Barney out 2-3 months; Hill talks WRs

Chris Barney's injury is worse than initially thought. UM coach Randy Shannon first told reporters after Thursday's practice that he first heard the 6-5, 345-pound redshirt junior would be out from 4 to 6 weeks. But Shannon said on Hurricane Hotline Thursday night that Barney will now be out between 2 and 3 months.

I got a chance to catch up with offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland Friday for a story I'm working on for next week on another player and asked him for his reaction to the Barney news.

"It's unfortunate," Stoutland said. "Chris had really turned the corner. He changed the way he was living, his approach to school, his approach to playing football. I didn't get a chance to talk to him last when I tried calling the hospital, but I'm going to tell him when I see him that this just a speed bump in the road. Sports has a way of teaching you lessons for later in life. The guys say Chris' spirits have been great. It's very important to have that positive attitude following an injury."

Barney had been in the starting rotation at left guard despite not playing much at all last year. Stoutland said Orlando Franklin, A.J. Trump, Joel Figueroa and Harland Gunn are all guys who will try to make up for Barney's loss.

> With the way some of the young receivers have looked through the first few days of camp, new receivers coach Aubrey Hill has been one of the most sought after interviews this fall. Reporters finally got their shot after Thursday morning's practice. The No. 1 thing Hill said he's looking for in filling up what likely will be an eight receiver rotation: "Consistency." That bolds well for two young guys imparticular, Travis Benjamin and Laron Byrd, who have been singled out now a few times after practice.

Hill, though, said he's counting heavily on veterans Kayne Farquharson, Leonard Hankerson, Sam Shields and Khalil Jones early on in the season to lead the way. "Those guys have been very, very good in terms of leadership and showing the freshmen everything they need to do, kind of giving them a taste of how Coach Hill is going to be. [They're] getting after them and they've done a great job of forewarning them, hey make sure you run every drill, staying in the playbook, making sure they do all the nuances at the position."

> Hills said what has impressed him the most about Byrd is that he's mature beyond his years. "It's not only on the field, it's in the meeting room. He's got his playbook open, asking questions. It's not like its brand new to him. It's not like its a new language like you deal with most freshmen. And then on the field, he's very physical and he has a presence about him. That's one thing you know, he's in the game and he's going full speed."

> On Jermaine McKenzie, Hill said he hasn't seen an ounce of timidness despite the fact he suffered a major neck injury last fall and then injured his ankle and missed the spring. "He's been in there running full speed, trying to hit the safeties and making catches and things like that. Actually, he still young. He missed two-a-days last year. He just needs a lot of reps like we all do in this time of year. But we're expecting him to help us also."

> Hill said there is no question the freshmen are pushing the older players, but says nobody has separated themselves into being a go-to receiver. He said he will look heavily at what happens in the scrimmages. "Right now, today, it's kind of a receiver group by committee. But as coaches you always have to adjust. Coach Nix, Coach Shannon we'll sit down and if somebody is really starting to separate himself, he'll be our go-to guy. But as of right now, we're going to have a receiver group by committee and find guys that can run specific routes and make plays for us."

> Hill said although he hasn't put a clock on him, he said Benjamin is one of the fastest receivers -- if not the fastest -- he's ever coached. "He can run as fast as he needs to. If there is a 4.4, 4.3 DB running, he'll run as fast as he needs to score. He's electrifying. Very electrifying."

> One of the criticisms Miami's receivers got in the past -- even from Shannon -- was that they didn't go up and fight for balls enough. Hill said he's implemented drills to make sure that no longer happens. "I've seen it at times where we do a great job at it and I've seen it at times where I have to coach it."

Comments

[westcoastcane]

first, blah!

[BV]

Manny--Thanks for all you do.
Are you going to the scrimmage tomorrow?

[Esteban]

sucks to see Barney out that long. hopefully its closer to two months than 3. will only miss the first 3 or 4 games probably if its 2 months.

and i'm glad to see Coach Hill has them working on going up and making a play for the ball in the air. definitely is something they have needed to work on.

[Das U]

Hey Manny,

Great stuff. Do you and Shandel try to cut each other's internet access off when you're out there? JK. On a serious note, and I asked this in a previous comment string but I dont think it was answered, what's with Sam Shields' grades? Any word on his eligibility, which was an issue a week ago?

Thanks, Manny. Can't wait to hear about the scrimmage tomorrow.

[1miamifan]

Manny are you gonna cover the linebackers and db's on depth chart?

[JoeCane]

Good stuff, anything on aldarius?

[canesrule]

Barney out 2-3 months and Canes ranked outside of the Top 50

INJURY TO INSULT

[Canes '97]

Canesrule = classless, prick!!!!!!!!!

[Canes '97]

"Barney out 2-3 months and Canes ranked outside of the Top 50...
INJURY TO INSULT" -CanesRule

PROVE IT ON THE FIELD

[New Jersey Hurricane]

I wish Barney a speedy recovery! Maybe he will be back for mid October.(if not sooner!)

Anybody know how far Dolphins Stadium is from Ft. Lauderdale airport? I'm coming down for the first game August 28th. What time does the Tailgaiting start? "It's great to be a Miami Hurricane"

[Cat5 Cane]

Manny... and others

I didn't get a chance to respond to your comment of being the school monitor and policing bloggers from yesterday but it is a long time coming and the system should have been in place a long time ago.

With that said...
So,... OK Captain... take out that whip and be the skipper of your ship... As you hear him say... OK Mattie's you have heard me loud and clear, now do as I say, or you all will disappear.... LOL

Cat5

As Randy would say... Do what ya-gotta do!

[Cat5 Cane]

Ohhhh... but don't Nix me as you and I are Budddds....Right??????
LOL Cat

[green]

James...your vulgar language will not earn you any respect or bonus points on the blog. Is that what your mother taught you to say?

Posted by: Mary Poppins | June 22, 2008 at 08:41 PM

I'll send your comments to Shandel and his editor in the morning for further action.

Posted by: Mary Poppins | June 22, 2008 at 08:43 PM

I'm going to talk to Manny and his editor via email today to try to get them to do something about it ASAP.

Posted by: Mary Poppins | May 02, 2008 at 09:32 AM

So let me get this straight. You get your feelings hurt on a blog, and so you email and tattle on someone who continuously shows you up? That's very hall-pass monitor like! Maybe instead of trying to kiss ace you could just be a man of your word and boycott this blog.

Posted by: 86isacrybaby | May 06, 2008 at 10:30 AM

MODUS OPERANDI

[green]

Manny... and others

I didn't get a chance to respond to your comment of being the school monitor and policing bloggers from yesterday but it is a long time coming and the system should have been in place a long time ago.

Posted by: Cat5 Cane | August 09, 2008 at 10:01 AM

Eye on the U self-polices ...
heavy-handedness discourages give and take ...
however, malleable manny navarro must disentangle his ethical employer from this low-down dirty rotten scoundrel ...
nothing short of that will suffice ...

ULTIMATUM

[green]

Anybody know how far Dolphins Stadium is from Ft. Lauderdale airport?

Posted by: New Jersey Hurricane | August 09, 2008 at 09:14 AM

14 miles / 20 minutes

[green]

What time does the Tailgaiting start?

Posted by: New Jersey Hurricane | August 09, 2008 at 09:14 AM
let's get this party started ...

ALL NIGHT LONG

[canesncowboys]

thanks for the updates Manny. I see some people never learn.

[MRA]

One of the criticisms Miami's receivers got in the past -- even from Shannon -- was that they didn't go up and fight for balls enough. Hill said he's implemented drills to make sure that no longer happens. "I've seen it at times where we do a great job at it and I've seen it at times where I have to coach it."

GOOD!!!! If the receiver's mentality changes and they start going after the balls for real, if they start to go over the middle, Miami will improve much faster than folks think. Also I don't know what the heck has been going on with the comments, but if you need to ban people here and there, do it brother, you'll lose one and gain more. Keepup the spectacular work.

[canesrule]

Still, as boring as the Miami game will be to Wright, all players have circled the team's annual rivalry against Georgia, the preseason No. 1, as the game of the season.

''Georgia, man,'' cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis said. ``That's the game of the year. I'm not going to lie. Even though we're going to take it one by one, Georgia is the game of the year.''

NOSTRADAMUS OR RAY CHARLES - U LOSE

[5AND7SUX]

HEY CANEBLOGGERS, ON A SAD NOTE, MY MAIN MAN BERNIE MAC IS DEAD AT AGE 50. R.I.P. MAC MAN, R.I.P..

[Eric]

"That bolds well for two young guys imparticular,"

Wow. It always amazes me when they award cherry journalism jobs to people who can't write. Try this:

'That bodes well for two young guys in particular,'

The ethnics are destroying the English language...

[canesrule]

"That bolds well for two young guys imparticular" - guy who knows no better

THE EVOLUTION OF EBONICS @ DUHHHHH U

[5AND7SUX]

SO WHICH ONE ARE YOU, CANESRULE, OR ERIC? AND SINCE WHEN DID AMERICANS SPEAK ENGLISH, I MEAN REAL ENGLISH. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU TELL SOMEBODY NOT TO DO SOMETHING, DO YOU SAY, "YOU MUSTN'T DO THAT", OR DO YOU SAY, "DON'T DO THAT". IF YOU'RE AMERICAN, YOU SPEAK AMERICAN, NOT ENGLISH.

[M.H.]

Tally Ho...and All That..

[green]

Wow. It always amazes me when they award cherry journalism jobs to people who can't write. Try this:

Posted by: Eric | August 09, 2008 at 01:38 PM
you meant plum job ...

MIXED METAPHOR

[green]

"That bolds well for two young guys imparticular" - guy who knows no better

THE EVOLUTION OF EBONICS @ DUHHHHH U

Posted by: cross-dresser | August 09, 2008 at 01:53 PM
you meant florida international's finest ...

MIXED UP

[orange]

when i see green, you say orange

[New Jersey Hurricane]

Thanks Green, That's not a bad drive at all! Can't wait to see the Canes on the 28th! I look forward to seeing both Marve and Harris perform! It should be intersting to see all of the receivers in action! Looking forward to James and Coop! Can't wait to see monster blocks from Hill in the backfield! GO Canes!!!!!!

[New Jersey Hurricane]

I can't wait to see "Baby J" rush for over a 1,000 yards this season! When the passing game opens up "Baby J" will run wild! This Laron Byrd and Travis Benjamin are just what the Canes need! Go Canes!

P.S. throw Kayne, Aldarius and Tommy Streeter in mix! This year will be such a breath of fresh air!!! Go Canes!

[Canes'97]

"Still, as boring as the Miami game will be to Wright, all players have circled the team's annual rivalry against Georgia, the preseason No. 1, as the game of the season.

''Georgia, man,'' cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis said. ``That's the game of the year. I'm not going to lie. Even though we're going to take it one by one, Georgia is the game of the year.''
NOSTRADAMUS OR RAY CHARLES - U LOSE" -Canesrule

PROVE IT ON THE FIELD