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 

Brandon McGee is back in black; plus freshman receiver Malcolm Lewis is running with the 1st team

A lot of news nuggets and notes from today's media day at UM:

DEFENSIVE BACKS COMPETITION GETTING CLEARER

Cornerback Brandon McGee was back in a black jersey Saturday -- four days after it was taken away from him and given to freshman Tracy Howard. But McGee, who was starting on the outside, did most of his work at nickel and Howard and Ladarius Gunter still had their black jerseys on.

"Great day yesterday taking a leadership role and great day today," Golden said of McGee. "Good too see that from Brandon."

Defensive backs coach Paul Williams said McGee playing a lot of nickel doesn't necessarily mean he will end up playing there solely. But Williams did say McGee is the most experienced nickel corner the team has.

"He ran it all last year and we're in a situation with a lot of young guys where he's just one of the few who is good at it," Williams said. "That's a hard spot. It's hard to find a guy that's good at that spot."

Williams said he's trying to develop freshman Vernon Davis and sophomore Thomas Finnie at the nickel spot as well. Williams said safety Kacy Rodgers has also seen some time there.

> Hard to imagine there is a happier assistant on the team than Williams, who now has arguably the most talented group on the team with eight new additions. Ultimately, Williams said six cornerbacks and four safeties will travel to Boston College on Sept. 1 for the opener.

Who is in the mix at cornerback aside from Howard, McGee and Gunter and Finnie? Williams said freshmen Antonio Crawford and Davis have worked themselves very much into the conversation.

"He's talented," Williams said of Crawford. "He's fast. He can break on a ball. He's going to be a good player.

"They're all really talented. We've just got to be careful because it's got to the guys who are really ready. That's why the scrimmage is huge with these young guys. That's why I don't just want to say they're in. Until we get that scrimmage and throw the bullets at 'em and see the pros and cons, see how they're going to react, we can't lock things down."

> Safety appears to be a different story. Rodgers appears to have the starting safety spot opposite Vaughn Telemaque locked down. "He hasn't blinked yet," Williams said of Rodgers.

> As good as Tracy Howard is, Williams said he isn't perfect.

"He got some work to do," Williams said. "The biggest part of it is just technique. One of his biggest flaws right now is technique. He's not a finished product by no means. But he's got talent. He's trying to get better everyday. You tell him something, he tries everything to fix it."

Williams said it didn't take Howard long to impress him though. In one of the first practices, Williams said, "Tracy made a play on a ball, a fade ball where I was like 'OK, this kid has a chance.'"

FRESHMEN MAKING A PUSH AT RECEIVER

As much love as Robert Lockhart has received early on in camp, former Miramar standout Malcolm Lewis is a bit ahead of the rest of the freshman according to both Al Golden and Jedd Fisch.

In fact, he's been getting first team snaps for the last two days. 

"Robert has a long way to go in terms of just learning the plays and reading the coverages. But there's no doubt his innate skills are there. Now we have to develop that discipline and process. Malcolm is a little bit further ahead in terms of his overall process and consistency. I'm excited about that group. Herb Waters is doing a nice job. That group has really come at a good time for us," Golden said.

Lewis, who said he's turned a lot of baby fat into muscle since arriving at UM, credits former roommate and fellow receiver Phillip Dorsett (the only true freshman to start on the Canes' offense last season) and junior Allen Hurns for helping him pickup the playbook quickly.

"They've been good mentors to me, teaching me the playbook inside and out," Lewis said. "We use flash cards. The play will be on the front and the name will be on the back. I got to say the routes, what's my responsibility with each coverage and what I've got to do. I'm getting it down pact. At first it was a challenge, but now everything is becoming easier. It's about concept. There's a purpose for everything."

Lewis said Dorsett has given him good advice too.

"He said 'Don't take the freshman route. Just pretend like you've been here before and you know what you're doing. And always have confidence in every rep,'" Lewis said. "So far, it's worked."

> Lockhart said he's gained five pounds of muscle since his arrival from prep school and considers himself a physical receiver with good route running skills. He likens his game to 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree.

"I'm just very excited to be out here making plays," Lockhart said. "I plan on making some big plays, getting my name out there."

> As for the defensive tackles, Golden wants to see someone separate themselves on Sunday.

"I think our depth is making progress. Do we have one or two guys that are going to give the other team a fit yet? I want to see that," Golden said. "Luther Robinson, Olsen Pierre, Curtis Porter, Darius Smith, I want to see someone separate tomorrow.

"I want to turn on the film and see man, we just couldn't deal with him. Finally, we have a defensive tackle the way Miami should there. I'm looking for someone to go in there and really dominate a game and cause havoc for us and give the offensive problems and we want to see the young guys and see what they can do."

Barring a letdown in Sunday's scrimmage, expect Stephen Morris to be named UM's starting QB

Stephen Morris wasn't supposed to look this good coming off off-season back surgery.

Ryan Williams was supposed to give him a good fight. That may still happen. But after 11 practices at the University of Miami, it's becoming more and more apparent Morris is on the verge of being named the Hurricane's starting quarterback.

And a solid performance in Sunday's first scrimmage of the fall (closed to the media and public) will probably lock it down.

UM coach Al Golden said he's going to give Morris and Williams equal reps with the first team. Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said both quarterbacks have been throwing accurately "at a very high level of completion percentage" and "neither one is making a whole lot of mistakes or turning the ball over."

But Morris, who has the stronger arm and more experience, might just be better than Williams at this point and unless he has a setback in Sunday's scrimmage (closed to the public and media), expect the Hurricanes to announce the junior as the starter as early as Monday.

"I get a sense everyday just watching them," Golden said when asked Saturday if there has been any separation in the battle. "But they'll both get a chance to throw to the [first team] receivers and then we'll get it on film and evaluate it.

"I think they've been really competitive. I am surprised at Stephen's conditioning and strength level. I really thought -- and we all did -- there would be a gradual integration for him. But he's been all-in to every practice. His conditioning, his core strength is really holding up well."

Fisch echoed those sentiments.

"I think the biggest thing that caught me off guard with Stephen is just how quickly he's been able to be 100 percent. There is no drop off at all," Fisch said. "As a matter of fact, I think he's better. I think his arm is stronger. His feet are fast. And mentally, it's not even close. The spring for him was like a redshirt year and an opportunity to be with me and talk football the entire practice."

Fisch said Morris benefitted from taking UM's freshman quarterbacks this spring and coaching them up on his own.

"He learned how to be more demonstrative as a leader, learned how to be someone who is not afraid to communicate with the other guys and let them know what he thinks," Fisch said. "Physically, the fact he didn't throw at all in the spring made his arm more lively."

Asked what he thinks Williams needs to do to win the job, Fisch said: "We don't look at it that way -- with what someone has to do. We'll come up with a decision on who is going to lead this team and then everybody is going to be on board with it, including the quarterback room.

"But right now, they just have to be prepared. As we all know one play and the next guy is up anyway. Whether you are the starter or not, you have to prepare like the No. 1 guy and really what's going on is that they're both doing a really good job leading the team... now it's just a matter of who is going to give us the best chance to win."

Canes' fab freshmen speak for first time since camp opened

Pizza, salad, Gatorade nutrition bars and a large contingent of strange and silly Hurricanes beat reporters. 

That's what the football team was treated to Saturday after practice when they attended the annual media day luncheon. And for the first time since camp opened, freshmen were available for interviews. 

So, naturally, that's where everyone flocked. Here are a few video interviews with some of the fab freshmen: cornerback Tracy Howard, running back Duke Johnson, right tackle Ereck Flowers, safety Deon Bush and receiver Malcolm Lewis.

Seantrel Henderson: "I took a couple hard losses... and I'm just trying to get back on the field"

Seantrel Henderson had big plans for his junior year at the University of Miami.

Junior Seantrel Henderson spoke to the media Saturday for the first time since attending his friend's funeral and being involved in a car accident.

He was going to come in healthy and in the best shape of his life, ready to start playing like the athlete everyone hoped and expected him to be when he was named USA Today's Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 and the top high school senior lineman in the country. 

But the past couple weeks have been really hard on the 6-8, 340-pound junior. He had a friend and a relative pass away, and a couple days before he returned home to Minnesota to attend the funeral of his friend, Henderson was involved in a car accident in Miami on Aug. 1 while driving with a suspended license. He suffered a minor concussion and has yet to be cleared to return to action.

He said at Saturday's UM media luncheon that hopes to be back "either next week or the week after." But it's clear Henderson is dealing with what happened emotionally and physically and focusing on football hasn't been easy.

"I took a couple hard losses to my friends and family members and I'm just trying to get back on the field, get back in shape so I can help my team the way I want to and the way they need me to," said Henderson, who was back at practice on a stationary bike for the first time in three days.

"It is kind of difficult and I can't say I'm all the way past it."

Henderson, cited for three infractions in the accident and fined $484, said he was wearing his seat belt during the crash, but didn't elaborate on specifics. A public information officer told The Miami Herald recently Henderson wasn't alone in the crash and at least one teammate was with him, but that no one was seriously injured.

"It was kind of scary," Henderson said. "I'm just glad to still be alive... To be honest, I don't want to relive it. I'm kind of past that. It was just real scary. I really didn't know what happened at first. I just kind of blanked a little bit."

While Henderson has been out, true freshman Ereck Flowers has seized the opportunity at right tackle. He's impressed coaches and could end up starting Sept. 1 at Boston College if Henderson doesn't return soon and reestablish himself as the starter. Henderson said he knows "I have to take control of it now."

"Our first game is in less than a month. I know I only have so much time," Henderson said.

I know it's going to be a little difficult just for the simple fact I haven't been out there. But just in terms of being in shape and things like that, I'm just trying to get my wind back. Once I do it, I'm going to work as hard as I can."