Eye on the U

UM women's tennis finishes Sweet 16 round at close to 1 a.m. EST -- but beats Northwestern to advance to NCAA quarterfinals

They did it again.

For the fifth consecutive season, the University of Miami women's tennis team has advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

The sixth-ranked Hurricanes, playing at the tournament site in Urbana, Ill., beat Northwestern 4-3. They didn't complete play until close to 1 a.m. Eastern time Saturday (match began Friday night).

The Canes get to rest on Saturday, before meeting No. 3 Texas A&M at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday.

If UM beats Texas A&M in the Elite Eight round, it would play in the national semifinals on Monday. If UM, in turn, won that match, it would advance to the national title round on Tuesday.

The Hurricanes finished as the national runner-up in 2006, but have never won a national title. 

 On Friday, it was  junior Melissa Bolivar who clinched the victory at the No. 6 spot by winning her final two games. She beat Nida Hamilton 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-4.

 Also winning for UM were Stephanie Wagner at the No. 1 spot and Kelsey Laurente at the No. 2 spot, as well as the crucial doubles victories by Albuquerque/Riobueno and Wagner/Brittany Dubins.

 "I didn't feel comfortable throughout the match,'' Bolivar said after the match, as reported by UM sports information. "I just fought through it. You have to win, even though you're not playing your best. That's a quality we have.''

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

 

UM releases depth chart, injury report for FAMU

The Miami Hurricanes have released their season-opening depth chart as well as the injury report for Thursday night's game against Florida A&M. 

> Questionable: OL Jermaine Johnson (upper extremity), DL Micanor Regis (upper extremity), DB Jamal Reid (lower extremity).
> Doubtful: LB Jordan Futch (lower extremity), DL Andrew Smith (upper extremity).
> Out: OL Jermaine Barton (lower extremity), FB John Calhoun (lower extremity), LB Kevin Nelson (upper extremity), LB Travis Williams (lower extremity)
> Surgery and Out for the Season: None

As for the depth chart, can't say there are any real surprises. For the version UM sent us click on the link Download 10_1 -Miami Depth Chart

Fresher, healthier Canes to start 2010 season

CORAL GABLES -- University of Miami coach Randy Shannon isn't very forthcoming when it comes to questions about depth charts, injuries and starting jobs (just ask our Susan Miller Degnan and The Palm Beach Post's Jorge Milian, who got two completely different answers on whether or not Graig Cooper will play Thursday night).

So, I've learned over the years to take Shannon's answers to those particular questions with a grain of salt. But if you ask him a question he feels won't slight one of his players or take away from the competition in practice, he'll usually answer it candidly. After missing the last two weeks of camp, I only had one question I figured Shannon would answer Monday: What did he learn about his team this fall that maybe he didn't know or see from them before camp started?

His response: "They didn't hit a wall. My first year here, when these guys were young, they hit a wall and I couldn't get them out of it. When we went 7-6, we hit a wall against Virginia. There's no way in the world, I could get those young guys out of it. We went through the process [this fall] and they didn't hit a wall. 

"One day in practice we had a walkthrough at 10:30 at night. We came back and brought them back at 6:30 the next morning. Nobody was tired. Nobody was late. They responded and had a great day of practice. We've had scenarios where lightning [alarms] went off. We went out half an hour later, and got practice done in an hour. We've put them in situations -- we scrimmaged in the rain, had hot days -- they responded. We went one-a-day, two-a-days, nobody had to have [intravenous fluids] or any of that. They practiced hard, their tempo was great. Anytime you can do that, it's great."

If you bleed orange and green, you have to like what you're hearing from your coach. Maturity and growth were inevitable. But to hear it is actually happening is encouraging. 

There's no doubt the Canes looked like a beat up and tired football team at the end of the last two seasons. After Monday morning's practice, Shannon told reporters this is the healthiest his team has been coming out of camp. Running back Damien Berry said of the previous camps he had participated in, this one was the least physical. Those shorter and less physical practices should definitely benefit this team when it comes time to strap it up with the Florida States, North Carolinas and Virginia Techs in October and November.

A few other notes of interest...

> The depth chart is supposed to be released to the media during Tuesday's practice. My money is on Jermaine Johnson starting at right tackle over a banged up Joel Figueroa -- regardless of what the depth chart says. 

> Travis Benjamin said that he, cornerback Brandon Harris and running back Lamar Miller will start the season as the team’s punt returners. Harris, Miller and running backs Storm Johnson and Eduardo Clements are working on kickoff returns.

> Shannon told reporters a few days ago his rotation at running back would likely be the trio of Miller, Berry and Mike James. I think it's really going to be four players -- freshman Storm Johnson being the other. Berry said Johnson has done an exceptional job in pass blocking situations. That's the difference, I believe, in a redshirt or a freshman season in which he contributes.

"Those guys are picking up the playbook very quickly, very rapidly," Berry said of Miller and Johnson. "Especially Storm. I didn't expect him to come in and learn the way he does. He came in on a mission. He was really competing for the starting spot and still is."

As for Graig Cooper, I'm not convinced he's healthy enough yet to play this season. He didn't play in any of the scrimmages and didn't really participate in any real contact drills. Shannon's motto has always been: you don't practice or hit, you don't play. If Cooper plays, he becomes the exception to that rule.

PUNT BLOCKS A FOCUS: Special teams Jedi master Matt Bosher said one thing the Canes have focused intently on during this fall has been blocking punts. 

"It's been a big focus by the coaching staff," Bosher said. "They want to make sure we get more punt blocks as a team. We're trying to change the game, flip the field around and if we can block a punt and give our offense great field position or even scoop and score, it's a great game changer. We really have a lot of the athletes to get it taken care of. The schemes are really coming along and giving us a chance to go out there and go after the ball."

A BERRY FUNNY MAN: Running back Damien Berry looks like he's taken the lead in the race for best quote on the team this season. Berry held a fun 10-minute back and forth session with reporters Monday. Among Berry's best hits from Monday: 

- On what it feels like getting tackled by Allen Bailey:  "It feels like a car wreck. It's just different from other people. Most guys have a little stomach and it's fat. Allen is all muscle. That's 300 pounds of muscle falling on you. He's not a real finesse guy."

- On what it was like watching Bailey accidentally sack Jacory Harris this fall: "That was scary. It's like a lion getting a little baby gazelle. It was like, 'Hey Bailey chill.' He's a beast. I don't know why we let him practice."

- On player nicknames: "We just go off what they look like. [Walk-on linebacker Sean] Goldstein. The first time we saw Goldstein we were like he looks like [Tim] Tebow. He don't like it. He's like, 'Chill with that bro."

- On OT Seantrel Henderson’s eating habits: “I’ve seen this guy with a salad. I was like, ‘Bro, I know you ain’t been growing up on salads. He likes steaks and stuff, too.”

- On why he thinks the Hurricanes’ group of running backs is the best in the nation: “It’s kind of hard not to be the best when you’re so diverse back there. It’s like the Lakers. Their bench is great. I think our bench is great.”

Monday: 15 minutes alone with Shannon, Seantrel, Jacory and new Nike Elite Pro Combat uniforms

Hi everyone!

It's Susan on a hectic Monday. Early practice (wrote an early blog before this), then FAMU-related press conference. Also spoke to Randy Shannon by myself for a bit:

* Shannon said he is releasing the depth chart for Thursday night's game on Tuesday, instead of at the press conference, which he used to do.

* I asked Shannon if any players will be suspended for the FAMU game. His reply: "No.''

* Shannon told me that freshman offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson is "doing well. He knows about a quarter to half of the playbook and he's getting better every week and every day. He's very competitive and he's doing a great job of learning and competing and doing everything he needs to do to get ready.''

 * Randy, do you expect Seantrel  Henderson to play? "Don't know. It depends on how the game goes and how the season goes. You never know when he will play and when he won't play.

(Note: I think he'll get in there -- and so does Orlando Franklin; see previous blog -- the first game, but we'll see.)

Seantrel is listed as 6-8 and 355 pounds on roster. But Shannon told me, "He's losing weight already.''

I also asked Shannon if Seantrel does get in, how long will it take to get his conditioning and college game experience down to where he can perform well for an extended period of time.

Shannon's response: "I'll put it to you this way, Orlando Franklin played as a true freshman. He could not finish a game until the last game of the season. it's a process.''

* Good chance new defensive end David Perry, who just reported a couple days ago, will redshirt. "He's going through the acclimation period,'' Shannon said, "and he got here so late." Is it too late for him to play this season? Shannon: "Don't know. Probably is. He's got to go two days in shorts -- with that said, he's probably not [going to play]."

* Will RB Graig Cooper play Thursday? "He's been practicing every day and taking some hits and some shots, so we'll see. It's a possibility.''

* Is RT Jermaine Johnson OK? Shannon: "He was out there at practice. He's not on the scout team. He was wearing a different jersey number [Sunday] because his jersey was ripped. He got his jersey fixed." Shannon said he'll play at FAMU, but he wouldn't say if he's starting.

* How is linebacker Travis Williams ?(I saw him yesterday with crutches and a large black brace on left knee): "You'll get the injury report tomorrow. ACC rules.''

* Is RB Storm Johnson going to redshirt? Shannon: "Don't know. He can play in the first game as early as Thursday. You never know.''

* What's your philosophy on redshirting? Shannon: "I think players redshirt themselves. I tell every player that we recruit when they come to the University of Miami, if they're physically and mentally ready to handle being at the University of Miami, they'll play. I don't ever redshirt anybody until after the fourth game, because you never know what is going to happen. We have a long season to go and the first four or five games are going to be very difficult for us.''

*Jacory Harris is not wearing the white tape (protective covering) over his surgically repaired throwing thumb. He said he is 100-percent healed. "With the thumb I was going to start throwing the first game with the tape around my hand, like I had at the beginning of camp. But these last couple days I've done it without tape and I'm 100 percent. I'll be able to go.

Why the tape during camp?

"It was just in case. It was just me being scared that something may happen. But you can't be scared of everything. Things happen for a reason. You just have to live.''

NIKE ELITE PRO COMBAT UNIFORMS

I promised I'd get back to you guys on the new Nike  "Elite Pro Combat Uniforms."

The uniforms will be unveiled by Nike this Wednesday, but they're not all-black, like some people have surmised.

I just talked to Harry Rothwell, general manager of allCanes store in Coral Gables. He went to the Nike Summit last week in Atlanta and saw an artist's rendering of the Elite Pro Combat unis that will be worn Nov. 20 against Virginia Tech.

In a nutshell, they're all orange -- and Rothwell said they're "cool.''

"I think they're better than last year's,'' he said. Last year's were all white and were worn at USF and at the Champs Sports Bowl.

Rothwell: "Very cool looking. They're orange. Lightweight. They're very sleek and fast-looking. They have a different kind of number on them. I really don't know how to describe it -- it's kind of a green number with some sort of stripe or graphic in it. New shoes -- orange and green and black with the U on them. The gloves are coming back that make the U when the players put their hands together. New pants, with some stripes that go down and around them. I think there's a U on the pants by the knee."

Rothwell said allCanes, on Ponce de Leon across the street from Alex Rodriguez Park, will carry the new Pro Combat jerseys, two styles of related hats, one Dri-Fit related shirt and the gloves that are part of the uniform. He said they'll probably arrive sometime before the game, probably by early November.

These are just special uniforms that will be worn either only at that game or in a very limited number of games.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Sun rising, Canes practicing... three days away.

Good morning.

Susan here.

We had about five- to 10 minutes out there today.

No. 1 national incoming freshman Seantrel Henderson -- literally the Hurricanes' biggest catch -- was playing second-team right tackle. Henderson is listed on the roster as 6-8, 355 pounds. He seems like a beast on the field. Defensive end Marcus Robinson was having no luck getting past him when I was watching.

I'm thinking Seantrel will play against FAMU as one of the rotating backups. I'm also thinking UM is ecstatic he's on the roster.

POST-PRACTICE NOTE: Starting left tackle Orlando Franklin just talked to us and talked about Seantrel: "He's doing real good. For a guy that big, I think he's doing real good. To be honest with you I was somewhat surprised to see him come in and do the think he's done. He's huge. I could hide behind Seantrel, and I'm not small. So I'm just pretty excited and like I said, on Thursday we're going to see what that kid can really do, and it's going to be an exciting day.''

Franklin also raved about freshman center Brandon Linder.

* I mistakenly thought Fig took part in an early drill and then was on the sideline being tended to by a trainer. I was told by UM he was being stretched by a strength and conditioning coach.

* On the first play we saw, cornerback Brandon Harris broke up a pass to receiver Leonard Hankerson.

* Tailback Damien Berry, playing with the first team, sprinted straight down the middle of the field for a touchdown.

* On a deep pass by Spencer Whipple, Tommy Streeter beats Lee Chambers near the sideline.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Latwan Anderson and David Perry at football practice (two backup qbs talk)

Good morning. It's Susan.

Just came in from the beginning of UM football practice.

UM track signee and former high school football star Latwan Anderson, a defensive back, is at practice, wearing Thearon Collier's old jersey No. -- 28. He had no pads on and wore what looked like black gym shorts. He will be listed as 5-10 and 170 pounds on the roster.

Defensive end David Perry, out of Fort Lauderdale's University School, also is at practice, wearting jersey No. 95. He looks big -- and he is. Perry will be listed on the UM roster as 6-7 and 230 pounds.

It appears they are just observing and not actually taking part in any drills. We saw about 10 minutes worth so we'll know more after we talk to Randy Shannon. POST-PRACTICE NOTE: Shannon said both guys have to abide by NCAA practice rules and start out in shorts, and proceed slowly, as the others did at the start of camp. He would not elaborate about Latwan or his projected position and kept saying he was a walk-on.

Also: the linebacker position continues to be in flux.

Today it was Colin McCarthy in the middle and Sean Spence and Kylan Robinson on the outside -- first teamers.

 McCarthy, who played on the outside last year, is still in the middle -- where he made  the move recently.  Robinson recently moved from first-team middle to second-team middle, and today obviously moved to first-team outside. Ramon Buchanan had recently been practicing outside with the first team. Today he was with the second team.

 Right tackle Joel Figueroa is back at first-team, but no sign of Jermaine Johnson at practice. Not sure what that's about. (POST-PRACTICE NOTE: It's now after practice and Randy Shannon said Jermaine Johnson was in practice -- nothing else. We saw who we thought was Jermaine after practice wearing a duplicate jersey number (66), same as Harland Gunn, who was at practice.)

 Jermaine Barton played second-team guard today. On the first day of practice, Barton, out of Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas High, was on crutches with his right leg in a boot. 

 Adewale Ojomo is with the second team defensive ends, along with Marcus Robinson. The starters today were Olivier Vernon and Allen Bailey. Josh Holmes and Marcus Forston were the first-team tackles.

 Since this week's game against FAMU is on a Thursday, not Saturday, today was like the usual Tuesday practice -- usually the most intense one of the week. I'm not sure at all, however, whether it means every guy who played with the first team early in practice today will be starting.

POST-PRACTICE NOTES:

* Freshman linebacker Travis Williams just hobbled by on crutches with a large brace over his left knee (saw him from inside a building; our friends at Inside the U made the I.D.)

* Also, we talked to backup quarterbacks A.J. Highsmith and Spencer Whipple today. Freshman Stephen Morris had to lift weights so he couldn't talk to us. It was the first time we got the backups. Shannon wouldn't say who the No. 2 guy is, but that's pretty obvious right now. We're going with A.J., who, by the way, said he wants to be called A.J., not Alonzo. He said he basically put his name on the roster as Alonzo on a whim, but that it didn't really mean anything in particular.

Whipple, who said he is sharing reps on the scout team with Stephen Morris, will be doing the holding, so he'll be in every game in that capacity.'

Have no idea if Stephen Morris will be redshirted, but it seems that could be the case.

Enjoy your Sunday afternoon and evening!

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Desmond Howard: Canes will play Alabama in BCS National Championship game (and lose)

Good afternoon all! It's Susan Miller Degnan.

I just finished watching the preseason special for ESPN College GameDay, and the Canes were hyped up like the old days. So hyped up, in fact, that two of the three analysts predicted Miami would win the Atlantic Coast Conference title for the first time -- Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit (he also said it recently).

Howard, who lives in Miami and won the Heisman Trophy as a Michigan receiver in 1991, was the only one among himself, Herbstreit and Lee Corso (Chris Fowler doesn't do predictions) to predict the Hurricanes in the BCS national title game (in Arizona) -- against Nick Saban's Alabama.

He did say Alabama would beat the Canes, however.

Corso picked Nebraska beating Florida in the national championship -- "just like in 1995,'' he said. "Nebraska's defense wins it.''

Herbstreit, a former Ohio State quarterback, picked Ohio State to defeat Oklahoma in the BCS title game. "I think [coach] Jim Tressel will open up the playbook this year for [quarterback] Terrelle Pryor. I think Ohio State's defense will be maybe one of the best that Jim Tressel has had.''

As for the Atlantic Coast Conference title, here are the predictions: 

* Desmond Howard: Miami --  "I think they're going to have the talent to do it this year. I think the coordinators are in place, finally, for two years in a row, so I think Miami pulls it out.''

Lee Corso: Virginia Tech -- "I go with Virginia Tech to win it the old fashioned way -- run it, kick it, play defense. Virginia Tech."

Kirk Herbstreit: Miami --  "I'm going with Miami as well. Miami over Boston College. The Canes have been a very young team the last couple years. They grow up this year, show some maturity, more consistency. I like the Canes over BC.''

There you have it.

Have fun today. Be safe tonight.

Susan Miller Degnan

Canes award nominees are plentiful (or at least a lot more plentiful this season)

Good evening Canes followers. It's Susan again.

I just compiled a list of UM award nominees for some of the top prizes in college football. Following is what will appear in tomorrow's paper (where I usually write the practice report). Do you guys think that other people should have been nominated for any award? Personally, I think Matt Bosher should have been put on the Ray Guy watch list. Maybe he'll be added later.

I also think Graig Cooper (despite the reconstructive knee surgery) and Damien Berry should have been put on the Doak Walker Award watch list.

Individual award nominations don't mean much, except in the fact that they reflect the talent that this team has. It's pretty obvious that when UM players won national awards, the teams for which they played were very special. The trophies are a symbol of pride for UM.

Check out the players who are listed in UM's media guide as having won "National Awards.''  They were all great players. And just think of all the other greats that didn't win them!

Vinny Testaverde, Bennie Blades, Craig Erickson, Russell Maryland, Warren Sapp, Gino Torretta, Dan Morgan, Ken Dorsey, Bryant McKinnie, Brett Romberg, Kellen Winslow and Joaquin Gonzalez are the players listed in UM's media guide as having won "National Awards.''

HURRICANES UP FOR AWARDS
   The Hurricanes have been racking up the award nominations this preseason.

   The newest University of Miami award nominee is senior defensive end Allen Bailey,
announced Friday for the watch list of the Rotary Lombardi Award (down linemen).

   Bailey also is up for the Bednarik Award (best defensive player in college), Ted
Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive
player).

   Other UM defensive players up for prestigious awards are linebacker Colin McCarthy
(Bednarik, Butkus, Nagurski) and cornerback Brandon Harris (Jim Thorpe, Nagurski,
Bednarik). Sean Spence is up for the Butkus Award that goes to the top linebacker.

   On offense, quarterback Jacory Harris is up for the Davey O'Brien and Maxwell. Receiver
Leonard Hankerson is nominated for the Biletnikoff.

   Kicker Matt Bosher is up for the Lou Groza and Lowe's Senior CLASS Award (honors
excellence in community, classroom, character and competition).

   Defensive tackle Marcus Forston and offensive tackle Orlando Franklin are nominated for
the Outland Trophy.


      --SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN (Enjoy your weekend!)
 

Canes Carnivale: today is last chance to RSVP (sounds like fun)

Good afternoon everyone. It's Susan here.

UM football had off today and is off tomorrow.

But just in case you didn't know, the first-ever Canes Carnivale interactive festival is from 10:30 through 1 p.m.in the basketball field house and H-100 parking lot at the BankUnited Center on UM's campus.

The event is free to Hurricane Club members, who each can bring an additional three guests for free.

If you're not a Hurricane Club member, it costs $10 for admission and you become a Hurricane Club member (and can also then bring in three guests for free).

Student-athletes from every UM sports team will be represented.

Randy Shannon will be there for at least some of it (don't know when exactly), and some football players will be on hand as well. They didn't say which players.

Sounds great for families. For example, fans can try and strike out the baseball team, and also compete in an obstacle course against the women's and men's cross country and track teams. The football players apparently will be interacting with fans who test their throwing skills and go through a "mini-combine workout."

In the basketball field house, fans can participate in drills against the men's and women's teams (hey, maybe LeBron will show up again! Not.)

The golf team will have a putting green outside in the H-100 breezeway, with prizes available. Every team will have some activity.

 The UM Sports Hall of Fame will set up a display with at least one item representing each sport. You also can get your photo taken with Vinny Testaverde's Heisman Trophy.

The event will close with a pep rally from 12:30 to 1 p.m., complete with the UM Marching Band, cheerleaders and Sunsations. 

YOU MUST RSVP FOR THIS EVENT BY TONIGHT!!!! BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTED SPACE, THERE

IS A LIMIT TO AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN ATTEND. IF YOU SHOW UP TOMORROW WITHOUT

RSVPing, YOU MIGHT GET TURNED AWAY.

RSVP at 305-284-6699.

Rain, rain went away! Thursday practice update.

Good afternoon everyone!

    It's Susan Miller Degnan with some brief information gathered after Thursday morning's practice. The start of practice was delayed because of rain and lightning, but got going sometime around  7.

    * Best news was that LaRon Byrd  (bruised knee) talked to us all and seemed beyond exuberant to be back after what he said was his first injury ever in football! (That's pretty amazing.) He said he feels great and is doing cardio work a couple times a day to stay conditioned. He would like to play against FAMU, but that's up to the coaches. As an aside, LaRon is a terrific young man. He is so nice and good-spirited and friendly and very up front about things. We, in the media, love that whether or not UM has a good game, or even whether or not he personally has a good game, he is always willing to talk to us afterward, and always polite and insightful.

   *Randy Shannon said coaches were trying to get running back Graig Cooper in the last scrimmage on Monday, but the rain prevented them from that. They didn't want to take the chance. Shannon said he his getting a little contact "here and three,'' but nothing heavy duty. Shannon said "he hasn't gotten tackled yet.'' I'd be very surprised if he plays at FAMU, but Shannon didn't rule it out.

   *Shannon said linebacker Jordan Futch (another favorite of ours; great kid) is "a lot farther behind than Cooper" in terms of his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery.

   * Cornerback Brandon McGee (another nice one!) is back "full speed,'' he said, after sitting out for several days with an injury.

   * Latwan Anderson is not part of the football team yet. He will be considered a walk-on, as his scholarship is for track. As soon as (and if) he plays in a game, his track scholarship will be converted to football. 

   I need to start writing my story for tomorrow.

  The Hurricanes are off for two days in a row (Friday and Saturday) for the first time since camp began. I'm sure they are ecstatic to chill a bit (in between doing homework), sleep more and heal some of those bumps and bruises. 

  Happy almost Friday!!

  SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

    

Rain, rain go away (at least until after Thursday practice)

Good morning! Susan here (Manny will be back soon enough after his vacation, which he badly deserves) in beautiful Coral Gables -- beautiful wet Coral Gables.

Practice was supposed to start at 7 a.m. (and then 6:45 a.m. after a last-second switch) but was delayed because of bad weather -- I saw lots of lightning (and of course bad rain) here.

They've begun practice, however, and will be done early today. It's 7:37 a.m. now. 

We were told there was no availability this morning (and I'm not complaining, just passing it along in case you expected some practice tidbits) because of delays and weather.

As always, enjoy your day! :)

Be back later.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

New day! Canes are up and at 'em for first day of classes.

Good morning all!

Susan here on campus. It's the first day of fall classes and Randy Shannon started practice at 6:45 a.m. Sun just rose and they're off and running.

Some quick hits:

*Wide receiver LaRon Byrd (left knee covered by elasticized support) was back at practice. He seemed to run well in an early drill.

* Right tackle Joel Figueroa was initially doing some agility drills with the line, but didn't see him with that group when we walked off Greentree Field. Maybe he's just doing individual conditioning -- don't know. Jermaine Johnson was still playing first-team tackle in the part of practice we see.

* Safety Ray-Ray Armstrong was at first team.

* Defensive end Andrew Smith was at first team.

* Brandon Harris sure looks the part of All-American. He knocked the ball out of Aldarius Johnson's hands as Johnson was about to make the catch.

* Travis Benjamin has some sort of white tape on his right knee, but it's probably absolutely nothing. Just an observation. Several of the guys wear protective coverings, etc.

* In the beginning of camp, wide receiver Davon Johnson was on crutches, his right leg bandaged up to the knee. Today he stood on the sideline with no crutches, no bandage. Don't think he's practicing, though.

* UM said Latwan Anderson is, indeed, on campus. He just wasn't at football. Has to get all his stuff in order. He's on a track scholarship, so track comes first.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Scrimmages done, and -- thankfully -- the real thing is almost here

Hi all, it's Susan Miller Degnan.

As most of you know by now, UM closes its scrimmages to most of the media -- but opens it to ESPN broadcasters and any UM-affiliated media it wants to allow in (e.g. WQAM). So the people who cover the Canes every day haven't seen any live game-type situations. All we can do is go by what UM sends us, which is obviously only half the story.

You're not going to see any negative statistics, or hear about any specific problems (except for interceptions), so until the curtain rises and we see the real thing, all we can do is make educated guesses -- and talk to the players.

I'm not saying that UM should tell us every negative thing happening. I'm just saying it's hard to decipher exactly where the team stands, which is why we're all very much looking forward to the first game -- though FAMU is not Ohio State.

 Some thoughts on the scrimmages:

 * Where is Adewale Ojomo on the final statistics of all three scrimmages? I don't see him listed at all. If I'm wrong and someone knows something, please chime in. I think he can be a great player, so I'm wondering how much he has played and what he has done and if he's totally fine.

* What exactly is happening with right tackle (and former guard) Joel Figueroa? He missed the last two scrimmages with an undisclosed injury. We're thinking it must be shoulder-related, though I don't know for sure. He sat out the spring recuperating from shoulder surgery. Randy Shannon said not to worry, that he's fine and will be back. But when? Maybe he'll sit out FAMU, maybe not. But it might not be great for him to get his first start at tackle at Ohio State.

* How is Figueroa's current replacement, redshirt freshman Jermaine Johnson? He hasn't taken a snap in college yet, and everybody has to have a first game, but we're all kind of wondering how he's really doing. Shannon told WQAM's Joe Rose this morning that Johnson blew a couple assignments here and there, but that he generally did a very good job.

* Jacory Harris didn't throw any interceptions Monday -- that's excellent. But he only completed 4 of 12 passes. Maybe he couldn't find any open receivers or maybe he was about to be sacked and threw the ball away. But 4 of 12 is not encouraging. I think all of us are wondering what shape his thumb is in. The guy has tons of talent, but he needs that thumb to be healed to be as great as he can be.

* Alonzo (A.J.) Highsmith seems to really be coming along well.

* Desmond Howard of ESPN was on a media conference call Tuesday and commented how thin the team was at experienced linebackers. Colin McCarthy is a talent (if he can stay healthy), he said, as is Sean Spence, but after that it's anyone's guess. He sees this part of UM's team as a definite weakness.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Miller has 83-yard TD run in final scrimmage

HIGHLIGHTS
- Lamar Miller got things going with an 83-yard touchdown run up the middle early in the scrimmage.
- Later, Travis Benjamin caught a pair of touchdown passes from Jacory Harris and Alonzo Highsmith.
- Kendal Thompkins broke out for gains of 32 and 26.
- Billy Sanders had one of the highlights of the day, catching a pass up the middle from Stephen Morris for a 28-yard TD.
- Andrew Smith had two of the defense's four sacks, while Micanor Regis and Marcus Forston each had one.
- Ray-Ray Armstong had a solid scrimmage, tallying a number of big hits including one that forced a fumble.

Passing stats
Jacory Harris - 4-for-12, 38 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Alonzo Highsmith - 5-for-9, 82 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Stephen Morris - 1-for-4, 28 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Spencer Whipple - 2-for-6, 40 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Rushing stats
Lamar Miller - 9 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD
Damien Berry - 11 carries, 57 yards
Kendal Thompkins - 1 carry, 26 yards
Storm Johnson - 6 carries, 14 yards
Eduardo Clements - 3 carries, 11 yards
Mike James - 6 carries, 4 yards

Receiving stats
Travis Benjamin - 3 receptions, 56 yards, 2 TDs
Mike James - 3 receptions, 18 yards
Billy Sanders - 1 reception, 28 yards, 1 TD
Kendal Thompkins - 1 reception, 32 yards
Aldarius Johnson - 1 reception, 25 yards

Defensive stats
Sean Spence - 6 tackles, pass break-up
Colin McCarthy - 6 tackles
Micanor Regis - 5 tackles, sack, forced fumble
Ramon Buchanan - 5 tackles
Ray-Ray Armstrong - 4 tackles, forced fumble
Brandon Harris - 4 tackles, 2 pass break-ups, fumble recovery
DeMarcus Van Dyke - 3 tackles, pass break-up
Andrew Smith - 2 tackles, 2 sacks

Special Teams highlights
- All field goals and extra points attempted by Matt Bosher and Jake Wieclaw were successfully, including a 45-yarder by Bosher in pouring rain.
- Kacy Rodgers and Cory Nelms teamed up to block a punt attempt.

It's official: Thearon Collier now at USC (but UM got Seantrel) -- & Sunday practice update

It's Susan Miller Degnan, about to head for Sunday's practice, but before I do..

After a long time waiting for the official stamp of approval, former UM receiver Thearon Collier is now officially a USC Trojan.

USC coach Lane Kiffin talked about it after his team's scrimmage Saturday, at which Collier was present (not playing, obviously). Collier will have to sit out a year, per NCAA rules, but he can practice with the scout team.

At UM, Collier would have been a junior. His two-year career numbers: 44 catches for 574 yards and three touchdowns. On punt returns, Collier had 20 returns for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

And who could forget that beautiful 29-yard catch he made on third down in UM's game-winning drive at Wake Forest last season.

I personally liked Thearon a lot, and I think he has tons of talent. I know he had a lot of personal stuff to deal with. His baby boy died during birth not that long ago. His father died while his mom was pregnant with him. Apparently he was not doing the right things in terms of class attendance, etc., according to some UM sources, but I hope he does well at USC. 

"He's been through a lot, had a very tough life so far," Kiffin said, according to espn.com. "I'm glad we can give him an opportunity. Talking to a number of people, I think it's very clear this is something that's good for him, to get away from home and have a fresh start."

As for UM's acquisition from USC.... 6-8, 330-pound Seantrel Henderson (No. 1 recruit in nation)... Let's suffice it to say that UM fans got a really big catch!!

BACK FROM SUNDAY PRACTICE: Today's walk-through was totally closed, but a few notes:

* Randy Shannon said tomorrow's scrimmage will be a lot of first-teamers against first-teamers. Some of them have been held back in the other two scrimmages, to see what the younger players could do.

* RB Graig Cooper and LB Jordan Futch will not play in Monday's scrimmage.

* RT Joel Figueroa missed practice again with an undisclosed injury. Shannon said one of the reasons he's holding him out is that he wants to make sure he's OK for the season. Joel has had shoulder problems in the past. Jermaine Johnson has taken his place in practice.

* Shannon said his players won't be practicing at Sun Life Stadium because the infield dirt is too hard on their bodies and he doesn't want anyone getting infections from the dirt and sand. That has to make you cringe a little, knowing what's in store for them. I've talked to players before about it, and it's not a pleasant experience getting those abrasions caused by the hard surface.

* JoJo Nicolas has not been practicing, though Shannon wouldn't elaborate.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

UM debuts at No. 13 in Associated Press poll

All I have to say is: Nailed it!

The Miami Hurricanes will enter the 2010 season ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press poll. As a first year voter in the poll, I had the Canes 13th. 

Does that mean that is where I think they'll finish? Not necessarily. This team is obviously very talented and has an opportunity to climb. As a fan, that's all you could ask for. Six of the AP's preseason Top 25 teams are on Miami's schedule this year: No. 2 Ohio State, No. 10 Virginia Tech, No. 15 Pitt, No. 16 Georgia Tech, No. 18 North Carolina and No. 20 Florida State.

It marks the 22nd time since 1983 the ‘Canes have earned a preseason Top 25 ranking by the AP. The Hurricanes rank 16th in the country with 28 total appearances in the AP’s preseason poll since 1936.

The ‘Canes were also ranked No. 13 in the USA Today Preseason poll which was released earlier this month.

Last season, Miami opened the year unranked in the AP poll and finished at No. 19 after a 9-4 campaign. The last time the `Canes opened the season ranked this high was 2006, when UM was voted No. 11 in the coaches' poll and No. 12 in the AP poll. It also marks the ninth time in the last 12 years UM earned an AP preseason ranking.

> Senior Matt Bosher was named to the 2010 preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s top kicker by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.

Bosher earned first team All-ACC honors as a kicker and second team All-ACC honors as a punter in 2009. He connected on 14-of-16 field goals and ended the season making 12 in a row, which is the second-best streak in school history in a career and in a single-season. He also has made 90 consecutive extra-point attempts, which also is the third-best streak in a career at Miami. He was a semifinalist for the Groza Award as a sophomore in 2008 after going 18-of-20 in field goals and earning second team All-ACC honors.

Bosher has a career success percentage of 88.9 percent in field goals. He enters the 2010 season as the most accurate returning kicker in the nation having made 32-of-36 field goals attempts.

McCarthy working with first team at MLB

Happy Friday everyone!

Susan Miller Degnan here.

Our Bill Van Smith went to UM's 7 a.m. practice this morning and will be writing a feature later today.

Some quick hits from the 10 or so minutes the media is allowed on the field:

* For Colin McCarthy fans (and if you follow UM, there is likely a lot of you out there), McCarthy practiced in the middle Friday. Ramon Buchanan was elevated to first team on the outside after four tackles and an interception in Wednesday's scrimmage. Kylan Robinson, who had been practicing at first-team in the middle, was taking reps at second team. The other outside linebacker is Sean Spence. Last season, McCarthy started 10 games on the strong side, and ranked second in total tackles with 95. He also was second among all UM defenders with 10.5 tackles-for-loss. McCarthy normally plays in the middle in nickel formations.

* Wide receiver LaRon Byrd is wearing a brace on his left leg and has a bone bruise on that knee, according to Canesport.com. Coach Randy Shannon said Byrd will "probably" be back in practice next week, "maybe Monday or Tuesday.''  Shannon said Byrd is doing strength and conditioning drills.

* Shannon said quarterback Jacory Harris was a quiet leader, "not a yeller or screamer," though it appears Harris is becoming more vocal. Shannon also said he has not decided who the backup quarterback will be among Alonzo (A.J.) Highsmith, Spencer Whipple and Stephen Morris. We're thinking it's Alonzo.

* Defensive end Andrew Smith, with 10 tackles, three sacks and two quarterback hurries in Wednesday night's closed scrimmage (stats provided by sports information), "Can't wait to run out through the smoke" against FAMU on Sept. 2. He's not alone.

* Right tackle Joel Figueroa did not practice. He also sat out of the scrimmage. Shannon said wide receiver Allen Hurns (hamstring) returned. He also said cornerbacks Brandon McGee and Ryan Hill; and linebacker Tyrone Cornelius returned Friday. All those guys missed the last scrimmage.

* Shannon was asked what, in particular, had to be worked on before the Florida A&M game. He replied, "Everything. Too far away to worry about A&M.''

* UM has its final two-a-day sessions Saturday, then a short walk-through Sunday.

-- SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Some video interviews courtesy of UM.

Randy Shannon talks about scrimmage No. 2

Hello again everyone! It's Susan Miller Degnan here. I got a chance to hear Randy Shannon on WQAM with host Joe Rose early this morning. It was a great interview.

FYI: The team is off today, so there's no access.

In case any of you didn't get a chance to hear it, here are some tidbits about the scrimmage (closed to fans and media) from that interview that stood out, per Shannon's perspective (in no particular order):

> The guys he listed as missing  (there might have been more; don't know) the scrimmage were offensive tackle Joel Figueroa, WR LaRon Byrd, DT Curtis Porter, LB Tyrone Cornelius, CB Brandon McGee, LB Kelvin Cain, CB Ryan Hill. "All of them have nicks. But everybody thinks, 'Well, they put them in a boot and they're done.' You know and I know when you put guys in boots you're just trying to heal them quicker.''

> LaRon Byrd was walking around last night with a brace and Shannon said the injured guys walked around the Traz Powell Stadium track for a couple miles. Traz Powell was the scrimmage site. He said the next scrimmage will be late in the day instead of night.

> The safety position and second-team linebackers are the areas he's still looking at extra closely, trying to solidify the exact lineup

> Olivier Vernon is "so athletic" and "so explosive" that he could play a lot of positions, including linebacker and his current defensive end. Shannon said he sometimes takes chances that likely get coaches nervous, but often work out because he's such a good athlete.

> Freshman WR Allen Hurns, who hurt his right hamstring around Scrimmage No. 1 (that info is from me, not Shannon), is a guy Shannon would like to get back into the mix sometime soon.

> WR Tommy Streeter needs to improve his consistency. One play will be a great one; the next not-so-great.

 > His young running backs are fast!! But we knew that already.

> DE Andrew Smith, who, according to UM sports information office, had 10 tackles, three sacks and two quarterback hurries, "is in unbelievable shape." He said, "This guy is making plays for us.''

> Offensive line is still a battle. He didn't say why RT Joel Figueroa sat out last night (Jermaine Johnson played tackle). He didn't say the line looked bad, he just said it's important to have a lot of backups who can play.

> He said Jacory Harris is doing well on the field and being more talkative and assertive.

> Matt Bosher still seems to be the guy who will do the kickoffs, at least for now.

> Kickoff coverage and punt coverage teams -- Shannon said UM has about 15 guys he feels confident about who are "fast guys, physical guys" and can "make plays in open space.''  He said they're better than last year, and about eight of those guys who weren't part of those 15 last season because of injuries or they weren't around.

Sorry this was so long!! Have to get back to some other stories. Enjoy your day.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Storm Johnson, Andrew Smith shine in scrimmage

Here are some highlights and statistics from the second scrimmage of the fall on Wednesday night provided by UM's sports information staff. The practice, held at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami, was closed to the media and fans.

Scoring plays:
- Mike James 20-yard TD catch from Jacory Harris
- Storm Johnson 92-yard TD run
- Matt Bosher 30-yard field goal
- Damien Berry 1 yard TD run
- Kendal Thompkins 28-yard TD catch from Spencer Whipple
- Eduardo Clements 3-yard TD run
- Travis Benjamin 25-yard TD catch from Jacory Harris
- Storm Johnson 1-yard TD run

Passing
Jacory Harris - 8-for-12, 102 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Spencer Whipple - 7-for-8, 96 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Stephen Morris - 5-for-11, 80 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Alonzo Highsmith - 0-for-6

Rushing
Storm Johnson - 12 carries, 132 yards, 2 TD
Lamar Miller - 10 carries, 90 yards
Damien Berry - 6 carries, 19 yards, 1 TD
Eduardo Clements - 14 carries, 16 yards, 1 TD
Mike James - 8 carries, 14 yards

Receiving (players with multiple catches)
Kendal Thompkins - 4 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD
Travis Benjamin - 2 receptions, 47 yards, 1 TD
Asante Cleveland - 2 receptions, 31 yards
Ben Bruneau - 2 receptions, 26 yards
Mike James - 2 receptions, 20 yards, 1 TD

Defense
Andrew Smith - 10 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries
Olivier Vernon - 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
James Gaines - 7 tackles (2 on special teams)
Ramon Buchanan - 4 tackles, 1 interception
Allen Bailey - 3 tackles, 1 punt block
Luther Robinson - 3 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss
Colin McCarthy - 2 tackles, 1 interception returned for 31 yards
Marcus Robinson - 2 tackles, 2 quarterback hurries, 1 tackle for a loss
Micanor Regis - 5 tackles
Jamal Reid - 4 tackles
Travis Williams - 4 tackles
Kylan Robinson - 3 tackles

POST SCRIMMAGE VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH RANDY SHANNON

Jason Fox a Lion, but still talkin' Canes

Hi all! This is Susan Miller Degnan, filling in for Manny while I try to get some stuff written for The Miami Herald's preseason football section. Tonight is UM's second scrimmage, but it's closed to the public and media. When UM releases something on the scrimmage, Manny will post it late tonight or in the wee hours tomorrow.

I had a chance to speak to Jason Fox a couple nights ago by phone. Jason, as you all know, is one of the most loyal Canes of recent years. He played hurt (knee) for a long time, sacrificing his body -- and perhaps, a round or two in the NFL Draft -- for the sake of the team. He started 11 games for UM last season and had 47 career starts, third most all-time by a Hurricane.

I wrote a story for today's Herald about Orlando Franklin, and Jason said if he could think straight during the Lions' grueling preseason camp, he could come up with some funny stories to share. But on this night, he just wanted to let Canes fans know that he believes Franklin will do a great job at left tackle, and that Joel "Fig" Figueroa will be a standout at right tackle opposite Orlando.

Franklin was struck by how Fox told him to enjoy his last year as a Cane, because there's nothing like your college years.

Some nuggets Fox told me:

> "First of all, I should say, it's such a great opportunity and experience to be where I'm at. It's different here because the guys you play with, most of them are married and have kids. Whey they leave work they go spend time with their families. Unlike college, where we were such a close group that when we left, we'd always go out to eat together, hang out together. It's literally a job now. I told Orlando that this is the last year he'll be playing for fun."

> "[Center] Tyler Horn as been waiting on his opportunity, and he's finally getting it. [Guards] Harland Gunn and Brandon Washington are stepping up into big roles, so they're all excited. I've heard great things. I've talked to several of the guys around the program and I've heard nothing but good things.''

> "Going from guard to tackle, the biggest difference is you're playing against more athletic people. You kind of get put out there on an island sometimes with a really quick guy and it really tests your feel. In the middle, you've got to be strong to go against those big D-tackles, but a tackle you're sometimes matched with the speed guy so you need to be able to move your feet. Orlando got reps at tackle at the end of the season last year and he was always an emergency backup tackle, and always got tackle reps in practice. He's gotten used to it.''

OK guys, that's it for now.I was thinking about other Canes who have sacrificed their bodies during the season, and played instead of sitting. Most guys play hurt, but sometimes it's a fine line. There have been dozens of those guys at UM. The first couple who come to mind recently: Jacory Harris, former defensive back Randy Phillips and running back Javarris James.

 Have a great day!

-- SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Grandal signs with Reds before deadline

Former University of Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal has agreed to a four-year deal worth $3.2 million with the Cincinnati Reds late Monday night, the deadline for teams to sign players. Grandal, the ACC Player of the Year, was picked 12th overall in June by the Reds.

Grandal, who received a $2 million signing bonus, had of the most impressive offensive seasons in UM history, leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in batting average (.411), slugging percentage (.729) and on-base percentage (.538). 

"It brings me a new life," Grandal said Monday night. "I'm playing a little kids game and getting paid for it. Mom is delighted."

Grandal said he's been told he'll head out to Arizona for two weeks before being reassigned. "They're going to see how prepared I am and then after two weeks, they'll send me out somewhere," Grandal said. "I could go to Low-A, High-A. I guess if they think I'm ready I can go to Double A. We'll see."

Will Chambers switch to DB pay dividends?

PITTSBURGH -- Lee Chambers came to UM as one of the top high school running backs in the country. But now it appears his future is going to be in the Canes' secondary.

Monday, the Hurricanes switched the 5-10, 192-pound junior to defensive back where he will try to find some playing time on a unit looking for some help. While battling injuries for most of his career, Chambers ran for 272 yards on 60 carries in mostly mop-up duty. 

With the tailback position stacked with young talent, the switch made sense. Chambers was already expected to be at least fourth on the depth chart behind senior Damien Berry, sophomore Mike James and redsirt freshman Lamar Miller. Perhaps, his switch is a sign that not only true freshman Storm Johnson is ready to contribute, but Graig Cooper is also healthier than anticipated. UM Sports Information staff said Cooper, coming off knee surgery, began participating in contact drills last week.

Chambers at least has some experience playing defense. In high school, he played linebacker and safety made 57 tackles his senior year and had one sack and one interception return for a touchdown.

> I'm obviously not in Coral Gables covering the team. I'm in Pittsburgh covering the Marlins in what at the moment will be my last Marlins road series of the season. Susan Miller Degnan and Bill Van Smith were out at practice.

> In case you missed the big news of the day, Latwan Anderson was cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse and should arrive in Coral Gables later this week.

> Also, receiver LaRon Byrd was seen on crutches. It's unclear how long he will be out. Below is video of Shannon's interview with reporters on Monday thanks to UM's sports info staff.

VIDEO: Canes after first two-a-day of fall

Freshman offensive lineman Malcolm Bunche, sophomore defensive tackle Curtis Porter and senior fullback Pat Hill met with reporters after Friday's practice, the first two-a-day of the fall.

I also shot some video of Seantrel Henderson interacting with a few local pee wee football players from the Hammocks. Check out the little kid challenging Henderson to a scrum at the line. Funny stuff.

UM OL Seantrel Henderson 8/13/2010


UM DT Curtis Porter 8/13/2010


UM OG Malcolm Bunche 8/13/2010


UM FB Pat Hill 8/13/2010


8/13/10 - After Morning Practice with Coach Shannon

Haith would welcome Seantrel on court

If there is one thing University of Miami freshman Seantrel Henderson has done in his first week in football camp, it's impress his new teammates with his athleticism.

"Big guys just aren't supposed to move that way," defensive end Olivier Vernon said earlier this week. "He runs so well, so fluid."

Henderson (6-8, 350) was more than just the nation's No. 1 offensive tackle coming out of Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, Minn. He was also one of the nation's best big men on the basketball court. Just how good was he? Let's just say if the big guy was willing to try to pull a Julius Peppers or Charlie Ward and Randy Shannon was willing to give him the go-ahead, Frank Haith said he would welcome Henderson with open arms.

"We actually called him and were interested in him," Haith said Wednesday. "He's a good basketball player. He really has good mobility, good hands. He can hold his own. I think he could play and be an effective player at this level."

For three years, Henderson played on the same AAU team (the Howard Pulley Panthers) as Harrison Barnes, the nation's No. 1 high school basketball player who signed with North Carolina. Haith said he would love to see Henderson what it would look like if Henderson was patrolling the paint alongside sophomore center Reggie Johnson (6-10, 305).

"There would be no room for anybody else on the court," Haith joked. "It's not the easiest thing to do [to play two sports]. I'm sure his future is in football in terms of the NFL. But he definitely has a skill set. I'm not going to root for it. But if he wanted to, we would definitely welcome it."

The likelihood that we ever see Henderson dribble a basketball at UM is likely next to none. But considering Jimmy Graham made the move from hoops to football and gave the Canes a huge lift at tight end, maybe Shannon could do Haith a favor and let Henderson play some hoops if Haith needs him? Just a thought.

> BIG GAMES ON TAP: Now that the NBA schedule has been released, look for the college basketball schedule to be released soon (likely the beginning of September). The Hurricanes won't have nearly as many national appearances as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat, but they've lined up a few games that are at least sexy on paper and could get them on TV.

Haith said the Canes will play their first road game and make their first national TV appearance kicking off ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon (24 consecutive hours of college hoops) with a midnight game at Memphis right after Monday Night Football in mid-November. After that, UM is supposed to host both Ole Miss, an NIT semifinalist, and West Virginia, a Final Four team last year, in December. There is also a road trip to Rutgers and a Christmas tournament in Las Vegas with Rice, Akron and Oral Roberts, teams that all finished with 20 wins last season. "I think it's a really good schedule that's going to test us early," Haith said. 

North Carolina and Duke, the last two national champions, will both travel to BankUnited Center. The Canes will not have to play at UNC, but do have a trip to Duke. "They'll be the best team in the country this year," Haith said of Duke. "You talk about the Plumlees. Kyle [Singler] is terrific. He's one of my favorite players. I shouldn't say favorite. He's been a Miami killer. But the way he plays and what he does. He's great."

The Canes definitely played the Blue Devils tough before losing to them at the ACC Tournament semifinals. While Haith said his players gained some confidence from playing the Blue Devils tough, coming close to beating great teams just isn't enough anymore. 

"Yeah, we played Duke tough," Haith said. "But we want to beat Duke. Our goal is to have our program win championships. It does give us a little confidence. But I want our guys to understand the big picture. Hopefully, we can learn from a team like Duke. They have guys like Zoubek who is a complete role guy. Those guys bought into a role for the betterment of the team. That's how you win."

> RETURNING PLAYERS UPDATE: Haith said he's been happy with the offseason his players have had, especially under new trainer Todor Pandov. 

Sophomore guard Durand Scott participated in Chris Paul's camp. "I think he's gotten stronger, bigger," Haith said. "He was just a wiry freshman last year. He looks more put together now."

Junior forward Julian Gamble spent his summer playing in a league in North Carolina, alongside players from Duke, N.C. State and the Tar Heels. 

Point guard Malcolm Grant spent his summer training on campus and he's lost weight, dropping down from 190 to about 183. "I thought he was overweight last year," Haith said. "I think we'll see a player with a little bit more burst, a little more quickness."

Reggie Johnson is currently playing in China with Athletes in Action. Haith said he is proud of the way Johnson continues to monitor his weight and be responsible about eating. "I get daily text messages from out there," Haith said. "One day, they were all chose to go to McDonald's. Reggie chose not to go. It was good because I think he knew we were going to be tracking him."

The only player who hasn't been able to get much work done this offseason, according to Haith, has been junior swingman DeQuan Jones. "He's been down all summer," Haith said. "He hurt [his ankle] early in the summer and hasn't really done a whole lot. He's still not 100 percent. It was a really bad sprain. He was playing one-on-one with Malcolm Grant and wasn't wearing an ankle bracelet. He just came down and landed wrong on his foot. He's going to be rusty when he comes back."

Guard Trey McKinney-Jones, a transfer from the University of Missour-Kansas City, has also been injured this summer. McKinney-Jones, however, isn't eligible to play until the 2011-2012 season per NCAA transfer rules anyway. "He had a rib situation going on," Haith said. "Something to do with cartilage."

> Of the three freshmen to arrive, Haith said guard Rion Brown is most likely to make an impact right away. "He's going to be a major player for us," Haith said. "He's another guy that came in really slender. But he's picked up about 10 pounds already. Rion can score the ball. He shot almost 60 percent in high school. He has good bloodlines. His dad, Tico Brown, was the CBA's leading scorer.

> With Dwayne Collins and Cyrus McGowan gone, redshirt freshman Donnovan Kirk's role will significantly increase in the post. Haith said Kirk, who came in weighing 210 pounds, has added the bulk he's needed to compete in the ACC.

"Like Dwayne, Donnovan has that length you want," Haith said. "I think his wingspan is 7-3. He's very athletic. He plays hard, has a big-time motor. I'm not sure how we'll use him, but he'll play major minutes. He's like 225-230 now. You just love his activity as a live wire. He can shoot the ball, has a nice jump hook."

"I like our post guys. We don't have a lot of depth there in terms of numbers. But with Reggie, Julian, Donnovan, Adrian Thomas we should be good."

Freshman Raphael Akpejiori (6-9, 235) will probably only redshirt if those four stay injury free. "Raphael won't be ready to come in and be a major player right away," Haith said. "But I think he could be like Jimmy Graham was for us as a freshman. He was big, strong, physical, rebounded and played defense."

> The Hurricanes only have one scholarship remaining for the 2011 class now that forward Kenny Kadji has transferred over from Florida. "With Kenny taking one, we can kind of be selective," Haith said. "Since we don't have a lot of scholarships, we made sure to see a lot of juniors this summer. We're involved with a lot of good ones."

Wednesday night scrimmage stats

The Hurricanes held a closed scrimmage Wednesday night at Cobb Stadium. Media was not allowed to watch. Here ae some statistics provided by UM’s Sports Information Office.

Passing
Jacory Harris 6-for-10 - 106 yards, 1 TD
Alonzo Highsmith 5-of-6 - 76 yards, 1 TD
Spencer Whipple 3-of-12 - 42 yards, 1 INT
Stephen Morris 1-of-6 - 19 yards

Rushing
Damien Berry 7 carries for 36 yards
Lamar Miller 3 carries for 27 yards
Mike James 5 carries for 17 yards, 2 TDs

Receiving
Leonard Hankerson 2 catches for 63 yards, 1 TD
Aldarius Johnson 3 catches for 56 yards, 1 TD
LaRon Byrd 2 catches for 30 yards
Kendal Thompkins 2 catches for 26 yards
Lamar Miller 2 catches for 24 yards
Chase Ford 2 catches for 20 yards

Defense
Ramon Buchanan 6 tackles
DeMarcus Van Dyke 5 tackles, 1 PBU
Colin McCarthy 3 tackles, 1 sack
Ray Ray Armstrong 3 tackles, 1 INT
Kacy Rodgers 3 tackles, 1 INT
Micanor Regis 3 tackles

> UPDATE: Last night I joined former sideline reporter Brian "The Beast" London on his new online radio show along with former Canes Francesco Zampogna, Joaquin Gonzalez and Rohan Marley. Be sure to check out his show here.

Canes amped for Wednesday night scrimmage

After a short walk-through practice Tuesday morning, the Miami Hurricanes will take a little time off before returning to campus Wednesday night for the first of three scrimmages this fall. 

UM coach Randy Shannon said he expects to run between 80 to 89 plays, with another 10 to 15 dedicated to live special teams work. The scrimmage will be closed to the public and the media, although the Hurricanes website will post stats and highlights.

"We're going to get a lot of young guys work, and some old guys some work," Shannon said. "We just want to see guys fly around, make plays and execute under pressure. Coaches won't be on the field. There won't be a lot of coaching going on. We're going to be calling plays, so, we'll see what happens."

Shannon said only players with previous injuries will be held out. "We can't worry about guys getting hurt," Shannon said. "If guys don't practice, they can't get into rhythm, can't get in football shape. One thing you have to know is if you hold somebody [out] and contact happens in the game, fumbles happen in the game. You have to get used to the [hitting] so your body gets used to it."

Receiver LaRon Byrd said he wasn't planning on holding back at all. "We go at each other like we're the enemy," Byrd said. "You might see a receiver crack back a DB, linebacker. Once it's scrimmage time, we're no longer friends. Once it's over we go back to being friends."

> RODGERS ADJUSTING TO SAFETY: Freshman Kacy Rodgers only played cornerback when he was a standout at Southlake Carroll High in Texas. But upon arrival at UM, Rodgers (6-2, 195) has worked primarily at safety because of the need for depth. 

Rodgers said veterans Vaughn Telemaque and Jojo Nicholas have spent a lot of time teaching him and he feels ultimately the experience will make him a better overall defensive back. "They say you can mess up, just play fast and make plays," Rodgers said. "I feel this experience is going to make me better overall, give me better skills on press."

> BERRY ENTERS FATHERHOOD AGAIN: Senior running back Damien Berry was all smiles at practice Tuesday. Monday night, he welcomed his second daughter to the world, Jada DaMiya Berry. 

"All the joy in the world doesn't compare to what you see [as a father the day they're born]," said Berry, who first daughter, K'hmari, was born on New Year's Eve. "It was just a whole bunch of love wrapped up in that blanket.

"I was in the delivery room. After she was done, I cut the umbilical cord. They washed her off and gave her to me."

Receiver Travis Benjamin, who has a four-year old daughter named Promyse Benjamin, said he's given his former Glades Central High teammate some advice he thinks will come in handy. "I told him not spoil her," Benjamin said. "Girls are the easiest to spoil."

Berry said he missed Monday's practice, but made sure he was back in time for Tuesday's walkthrough. "I really didn't want to miss it, but I wanted to be there for [my girlfriend] Mikaela," Berry said. "Coaches told me go ahead and handle your business. I know I have a job to do on the field. But I also have a priority off the field."

> QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Mike [James] is strong, powerful, and he's shifty. I'm strong, powerful, got a little shakes. Lamar [Miller] is the total package. And then we have O.T. [Graig Cooper], who is the total package, just small. Storm [Johnson] has the shakes out of this world. All of us compliment each other. We have a lot of guys with different talent."
-- DAMIEN BERRY ON THE WEALTH OF TALENT IN UM'S BACKFIELD.

Cooper could begin contact drills next week

There was not a lot of big news that campe out of Canes camp Monday despite the fact it was the first day players were wearing full pads and hitting each other. But here are some notes and thoughts:

> Running back Graig Cooper, who continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee sustained in the Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 27, could begin actually hitting somebody -- instead of practicing off to the side -- as soon as next week according to coach Randy Shannon.

"We're easing him into more drill work," Shannon said. "Now he's starting to bang a little bit on the sleds. We hit him with the dummies just to get the contact. As time goes on you expect him to do a little bit of contact drills next week, maybe some inside run stuff, some 7-on-7, not the team stuff because that can take a toll on you."

Cooper guaranteed on media day last week he would play in all 14 of UM's games this season. Yes, he's already counting the ACC Title game into the schedule. 

> Everybody knows UM's offensive line is going to be relatively young and inexperienced this season. The good news is Shannon doesn't appear to be taking things lightly preparing them for the season. He said defensively they are giving the offensive line a lot of different looks in terms of formations and fronts. "It's going to take time," Shannon said of the offensive line gelling. "We have three scrimmages to go. It's good we're making our mistakes now."

I asked Shannon if he planned to try and rotate more young guys in this season considering how much experience they lack. All he said was he would start his best five.

> Our Susan Miller Degnan asked Shannon point blank if receiver Thearon Collier was still on the team since he had yet to formally address it with the media since camp opened. Shannon balked at the question and simply said, "Nothing is going on with him."

I'm not sure why Shannon simply hasn't said Collier is no longer on the team. Today, he finally announced that the careers of offensive lineman Stephen Plein and defensive end Gavin Hardin are over.

> Freshman linebacker Kevin Nelson did a lot of talking before he got to UM about how he expected to come in and not only be the starting middle linebacker, but also be well on how on his way to ACC Freshman of the Year honors. Looks like Shannon made him eat a slice of humble pie upon arrival. Nelson was much more subdued when I spoke to him Saturday. 

"The first couple days have been a big transition from high school," Nelson said. "I'm just trying to get the pace of the game, practice speed. The coaches are much different than high school. Coaches in high school baby you because you're the star. But in college, everybody is good. So they're looking to get a man out of you."

Nelson said Shannon and assistant Micheal Barrow have been tough on him from the get-go, pushing him hard to be his best. As for his expectations? "I'm just doing whatever coach Shannon, coach Barrow, coach Lovett asks me to do," Nelson said. "If it's playing special teams, if it's playing second team, getting in there with first team, I just want to do what I got to do."

> I stopped by Miramar High's football practice after the Canes' morning practice today. The defending 6A state champions lost 18 starters from last year's 14-1 team. But man do they still have talent. Cornerback Tracey Howard (Class of 2012) is a beast. He's already got a verbal offer from the Canes and should land a written one on Sept. 1, the first day juniors can actually receive formal offers.

> More video from Monday below. But before you listen to Shannon's meeting with the media and my one-on-one with Olivier Vernon, check out former tight end Jimmy Graham making a great one-handed catch in practice with the Saints. Basketball coach Frank Haith tweeted the link Monday afternoon.

VIDEO: UM linemen talk after Monday's practice

Here are a few video interviews following Monday's practice, the first of the fall in full pads.

UM C Tyler Horn 8/9/2010


UM OG Jared Wheeler 8/9/2010


UM DE Marcus Robinson 8/9/2010


UM DE Dyron Dye 8/9/2010

Freshman TE Cleveland turning heads early

University of Miami coach Randy Shannon said Saturday he won't really begin zeroing on position battles or worry about who is running with the first team until after his team's first scrimmage Wednesday night.

But based on what he did Saturday, Asante Cleveland can feel good about at least being on Shannon's radar. In the first and only practice open to season ticket-holders and media this fall, the freshman tight end made a spectacular play that impressed a crowd of about 3,000 -- and Shannon -- when he yanked a Spencer Whipple pass out of the air between three defenders, rolled off contact and sprinted down the middle of the field for a touchdown.

"Unbelievable," Shannon said of the play afterward. "I'm very excited about Asante Cleveland's performance today. He's learning a lot of things and improving every day."

Cleveland (6-5, 250) is one of four tight ends the Hurricanes signed in their 2010 recruiting class. Junior Chase Ford (6-6, 245) also looked impressive Saturday, making a handful of catches over the middle of the field in traffic. Shannon said with only two returning veterans -- fifth-year senior Richard Gordon (6-4, 265) and redshirt freshman Billy Sanders (6-4, 248) -- there is no doubt in his mind at least two newcomers will have to play this coming season. So far, Cleveland looks like the most advanced freshman with Andrew Tallman (6-5, 245) and Clive Walford (6-5, 235) a little further behind.

Shannon said whichever two of his four newcomers emerge from camp and earn spots in the rotation will likely be in for roughly 15 to 30 plays a game. "You can't go through the season with only two tight ends," Shannon said. "Maybe the [new guys will] come in and be like Jimmy Graham last year. That's why you go out and recruit guys like that, get numbers and see what they can do after that."

A track, hoops and football star at Sacramento Christian Brothers High in California, Cleveland said he didn't begin playing football until his freshman year of high school. Walford, a standout at Glades Central High in Florida, didn't begin playing football until his senior year of high school. Tallman played both tight end and left tackle at Boston College High.

"Right now I'm just trying to do my best at blocking, making a play on a ball when they throw it my way," Cleveland said. "It's a lot faster than high school. You just have to realize that and adapt to it. You have to work on blocking these defensive ends. They get off quick."

Cleveland, who said he was timed at 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash by UM strength coach Andrew Swasey upon arrival, said he thinks his basketball background has helped him in making the transition to college already. His big catch Saturday was just one of those examples.

"Basketball definitely helps," Cleveland said. "I use a lot of basketball techniques out on the football field. If I'm in a route and a linebacker is inside of me, I'll try to spin past him like I do against a defender in the paint. It worked today."

> QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Back in '86, '87, the biggest offensive linemen we had out here was Matt Patchan. He was about 270 pounds. 270 pounds now is small. That's why we go out and recruit offensive tackles. You go out and recruit centers, they can play nothing but center. The linemen we have now are big athletic, very competitive. The good thing: this is probably the first time in awhile we haven't had to use [intravenous therapy] on guys early. That shows you how much conditioning those guys did in the offseason, really showed where this team is going and where they've come from."
-- UM coach Randy Shannon on the size and conditioning of his offensive linemen

> Shannon said redshirt freshman cornerback Jamal Reid and sophomore offensive tackle Ben Jones, who haven't participated in camp yet, should be back Monday. 

"One thing about me fellas, it's not lip service, we really preach academics," Shannon said. "Those guys are working to finish up stuff. They have finals and stuff. Finals was the last couple days. I can't put those guys in situations where they're out here practicing and they need to be studying for finals. I can't do that as a coach. Monday, no more finals, its straight ball time. So, you'll probably see those guys Monday."

> Shannon said offensive coordinator Mark Whipple missed Saturday's practice to hang out with former Brown University roommate Chris Berman, who received the Pete Rozelle Award at the Hall of Fame this weekend. Shannon said Whipple should be back Sunday.

> Fifth-year senior cornerback Ryan Hill returned home to Tallahassee to attend his grandmother's funeral according to Shannon. Hill missed Saturday's practice but is expected to attend Sunday's. 

> Quarterback Jacory Harris wore a black wrap over the top of his left thigh Saturday. Shannon said Harris and other players wear wraps "for comfort." 

"It's a precautionary deal," Shannon said. "Like any injuries, you'll see guys with shoulder harnesses, certain things on their body. Those guys are fully healed, we just put it on them because sometimes its a comfort zone for guys. You'll see Orlando Franklin, Figueroa, wearing something. It just makes them feel better."

> One observation from practice: Senior Jojo Nicholas is running with the first team at safety withVaughn Telemaque. It's likely a method Shannon is using to light a fire under Ray Ray Armstrong's rear end. 

Jacory's security guards have some big bodies

Tyler Horn likes to think of himself as the ultimate big brother. With five younger sisters -- ages 20, 14, 13, 9 and 8 -- he almost has no choice.

"I'm pretty protective by nature," Horn said. "I have a sister who turns 15 in December. She's talking to guys, so I kind of wish I was back home to check those guys out, make sure they're OK. I feel like I could kind of use my size to intimidate them."

Horn, who enters fall camp as the team's starting center, pretty much feels the same way about quarterback Jacory Harris. 

Although last season Horn (6-4, 305) hardly saw the field, he's well aware of the pounding Harris took last season. UM quarterbacks were sacked 35 times. Harris took the brunt of the pain. He took a hard hit on his throwing elbow against Florida State, hurt his thumb when he banged it against an opposing players' helmet at North Carolina and tweaked his ankle in the bowl loss to Wisconsin.

While the Hurricanes do bring back four linemen with starting experience, the overall feeling about UM's offensive line is that it is still very young and experienced. 

What there is, however, is plenty of size and potential. Coach Randy Shannon has said this might collectively be the biggest offensive line he's ever seen at UM. 

He's not lying. After Friday morning's practice, several of UM's big men had a hard time squeezing into the waiting ice baths. At one point, Seantrel Henderson (6-8, 350) and Malcolm Bunche (6-7, 328) had one of the five available rubber pools overflowing by themselves (usually you see at least three big players sharing a pool).

"Those are some big boys," said Harland Gunn (6-2, 315), who noticed the commotion when another big man failed to squeeze in with Bunche and Henderson and was forced out. "Maybe, a little too big."

> Gunn, who was last year's bench press champion in the spring, said he lost his title this spring to Bunche, who chimed in with a 435-pound lift.

> Left guard Brandon Washington said he's shed about 15 pounds from the end of last season and is weighing about 325. "When I first got here last year, I was 340 pounds. I was sluggish," Washington said. "I definitely feel a difference now."

Washington said he made a commitment to a new diet -- baked chicken, vegetables, brown rice and water. He said he also stopped drinking Gatorade.

> After their second practice in shorts, the Hurricanes will hold an open practice for season-ticket holders in shorts and shells (helmets and shoulder pads) at 8 a.m. Saturday.

> Be sure to check out Susan Miller Degnan's feature in Saturday's paper on Marcus Forston.

Canes say Seantrel will have to earn respect

Seantrel Henderson was the No. 1 high school recruit in the country last season. But if he wants some respect from his new teammates, he's going to have to earn it for being more than some blue-chip talent.

Henderson made his Canes debut Thursday morning as fall camp opened, turning heads with his Paul Bunyan-like 6-8, 350-pound frame. After practice, UM coach Randy Shannon praised Henderson for his footwork and for looking "physically fit." But that's where the compliments, it seemed, came to a halt for the big new arrival from St. Paul, Minn.

As center Tyler Horn put it, No. 77, is just another guy right now.

"There have been a lot of good players at this school," Horn said. "Nobody just comes in and gets all the hype. You've had players like Bryant McKinnie, Vernon Carey.

"It's hard for us to give [Henderson] his props if he hasn't earned them yet. The great thing about football is you have a chance to earn them -- especially during camp. That's what we are really looking forward to. He got rated that high for a reason. It will be fun to see how good he really turns out to be."

Right tackle Joel Figueroa said he met Henderson when he arrived Wednesday night, but didn't really get a chance to talk to him. Henderson, who was released from USC after the school was hit hard for NCAA violations this summer, could go a long way toward helping the Canes offensive line this season. But it is likely that it will take him some time to get adjusted to the weather before he really gets into the rotation at tackle.

"He seems like a nice guy," Figueroa said. "But around here, we don't worry about [player] rankings. Some guys have been ranked high and haven't done anything here. And some guys that haven't been highly ranked, have. I'm sure he's a great player. But he has to get used to the weather. It was a little hot out there today. Plus, he has to learn the playbook."

> QUOTE OF THE DAY: "When you have the wires on your mouth, you pass a McDonalds, you pass all these different restaurants. Every corner you turn there is a restaurant and it's `Man, I wish I could eat that food.' So when those wires get clipped out of your mouth you're going straight to Red Lobster, you're going straight to these nice restaurants to eat. I was eating by myself, lunch at Tony Roma's. Randomly."
-- Defensive end Adewale Ojomo, who had his mouth wired after he suffered a broken jaw last season. VIDEO LINK

> CLEANING UP THE SOCIAL NETWORK: Shannon has never been a fan of Facebook or Twitter. He's become even less of a fan after finding out what his players have been posting online. Shannon said he had a team meeting Wednesday night where pulled players Facebook and Twitter accounts and showed them examples of things he wanted cleaned up.

"It could be slang words, words toward a certain race or female or male," Shannon said. "You have to continue to educate these guys all the time. We're constantly stressing those things to represent the University of Miami.

"Four, five, six, eight years down the road you may have a Facebook page that in college it may be you with a couple of bottles of beer, money over the table. When you go interview for a job and somebody pulls your Facebook page up, that's what they remember. I told guys `You do that now, it can haunt you five, six, eight years down the road."

> LIMITED EXPERIENCE: As grown up as the Canes are now in Shannon's fourth season as coach, there are still a few areas where the lack of experience is eye-opening.

I thought the fact senior middle linebacker Kylan Robinson had only four tackles in his career was amazing. But he blew me away Thursday when he said he's actually only gotten in for two plays at linebacker in a game. Shannon admitted Robinson surprised him with what he did in the spring, but added he'll have to see what Robinson does in the scrimmages. "That's when the bullets start flying," Shannon said.

Figueroa, who was moved to right tackle this summer, said he's played the spot some in the past. When pressed on how many plays, Figueroa said "probably 10 to 12." "I can sit here and tell you [the switch is going to be] easy, but I have to be more technically sound."

> HILL READY TO HELP AT CORNER: Fifth-year senior Ryan Hill, once considered the fifth best cornerback in the country by Rivals coming out of high school, is excited about finally get a chance to play the position he was recruited to after two years at receiver and one at safety. 

"It's been a long road," said Hill, who is still rehabbing from a torn labrum in his left shoulder that cost him the entire 2009 season. "God works in mysterious ways. But I'm happy. I feel good and my mind's right. I feel stronger than before the surgery."

Where Hill plays in UM's secondary remains a bit of a mystery. He said Thursday he's never played nickel back and prefers to be on the outside at boundary corner. That's where preseason All-American Brandon Harris is currently locked in. Senior Demarcus Van Dyke, meanwhile, is expected to win the job at field corner. Hill said Harris and former walk-on Corey Nelms have been working at nickel over the summer.

As for his comeback from injury, Hill said he spent the summer working out with former Canes Willis McGahee and Phillip Buchanon. 

Of the freshman defensive backs new to campus, Hill said he thinks all three -- Keion Payne, Devont'a Davis and Kacy Rodgers -- have the raw talent to play this year. "What I like is that all of them listen," Hill said. "I think they can all help us right away."

> A LITTLE FUN NAME CALLING: Quarterback Jacory Harris made reporters laugh Thursday when he said he lovingly refers to UM's offensive linemen as his "Fat boys." Figueroa and Horn, the only offensive linemen we were able to talk to on Thursday, laughed when they heard what Harris had said.

"It doesn't bother me," Figueroa said. "We've been called many things. It's more of a metaphor really. It's just like when they call us Big Uglies. I don't think I'm ugly."

Said Horn: "Jacory is funny. We clown him all the time for being skinny. I call him Bones. There's only so many skinny jokes you can make."

> THE NEXT SHOCKEY? Shannon said junior tight end Chase Ford (6-6, 245) reminds him a lot of  Jeremy Shockey. Ford, who speaks with a Texas twang, said he'd love to leave UM having accomplished as much as Shockey did. But he knows he has a long way to go. While he said the offense he ran at Kilgore Junior College is similar to what UM runs, the routes aren't necessarily the same.

"It's a process," Ford said of the Canes' playbook. "You have to learn it day by day. By the end of camp, I should have it all, well packed in. But as of right now, it's day one."

Canes not making any predictions this year

How do you measure success at the University of Miami? Ask any Canes fan and they'll tell you simply, a national championship.

Asked the same question at Thursday's Media Day, quarterback Jacory Harris and coach Randy Shannon didn't lock themselves into any bold predictions. Success for the Canes in 2010? That's just being a better football team.

"Somebody said this the other day, 'You could win nine games in this conference and people will say, we'll that's not good enough.' But you could win the conference with nine wins. You could also not win this conference and go to a BCS bowl game [by winning more games].

"So you have to define improvement based on what you did last year as a team and what you accomplished [this year]. I can't tell you nine, 10, 11 [wins]. You can't classify what it takes to be successful. You just have to go out there and play, improve on the things you did last year.

"[For instance] we played Clemson. We have to improve in an overtime situation. We played North Carolina. We have to either come up with either a third down conversation or get a stop on defense to give us a chance to win. Then, its how are we're going to handle success? Like last year when we won [two] in a row and lost at Virginia Tech."

While Harris said he feels like the team is "on the verge of something special," he's not not putting a number on wins or a bowl game in defining this season's success. "You guys make the predictions," Harris said. "That's what you guys get paid to do."

So what do you think? What do you think would satisfy you as a successful Canes season? Is it winning an ACC title? Is it going to a BCS Bowl Game? Or, is it simply a National Title? Give me your answers below.

> There's obviously a lot more to share from today's media day. Below, I've included six video interviews from this afternoon with Adewale Ojomo, Colin McCarthy, Ryan Hill, Randy Shannon, Jacory Harris and Graig Cooper. 

> On our UM audio page, there are also about 10 interviews available for you to listen to. Among them: Shannon and Harris' complete press conferences; center Tyler Horn; right tackle Joel Figueroa and tight end Chase Ford.

Five questions entering fall camp

Thursday morning at 8 a.m. the Miami Hurricanes will be back on the practice field and fall camp will be officially underway. So what are the big position battles and questions facing the team entering camp? I've got my top five.

Q-1: Can senior Kylan Robinson prove he can handle the middle linebacker position or will the Canes be forced to shuffle their lineup around?
- Robinson, a former high school running back at Tampa Chamberlain, has been coming along slowly over the past three years since moving over to linebacker. This season, his fifth at UM, coach Randy Shannon is expecting Robinson to fill a huge need at middle linebacker. Shannon said Robinson made huge strides in the spring. All indications are he will be given every opportunity to be in the starting rotation with senior Colin McCarthy and junior Sean Spence on the outside. But if Robinson gets hurt, or struggles, it will be very interesting to see what Shannon and defensive coordinator John Lovett decide to do. The Hurricanes are quite honestly thin at middle linebacker and loaded at outside linebacker. Shannon has balked at the idea of moving McCarthy inside to middle linebacker. But if Robinson struggles he might have no choice. That would open the door for junior Ramon Buchanon to get back into the starting lineup with Jordan Futch, C.J. Holton and a slew of freshmen backing them up. Of course, Kevin Nelson, a 20-year old true freshman from Gainesville, could make things easy and play like Ray Lewis from Day 1.

Q-2: Who will cement their place on the offensive line aside from Orlando Franklin, Brandon Washington, Joel Figueroa and Harland Gunn?
- The biggest questions on offense this season all relate to the big uglies and their ability to keep quarterback Jacory Harris off his backside. Outside of Franklin (27 starts), Figueroa (13 starts), Gunn (5 starts) and Washington (2 starts), Miami's offensive line will have a bunch of fresh faces vying for real playing time. Junior Tyler Horn, who played in seven games last season and saw time at center in four of them, has been penciled in as the fifth starter. But he'll be pushed by true freshman Brandon Linder. Figueroa, a guard for most of his career, has slid outside to right tackle (where Franklin made 25 of his 27 starts). He and Franklin figure to be backed up by Jermaine Johnson and Ben Jones, the two tackles who took the bulk of the snaps in the spring. Inside, Miami has freshman Malcolm Bunche and redshirt freshman Jared Wheeler as potential backups. The good news for UM: this might be their biggest offensive line in a long time. Outside of Horn, listed at 6-4, 295, every guy expected to be in Jeff Stoutland's rotation is over 300 pounds. That has to give Harris, sacked 35 times last season, some confidence.

Q-3: How long will it take quarterback Jacory Harris to get back to feeling 100 percent?
- The first thing Harris told reporters when he met with them last month was that he still wasn't 100 percent healthy following thumb surgery. The Hurricanes will need Harris to be at his best if they hope to have success early on this season against a tough road schedule. UM receivers have said Harris has looked good during 7 on 7 work and is close to building his arm strength back to where it once was. Perhaps an even bigger question -- aside from the thumb -- is how much has Harris learned about throwing into double and triple coverages. Last week, Shannon shared a story on former roommate Michael Irvin's radio show painting a picture how Harris yelled at a teammate during the spring for throwing into triple coverage. Shannon said he informed Harris how he once did the same thing. After the practice, Shannon, Harris and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple went in to watch film. Shannon said Harris, who threw 17 INTs last season, realized what he had been doing. The Hurricanes certainly hope so. Although Harris has as talented a receiving corps as anyone in the country, he has to stop throwing the ball up for grabs. Otherwise, UM is going to have a tough time winning at Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Clemson.

Q-4: What kind of impact will new assistant Rick Petri have on the defensive line?
- The most talented deepest position the Hurricanes have on defense is their line. But getting more production from it this season will be a huge key to UM improving as a whole. Petri, a long-time veteran and former UM assistant from 1993-95, has been working hard to get some very talented players to grow. Sophomore defensive tackle Marcus Forston is first on that list. Forston, who earned a medical hardship for the 2009 season, has been the name teammates have been dropping over the past few weeks as the most improved. As a former five-star recruit from Miami Northwestern, Forston has all the ability to be a force in the middle, something UM really hasn't had in a while. Aside from Forston, there is also a lot of excitement surrounding the return of redshirt junior Adewale Ojomo, who missed the 2009 season with a broken jaw and could prove to be the perfect compliment to future first round pick Allen Bailey at end. Those three players along with junior defensive tackle Micanor Regis, junior defensive end Marcus Robinson, sophomore defensive end Olivier Vernon and sophomore defensive tackle Curtis Porter are viewed as elite prospects. Together they should help create a better front against the run and an improved pass rush. Last year, UM only tallied 24 sacks. That wasn't nearly enough considering the level of talent.

Q-5: Who will emerge as the primary compliment to Damien Berry in UM's backfield?
- For the better part of past three years, it's been the Javarris James and Graig Cooper show in UM's backfield. Now, all signs are pointing to the bulldozing Berry being the man for the Canes. So who is going to be his Robin? There are definitely plenty of candidates: sophomore Mike James, redshirt freshman Lamar Miller, forgotten junior Lee Chambers, true freshman Storm Johnson and even Cooper, who from all indications will make a strong push to come back this season. James (5-11, 220) and Miller (5-11, 205) enter camp as the front runners to find work alongside Berry. Chambers (5-10, 195) is also in the mix and could prove to be the surprise. Despite fighting injuries throughout his career, he's averaged 4.5 yards a carry and shown flashes of having breakaway speed.

> NEW SHOW: Former WQAM UM sideline radio reporter Brian “The Beast” London will debut a weekly on-line show devoted to Hurricanes football tonight. The show will be aired on Wednesdays between 7 and 9 p.m. and can be heard on www.allCanes.com and www.sofloradio.com or on the allCanes iPhone application.

So long Thearon: WR dismissed after meeting

Thearon Collier provided the Hurricanes with a pair of exciting punt returns for touchdowns last season. The next time he tries to bring one back to the house, it probably won't be in a University of Miami uniform.

Collier, a junior receiver out of Miami Booker T. Washington, was informed after a meeting with UM coach Randy Shannon on Monday that he is free to leave the program should he choose to according to a source. The Palm Beach Post's Jorge Milian first reported the story late Monday night. According to Jorge, Collier was told he can continue taking classes at UM if he chooses, but won't be part of the team. UM begins practice Thursday.

Collier is being banished for a series of team violations that began in the spring, according to Palm Beach Post's story. Collier did not participate near the end of spring practice and did not play in the spring game. A source told me Monday afternoon Collier had not been going to classes regularly -- a team violation -- and had been given numerous chances by Shannon before finally being told he had run out of them during his meeting Monday. Collier had also been battling off the field issues. He recently had a child die at birth. But I was told his problems in school started before that.

Collier is the second veteran player to have his UM career cut short this week. Defensive end Steven Wesley, a senior who started 17 games over three seasons, was dismissed from the team Friday. Although it has been reported Wesley had academic issues, it is believed UM simply did not renew his scholarship for a fifth season.

Since 1973, scholarships have been renewed on a year-to-year basis -- ending the four-year period that scholarships used to cover. According to what I found on NCAA.org, after fulfilling an award period, an athletics scholarship may be renewed, nonrenewed or reduced based on the recommendation of the head coach. It is consistent and reasonable to expect that student-athletes be required to meet minimum academic athletics standards before athletics aid is renewed for subsequent years. On occasions where a student-athlete’s scholarship is not renewed or is reduced, the accountability and burden should be placed on the coach to remove the scholarship from the student-athlete and there should be stronger institutional appeals procedures in place.

I tried to find the same type of info on UM's website, but couldn't find one.

The Canes obviously have been teetering on the 85 scholarship limit. With cornerback Latwan Anderson and offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson late additions to the 2010 class, the Canes had to find space somewhere. Receiver and defensive end are their deepest positions. I'm not saying that's why Collier or Wesley were released. It seems each had their issues. But technically, by NCAA rules, UM can do what it wants if it thinks an athlete isn't cutting it.

> I had a few more interviews from Monday to share with you -- including ones from a pair of local defensive backs the Canes are hot and heavy after for their 2011 class, Jackson's Robenson Therezie and Pace's Jabari Gorman. 

Catching up with Bridgewater, Rogers

I'm down at The Miami Herald today talking with the top high school juniors and seniors in Miami-Dade who came in for our media day. 

I got to catchup with Northwestern quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and receiver Eli Rogers, two future Canes. Bridgewater, fresh off his trip to the Elite 11 camp in California, talked about his relationship with Jacory Harris and how he's been working on taking snaps under center. Rogers shared a personal story about how his mother is battling AIDS.

Continuing The Countdown (No. 36-45)

Only three days left before your Miami Hurricanes get back on the field and we actually get to start writing about practice. Honestly, I can't wait to have something other than preseason hype to write about. For now, let's continue our Top 60 player countdown.

Note: I obviously made this list before it was known over the weekend that defensive end Steven Wesley wouldn't be with the team this coming season. For that reason, I kept him at No. 45.

> 36. Josh Holmes, DT, Sr.: Injured for most of his sophomore season, Holmes bounced back in 2009 and started nine games at defensive tackle for UM and ranked fourth among all defensive linemen with 22 tackles while tying for fifth on the team with six tackles for loss. At 6-0, 280 pounds Holmes is obviously undersized compared to the other guys he's competing with for playing time. Coaches would probably prefer for a bigger guy to emerge this season and help fill the middle of the defense. But the Canes still like Holmes' experience and his ability as a pass rusher and believe he can be a nice change of pace. Look for Holmest to remain in the mix for a few starts and to play a lot on third down.

> 37. Tommy Streeter, WR, R-So.: One of the top high school receivers in the country and part of a sick 2008 class for UM, Streeter (6-5, 210) finally began to make some strides last season after being red-shirted following a wrist injury his freshman year. He only caught five passes for 114 yards, but his 47-yard catch in the Champs Sports Bowl could be a sign of things to come as a potential deep threat for the Canes this season. While he'll have to outwork LaRon Byrd, Leonard Hankerson and former high school teammate Aldarius Johnson to get on the field, his natural chemistry with quarterback Jacory Harris could pay huge dividends this year as Streeter becomes even more physically ready for the college game.

> 38. Harland Gunn, LG, R-Jr.: An absolute beast in the weight room, Gunn came to UM in 2007 with high expectations. Rated the eighth best center in the country by Rivals, he finally began to see real playing time last season, starting five games and playing in all 13 at right guard. One of his best games was against Virginia when he played 33 snaps and graded out at 94 percent. Now, the Canes are hoping Gunn (6-2, 315) takes the next step in development and becomes more consistent in pass protection. With so many young and inexperienced players behind him, UM needs Gunn to stay healthy and take the bulk of the work at guard.

> 39. Andrew Smith, DE, Jr.: Smith (6-3, 245) wasn't as highly touted coming out of Coconut Creek Monarch High as the rest of the freshman in UM's 2008 class. But last season he made seven starts and played in 11 games, recovering a fumble against Clemson while making a career-high three tackles against Wisconsin in the bowl game. With Adewale Ojomo and Allen Bailey back this year, it's likely Smith will come off the bench this season and compete in a strong rotation for playing time.

> 40. Lee Chambers, RB, R-Jr.: A bit of a forgotten man in UM's backfield, Chambers came to UM in 2007 from Coffeeville, Miss. as a consensus Top 10 running back in the country according to Scout.com and Rivals. Much like Damien Berry did a year ago, Chambers is hoping to surprise everyone his junior year with a breakout performance. He's shown flashes in the past. In 2008, he carries 18 times for 119 yards and had a career-long run of 25 yards against UCF. Last season, he played in nine games, mostly in mop-up duty and carried 42 times for 153 yards. While everyone figures Berry will carry the bulk of the load, don't be surprised if Chambers gives Lamar Miller and Mike James a good battle for playing time during camp. If he can stay healthy, he might be one of the biggest surprises on the year.

> 41. Jermaine Johnson, RT, R-Fr.: Big No. 78 was considered the No. 1 prep school offensive linemen by Rivals.com in 2008. After a redshirt season last year, Johnson may finally be ready to emerge this season as at least a solid backup at right tackle. At 6-6, 330 pounds, the former basketball star at Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas had a better spring according to coaches than his primary competition -- Ben Jones (No. 44). Although Joel Figueroa will most likely begin the year as the team's starting right tackle, if Johnson can prove he's far enough along he might be able to push Figueroa back inside and make Miami even stronger up front.

> 42. Jeremy Lewis, DT, Jr.: Lewis was one of three premier defensive tackles former recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt was able to sign in the 2008 class. So far, he's been outshined by Micanor Regis and Marcus Forston (injured in 2009). But that could change this season if Lewis (6-4, 310) plays with a little more fire. Lewis, from Palm Beach Lakes, played in seven seven games last year and recorded three tackles with a pass break-up in a win over Virginia. The Hurricanes are talented at tackle, but not deep with experience. Beyond Josh Holmes and Regis, Forston and sophomore Curtis Porter are the only players with real playing experience.

> 43. Jared Campbell, S, Sr.: The younger brother of former Hurricanes star defensive end Calais Campbell, Jared broke into the starting lineup last season when Randy Phillips went down in the middle of the year with an injury. But by the time the season wrapped up, Phillips was back and freshman Ray Ray Armstrong was making enough plays to steal playing time away from Campbell, who finished with 31 tackles and five pass breakups (2nd on the team). Most believe with sophomore Ray Ray Armstrong, redshirt sophomore Vaughn Telemaque and redshirt freshman Jamal Reid making huge strides, the only way Campbell likely sees the field for major playing time is because of injury. Campbell, who is coming off a knee injury himself, will at the very least be a key contributor on special teams. And the Canes are always looking for help on that end.

> 44. Ben Jones, RT, R-So.: The 6-5, 300 pound Jones saw limited action last season, playing in five games after redshirting as a true freshman. While coaches have always loved his athleticism and skill set, it comes down to getting Jones to turn it up a notch in intensity before he sees the field consistently. Last season, he graded out 91 percent while on the field for 37 plays.

> 45. Steven Wesley, DE, Sr.: A player who started 17 games in his career, Wesley finally began to break through last season, recording three sacks and six tackles for loss (tied for fifth most on the team). But the 6-2, 250-pound Bartow native, who was supposed to come back for his fifth year, was dismissed -- or not asked back for a fifth season -- by the team last Friday.