Gameday blog: UM at USF

TAMPA -- The Miami Hurricanes (5-5) and South Florida Bulls (5-4) are both looking to become bowl eligible when they face off at Raymond James Stadium this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU. The Bulls beat UM 23-20 in overtime last year at Sun Life Stadium, and trail the all-time series 2-1.

> ABOUT USF: The Bulls lost four Big East games in a row -- 44-17 at Pittsburgh, 16-10 at Connecticut, Cincinnati 37-34 and at Rutgers 20-17 (OT) -- before winning last week 37-17 at Syracuse. Offensively, USF is just one of 16 teams nationally averaging at least 200 yards rushing (205.2 yards per game, 26th) and and passing (265.4 yards per game, 32nd). Quarterback B.J. Daniels threw for 274 yards and ran for 113 at Syracuse in his last start and is completing 60.4 percent of his passes for 2,262 yards, 12 TDs and 5 INTs on the season. The Bulls have two bruisers in its backfield, 6-foot, 210-pound sophomore Demetris Murray (99 att., 432 yards, 7 TDs) and 6-1, 240-pound junior Darrell Scott (10 att., 611 yards, 5 TDs). The team's leading receiver, sophomore Sterling Griffin (40 catches, 493 yards, 2 TDs), was UM quarterback Stephen Morris' high school teammate and top receiver at Monsignor Pace. But he was lost for the season against Cincinnati (Oct. 22). Defensively, the Bulls rank 37th in total defense (351.44 yards per game), 17th in rushing defense (108.00 yards per game) and 86th in pass defense (243.44 yards per agame). Their real strength is creating trouble behind the line of scrimmage. USF is 3rd in the nation in sacks, 2nd in tackles for loss. Linebacker DeDe Lattimore leads the team with 66 tckles, 10 for loss. Defensive end Ryne Giddins has 40 tackles and leads with 11 for loss. Giddins and Lattimore share the team lead with 5.5 sacks each. The Bulls created 21 turnovers (10 INTs, 11 fumbles) and are plus-3 in turnover margin. On special teams, the Bulls own the best punt coverage unit in the nation. They've allowed six returns for -2 yards all year. Punter Justin Brockhaus-Kann is averaging 37.4 yards per punt, including 12 punts inside the 20-yard line and three punts of 50-plus yards.

> WHAT TO WATCH WHEN IT COMES TO THE CANES: Last week at Florida State, Marcus Robinson started at strongside linebacker and left early with a shoulder injury. Robinson was lasted as probable coming into the game, but it's expected that Kelvin Cain will start in his place alongside, Sean Spence (middle) and Denzel Perryman (weakside). Safety Ray-Ray Armstrong will also be back this week, but won't start after serving a one-game suspension. Still, expect Armstrong to get in there and move JoJo Nicolas back to corner, where he helps the team more. As unit, UM's defense has played much better over the past two weeks, holding FSU to one offensive touchdown and limiting big plays. But creating turnovers remain a problem according to coordinator Mark D'Onofrio. UM only has 13 turnovers and will try to create more today against USF, which has turned the ball over 18 times. Offensively, expect the Canes to try and exploit the Bulls lack of size in the secondary. Free safety Jerrell Young (6-1, 209) is the Bulls' biggest defensive back. But UM will try to pound it. The goal: average 5 yards a carry. If they do that, they'll win. Running back Lamar Miller, currently fifth all-time in UM single-season rushing with 1,108 yards, needs 93 yards to move past Clinton Portis (1,200 yards, 2001) for fourth place.

> MANNY'S PICK: UM 30, USF 27. I expect a lot of offense in this game even if it doesn't equate into a lot of points. In the end, UM will find a way to win and get a little revenge for last year.

Comments

[mike-s]

i'd like to call it a payback game, but the bulls did us a favor. new coach, one who should in a year or two, make us relevant again. go canes

[mike-s]

benjamin, warm the bench. great job defense

[mike-s]

so far, we look flat. not a good sign.

[inimounts]

I don't understand that fade call. With a tight end? We not try for the first down. Horrible call.

[Jebediah Gonzalez-Cohen]

ZZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZZ

[Jebediah Gonzalez-Cohen]

so far, we look flat. not a good sign.

No, I think this is what they actually are. Average to below.

[mike-s]

jeb, i know we are not a great team, but there is little excitement in their step. this looks like a shannon-lkike team emotion wise. that scares me alot. i like golden, but this cant happen again.

[Keith]

drive killing penaltys and lack of emotion , a bad old sign indeed

[inimounts]

I'm sorry, but our strength and conditioning is terrible, and it's most evident in Lamar miller. I love him, and he still puts up good numbers, but any real fan can see he is not running with the strength and energy he did earlier in the year. I hope he stays one more year, not just as a canes fan but because he wasn't prepared or conditioned to support a whole year of college football let alone pro so obviously he's not ready.
As for the canes in general, does anyone else notice the problem is inconsistency 'in' EVERYTHING. every player, every position. One play they hold 'the edges, the next they don't at all. One play the wide receivers look all American, the next they are all flat. And so on. We can talk about coaching or whatever, but that's it at it's core.

[Darind]

How long are you going to blame Randy?? Golden has been in charged since last year's bowl game. Each week this team shows up passive. The coach Golden is passive and uninspiring. This team needs a charismatic leader not coaches like Coker, Randy or Golden. STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR GOLDEN, the play calling sucks, and the team is never prepared. With Golden this is like a slow burn things will never get better only worse!!

[Keith]

wow the defense is back to its lay down mentality : (

[inimounts]

Ohh, and our secondary coach needs to go. Makes me feel like i couldn't keep an of
Our dbs

[Keith]

I am at a loss how these players cannot run over this weak arse USF team and the defense still just blows

[Keith]

it is sad that after a full yr there is still so much wrong and so little right with this team

[Darind]

I was always taught that you play the way you practice...Golden ALLOWS this crap to happen in practice and come game day he seems surprised that it is still happening!!

[inimounts]

I think seantrel will become a bust. Because of injury, not lack of skill.

[johnny]

3rd and 1 and they can't convert!!!! how in the world can a team with an O-line as ours which completely outsizes and outweighs USF's D-line not push sufficient enough to gain 1 stinkin yard???? seriously??? 1 yard!!!!!!!! this is ridiculous. Why was the ball not handed to miller????? geezzzz!!

[inimounts]

Keith, there is a lot wrong with this team, but we are not that far from being elite. We are literally a tight end and two good dbs away. It's why our losses are of ALL eight points or less.
I do
Agree they are not coached right. But we will find out next year if it's because they aren't coached right or they can't be coached. Then i will fully decide on golden.

[Jebediah Gonzalez-Cohen]

What's been worse to watch in your opinion, Hurricanes or Dolphins football?

[inimounts]

What player of ours hasn't been injured? It's amazing! Strength and conditioning. And we don't get pressure because we can't count on our dbs so we can't send packages. It all adds up.

[Jebediah Gonzalez-Cohen]

What's been worse to watch in your opinion, Hurricanes or Dolphins football?

For me it's been Canes, and that says a lot.

[Keith]

Im of the same opinion, although , this same weak offense and defense has been our team all yr and has not improved , from game 1 we could not get a 3rd and 1 and here we are still watching that failure..... I have coached city league teams to improve in these spots WTF cant a college team coach come up with a play to get 1 friggin yard consistently?

[inimounts]

Hurricanes with their roster, dolphins without. What i mean is with who the hurricanes have we should have a ten win season, but with sparano, Ireland, dabol, henne, and not Matt Moore, u can't be surprised they are where they are. TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM!

[Keith]

canes for sure, with the canes I expect a decent team , the dolphins have sucked for 20+ yrs

[inimounts]

Keith, makes me' think it's the players. There has been no progression, PERIOD. it's unheard of because they are all three or four year starters! Remember the 08's as freshmen? They are either same or worse.

[Keith]

aye , but then look at authur brown..... cant find the field here but makes plays constantly for a top 15 team?? and you have to admit that Jacory is .... WAY .... better than in the prior 3 yrs... so I think atm it is a mix

[Darind]

WOW!! what an imprssive use of a time out

[inimounts]

Jacory is better because of fisch.

[inimounts]

Can't take a sack there.

[inimounts]

See??? Inconsistency. How do u drop that pass?

[Darind]

inimounts, I totally agree with you! Jacory is better under Fisch. Whipple was / is a washed up coach / educator/ mentor/ etc

[Keith]

ALL TRUE CANES FANS WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN --- when I say , what we are missing and badly need is a few of our past style "NASTY" players, not dirty mind you , but "nasty" one who looks across the line and tells them im gonna hit you so hard your mom is gonna feel it in the stands , and then does it.... not the ill talk to the camera all week and say the right things and on saturday get my arse kicked!!!!! I wanna see a Ray lewis attitude... im sick of the soft get pushed around non self believeing church boys.....

[johnny]

how in the world do you allow a delay of game after a timeout?????? how in the world is that allowed to happen?? seriously jacory???? get your heads out of your behinds!!!!!! now they're out of field goal range and to top it off allen hurns drops a pass to put us in field goal range!!!!! these guys need to be beaten and given a wake up call

[inimounts]

And i don't believe arthur brown was amines fault but shannons and streeter almost was the same except he didn't leave. Shannon was a jerk. It's why we lost Bryce brown too.

[inimounts]

The problem is these Miami players think as soon as u put on the jersey u have swagger, btw nc state is handing it to Clemson.

[Keith]

agreed, point was we have players and alot didnt get coaching, not sure all this falls on the players abilities, but the mentle part does 100%

[inimounts]

I'm so worried about next year. We won't have a qb, stephen Morris is so bad, with an amazing arm, but he's not good, he's not ever going to be good. This is his second year and he loses to Maryland, he throws way too many picks (worst ratio in fbs) and he lost to Maryland. I can't say anything more than that, they are the worse team in the acc.

[Chicocane]

This is embarrasing, put Morris in for a spark!!!!!!!! That swing pass to rbs is there all day!!!!!!!!

[CaineMutiny]

I see Golden's face and I cannot help but thinking that he's saying to himself...."damn these guys are stupid". There are so many really dumb penalties - delay of game after a TO? Huh?

[Keith]

My hope is that a transfer or incoming fresh shows promise, because if morris is our future and he doesnt change we will be a 500 team the next 2 yrs for sure , maybe worse

[Darind]

Johnny, so are you placing the blame for the delay of game on Jacory? Why not the coach for conducting a board meeting on the side lines? I take it that you have never played the position, (don't believe that I am defending Jacory) but he has to have time to make adjustments and get players in the right position......I believe that debacle is a 50/50 share of coach player incompetence!!

[Chicocane]

Swaystink has to go, get a real strength coach!!!!!!!

[Chicocane]

Tied with usf, really, really, reallyyyyyyy????????

[CaineMutiny]

Chicocane - agreed! Truly sad, right?

[Keith]

aye it almost makes ya wanna cry.....

[Dave]

The Miami Hurriclowns...good grief. These guys are like watching a high schoolers. I had Miami winning five this yr. I'm dead on it. Golden is gone folks. PSU bound...these kids are too stupid to play for a guy like Golden.

[Chicocane]

Man this is pathetic CM. Bench players and start some young guys, can't do any worse.

[matthew]

AL GOLDEN SUCKS SAME AS SHANNON BRING IN CRISTOBAL NOW.

[Darind]

I would have placed my hopes in Morris this year! Jacory is a senior and probably can't make an arena league team. I think Morris would have scored against K State from the one yard line. I think Morris makes better and quicker decisions. Golden picked Jacory because they have so much in common. They both are passive, they both get outcoached, and neither can inspire. All I want for Xmas is for Golden to go away! So we can spend the money and get a charismatic competent coach!

[Chicocane]

Start Morris second half to see what we have!!!!!!!