Eye on the U

Hot time in MIami: Gators at Canes in football: noon on Sept. 7 on ESPN.

University of Miami tailgaters might want to get to sleep early on Friday, Sept. 6th. That's because the highly anticipated Florida Gators at Miami Hurricanes football game was announced for a noon kickoff at Sun Life Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7 on ESPN -- upsetting fans who would rather have a night game.

A night game would certainly be a great draw and the event to party around at Sun Life. UM would get heavy-duty exposure. And let's face it, night games are always more fun (unless you're on deadline or savor getting broiled outside).

Turns out that ABC has NASCAR from Richmond, Va., that night and ESPN is broadcasting the Notre Dame-Michigan football game in prime time. A game has not yet been announced for the prime-time ESPN2 slot.

"We requested and lobbied ESPN for an evening slot for the game vs #BeatUF.'' tweeted UM athletic director Blake James. "Unfortunately, they were unable to accomodate.'' 

 I just got off the phone with ESPN spokesman Mike Humes, whom I asked about the noon start.

"Essentially, we looked at all the options and this was the best available window for the game,'' Humes said. "We average probably around three million viewers for that time slot. So it wasn’t like, 'Let’s put the worst game on at noon.' The noon window does really well with fans.

"We view this as a great matchup. Scheduling games is like putting together differrent puzzles with different time zones and commitments, and this was the best window.''

 UM AD James also tweeted this: "espn/abc wanted to take game national 3:30 slot is regional coverage."

Humes said the 3:30 p.m. ABC game is Oregon at Virginia.

In other Canes football news, the Aug. 30 season opener at Sun Life Stadium against FAU will kick off at 8 p.m. Aug. 30 -- a Friday -- and will be aired by ESPNU.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN 

Canes are seeing results in the weight room, closing in on 40/10 goal

CORAL GABLES -- The last thing Al Golden said at the end of the 2011 season was that he wanted his team to get stronger. 

"There are too many times when you look on the field, we're getting pushed around," Golden said in November. "... we have to get that fixed."

Looks like that's really starting to happen for the Hurricanes.

Strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey, whose had the team since spring football ended April 14th, said Monday the Hurricanes have made drastic improvements in his weight room -- and credits Golden for a lot of it.

According to Swasey, UM currently has 36 players who are bench pressing 225 pounds (the NFL combine testing standard) 20 times and seven more who are doing it 30 times. A year ago, Swasey said, he only had 11 players on the entire roster who could produce 20 reps of 225 pounds. The goal, Swasey said, is for the team to eventually have 40 players who can do 20 reps of 225 and 10 who can achieve 30 reps by the time fall practice begins.

That's why players were wearing new U Tough t-shirts Monday with the numbers 40/10 across the front of it.

"All of us are shocked how strong we've gotten," said senior Ben Jones, one of the seven to achieve 30 reps. "Everybody is buying into the program now and believing in what coach is saying and are ready to just go for it. I wouldn't say it wasn't happening before. But it's just a new energy around here."

That new energy, Swasey said, has to do with the level of competition Golden has created with the off-season programs. Swasey the combination of the Fifth Quarter program (extra workouts), the competition to wear black jerseys (starters) and now having players get tested in what they would do at the NFL combine has created a year-round competition for starting jobs and kept the team hungry.

"I think everybody needs rewards and challenges," Swasey said. "I've been with four different head coaches... this reminds me more of how Butch [Davis] did it. With Butch we had the morning runs. Here, it's U tough... Competition and development -- that helps guys strive for things and challenges them."

Jones agreed. "Everybody cares a lot because they know all this means something," he said. "You have a chance to compete for a starting job. Everybody wants to go hard to reach the black shirt, go for the most on 225 [pounds], U tough and everything they can so they can stand out and say 'Coach I'm ready for this opportunity.'"

MORE NOTES FROM MONDAY

> So who are the seven players with more than 30 reps? Jones couldn't remember them all, but mentioned defensive tackles Darius Smith and Corey King as well as left tackle Malcolm Bunche and starting right guard Brandon Linder. Swasey said Smith leads the team with 36 reps. For the record, Memphis defensive lineman Dontari Poe had the most reps at the NFL combine in April with 44.

Sophomore middle linebacker Denzel Perryman had 23 reps according to Jones. Boston College's Luke Kuechly, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, put up 27 reps at the combine. Jones said a couple of defensive backs have broken the 20-rep mark -- safeties Andrew Swasey and Kacy Rodgers.

> Asked to pick his weight room freaks, Swasey mentioned Bunche and receiver Phillip Dorsett.

The sophomore out of St. Thomas Aquinas has gained 20 pounds since arriving at UM and is now 185 pounds. Perhaps more impressive is that he's taken the title of fastest man away from cornerback Brandon McGee. According to Swasey, Dorsett ran a 4.36 recently. McGee, who is up to 190 pounds, ran a 4.55. UM, though, won't officially test the 40 until later.

"Dorsett is kind of the freak," Swasey said. "He'll be a guy who will really surprise."

> Maybe it's just surprising to me, but right tackle Seantrel Henderson isn't among the big freaks in the Canes weight room. In fact, the 6-8, 332-pound junior is barely scraping by at 20 reps of 225 pounds. Henderson admits he's never been a big weight room guy. His long arms are partly responsible for his light lifting numbers. Last year Henderson said he lifted 225 pounds between 12 and 15 times.

"In high school I wasn't a big weight room guy," Henderson said. "But I feel like I've improved a lot."

As for why Henderson remains at right tackle and isn't competing for the left tackle job, well, we now have some clarity. "My left hip is kind of weaker than my right so I feel more comfortable kicking with my right [leg]," Henderson said. "So, I feel like when I get my strength back in my left hip I'll be versatile again. But until then, I feel comfortable at right [tackle]."

- MANNY NAVARRO