Eye on the U

Dye, lawyer still waiting to hear back from NCAA

The criminal complaint filed by Hurricanes football player Dyron Dye against former NCAA investigator Rich Johanningmeier will not lead to charges being filed.

Spokesman Ed Griffith of the state attorney's office told The Miami Herald last week there was no evidence that a crime had been committed even though Dye said Johanningmeier "coerced him into providing favorable answers for [the NCAA's] investigation."

Darren Heitner, Dye's attorney, said he and his client are waiting with much anticipation to see what the NCAA plans to do with the 6-5, 261-pound's eligibility. He interviewed with the NCAA for a third time last month. 

"Right now there is no indication his eligibility is at risk," Heitner said. "That said, during his third interview they mentioned there was a potential 10.1 [unethical conduct] violation. We haven't heard from the NCAA since the conclusion of the third interview. We hope that if there is any negative consequence they make it public knowledge quickly."

Could Stephen Morris be the guy? And other UM Canes tidbits from ACC Football Kickoff

The first day of the ACC Football Kickoff is behind us, and what awaits Monday -- following what is expected to be a groundbreaking NCAA announcement regarding Penn State -- should be some intriguing discussions. UM Coach Al Golden and the head coaches speak tomorrow, and since head coaches are bona fide adults, not to mention the head honchos of their teams, they usually assert themselves with some interesting points of view (or else they get so frustrated by the same questions that they unleash a zinger here and there).

The Penn State situation will obviously overshadow anything surrounding Al Golden,who is, ironically, a former player for Joe Paterno at Penn State. The two shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence (sorry about that).

MORRIS THE LEADER?

Though there was no earth-shattering news revealed by the UM players Sunday, I did get the sense that junior Stephen Morris is perceived to be the quarterback leader -- at least by tailback Mike James.

Ryan Williams, a redshirt sophomore, is a former Miramar High quarterback who transferred from Memphis before last season. Morris sat out the spring after undergoing back surgery. Golden has said both quarterbacks will compete during the fall for the starting job.  

 “Coach [Jedd] Fisch, [UM’s offensive coordinator], has put Stephen in the best predicament to win games and control the offense,’’ James said. “ Stephen has a very amazing arm. I’m sure we’re going to utilize that to the best of our ability.’’

 A reporter asked James to describe the attribute in Morris that resulted in his “really taking over.’’

 Replied James: “Him assuming the leadership; Him understanding he’s going to be the quarterback and what a quarterback has to do to control his offense, control his team, control the game. He has taken all the steps to do that.’’

 James said "Stephen is a very, very smart kid'' and "knows his stuff inside and out.'' He said Morris is "becoming more of a vocal leader; Ryan is more lead-by-example. Stephen has an amazing arm; Ryan has great precision. It's going to be a tough battle. Stephen is, like, when something goes wrong he gets in our fact; Ryan pulls you to the side. ...I like when they get in your face. I like the gritty thing.''

He called both quarterbacks "great guys. They do a lot of things well.''

James was completely impressed by Morris' display of emotion one day in mid June -- "maybe the 15th or 16th, 20th maybe?" James said. "It was a team workout, no coaches, just us.'' He said Morris brought the players together and talked "about how tired he was of losing, and how we needed to get this thing on track. It brought him to tears.

"I had never seen Stephen cry. As a team you feel something in your heart for, if a guy is doing enough to get emotional, it shows he really cares about what he's doing. We greatly appreciate that in a leader. ...The other guys were very responsive to it. Some guys also had teared [up]. They were just tired of it. We're going to get this thing fixed and get it done the right way.

"We've never seen Stephen in that light. Stephen was always behind [former quarterback] Jacory [Harris] and not really saying much and doing everything he could to help the team. Now he was assuming leadership and becoming more vocal.''

Cornerback Brandon McGee touted all his young fellow defensive backs, and said national star Tracy Howard was so excited to be at UM that it was contagious.

McGee talked about growing up in South Florida and how he remembers seeing Sean Taylor just dominating his opponents. He said he also remembers "seeing Roscoe Parrish taking returns to the house,'' Devin Hester making guys miss and Mike Rumph making plays on the ball. That's definitely something we want to get back to.

"Our goal is to do what they did, but make our own avenue.''

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

 

 

 

 

 

ACC Commissioner John Swofford stands by UM Canes Coach Al Golden

 

   Here's my story that I just posted online:

   GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford said Sunday after he addressed reporters during the opening session of the ACC Football Kickoff that he would be “shocked’’ if University of Miami football coach Al Golden were personally involved in any NCAA violations.

    Swofford was asked by The Miami Herald about his reaction when he read the newest Yahoo! Sports report allegations about Miami.

     “Well, I don’t know how new they are,’’ he answered. “That’s an ongoing investigation.’’

     Swofford was then asked specifically about Yahoo! reporting that coach Al Golden had direct knowledge of UM football improprieties after he arrived at UM. What was Swofford’s reaction to that part of the report?

      “You never want to read any more of that,’’ Swofford said. “I’ve seen all of that I want to see. You’re never happy when you read that, but again, I don’t know if that’s necessarily a new part of that investigation. It may simply be something that has been thrown out there that isn’t new. I don’t know. I really can’t comment on an ongoing investigation on a piecemeal basis.’’

    Then Swofford was asked, “How about just your own gut and how you feel having gotten to know Al Golden?”

    Swofford’s response: “If Al Golden were involved in anything inappropriate in terms of NCAA rules I would be shocked.’’

     SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

ACC Football Media Kickoff About to Begin

Good morning.

In Greensboro, N.C., for the 2012 ACC Football Kickoff.

Cornerback Brandon McGee and running back Mike James are UM's representatives, who will speak to us later.

I feel bad for Miami coach Al Golden, who will walk into a firestorm when he speaks to the media Monday afternoon. Golden has been refreshing for us: respectful, direct and candid since the day he arrived. I have enjoyed covering him. But this is the first time he has been part of the NCAA saga, after Yahoo! Sports' newest report from Thursday.

In this day and age, it's hard to say "no way" before all the facts are revealed, but I still am wondering what specific proof the "former Hurricanes athletic department staffer" has, according to Yahoo!, that Golden "had direct knowledge of [former UM equipment manager Sean] Allen's improper involvement with Miami recruits.''  The Yahoo! story gives few specifics about Golden, other than what an unnamed staffer said about Golden being aware that Allen picked up Teddy Bridgewater from a restaurant during an unofficial visit. The key here is whether the NCAA believes it has the proof to back up what Allen said.

What would you ask Al Golden, if you had a chance to interview him tomorrow?

How about Mike James and McGee?

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

THE FOLLOWING IS FROM HERALD'S BARRY JACKSON SUNDAY BUZZ INVOLVING RAY-RAY ARMSTRONG:

One high-ranking UM official told us Friday that school administrators were fed up with Ray-Ray Armstrong not being honest with them. Late Saturday night, his father Albert confirmed that Armstrong was bounced from the team largely because "he wasn't truthful" about a recent incident.

Albert Armstrong told us that Ray Ray's girlfriend owns a public relations firm that works with professional athletes but is not affiliated with any sports agent. Albert said his son's girlfriend was staying at the Loews Hotel on Memorial Day weekend when Ray-Ray visited her and took a picture of some of the hotel rooms. Ray-Ray then distributed the pictures via Instagram, and UM became aware of it.

When UM confronted him about it, he worried about his future and told the school he wasn't there with his girlfriend that night, his father said. "He told them the truth eventually, but it was a day late and dollar short," Albert Armstrong said.

Last year, UM suspended him for a game for tweeting about a dinner at Prime 112 with that same girlfriend. Booting him from the team was "unfair to extreme measures," Albert Armstrong said. "They need a sacrificial lamb to show, 'We're putting our foot down.'"

Armstrong’s father said InsideTheU's report that his son had interaction with a booster, then tweeted about it, is "completely untrue." He said his son will transfer to another school and play this fall.

The Hurricanes aren’t especially worried about his loss. They feel good about Vaughn Telemaque, AJ Highsmith, Kacy Rodgers, and newcomers Deon Bush and Rayshawn Jenkins.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2012/07/barry-jackson-buzz-for-sunday-scatter-shooting-on-dolphins-issues-with-training-camp-opening-friday-most-inte.html#storylink=cpy