The 2011 ACC Football Kickoff in Pinehurst, N.C. is just around the corner and we will finally start hearing from players and coaches after a long summer on Sunday.
Our Susan Miller Degnan will be there to report what she gathers from UM's reps at the event -- coach Al Golden, linebacker Sean Spence and center Tyler Horn, who is among our next five in our Canes' Top 40 Countdown:
25. LB Kelvin Cain (6-3, 230, So.): Linebackers coach Micheal Barrow went out to California and found Cain, who outside of UM had offers from San Jose State, Fresno State an Nevada. Although Cain ended up playing in 11 games, it wasn't until he filled in and started for Colin McCarthy at middle linebacker against Duke that we saw what he was capable of. In that game, he finished with nine tackles (third most on the day) and had a forced fumble. He registered three more tackles the rest of the year. This spring, Cain played well, registering seven tackles in the team's second scrimmage and six more in the spring game. But his name wasn't on the two-deep. Since he is a littler bigger than UM's other young linebackers, I can see Cain serving as a backup to Jordan Futch at middle linebacker and Jimmy Gaines (6-3, 220) playing on the outside.
24. OT Jermaine Johnson (6-6, 320, So.): Seantrel Henderson and Brandon Linder weren't the only true freshmen who made an impact on the offensive line last season. Johnson played in 11 games, making five starts including the Sun Bowl. He graded out at 93 percent against Virginia and 92 percent against Maryland, neither were starts. At the end of the spring, he was listed as the starter at right tackle. Unless Ben Jones became Superman over the summer or Johnson gets hurt, he should start every game at right tackle for UM this coming season.
23. OG Harland Gunn (6-2, 310, Sr.): He's made 18 career starts including all 13 games last season. He had 13 pancake blocks and six lumberjacks. Graded out at 96 percent against Georgia Tech and at 95 percent against UNC. Gunn came to UM from Omaha, Nebraska rated the eight-best center in the country by Rivals.com and the No. 6 guard and No. 63 player in the country by Scout.com. If he can start and play in all 13 games this season, he'll finish with 31 career starts, not too shabby.
22. C Tyler Horn (6-4, 305, Sr.): Started all 13 games at center for the Hurricanes last season and graded out at 94 percent in the win against North Carolina, with six pancake blocks. He was named ACC offensive lineman of the week following the win over the Tar Heels and finished with 39 pancake blocks and seven lumberjacks, both third best on the team. He's on the preseason Rimington Watch List.
21. OL Brandon Linder (6-6, 310, So.): The St. Thomas Aquinas grad played in 12 games, starting five, all as an extra lineman in the jumbo package. He graded out at 97 percent against Georgia Tech, and was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for it. In the game, took snaps at center, guard, tackle, and tight end and helped the offense run for a season high 277 yards, and a season high 507 total yards. He graded out at 93 percent in the season opener and above 90 percent for the last seven games of the regular season. Few players have bigger upside than Linder, who I expect will once again play a lot and make an impact.
PREVIOUS TOP 40 COUNTDOWNS
> No. 26-30
> No. 31-35
> No. 36-40
Nate Webster? Where he at?
Posted by: Canesrule 21 'Ships | July 21, 2011 at 03:51 PM
Manny went to FIU
Posted by: miadolphin | July 21, 2011 at 04:22 PM
Hey, Pig, at least be a man and post under your usual Pig-ID.
You are a coward with your ALL CAPS pseudo-ghetto slang posts.
Shouldn't you be catching z's? You have a big night tonight at Costco. I hear you are first-line brownie and pastry guard. Well done, loser.
Posted by: This Pig is a fungus | July 21, 2011 at 04:58 PM
Linder is a boss
Posted by: 3G Cane | July 21, 2011 at 05:06 PM
Does anybody else think the ACC should re-look at how they schedule football?
Miami plays FSU, Va Tech & UNC all on the road
FSU doesn't play Va Tech, UNC or Ga Tech at all
How is that fair?
Posted by: BV | July 21, 2011 at 05:20 PM
BV, FSU got lucky when the conferences split, and the teams on their side have all been weak, while GT and VT and UNC have all been solid. I mean, look at the list of teams in their division:
Boston College Eagles
Clemson Tigers
Florida State Seminoles
Maryland Terrapins
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
It's like how the Gators have an easy time of it on their side of the division compared to the Alabama side, or how Nebraska had it easy on one side while Texas and Oklahoma fought it out on the other side of the Big 12.
Just good luck for them and bad luck for us.
Posted by: Five Titles | July 21, 2011 at 05:31 PM
Sad about what's going on with Nate Webster. But, after that Webster class, that was the beginning of the decline of the dominant LB core at UM.
I want to see, though, who U have starting at a lot of positions. Like QB.
Posted by: 'Cool 'Cat | July 21, 2011 at 05:48 PM
4/5 of the mythical Gatard Nation are trailertrash.
How is that fair?
Posted by: Officer Pig, 23rd Costco Regiment reporting for duty | July 21, 2011 at 05:49 PM
cool cat- You are dead wrong again, genius.
After Nate, came Morgan, Vilma, DJ Williams and others. The decline began in 2004. A full 4 yrs after Nate
Posted by: Best cfb program the last 32 years | July 21, 2011 at 05:55 PM
OOOooooOOoOooOOoooO OooOooOOO oOOoooOOo
Canes suck with you 10,000 fans at the stadium!
Were 60,000 strong.
Posted by: FSU War Chant | July 21, 2011 at 05:57 PM
Cat, there U go again talking out of your arse. How do U rationalize that statement with Dan Morgan, Jon Vilma, DJ Williams, etc. The decline came at head coach when Butch left and they hired, Larry "Orville Redenbacher" Coker and Randy "Duke is a tough place to play at" Shannon. Don't worry about who we have playing at QB, U should instead worry about how many QBs U have on your roster after our defense breaks them in half. That is unless your team fears us.
Posted by: championships is all that matters | July 21, 2011 at 06:09 PM
Prosecutors said Webster, who was a friend of the girl's family, told her he would "kill her and kill her family" if she didn't keep quiet about the relationship.
Deters said Webster was only indicted on charges when the girl was 15.
"There could have been a mountain of charges otherwise," said Deters, who said Webster is the father of seven children from four women. "There is overwhelming evidence of his guilt."
Must Be A U Thang ...
Posted by: 15 Will Get U 30 | July 21, 2011 at 06:11 PM
Dats duh type of players wez need back at dis U ! Yo the boy could Ball !!!
To bad he forced his on a 15 yr. olds chin .
ScUmbag Cane .
Posted by: U Be Back | July 21, 2011 at 08:57 PM
Please tell me that the reason we haven't seen Jacory on this Top 40 ranking yet is because he's not on the list.
Posted by: indiacane | July 21, 2011 at 10:02 PM
First, to have semin holes here and gey!turds even for one second talking about arrests is hilarious.
Second to the lame nole: when you stop losing to either wake or nc state, then talk, furthermore, 1999 was a long time ago. The moles are the champions of pretenders. 5>2. And despite our 10,000 fans, we did beat you at your 70,000 choak Campbell only 2 yrs ago. By the way it's 70k, not 60k.
Geyturd:
Please. Enough. You are lame. All you turds are lame.
Mud hump- lame. Loser at Texas
Fatty weisbuckle-lame. Loser at Notre lame
Brantley-lame
Demos-lame. My 5 yr old is bigger than him
Posted by: Sec? lol | July 21, 2011 at 10:44 PM
did i mention they were swept by the gamecocks?? lol!
Posted by: swept by the gamecocks | July 21, 2011 at 11:14 PM
I'm still waiting for Floyd to cross the goal line against Nebraska in 99. And then Nebraska returned that punt and Bobby the saint almost fainted until they pulled out a flag. I guess all that begging paid off. For the last couple of years the road team has won that game. See U in the choak.lol how many canes are going to that game?
Posted by: Tallycane | July 21, 2011 at 11:24 PM
harris has to be in the top 5.
Posted by: greg | July 24, 2011 at 06:11 PM