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 

Quick news from UM Canes Practice No. 6 Wednesday in Coral Gables

1. Coach Al Golden, as expected, did not comment on the Ray-Ray Armstrong situation, and basically said he'd let the administration deal with it.

2. Freshman running back Duke Johnson, who was wearing a red no-contact jersey yesterday after suffering a bad migraine Sunday, is fully back in practice, wearing his usual No. 8 white jersey. Note: Duke is wearing a heavily tinted visor to protect him from the sun for precaution related to his migraines. But that visor will soon increasingly become lighter during practice to get him ready for the season.

3. CB Tracy Howard is still wearing the first-team black jersey, which coaches indicated he earned because he is consistent and works hard every day. DB coach Paul Williams said former black-jersey corner Brandon McGee must practice in a consistent manner if he wants to earn the shirt back.

4. Some of the players in red jerseys yesterday wore yellow (limited) jerseys Wednesday: tight end Dyron Dye, cornerback Thomas Finnie, TE Cory White and linebacker Jimmy Gaines.

5. Offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson was not on the field practicing, but we could see him in the weight room through the window, working out. Remember, Coach Golden said he'd have to go through full conditioning testing, etc., to get back fully to practicing.

6. Linebacker Ramon Buchanan was in a gray U T-shirt with gray shorts today, working with the linebackers as a player-coach. Buchanan had been recuperating from reconstructive knee surgery, and he recently told us he was fine and ready to go. Not sure about his status. But I do know Golden is smart about not wanting to overwork or overtax certain players who are easing into situations. He used player-coaches a lot last fall

7. Quarterback Stephen Morris indicated to me he is looking forward to when the starting quarterback is named. He did not give his prediction on the winner in that derby.

8. Today is the first two-a-day session. However, we will not have access to practice or players or coaches this afternoon.

9. We were told Sunday's scrimmage is closed.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN