OT with Ryan McNeil

Ryan McNeil doesn't wear either of the two national championship rings he won at the University of Miami. Those are put away. The 37-year old former Canes defensive back, 11-year NFL veteran and successful entrepreneur wears one ring that ultimately represents both -- his 2006 UM Hall of Fame ring.

"I don't wear [the national championship rings] and I'll tell you why," McNeil explained to me in a phone interview Friday. "Once you go to the next level, your focus and hunger is on something else -- a Super Bowl ring. The only regret I have about playing professional sports is not winning the Super Bowl. So many guys I know have Super Bowl rings. When [former Canes] Darren Smith, Kevin Williams and Russell Maryland went to Dallas and won Super Bowl rings, it was like wow -- that's what I wanted. That's something that's special. I don't know if I might eventually have one of my own one day, maybe as a coach or involved in management."

If you know anything about McNeil, nothing he said should surprise you. Since the day he stepped on UM's campus, the Fort Pierce native has always strived for more. And that's part of the reason McNeil is where he is today, living a successful life in Atlanta after retiring from pro football in 2003. He has his own publication, OT Magazine, and is the President and CEO of the Professional Business & Financial Network. Both businesses, among other things, try to teach athletes how to make a successful post-retirement transition from sports into the business world. I caught up with Ryan Friday to talk about his latest editorial in his magazine about the heavy dose of reality recently drafted athletes will encounter soon enough. It didn't take long, though, for us to start talking about the Canes, Randy Shannon and much more.

Q: I know its been a couple years since The Herald has caught up with you. Tell us what's new. Married? Kids? Where are you living?
A: (Laughter) I'm not married yet. Hopefully that will happen sometime soon. But I live in Atlanta now, been here for four years since I left Miami. I wanted to live on the East Coast so I could be near home in Fort Pierce and Miami. I have one daughter who is 11 now. Other than that, life is great.

Q: I've got to ask you the Dan LeBatard question -- the one you don't want to ask out of shyness, but Dan can because he's Dan. Are you making more money now than you were as a player?
A: [Laughter] That is a Dan question. I think revenue wise, I'm not making as much. But its an investment. Anytime you make an investment, you have delayed gratification. I haven't made as much money doing this as I did as player, not yet. But it's close. To be honest, sports is something I love. The media space has been intriguing to me because I've learned so much. The more I'm in it, the more avenues I'm finding having tremendous amounts of potential. i think i'll stay in the media space for awhile. We launched the magazine in 2004 as a business and lifestyle magazine with 360 degree viewpoint of athletes. We talk money and finances, health and fitness, charity and philanthropy. Its basically the complete 360 degrees of it and we circulate it among all pro athletes. Female sports and male sports.

Q: You went from being a second round draft pick of the Detroit Lions to having an 11-year pro career in which you played for six teams and actually led the league in INTs in 1997. As successful as that was for you, I have to imagine what you've done afterward is about successful as it gets for guys out of the league? Basically, you are teaching other guys now how to do it through your magazine.
A: I think a lot of other guys enjoy success as well. I think success is defined differently by everyone. A lot of guys have been very successful in life after sports. I think I'm a bit of a risk taker being a cornerback. So, being an entrepreneur was a natural for me. I see a lot of opportunity in terms of sports. I've got a lot of connections in sports. I thought I could leverage that and make a little money as well. Its one of the things I surveyed, researched. I thought it would be a really sound investment. But there have been other guys who have done well in real estate. To be honest, though, it's not an easy business at all. It's more difficult thaIn I thought it would be. The work itself, though, I have one of the easiest jobs in media. My job is to tell the positive stories of other athletes. As I take this journey I'm understanding the business more and more. I'm learning the things to do. I'm starting from the ground up. I've never been one to shy away from work.

Q: In your latest editorial, your taking your message to a different level. You are actually targeting guys just getting into the league, not out. What inspired you to send a message to those guys?
A: I always write my editorial page in my magazine. It was something I was thinking about and flashing back to my time when I was drafted and my team. I was thinking you could almost cheat being at the University of Miami, going pro and how maybe some guys took that for granted. It was almost a given you'd have an opportunity to play professional sports. Yeah, you still had to do what you had to do and you could make it. But I think as a whole, the one ting I realized is how ill-prepared guys are going into the league. At Miami, our expectations were always to play at a high level. When you have Michael Irvin, Bennie Blades, Alonzo Highsmith, come back to the U and work out with you, you have a huge appreciation for what to expect and strive for at the next level. But you aren't ready for disappointment or the other struggles. I see guys who are athletically gifted, but aren't prepared for what else comes along with being a pro athlete. Being a professional athlete is not eating at a restaurant a-la-cart. You got to take everything that comes with it.

Q: What else comes on that cart maybe that guys aren't ready for?
A: I think first and foremost, I think of any professional sport as a business. i think the perspective is still viewed is it's a game. But its a business. It's serious fun. I always tell the rookies all the time, have fun, but treat it as a business at the same time -- that way you won't have any surprises. You can really take advantage of the head start you have from the get-go, from the social standpoint, being a role model for the people where you are from. Because it's an unwritten rule. You are a role model whether you choose to or not. They have to keep in mind the dynamics are different and the consequences are different. The NFL has a program where they have actors and actresses come in and act out and life choices, decision, consequences. You got to be careful of each decision you make. You want to have as many positive experiences as a professional athlete. To me, it's really a time to grow up. College is a time to have fun. It's an incubating period going into adult hood. Now, you got to be an adult. That's one thing a lot of young guys, whether its basketball, football, hockey, you got to position yourself to act like an adult. I think a lot of the younger guys are trying to do that, but there are a few who share a negative light not only with themselves, but their teammates. Pro athletes are connected and I kind of try to share with them that they should think about themselves as a brand. You should be careful about your brand.

Q: Now that you are in Atlanta, do you still make the time to come to the U and spread that message?
A: I don't visit the campus enough. I haven't been able go back to Miami lately. I have these business endeavors that take up a lot of time. But I still try to make it back every now and then. I catch about 3 to 4 home games and when they play Georgia Tech here. I've got to support them, especially since Randy [Shannon] is the coach. I want to support him as much as possible. i think he's the right guy for the job. I think he handles the pressure and expectations better than anybody else. And I'm excited about the 2008 recruiting class. I keep up. I think its important to go back to the talk where the mystique fits in. At UM, we always played at a high level. Then, its about carrying yourself as a gentleman in the community.

Q: Then, I'm sure this past season and the one before was tough for you to watch. Any thoughts?
A: Let's be honest: that's not Hurricanes football. I think Randy would be the first to admit it. That's not what's expected. The reality is it has to change. What's more disappointing than anything else is knowing where you been and where you want to be. The record could have been totally different with five, six, seven plays going the other way. But that's everywhere. I think randy did a great job recruiting though and I assume a lot of young guys are going to play this year. What the guys need to remember is what it means to wear The U. I remember Bennie [Blades], Melvin [Bratton], coming back and saying 'You cant take the field wearing the U and expect teams to lay down.' I got there, was recruited in Jimmy Johnson's last year. I redshirted, but we practiced just as hard as the seniors did. The work ethic, the expectations, There were outlines for you. There were no margins for error. It was simple: this is how we do things and why we do things. The results spoke for themselves. I think that's what we'll get back to this year. I think we're moving in the right direction. I think sometimes it takes a setback to get things in order. I think that setback was last year. Don't get me wrong. I thought [Larry] Coker was a great coach. But its always special when you have one of your own become a head coach. I think that's very unique. I think all the guys I spoke to want to support Randy for that reason. We expect to have a winning season and participate in a major bowl game this year.

Q: You've mentioned a few of the former guys. Any you spend more time talking to these days than others?
A: The guy I try to keep up with the most is college roommate Coleman Bell. He and I were like brothers. I hung out with Stephen McGuire a week ago in New York. Lamar Thomas and I talk at least once every couple weeks. Gino [Torretta] and are close too. He lived with me when we were in Detroit together. Darryl Spence and i are tight. I see Melvin Bratton here in Atlanta, so we each other quite often. It's hard not to go into any place and not see anybody from UM. i just saw Willis [McGahee] at a Hawks game. if you don't see somebody for one or two years, you catch up and the feeling of the brotherhood is still there.

Q: You got to know Randy Shannon when you were a freshman? What's the best Randy story you can give me? And what have you seen from him over the years and now that's he's grown to become the head coach of the program?
A: I see the maturation of a player to a coach. I was able to see it there as a freshman. When he was a senior, he was there to tell you what to do. We went through the whole process, being the new kids on the block. Randy was always a teacher. He was one of the ones who taught me about covering. It's funny too because I remember saying to myself, 'This guy is a linebacker, what the heck is he doing trying to teach me about covering?' [Laughter]. But he went to the league and came back still being a teacher. The thing that I love about Randy is he doesn't forget where he's from and he understands everybody is different and that you can't teach everyone the same. I think that's what he'll do more of this year. You can see it in his demeanor and his mannerisms. He was the kind of guy who would get on you right away. He has more patience now than he did as a teacher and player. I think you need to have that as a player and a coach. I really don't have a great Randy story. I just remember as freshmen we had our own lockerroom, a small little dungeon hole at the Hecht Center and the upperclassmen dared us every couple times to come out.

Q: Maybe I can get you to give me the best teammate story. Come on, its been a couple years.
A: [Laughter] I can't break the code. We honestly truly care about each other. Thing is we a close knit group and breaking the code would cause trouble [laughter].

A chat with Big Reggie

Frank Haith told me shortly after UM's season ended last month that I was going to love Reggie Johnson, the 6-8, 290-pound center he recruited from the same Winston-Salem neighborhood he grew up in. He said everyone would eventually fall in love Johnson's big personality. After spending 20 minutes this afternoon chatting with big Reggie, I'd say this is another prediction Haith is going to nail.

Johnson, who is scheduled to graduate from Winston-Salem Prep soon and arrive in Miami on June 8th, was about as fun an interview I've had with an athlete in quite some time. He's not shy about much and he's even a big fan of the Eye on The U blog. Johnson, whose coach compares to Clippers forward Elton Brand, told me he is currently working hard to get in shape for his UM arrival. He's come a long way for someone who didn't even start playing basketball until the 10th grade. After doing what he says was the hardest thing he's ever had to do "leave McDonald's alone and leave my mother's fried chicken alone," Johnson has developed into one of the best big young men in the country.

Scout.com rates him a three-star recruit. But he played much better than that. As a senior, he set the state record for rebounds in the state championship, averaged 24.1 points, 17.3 rebounds and 7.1 blocks a game and had an impressive 25-point, 21-rebound effort against Oak Hill Academy, consistently one of the best high school programs in the country. Now, he says, his goal is to take Miami to the next level. As he was busy curling 50-pound weights, I caught up with Reggie Thursday. And this is what he had to say...

Q: You've come a long way from being that big guy who was on the sidelines doing nothing. You remember the old Reggie and what made him become the new Reggie?
A: What made me start playing basketball was the competition. I'm competitive for every competition. I didn't take it very seriously at first. But then I found out I could go to school for free and that got me working hard. My mom. I know her background financially. I knew I could help my mother out and that got me on the ship. It all started when one of my close friends introduced me to Coach [Andre] Gould. He said to me 'God, you aren't playing ball?' And I said 'No sir.' He said 'Come to my school, I'll get you in shape and get you into someone's college for free.' I said, 'I'm there.'

Q: Talk about your visit to Miami back in October before the start of the season. I know Jack McClinton instilled a new work ethic in his teammates, pushed them to the limit. DId you pick up on that?
A: I was very impressed. It wasn't just a visit. It was the first day of actual practice. The first day of practice, it wasn't lazy. They were going at it hard. They were willing to work. Coach was digging at them, telling them what they need to do. I was like 'Yeah. This is what I need right here. A coach that is going to make me work for something, not going to hand me anything, shortcutting me and my career. It was great. They work hard. They work extremely hard and they got me right there.'

Q: How much more excited are you about coming to Miami now that they're coming off a great season?
A: It was a very dramatic turnaround. They finished 12-20 the previous season. When coach Haith and his staff started recruiting me the following week, I started looking at the record they had and the people they had coming in. DeQuan Jones had already committed to Miami. The pieces were coming together. So, it felt great at the time.

Q: I spoke to '09 recruit Donnovan Kirk about this earlier this week and he said seeing Miami have that dramatic turnaround really helped him in choosing UM. Had the Canes not gone 23-11 and made a run to the NCAA Tournament are you a Hurricane right now?
A: I'm a Hurricane. I'm a Hurricane until I die. Actually, it wasn't even a factor. Coach Haith, he's young and upcoming. I believe he knows what it takes to get it done. I think either way I was going to become a Hurricane. And plus, I look at it like this -- me coming in can be a very good contribution to the team, along with DeQuan Jones and Malcolm [Grant] coming in. I believe the best is yet to come for the Hurricanes.

Q: UM had a great season, but so did you. You averaged 24.1 points, 17.3 rebounds and 7.1 blocked shots a game and set a state record for rebounds in winning the state championship. How do you feel the year went?
A: I feel it went great. I got a state championship so I can't complain. That's what I was striving for. Getting MVP was a great feeling. I can't picture it better. Coach tells me rebounding and defense are going to win the game. I'm a person who knows rebounds win the game. So, I go after them. I'm a Ben Wallace type.

Q: Being from North Carolina, I'm sure you get to know a lot of guys going to other ACC schools. Any rivalries we can look forward to?
A: Anytime I'm around Ty Walker (Wake Forest) or CJ Wiiliams (North Carolina State), we just kind of joke around about what who is going to do what next year. It's going to be fun. We had an all-star game not too long ago. Me and CJ Williams just talked about N.C. State and Miami. And we just kicked back and talked about that. If you don't get up for that, something is wrong. You got to love that.

Q: What are your strengths?
A: My post play. My post play alone. I just believe I'm going to be heck down in the paint to guard. I got a counter move for every move. I just believe that I'm going to dazzle.

Q: The Canes are losing Anthony King and Ray Hicks, two veterans in its frontcourt. They'll have Jimmy Graham and Dwayne Collins back. But after that it's all new guys with Julian Gamble, Cyrus McGowan and yourself. How do you see yourself fitting in next season?
A: Coach just told me to come in and bust tail. Coach also told me who knows what can happen. I've never set foot on Miami's campus and actually practiced with them. So, who knows what can happen. They're going to be throwing so many things at me, this play, that play, what kind of set is this? It's all going to depend on how I come down and adjust to it and catch on to it. The post play is a big part of Miami's offense. That's really what got me to come to Miami because I know we're going to play inside-out regardless.

Q: Tell me about the recruiting process with you. VCU was really after you. But you ended up going with coach Haith, who grew up in the same neighborhood as you. How much did that play into you choosing Miami?
A: Coach Anthony Grant. He and I were close. He's a heck of a coach. When I first met with coach Grant, I clicked with him. He was kind of a father figure to me even in a short period of time. He's a great, up-and-coming coach. But with VCU, I just believe coach Grant is such a great coach, he's not going to be there as long. I believe Coach Grant could end up going to some place like Florida. He's a great coach. Coach Haith, I didn't even know he was from the same neighborhood as me until after I committed. That got me even more closer to Coach Haith. I love him. I love coach Haith.

Q: What kind of characteristics make up a guy from Winston-Salem?
A: We're going to work for anything we want and we're going to go through anything. Look at Chris Paul, Josh Howard. Those guys are from Winston-Salem and them guys are making names for themselves in the biggest league. Those guys just work. And that's what we want -- a championship at the end of the day.

Q: I talked to coach at the end of the season and he talked about what he wanted to see out of his guys this offseason. He said the No. 1 thing for you was cutting some weight, get that body in shape. How much weight have you lost and how big are you now?
A: In the state championship game I was around the 300 mark. Now, I'm down to 290, 288. I've just been busting tail to make sure I'm ready for college. I'm working out from 3:05 to 6 p.m. every day, conditioning and then basketball. I'm participating in track too, throwing the discus and the shot put. In college you got to be in shape. So, I'm in the gym everyday. It's a routine I pretty much picked up from when I went on my visit and watched what they did in practice and everything. My coach kind of took note of that and I'm starting to do things they did in practice in too. I'm doing the ladder. We got a strength and conditioning coach here. He's busting my tail too. He's getting my feet right, building stamina. All the pieces are here. I just got to take advantage of it.

Q: When you envision the future of this UM team what do you see? Are you already talking to the younger guys, game-planning what is going to happen?
A: Me, Malcolm and DeQuan have gotten real close. We talk at least once every two weeks. DeQuan is a gym rat also, so I don't bother him too much. Be we talk often. I talk to Malcolm Grant and I welcome him to the family. I just talked to DeQuan like two days ago and Malcolm. We've just been talking about winning the championship, just showing the world Miami is not just a football school. I mean that's what was on my mind. Miami -- that's a football school. Then, DeQuan talked to me and helped recruit me also. I believe in the system. I believe we can show the world Miami is a basketball school as well as a football school.

Q&A: '09 hoops recruit Donnovan Kirk

After making a few pit stops Monday at a trio of high schools in South Florida for spring football, I got a chance this morning to squeeze in some blog work by speaking with the newest big-time basketball recruit headed to The U -- 6-8, 213-pound forward Donnovan Kirk of Detroit Country Day.

Kirk, rated the 56th-best recruit in the 2009 class by Rivals.com and a Scout.com Top 100 player,
committed to UM coach Frank Haith last week to become the first recruit in Miami's '09 class. (Villanova transfer Malcolm Grant, a 6-foot point guard, will also make his debut in '09 but is technically part of Miami's '08 class. The Hurricanes still have three scholarships available in '09). Kirk, whose parents both work in the auto industry, told me he's excited to be the first of what he hopes is a Top 25 national recruiting class at Miami. A B-student, Kirk said he still needs to get his SAT or ACT score to qualify at Miami. But he said it shouldn't be a problem. Here's what else we talked about...

Q: Being a guy from Michigan, I have to imagine you grew up a Wolverine or Spartans fan. That being said, the Canes were able to lure you from both of them and get you to commit to coming to South Florida. What did coach Haith do to convince you to come here?
A: I grew up in Pontiac and was a Michigan fan. But I wouldn't actually say it was that hard of a decision. I had narrowed it down to four schools, but really it was Michigan State and Miami. Coach Haith definitely built a strong relationship with me. I definitely see the relationship going forward in a great way. I met him at the beginning of my junior season. Miami was the second the school to offer me. But they definitely made me feel more comfortable than anyone else. Plus, I have family down there.

Q: Your high school coach mentioned last week that you had made an unofficial visit to Miami. What were your impressions and how did it play a role in your decision to pick the Canes?
A: My trip was definitely good. I went at the start of winter, I think when they opened the season against a D-II school. The highlight was sitting down and talking with the coaches and getting to know the players. The one thing I could see right away is that they're not selfish. They try to work together to win basketball games. What impressed me the most was when I watched them play and I watched coach Haith and how much they respect him and how he gives them respect. It was great to see that. I saw it again when I watched them on TV a couple times. I really feel like I can fit in.

Q: How important was it to you that UM had as good a season as it did. I mean, a year ago the Canes were 12-20 and in last in the ACC. How much did their turnaround to 23-11 and the second round of the NCAA Tournament help you in picking them?
A: That was very important. I was able to see that they really are good and on their way up, they're building something. I needed to see there really was a winning attitude. Its hard to go to a school where you are not winning games. I see players coming in and know players who really want to be a part of something special. I see a team coming in now that is ready to take Miami to the next level. And I want to be a part of that. I'm definitely going to work hard to make Miami one of the best schools in the nation.

Q: How do you see yourself fitting in? Your coach compared you last week to [former Gator and Atlanta Hawks rookie] Al Horford. He's a little bigger than you, bulkier. Do you see yourself being like Horford at all?

A: I think my game is a lot like his. But I'm still trying to get as big as he is. Coach Haith told me he'd like for me to get to like 230 pounds by the time I get to Miami. They want me to get stronger. I could also be 6-9, 6-10 by then. I'm really just trying to pick my game up, but the ball on the ground more, working on my handles. I think I can be strong and quick. My game is really inside, not out. I mean, I can hit the shot from the outside. But I love getting to the basket, dominating down low.

** Along my pitstops at American, Miramar and Carol City Monday, I got a chance to speak with '09 football recruit and Rivals.com 4-star defensive end Olivier Vernon. While I'll have my complete report over on the high school blog later this afternoon, I figured I'd let you know Vernon now considers himself "a soft verbal" to Miami.

He says while the Hurricanes are still the team he wants to play for, he said other college coaches like Alabama's Nick Saban have intrigued him with the notion of playing a flex linebacker/defensive end position like Vernon's idol, Jason Taylor. This season, Vernon will start at middle linebacker for American. He said UM is only recruiting him as a defensive end.

Q&A Double Play: Weeks, Hernandez

I know the baseball Canes have been getting the short end of the stick when it comes to coverage in this blog. But I'll try to make it up to you at least in this edition with a Double Play Q&A with second baseman Jemile Weeks and Chris Hernandez, the best hitter and pitcher on the nation's No. 1-ranked baseball team.

Hernandez will get the start again Friday night when St. Mary's College visits for a three-game series. Coach Jim Morris told reporters Wednesday, he's going to leave Hernandez in the Friday night starter role even though sophomore Eric Erickson is now back at full strength. It's not a knock on Erickson -- just some high praise for Hernandez. And its a good problem for the Canes to have.

Q: Before the season started you told me you wouldn't be nervous at all even though you were a freshman and so far you've lived up to it. You are 7-0 with a 2.77 ERA, 71 Ks, 14 BBs and now you are the Friday night starter. Are you surprised at all you've had the type of freshman season you've had?

A: It happened. It came along. I really didn't look at things any differently. It's the same game. Same as pitching on Sundays and Fridays. I just go out there and do my job. And so far my job has been good enough to get the job done on Fridays. And all I'm looking to do is not change anything, stay who I am. I don't want to focus on that stuff because I don't want to get big headed. But I have sat back a couple of times and said 'Wow, I'm having a pretty good year.' I definitely didn't think I'd be No. 1 because we got [Eric] Erickson. But I'm definitely happy with how its turned out. It's gone a lot better than I thought it would have.

Q: Has it been tough getting adjusted to playing at the college level -- especially your studies and your health?
A: It's been an adjustment. I got to stay on top of my stuff, conditioning, working out and my elbow strength to make sure I don't get injured. It's been a little tough adjusting to it. But I'm adjusting to it fine. It feels good. The key with the academics has just been making lists for myself, making sure I turn everything in on time for my classes and get to my class on time.

Q: Tell me what you've enjoyed the most about this season. Obviously last Friday night had to be up there -- 8 innings, 11 strikeouts, 1-0 shutout win over Virginia. But what else have you enjoyed about playing on this team?
A: Friday was definitely a highlight. But so was FSU. I've never played in front of a crowd like that -- that atmosphere where they're all against you was awesome. I didn't want to let it affect me and it didn't. The whole thing has been a real experience. The traveling, the playing and going to school here. I've liked it, I've really liked it. I was nervous my first start. But after I threw that first pitch, from then on, it was just like I was back in high school with better hitters facing me. In the dugout, some of the fun things we do is put the catcher's gear on to get the rally going and things like that. That's always fun.

Q: Tell me about how maybe your experiences playing at Monsignor Pace helped you make this transition easier? I mean, you've played on the nation's No. 1-ranked team before, pitched in plenty of big games and won a state championship as a junior. How did playing at Pace help you?
A: We always played against the best competition. [Coach Tom] Duffin did a great job with that, always playing against the best competition and I think that's what prepped me for this level of ball and definitely the conditioning program got me ready for this. His coaching ability and staying on top of us. I had great experiences and winning state was probably one of the most exciting things I've done.

Q: Where did you play as a kid and when did you actually start pitching?
A: I started off at West [Pembroke] Pines. I started in coach pitch. I played first base and outfield. And then when I got to the level of pitching, about a year later, I started pitching. People saw I could throw the ball for strikes and get outs. From then on it went to pitching. Then, I played with the South Florida Stars and started traveling. We went to Cooperstown [Baseball Hall of Fame]. It was an experience I'll never forget.

Q: Is there a pitcher you compare yourself to?
A: A lot of people compare me to Greg Maddux because I throw all my pitches for strikes. But I really don't look into comparing because I want to be my own person. I do try and follow some of what Johan Santana does. And I want to be there one day, like him, playing on TV.

Q: Can you talk about your pitches and maybe how you are using them differently now in college? Any difference from what you did at Pace?
A: I'm throwing the same thing I did in high school -- fastball, cutter, curveball and changeup. But my changeup has really moved up to be my third pitch. It used to be my last pitch. Now, I'm using it as my third pitch behind the cutter and its actually working well for me. It's getting strikeouts for me now. And I'm even landing it for my first strike. It's a big plus, big pitch in this game. In high school I never really used it. Now, I've been working on it and its working big for me and I really like it. I never really tried to overpower guys in high school. In my junior and senior year, I threw in the 80s. Now, I'm able to touch the 90s and work in the upper 80s and the changeup really works because it keeps them off balance and keeps them guessing. As far as my cutter is concerned, I've improved it with a different grip. [UM pitching coach] JD [Arteaga] helped with it. It really made it sharp at the end and helped me out a lot.

Q: Can you feel the swell of confidence this team has now when you step out on that field? Do you feel like the ace?
A: I think we're going to be confident with everybody on the mound. But it feels good to go out there as the ace. Because the ace you know they have more confidence in you. I always try to work to keep my team my team in the game. I don't really care about the strikeouts I just want to win the game.

Q&A WITH JEMILE WEEKS

Q: Talk about what it meant for you guys to go into Florida State and take two games from those guys? Was it the biggest series win of the season?

A: It was real big. We knew going in we were facing the No. 2 team in the nation and they played us like the No. 2 in the nation. We just went in there understanding what we had in front of us and we played our hearts out and came out with two wins. And it was a big confidence booster for our team. The ending? It was just uncalled for type of actions. But when it comes down right to it, its UM and Florida State and intensity is going to take over.

Q: You guys have been on a roll all season, do you get that feeling of invincibility?
A: We feel glimpses of it. We just never feel like we're out of the game. I think we still have to have that mentality where we believe we're playing for the championship every night. Everybody is out to beat us and we got to prove everyday that we're the best. It's one of those feelings where we know we can win, but we got to prove it.

Q: Can you talk about the way your season has been going considering how much time you missed last year and how much maybe that injury affected you? I mean, you are hitting lights out at .389 with 9 homers and 44 RBI in 40 games. Last year, in 50 games, you were at .298 with five homers and 27 RBI.
A: It's just a big improvement for me all around. It's just being healthy, being able to come to the field and know I can play the way I can play. It's definitely been pleasing to me. But to me, I'd like to finish strong instead of just starting strong and fizzling out.

Q: How often do you get to talk to your brother Rickie [the starting second baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers]? What do you guys talk about? Do you tease him at all because your having such a great year and he's only hitting (.190) right now?
A: We try to schedule talks once, twice a week. We have a conflict every now and then and we miss a talk. But we always try to talk at least once a week. We just have the normal conversation between brothers. Every now and then, we'll get into the baseball aspect of things. He just congratulates me. But we're not going to dwell on it because he's just like me, we're not going to just sit on one game or two great games. Its how you finish. If I hit a home run or go three for four, he'll tell me good job. But we aren't going to throw a party for a few games.

Q: Coach talked to us last week about the grind on academics? He said the new schedule leaves you little time for your studies and homework? Is it tough?
A: He's right. It takes a toll on the academics. If you think about it, if you got five games a week and you get one day off from everything, school is just a portion of that day -- between traveling and practice. I mean you got to really manage your time to accomplish the things you want to accomplish.

Q: Does having the schedule like this help you though as a player to get you into a flow?
A: Definitely. I think it helps you get consistent. Once you feel good one day, you get that same confidence and feeling the next day.

Q: Last question -- so, Jack McClinton tells me you and him are in the same modern dance class. Are you going to be the next South Florida athlete on Dancing with the Stars?
A: I don't know if I could give Jason Taylor a run for his money. He's pretty good [laughter]. Our class, it's just modern dance type stuff. We haven't gotten into the tango or any of that other stuff. But its a lot of fun.

** LISTEN IN: Larry Blustein and I recorded a half hour podcast earlier this week. I got his thoughts on the spring games, who he thinks will shine among the '08 recruits who will be arriving soon and much more. Check out the audio out at The Countdown. By the way, be sure to check out Larry's radio show The Dolphins Gridiron Report on Thursday nights from 8 to 9 p.m. at 560 WQAM. He has college coaches and recruits on the show all the time.

Quick hits: Hoops recruit, pitching, Ice

Just got back from Wednesday's baseball practice and have a few quick tidbits of info I'd like to share with you from all three sports:

- Frank Haith's basketball program has picked up another player who will be part of the 2009 class, 6-8, 205-pound power forward Donnovan Kirk. Scout.com's Dave Telep reported it this afternoon. Kirk, a Scout.com Top 100 junior from Detroit County Day, picked UM over Michigan State, USC and South Florida. Rivals.com rates Kirk 56th in its Top 100. Telep reported UM got in early on Kirk and swayed him from the hometown Spartans. Assuming Kirk sticks to his word, he becomes the second member of the 2009 class, joining Villanova transfer Malcolm Grant. Miami has four seniors heading into next season and likely two more scholarships available to use in '09. I've got a call into Kirk's high school coach and hopefully will have more for you later tonight.

- Baseball coach Jim Morris said Wednesday he's going to leave freshman Chris Hernandez in the Friday night starter role instead of going back to now fully healthy sophomore Eric Erickson. Hernandez was named Pro-Line Athletic National Pitcher of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on Tuesday. The former Monsignor Pace standout matched a career-high with 11 strikeouts in a career-long eight innings to lead No. 1 Miami to a series-opening 1-0 shutout of No. 16 Virginia last Friday. He improved to 7-0 on the season with a 2.77 ERA. I caught up with Hernandez this afternoon and will have a Q&A later this week for you.

- Booker T. Washington football coach Tim "Ice" Harris told our Andre Fernandez today he will indeed be leaving the Tornadoes to work at UM. Harris is waiting until after his team competes in the Class 3A state track and field championships this week to formally announce it. He'll be following his son Brandon, a star cornerback and '08 recruit. Rumor is the job Harris will be taking is Community Liaison. Harris led Booker T. to the state football championship this past December and won last year's state track title. UM coach Randy Shannon has been friends with Ice for years and I'm told UM is very much interested in letting him coach down the line.

Canes pickup '09 lineman

One of the biggest areas of need the University of Miami had when building its 2008 recruiting class was finding big bodies to plug-in on both the offensive and defensive lines. The Hurricanes addressed the defensive side with three of the best players in the state -- Northwestern's Marcus Forston, Pahokee's Micanor Regis and Palm Beach Lakes' Jeremy Lewis.

Tuesday, Miami added more depth to the position when it picked up its fifth commitment in the 2009 class in 6-3, 280-pound junior Luther Robinson of Fort Pierce Westwood. Robinson, a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, earned Defensive Line MVP honors last month at the Nike Camp in Gainesville and is one of the highest rising recruits in the '09 class. While he's being recruited as a defensive tackle, don't rule out the possibility he could move to offense. Robinson plays both sides of the line at Westwood

"I watched him play some last year and I think he's OK," new Miami Herald recruiting analyst Larry Blustein said of Robinson. "He's a solid pickup, a good early pickup for Miami. I think he's definitely going to add depth to the position. He's got some good physical attributes. And he's got a whole season to get better."

I spoke to Robinson and his father Tuesday evening and both were excited with the decision to pick UM. In the last month, the Robinson said his son had received offers from UM, South Carolina, Florida, Florida State, UCF, Georgia and Georgia Tech. He took an unofficial visit to UM last Friday and saw the campus for the first time. He said he fell in love with the small classes and is excited about majoring in Engineering. Robinson, who boasts a 3.4 GPA, takes honors Algebra II, English, Chemistry, Physics and American History at Westwood.

"One of the things I can say is he's been a good kid on the field and off the field," Robinson Sr. said. "He's just as dedicated to his academics as he is to football."

Robinson Sr. said his son bench presses 315 pounds and squats 500 pounds, but UM coaches would like for him to work on his strength and his speed (Robinson currently runs a 5.0 in the 40). He said while his son will be orally committed to the program, he still wants his son to take his visits to other schools.

"He gave a verbal commit and he's going to ride on that," Robinson Sr. said. "But I want him to see some other things too, ask more questions. But we really like what we saw at Miami. Coach Shannon and everyone opened the doors and really made my family feel at home."

Draft analysis, baseball talk

I couldn't help but wince Sunday night when I realized only three Canes had been selected over the weekend. Sure, Kenny Phillips kept The Streak alive of first round picks (albeit with the final pick of the first round). But the other streak (which means a lot in itself too) of having at least five players chosen in the draft since 2000, came to a crashing halt when linebacker Tavares Gooden turned out to be the final UM player chosen with the eighth pick in the third round.

To me, Sunday's draft results tells us not only was UM's 5-7 football team bad, but it without question
lacked more pro talent than any of the previous mediocre Hurricanes teams. And for all the hype the 2003 and 2004 recruiting classes received, they never came close to living up to their billing (the '03 was rated fifth by Rivals and the '04 class was fourth). Remember those 5-star blue chip recruits in Kyle Wright and Lance Leggett? Undrafted. How about 4-stars Darnell Jenkins, Vegas Franklin, Willie Cooper and Tyrone Moss? Ditto. There are several ways you can look at what happened and place blame. One, the kids were overrated to begin with and never developed. And/or two, Miami coaches not only failed in making those players better when they got here, but UM's staff made huge mistakes in the recruiting game by even bringing those guys in.

One thing should now be clear and without debate: Randy Shannon's team was worse this year in part because it simply wasn't as talented as those UM teams previous to it. The two previous Larry Coker coached teams had a combined 14 players worthy of being drafted (including four first rounders, three second rounders and two third rounders). Say what you will about coaching. But the bottomline is you need the horses to get the job done. And even when you look at this team going into next season, finding horses among the upperclassmen is still an awfully hard task. Up to this point have any of the 2005 recruits honestly lived up to their hype? Has Reggie Youngblood performed like a 5-star recruit? How about those four-star guys in that class? Dajleon Farr (no longer on the team), Spencer Adkins, Richard Gordon, Courtney Harris, Randy Phillips, Christopher Barney, Bruce Johnson, Demetri Stewart (no longer on the team), AJ Trump, Luqman Abdullah and Antonio Dixon? How about the 2006 class which featured these four-star guys as the best in class -- Ryan Hil, Tervaris Johnson, Kylan Robinson, Dedrick Epps, Josh Holmes and Sam Shields.

Right now, the only UM player in either the 2005 or 2006 class (those eligible for the 2009 draft) even on first round radar is running back Javarris James. Left tackle Jason Fox should be. Linebacker Colin McCarthy eventually could be. So, too could Reggie Youngblood and a few other seniors with really strong, breakout seasons. But the point is Sunday's draft, as well as next year's, should only further emphasize just how big of a hole this program has been in of late and how much it needs to improve to get back to the level it once was when the NFL was beating down the door to get Canes players. Like many of you, I'm confident the newest guys Shannon has brought in the last two seasons are going to be a lot like the studs this program used to turn out a few years back. Allen Bailey, Sean Spence, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Arthur Brown, Marcus Forston, Aldarius Johnson, Graig Cooper, Orlando Franklin are all guys you should be really excited about. But they are all young. As much as I want to be optimistic UM will be a lot better next season, its hard to imagine those talented young players being good enough to make UM much better than it was two, three seasons ago. For UM -- and any program for that matter -- to be special, it needs its juniors and senior classes to have some first round talent and dependable studs. And right now, Miami's junior and senior classes have a lot to prove.

By the way, my money is on Jason Fox to extend the streak to 15 years in '09. NFL teams are always looking for good left tackles and he's played like one since he walked in the door.

CANES SWEEP VIRGINIA: Got to give Jim Morris' boys another pat on the back for bouncing back from their loss to FIU on Wednesday by sweeping a solid Virginia team at home this weekend. UM is now an impressive 36-5 on the season and should still be the consensus No. 1 team in the country despite its hiccup against the Golden Panthers.

That being said, I think one of the best stories of the season -- outside of how Yonder Alonso and company
have been tearing the cover off the ball -- is just how good freshman left-hander Chris Hernandez has turned out to be. I know he was the star Friday with his 11-strikeout, 8-inning performance in UM's first ACC shutout since the 2006 season. But maybe we ought to consider him the MVP of this season.

In 10 starts, he's 7-0 with a 2.77 ERA, 71 strikeouts and 14 walks. He's pitched 65 innings -- 19 more than anyone else on the team. He's also picked off five runners. And without question, he's more than picked up the slack for an injured Eric Erickson in the Friday night starter role. Miami has won all 10 times it has played on Friday nights.

--> FYI... for those of you wondering what I've been up to of late since I've been a little lost, I'm working on laying the groundwork for The Herald's new and improved recruiting coverage which will begin next month. Aside from Larry Blustein's weekly columns, we'll have plenty of stories on other players and high school teams. And I'm going to be a big part of that. So, my plan is to pop in here and continue writing blogs on hot new stuff when it is warranted, but I'm also planning on spending a lot of my time over the next couple months on recruiting before college football picks up iat the end of July and the beginning of August. I'm still planing on doing my spring recaps and all of the other stuff we've talked about it including chats and doing podcasts. But the next couple of weeks I'll be busy with recruiting.

A look back at UM and the NFL Draft

This weekend as Hurricanes fans sit and watch the NFL Draft wondering if Calais Campbell, Kenny Phillips or Tavares Gooden will continue The Streak, I hope they'll be able to look back at the greatness the University of Miami has achieved over the years instead of dwelling on disappointment (should it happen). After all, since 1984, UM has produced more first round draft picks (47) than any other school. And even if The Streak (of having consecutive first round picks) ends at 13, Miami will still own that better record after Saturday.

So, in honor of The Streak and good times the program has had over the years, I decided to take a look back and come up with something for U to talk about heading into Saturday. Who do you think has been the Canes' best First Round pick of all-time? Who has turned out to be UM's best pick after the First Round? And which Canes just never lived up to their billing as first round picks? There is a lot of criteria to consider when you bring up these topics. I consider what the player has achieved, where and when they were drafted and who was taken ahead or behind them in their draft. I also take into consideration what was expected of them going in. Anyway, it's just my opinion. Feel free to chime in with your opinions and thoughts below.

UM's Best First Round Picks of All-Time... according to me
1. LB Ray Lewis (1996, 26th overall, Baltimore Ravens):Picking Ray-Ray No. 1 wasn't easy, but after considering where he was taken compared to the rest of the guys on this list it was. A nine-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year as well as the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV. He has career totals of 1,520 tackles, 1367 solo tackles, 11 forced fumbles, 90 passes defended, 83 tackles for loss, 30 sacks, 13 fumble recoveries, and 25 interceptions in 162 games in his twelve seasons. He's led the NFL in tackles five times (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004). The funny part now is looking back and seeing who passed up on him. The two linebackers taken in front of him -- Kevin Hardy and Reggie Brown. The Dolphins, who picked 20th, took defensive tackle Darryl Gardener.

2. WR Michael Irvin (1988, 11th overall, Dallas Cowboys): The Playmaker finished his Hall of Fame career with 750 receptions (10th all-time in the NFL) for 11,904 yards (9th all-time in the NFL) and 65 touchdowns. His 47 100-yard receiving games remains the third most in NFL history, behind Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (65) and Don Maynard (50). He was selected to five Pro Bowls and was a key playmaker for the Cowboys that won 6 division titles and three Super Bowls. He was the third receiver taken in his draft -- behind Tim Brown and Sterling Sharpe. He is also the only Hall of Famer in the first round of the 1988 Draft.

3. S Ed Reed (2002, 24th overall, Baltimore Ravens): A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Reed was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 a season in which he picked off nine passes and set an NFL record for the longest INT return for a touchdown. He owns the Ravens franchise record for picks with 34. He's also blocked four punts in his career, returning three for touchdowns to tie an NFL record.

4. QB Jim Kelly (1983, 14th overall, Buffalo Bills): Kelly doesn't exactly qualify as a first
round pick considering he skipped out the Bills to play two seasons in the USFL. But when he finally did return to the NFL he was one of the best in the game, running the K-Gun offense in Buffalo to four consecutive Super Bowls (1990-93) -- even though the Bills never won. Kelly made the Pro Bowl four times and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. Kelly might have ended up with the Chiefs if Kansas City wouldn't have been so stupid to pick Todd Blackledge instead of Kelly with the seventh pick.

5. RB Edgerrin James (1999, 4th overall, Indianapolis Colts): For all the hoopla Mike Ditka made in drafting Ricky Williams in 1999, it is The Edge who has turned out to have the better career after all. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Edge led the NFL in rushing in 1999 and 2000. He's currently the record holder for most total yards from scrimmage per game in a regular season career.

Honorable mention: WR Reggie Wayne (2001, 30th overall, Indianapolis Colts), DT Warren Sapp (1995, 12th overall, Tampa Bay), RB Ottis Anderson (1979, 8th overall, St. Louis Cardinals), QB Vinny Testaverde (1987, 1st overall, Tampa Bay), CB Duane Starks (1998, 10th overall, Baltimore Ravens), WR Eddie Brown (1985, 13th overall, Cincinnati), TE Jeremy Shockey (2002, 14th overall, Giants).

Biggest Cane Draft Day Steals
1. C Jim Otto (1961, undrafted, Oakland): It's amazing to see how little Canes fans honestly connect with Otto. I know it's been a long time since he played at UM, but considering what he
accomplished in his career, you'd think he'd be more of a UM posterboy. After all, he is the ultimate steal. After no NFL teams gave the undersized center a look, Otto signed with Oakland in AFL. For the next fifteen years, Otto became a fixture at center for the Raiders, never missing a single game due to injury. Including pre-season, regular season and post-season games, Otto competed in 308 consecutive games and was a 13-time All-Pro. He punished his body greatly during his NFL career, resulting in nearly 40 surgeries, including 28 knee operations (nine of them during his playing career alone) and multiple joint replacements.

2. DE Ted Hendricks (1969, 2nd round, 33rd overall, Baltimore): Hendricks played for four Super Bowl winning teams and was a Pro Bowl selection eight times. Nicknamed the Stork, his height was a major obstacle for quarterbacks. Hendricks picked off 26 passes in his career and blocked 25 point after tries and field goals combined an unofficial NFL record. I know people are knocking Calais Campbell's 40-time. But I'm sure Hendricks wasn't fast in the 40 either. I think Calais can be a great one too. He just had a tough junior season -- so did everyone else on a 5-7 team.

3. LB Jessie Armstead (1993, 8th round, 207th overall, Giants): Considered too undersized for linebacker, Armstead made the most of his chance in the NFL, becoming a five time Pro Bowler with the New York Giants. He finished his career with 752 tackles, 40 sacks and 12 interceptions.

4. WR Devin Hester (2006, 2nd round, 57th overall, Chicago): A two-time Pro Bowl selection in just two seasons and already considered the most electrifying return man in the game.

5. RB Clinton Portis (2002, 2nd round, 51st overall, Denver): The NFL's 2003 Offensive
Rookie of the Year rushed for over 1,500 yards in each of his first two seasons with the Broncos, averaging 5.5 yards per carry in that span. The latter is an NFL record for a running back's first two seasons. He's slowed down a bit since being traded to the Redskins, but you can still consider him a steal. Other running backs taken in front of him in 2002, T.J. Duckett, DeShaun Foster and William Green.

Honorable mention: RB Frank Gore (2005, 3rd round, 65th overall, San Francisco), OL Chris Myers (2005, 6th round, 200th overall, Denver), LB Micheal Barrow (1993, 2nd round, 47th overall, Houston), DB Fred Marion (1982, 5th round, 120th overall, New England), CB Ryan McNeil (1993, 2nd round, 33rd overall, Detroit).

Biggest Disappointments/Busts
1. WR Yatil Green (1997, 15th overall, Dolphins): As a Dolphins fan I used to wonder why Miami rarely selected Hurricanes in the draft. Then, Yatil Green happened. And I've been worried about
a jinx ever since. On the very first day of training camp, Green tore his quadriceps, ACL and cartilage in his right knee. He came back the next year and again tore the same ACL in training camp. In his third and only season he played in 9 games catching 18 receptions for 234 yards and 0 touchdowns. After three years and a total of 10 surgeries on his right knee, he was cut by the Dolphins and signed by the Jets, but never played a down and was cut during the season.

2. DL Jerome McDougle (2003, 15th overall, Philadelphia): I'm sure this will win me points with Drew Rosenhaus (McDougle's agent). I'm kidding. Truth is, Jerome's entire career has been marred by injuries. He missed eight games his rookie season ankle, knee and hip injuries. He was shot during a robbery in Miami and missed the entire 2005 season. He missed all of 2007 with an injury. It's a shame because I thought he was going to be a stud.

3. DT William Joseph (2003, 25th overall, Giants): Hate to do this to a guy from Miami Edison High, but Big Willie has only made 17 starts in his five-year career and has seven sacks. He didn't play at all during the Giants Super Bowl winning season and is now starting over in Oakland.

4. DT Russell Maryland (1991, 1st overall, Dallas): Even though he played 10 seasons in
the NFL for Dallas, Oakland and Green Bay, Maryland never really lived up to being the overall top player chose in 1991. He was selected to the Pro Bowl only once (1993) in his career after winning the Outland Trophy in 1990. By comparison, Cortez Kennedy (taken 3rd overall by Seattle in 1990) and Warren Sapp (taken 12th by Tampa Bay in 1995) had far better pro careers.

5. CB Phillip Buchanon (2002, 17th overall, Oakland): It was hard to come up with a fifth guy for this category until I remembered what a big deal was made when he decided to leave school a year early and enter the draft. After a strong second season in Oakland in which he picked off six passes, the 27-year old stepped up his game this past season in Tampa (his third team) and recorded 61 tackles and three interceptions in 13 starts. But his career certainly hasn't lived up to expectations on a whole -- especially when you consider he was taken nine spots in front of Ed Reed.

Late addition: WR Randal "Thrill" Hill (1991, 23rd overall, Dolphins).

This and that: Shannon, Morris and more

It's not going to happen often from now until the start of fall ball in August, so when it does, it leads. Football coach Randy Shannon spoke for 10 minutes with reporters during Tuesday's ACC Teleconference.

The biggest news? Shannon said redshirt freshman defensive end Adewale Ojomo (rumored on message boards to be kicked off the team) is still a Cane and linebacker Eric Houston is moving to fullback.

* Shannon said he still isn't sure if Luqman Abdallah (who moved from defensive line to offensive line) will play tackle or guard. He said the team moved Ryan Hill to defensive back "to get more out of him" and because he gives the team more depth at safety. He said moving Damien Berry to running back was about "depth."

* Aside from praising the play of the quarterbacks and receivers, Shannon also praised the play of sophomore defensive end Allen Bailey. Shannon said he wouldn't be surprised if Bailey, who switched from linebacker to end before the spring, weighs 310 or 315 pounds by the fall. Bailey told me he weighed 292 at the end of the spring.

"We were really, really excited about the way Allen Bailey picked up," Shannon said. "He still has a couple of things to go, but as far as his first time playing defensive end, we're really excited by him. He has a lot of pass rush natural ability. He really controlled the tight end, the offensive tackle, had a good get-off chasing the football and mentality on the defensive line. He's an explosive, big kid. I don't know if he'll ever stop [gaining] weight, getting bigger."

BASEBALL TALK: There is confidence and then there is cockiness. When the University of Miami has been at its greatest -- whether its on the diamond or on the football field -- the Hurricanes have usually been perceived as the latter by outsiders around the country (I call it envy).

I know there will be some people out there who will assume that little tiff between Florida State and Miami Sunday was a result of "those hot dog Canes feeling cocky again because they're No. 1." I haven't been around the baseball team as much as the basketball and football teams this year. But I was out at the Light again Tuesday and I can tell you my cocky-o-meter didn't really register much of a hit again with this team.

"We just go out there everyday knowing we're going to win," said first baseman Yonder Alonso, who earned his second ACC Player of the Week award after hitting .556 with 10 runs scored, nine RBI and homering twice over the weekend."The confidence right now is sky high. We just feel everytime we go out there we're going to come out on top. Right now we feel invincible. But we just got to stay even keel and every team we play we know they're going to come at us with their A-game every time. They're going to come out ready to go. We just have to come out better."

To me, Jim Morris' baseball team is just really confident and happy they're having a great season. And what happened at the end of Sunday's thrilling 11-10 victory should be construed as nothing more than a happy team celebrating an emotional victory.

"It was an emotional end," said Morris, who talked to reporters at length Tuesday about Sunday's tiff, which started with some colorful conversation between the teams at home plate and escalated when fans at Dick Howser Stadium began spitting, tossing drinks and obscenities at UM players as they left the field.

"Florida State did a great job fighting their way back into the game and then there was that [situation when they had runners on] first and third and there was a called strike to end the game. Our guys celebrated like they normally, do like Florida State does or North Carolina or anybody does after a win. It kind of went south from that point..."

Morris talked about a lot of things Tuesday among them feeling a bit surprised Florida State didn't leave its dugout to shake hands. He said he hasn't spoken to FSU coach Mike Martin or anyone from the ACC about the skirmish, but he hopes both teams will "turn the page" if and when they meet again this season.

Miami (31-4) has no choice but to move on. The Hurricanes host crosstown rival FIU (13-29) Wednesday night at 7 p.m. before welcoming Virginia (31-11 and ranked 20th in the USA Today/ESPN Coach's poll) on Friday for a three-game weekend series.

NALEPA TO START WEDNESDAY: Morris said he will send 6-2, 225-pound right-handed sophomore Anthony Nalepa (2-0, 5.00 ERA, 9 IP) to the mound Wednesday in his first career start.

"Nalepa has good stuff. He's a tough guy. He gets himself in trouble by walking a few guys here and there. But that's because he's trying to be too fine with his pitches," Morris said. "It's not because he's too wild or anything. Because he's not. He's close. He just needs to get ahead of the hitters. He's got good movement, he's got good stuff and he's just got to get ahead of the hitters."

ERICKSON IMPROVING: The bigger news regarding Miami's rotation revolves around its ace, left-handed sophomore Eric Erickson, who pitched four innings in Sunday's win. Morris said he is going to move Erickson up in the rotation a day to Saturday, switching him with Enrique Garcia.

"I thought he pitched really well considering he hadn't pitched in a month," Morris said. "He had trouble early locating his changeup and curveball but toward the end he pitched better the last two innings than the first two innings... He was a little sore [afterward]. But you always are."

Erickson (6-0, 3.28 ERA) pitched four innings Sunday and his pitch count was limited to 60 pitches. But Morris said he'll probably move the pitch count up to 75 in an effort to gradually move it back up. Erickson said the soreness he's suffered from in is in his forearm.

"My fastball was fine. I was hitting my spots. But I almost forgot how to throw a changeup since I hadn't done it for awhile," Erickson said Tuesday. "My curveball was OK too. I was able to get those two pitches and I did the best job I could. I absolutely knew I wasn't going to have my best stuff and that team can absolutely hit and there is a short right porch. I knew with all their left-handed hitters it might creep up on me. The three solo home runs I gave up were only three runs and I thought that was a good enough outing to keep us in the game."

BANGED UP: Morris said while his team is healthy overall, it is still battling a lot of little nagging injuries. "We got a lot of guys banged up. We got an injury report this morning when I met with our trainer and we had 16 of 31 guys listed on the injury report. So we're kind of banged up. We're trying to get through that. We're going to have a short practice today and get ready for tomorrow."

NOT SATISFIED: Being No. 1 is great and all. But Alonso and his teammates have their eyes on a bigger prize. "To be honest its fun thinking about it. Yeah, we're No. 1 in every poll. But we haven't done anything. We don't get a trophy for that. We don't get a ring for that. We got to go out there everyday knowing we got to prove something to everyone, to the United States that we are the No. 1 team and no matter what we're going to be No. 1. Throughout the year, we got to stay there."

FYI... To hear the audio interviews from today click on this link.

Blustein on board

In the five years I spent as the high school sports writer in Miami-Dade County, one of the recruiting gurus who always impressed me with his wealth of knowledge was North Miami High's very own Larry Blustein. Over the years, Larry and I have developed a great friendship and it was always one of my goals to one day bring him over to our side at The Herald. Well, I'm proud to finally be able to say I've achieved that goal.

Starting next month, Larry will start writing a weekly, year-round recruiting column in The Herald and working hand-in-hand with me on trying to provide the best recruiting coverage of any newspaper in the state in what we both believe is the richest talent-base in the country for high school football. You guys who are regulars here on the blog know Larry and I have recorded a number of podcasts in the past year. On our shows, we often talk about about high school players the Canes are interested in, getting or looking at. We have plans on continuing that -- and doing much more.

With the interest in recruiting reaching new levels every year, I think having Larry on board with us will give us something very unique in the industry. I call Larry the Mel Kiper of high school recruiting -- and truth is he is more than that. He's been around South Florida and studied recruiting in this state for more than 40 years. He knows everyone and has seen just about every great high school player play -- from those old 60s Coral Gables teams to the loaded Northwestern team of a year ago that produced current Canes Marcus Forston, Sean Spence, Jacory Harris and Aldarius Johnson. Unlike many other so-called recruiting experts who just watch film on kids, or make it out to a few combines, Larry travels around the country and sees many kids play in person in addition to the many hours of film he watches. Every summer, he literally travels from Key West to Pensacola on his own dime because high school recruiting is his passion. All of that in my opinion makes his perspective when it comes predicting the stars of tomorrow quite special. I hope you all will take a moment to welcome Larry (who comes on the blog every now and then to chat with Canes fans) to the paper. I know I'm excited.