Timing Day, SPR: Day 3

They didn't have the type of careers they hoped for at UM. But a collection of 14 recently departed Canes continued to strive for more as pro hopefuls Friday afternoon by participating in NFL Timing Day at The U. Kyle Wright, Kenny Phillips, Calais Campbell, Derrick Morse, Tavares Gooden and Darnell Jenkins met with the media after their workouts for a collection of about 50 NFL scouts Friday.

With two stories due soon, I don't have time to give you an in depth rundown. But here are some quick notes from NFL Timing Day and Friday's afternoon practice.

* Quarterback Kyle Wright said he's optimistic he'll be drafted and said he spoke with two head coaches -- the Vikings Brad Childress and the Chargers' Norv Turner -- during his time in Indianapolis earlier this week for the NFL Combine. "The feedback I’ve been getting is very good in that aspect," Wright said of being drafted. "They said they were impressed with how I was throwing the football. Everybody I talked to knew the situation down here. I didn’t have to go and reiterate that. Whatever happened, happened. I’m just ready to go to the next level and have a new opportunity."

* Defensive end Calais Campbell, who was disappointed with his 40-yard dash time (5.06) in Indianapolis earlier this week, wasn't happy with what he ran on Friday and said it "felt like I was slow or not as fast as I usually am." Campbell said the one area he improved skills Friday was his vertical leap -- he picked up five inches from what he did in Indianapolis. "I think the position drills really helped me out a little bit," Campbell said of his workout Friday and potential draft stock. "I got to show my athletic abilities. I think I just got to continue working hard. That’s what I’m going to do always. I’m all about hard work and getting better, getting better on the field. When the private workouts come, I’ll try my best." Campbell said he spent the past month in California trying to add muscle and strength to his upper body. He said his plan now is to train in Miami with UM strength coach Andrew Swasey in the months leading up to the draft.

* Despite tweaking his hamstring, linebacker Tavares Gooden said he turned in a faster 40 time Friday (4.48-4.52) than he did at the combine (4.6) earlier this week and said his vertical jumped from 34.5 inches to 39 inches on Friday. Gooden said what he thinks NFL teams like about him is his ability to play all three linebacker spots. "I think its going to come down to me going to my different scouting days and going out there and showing them how well I can move," said Gooden on where he could end up being drafted. "I know had a couple injuries, but I think I tested well with those injuries. People can see I can play while I have a couple nicks and bruises."

* Receiver Darnell Jenkins, who was named Team MVP this past season, said he improved his 40- time (4.45) and his speed during agility drills Friday. He said what slowed him in Indianapolis was the fact he was asked to run first and he "was unable to stretch." He said he spoke to 25 teams at the combine this past week and has been told by experts to drop from 187 pounds to 180. "At lot of scouts say regardless if I ran the 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, when they watch my film it’s much faster than that," Jenkins said. "A lot of scouts say that I’m real tough and I’m capable of running past anybody and that’s what they like about me."

* Safety Kenny Phillips said he did not participate in tests Friday because he and agent Drew Rosenhaus were pleased with his 40-yard dash time of 4.48 in Indianapolis. Phillips, however, did particpate in position drills Friday. Expected to the first UM player taken and listed by many experts as the No. 1 safety prospect in the draft, Phillips said he was asked by some NFL scouts earlier this week why he had a drop in production this season. His response: "Some of them [brought up my lack of production]. I just told them it didn’t happen. I told them I matured more as a player. I took on a lot more responsibility as far as communicating and helping the coaches out and they still said I made a lot of plays. I just got to look at it through my point of view and it worked out for me."

SPRING PRACTICE NOTES...
* Friday was the first day this spring UM players lined up in full pads and according to kicker Matt Bosher Miami's offense had a good day. Bosher said receiver Leonard Hankerson hauled in touchdown pass from Robert Marve, running back Javarris Jenkins scored on a run and receiver Kayne Farquharson hauled in another TD pass.

* Coach Randy Shannon (CHECK OUT HIS AUDIO) spent several minutes after practice yelling at his team. Players said Shannon wasn't happy with the way the special teams concluded practice.

* Several offensive lineman including Jason Fox said they've been impressed with the way right guard Joel Figueroa has shown improvement. Right now, Figueroa is the favorite to replace Derrick Morse in the starting lineup this season.

Weekday leftovers

Who said leftovers weren't good? Well, it's going to be a busy weekend at the University of Miami. The men's hoops team hosts Virginia Saturday in the first of two virtual must-win home games. Spring football practice moves forward with a Friday morning special of NFL Timing Day for the guys headed to the pros. And the undefeated Canes baseball team will host the hated Gators.

Before we turn our attention to all that, I wanted to feed you the last bit of leftover notes and thoughts I had from the week. I also wanted to remind you to check out Tuesday's and Wednesday's practice reports as well as the collection of audio interviews I recorded for your listening pleasure. But first, some quick hits...

QUICK HITS...
* Miami's loss at Clemson Wednesday night could be blamed on the 21-point hole the Hurricanes dug for themselves early on against the Tigers. And, it could also be blamed on the nearly 10 hours it took for the Hurricanes to get from South Florida to South Carolina the night before the game. According to my buddy Brian London from WQAM, the Canes left campus at 9 a.m. Tuesday. But because of delays at the airport and having luggage lost in Atlanta, UM's buses didn't pull up to the team hotel until 6:30 p.m. Maybe that should have been one of the few flights the Canes' penny-pinching athletic department should have considered chartering?

* Football coach Randy Shannon officially announced last week his desire to put the names of players on the back of jerseys again. Then, we learned this week that players that did not see the field last year would have to earn their "U'' decals on their helmets. I know some of you have gotten bent out of shape about Randy's tactics. But I kind of like what he's done here. The funny thing would be if one of the new guys didn't do enough from now until the start of the season to earn one. Would Randy send them out on the field without a U?

* There's no doubt the four new Northwestern kids are not only talented, but they're loaded with personality too. In two practices, I've already collected better quotes from Marcus Forston, Jacory Harris and Aldarius Johnson than I did from any other trio on the team a year ago. They're refreshing. And trust me, they got that old-school Cane attitude. Harris laughed at Nix when he asked this week if he was nervous. Johnson said what we were all thinking when he said Cannon Smith "was a bit short." Forston made his own funny when he exaggeratted how close he and his fellow Bulls were, saying "we all take showers together and go to the bathroom together." I'm all for being serious at the right time. But college football is supposed to have a little fun in it too, right?

MR. QUOTE MACHINE: When I first met Kayne Farquharson last season and drove down to his home in Homestead and met his mother, I knew the Canes were getting a throwback, trash-talking wide receiver. Farquharson, though, made it a point last season to keep his mouth shut for the most part and let the veterans do the talking. So far this spring, though, Kayne has done a pretty good job raising his voice and the level of his play.

Through the first two practices, he and sophomore Leonard Hankerson are considered the first team receivers, ahead of freshman Aldarius Johnson and junior Sam Shields. Farquharson said "It’s been a glorious few days." But that wasn't the only thing the Mouth of the Canes was talking 'bout. I asked him to give us the Kayne Farquharson assesment of UM's trio of young quarterbacks, his thoughts on new receivers coach Aubrey Hill and more.

"We’re going to start with Cannon Smith, the money man -- shout out to Fed Ex," Farquharson said Wednesday. "Cannon has been doing a good job of throwing the ball very accurate. Jacory Harris. I helped recruit him myself. I see a lot of things with Jacory. He’s a smart guy. He goes through his progressions. For a high school kid, you don’t see that a lot. And then we got Robert Marve, last but not least, the son of an NFL linebacker. Great genetics. Strong arm. All three of the quarterbacks are very accurate. It’s been a good two days for all three of them."

So, what about Hill? "So far, so good," Farquharson said. "He leads with an iron fist. He lets us know if we do good he’ll give us a compliment. But I also know he's got a doghouse. Nobody has been in the dog house yer. I hope everybody stays out of the dog house."

Redshirt freshman Daniel Adderly has been seen making plays during practice. Farquharson's take: "6-6 got some hands. I call him 6-6. I call him Plaxico sometimes," K-Far. "He’s a raw guy. Once he gets his game downpack, I think he’ll be a very good receiver."

Farquharson once told me he was interested in asking Cane great Michael Irvin for his No. 47 jersey. Wednesday, he told me he gave up on the idea and decided to stick with the number they gave him -- 82. Why? "Because there’s 82 ways to the end zone."

WORKING HIS WAY BACK: Few players have had to endure the hardships junior Anthony Reddick has had to endure during his time at UM. After making six starts as a freshman in 2004, he tore his right ACL 22 plays into his sophomore season. The following year, he was limited by injury before being suspended for the fracas with FIU. Last April, he tore his left ACL in a pickup basketball game and never got on the field. Surprisingly, the 6-foot, 208-pound senior seemed pretty chipper this week, sporting a smile when reporters talked to him Wednesday."You appreciate it a lot," Reddick said of getting a chance to return and play this season. "While I’ve been out I’ve been thinking about a lot of things."

Reddick said he's turned to two former Canes who have suffered his same pain -- cornerback Glenn Sharpe and running back Frank Gore. He said he's spoken to them frequently for support. "They said once you work hard everything will work out, [the knees] will be perfect. The first one [his right ACL] is feeling 110 percent. The other knee, yeah, I'm still not there. But It just takes some hard work. Frank is a prime example, he had both knees. It’s something you got to fight through."

He admits his timing is still not back. He said the same explosion he once felt in his left knee has not returned yet. But he's optimistic it will. "It's just about reacting a little faster, just doing it and not thinking about it," Reddick said. "It will come."

SPECIAL TEAMS TALK: I got a chance to speak with special teams coach Joe Pannunzio and kickers Matt Bosher and newcomer Jake Wieclaw this week and came away with the idea that not only will the return game remain unanswered until the fall, but also who ends up handling the kicking duties. Pannunzio basically blew me off when I asked him if he had some sort of idea of who he might want to use in the return game. "It’s way to early for that," Pannunzio said. "The one thing that’s good is that probably for the first time since I’ve been here there is a true list of about 15 guys we can choose from. We’ll work through the spring and have a guy that will surface." When asked who those 15 guys were, Pannunzio said "It's the same list of guys you have in your head."

If I'm right, then the best return guys probably won't surface until they arrive at UM in the fall. Chavez Grant, Damien Berry, Ryan Hill, Shawnbrey Hill and Lee Chambers have all been seen this week working on punt and kickoff returns along with freshmen Aldarius Johnson and Jermaine McKenzie. But the truth is the vets all had chances to compete in the return game last year and didn't do enough to impress. Most experts have told me they expect true freshmen receivers Thearon Collier, Kendall Thompkins and Travis Benjamin to make a strong push for the duties in the fall. One thing is for sure, Pannunzio is tired of the: Can UM find another Devin Hester talk? "Everybody wants to compare Devin Hester," Pannunzio said. "I don’t know if there’s another one of those guys here or coming here. Devin is Devin. That’s unfair to compare them to that."

As for the kickers, most expect Matt Bosher to retain the punting duties considering Wieclaw's specialty is kicking. But Bosher told us this week he believes he could end up handling all three duties -- punts, kickoffs and field goals. So far, Bosher said the team hasn't done any live field goal kicks during practice and that the kickers "are working from 40-45 yards in." Pannunzio said Bosher has the stronger leg of the three competitors, including former Miami Gulliver Prep standout and walkon Alex Uribe. "Right now we’re just working on keeping it close because you don’t want to be missing anything within 40, 45 yards," Bosher said. "We’re keeping it close and making sure we’re consistent and accurate."

CAN'T WAIT FOR BRANDON: Defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff said Wednesday he's spent most of his time early on in the spring preparing guys for "emergency situations" in case of injuries. He's had two safeties -- Anthony Reddick and Randy Phillips -- working at corner while expected starters DeMarcus Van Dyke and Bruce Johnson have been out with the track team this week. Truth is, McGriff can't wait for another corner to join the team soon -- highly-touted recruit Brandon Harris of Miami Booker T. Washington. McGriff said he was impressed with the way Harris was used in high school -- rotating from corner to safety and even playing receiver and quarterback. But when he gets to UM, McGriff said he believed Harris will be "a solid corner."

"He’s got a tremendous football background," McGriff said of Harris Wednesday. "We can’t wait until he gets in here and learns the scheme. He’ll have an opportunity to play early basically because of our depth chart. Unfortunately because it’s collegiate sports, we could have some injuries. But we’re excited about him, his athleticism, his speed, his maturity. We’re excited to have him and have him be on campus."

OJOMO 'LOVING IT': Redshirt freshman Adewale Ojomo earned himself the Defensive MVP on the scout team last season and although he isn't on the first team depth chart this spring, he says he's enthusiastic and hungry. "I’m loving it. I’m enjoying it. I’m going to savor every moment of it," Ojomo said Wendesday. "I’m with the second team rotation. I’m behind Eric Moncur. We’re the right side soldiers."

Ojomo, who stands 6-3 said he's gained three to four pounds since the end of last season to hit the 250-pound mark, said he doesn't care if he's starting because he said he knows he will be in UM's four-man rotation. "It's exciting to be out here because you’re competing for a job. You have to learn plays. It’s not just showing you were a card tells you to go anymore," Ojomo siad. "You got to learn plays and go hard every play."

Ojomo said defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, who was shorthanded most of last season by injuries, is "serious about our health." "He makes sure we all get tape on our hands," Ojomo said. "He doesn’t want no jammed fingers or no injuries. He's serious about that."

Spring practice report: Day 2

So what did we learn after Day 2 of spring football? Today, assistant coaches spoke for the first time since the start of the spring. I got to speak with defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, special teams coach Joe Pannunzio, receiver Kayne Farquharson, defensive ends Adewale Ojomo and Eric Moncur, center Xavier Shannon, safety Anthony Reddick and kicker Matt Bosher (audio will be posted later tonight and I'll provide links). Here's a quick rundown of notes I collected...

McGRIFF TALKS SECONDARY: With his two best corners -- Bruce Johnson and DeMarcus Van Dyke -- participating in track season, defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff said he's been experimenting with putting a few of his safeties at corner early this spring the way he did with Kenny Phillips last season. McGriff said he has Anthony Reddick and Randy Phillips (a former corner) "working on the edges" in case of emergency situations. As for a depth chart, senior Lovon Ponder and Phillips are with the first team at safety with Reddick and sophomore Jojo Nicholas on the second team and sophomores Jared Campbell and Damien Berry as the next in line.

McGriff said there is no question Chavez Grant -- once locked into the nickel position -- will see more time on the outside next season. "He’s what I call the ultimate utility player," McGriff said. "He’ll play nick and corner. You’ll see his playing time increase at corner."

As for the young guys -- Berry, Nicholas and Campbell, McGriff said: "All of them have gotten better. Joe Nicholas got a lot more confidence in making the calls. He’s not that timid freshman anymore. He’s comfortable with the position. Damien Berry is still doing wonderful for us on special teams. He’s a guy that can play corner and safety. I’m going to play him at two positions. He just flies around. Jared Campbell -- he’s done a tremendous job in meetings taking those things and regurgitating them. The main thing is to get them in pads and see how they respond when the bullets fly. They’ve all gotten better in their own ways. But let’s see how they comes along with those pads on."

STOUTLAND BREAKS DOWN THE LINE: UM offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland said he's been pleased with the way his lineman have either gained weight or lost it in preparation for the spring. "Jason Fox, he’s gained some good weight, not sloppy weight. Guys are going to have a hard time running him over now," Stoutland said. "Chris Barney has take a lot of weight off. It’s gone both ways. Some guys have put some good weight on. Some guys have taken some sloppy weight off. I think all in all, they look better physically. Now, its just a matter of putting it all together on the field and learning the system."

Stoutland, who used a rotation of Fox, Reggie Youngblood and Chris Rutledge at tackle last season, said senior Tyrone Byrd has now entered the mix. "Inside is where we have the most change and where we have to be very creative in the springtime," Stoutland said. "I’ve moved A.J. Trump out to left guard. We need to get solid depth there now. Orlando is obviously not involved right now, but he will be. Chris Barney is doing a much better job than he was before. Then we have at the right side, we have Joel Figueroa and Harland Gunn. Harland Gunn is doing a very nice job. He’s very impressive."

"We got to find a center and that’s between Matt Pipho, Xavier Shannon and Tyler Horne," Stoutland said. "They’re all about the same in speed of the snap. It comes down who can move laterally and move fast off the ball and move down the line. So, you got to make a lot of calls up front and make calls."

When asked if Shannon, who made 27 consecutive starts while at FIU might have an advantage, Stoutland said: "He’s got a lot of starts under his belt. To me its important to be in live in games. There is no substitution for being a starter in live games."

CALAIS TALKS DRAFT: Before the start of practice, I bumped into former Canes defensive end Calais Campbell, who was working out with a bunch of other former Canes and preparing for Friday morning's NFL Pro Timing Day at The U. Campbell said he was disappointed with his 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine in Indianapolis Monday, but still pleased with the athleticism he showed. He said also felt he did a great job during the interview process. He admitted to both me and Herald Sports Writer Susan Miller Degnan his decision to leave The U early was not easy. He said he wavered throughout the process, but ultimately decided he wanted to leave because he had already graduated and it was best for him to leave.

PHOTOS: I took some more pictures today before practice got started. I'll add the captions later... (#16) Quarterback Cannon Smith plays catch during practice early... (#4) Aldarius Johnson stretches with (#5) Javarris James... running backs coach Tommie Robinson shows (#43) John Calhoun what he wants him to do on blocks... (#4) Johnson hauls in a pass while catches balls from the juggs machine... (#9) Quarterback Robert Marve warms up before practice... (#9) Marve throws the heavy ball with offensive coordinator Patrick Nix before practice begins... UM's secondary warms up before practice (from left, Anthony Reddick, Jojo Nicholas, Carlos Armour, Jared Campbell and Randy Phillips)... (#5) Javarris James gives new fullback Patrick Hill (#30) some words of encouragement... new receivers coach Aubrey Hill talks with Jermaine McKenzie (#15) and Aldarius Johnson (#4) during the juggs catching drill... (#84) Tight end Richard Gordon plays catch with Dedrick Epps.
 

Spring practice report: Day 1

The first practice off the spring is over. What did we learn? Which freshmen are already practicing with the first team? How did Miami's young quarterbacks Jacory Harris, Robert Marve and Cannon Smith look? Here's a quick collection of notes I gathered...

* BAILEY TALKS SWITCH, HEALTH: Allen "Big Boss" Bailey said he was given a couple of weeks to decide whether or not he wanted to make the move to defensive end. Ultimately, he said he wanted to do what was best for the team "with seven linebackers here and seven linebackers coming in and a weakness at end." Bailey said he still has to learn "pass rush reads and learn a couple moves." Bailey said he missed about a month of workouts after having surgery to remove a bone spur from his left bicep muscle. He said he was practicing with the second team Tuesday behind Steven Wesley and Eric Moncur. He said Antonio Dixon and Josh Holmes were on the first team at tackle.

* EXPECTING A TIGHT ARMS RACE: UM coach Randy Shannon didn't come out and say the fight for the starting job is only going to be a battle between Robert Marve and Jacory Harris. But he basically hinted at it. Other players did, too. Senior linebacker Glenn Cook said "They both have their advantages. They both are talented. They both want to win. It's going to be a battle, it's not going to be easy for either one of them."

* LINEBACKER DEVELOPMENT: Cook also said freshman linebacker Arthur Brown, the most highly-touted recruit in the 2008 class, is "real raw." "I don't think he got a lot of coaching in high school," Cook said. "So, he's still learning technique. I think he'll be alright. He's a real talented kid." As for freshman Sean Spence, Cook said "He's a great athlete whose picked it up a little bit faster. He's a real smart kid. He'll have a chance to play early. I think he's a little more ahead [of Brown]."

* NEEDS WORK ON THE FUNDAMENTALS: Brown, meanwhile, said he realized there was a lot he thought he was doing right and now he learned he was doing wrong playing the position at Wichita East High. He said he thought he had his fundamentals down tackling, but has now learned he'll have to make some adjustments. Brown said he's gained nine pounds and now weighs 228. He said he's playing at strongside linebacker on the second team beind Sean Spence, who is on the first team with Cook at middle and Daryl Sharpton on the weakside. Brown said Kylan Robinson is backing Sharpton up at weakside and Spencer Adkins is the backup in the middle.

* SURPRISED FIRST TEAMER: Spence, who played weakside in high school, said he's gained nine pounds and is now up 202. He said he's spent a lot of time with linebackers coach Michael Barrow to pick up the defense and believes that's part of the reason he's moved up on the depth chart. "I was very surprised. I was looking forward to second and third team, learning what I have to do. But they threw me out with the first team. I’m excited about it."

* CONFIDENT JACORY: Quarterback Jacory Harris, whose weight was thought to be an issue coming out of high school, said he's gained 10 pounds since he first arrived at UM last month and is now listed at 6-4, 178 pounds. He sounded confident when answering questions with the media today -- just like in high school -- and said he plans to compete hard for the starting job. "Pressure busts pipes," Harris said of dealing with the pressure of being a true freshman quarterback. "If you [struggle with] pressure, you shouldn’t be out here. I just come out here and have fun. I’m never nervous. Coach Nix asked me that before practice. He said 'I bet you're nervous.' I said, 'No, I’m not coach.'

* HARD FIRST DAY OF WORK: Freshman defensive tackle Marcus Forston said the biggest adjustment for him on day one has been learning to practice at a fast pace. "I've never worked like this in my life. In high school, we would practice 3-4 hours. We were out here for 1 hour, 45 minutes. The tempo -- you never stop running. Every station you go to you run to. You tie your shoe? You got to run or you are behind." Forston said he's behind Josh Holmes on the second team on the right side at tackle. He said he's playing next to Joe Joseph.

AUDIO LINKS: Click on the names of the following players to hear their interviews... Quarterback Jacory Harris; Running back Shawnbrey McNeal; Receiver Aldarius Johnson; linebacker Glenn Cook; defensive tackle Marcus Forston; cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke; kicker Jake Wieclaw; linebacker Sean Spence; linebacker Arthur Brown; defensive end Allen Bailey.

WHAT WE GOT TO SEE: We got to watch the first 10 minutes of practice as the guys worked out about 200 yards away from us -- way over on the other side of the field. Quarterbacks Jacory Harris, Robert Marve and Cannon Smith worked with their receivers for several minutes of long toss. I shot some photos below (just click on them to see larger versions).

PHOTO CAPTIONS -- Above: Robert Marve (left #9) and Jacory Harris (right #12) take snaps on Tuesday as offensive coordinator Patrick Nix watches. Below in order: Redshirt freshman Daniel Adderley (#19) runs after the catch; Freshman Aldarius Johnson (#4) hauls in a pass from Jacory Harris; Adderley (#19) goes skyward to haul in a Jacory Harris pass; Nix and Marve (#9) talk during practice; Running back Javarris James (#5) runs after making a catch; Defensive tackle Dwayne Hendricks (#93) jogs off the field to begin participating in individual workouts; freshman fullback John Calhoun (#43) makes a catch on a pass from Jacory Harris; redshirt freshman Jermaine McKenzie (#15) stretches out to haul in a long pass from Jacory Harris; Shawnbrey McNeal (#33) does a set of pushups in fron of Randy Shannon. 
  

A Feel Good Spring

I couldn't help but feel pretty good after leaving the BankUnited Center Saturday afternoon. Not only because Frank Haith's basketball team capped its best week ever in the ACC with an impressive victory over Maryland, but because for the first time in a while there is a sincerely good feeling around The U again as a whole.

* The baseball team opened the season with a three-game sweep of Cincinnati. With the mix of talent and experience this team has, it looks and feels like this could be a special year (at the very least a return to the College World Series type of season).
* Haith's bunch just beat Duke, is red hot and appears to be on its way to its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2002.
* And the football team, which just signed one of the nation's top freshman classes a few weeks ago, is set to begin spring practice today without any talk about rebuilding or fired coaches or Kyle or Kirby. This spring there is nothing but good old fashioned optimism.

Being born and raised in this city and having spent many Saturdays at the Orange Bowl and Friday nights at the Light as a kid, it's hard for a South Florida guy like me to at least not admit I'm a little happier these days (I'm human after all) that the Canes are doing better. So, I started thinking... When was the last time as a Canes fan have you felt this good? Better yet, when was the last time you were looking forward to what would happen next at Miami while not having to cover one eye while doing it?

I know I haven't given you a real topic to chew on in a while. But I figured as you sit at your computer today waiting for updates on what's happening out at spring practice, you can take a moment to reflect, pound your chest a little and give me your thoughts on the question posed above.

As for spring ball, I never completed my spring forecasts because I was unable to speak to any other position coaches in the two weeks leading up to today's first practice (media availability was about the only thing that hasn't been going well at UM lately). So, instead, I've decided to make them spring reports. I'll be at practice in the coming weeks. There, I plan to do some more in depth reporting as the practices roll on. For now, though, these are the more intriguing story lines I'm sure all of us will be following.

* Bill Young's new defense. What is it going to look like and what are players going to be saying about it? Young told us Friday in a five minute press conference not to expect much change because he stole most of his idea from Randy Shannon and other UM coaches over the years. But come on... you know this team is going show some different looks. The Hurricanes rarely blitzed under Shannon's leadership when he was the defensive coordinator. Young's defense at Kansas was all about taking chances, creating pressure and turnovers. UM used to have one of the most exciting, play making defenses in the country. Last year, they just looked sorry. I can't wait to see how different UM will look come on March 6th and the first spring game at Traz Powell Stadium.

* The quarterback battle. After three years of Kyle, Kirby and some of the worst quarterback play the program has ever had I'm extremely interested to see what two of the state's best high school quarterbacks -- Robert Marve and Jacory Harris -- are going to do being thrown into the fire. Coach Randy Shannon told us Friday he wasn't going to name a starter by the end of the spring and he wouldn't rule out using a two-quarterback system come the fall. What he didn't say is what we should already expect. We're not going to hear him or offensive coordinator Patrick Nix say anything to give us an idea which quarterback is performing better during practice. Nix and Shannon didn't do it last year. They certainly aren't going to do it with these two young guys. The two dates to catch Miami's young QBs and do some critiquing of your own are March 6th (at Traz Powell Stadium) and March 29th (the spring game at Lockhart Stadium).

* The Search For The Playmaker. Shannon has said repeatedly Miami's biggest problem offensively in the past few seasons has been finding that player that could "make somebody miss." With the addition of seven talented receivers in this signing class -- including the early arrival of Aldarius Johnson -- and the return to health of redshirt freshman Jermaine McKenzie, I'm convinced UM has a playmaker or the set of playmakers its longed for. The question is: Who is going to be emerge and be the man at receiver? Sam Shields, assuming he shakes off his off the field woes, should be that person. He's got the talent and ability to be. But will these young hungry guys who are just as talented push him out of the way? It certainly is going to be fun to watch.

* Big Boss Bailey. Allen Bailey was considered the most prized defensive recruit Miami hauled in 2006. He's grown into a walking muscle -- 6-4, 289 pounds with 7 percent body fat. How scary is he going to look on UM's defense now that's made the move from linebacker to defensive line? Is he the most talented player on UM's defense now that Kenny Phillips and Calais Campbell are gone?

Courtside blog: UM 78, Maryland 63 (F)

Checking in from the BUC for another afternoon of ACC basketball. The Canes get Maryland today. I'll provide my insight as the game progresses. What is going with you guys? Holler back.

By the way... here is what the Indy Star reported on in the aftermath of Kelvin Sampson's departure from Indiana and how it might impact highly-touted recruit Devin Ebanks.

FIRST HALF...
- 15:19 left, UM 9, Maryland 6: Anthony King has a pair of jumpers early and four points to pace the Canes. Miami has come out shooting the ball well. UM shot 57 percent on Wednesday against Duke.
- 14:13 left, UM 15, Maryland 6: Canes force Gary Williams to call timeout after going on a 10-0 run to go up 9. Anthony King has 8 early points. Nice to see him back.
- 11:47 left, UM 18, Maryland 13: Bambale Osby has 7 early points to pace the Terps. Jimmy Graham picked up his second foul with 13:02 left. Graham was instrumental in UM's upset of Maryland in the ACC tournament last year. The Canes sorely need his interior toughness in a game like this.
- 7:43 left, UM 27, Maryland 19: Miami has been getting in the paint and getting a lot of nice buckets. Dwayne Collins had a beautiful alley-oop dunk that was followed by a driving layup by Ray Hicks, who scored over and between and three Maryland defenders. Jack McClinton's three-pointer with 8:05 has extended UM's lead back to 8.
- 3:47 left, UM 33, Maryland 24: UM's lead swelled to 11 moments ago when Anthony King's hook shot swished with 5:57 left. It's nice to see King have some confidence in his game again. He's played well tonight and is the star so far. He's got several rebounds and even a pair of blocks.
- Halftime, UM 39, Maryland 36: the Terps on an 8-2 run to close out the final two minutes of the half and make it a little tighter than it really was in the first half. I'll come back with some numbers soon. Couple of key stats -- Miami only had four turnovers in the first half; Maryland outrebounded UM 19-10. Anthony King has 10 points and Brian Asbury has 9. UM shot 54 percent from the field. Basically, Miami needs to start rebounding or continue to shoot a high percentage.

SECOND HALF...
- 15:57 left, UM 44, Maryland 44: Miami had an eight-point lead evaporate with an 8-0 Maryland run. Sophomore forward Landon Milbourne hit back-to-back threes for the Terps before Greivis Vazquez sunk a runner in the lane to tie with 16:17 left. Lance Hurdle will go to the line for UM now to try and put the Canes back in front.
- 10:34 left, UM 53, Maryland 48: James Dews has scored the last four points and Miami has scored five straight points to make the BUC loud again. The Canes have the lead and the momentum in a very important game for the NCAA Tournament hopes. Let's see if they can sustain the energy out of this break. Maryland has tied the score three times here in the second half.
- 7:45 left, UM 59, Maryland 53: Another little spurt here has put the Canes back in front by six. Eddie Rios hit a jumper and then Dwayne Collins intercepted a pass and passed ahead to James Dews for a layup. These ACC games raise my blood pressure!
- 3:58 left, UM 63, Maryland 58: This one is going to go down the wire. Maryland's defense has stiffened. They're forcing UM to take tough jump shots and they aren't giving up any easy baskets in the paint anymore. Miami is going to have to win this with defense and rebounding.
- 2:57 left, UM 66, Maryland 58: McClutch strikes again! McClinton's three-pointer with 3:03 left puts UM up by 8.
- 1:48 left, UM 70, Maryland 61: This place is loud again and looks like the Canes are on their way to another huge win. Jack McClinton sinks a left-handed scoop in the lane with three seconds left on the shot clock and now the pressure is on Maryland to start hitting threes.

Shannon, new assistants talk spring

I just got back from a busy morning at The U where football coach Randy Shannon, his two new assistants, defensive coordinator Bill Young and receivers coach Aubrey Hill, and basketball coach Frank Haith and guard Jack McClinton held press conferences. To listen to what they had to say, just click on their names.

I'd love to have a chalk full of quotes ready for you, but it's going to take me some time ot piece it all together. Here are the highlights from my notebook...

* THE QB SITUATION: Shannon said much like last year he doesn't plan to name a starting quarterback until the fall -- likely a week before its over -- and added he wouldn't rule out using a 2-QB system. He also told reporters he doesn't really feel redshirt freshman Robert Marve has an advantage because he's already been in the program one year and incoming freshman Jacory Harris and Cannon Smith are newcomers. Shannon said offensive coordinator Patrick Nix has been doing a good job working with his new QBs, especially with 2-hour weekend throwing sessions and 7-on-7 voluntary workouts. ‘‘You have to be careful about naming someone too early," Shannon said. ‘‘It's wide open between them. The best man wins the job."

* YOUNG SAYS FORMER DOLPHIN PLAYED ROLE IN HIS COMING TO THE U: The Canes can thank a former Dolphin for their new defensive coordinator. Bill Young said former Dolphins defensive end Trace Armstrong, who played for Young and then Shannon when he was an assistant with the Dolphins, facilitated the meeting between Young and Shannon. Young said the meeting didn't happen until after Kansas played in the Orange Bowl and when he was at the national coaches' clinic. Young called it "an early Christmas" coming to UM. As for his relationship with Shannon and the type of defense he plans to implement, Young said it will not be much different than what Shannon installed here years ago. In fact, he said he "semi-stole" stuff from Shannon when he was at Kansas.

"We hope to be a more aggressive, attacking defense," Young said. "Ultimately, you do what your personnel allows you to do. But we do want to be a pressure football team. We want to mix it up, keep the offenses off balance if we possibly can. We'll still have a four-man rush."

Young also said he is happy Shannon is a former defensive coach himself and says both men are comfortable with the situation. "He's the boss."

* REDSHIRTS?: Shannon told us he expects an answer from the NCAA concerning medical redshirts for linebacker Glenn Cook and Romeo Davis soon, likely later today or Monday. Cook, who I feel will likely end up being Miami's starting middle linebacker, has switched his number from 55 to 3 according the roster we received. "It would be a tremendous asset to have those guys," Shannon said.

* TOUGH LOVE FROM DAD: Shannon surprised me a little when he said WASN'T excited that his son, senior Xavier Shannon transferred to The U from FIU. Shannon also said his son, who is expected to compete for the starting center position, is not on scholarship. He said Xavier never warned him he was transferring to Miami. "I don't talk to him, say much at all. I say `Hi,' that's about it," Shannon said. "He graduated from FIU, wants to go to grad school at Miami, have classes FIU wasn't offering. I don't talk to him. That's coach Nix, coach Stoutland. He wanted to go to school here. I told the coaching staff he wants to come here they got to deal with him. He knows he has to work hard, and even though I'm his dad, I'll treat him like a regular player."

* HILL GETS RIBBING FROM GATORS: Aubrey Hill said he was "jumping off the roof" when he was called by Miami to become its new receivers coach. He said he's also been getting a lot of ribbing from his former Florida Gator teammates. "I'm a Cane," said who played at Florida in the early 90s. "A former Gator and a Cane." As for his receivers, Hill said his new group of receivers are "very eager" to hit the field. He says players have been staying late after workouts to familiarize themselves with him.

* INJURED/OUT LIST: Shannon added defensive tackle Luqman Abdullah, linebacker Eric Houston and defensive lineman Dwayne Hendricks to the list of players he told us on National Signing Day would not be participating in the spring. The others were linebackers Romeo Davis and Colin McCarthy, defensive end Courtney Harris and offensive lineman Orlando Franklin. Fullback Jerrell Mabry was not listed on the spring roster and is no longer believed to be on the team.

* BACK AND HEALTHY: Shannon said safety Anthony Reddick, who is returning from his second season-ending knee injury, will be full go and ready to contribute. He said receiver Jermaine McKenzie and defensive tackle Antonio Dixon have also returned to full health from their injuries. McKenzie had that serious neck injury he sustained in last summer's car wreck. Dixon had knee problems. Shannon also said he was very happy to announce the team will be two-deep at each position in the spring. Last year, he pointed out how Miami only had spurts where only four healthy linebackers were available during the season.

* BAILEY TALK: Shannon addressed the move Allen Bailey made from linebacker to defensive end and said it was solely based on the fact Bailey now weighs close to 290 pounds. "When you're 290 and try to get after guys like [Graig] Cooper, you're going to get tired."

* NAMES BACK ON JERSEYS: Shannon said his desire to put names back on UM's jerseys was a result of how feels the team is taking on the image he wants. Shannon originally decided to take them off last season because the players weren't thinking like a team enough. "Having no names on the jerseys was unique, they felt at the end it was more of a team than individuals thing. That's when I decided to put the names back on. These guys see the big picture now."

* PRACTICE SCHEDULE: Practice begins next Tuesday and the team will average four practices a week. The only practices open to the public will be on Thursday night at 6 p.m., March 6th, a scrimmage at Traz Powell and the weekend of Canesfest, Saturday, March 29th, at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale at 10 ap.m.

* FOCUSED ON MARYLAND: When I spoke to UM basketball assistant Jake Morton yesterday, he admitted to me he knew it was going to be tough to get the team back down to earth from its big win over Duke Wednesday. But guard Jack McClinton and coach Frank Haith both made it a point to stress the team is still very much hungry to finish the season strong and isn't going to be just satisfied with what it accomplished against Duke.

"We haven't accomplished what we've wanted to accomplish as that's making a strong enough case to make the NCAA Tournament," Haith said. "We can't rest on our laurels. Beating Duke, I don't know if they give us two wins for that. It's just one. It would be nice to have two. But it's just one."

* Haith said UM, which beat Maryland twice last season including an upset in the first round of the ACC tournament, said Miami will once again have to win the battle on the glass and play "a rugged game" inside.

* He also took the blame for Miami coming out flat against FSU earlier this month. He said he was "scared" his players might get injured during practices because some of them were sore and took practices a little lighter. "We stopped doing some of the things that make us who we are," Haith said. "We stopped with our Circle The Wagons and Pay The Piper drills and I think it stopped us from being aggressive, the way we needed to be."

Bryce Brown commits

Is it just me or is the recruiting going on with the University of Miami getting out of control? Do we need to start checking UM assistants for performance enhancers? It's not even three weeks after the last National Signing Day and the Canes already have one of the nation's Top 2009 recruits.

I'm not breaking any news here. You know who I'm talking about. Bryce Brown, the younger brother UM linebacker Arthur Brown and the top junior running back in the country, decided to taper the madness surrounding his recruitment on Thursday and announce his expected intentions. Brown told Rivals.com he's going to follow his big bro and will play football for the Canes. Sure, he added an asterisk next to his commitment by saying he still plans on taking his trips (which recruit doesn't do that these days anymore).

But after talking with his trainer, Brian Butler, I don't think young Bryce is going to break his commitment unless like Butler said "he has his socks blown off." So, why should you care about a kid who still has a year of high school to play making a commitment to the Canes now? Three reasons: Brown (6-1, 212) is a beast; he could potentially convince other top '09 recruits to follow him; and because this is yet another sign Randy Shannon, Clint Hurtt and the rest of the UM recruiting crew is down-home serious about getting the ship righted.

"I think he's a big time player," national high school recruiting analyst Charles Fishbein told me when I asked him to state the obvious about Brown. "He's super athletic. He runs hard. He's a punishing, physical back. But the one thing I noticed about at the combine I saw last year is the way he changed direction. He was more athletic than his brother. I think his change of direction is special. He could play linebacker and safety if he wanted to and start at running back. He's that good."

Brown, like his big brother, has Butler -- his trainer -- do most of the talking for him these days. But I'm hopeful I'll get a chance to talk to the younger Brown soon. I certainly plan on talking to Arthur Brown when spring practice begins next Tuesday.

According to what UM recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt told me last week, Miami wants to nab two running backs in it's '09 class and will likely have 19 scholarships available overall. That means UM could still very much land the best running back in South Florida and a Rivals.com 4-star recruit in Miami Killian's Lamar Miller. I asked Fishbein, who is a recruiting encyclopedia, to describe the differences between Brown and Miller.

"Brown reminds me of Jamal Lewis. He's big powerful running back with breakaway speed," Fishbein said. "I think Lamar is one of these kids whose a powerful runner, he's going to run outside the tackles more and not as a punishing runner as others. Bryce is a guy that will not only can he wear you down for three quarters, but he'll break out with a long run. Lamar can pound it out for a play or two. But with Brown, this is the type of kid who wears you down and by the end of the fourth quarter, he wears you out."

I asked Fishbein if he really thinks getting a 5-star kid this early will help in the recruiting game, something Brown said he did in part because he wants to help the Hurricanes recruiting players. This was his take

"I think anytime you get a big-time player like that can help a recruiting class," Fishbein said. "But I think at the end of the day, it's going to come down to is Miami getting it done on the field. This year was like a mulligan year. The coaches are new, so you can't really blame them for the past. But I think overall they've got to win. Bryce will stick because his brother will be there. At the end of the day, when Miami goes outside of the tricity area, Miami is going to have to win next year. I think they have to at least show some improvement on the field -- 8-4 type season. Kids are all about winning now."

Here's a footnote: Butler said Miami is also recruiting two other players he trains locally in Kansas -- inside linebacker Jayden Bird (6-3, 230) and outside linebacker Houlden Tharpe (6-1½, 210). Fishbein told me neither of those kids are on Brown's level talentwise.

HERE'S A YOUTUBE CLIP OF BROWN. WARNING: It was obviously made by a Kansas State fan who was hoping Bryce might actually buy into it and pick the in-state team. Either way, it's a good collection of clips.

Courtside Blog: UM 96, Duke 95 (F)

The frantic finish is over. Duke is done making three-pointers. And the Hurricanes have the big victory coach Frank Haith was looking for. Perhaps, not only for this 2008 season and his team's NCAA tournament hopes -- but the kind you can brag to potential program-changing recruits about.

The ending wasn't pretty. Miami nearly let a 20-point lead with 13:36 remaining slip through its fingers. How mad would Hurricanes fans be today if Duke had come back to win Wednesday? But as it turned out, Jack McClinton's free throws with 1.6 seconds left was just enough cushion to get the Canes past the country's fifth-ranked men's basketball team.

"We knew the first five minutes of the second half were going to be key," Haith said. "Duke traditionally -- that's what they do. The first five minutes of both halfs, they really get after you. I told the team be prepared for them to get after us. I thought we handled that part of the second half really well. We attacked them."

How special was the win for the Canes? At UM, beating a team ranked in the top five has only happened three times. Once under Leonard Hamilton in 1999 when the Canes went on the road to beat second-ranked UConn and went on to finish 23-7 and make the NCAA Tournament. And way back in 1962, when Rick Barry was still playing here. The Canes knocked off No. 2 Duke then and then went on to finish 23-5 and reach the second round of the NIT tournament.

There's no question the Hurricanes benefitted from being on their home court and having a loud, supportive crowd behind it -- even though it wasn't a sellout (the boxscore says the BankUnited Center fell 330 fans short of its 7,000-seat capacity). At Duke earlier this year (where sellouts are tradition), Miami buckled under the Blue Devils loud crowd and home-cooking (The Canes were whistled for a season-high 31 fouls). Wednesday, all of that was on UM's side (Duke outfouled UM 25-24). And it made the difference. At times during the game -- especially during Miami's big 18-5 run in the second half -- I felt like I was inside the Orange Bowl for an FSU game it was so loud. For a night anyway, you felt like this might be a preview of the future. A glimpse if you will of the team and the homecourt advantage Haith says he believes the Canes can have down the road.

"When we took the job four years ago we knew the opportunity would come where you would have a top five team come play on your court," Haith said. "The atmopshere we had out there tonight was terrific. When we took the job we envisioned that was something that could happen. So, it was special to see that and special for these guys that are here on our team now to have that feeling. But we can't stop. We're still trying to build our resumé to make the NCAA tournament. There's no question this helps. But we got another big one on Saturday."

As I drove home from the stadium, I heard fans chirping on WQAM about the big-game Dwayne Collins had and how they're disappointed they hadn't seen more from Collins this season. Collins certainly had a special game -- he was 12-of-14 from the floor for a career-high 26 points. His reverse, finger-roll layups right before the half and right after the half were big time. But Canes fans have to realize Collins wasn't the only hero. Jack McClinton had 22 points -- including 17 in the second half. Brian Asbury had 12 of his 15 in the first half and helped set the tone for the Canes early with some big shots.

More than anything, Canes fans should be excited about the fact McClinton finally got the support he needed -- from someone. Usually, it's McClinton who has to do all the heroics. Wednesday, he had a supporting cast. Haith said last week he likes the fact he has a cast of characters who can play the role of No. 2 on any given night. Truth is, Collins is likely the best available guy to fill that role. He's got the best offensive skill set of any of UM's big men, not to mention the most athleticism. That's part of the reason Haith was hard on him -- even after Miami's best win under his tenure.

"Dwayne was outstanding," Haith said. "But Dwayne will tell you had one he should have dunked and he missed the layup... But he played like I think Dwayne is capable of playing. Now, we want him to go after it and have another performance like that. But he was outstanding. He was aggressive, he was attacking the rim. That's the post presence we've been wanting. That's the Dwayne we've been wanting."

Miami has five games left on its regular season schedule. It needs to win three of them to finish 8-8 in the conference (the mark Haith said last month he thought his team needed to reach to make a strong case for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid). They've got Maryland (17-10, 7-5) at 2 p.m. Saturday, a trip to Clemson (19-7, 7-5) on Wednesday night, back-to-back home games against Virginia (12-12, 2-9) on March 1 and Boston College (13-11, 4-7) on March 5th, before a regular season-ending trip to Florida State (15-12, 4-8) on March 8th. Regardless of their opponents records, finishing 3-2 won't be easy. Clemson and Maryland have both lost to the Canes recently and will be looking for payback against UM. Boston College has won 13 consecutive games in the series against the Canes. And FSU already beat UM earlier this year.

But after Wednesday, I'm sure the UM basketball bandwagon -- which piled up plenty of followers when the Canes were 12-0 -- will be all filled up again and believing Miami can at least finish 3-2. The question is, are you one of them?

Diamond Notes: Catchers to call pitches

For those of you familiar with the blog, you know I've rarely talked about UM baseball here since I've never really covered it for The Herald. But with the season around the corner, I decided to attend today's media day to try and gather some notes for you diamond cutters. I'm not making any promises, but who knows, maybe I'll start making way out to the ballpark more this season. Here's some of what I gathered:

NEW PHILOSOPHY: After 26 seasons of having either himself or his pitching coach handle the pitch calling duties, UM coach Jim Morris said Wednesday he's changed his philosophy this season and will now let his catchers handle that responsibility.

"What we’re trying to do is get more rhythm in the game," Morris said Wednesday afternoon, two days before the Hurricanes open their season at home Friday night against Cincinnati. "The signals have gotten so complicated from the pitching coach to the catcher and from the catcher to the pitcher, it’s taking too long. I want the game to be quick. I think the fans like it better that way. I think our players play better that way and they like that way. In the major leagues, that’s how they do it. I think you’ll see us call some pitches, but we’re going to put more of a burden on them to call the game."

Miami isn't the only college baseball program experimenting with giving its catcher such freedoms. But it is somewhat of a surprising move for Morris considering his two catchers heading into this season are fairly young. Highly-touted freshman Yasmani Grandal, who is expected to eventually beat out sophomore Jason Hagerty for the starting job and did so in the fall, said Wednesday he began calling pitches for the first time this summer. Hagerty, who started started 23 games last season, has a little more experience. He did it all four years in high school at St. John Vianney in St. Louis, Mo.

"I’m actually really excited about it," said Hagerty, who said he tossed the idea around to coaches last season. "I had a coach in high school, Steve Beezer, who caught in the big leagues and taught me a lot about it. It’s actually one of the best parts in my game and getting to do it here at the top of college baseball, it’s a dream come true. It’s going to be a lot of fun." "[Doing it the other way] really slowed down the pace of the game. With doing this, we get to speed up the game and get timing with hitters and pick up their weaknesses. It’s going to help us out a lot I think. [Pitching coach JD Arteaga] is great with picking up weaknesses of the hitters. But I think you need to be in the flow of the game especially when your behind the plate. You can see a lot more with the hitters and the field. Don’t get me wrong, JD picks up a lot of stuff. But I think when we both work together, our catchers and JD, its going to work out real well."

Morris said his pitchers have always had the right to shake off a sign they don't like. He says the policy will remain the same. But just like before, if there is a pitch he or Arteaga demands, his pitchers will be required to deliver.

"We will still have signs where [our coaches and our catchers] talk. We can call a pitch and we will call some pitches. But the bottom line we’re going to let them call them game and talk to them about it," Morris said. "It’s going to be more about spending time with the catchers, talking to them about the hitters. We already have a scouting report for the hitters this weekend our catchers have studied... So, it’s going to be different. If it doesn’t work, we’ll change back. But I think its going to work. It worked in the spring."

PROJECTED LINEUP: With seven position starters back, Morris said he has a pretty good idea of what he wants the top of his lineup to look like Wednesday, but admits he will probably tinker some with the batting order in spots six through eight. Here is what he said and what is projected...

1. Blake Tekotte, CF, L/R, 5-11, 180, Jr.: Will become a three-year starter in centerfield. Last season, he hit .333 including a UM ACC-best .365 in league play. He's coming off a good summer ball season in which he was named a Cape Cod All-Star and led the league with 22 stolen bases. Morris said Wednesday he wants Tekotte to leadoff because although he's not as fast as Jemile Weeks, he's more aggressive. And it also allows him to split up his order of lefties in the lineup.
2. Jemile Weeks, 2B, S/R, 5-9, 180, Jr.: Weeks was named a 2008 Baseball America Preseason Firt Steam All-American. He skipped playing summer ball under Morris' orders to get over the injury that limited him last season. Morris said Weeks is now 100 percent healthy.
3. Yonder Alonso, 1B, L/R, 6-2, 215, Jr.: We all know how Alonso has spent his summer working out with Alex Rodriguez. He's coming off a season in which he hit .376 with 18 dingers and 74 RBI. He hit .338 in the Cape Cod League this summer and is coming rated the No. 5 college prospect in the Class of 2008 by Baseball America.
4. Dennis Raben, RF, L/L, 6-3, 220, Jr.: After finishing second on the team in home runs (12) and third in RBI (48), Raben will return to his familar spot in right field. He was named 2008 Baseball American Preseason First Team All-American after earning Cape Cod League All-Star MVP honors. He's rated the ninth-best college prospect in college baseball.
5. Mark Sobolewski, 3B, R/R, 6-1, 200, So.: The freshman All-American hit .345 in 61 starts, splitting time at third base and in left field. Canes expect even bigger things from him this season. He could potentially hit some clean-up too.
6/7. Dave DiNatale, LF, R/R, 6-1, 200, Jr.: After transferring over from UCF, DiNatale struggled some in 2007, hitting .233 with 23 RBI in 42 games. His fielding was a perfect 1.000 last season. He could potentially find himself splitting time with Aden Severino in left field and at designated hitter.
6/7. Adan Severino, LF/DH, L/R, 6-0, 200, Jr.: The JUCO transfer from Broward Community College has good speed and is a good defensive player. A three-time All-Dade selection at American High, he hit .344 with 23 RBI, three home runs and three steals at BCC last season. Could see some DH duty. Morris also mentioned freshmen Iden Nazario of Miami Southridge (who left the fall as the DH after hitting .367 with a team-leading 14 RBI), Joe Terdoslavich (who played with Sobolewski and ace Eric Erickson at Sarasoata High), and redshirt sophomore Jonathan Weislow (the fastest player on the team according to Morris and a backup for Tekotte in center) as guys who will fill this hole as well.
8. Catcher, Jason Hagerty, S/R, 6-3, 220, So. or Yasmani Grandal, S/R, 6-2, 210, Fr.: Hagerty is known for his defense. He only hit .195 last season. Grandal left the fall as the No. 1 catcher as the big-time prospect. He was a three-time All-Dade selection. He hit .447 with 48 RBI and 13 HRs as a senior. Grandal said he has dropped 20 pounds since graduating high school and added "lean muscle."
9. Ryan Jackson, SS, R/R, 6-3, 180, So.: A defensive beast, he made 49 starts last season as a freshman. He only hit .236 but hit .452 in the fall with a team-high 28 hits. Spent the summer in the Cape Cod League.

THE PITCHING ROTATION: There is no doubt who UM's ace is -- left-handed sophomore Eric Erickson, who went 10-4 with a 2.50 ERA last season and who became the first UM freshman to earn All-ACC First Team honors. Morris listed the rest of his rotation as...
2. Enrique Garcia, RHP, 6-4, 225, Sr.: After starting the season as the closer, Garcia found his way into the starting rotation and led UM with 80 strikeouts in 92 innings and finished 8-4 with a 3.82 ERA.
3. Chris Hernandez, LHP, 6-1, 195, Fr.: The Miami Herald's 4A-1A Pitcher of the Year at Monsignor Pace, Hernandez has had a strong showing in fall practice, striking out 23 batters in 16 1/3 innings. At Pace, he went 7-2 with 106 K's and an 0.87 ERA. Hernandez told me he has added speed to his fastball since working with pitching coach JD Arteaga and is now topping out at 92 miles per hour.
4. John Housey, RHP, 6-4, 180, So.: As a freshman he made 17 appearances and 1 start, going 0-3 with a 5.65 ERA.
5. Michael Rudman, RHP, 5-9, 170, So.: Appeared in 11 games and had an ERA of 12.34 with an 0-1 record. He's expected to improve after having a good fall season in which posted an ERA of 2.29, allowing just five earned runs in 19 2/3 innings. Morris said junior RHP Jason Santana, who went 4-0 with a 1.72 ERA, could find some starts after coming back from shoulder surgery.

THE CLOSER: After returning from Tommy John Surgery this past summer and pitching some in the North Carolina league, 6-3, 205-pound right hander Carlos Gutierrez has been designated as the Hurricane's closer. Gutierrez anchored UM's pitching staff as the Friday Night Starter in 2006 before being injured and finishing the season 9-7 with a 4.40 ERA.

Morris told me Gutierrez has actually picked up velocity on his fastball since the surgery and both catchers told me his stuff is flat out nasty.

"Carlos is amazing. He goes from 91 to 95, his ball drops, moves, it goes everywhere," Grandal said. "The first time I caught him I can’t even say I caught him. I had about six, seven passed balls from how much his ball moved. He’s going to have a great season here. As a closer, I’m glad to have him on my side because I don’t think anybody is going to hit him."

*Morris said his left-handed specialist out of the bullpen will either be senior PJ Fisher (6-0, 165), who pitched 16 2/3 innings during the fall and struckout 18 and allowed 13 hits or Nazario.

I conducted interviews with coach Jim Morris, catchers Jason Hagerty and Yasmani Grandal, freshman pitcher Chris Hernandez and closer Carlos Gutierrez and shortstop Ryan Jackson. Click on the links to listen to them.

The Hot Stove: First '09 recruit, Ebanks

The University of Miami football team put together one of the nation's top recruiting classes in 2008 because it got off to such a great, early start. Tuesday, less than two weeks after the ink dried on the '08 signing class, the Hurricanes officially got started on '09, nabbing a commitment with a last name quite familiar to UM -- Highsmith.

A.J. Highsmith, the son of former Hurricanes running back Alonzo Highsmith, told UM coaches Sunday night he wanted to become the first official member of UM's 09 recruiting class. The 6-foot, 188-pound senior at Fort Bend Hightower High in Texas (just outside of Houston) will come to the Hurricanes as a quarterback. But just like his father, who once starred as a linebacker and defensive end at Miami Columbus High before switching to fullback with the Hurricanes, A.J. Highsmith could potentially switch to another position.

Either way, his father, who played at UM from 1983-86, is excited his son is going to be a Hurricane.

"He loves playing football and I think in the bottom of his heart he’s always wanted to be a Hurricane," Alonzo Sr. told me by phone Tuesday. "He’s listened to my friends, former Canes who come to my house and talk about Miami. He’s always sat there attentive and listened. The funny thing is he never really said I wanted to play football for the Miami Hurricanes and I never pushed him toward Miami because I didn’t know if they were going to be recruiting him. I actually pushed him to check out other schools because I didn't want him to be heartbroken if they didn't recruit him. So, when Miami finally started recruiting him, he called me and said UM was at my school today and they were scouting me and they like me. I said 'Oh man, that’s awesome. But don’t get too excited, it’s a long process.' So, they finally saw enough film and they liked him and offered. I knew what his answer was going to be."

NOT VERY HIGHLY TOUTED: Highsmith, whose first name is short for Alonzo Jr., is not a very highly-touted recruit. Neither Rivals.com nor Scout.com have him listed among any of the top recruits yet in their early lists for 2009. But at Hightower High, he's proven to be a pretty good quarterback despite no experience in playing the position prior to the ninth grade. Last season, he threw for 2,299 yards with 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in leading Hightower to a 10-4 season and the fourth round of the playoffs in Class 5A (the top classification in Texas). As a sophomore he passed for 1,516 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions and his team went 9-4, reaching the third round of the playoffs.

Highsmith Sr. said UM didn't start recruiting his son until last month when running backs coach Tommie Robinson passed by the campus and saw his highlights on tape. Eventually, Highsmith Sr. said offensive coordinator Patrick Nix made his way to Houston before coach Randy Shannon and his staff decided to make a formal offer. Boston College was the only other school to make an official offer for Highsmith.

"I think he's similar to me in that he's a team player and he's going to do whatever the coaches want him to do when he gets to Miami," Highsmith Sr. said. "I think in the bottom of his heart he's always wanted to be a safety. He's only been playing quarterback since the 9th grade because his coach told him he's the smartest kid in the program for us. To the kids credit, here's a kid who has never thrown a pass growing up. He's worked so hard he's become one of the better quarterbacks in the city of Houston and the state."

DEEP CANES CONNECTION: Highsmith lived in Miami for three years with his mother and sister (up until the end of his eighth grade year) before moving back to Houston. During his time in Miami, Highsmith Sr., who is now in his 10th season as a scout for the Green Bay Packers, said his son spent many summers at UM running side by side with his childhood idols, dreaming of becoming a Hurricane. His grandmother has worked in the UM bookstore for more than 30 years. Highsmith said his son, who has a 3.5 GPA, will try to enroll in UM in January and said he doesn't expect his son to take any other visits.

"His heroes have been Sean Taylor, Ed Reed and all those type of people," Highsmith Sr. said. "He sees all the University of Miami helmets in my house. He definitely knows about the UM program."

To listen to the complete audio interview, click on the following link, Alonzo Highsmith Sr. interview.

EBANKS WATCH: I know some of you have been inquiring about the recent developments surrounding the University of Indiana, former Hurricanes recruiting target Devin Ebanks and the chance he could end up backing out of his commitment to Indiana -- and choosing the Canes -- if coach Kelvin Sampson is fired. (For those of you who haven't heard here is an SI story to give you some background).

Well, I haven't spoken to Ebanks, but today I did inquire with my sources at UM about the situation (the Canes can't comment publicly) and I did get to speak to Ebanks' coach Jere Quinn. Here is what Quinn had to say about Ebanks, a 6-8, 185-pound swingman who is rated the 13th-best recruit in the '08 class regardless of position.

"Right now, Devin is just comfortable with waiting and seeing what happens with Indiana," Quinn said. "We've decided to instead of being proactive, we'll be reactive with this situation. We've heard that Indiana is supposed to decide what happens with Coach Sampson this weekend. Even if Coach Sampson leaves, Devin made his commitment to Indiana. That's something he'll have to think about."

Ebanks, who signed a scholarship in November, would need to ask Indiana for a release from scholarship if Sampson is fired in order to choose another school. Quinn said he and Ebanks have not discussed other possible destinations because "we're in the middle of our season." But he said Ebanks has been contacted by other schools since the news broke that Indiana and Sampson we're in hot water.

"Without a doubt Miami was a finalist before," Quinn said. "But like I've told you, right now he's Indiana's and he hasn't talked with me yet about where he would like to go if he doesn't go there."

So, would the Canes take Ebanks considering they've already signed another standout at the same swingman position in 6-6, 195-pound DeQuan Jones? From what I heard today "without question." UM still has a scholarship available for 2008 and while coach Frank Haith has said he's looking to sign a combo guard, the chance to get Ebanks should he come available would likely be too enticing to pass up. The one roadblock will be convincing Ebanks' mother, who wasn't very fond of her trip to Miami with her son last year. She is likely to push her son toward Rutgers, the other finalist for his services, because it is closer to her home in the greater New York area. What Miami has in its favor, though, is that Haith and Ebanks had a great relationship through the recruiting process.

Hoops Report: Rios Q&A, Rick Ross request

It was no secret heading into the University of Miami's basketball season that the biggest question mark was at point guard. Coach Frank Haith told reporters early on, he hoped his most hyped and prized recruit, Eddie Rios, would eventually sprout into the leader of that role by season's end.

"I think Eddie is going to have a terrific career, but I don't want him to feel he has to wear a cape," Haith told me back in May. "I think at least for the early part of the season, we can spread the work around between Eddie, Jack [McClinton] and Lance [Hurdle]. But eventually, Eddie is going to be the man. That's what he's coming here for."

Lately, Rios has begun to show flashes of the skills that once made recruiting analysts hype him as one of the top five '07 players in the country as a sophomore. Last week at Virginia Tech, he scored a career-high 14 points, made three three-pointers, picked up two steals and then hit a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch to ice UM's first ACC road win in 11 tries. I wasn't at Virginia Tech. I didn't watch the game. But from what I heard from his teammates including Ray Hicks, it was the type of effort they used to see from Rios when they would go watch him play at Miami High.

So, could this be the start of what Canes fans have hoped for? Or was it just one good game? And what has taken Rios so long to get going? I went down to UM Wednesday and spoke with Rios for 20 minutes to try to see where his head is at. Here are some of things he had to say.

Q: Between you, Lance and Jack, you are probably the most natural of the three guys sharing the point guard duties. Coach has said it himself. Are you hoping maybe what you did against Virginia Tech will start making you feel like the old Eddie Rios?
A: I hope so. I hope I can continue playing the way I've been playing. I think I can help the team by just hitting shots when I'm open, finding my teammates and making everybody else better. And also d-ing up [playing defense], doing anything to win, being a scrappy player. So, I guess I can contribute like that. Hopefully, I'll go out and have a good outing like I did against Virginia Tech and do it again Sunday. But I just got to keep working. I can't settle on one game. I've got to keep working my shot and my handle and help the team win.

Q: I know you came in with a lot of expectations. You predicted you were going to take UM to the NCAA tournament as a freshman when you signed. You still believe it? And have you had the type of impact you were hoping for?
A: I still believe in that. I wanted to make a bigger impact than I have this year. I think I came in kind of, I don't know, I didn't really adjust so early. It was kind of a surprise to me. I don't think I've done so good so far. But hopefully, there's a lot of games left, hopefully I can go out with a bang and we'll just keep winning. This year has been a learning experience for me.

Q: People had these big expectations of you because of all you accomplished in high school and at the AAU level. How did you envision yourself?
A: I just envisioned myself like if this was going to be high school in the sense that it was going to be easy to drive, easy to hit shots. It was a different atmosphere coming in. The intensity went up. The speed changed. I envisioned it like high school when I first came out. And then when we started playing in the preseason I said 'OK, I'm in college now.' It just took me awhile to adjust. Early on the season, I didn't have my legs with me in the sense that I'm used to starting. And when I start my legs warm up quick and my legs won't be burning. I was slow and stiff. But all that now is going away now. When I get in there, I'm ready to go. I don't get tired. My speed is back. My legs don't burn as much. It's a big change.

Q: What's been the biggest adjustment from high school to college?
A: A: Knowing when to shoot when you're open. There's times when you think you're open or when you are open and you think the guy is going to come contest your shot -- you just got to let it go. I used to think a guy was going to block it because they recover so fast. Also the speed, for everybody. The speed is a little quicker. You have quick twitch muscles. They react faster to your passes. And also the defense, staying in front of your defender, staying in front of him.

Q: You are a guy who has always had the ball in your hand. You've been the starter, the star. Has it been tough sitting on the bench?
A: It's been tough, but I just got to wait for my name to be called. I just got to go in there when they do call it and try to help my team out the way I can. If I don't play that much I can't get mad at the coach or my teammates, I just got to keep practicing and wait for a new opportunity.

Q: I know your parents have a lot of pride and they had their own expectations. I know at one point they thought you could spend one year in college and go to the NBA. What have your parents said through this season. Has it been an eye-opening experience for them too?
A: A little bit. They just tell me to keep working hard each game and don't worry about it, about playing. You'll get your chance soon and help the team win. They tell me if I'm not playing to cheer for the team, practice hard against them and make them better. They haven't given any problems, I don't think.

Q: What did they say after the Virginia Tech game?
A: They were happy after that game. They told me it's only one game and there are still more games to be played. Anybody can have one good game. I hit my shots. I was supposed to do that. They said keep working and do it on Sunday and the rest of the season.

Q: Was there a point this season when you started to feel comfortable again?
A: I think the Duke game helped me a lot. We played a very good team. The atmosphere was intense. When I went there, I felt nervous in the beginning when I got in there. But then I started to blow by guys. To be honest, I felt like I was back in high school. I felt real loose. I felt like I had freedom. I made a mistake and coach left me in there. The team was feeding off my energy. Jimmy had a couple dunks. Ray had a couple dunks. I don't know, I guess it helped my confidence a lot playing against a team like that. I grew up seeing them on TV all the time. To go up there and did what I did, I was like OK, I feel good now. It kind of helped me out and I just kept building.

Q: You mentioned having freedom and not being scared of making a mistake. Have you felt that early on?
A: A couple times. But I think that happens to everybody. It's not being scared. You know if you make a mistake, they're going to take you out and it starts messing with you. You got to deal with it and take care of the ball and do what I got to do.

Q: Who have you spent most of your time talking to during this adjustment period?
A: I'm very to myself. I don't spend a lot of time talking to my parents about anything. The coaches? I have a good relationship with everybody. But I'm one of those guys that keeps things to myself. I go to the court and take out all my anger there. Shoot, dribbling. I really don't know how to answer that question.

Q: What about Dwayne Collins? You've known him for a long time. You guys talk?
A: It's different with Dwayne. He's a big guy, so he can't really relate to me and the fact I'm a point guard. It's different. Jack every now and then throws in a couple words of encouragement. Lance talks to me. But I really like to keep things to myself. I think its just the way I was brought up. I was always alone and stuff. I always had my dad and stuff. But I haven't been talking to him that much because he's been busy with work and stuff. I really haven't dealt with things like this. I don't know how to handle it, so I just keep it to myself. I just keep practicing.

Q: Is it because you are shy?
A: (Laughter) I think its time management. I'm kind of shy. It's things where I know what I have to do. I just want to do it on my own. For example, I'll make a mistake and they'll say come by and we'll have film. To be honest, every g