|
RB
Javarris James |
|
|
2007
Statistics |
Coach:
Randy Shannon
5-7,
1 year |
2007
Record: 5-7 |
|
MARSHALL |
WON
31-3 |
at
Oklahoma |
LOST
13-51 |
FIU |
WON
23-9 |
TEXAS
A&M |
WON
34-17 |
DUKE |
WON
24-14 |
at
North Carolina |
LOST
27-33 |
GEORGIA
TECH |
LOST
14-17 |
at
Florida State |
WON
37-29 |
NC
STATE |
LOST
16-19 (OT) |
VIRGINIA |
LOST
0-48 |
at
Virginia Tech |
LOST
14-44 |
at
Boston College |
LOST
14-28 |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
|
2008
Outlook |
If
you've ever heard of how taking
one step back often has to happen
before two (or more) steps forward
can occur, then you know how
to break down head coach Randy
Shannon's first year atop the
command chain here. Shannon's
name says football in this southern
paradise, for he has never really
played or coached anywhere but
in his place of birth (NFL Dolphins
are also on his resume). Things
seemed to be moving forward
as Shannon's Canes went 4-1
out of the gate, but the 1-6
close revealed weak points that
demanded addressing this off-season.
Missing bowl eligibility for
the first time in a decade hammered
home just how much work is still
needed to return one of the
most feared programs ever back
to its old self.
Probably
the best anecdote for more wins
is the turnover seen at the
QB spot. With all due respect,
Kyle Wright (graduated) and
Kirby Freeman (transferred)
were barely passable for a position
in college football with no
equal. From Kelly to Testevarde
and Kosar, from Dorsey to Toretta
and Walsh, not just anyone is
right to lead the charge of
raw talent, talent levels not
often matched until this decade
by teams outside of the Sunshine
State. Rob Marve looks like
the shizz, a guy who has made
his way past two other highly
qualified candidates to earn
the precarious start under center.
Any of the QBs may mean more
steps back to begin with, especially
with Florida and Texas A&M
in games two and three. But
the QB adjustment period shouldn't
be more than a few tough games
- early lessons learned will
pay dividends, and not years
later. By October, with so many
talent positions lined for production
with speed and toughness, the
Cane offense should look more
like it did just a few years
back. The running game looks
good enough to 'carry' the early
load, which would offer time
of possession wins and less
pressure on the QBs. Averaging
less than 150 yards on the ground
per game for the years Wright
was under center turned the
screws on Wright's approach,
forcing his arm to do more than
it was capable of. Getting back
to running it down foes' throats
can happen, but the center spot
looks iffy. That shouldn't stop
the ground production, but could
mean a reshuffling up front
by midseason.
The
hiring of Bill Young to coordinate
the defense looks like a sure
thing. Young has never had available
to his systems this much size
and speed combined in almost
every player. If he could get
his Kansas Jayhawks to overachieve
with mostly two- and three-star
recruits, we cannot imagine
how well he and former DC Shannon
will coach up this stacked crew.
Moncur, Bailey, McCarthy, Phillips
and Reddick get newbies like
Spense, Forston and Brown to
make this another Hurricane
defense capable of winning games
by themselves. Luckily, they
won't have to, so all efforts
can dovetail into concerted
pigskin success like they are
used to seeing in Coral Gables.
The DBs have the most ground
to catch up, but at a school
where DBs jump to the NFL and
often start as rookies, Shannon
and Young will have this area
shored up quickly. Florida will
reveal any weaknesses in coverage,
and adjustments will then take
hold so the rest of 2008 is
better for the experience.
Butch
Davis comes home with North
Carolina, and FSU a week later
means two mediocre foes cannot
be overlooked. The flow that
starts with upstart Wake Forest
will define this campaign since
four of the last five games
are against teams that beat
Miami last year during the closing
span then. The foe the Canes
have to be looking forward to
getting the most is Virginia
after the Cavs shot them out
48-0 in their last game in the
Orange Bowl. They go to Charlottesville
to hopefully repay the favor,
and as you can likely guess,
it's personal. The majority
of games look winnable, but
that's been said many times
as of late, and...well, you
know.
Is
this the year Miami repatriates
the top 25 by the final polls?
We think so, for in a conference
where there is really no legitimate
top 10 team, this much talent
can quickly come together to
become much more than the sum
of its amazing parts. The last
two losing seasons here - 1997
and 1979 - were followed by
nine-win efforts. At a school
where national championships
come in bunches, it only takes
a little push to motivate the
current players to repeat these
feats. Hurricane pigskin heritage
is strong, but sometimes teams
have to see and realize their
pitfalls before they can grow
from them and then reach their
potential as one unit. That's
where Miami football development
currently resides, and it won't
be long until UM is as hated
as it once was due to how good
the gridiron product becomes.
Projected
2008 record: 7-5
|
|
MIAMI
FL
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 3 |
DL
- 3.5 |
RB
- 4 |
LB
- 4 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 3.5 |
OL
- 3.5 |
.. |
|
MIAMI
FL
2007 Statistical Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
65 |
3 |
Passing: |
108 |
12 |
Total
Off: |
110 |
11 |
Sacks
Allow: |
62 |
4 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
40 |
8 |
Passing: |
35 |
6 |
Total
Def: |
33 |
7 |
Sacks: |
28 |
5 |
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
None
Rushing: Graig Cooper,
125 att., 682 yds., 4 TD
Receiving: Sam Shields,
27 rec., 346 yds., 3 TD
Scoring: Graig Cooper,
5 TD, 30 pts.
Punting: Matt Bosher,
58 punts, 40.2 avg.
Kicking: None
Tackles: Colin McCarthy,
68 tot. 38 solo
Sacks: Eric Moncur, 5.5
sacks
Interceptions: Randy
Phillips, 3 for 80 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Ryan
Hill, 21 ret., 20.4 avg., 0
TD
Punt Returns: Graig Cooper,
16 ret., 4.8 avg., 0 TD
|
|
|
LB
Colin McCarthy |
|
|
|
|
MIAMI
FL |
|
|
OFFENSE
- 5 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 7 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Kyle Wright-QB, Lance Leggett-WR,
Darnell Jenkins-WR, Andrew Bain-OG,
John Rochford-C, Derrick Morse-OG,
Francesco Zampogna-K, Jerrell
Mabry-FB, Kirby Freeman-QB (transferred) |
DEFENSE:
Vegas
Franklin-DE, Teraz McCray-DT,
Tavares Gooden-MLB, Glenn Sharpe-CB,
Willie Cooper-S, Kenny Phillips-S
(NFL), Calais Campbell-DE (NFL) |
|
|
2008
OFFENSE |
QUARTERBACK
The collective sigh heard from the
Cane Nation due to the departures
of Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman were
well earned. The deterioration of
production under Wright's three-year
reign must have been painful...even
for those of us who don't ever cheer
for the team but have respected their
offensive prowess for what it has
been for 25 years – awesome.
It was like a train wreck to see so
much talent and speed turn in only
315 total yards per game over the
past few years. How could one look
away, knowing five-star (talent position)
guys were being stopped by foes who
never held a candle to the Canes in
their heyday less than a decade ago?
Miami only went over the 30-point
mark three times last year, with only
three additional trips past the 20-point
barrier. New blood under center is
just what's needed for Coach Shannon
to bring his own recruit(s) and therefore
his own identity to the team's scoring
machine. The new face of Hurricane
football will be Robert Marve. Mr.
Football (2006) in-state, he broke
Tim Tebow's single-season prep records
for yards (4,380) and TDs (48) while
breaking the 30-year old mark for
completions (280). His work in this
multiple-look system (mostly what
is called "Pro set", but
with some creative spreads) has progressed
pretty quickly, and though, coaches
aren't going to announce the starter
until the last week of August, for
Marve not to be making the start against
Charleston Southern would only be
due to injury. Marve has some speed,
too, and at a modest 203 pounds, this
Tampa product is actually the biggest
of the three candidates. Then there's
the guy who broke Marve's TD record
(49) and was Mr. Football the very
next year, last year. The progress
of grey-shirt true frosh Jacoby Harris
is pretty miraculous, too, since he
was walking his high school's halls
only three months ago. Harris has
more height but looks like a twig
waiting to be broken until the weight
room starts to pay off more. Harris
is more of a stand-and-deliver type;
since he worked out of the shotgun
in prep, he has had some exchange
problems when truly under center.
Otherwise, he is a real leader and
makes decisions as well as Marve.
The top prep QB in the nation was
Cannon Smith. This FedEx heir (father
is CEO) can also run well, but is
a few paces behind the other two for
development and needs to work on his
delivery most. The things all three
QBs don't have are real game reps...their
collective résumés say
things will be better at QB U.
RUNNING
BACK
Coordinator Pat Nix may not have to
do as much passing if the running
game pans out as promised. The main
back last year was Javarris James,
the cousin of alum Edgerrin James.
The Immokalee product isn't quite
as fast as his cousin, and it showed
in last year's paltry 3.7 ypc average
(long of 23) after James's 4.5 ypc
rate as a Freshman All-American had
many believing he was the next great
Cane back (including us). The numbers
speak volumes, which is how Graig
Cooper kept earning reps/carries with
his 5.5 ypc. Another Mr. Football
(TN), Cooper actually had 34 less
carries than James, but 100 more yards,
so how he doesn't get the first team
nod seems a mystery. After finishing
as the No.4 true freshman runner last
year, Cooper was easily the top runner
this spring. Both are excellent receivers
out of their respective positions,
and we anticipate both being fielded
simultaneously, with James in the
slot for the matchup problems he'll
create. Derron Thomas is now a senior,
and his waiting-in-the-wings routine
has to pan out for the Pride of the
Crescent City this time, or else a
great back has gone to waste. Pat
Hill is a 5'9, 260+ blaster who may
make the QB spot superfluous due to
his powering holes. Coaches asked
JUCO-transfer Hill what makes a game
good for him; "If I can knock
five guys out." Ouch. Hill's
emergence will help the prospects
of the inside running game since it
is replacing all three interior linemen.
RECEIVER
/ TIGHT END
TE Chris Zellner is a blaze of speed,
but Dedrick Epps and super-quick ex-DE
Richard Gordon seem to be in line
after both broke out of the pack this
spring. As much as this place produces
superior QBs, this is TE/WR U, also,
sending more top WRs/TEs into the
pro's than any other school in the
past 25 years. The wide receivers
are another premium mix. Sam Shields
took a step back from his strong freshman
campaign, but even with 10 less catches,
his lead-by example ethic is just
what a struggling team needs. A groin
injury kept JUCO product Kayne Farquharson
from reaching his potential yet. Khalil
Jones is an anomaly - big enough to
be a TE, this ACC sprinter (60, 100,
200) should stay home with the new
QBs to become a possession type with
his knowledge of the game. True frosh
Aldarius Johnson has been making plays
and breaking tackles all spring since
his arrival. With a 3.9-second shuttle
time, Johnson looks like the best
prospect to displace one of the current
starters.
OFFENSIVE
LINE
The center position is the only real
concern, where FIU transfer Xavier
Shannon is being propped up for the
start. Not lacking potential, Shannon
was seen spraying balls everywhere
in the shotgun, but he seems to be
the logical choice since Tyler Horn
is so green (he's obviously envious).
Joel Figueroa is just a monster and
an asset inside with his footwork.
He will have Orlando Franklin back
from injury by fall to make this group
provide one heck of a push. Barney
and classmate Trump did well when
Franklin was hurt to give some decent
depth to the inner proceedings. The
tackles are two returning starters
- ex-TE Fox will stay on the left
side, where he started last year every
week, while highly coveted (No.2 prospect)
Youngblood seems set after switching
sides. Rutledge started three games
at RT, and fellow senior Byrd is that
versatile type who can be plugged
in anywhere. And on that note, the
big change so far has been the tendency
toward more permanent assignments.
Shuffling the positions and names
- as has been the norm for a few years
- was put to a stop so that guys can
stop thinking about the position they
are currently in and how to play it
properly... the staff just wants a
more instinctual flow. This can possibly
be another great Cane offensive line,
but that center slot is the weak link
for any prognosticating logic.
How
this much talent cannot come together
for serious production seems impossible,
but precedent tells us to see if any
proverbial corners have been taken
before declaring the offensive drought
is over.
|
|
WR
Sam Shields
|
|
|
MIAMI
FL 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Robert
Marve-Fr (6-1, 203) |
Jacory
Harris-Fr (6-4, 175)
Cannon Smith-Fr (5-11, 189) |
FB |
Patrick
Hill-Jr (5-9, 262) |
John
Calhoun-Fr (6-3, 246) |
RB |
Javarris
James-Jr (6-0, 214) |
Graig
Cooper-So(6-0, 202)
Derron Thomas-Sr (5-9, 204) |
WR |
Kayne
Farquharson-Sr (6-2, 185) |
Aldarius
Johnson-Fr (6-2, 217) |
WR |
Khalil
Jones-Sr (6-2, 220) |
Jermaine
McKenzie-Fr (6-2, 173) |
WR |
Sam
Shields-Jr (6-0, 180) |
Leonard
Hankerson-So (6-2,218) |
TE |
Dedrick
Epps-Jr (6-4, 255) |
Richard
Gordon-Jr (6-4, 260)
Chris Zellner-Sr (6-2,
247) |
OT |
Reggie
Youngblood-Sr (6-5, 312) |
Tyrone
Byrd-Sr (6-5, 309) |
OG |
Orlando
Franklin-So (6-7, 345) |
Chris
Barney-Jr (6-5, 340) |
C |
Xavier
Shannon-Sr (6-1, 298) |
Tyler
Horn-Fr (6-4, 295) |
OG |
Joel
Figueroa-So (6-5, 344) |
A.J.
Trump-Jr (6-3, 308) |
OT |
Jason
Fox-Jr (6-6, 306) |
Chris
Rutledge-Sr (6-5, 314) |
K |
Matt
Bosher-So (6-0, 195) |
Jake
Wieclaw-Fr (6-1, 183) |
|
|
2008
DEFENSE |
Recent
troubles have had much less to do
with stopping opponents. Still, things
went considerably south in '07, and
in Miami, that's not a good thing.
For the first time since 1984, more
than 300 points were allowed. The
run stuffing took the biggest hit
last year, going from the school record
of allowing 67 yards per game in '06
to 134. It all added up to Tim Walton,
the DBs coach who was promoted by
Shannon to take his old coordinator's
spot when Shannon became head coach,
being fired. Welcome ex-Kansas DC
Bill Young, whose overachieving defenses
in the heartland give great promise
for what will soon be seen once he
gets this much speed and talent in
his system. Things were a bit too
basic last year; the subtle nature
of more organized spread/modern attacks
ate the usually keen Cane D up.
DEFENSIVE
LINE
Losing three of the top linemen is
the first place the staff focused
upon, and it has paid off developmentally.
Allen Bailey had aspirations to follow
in his hero's footsteps (Ray Lewis),
but originally the No.7 DE prospect,
Bailey is back after a season at LB
proved he isn't quite fast enough
to platoon in coverage (though his
physical package includes a 40"
vertical leap). "The Sapelo Assassin"
(grew up in Hog Hammock on Sapelo
Island, Georgia), "Plays the
position like he's been playing it
here for the last three or four years,"
says line coach Clint Hurtt. He's
now a starter, and will be bookended
with Eric Moncur, a senior with something
to prove after he suffered a concussion
in game 10 and didn't play the same
afterwards. In Moncur's place this
spring was Steven Wesley, who has
as much to prove since he's played
only sparingly and wants to be another
great DLman here, as does last year's
scout team defensive POTY Adewale
Ojomo (who has the speed, but not
enough technique, yet). The inside
looks less solid, with Joe Joseph
eagerly anticipating being 'the man'.
This junior isn't a lock, though;
Antonio Dixon seems to be more of
a sure thing than Joseph after starting
four times last year. Dixon has the
footwork to overcome his size and
lack of pure sprinting speed, proven
by how 15% of his career tackles have
been for loss. Hendricks was injured
alot last year, and for his career,
the New Jersey senior has only been
in 20 games to show off how he's really
a bulked up end. Like Dixon, Chaz
Washington plays as big as he is with
quickness to boot. None besides Dixon
have laid claim to the other starting
spot, so incoming monster Marcus Forston
has a shot since he's been here all
spring. This guy is the top tackle
prize in this year's national recruiting
class, and he is tabbed as being the
best DT for strength, quickness, and
pass rush. "The biggest thing
[he has] to learn is how to finish",
says Hurtt about his phenom.
LINEBACKER
Young will have a bumper crop of linebackers
to tie his schemes together. Ostensibly,
if a guy isn't lightning quick, he
isn't in the Cane LB unit. Darryl
Sharpton is the pride of Coral Gables
since his true freshman season. Sharpton
and classmate Colin McCarthy broke
in nicely in their first year as true
starters. Both are in the 4.5-second
40 range, and both seem to be excellent
from sideline to sideline. McCarthy's
stat line looks like the ones classic
Cane LBs like Dan Morgan, D.J. Williams
and Jon Vilma had. MLB Glenn Cook
got a sixth year of eligibility after
a foot injury on the second day of
2007 spring camp cost Cook his supposed
final year. A step slower than the
other starters, this Hollywood (FL)
hipster is the grounded leader so
McCarthy and Sharpton can wreak havoc.
The biggest LB news has been the emergence
of Sean Spence, a true freshman who
took snaps with the 1s all spring.
This local product has to bulk up
to reach his potential, but it isn't
like his impact hasn't been transparent
already. Another obvious future star
is the No.2 LB prospect and the guy
rated as having the best closing speed,
the top tackler from the spring game,
newbie Arthur Brown. A step faster
and a size larger already, Brown has
the physical tools but needs to hone
his approach at this level. Again,
eight tackles in the final scrimmage
speak volumes for this Wichita wonder.
Troubles in coverage have WLB Spencer
Adkins looking up from the second
team. Add in the impact of Romeo Davis,
another senior who missed 2007 due
to injury but who was strong in place
of McCarthy in the middle, and you
get an unstoppable crew like in the
days of old.
DEFENSIVE
BACK
The prowess of the Hurricane secondary
is stuff of legend. Yet in 2007, the
worst numbers since the turn of the
millennium were seen. Demarcus Van
Dyke will be better for starting as
a true frosh. He's got 4.3 speed and
the height to never be at a disadvantage.
Bruce Johnson is similar in speed
and size, but between these two starters,
only 45 tackles and two INTs were
found. Grant has a smart sense of
the game, so his start as an extra
DB (nickel) in '07 - even though he's
a step slower - is foretelling of
the more human traits now found in
the Cane secondary. Gone are the days
of supermen ruling their sides, even
though a return to this way of covering
may be found with the new blood. Ryan
Hill never played CB here, but at
WR, he showed his skill set can be
honed to supply one-on-one quality
coverage. The No.3 CB this year is
Brandon Harris, so there are more
options in case Young/Shannon decide
to try more guys out. The safeties
are also a bit unsettled just because
of the high bar set for that position
over the years here. Randy Phillips
did a respectable job once moved back
from corner after the Oklahoma debacle,
and his understanding of the position's
needs will increase when Anthony Reddick
returns. His ACL tore in spring last
year, and with other unfortunate circumstance,
Reddick hasn't really contributed
since his strong true freshman season
when he was already good enough to
start. Ponder is ready to start again
after he was in favor two years ago
but fell out in '07. Like usual, the
safeties are stacked here like planes
out at Miami International - six capable
hats (led by Jojo Nicolas) are excited
to just be in line for the vaunted
Hurricane DB spots.
With
a mind like Randy Shannon’s
spearheading the defensive adjustments,
Bill Young can relax into making an
impact with his new ideas; he and
Shannon have known of each other due
to former coach Larry Coker teaming
with Young at both Tulsa and Ohio
State. Young would visit the Miami
practices and, as a DC, he and Shannon
shared gridiron knowledge. That relationship
will be the bedrock of the kind of
defensive showings most have come
to expect from this stellar program.
|
|
DE
Eric Moncur
|
|
|
MIAMI
FL 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Eric
Moncur-Sr (6-2, 250) |
Courtney
Harris-Jr (6-3, 267)
Adewale Ojomo-Fr (6-3, 244) |
DT |
Joe
Joseph-Jr (6-3, 304) |
Marcus
Forston-Fr (6-2, 309)
Chaz Washington-So (6-4, 320) |
DT |
Antonio
Dixon-Sr (6-3, 328) |
Dwayne
Hendricks-Sr (6-4,
298) |
DE |
Allen
Bailey-So (6-4, 287) |
Steven
Wesley-So (6-3, 257) |
OLB |
Colin
McCarthy-Jr (6-3, 230) |
Sean
Spence-Fr (6-0, 202) |
MLB |
Glenn
Cook-Sr (6-0, 235) |
Spencer
Adkins-Sr (5-11, 230)
Romeo Davis-Sr (6-3, 234) |
OLB |
Darryl
Sharpton-Jr (5-11, 232) |
Arthur
Brown-Fr (6-2, 230) |
CB |
Bruce
Johnson-Sr (5-11, 172) |
Carlos
Armour-Sr (6-3, 206)
Ryan Hill-Jr (5-11, 195) |
CB |
DeMarcus
Van Dyke-So (6-1, 174) |
Chavez
Grant-Jr (5-11, 180) |
SS |
Randy
Phillips-Sr (6-0, 208) |
JoJo
Nicolas-So (6-1, 200) |
FS |
Anthony
Reddick-Sr (6-0, 208) |
Lovon
Ponder-Sr (6-0, 219) |
P |
Matt
Bosher-So (6-0, 195) |
.. |
|
|
|
2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Those
eager second and third teamers provide great
coverage of Matt Bosher's sporadic punts.
A year of experience will hopefully make
Bosher command a deadly dimension of this
team's arsenal. The flip side is how well
UM returns punts and kicks...very well over
the years. So how did Cooper falter so bad
with his amazing numbers out of the backfield
(his longest PR was 16 yards)? He looks
to again be the punt guy, but Aldarius Johnson
and Demarcus Van Dyke will challenge Ryan
Hill for supremacy atop the KR charts. The
kicking situation has Bosher not qualming
over whether he or true frosh Jake Wieclaw
get the nod. Last year's mixed results (lost
bowl eligibility when a 27-yard try was
missed against N.C. State) say that these
new faces should improve what just was.
|
|
|