DB Kenny Phillips

2006 Statistics

Coach: Randy Shannon
1st year
2006 Record: 7-6
FLORIDA STATE LOST 10-13
FLORIDA A&M WON 51-10
at Louisville LOST 7-31
HOUSTON WON 14-13
NORTH CAROLINA WON 27-7
FIU WON 35-0
at Duke WON 20-15
at Georgia Tech LOST 23-30
VIRGINIA TECH LOST 10-17
at Maryland LOST 13-14
at Virginia LOST 7-17
BOSTON COLLEGE WON 17-14
MPC COMPUTERS BOWL
Nevada WON 21-20
 

2006 Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR

2007 Outlook

Most realize that new head man Randy Shannon – an alum who has never coached outside of the resort city at any level - really is the best guy for the job. Though never a head coach, hiring from within (for a change) was smart, minimizing both the time it takes to make needed changes and how many total changes are needed. The defensive edge, never missing during the last few mediocre years, is already established with the former coordinator taking over. The main job in Coral Gables is to jump start last year’s 87th-ranked total offense. Patrick Nix was brought in from Georgia Tech to focus the team’s offensive vision, especially via his knowledge at the QB position. Expect former top prospect Kyle Wright – so far a major disappointment – to make his senior year his best yet. Any success he has will be predicated on how well Nix jump starts the running game. The backs are in place – if the offensive line can play up to its potential, we will have Miami back to its old feared self. The Canes will know real quick if their new look has worth; they go to Oklahoma in week two and host a resurgent Texas A&M squad on national TV Thursday night of week four. The ACC slate then starts off easy, but their last six games brings on the cream of the conference. With a first-time head coach, an already struggling QB and so many new faces/facets, these Canes will have to prove they have taken the corner of recovery before the college football world believes it…their reputation says they can do it, but reason says to wait and see.


Projected 2007 record: 8-4
MIAMI FL
*POWER RATINGS
Offense
Defense
QB - 3.5 DL - 4
RB - 3.5 LB - 4
WR - 3 DB - 4
OL - 3.5 ..
RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Kyle Wright, 152-250-7, 1655 yds., 8 TD

Rushing: Javarris James, 175 att., 802 yds., 4 TD

Receiving: Lance Leggett, 38 rec., 584 yds., 4 TD

Scoring: Javarris James, 5 TD, 30 pts.

Punting: Daren Daly, 4 punts, 41.5 avg.

Kicking: None

Tackles: Calais Campbell, 55 tot., 38 solo

Sacks: Calais Campbell, 10.5 sacks

Interceptions: Kenny Phillips, 4 for 5 yds.

Kickoff Returns: Bruce Johnson, 15 ret., 21.7 avg., 0 TD

Punt Returns: Bruce Johnson, 23 ret., 8.1 avg., 0 TD

 

QB Kyle Wright
 
MIAMI FL
OFFENSE - 10
----RETURNING STARTERS----
DEFENSE - 8
KEY LOSSES
OFFENSE: Tyrone Moss-TB, Ryan Moore-WR, Anthony Wollschlager-C, Jon Peattie-K, Greg Olsen-TE (NFL)
DEFENSE: Baraka Atkins-DE, Kareem Brown-DT, Bryan Pata-DT, Brandon Meriweather-SS, Brian Monroe-P, Jon Beason-SLB (NFL)
2007 OFFENSE

New coordinator Patrick Nix is the former Auburn QB-turned-coaching assistant who is just what the Canes need to improve the lackluster results on this side of the ball, which have really been the main reason Miami has sunk so low. Until now, senior starter Kyle Wright has not been fostered well after being brought in as a top prospect. His three struggling campaigns should easily be an afterthought with Nix coaching him up. Junior backup Kirby Freeman has better feet and is more exciting, but has also proven accident prone with seven INTs in just 89 throws last year. Sorting out the QB conundrum is priority one; getting the highly talented line to play up to its potential is next. Enter Jeff Stoutland. Given the slate of four- and five-star returning starters he has to work with, the Canes only need to find a center for the line to get back to form. A run blocking specialist (Stoutland), something has to give on a team that has so many great backs but could only sustain a 3.7 ypc average and generate 13 ground scores. Javarris James is the next great back to come out of southeast Florida. His stellar ’06 efforts as just a freshman have many alums salivating at how good he can get. Stacked with backs, look for UM to use an effective running game to open passing lanes so as to ease Wright’s efforts. Given the time, Kyle can find senior Lance Leggett and soph Sam Shields all day. Though they have a decent two-deep cache for their three- and four-receiver sets, an injury rash amongst the snarlers would impact this team’s ’07 finish. Expect head coach Shannon to continue the Cane tradition of featuring stellar TEs with Chris Zellner, a senior who has many behind him eager to prove their worth at this oft-used position here. Miami gets back on offensive track this season under Nix, though it may take a few games to sort out the QB play.

 

OL Derrick Morse

 

MIAMI FL 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/
Key Players
OFFENSE
QB Kyle Wright-Sr (6-4, 220) Kirby Freeman-Jr (6-3, 215)
FB James Bryant-Sr (6-3, 250) Jerrell Mabry-So (6-1, 266)
TB Javarris James-So (6-0, 210) Charlie Jones-Sr (5-10, 218)
Graig Cooper-Fr (6-0, 195)
WR Lance Leggett-Sr (6-3, 188) Khalil Jones-Jr (6-2, 218)
WR Sam Shields-So (6-0, 177) ..
WR Darnell Jenkins-Sr (5-10, 190) Ryan Hill-So (5-11, 188)
TE DajLeon Farr-Jr (6-5, 248) Chris Zellner-Jr (6-2, 238)
OT Jason Fox-So (6-6, 265) Cyrim Wimbs-Sr (6-3, 335)
OG Andrew Bain-Sr (6-3, 330) ..
C Derrick Morse-Sr (6-4, 326) Matt Pipho-So (6-7, 290)
OG Chris Rutledge-Jr (6-5, 325) A.J. Trump-So (6-3, 294)
OT Reggie Youngblood-Jr (6-5, 305) Chris Barney-So (6-5, 340)
K Daren Daly-Jr (6-1, 173) Matt Bosher-Fr (6-0, 170)

 

2007 DEFENSE

With Randy Shannon now ‘large and in charge’, the D is sure to stay as strong, quick and vibrant as it was the last six years when he was coordinator. The back seven will pretty much stay the same, so the D’s one marginal area last campaign – its No.40 pass defense - will likely improve. The entire starting back seven is 6’ or taller and super fast. The newest legends to have passed through past Cane secondary will soon be all-conference Kenny Phillips and classmate Lovon Ponder, both safeties. The two will be joined by a fully recovered Anthony Reddick (torn ACL in 2005 limited ’06 campaign) to form one of college football’s most feared deep units. With too many quality cover guys to count, Glenn Sharpe and Randy Phillips (no relation to Kenny) rate pretty highly to be the chosen lockdown corners. Even though Miami returns three guys who were starters at linebacker, none garnered all-ACC status, a rarity at this football mecca. That is not to say the Cane’s corps is weak or vulnerable – they really are a big, tough, fast bunch with just as many qualified candidates stacked in the wings. Junior end Calais Campbell will surely dot preseason all-American lists – the 6’8” first-team all-ACC’er had 20 TFLs, 10 sacks and three forced fumbles, all team highs. Look for fellow end and classmate Eric Moncur, who is possibly quicker than Campbell, to have a breakout year as foes double-team the overachieving Campbell. Inside, there have been losses, but enough broken-in talent (hungry to pick up the mantle) is there to clog the inside effectively for Shannon’s schemes to continue working. UM returns nine players with starting experience from what was the nation’s seventh-ranked total defense. This will again be a D that succeeds through keen instinct and is able to recover from play-action and misdirection plays better than most any in the country. Miami gang tackles and walks with a swagger as they pummel opponents. After holding all but three foes to under 20 points, you’ll soon realize there never was much wrong with the Cane’s defense.

 

DE Calais Campbell

 

MIAMI FL 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/
Key Players
DEFENSE
DE Eric Moncur-Jr (6-2, 260) Courtney Harris-So (6-3, 260)
DT Antonio Dixon-Jr (6-3, 335) Josh Holmes-Fr (6-2, 270)
DT Teraz McCray-Sr (6-1, 300) Dwayne Hendricks-Jr (6-4, 280)
DE Calais Campbell-Jr (6-8, 282) Vegas Franklin-Sr (6-3, 255)
SLB Tavares Gooden-Sr (6-2, 238) Spencer Adkins-Jr (5-11, 233)
MLB Darryl Sharpton-So (5-11, 227) Romeo Davis-Sr (6-3, 229)
WLB Glenn Cook-Sr (6-0, 215) Colin McCarthy-So (6-3, 222)
CB Glenn Sharpe-Sr (6-0, 187) Bruce Johnson-Jr (5-10, 177)
CB Randy Phillips-Jr (6-0, 195) Chavez Grant-So (5-11, 175)
SS Lovon Ponder-Jr (6-0, 207) Anthony Reddick-Jr (6-0, 205) (inj.)
FS Kenny Phillips-Jr (6-2, 202) Willie Cooper-Sr (6-1, 211)
P Matt Bosher-Fr (6-0, 170) Daren Daly-Jr (6-1, 173)

 

 

2007 SPECIAL TEAMS

Big-legged junior Daren Daley seems to have the inside track for the punting slot due to experience. Matt Bosher seems to be the only one on the Cane roster qualified to truly be an I-A placekicker. Backup corner Bruce Johnson has been solid as a dual return guy, but without having any TDs to tally, you can bet new faces will be tried out until a breakaway threat is found.