Oline and dbags at the 4 letter
Well the 2nd scrimmage was last night and from what I have read it mostly a defensive game. With the injuries at the offensive line and Morris out for spring, I don’t we are to see the real Miami offense.
I’m going to right after the 300 lb elephant in the room, the flyer looking for men to try out at offensive line for Miami. Woody Paige is one of the many douche bags that work for the 4 letter, try to be funny and say all the quarterbacks should transfer out of Miami. Woody is your basic 4 letter talking head, which never faces the players or coaches he criticized. Unless they are brought into the studio in a format to protect the talking heads. I miss the days when Jim Everett physically challenged Jim Rome after Rome called him Chris Everett. Everett tossed the table, and Rome scurried like little mouse in the corner. Unfortunately, the Jim Rome show was a foreshadow of what sports media was going to be. The link is below to watch it again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOVxitMy47c
Basically Miami needs more practice players, especially on the offensive line. They have three true freshmen coming in this summer. Art going to get this offensive line improved before the Boston College game. I wrote before I thought it was a mistake to bring him back and I think Golden should have fired him after the season. There were a number of false starts that cost Miami victories last year. There was reason Art was sitting in Mississippi without a coaching job.
the effect of the NCAA judge on UNC
The NCAA has ruled on UNC’s football program, three years probation, 15 scholarships, and a one year bowl ban. UNC made a major mistake excepting a bowl bid this year. The other issue was the assistant coach John Blake lied to UNC and the NCAA about what he did. The NCAA banned him from coaching for three years.
What does this mean for Miami? Before the Yahoo story came out, the university was already working with the NCAA. They suspended players and removed a few as well. They gave up a bowl bid last year too. The person, who will not be named on this blog, was shown as a liar and con man who stole almost a billion dollars from investors on CNBC. While he did some money to some players, but nothing like he claims he did. The Yahoo story was changed at least ten times after it was first release. Shannon banned him from being near the football program. The question will be is what did the assistant Miami do or know? Miami has been fully cooperative during the NCAA investigation.
The bottom line is Miami will get a few years probation and lose about 9 scholarships. My hope is the former assistant coaches that were involved are banned from coaching for 3 years.
Henderson suspend again
Offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson has been suspended for the first few days of practice. This is the second time the junior has been suspended. He was suspended last spring for the first game of the 2011 season before he had the back surgery. The rumor was him and former ‘cane and current UCF Knight; Storm Johnson were caught smoking pot by campus police.
Coach Golden made an interesting comment in his post practice press conference. He talked about pulling weeds when he should be watering his garden. The he made a comment sometime you get tired of pulling weeds and you have to get the shovel.
I think Henderson is on his last chances before being kicked out the program. I don’t know what changed with him between his freshman and sophomore year? He looked like he was on his way to being a key member of this team. I honestly believe Shannon was given the extension to sign Henderson and few other key recruits. Now it looks like he may go down as one of the biggest disappointments in the last 10 years.
Spring ball starts today
In about an hour the 2012 University of Miami football team will step on the field for the first time this year. It has been over three months since they stepped on the practice field. Before I begin there is going to be a new twitter account for this blog. It will be @gacanefanblog, it will be open to all and tied to a new email address too.
Several writers have said Miami has a very difficult schedule with the three of the five first games on the road. Miami plays several tough teams next year, but they only have one tough back to back game. That being Vtech on Thursday and then going to Uva. They open with BC, and then go to K-State the following week. After that they don’t play a tough game till Notre Dame. Georgia Tech may be the worse team in the ACC next year next to Duke. Paul Johnson has put himself on the hot seat with his weak defense, lack of a real passing game, and acting like an ass about commitments. He was high school kids to keep their commitments to Georgia Tech and not visit other schools. The he turns around and try to change kids minds about their commitments to other schools. He was worn out his stay in Atlanta and will be fired by next December. The AD for GT may be fired as well after the basketballs teams’ poor year. I also don’t think NC State will be much of a challenge next year, even though I respect O’Brian as a head coach. UNC is also going to be down because of the transition of a new head coach and losing several key defensive players. Miami will have key breaks before playing FSU and Virginia Tech in conference games. I am not going to say Miami will win all their games, but the schedule is not as bad as being reported.
Coach Al Golden came out with the depth chart which he ranks who had the best of-season workouts. There wasn’t that amount of surprises as there were last year when he wanted to send a message to the team. Ray-Ray Armstrong was the only person who made the starting lineup that started last year. After last season I expect several changed on the secondary. When new incoming freshmen start practice in August, many of them will press the veterans for their starting positions. The other position to watch for is linebacker with Spence moving on to the NFL. The two linebackers for the state of Georgia will be interesting to watch; Kirby and Johnson. UGA and GT fans were not thrilled when they left the state.
The major battle for spring was going to be Morris and Williams for the starting quarterback job. With Morris limited in spring practice, that will not happen until summer practice. James has been listed at the starting running back, but Clements had a far better 2011. Miller seemed to burn out at the end of games, and Clements picked up the tempo when he got the ball. Unless something changes I think by the end of spring camp Clements will be the starting running back. The battle for receiver real will not start till summer ball. I expect Dorsett and Hurns to be the starters and the end of the year. The offensive line will be a battle this season. They have to stop making stupid false starts penalties. I still have a feeling that bringing back Art, could back fire on Golden.
I am going to try to write when I can this spring. I really have as much access as the Miami newspaper writers. They are only allowed to interview players and coaches before practice. The university records all of them and puts them on the internet. The spring game will be April 14th, on CSS. Which means it will not be live here in Georgia or the Carolina’s.
Catch up on the Miami football program, recruiting and ACC news
It has been a few months since I have posted anything on my blog. Between work, and family I have been very busy. All I can say for now if 2012 is starting to look like a real good year for me.
Now back to Miami football, which I can’t wait for spring ball to start. Spring football practice will start in early March, with the spring game at JRS on April 14th. I have a feeling it will be live on ESPN U at noon. The marketing department at the University of Miami has been doing an incredible job with their videos. With them being viewed on ESPN and UTube, it is putting Miami in a great light. I feel ESPN will reward the access Miami has given them by showing the spring game live on TV.
Golden has brought in a great recruiting class this year with many of them all ready enrolled. He has taken care of some major holes especially at defense back. With the signing of cornerback Trace Howard, Miami have a great shut down corner ready to start next year. I’m excited to see Randy Johnson get some carries next season too. He looked great in the state title games. The quarterbacks Miami has signed will be interesting to watch. They are both going to play spring ball, and have great expectations. Grey Crow is from the area I grew up in. I have to talk to people in the area that he tried to transfer to Clearwater Central Catholic, but the head coach did not want him. So he ended up at Countryside High School. Preston Dewey is getting a lot of praise of being the next great Miami quarterback. I’m looking forward to see them play in the spring game.
Paul Johnson had Trace Howard committed to Georgia Tech, but his threat to pull the offer for visiting Miami turned him off. A local radio host in Atlanta said it best about Paul Johnson. Johnson wants his kids to keep their commitment to Georgia Tech and not take any other visits. Yet Johnson has no issues going after other team recruits who have committed to other schools and takes visits to Georgia Tech. I expect another 6 win season for Johnson, and for him to be fired by this January. The NCAA has already started looking into his contacts of recruits during blackout periods.
Miami’s schedule should come out next week. The ACC did announce that Pitt will be joining the Coastal division and Syracuse will be in the Atlantic division. There will also be 9 conference football games. I was hoping Syracuse would be in the Coastal division because of all the former Big East schools in the division. I am not sure what Miami is going to do for their out of conference schedule. I expect Florida A&M or Bethune Cookman to play Miami every year. Then a team from the Sun Belt or C-USA, then some school from a major BCS conference. It’s starting to look like their will be five major conference with the Big shutting down football if and when they lose Notre Dame. From there, they could be a four or six team playoff.
Addition by subtraction
With Streeter, Forston, and now Miller leaving is that a good thing for Miami? Other then Miller none of these the players are ready for the NFL. Streeter needs one more year, and honestly I thought he could be an All-American next season. Forston just never worked out, not every player coming out of high school turns into a great player. I also don’t blame Drew Rosenhaus, the final decision to leave for the NFL draft is the players. I think both players are dealing with seeing their friends they played with a Miami NW and Miami for eight years moving on. So they feel they are being left behind, so there are moving on. Miller is going to be the second best back in the 2012 draft. He should be picked in the second round. Miami has plenty of back to replace him. I really like Clements to be the main back in 2012
I think this may be a good thing for Miami, because all of the Miami NW class of ’08 is gone. Golden is brining is kind of player with the work ethic he wants. The players he brought in were young this past season, but they play better then the upper classmen. This will free up two more scholarships Golden can use to replace them.
Looking forward to spring
Well the season is over and I am getting adjusted not getting ready for a Miami games every weekend. I was thinking about writing a breakdown of the season and grades for each position. With all the good writers in the Miami area, they have done it over the last week. Manny wrote a great blog about a few weeks ago. It may have the best thing I have ever read from him.
I am still not sure where I am going with this blog in the off season. I am going to write about recruiting from time to time, and on national signing day. My issue with that is several of the players have not qualified to get in Miami, and will not know until June if they have. I think a player should not be able to sign with a school, until he had qualified to inter the university. There will be a handful that will be going to starting classes at Miami in January and practice in the spring. I will write at least once week during spring practice and have a spring preview as well. The spring game is going to be on April 14, hopefully the game will be at JRS. I’m tired of watching the game on CSS on low def TV, and seeing it played in a high school stadium.
Well if I don’t write anything until after XMAS, have a good holiday season
J12
I feel very bad for Jacory tonight. He should have been removed from the game after third interception. It looked Whipple was calling his plays again tonight. He may not be an NFL QB, but it is getting his degree in a few weeks. I think it’s a joke that people on twitter are taking shots on him. One person called him the black Jay Cutler. First of all Jay is an NFL QB for the Chicago Bears, that led Vandy to their first bowls in decades. Second, so what if J12 was not Kelly, Kosar, or any of the other ring of fame quarterbacks. All these people calling out J12 saying I hope he got his degree. How many of these people have a degree or even graduated high school? All those people need to get a life and go back to their job at Winn-Dixie or Wal*Mart. J12 will be fine, it is the rest of the losers out there taking personal shots at him that have issues.
No bowl for Miami
Like I have been saying for months now, Miami is not going to a bowl. This is the best decision by the university in the long run. Miami has a good recruiting class coming in this year. Al Golden has stated that he will not lose any scholarships this year. As of this morning he had 30 recruits for the 2012 class and his staff is hitting the recruiting road Sunday morning.
Hopefully the rest of the NCAA sanctions will be announced by March or April. I expect Miami to lose 9-15 scholarships over the next three years. I also think the NCAA will go after the former assistant coaches and AD’s who allowed this to happen.
okay, I’m back
I was not able to write any previews before the game. I had a family emergency and my Blackberry is no longer working correctly. I was able to see the game from the 2nd quarter to the finish. If Miami and USF were SEC teams, yesterday game would have been called this the greatest game of all time. I have to call it what it was, boring and filled with mistakes.
I think Miller is now more concerned with staying healthy for the NFL combine then finishing strong at the end of the season. Not that the offensive line was been much of a help. Now it looks like Henderson will be out for the BC game with a serious injury. More dumb penalties false starts and holds. I really am starting to think there may be some position coaches changes in the off season. Yes, I mean you know who needs to be on the chopping block. Harris had a good game, and managed the final drive like a senior quarterback. Clements has been a solid this year, and I hope to see him get more carries next Friday.
The defense did its job against a very bad USF offense. The defensive line did a good job stopping the run, and keeping B.J. Daniels from getting loose. USF never really put up much of a fight, maybe it was those ugly helmets.
Now Miami has a short week before BC comes to town. I don’t expect an announcement until next week about Miami declining to go to a bowl this season. The only bowl representative that was at the Miami game was from the Independence bowl. If you ever read the anti-BCS book there was a chapter dealing with bowl representatives going to game for a free vacation. I really thing that is all it was. The Miami Herald reported that Miami could play Boise State in the game. Boise State is tied to the Mt West bowl deals. I don’t know where Manny was going with that blog. Scout also reported this morning the Miami would play UT in Nashville. Problem there is UT played in it last year. Most small bowls don’t want the same team from the year before. I still say Miami does not go to a bowl, by their choice. So Miami needs to enjoy the last Miami game this season against BC as we say good bye to the #1 recruiting class in 2008.
