt in the 4th quarter.

Instead, Miami stepped up and made a huge play to keep themselves out of the pothole. They played three quarters of highlight reel football and turned in a complete, even performance.

Playmakers stepped up and made plays.

More importantly, leadership emerged.

I texted my friend Francis on Monday and said: "How great would it be to read a report that Damien Berry called a players only meeting?"

Turns out, it happened. The players got together and decided they were done with the lacksadaisical play. They decided they were no longer going to walk on eggshells.

There were several moments that stood out to me from the game. Spence and Vaughn Telemaque combining on the big turnover in the 1st quarter. Spence and Brandon Harris dancing their way off the field after Harris' pick. Jacory running down the field to celebrate another touchdown throw. Allen Bailey standing over a limp T.J. Yates. Travis Benjamin's highlight reel catch. Tyrone Cornelius going Robert Bailey on the UNC kick returner. Asante Cleveland's huge catch on 4th and short.

None is more important than Vaughn Telemaque and his offensive teammates scuffling on the sideline, however.

It showed accountability throughout the roster. It showed fight. It showed maturity. It showed a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Some guys are stoic leaders. Randy Shannon and Jacory would rather lead by example than by words. That's fine. You do need some people that are willing to ruffle someone's feathers, however.

From the time of the sideline incident on, Miami loosened up and began to play like sharks that smelled blood in the water.

Randy Shannon realized his team was finally taking charge of itself and let his guard down a little.

This is what happens for good teams. It looks like the light might have come on for this group of young men on the field on Saturday night. They finally took the game by the balls and bent it to their will.

While all this was going on in Miami, my roommate Graham and I were freaking out in Los Angeles. The noise was not limited to the 'Canes woofing on the field; after the game, Graham and I found out that our property manager had gotten three calls complainging about our noise level during the game. On a Saturday night. Before the sun even set.

Even the fans had swag on Saturday night. It was a sight for sore eyes.

Always guard the inbound passer.

Duke Preview

Hello All,

This has been a ridiculously long week for every 'Canes fan and now it is time to move on from the debacle.

The 'Canes look to get back on track this weekend against a Duke team that will put up more of a fight at home then you probably think. As Don Bailey Jr. said yesterday on Sid Rosenberg's (The Carpetbagger as I like to call him) radio show, Duke is licking its chops. They have nothing to lose and see a Miami team coming off a major beatdown that might have its head elsewhere.

There is your cheesy intro and here is the breakdown:

QB

Call me crazy, but I thought Jacory was a bright spot last week. Improved decision making, pulled it down and ran a few times, managed the game well and did it while hurt. The problem is his receivers let him down again, dropping balls that hit them in the hands. Duke will start promising Sena Renfree, who is probably still a year or two away from being a major threat but can definitely sling it. EDGE: Miami

RB

Damien Berry quietly ran for 101 yards against FSU and ran hard all game. Miami compiled 185 total yards on the ground and seems to have made it more a priority of late to establish the run game, which will help Jacory out immensely. Duke's leading rusher is Desmond Scott. They don't run it much but he is a big play threat, bringing in an average of 5.7 ypc and a long run of 63 yards on the season. If Miami gets Lamar Miller back for this game it will be hard to decide who gets the secondary carries between Miller, Graig Cooper and Mike James, as each has had their moments. EDGE: Miami

WR

Leonard Hankerson is clearly Miami's go to guy, and the rest of the receivers have battled major inconsistency. I personally think it is LaRon Byrd's time to shine. I also think if I were Shannon I would send out freshman Allen Hurns and sophomore Kendall Thompkins for the first two series just to send a message. Miami is hurt by the lack of a viable threat at tight end. Meanwhile, Donavan Varner and Conner Vernon have been great in Duke's pass happy attack. Never thought I would type this...EDGE: Duke

OL

Miami on both talent and caliber of opponent this Saturday. EDGE: Miami

DL

Miami is more talented and if they play the way I think they will then they should have at least 5 sacks. Allen Bailey must make more of an impact. Duke brings back senior defensive ends that will put pressure on Jacory if allowed. EDGE: Miami

LB

Sean Spence is Miami's best player, but it is time for someone to step up and make plays aside from him. Colin McCarthy looks a step slow and out of position at middle linebacker, and Ramon Buchannan seems to take two steps forward and one step back. Shannon said he will work Kelvin Cain more into the mix, and if healthy, hopefully we will see more Jordan Futch as well too. Duke runs a 3-4, which means they will be attacking Jacory with blitzes all day in hopes of forcing a mistake downfield. EDGE: Miami

Secondary

Miami is more talented and is beginning to get a knack for turnovers. If they ever get a game where all four guys play well together then they will be a force. EDGE: Miami

Special Teams

Who knows at this point. Miami is too inconsistent in all phases, and yes, that includes you now Mr. Bosher (my man crush). EDGE: Even

OTHER PICKS

Last Week: 3-6

Season: 24-18

Upset Specials: 0-5

Texas over Nebraska (Upset SPECIAL!)

Cincy over Louisville

Auburn over Arkansas

Iowa over Michigan

Texas Tech over Okie State

Wisconsin over Ohio State (Hopefully the meteor though)

'Bama over Ole Miss Blackbears

And yes, don't worry, at some point soon I will definitely do something about the state of the program and the FSU loss. Still too soon. Just know that I am in the type of mood that I hope every team loses every week just so all fan bases are as pissed as me.

Also, turns out I have the ability to see what my readership is. All jokes aside, I am getting like 3000 reads per month, which is awesome and a little humbling. I also have readers in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia as well as North America. Shout out to you all, but most specifically those in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have a hard time believing any native Afghanis or Iraqis are reading this, which means that those readers are serving this beautiful country of ours and protecting the freedom of chuckleheads like me. Provides a lot of perspective when contemplating a win or loss. Thank you all very much and get home safe.

I love the 'Canes, but the only thing I love more is America.

FSU Week

Hello All,

This is my favorite and least favorite week of the year.

Positives:

-I have an excuse to watch my favorite 'Canes video every day instead of only on gameday
-My brother and I exchange several-times-daily texts counting down the hours until the beatdown
-I get to hear stories all week about FSU players disrespecting The U only to have it rubbed in their face during the game
-I get to hear UM fans bitch about how terrible we are and how amazing FSU is....oh, wait, that is not a positive...
-It all ends in my favorite game of the year

Negatives:

-Lack of sleep
-Lots of nervous energy
-Living on the West Coast, I have to worry about where I will watch this game online (i.e. if a bar will have it or if I will be stuck watching one of the top ten rivalry games in college football on my laptop screen because ABC/ESPN/The Universe are in a constant battle to see who can buttf*ck me the hardest) because for some reason this is the one week of the entire effing year that ESPN and ABC are not doing a reverse mirror of their coverage

Obviously, the positives outweigh the negative.

People don't understand this rivalry and its meaning to 'Cane Nation (yep, went with the cheesy "______ Nation" reference). I have been asked this week why it is so much bigger than Miami and UiF.

My explanation, which is sometimes understood and sometimes not by outsiders, is that Miami and FSU are like estranged brothers. We recruit many of the same kids, rose to success at roughly the same time, play every year (even when we weren't required to) and play with similar chips on our shoulders. At the end of the day, Miami fans don't like FSU for one week out of the year, sometimes two. Other than that, we respect the program.

It is undeniable that they are talented and our rivalry was born organically, through a series of great games. It was not manufactured like rivalries with teams like Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Georgia Tech or Syracua were or have been.

What separates the 'Noles from the Gators and Notre Dame is that while we have history of great games with all three, the 'Noles never took us off their schedule. All three fanbases talk a lot of smack when it comes to the 'Canes; the 'Noles are the only ones who try and back it up every year.

It makes me glad to see their program rising back up at the same time as we do. College football is at its best when these two programs are at their best.

This is not supposed to be a lovefest for the 'Noles; as I said, I respect them, but I do not like them.

It is meant more to be an explanation of why this week is so special. People are concerned that the 'Canes will let up this week after their tough stretch. I say not a chance. This game is the reason kids go to these two schools, like the Iron Bowl at Auburn and Alabama or the Michigan-Ohio State game or the Wisconsin vs. Austin Peay game (wait, that's not a rivalry?).

This game will bring out the best in both sides. And with that, here's your breakdown:

QB

Christian Ponder is probably the better quarterback and takes better care of the ball, but I think Jacory is the better winner. Either way, this matchup will be talked about ad nauseum during the game and I do not need to add to that. EDGE: Even

RB

Both teams have deep stables of talented backs. FSU features Jermaine Thomas and Ty Jones, while Miami will be lead by Damien Berry and Mike James taking snaps for the injured Lamar Miller. Look out for Storm Johnson or Graig Cooper as the X Factor. EDGE: Even

WR

Leonard Hankerson is a matchup nightmare. FSU's number one guy is Bert Reed; the 'Noles will always be talented in this group but the production has not yet been there this season. Given the double team Hankerson will likely draw and his career history, I would figure Travis Benjamin for a big game with at least one score and a few big plays. EDGE: Miami

OL

FSU comes in banged up here. Even if their starting left tackle, Andrew Datko, plays, he will be rusty and going up against one of the nation's top defensive lines. If he doesn't, then that means a redshirt freshman will be getting heavy snaps at one of the two tackle spots, either starting at left tackle or sliding to right tackle and pushing Zebrie Sanders out of position to left tackle from right tackle. Miami seems to be getting better week to week and will have its hands full to keep Jacory upright against a team that leads the nation in sacks. I have officially concluded that Joel Figueroa has earned a spot on the bench. If he is in, he will be the weak link. Neither side looks like it will be able to do much against the opposing d-line. Miami's Sentrel Henderson is getting better week to week and could be responsible for a huge role in this one. EDGE: Even

DL

Miami leads the nation in TFL and is getting great push from its front four. Allen Bailey and Olivier Vernon lead the way at end, but look out for Marcus Robinson and Andrew Smith, who have both played well. At tackle, Marcus Forston is playing great football and must continue to disrupt the other team's interior line. He has helped Sean Spence re-emerge as an elite player. FSU is lead by Demonte McCallister and Markus White on the d-line, but their competition to this point has been questioned. Miami gets the slight nod. EDGE: Miami

LB

Both squads have a lot of speed here. Spence will be the best player on the field. FSU's talented crew is lead by Nigel Bradham, who finally appears to be playing to his potential. They will be without multiple offender Nigel Carr, who set a Fullmer Cup record for most felonies in one arrest earlier this season. For Miami, Colin McCarthy is solid and Ramon Buchannan and Jordan Futch both played well last week. EDGE: Even

Secondary

Brandon Harris and Ryan Hill are playing very well at corner, while Ray Ray Armstrong and DVD are becoming opportunistic ball hawks. FSU is lead by Greg Reid, who has talked a lot of smack going into the matchup. The interesting part is that FSU plays a lot of zone coverage, meaning Reid won't even be responsible directly for a man for the most part, making his boasts a little more hollow. And let's be real, what are the odds that the 5'9" Reid doesn't get posterized by the 6'3" Hankerson, 6'4" LaRon Byrd or 6'2" Aldarious Johnson at some point? EDGE: Miami

Special Teams

Reid is, like Travis Benjamin, an electric return man. Miami would be smart to kick away from him, given their coverage units. In the kicking game, Miami has Matt Bosher and FSU has long memories of pushing field goals wide right and wide left. EDGE: Even

I see this one being close, as usual, and decided late. It is honestly a coin flip and I would not bet either way. I just can't wait for it to get here.

PICKS:

Last Week- 6-3
Season- 21-12 (0-4 in Upset Specials)

Nebraksa over K State
UCONN over Rutgers
BC over NC State
Penn State over Illinois
Tennessee over UGa
'Bama over South Cackalacky
Michigan State over Michigan
UiF over LSU

UPSET SPECIAL: Baylor over Texas Tech

Always guard the inbound passer.

Wide Receivers are Like Actresses

Hello All,

The comparisons between receivers and actresses (or divas) is always easy to make. They are usually high profile, tightly wound and eager to bitch. Having been out here for about a month now...and still not being rained on once...I am beginning to see a lot of the quirks of actresses.

For one, most of them are in plain, utter denial...this doesn't have so much to do with the receivers, but I figured I should put it out there. Second, they all think that they are AWESOME at karaoke. Which I guess goes for the whole town. Third, they go everywhere in packs of 5 girls or more (or with their boyfriends, which is another story) and then bitch that guys don't come up and talk to them (always thinking their open, even when they're not...c'mon, that was a GREAT comparison!). Fourth, every out of work actress is a "model". Fifth, they worry waaaaayyyy too much about style and not enough about substance.

Receivers are a lot like actresses in the following ways: There are a ton of them and they go everywhere together (4 and 5 receiver sets!), and 4 out of the 5 bitch when they don't get the ball on a given play (which, by the way, I like...to an extent); they all think that they are the number one receiver (again, good thing to an extent, but usually is just false); they sometimes worry too much about making the highlight catch and forget to grab hold of the easy ones (kind of like forgetting that you can't sing but choosing Carrie Underwood for karaoke); and finally, every receiver who is out of work (Terrell Owens anyone?) defaults to touting themself as the finest physical specimen in the game (like an actress calling herself a model even when they aren't).

And that, my friends, is how we do a transition into talking about receivers here in Los Angeles. Plus, now I have an excuse to look through hundreds of pictures of Carrie Underwood until I find the perfect one. She is, after all, a "Future Former Mrs. Stein on the Sidelines".

Wide Receivers

The Season That Was: Well, we learned once again that there is only one football, and no matter what that video game you’re playing says, not everyone can be the number one wideout. Leonard Hankerson emerged as the number one wide receiver, while Travis Benjamin, LaRon Byrd and Thearon Collier all had their moments. Aldarious Johnson couldn’t seem to get healthy consistently, but still managed to make perhaps the play of the year in the Wake Forest game. Kendall Thompkins and Tommy Streeter got fans excited in limited playing time, and Davon Johnson reshirted.

What Was Lost: A big ball of nothing. Getting Hank back was a big win for this program. You can never have enough experienced playmakers.

Roll Call

Leonard Hankerson (Sr.) – Goes in to the season as the best receiver Miami has had since Roscoe Parrish and the most physically imposing since Andre Johnson. Will be working with Mark Duper for the second summer in a row, which is a great thing; despite the jump he made, Hank still showed flashes of the inconsistent hands that plagues his freshman and sophomore campaigns. He has good rapport with Jacory Harris and is the total package: he can run by people after the catch, go up high and get the ball, break tackles, etc. If Hank can put up another big season he is a possible first round pick.

LaRon Byrd (Jr.) – Stein on the Sidelines’ favorite receiver is a physical monster who opponents respect. A lot of the credit for Hankerson’s big year should be given to Byrd for drawing double teams. He has high expectations for himself and is a hard worker, but at the end of the day all he wants is the win. True ‘Cane that could end up a high round draft pick in a couple of years.

Travis Benjamin (Jr.) – The most exciting player on the roster that can take any play to the barn. Is dangerous running deep routes because no player can single cover him in a foot race, meaning the safety has to come over the top; if he doesn’t, Benjamin will walk in to the end zone (Exhibit A: Florida State). He also is a threat on returns, although he does a little bit too much stutter stepping on punt returns to be a true gamebreaker. The staff raves about his work ethic, and he is the fastest guy on the team. He keeps getting bigger, which will help his slight frame absorb punishment. Another possible high round draft pick.

Thearon Collier (Jr.) – A jitterbug that housed two punts last season and always seems to make the clutch reception. He has had weight problems, however, and is going to be pushed by Kendall Thompkins for playing time this season. How he responds will be one of the most interesting storylines of the season. On a personal note, his son died this offseason, and every ‘Cane fan should say a prayer for the young man.

Aldarious Johnson (Jr.) – Didn’t put up big stats last season and seemed a little slow all year. However, he is clearly still Jacory’s go-to guy in the clutch and should be more productive this season. Good route runner and blocker that will always have a place on the field for Randy Shannon because he does the little things.

Tommy Streeter (So.) – My dad’s personal favorite receiver, he is a 6’6” burner (4.4 Forty) who opens up the vertical passing game. He is at this point a bit player, however, because he hasn’t gotten physical enough to be an everydown receiver. Probably the most talented receiver on the roster and should have a package of plays that he is used in this season. This is the closest thing on the roster to my run-in with one of the female dancers from Dancing With the Stars. Great body (met her at a pool party), can tell she has a lot of potential...BUT, she just had a nose job and was rockin' two black eyes and a big floppy sun hat. Three months from now, she could be great or she could be like the chick from that episode of Seinfeld. You just never know.

Kendall Thompkins (So.) – Thompkins is a burner in the slot who has torn it up two springs in a row. He has plenty of guys in front of him to beat out, but the question now is can they keep Thompkins on the bench. There were rumors he might transfer or switch to defensive back, but I think they were put to rest by his big spring. Will factor in to the return game at minimum.

Davon Johnson (So.) – Made the decision to redshirt last season and create some separation in classes while he became a better player. Probably smart, as he has a great skill set and can fly. Will figure in to the return game and could get into the rotation at receiver. As a freshman, caught everything thrown his way.

Allen Hurns (Fr.) – Hurns draws comparisons to a young Hankerson and is now working out with Duper as well. Is 99% certain to redshirt. If he doesn’t, something really bad happened.

Tight End

The Season That Was: Mark Whipple’s new offense made the tight end prominent again, and as a result Miami got great production out of a basketball player and a guy coming back in record time from an ACL tear.

What Was Lost: Dedrick Epps was the best all around tight end on the roster and was drafted by the Chargers. Jimmy Graham was the fan favorite and a freak athlete that was drafted by the Saints in the 3^rd round after one season of college football. Aside from that, nothing.

Roll Call

Richard Gordon (Sr.) – Seems like he has been around forever. Remember when he returned kicks? Anyway, he is a great blocker and a very unproven receiver, with 4 total receptions in his career. The talent is there, but the question is whether or not he will use it.

Chase Ford (Jr.) – JuCo transfer that should play right away and will probably be the team’s best receiving option at the position. Matter of how quickly he will pick up the playbook and whether he can block.

Billy Sanders (R-Fr.) – Redshirted last season and will see playing time this year. One player called him the toughest guy on the roster. Good to hear, and now we will see if he can make an impact or not.

Asante Jabari- Cleveland (Fr.) – Most likely of the freshmen to play at this position. Very projectable and has a big frame. If he can block and learn the playbook he might make an impact. Still a likely redshirt candidate, however.

Andrew Tallman (Fr.) – Big time athlete who is very raw. Will most likely redshirt, and could be moved to tackle or defensive end.

Clive Walford (Fr.) – Very good athlete, will redshirt if he qualifies academically. Was predominantly a basketball player in high school.

Always guard the inbound passer.

I Am 10,000 Feet Above Chapel Hill...

Hello All,

Really, this week’s game does not need much of a lead-in…but here it goes anyway!

Miami finds itself in a familiar spot. Last season, Miami was 7-3 after losing a couple of close ones and a not-so-close one early. They needed 2 wins to go to the ACC Title Game. They promptly lost both of the games and ended up playing in the Emerald Bowl, which carries so little significance that I literally just had to look up the name of the game because I had forgotten it. And this is coming from the guy who remembers that Kyle Cobia was an 82 for speed on NCAA College Football 2003.

Anyway, Miami heads in to this one 7-2, needing to win out to make a respectable bowl game (I am PRAYING for a Miami vs. Notre Dame Gator Bowl matchup…long shot, but I can dream, no?) and set themselves up well for next season. And let’s be real…who the hell knows what to expect from Miami? Or North Carolina? Or any team in this freakin’ conference???

I always compare this point in a team’s season to the fantastic sequence in Almost Famous (one of the top ten movies of all time, by the way) when Stillwater’s plane is about to crash.

Everyone on the plane decides to blurt out their deepest, darkest secret…they only have a few minutes left to live, so why the hell not? It is messy at best. By the way, put this blog down and go watch the freakin’ movie if you haven’t seen it. Seriously.

The manager hit a guy with his car.

The drummer is gay.

And the real bombshell…the lead singer banged the guitarist/superstar’s wife back in the day.

And then, the plane rights itself and everyone lives. The look on everyone’s face is priceless. Everything is in the open, and now they have to live with it. They have to adjust.

Miami had their “Oh Shit, We’re About to Die” moment when they lost a game they should’ve won against Clemson (taking them out of both conference title and BCS pictures) and then trailed by two scores late against Wake Forest.

Everyone just prepared for a second straight loss and pretty much had moved on. But then, Miami won. The plane righted itself.

So now, the question is what happens next? That’s one of the best parts of the movie, but also the point where the movie analogy completely stops working…it is left up to the viewer to decide what happens to the characters. Personally, I think that Stillwater bounces back with a strong second album, called something like “Death by Airplane”. They become huge stars and the rest is history. Kind of like Nirvana. However, there is also the possibility that Russell Hammond leaves the band after the post-Cover of Rolling Stone honeymoon ends and he realizes his wife banged his lead singer; Hammond becomes a later version of Eric Clapton…supremely talented, cannot stay with one band to save his life.

So there are the options. Last week against Virginia, the ‘Canes looked like the win against Wake combined with the shorter practices combined with Randy Shannon going Michael Corleone on a team that had pissed him off one time too many had them playing the type of football elite teams play late in the season.

So have they taken that next step to become an elite team, or are we merely right back to where we were last season? Virginia is tough to guage a team by, especially because they are not very good. North Carolina, on the other hand, is playing well as of late and has a MENACING front seven (more on this in a bit). And here’s where it gets confusing…Virginia whooped UNC!

To say that Miami owes Butch Davis a beating is an understatement. I still remember that Butch bailed on the ‘Canes 2 WEEKS before National Signing Day in 2001. 2 FUCKING WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After he said he was coming back. Well, needless to say, I do not hold him very highly. In fact, I’m not a big Butch fan. I was 13 at the time and knew he had done something completely wrong.

Davis also indirectly triggered the collapse of the Miami program; Ken Dorsey, Ed Reed and Joaquin Gonzalez marched in to Paul Dee’s office the next day and demanded that Dee hire Coker, then the offensive coordinator, instead of making the offer to Dave Wanndstedt. I do not know which is worse…that we ended up with Coker or that the other option was Wanndstedt. Sure, we won the title and actually went back-to-back…but I could’ve coached that damn team and won a title. As we all know, the long term effects of this hire would be felt, and I cannot help but think that things would have played out differently had Butch not left us dangling in the wind like he did.

Wow, what was I talking about? Oh, right, UNC. Their front seven is crazy good. Look at some numbers: they rank 3rd in the nation with 61 tackles for loss, 5th in Pass D, 8th in Run D and 5th in Total D. Gulp.

Now, it is also prescient to keep in mind that Miami beat Oklahoma and should’ve beat Clemson, both of whom came in with vaunted front sevens. However, this game is at 3:30 (a bad timeslot for the ‘Canes this season) and on the road. And Butch has owned the ‘Canes since returning to UNC. This just reeks of a setup. I guess this is why they don’t play the games on paper, however. And I guess we will see if Miami is a flameout or a team with some staying power.

BREAKDOWN:

Quarterback: T.J. Yates has been a game manager that has struggled with interceptions. He played poorly against Duke, well against Virginia Tech and poorly against FSU his last three times out. Poorly against Duke? Allen Bailey is licking his chops…Doc Walker would say something like “Allen Bailey is a straight up BAWLA…a CYBORG, ladies and gentleman…T.J., you on ya own SOULJA, ‘cus the TERMINATA sees you and he is LOCKED IN…HOLLA BACK!” Meanwhile, Jacory is Jacory. He will throw a bad interception or two, will make a “Holy Shit, did he just do that?” play or two, and somewhere in the middle throw for a couple scores and manage the offense. EDGE: Miami

Running Back: UNC lost leading rusher Shaun Draughn for the season, but last week Ryan Houston carried 37 times for 140+ yards. Here’s hoping he is tired. Miami’s stable looked deep last week, and if Javarris James is healthy to boot, then Miami should be able to establish some semblance of a running game to set up the playaction. Remember, it was James that went off against Oklahoma’s front seven. EDGE: Even

Receiver: This is Carolina’s team weakness after losing Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate. Greg Little has been solid and nothing more (although he is a matchup problem), while big play guys Erik Highsmith and Jehranie Boyd haven’t gotten the ball much. Meanwhile, Miami’s Leonard Hankerson is having a big year, and it seems like every week someone new is his leading sidekick. EDGE: Miami

Offensive Line: Both offensive lines have been solid, although I think Miami’s is going to have their hands more full. I can’t call it either way, to be honest. EDGE: Even

Defensive Live: Well, UNC has probably one of the top 4 or 5 lines in the nation. Robert Quinn is an All- American at end, and Marvin Austin is a WEREWOLF at tackle. Oh, and Quinton Coples has 6 sacks. Just putting that out there. Meanwhile, Miami’s line has not consistently gotten to the passer…EDGE: Carolina

Linebackers: Which puts their linebackers in a hole trying to cover way too much ground for too long a time instead of roaming free and hunting the ball…EDGE: Carolina

Secondary: Which leaves their corners either isolated on go-routes against bigger receivers for too long or behind the play after the receiver runs a route in to the middle, where they know linebackers can’t cover them. EDGE: Carolina

(Of course, all this is moot if the defensive line is getting pressure like they were last week OR if Carolina does the “we’ll just run all game and try to wear them out” thing, which hasn’t worked well except for when Virginia Tech did it, which was a disaster.)

Special Teams: The great equalizer in a close game. A part of me is happy that UVa got those two blocks. Now, Coach Pannuzzio has gotten his ass handed to him by Shannon and there will be greater emphasis on this unit this week, which is good because UNC excels in Special Teams. In addition to Bruce Carter blocking kicks, watch out for D’Anoris Searcy in the return game. And hope that Miami gives Bosher enough time to punt, covers his kickoffs well and Thearon Collier or someone can break off a big return. EDGE: Carolina

GUEST PICKER

This week, Francis is back by popular demand to pick the ESPN “Game of the Week” between Notre Dame and Pitt.

"Hello there all of you out there in Stein-Blog-Nation-Land, Dan asked me to do the guest pick for this week. As usual I will oblige him.


Dan asked me to do the pick for the Notre Dame-Pitt matchup. After around just 3 minutes of research I realized that this was going to be difficult to do from a football stand point. This game is kind of like an Athletics-Royals game in the last week of August. It just doesn't matter. For instance, Notre Dame just flushed their season down the toilet by losing to Navy. Charlie Weis will most undoubtedly lose his job because of this, and rightfully so. Pitt on the other hand is playing non-conference in this game and their hopes of a BCS bowl lie in the Big East, and more than likely the December 5th matchup with Cincinnati.



Then it hit me.

ESPN's college football studio crew consists of a one Lou Holtz, and a Mark May. Lou, as you all know, once coached at Notre Dame and gave up 4th and 43. Mark May is a total asshole, who also went to Pittsburgh. One can only envision the tedious banter and fake trash talking between these two the whole day. Not that I would miss their insightful analysis, but fake banter and chummy attitudes make me want to drive up to Bristol and cut some brake lines (and for the record I would actually do this, but I'm broke and Connecticut is a good 1500 miles from my house).


So I flipped on the television and within 15 minutes of flipping to ESPN I heard that classically awful drum fill from the beginning of Saturday Night Football (which by the way was clearly created on a computer, and not an actual human marching band) and my worst fears were realized. Pitt-Notre Dame is the marquee matchup. Even the marketing taglines could see this game is about nothing. "Every team has a coach to play for" flew over b-roll Jimmy Clausen tape. Umm, no, that was last week against Navy, now your coach is the lamest duck in sports, thank you.


So I leave it to you Steininites, whom do you want to win? Lou Holtz or Mark May? If Lou Holtz wins then we get to hear him talk about the Notre Dame spirit, and then probably compare Mark May to apple farming, and then get side tracked about how he almost caught this raccoon this one time at Arkansas and how it saved their football season. If Mark May wins, we will most assuredly have to look at his stupid, gloating face as if Jesus was a Pitt alumnus (whooooo class of '78!). He will then probably talk about the non-football aspects of the victory, completely irrelevant things like how crappy Notre Dame's academics are, and how difficult MTH 083 was at Pitt. No one is a less gracious loser than Marky Mark.


In fact, it probably doesn't matter because after all that ESPN will be back at fellating Tim Tebow or some hilarious SEC matchup. Just remember, Go Gators, and if you're not first, you're last."

Well, I guess he isn't picking a winner. Really, it doesn't matter. Well done Francis, and please, no one cut their brake lines (wink wink).

MY PICKS: Last week I went 6-1. That’s right. I’m a BAAAAAD man. AND I predicted Navy to beat Notre Dame. Well, it is sad that a 6-1 spot only brings me to 32-34 (1-7)... but I can feel a storm brewing….

Rutgers over USF: Rutgers at home on Thursday night. This won’t come back to haunt me…

Cincy over WVU: I am convinced Cincy could plug Billy Stein in at quarterback and win.

Georgia Tech over Duke: Convincingly. They will not let this one get away.

Wisconsin over Michigan: Easy

Ole Miss over Tennessee: And, like Billy said, Greg Hardy got hurt. Also, I changed this pick after the Great Knoxville Heist of 2009.

Wake over Florida State: I think it is hilarious that people think that Bobby Bowden is suddenly lost on a football field. He has been acting that way in pressers for years, people. When he is in the game, he knows the score. He knows the situation. There are reasons to get rid of him, but the transcript from some press conference that DOESN’T involve Bowden going off on black people like Jimmy the Greek is not among those reasons.

Ohio State over Iowa: And Iowa makes its annual run to the Sun Bowl.

Cal over Arizona State

TCU over Utah

UPSET SPECIAL: Stanford over USC

I just have a feeling. And no, not the annoying kind like the Black Eyed Peas.

Always guard the inbound passer.

An Inch or a Mile,A Win is a Win

Hello All,

Yes, I just quoted Vin Diesel in my title. You know why? Because I could.

Another good reason to quote Vin Diesel? Thanks to this Hurricane team, I am aging about as well as Vin...for anyone that saw his last movie, you know exactly how terrible a thing that is.

PRE GAME:

• Thank God, Lee Corso picked Wake in the upset. We have enough working against us with a 3:30 start time on the road in chilly rainy conditions (sound familiar?). We do not need another unanimous vote of confidence from the guys on Gameday. Also, props to ESPN for running an excellent piece on Chris Hayes, a guy I had classes with and one of the nicest kids at the university.
• This is the combination that we are greeted by when ABC cuts over from the Raycom coverage of FSU vs. NCSU to the Miami game: green pants, clouds, rain and Brian Griese. FUCK.

1st QTR


• Miami opens up with a ten yard end around to Travis Benjamin. I love the play call, and the message it sends: if you can’t beat our speed, you are going to lose the game.
• As if to spite me, the ‘Canes then go three and out. Sometimes, I just want to punch myself. Oh, and just to make things interesting, Wake Forest almost blocks the punt. Miami’s upback, John Calhoun, failed to notice the guy dressed in black from head to toe come flying around the corner. Who would’ve thought that Wake might actually send a guy around the edge to try and block a punt, right?
• Early on Wake’s opening drive, Sam Shields gets called for a personal foul, in the least surprising turn in history. Also, the broadcast production unit seems to think that the TV audience wouldn’t want to actually see the foul. Actually, maybe a good idea, because as it is I was on the verge of hysterics with my old buddy Shields, who I have been writing bad things about for 3 seasons, mostly when he does something like commit a personal foul in a close game or drop 75% of the balls thrown his way. Not that I am bitter.
• Wake Forest hits a big play across midfield to their stud receiver, and a couple plays later has moved the ball to the 5 yard line. However, Miami stiffens up and forces a field goal. (3-0 WF)
• Damien Berry gets his first two carries and turns them into a first down after breaking something like 27 tackles. Jacory hits Aldarious Johnson on a pretty playaction pass, but the drive dies and Miami punts again.
• This just in from my buddy Justin, who is nothing if not extreme in his love for the Hurricanes: “Whipps needs to run the ball more.” Ladies and gentlemen, life as an offensive coordinator! Remember, this is the same guy we were all pissed at last week when he ran the ball to win the game. I don’t think anything short of all the gold in Fort Knox could convince me to be the offensive coordinator at the University of Miami.
• Riley Skinner makes an amazing throw, throwing an out in to the flat across the field as he is dragged to the ground. Sometimes, you can’t even get mad.
• Miami has actually been blitzing early, and yet Skinner keeps beating it. Even when the blitz is timed right and the coverage is good, he is fitting the ball in to tight windows after a quick read. When the quarterback is playing like this he cannot be beat. Period.
• Miami gets called for defensive holding, which I am pretty is damn near impossible to get called for on a short pass play. And people wonder why I despise referees. Also, Wake Forest scores a touchdown. (10- 0 WF)
• Classy move by ABC, lingering on a sign that says “TH ll_ _ll GS”. Completely unrelated, but this is starting to look like the ‘Canes are going to let Clemson beat them two weeks in a row.
• Miami starts the next drive with a first down on a screen to Mike James and then hits a 31 yard pass play to Hank. This is of course followed by a false start and punt. Which Bosher kicks through the goal posts. Net gain on this punt: 15 yards. Brilliant.

2nd QTR

• Wake runs for two first downs and then Skinner catches one. Yep, you read that right. This is bordering on the absurd.
• Russo texts me and says “Does Colin have to do everything?” Yes. Yes he does. And right now, he isn’t doing ANYTHING.
• Riley Skinner scores on a quarterback draw. (17-0 WF)
• …speechless…
• I get something like 15 text messages all at once that vary on the same theme: “Are you f$%king serious?”
• Miami comes out after a solid Mike James kick return in the hurry up offense…wait, the hurry up?! This actually makes so much sense that it can’t be real…
• First down…first down…TOUCHDOWN! This was completely set up by the hurry up, as Bob, errrr Brian, or whatever his name is astutely points out. Aldarious Johnson, we missed you. (17-7 WF)
• And Miami fails to do much of anything in kick coverage..Wake starts with the ball at the 35.
• Wake’s fullback catches a pass that Miami defended perfectly (this is the first of like 5 times I wrote something similar to this during the game).
• Allen Bailey picks up his 6th sack of the season on a blitz package to force a Wake punt. The coverage team flashes up a statistic that says Wake gave up 9 total punt return yards in all of 2008 and only 38 so far in 2009. WHAT?!?! That is one of the most amazing things I have ever heard.
• Miami cannot capitalize on a big play by Hank and punts. Wake goes down and scores a field goal, although they missed a surefire touchdown on a play when Miami only had 10 guys on the frickin’ field. (20-7 WF)
• Miami gets the ball with not much time left and my dad and I embrace for two kneel downs and Dan Stein firebombing the stadium. But then Jacory comes out in the shotgun and hits a big play to Collier…and Cooper rips off a big run…and Collier makes a big catch…and Damien Berry scores! Miami heads in to the half down 6, at 20-14, after recovering the squib kick and hitting a big play to Hank before running out of time.

Halftime

• My dad and I are so excited we have to go throw a football around. I am inspired by that last series. Cutthroat football at its best.

3rd QTR

• Bosher gets Miami’s first touchback of the season on the opening kickoff!!! In week 8. Yes, that deserves three exclamation points.
• Wake gets two quick firsts and then a blow job from the ref, who decides that Shields’s perfect coverage is pass interference. Shields recovers on the next play to force a fumble that Vaughn Telemaque recovers.
• Miami, of course, follows this momentum swing by going 3& out.
• Wake and Miami exchange 3&outs.
• Wake’s receiver makes another great catch to convert 3rd and 16. Skinner then converts 3rd & 9. Oh, and wait, another terrible P.I. call. Shocking! Wake beats a Cover Zero blitz for a touchdown. I’m not even mad, because it is me that has been calling for this for 7 games. (27-14 WF)
• Hanks makes a big catch before Jacory rolls into a sack, which leads to 2nd and 24, which leads to a draw play, which leads to Dan grabbing his Louisville Slugger and destroying the television set. That didn’t actually happen, but would anyone have blamed me?
• Jacory throws an interception instead of throwing it out of bounds and taking the punt.
• Bailey makes a big play to force Wake into 2nd and long, which leads to a punt, which surprisingly isn’t faked. Wake then bails Miami out of a muffed punt and bad field position with a…gasp…personal foul? THUGS!!!!!!!!! SCOUNDRELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4TH QTR

• Jacory hits Hank for a first down and Miami goes back to the hurry up. Before 3rd down, ABC flashes up this fun little stat: Miami is 3/10 on 3rd down today. Great stuff. As if on cue, Jacory is sacked.
• Miami punts, which is followed by a pass interference call on DVD behind the line of scrimmage. Is that even possible? Shannon protests, and it does not even appear that the refs give him the time of day. This is the 500th straight game that Miami gets the short end of the officiating stick, a new record. Also, the next time someone calls an opponent for holding a Miami defensive end might give me a stroke. Also, why is it that the ‘Canes never are the beneficiary of a pass interference penalty?
• Wake misses a field goal, keeping Miami alive. Miami capitalizes by going 3 and out. They have 10 total yards in the half (or something like that).
• Wake muffs the Miami punt, which rolls around on the 2 for the most nerve wracking .34 seconds in sports before Shields jumps on it! First and goal from the 2 for the ‘Canes.
• Whipple calls a playaction pass for Jacory (to say I am puckered is an understatement), who completes it to a wide open Tervarris Johnson in the back of the end zone. The fact that Johnson is an asset this year is pretty much all you need to know about Whipple. (27-21 WF)
• ABC comes out of commercial with a shot of the Wake library. For the second time. I imagine going to school there probably sucks.
• Wake makes another ridiculous catch and converts a first down. Then, on 3rd and 5, Miami tips the ball three times before DVD comes down with it for his first career interception. First of all, this was the luckiest INT ever. Second, is it bad that our third year starting CORNERBACK just recorded his first career interception? Yes, yes it is. (Upon watching the highlights, I noticed DVD threw up 6 fingers after the play to honor Jasper Howard…that is one of the most badass things I have ever seen.)
• Miami, of course, cannot capitalize. Hank drops a pass and the ‘Canes punt.
• Skinner picks up a first down on a scramble but suffers a concussion. You hate to see it, but at this point I will take it.
• Wake’s backup picks up a first down and I get a sinking feeling for the first time that we might actually lose to Wake Effing Forest.
• Miami takes a bad timeout and then gives up a first down coming out of it, but gets bailed out by an offensive holding call. On 3rd and 17 with fewer than 3 minutes left, Miami digs deep and comes up with a sack. They then call timeout. And this is where we find out just how cool Jacory is under pressure.
• With 2:51 to go, Wake hits the luckiest punt ever, picking up roughly 15 yards on the bounce to pin the ‘Canes 82 yards away from the game winning touchdown.
• Collier makes a great play, but then a series of blunders (including another Hank drop) puts Miami in 4th and 16 to extend the game…and Aldarious Johnson makes an amazing catch in traffic to convert!
• (In hindsight, this is easily the play of the game. It reminded me of Kellen Winslow II’s catch on a Thursday night against West Virginia in 2003 that saved the game and for the moment the season. Eerily similar.)
• Bolstered by this, Jacory finds Benjamin for a big gainer and then on the next play for a touchdown. Great series for the young offense. Whipple put the ball in the hands of his best player and told him to go win the game, and Jacory obliged. Although now we have the problem of leaving too much time on the clock. Who’d have thunk it? (28-27 UM)
• Miami covers the kick well, gives up a couple of first downs and Wake crosses midfield. However, they run out of time and are forced to try a 60 yard field goal to win the game…
• Which they miss!!!! Miami wins it!!!!!!!!!!

The Day After

• I don’t need to go through all the mistakes that were made. In football, mistakes happen. Sometimes you can play well, which I though the defense did for the most part, and still get beat (witness the 6 or 7 amazing throws and catches Wake made against good coverage and big time pressure to prolong drives). Sometimes, the bounces just don’t go your way early, and you can either keep after it or fold. Against Virginia Tech, in similar conditions, the ‘Canes folded. Against Clemson, Miami kept after it but came up short. In the end, against Wake Forest, they kept after it and pulled out a win that they shouldn’t have. And I guess that is all that matters. Sometimes, this game transcends analysis and message board thread after message board thread about every terrible play made in the game. It wasn’t pretty, but at the end of the day it was a win, and wins all count the same, no matter how ugly they are. A win is a win, whether it's by an inch or a mile. (Did that sound like Jerry Springer’s final thought? Good.)

Other Games I Watched

• UNC vs. Vagina Tech: Screw you Virginia Tech. It is games like this that make me go 4-5 for the weekend in my picks section and drop me to 26-33 for the season. And let me just add that this has been a really weird season.
• USF vs. West Virginia: I pick USF two weeks in a row and they lose. I pick them to lose ONCE and they win. Screw you USF.
• Ole Miss vs. Auburn: Billy Stein moves to 0-2 in the guest picker role. Sorry man. On a brighter note, he did say the funniest thing of his life on Friday. Bill was trying to explain to a couple of female friends why he wanted to see Boondock Saints instead of Paranormal Activity with them. When he explained the movie, they said they still didn’t get it. His response: “You know Hannah Montana? Well, this is MANnah Montana.” One of the greatest things ever said and an immediate addition to my vernacular.
• Florida State vs. North Carolina State: At one point during this shootout, they called FSU for a personal foul and then cut to Boobah on the sideline, who had on a look that said something like “When did they invent this dadgum personal foul rule?” High comedy.
• Indiana vs. Iowa: Indiana folded so badly that they had to create a special category on the ESPN ticker that was called “Iowa Big Plays”. Indiana gave up roughly 24 plays of 80 yards or greater in the 4th Quarter. They forced 5 interceptions and lost the game. The Big Ten, boys and girls.
• South Carolina vs. Tennessee: Well, Tennessee crushed Darth Visor and looked terrible doing it in the black jerseys. Also, Montario Hardesty is a BEAST at running back.
• Oregon vs. USC: Nothing to say.

Best Game: Miami vs. Wake

Best Uniform: The Iowa Steelers.

Game Ball Goes To: LaMichael James. I'm pretty sure that's how it is properly spelled, but the kid plays for Oregon and he's a beast.

Worst Uniform: Miami (you got lucky Tennessee).

Trojan Enz © Boner of the Week Award: Georgia, for messing up the best helmet in the SEC by making it black and therefore costing themselves the Cocktail Party.

Non-BCS Name You Should Know: T.Y. Hilton, FIU. Stud slot receiver who will make noise in the NFL eventually.

Next Week’s Picks:

Since I will be in Miami for Homecoming Weekend and won’t have time for my preview, here are the picks for the week:

Virginia Tech over East Carolina

Georgia Tech over Wake Forest, who is now demoralized

South Carolina over Arkansas

Ohio State over Penn State

Alabama over LSU

UPSET SPECIAL: Navy over Notre Dame

Always guard the inbound passer.

Forced In to the Open

Hello All,

Well, after a week off, it is time to return to the tried and true running diary, taken from notes I made during the game.

PRE-GAME

Comin’ to you live from Beef O’Brady’s in Gainesville, Florida!

This should be fun. Because the combination of UCF and Conference USA brilliantly sold the TV rights to UCF’s only high profile home game of the season to a channel only carried on the premiere sports tier of certain satellite providers, the Stein men and Steph have been forced out of the Man Room and out in to the open.

We arrive at the bar as Florida’s kicker lines up to kick the game winner against Arkansas. The bar is filled to the brim with people wearing the tried and true combination of royal blue over denim. You stay classy Gainesville.

Anyway, the sight of the three of us went over about as well as a fart in church (which I think would be hilarious, but apparently is frowned upon). Of course, the kicker makes it, and we have to put up with the Shanty-folk praising each other to no end after a thrilling, home-field, Homecoming victory over the mighty Razorbacks, who of course are underrated according to every person in that bar. And yet I digress. The point is, UF barely beat Arkansas and we had to deal with the people who stuck around the bar after that just to watch the Miami game and try to get a rise out of us. More on this later.

We convince the waitress to put the Miami game on the big screen in our section. By convince, I mean we asked and she said they were already planning on showing it on the big screen and then walked away as quickly as possible so as to not give the impression she was in league with us when the lynching ropes eventually come out.

Final thoughts before kickoff: “Oh f*&k, we are wearing the green pants.”

1st QTR

• Miami comes out swingin’, as Jacory finds LaRon Byrd for a first down on the first play and shuts the crowd up (by the way, Jacory is now on a first name only basis, like Bono or Elvis). However, the drive stalls on a bad sack and the ‘Canes punt.
• Jared Campbell makes a big play. I cannot believe I just typed that.
• The guy at the table next to us just made a joke about me taking notes during the game just loud enough that I could hear it but quietly enough that he could try and claim it was part of a private conversation. You stay classy Gainesville.
• Travis Benjamin runs a great route, and Jacory throws a bomb down the field later in the drive caught by Leonard Hankerson in the back of the end zone. One of the best catches I have seen, all things considered. He was running at full speed, tracked down a floater from Jacory in to the back of the end zone and lunged, caught the ball, and got his front foot down within a split second of each other. He didn’t think it was a touchdown. We didn’t think it was a touchdown. The ref saw it though, and replay confirmed it. I can’t decide if I am more impressed with Hankerson’s body control or the ref’s vision. (7-0 Miami)
• Miami finally blitzes for the first time and Sean Spence picks up a sack. Every time we blitz, something good happens. Every. Time. And yet, we blitz only a handful of times a game. Highly annoying. It’s not like our front four is getting consistent pressure. The last two weeks, FAMU and UCF have both stood up to our pass rush remarkably well. Not good.
• Jacory’s stat line for the quarter: 7-7, 97 yards and a touchdown. Wow.

2nd QTR• The teams exchange bad drives for a while and then Matt Bosher hits a field goal. (10-0 Miami).
• It was a pretty boring quarter, save for the people at the table next to me having a legitimate conversation about Arkansas being able to give just about anybody in the country a run for their money. I am speechless. Totally and utterly speechless.
• Corey Nelms and Damien Berry, two of my favorites, make plays just before the half. And hey, Georgia Tech continues to lead Virginia Tech. Life is good.
HALFTIME
• Overall, the ‘Canes were very workmanlike. The Knights defensive front created a lot of pressure, which surprised me. The question is whether the ‘Canes will continue to play down to the level of their competition or not. The brightest spot has been the defense, which has been a wrecking ball.

3rd QTR• Sean Spence registers his second sack on his second blitz. Hmmmmmmm…might we be on to something here?
• LaRon Byrd makes a great catch on a jump ball down the sideline, setting up a Jacory pass to Byrd for a first down at the five and a Javarris James touchdown run. (17-0 Miami)
• UCF scores a touchdown by beating the blitz (DOH!). Wait, ROCKY ROSS caught it? The coolest white guy on planet Earth? With the best name?? I’m not even mad. Stein on the Sidelines is a Rocky Ross fan. (17-7 UCF)
• Miami follows the score by putting together a bad drive and then snapping the punt over Bosher’s head on the punt. Bosher kicks it out the back of the end zone; however, because he contacted it within the field of play and not in the end zone, UCF gets the ball on the 1. Uh-oh.
• UCF runs a play out wide for their running back, which DeMarcus Van Dyke blows up for a loss of about 5. Again, I cannot believe I just typed that sentence.
• Jared Campbell comes on the safety blitz and whacks the quarterback..the ball pops in to the air and Colin McCarthy picks it off. Threat averted, big turnover created, throat stepped on. To add injury to insult, Campbell knocked the quarterback out of the game. His backup completed a whopping 39.4% of his passes last season as a starter (worse than JaMarcus Russell). Sean Spence is licking his chops as I write this.
• Bosher hits another field goal, set up by a big play from Jacory to Thearon Collier. (20-7 UM)
4th QTR• At this critical juncture, the table next to us decided to loudly make fun of the Hurricanes for playing UCF. Seriously? UF fans making fun of Miami’s non-conference schedule? I told him that we really tried to get Troy or Charleston Southern to toughen up our schedule, but they were previously engaged. Which lead to the inevitable “SEC is really tough” crack. Which lead to the “Yep, I don’t know what we would do if we had to play ARKANSAS! I mean, Virginia Tech is tough and all, but ARKANSAS?!? That’s a football team!” retort. Which lead to my dad telling me to shut up (which was probably smart, because there were 5 of them). Which lead to me staring a hole in the television the rest of the game as they closed up their tab and left. I consider it a victory, which could have been bigger if dad had taken the parking brake off…kind of like this game!
• To sum up the quarter, the defense didn’t let them sniff another score, the offense stopped throwing and Damien Berry beasted out. Final score: 27-7 ‘Canes, a blowout which could have been way bigger if Randy Shannon kept his foot on the gas and Matt Pipho hadn’t missed the bus to Orlando. A solid, workmanlike (yep, twice) win for a team that just needed to get the win and get back on the bus as they head in to a pivotal matchup with Clemson.
Other Games I Watched
- Arkansas State vs. Louisiana-Monroe: “No. Absolutely not.”- Richard Stein as he takes the remote from Stein on the Sidelines and changes it to Die Hard on Tuesday night.
- Boise State vs. Tulsa: I know this is unpopular, but I think Boise might be the second best team in the country, behind Alabama. They are fast, and their defense is aggressive and physical. Tulsa’s offense is no joke, and Boise held them down. They have playmakers. I think they are better than both Florida and Texas at this point.
- Cincinnati vs. South Florida: I think USF lost this one only because I picked them to win. Sorry guys, my bad.
- Oklahoma vs. Texas: I was feeling bad for Oklahoma when Bradford went down again, because I like the kid. But then I remembered how dirty the rest of the Sooners team was when they played in Miami, and how obnoxious Bob Stoops is on the sideline. And then, as if to validate my point, a Sooner defensive end tried to rip Colt McCoy’s head off after he slid on the final play from scrimmage. AFTER he slid. And it wasn’t called. Go figure.
- Iowa vs. Wisconsin: And Wisconsin figures to wrap up its 57th straight trip to the Champs Sports Bowl sometime next week.
- Georgia vs. Vanderbilt: This, folks, is why the SEC is the greatest God damn football conference there is.
- Arkansas vs. Florida: Alright, let’s put it out there: if Florida was playing anyone half decent, they lose this game by 2 scores. Bobby Petrino has no idea how win unless he is playing Conference USA competition at Louisville. He called run plays when he should have thrown. He threw when his running backs were runnin’ hot. His quarterback completed something like 25% of his passes. And still, the Razorbacks win this game if their kicker doesn’t miss 2 4th quarter field goals. Oh, and if the refs don’t gift wrap Florida its fourth quarter touchdown. At their place. During their homecoming game. On national television. Hmmmmmmmmm…
- Notre Dame vs. USC: As much as it pains me, I have to give it to the Irish: they have a lot of fight in them. I am glad they lost, and I know there is no such thing as a moral victory, but when USC got up a couple scores, I figured it wasn’t worth watching anymore. I was very impressed with their resolve and now consider Jimmy Clausen the Heisman front runner. Wow, that sucks.
- Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech: The curse is broken! Rachel Russo is Stein on the Sideline’s lucky charm.

Best Game: Notre Dame vs. USC

Best Uniform: Texas. Best uniforms in college football.

Game Ball Goes To: Georgia Tech’s defense.

Worst Uniform: Miami, white over green. And it always will be when they make the mistake of wearing it.

Trojan Enz © Boner of the Week Award: The Arkansas-Florida refereeing crew. I am still waiting for them to apologize publicly.

Brian Rolle “Should’ve Been a ‘Cane” Award: Sam Young, Notre Dame. Think the ‘Canes couldn’t use a great right tackle after that game? Ridiculous. And this kid is not only huge and talented, but he is from St. Thomas Aquinas. Snarl.

Non-BCS Name You Should Know: Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati. Oh wait, the Big East is in the BCS? Shoot…well this is embarassing...

Don’t forget to recommend this to friends and keep my drive for the Nobel going!

And, as always, remember to guard the inbound passer.

A Statement, One Way or the Other

Hello All,

Time to preview week 5 of the college football season.

Last week was a tough one, on many levels, for the ‘Canes.

This week is their chance to bounce back against another ranked opponent, at home, in primetime. Oklahoma is a very good team that borders on great when Sam Bradford is playing. They are not invincible, however, as BYU proved early in the season. Really, BYU won because they caught Oklahoma off guard with they physicality.

If Oklahoma watched tape of the Virginia Tech game, Miami should be able to do the same (really, Oklahoma has got to be licking their chops). Whether they do or not is really a matter of which defense shows up: the one that shut down Georgia Tech or the one that got mauled by Virginia Tech.

Here is the breakdown:

Quarterback: Jacory Harris is a very good quarterback, no doubt about it. However, he is still young and is prone to the mistakes that young quarterbacks make. He will make some this week against a wrecking crew defense that will bring the noise.While Harris has gotten a lot of publicity, Oklahoma’s Landry Jones has been playing very well for the Sooners, who have an explosive system that feeds off of its running game and puts up points in bunches. The x-factor here is Bradford. I will not believe he is out until I see it. If Bradford plays, the Sooners will probably win (as they did 2 years ago). If it is Jones, than Miami will not be at a disadvantage; the edge may be with the ‘Canes in this case, as this will be his first prime time test on the road against a fast defense. EDGE: EVEN (if Jones starts)/ OKLAHOMA (if Bradford starts)

Running Back: Graig Cooper and Javarris James are solid but proved last week that they are not game changers on their own. They need a good passing game to take pressure off. They also need better play calling, as both are better with a lead blocker and cannot beat the blitz to the edge, as they were being asked to do. As for Oklahoma, the 1-2 punch of Demarco Murray and Chris Brown is sure to give the Miami defense fits, particularly after Ryan Williams and Tyrod Taylor shredded them. EDGE: Oklahoma

Wide Receiver: Laron Byrd and Leonard Hankerson have emerged as go-to guys for Harris, and Travis Benjamin will have a better game on a dry track. I also think that Jimmy Graham will come up with a big play somewhere to atone for last week’s drops. Oklahoma is replacing their top 2 receivers and has not yet found a go-to guy. Jermaine Gresham will be sorely missed, as Miami has not been able to cover elite tight ends for years. EDGE: Miami

Offensive Line: If the talent is equal, which it probably is, then the edge goes to the team that will face less pressure. Miami was unable to create pressure with their front four last week. EDGE: Oklahoma

Defensive Line: Oklahoma is nasty on the front four, lead by Gerald McCoy (who I think is the best defensive player in college football), Jeremy Beal and Auston English. Miami is talented but banged up right now. Marcus Forston, Andrew Smith and Olivier Vernon have got to contribute this week or the Sooners will march up and down the field at will. Allen Bailey has been great but cannot do it all, and the depth issues last week really showed down the stretch. EDGE: Oklahoma

Linebacker: Miami’s unit, aside from Colin McCarthy, was unable to do anything last week. Sean Spence has got to hold the edge better against the run, and Daryl Sharpton really can only be relied upon in short yardage situations, where his lack of lateral speed can be hidden. Oklahoma is lead by Ryan Reynolds and is tough as always. It is quite impressive the job this team did in shutting out Tulsa’s juggernaut offense and a lot of that goes to the linebacking corps. EDGE: Oklahoma

Secondary: It doesn’t matter how good Oklahoma is here, because Miami has been terrible so far. EDGE: Oklahoma

Special Teams: Miami’s return game is not bad, but they cannot cover kicks and gave up a blocked punt last week. EDGE: Oklahoma

Coaching: This is a tricky one. While Bob Stoops has a great reputation, he has fallen short repeatedly in recent years against fast, talented teams (USC, Boise State, West Virginia, Florida, Texas, etc.). Randy Shannon and crew must adapt this week, because if they stick dogmatically to their gameplan as they did against Virginia Tech than it will be another blowout. Whipple and Lovett both must show more willingness to take what is given. That means creative offensive play calling (like the first two games) and more blitzing on defense. This is a tentative pick, but Oklahoma has the advantage until the Miami staff proves it is back to where it was against Georgia Tech. EDGE: Oklahoma

Now, that looks like a blowout. However, I think this will be a close game. Miami is not nearly as bad as they played last week, but this was always going to be the toughest of the first 4 games. Can Miami win? Yes. Will they? No clue.

POINT, COUNTERPOINT: Can Miami Score Enough to Win?

This week, I start a new segment with my buddy Justin Antweil of WVUM radio. We will both be answering the same question, touching on what I perceive to be the biggest questions facing the ‘Canes. I think it is a given that the Sooners are going to score, so Miami’s best chance to win is to go blow for blow with them and hold on at the end. So, the question is, can Miami’s offense bounce back?

Justin:
Miami Can Score! Sure, the Oklahoma Sooners defense has been stout. Coming off back to back shutouts after the stunning loss to BYU, this team is really motivated. The defense is playing with a chip on its shoulder, as it is getting overlooked because fans and analysts are more obsessed with the right shoulder of an injured player.
Come Saturday night at 8, No. 8 OU battles No, 17 Miami. The ‘Canes offense can exploit the OU defense, which has forced 4 picks and 2 fumbles. The key for the offense is to be aggressive. Mark Whipple strayed from his traditional game plan last weekend in soggy Blacksburg. Whipple must continue to implement the crossing routes and create constant movement that will cause confusion for the crimson and cream.
Whipple must utilize his weapons. Junior receiver Leonard Hankerson continues to thrive and haul in difficult catches every week. LaRon Byrd is proving he is worthy of wearing an orange and green 47. Dedrick Epps looks healthy after tearing his ACL in December. Sure, Jimmy Graham is a fan favorite, but let him catch balls in low pressure situations to get his confidence up. Don’t throw him in to the fire just yet.
Be aggressive and good things will happen.

Stein on the Sidelines:
I agree with Justin that the ‘Canes offense can score on this team. The question is which offense will show up.
Justin mentioned crossing routes and being aggressive. I agree with both. However, he doesn’t mention WHY we were able to be aggressive in the first two games: Jacory was standing in the pocket unpressured on almost every play. Whipple was using max protect schemes, using only 2 receivers as route runners on first down. Sure, there was a lot of motion and shifting, but in the end, at most 3 receivers were running routes while everyone else helped the o-line. The receivers ran intermediate and deep crossing routes and Jacory has a lot of time to find them open.
Last weekend, Whipple went away from the max protect and the o-line was exposed, most specifically Matt Pipho. The Miami o-line is solid but has some weaknesses. Virginia Tech found these weaknesses and Whipple never adjusted.
Justin is underselling the Sooner defensive front. As I said, the Sooner front 7 is big and fast and will be coming hard until Miami proves they can stop them.
Whipple needs to go back to the max protect, because if Jacory has time to throw, Byrd, Hankerson, Epps, Travis Benjamin, Thearon Collier and even Jimmy Graham can make big plays at any point in time.
The solution is not in the passing schemes, but the blocking schemes. Keep Jacory upright and Miami can score in bunches. The early pass will set up the run, which will set up play action, which will lead to touchdowns. However, if Oklahoma blitzes successfully early on, Miami will be in a hole and a repeat of Virginia Tech is very possible.
Max protect for max points.

Week 4 Picks in Review

I have been avoiding writing this section like I would avoid sharing a drink with George Christopher in “Bored to Death”.

My upset special barely missed, but I was off pretty much everywhere else. While it was a guest picker that picked Ole Miss, I was responsible for predicting Cal in “a close one” and Penn State “in a blowout”. Alas, I went 6-3, which is respectable. That brings me to 6-4 on the season. Guest pickers are 0-1.

This Week’s Guest

This week’s guest is close friend of Stein on the Sidelines, Steph. She is a native of Northern Virginia, so I asked for her opinion of the North Carolina- Virginia matchup in Chapel Hill. Take it away Steph:

"When Dan asked me to guest write for this blog my first reaction was to laugh in his face. Anybody who knows me at all will tell you that I have absolutely no business writing for a football blog. I don't really have any business even reading a football blog, considering most of the time I have no idea what is going on when it comes to sports.

However, since it's apparently my responsibility to make a prediction for the UNC v. UVA game, I'm going to go ahead and go with UNC. Mostly due to my intense dislike for the entire institution of UVA and anything associated with it. There are a variety of reasons I have problems with UVA.

First of all...southern Virginia. Enough said.

They also have the idea that twelve kids sitting around in a basement playing beer pong is a "really raging party."

But the worst part is the general student body. If you ever find yourself in a conversation with a kid from UVA it will probably go a little something like this:

"So, what school do you go to?"

"Why, I go to the *dramatic pause* University of Virginia," They will then wait expectantly for you to drop to your knees before them and/or begin to cross yourself. "Where do you go?" I

n my particular case, with the response "The University of Miami," this tends to be the reaction:"Oh. Mmm," they respond in what can only be described as a sympathetic tone.

They might even accompany this with an understanding nod, as if you had just admitted that you were partially mentally retarded. I think you all get the point. I've met kids from Yale, Stanford, and Princeton. I have a very close friend who goes to USC for film, one of the best schools in the country for his major. And NONE of them carry themselves they way that kids from UVA do. I really fail to understand how this mindset came to be. Yes, UVA is a good school. Yes, it is difficult to get into. But it's not Ivy League. It's not MIT.

I guess you could say I'm not the biggest fan. So yeah. Go Tarheels. Or is it Tar Heels? Whatever."

Admirable for her brevity and absolute willingness to allow personal prejudices to cloud football predictions, folks.

My Picks

West Virginia over Colorado: After watching Colorado get smacked by both Colorado State and Toledo, I have no hope that they will be able to stop Noel Devine. None. Zilch. Nada. If I were a gambler, this would be my stone cold lock of the week. It won’t even be close.

Michigan over Michigan State: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Sparty will keep it close, maybe even lead in to the 4th quarter, and then blow it. The only question is how. My prediction: they will try a fake field goal when up 6 and throw an interception on the play. Michigan will score 14 unanswered and run away with it.

Georgia over LSU: I don’t even really consider this an upset. LSU has not been very impressive, and they have to travel Between the Hedges for a big game with the Bulldogs, who have quietly been piling up points. I see this being a good game, but Georgia gets back in the national discussion with a win. This will also make it 5 straight weeks a top 5 team loses.

Georgia Tech over Mississippi State: After the Bulldogs almost knocked off LSU, they will be too drained to take on Tech’s physical offense. Tech by two scores.

Ole Miss over Vanderbilt: This was actually a tough call (sorry Bill). Jevan Snead needs to get going and should this week. But Vanderbilt has become a sneaky tough place to win on the road, and Snead will have his hands full. I think Ole Miss has too much talent, but keep an eye on this game.

USC over Cal: I was going to pick Cal here in a bounce back game, but then we all heard about the tragic accident involving Stafon Johnson. I think USC wins this one for their teammate, and I wish him a very speedy recovery.

FSU over Boston College: FSU needs the win, and typically when a team this talented needs a win they find a way to get it. It will be tough on the road, but the FSU speed will juuuust pull one out. Also, this is one of the strangest choices for a College Gameday site yet.

NC St. over Wake Forest: This Wolfpack team is quietly playing well, and Wake just lost to BC.

Clemson over Maryland: Clemson bounces back, but Kirk Herbstreit is right: they don’t play well when it isn’t a TV game. Ralph Friedgen would love to catch them napping, but his team just isn’t there yet.

Tennessee over Auburn: I wanted to go with Auburn on the road, but my dad talked me out of it. Lane Kiffin needs an SEC win, and his defense just stopped Florida’s spread for most of their game. Auburn is good on offense, but Tennessee ain’t Ball State, and Auburn ain’t Florida.

UPSET SPECIAL: Indiana over Ohio State

My dad thinks I am an idiot for making this pick. I am more afraid about the ramifications of this pick backfiring than E was when he was waiting to hear if he has Drama’s STD. However, I am sticking by it. I think that Ohio State is playing too conservatively even by their standards, and I think that Indiana got a taste of upset in last week’s near-win against Michigan. Call me crazy, but never call me a coward. You could also call me 0-2 in upset special picks so far.

Always guard the inbound passer.