Eye on the U

Reports: UM hoops to add Texas guard Sheldon McClellan

According to a couple of published reports the Miami Hurricanes basketball program has another talented guard transferring in from the Big 12 conference.

Texas' Sheldon McClellan, a 6-4 slasher who averaged 13.5 points a game for the Longhorns last season, told UM coaches late Sunday night he's headed to Coral Gables, choosing the Canes over LSU and Oregon.

Former Cane guard Shane Larkin, expected to be drafted in the NBA's first round next week, had a hand in McClennan ending up at Miami according to Canesport.com.

"Shane was the first person I called when I found out I was transferring," McCellan told Canesport. "I talked to Shane and he told me what type of guy Coach [Jim Larranaga] is and how he coaches. I like his style of coaching."

McClellan, who will have to sit out next season per NCAA transfer rules but will have two years of eligibility left, joins Kansas State transfer Angel Rodriguez as new arrivals. UM is still waiting to hear if Rodriguez will be eligible to play next season.

Stephen Morris WILL start at Boston College. The others? 'If guys don't make a move by Saturday, it's over.'

UM Coach Al Golden was bombarded with questions about the new depth chart today.

Golden insisted the depth chart is not used as a motivational tool.

"I’m not one of those ploy guys. It is what it is,'' Golden said. "The problem is we have guys who think it’s something that it isn’t. ‘Oh, they’re going to play me anyway.’ It’s really not. As coaches, this is practice – what? – 13. We’re settling in now. If guys aren’t ready by Saturday, if they don’t make a move by Saturday, it’s over. After that, it’s time to move. We’re not really into playing games. You guys ask a lot of questions about a lot of guys that, really, we coach the guys that are out here everyday and the guys that are dependable and reliable. That’s who we want to play with."

As far as Stephen Morris goes, Jedd Fisch emphatically indicated, when asked about the opener at Boston College, that Morris would be the starter for that game. "Yes,'' Fisch asked if he'd be the guy against BC. "He's our starting quarterback.'' 

Both Golden and Fisch were effusive about Morris, while also praising backup Ryan Williams.

(I must say, from my perspective, both quarterbacks are a pleasure to deal with. Nice guys. Respectful. Good attitudes. And Williams has really demonstrated a lot of class in this whole competition. Impressive.)

 Some Golden notables from Tuesday:

 *On defensive end Kelvin Cain not being on the depth chart:

"He's not. He hasn't participated in over a week. Hopefully he'll fight his way back here today. Some of those guys need to make a move. We're running out of time. Kelvin was injured, yes." (NOTE: Cain was at practice Tuesday.)

*On freshman Gabe Terry, listed as second-team OLB behind Thurston Armbrister:

"Gabe Terry is going to be a football player. He doesn't know whether the ball is stuffed or pumped, but he flies around, man. He plays with energy, [is] relentless in pursuit. He needs to start to understand and be consistent and learn the defense and always be in the right positon, but with those characteristics, we certainly will find ways to get him on special teams and then as he grows his role will increase. ...This guy flies around. I'm not worried about his weight. I'm just worried about whether or not he learns the defense and is where he needs to be and becomes reliable.''

* On Seantrel Henderson not being on the depth chart at right tackle. (NOTE: Henderson was at practice in full pads Tuesday.)

"That's all it is is a fact. He has not practiced yet.If you can even imagine. He's practiced whatever.. We're going into today 13 -- he has not practiced yet. He is going to a funeral. What the travel plans are, I don't know. It's either going to be late tonight or tomorrow from what I understand.''

"He's got to get going. The issue is not really about how I feel, the issue is that there's not as many opportunities anymore to compete. If they are going to make it it's going to be because somebody either screws up or somebody gets injured, and now you'll get your opportunity. It's hard for me right now to say that Seantrel with no practices can perform better than Ereck Flowers and Jermaine Johnson. It's hard for anybody to say that. He needs to go perform. Flowers is playing really well right now, so well that he's beating out Jermaine Johnson, who's having a great camp.''

QUICK NOTE: UM  informed us that the original depth chart distributed last night had an error in it. Freshman Dequan Ivery is not a first-team defensive tackle. Ivery is actually third string behind starter Darius Smith and backup Curtis Porter. On the other side, Olsen Pierre is first team, followed by Luther Robinson OR Jalen Grimble.

* Only five defensive (and one special teams) players on Tuesday wore the black jerseys designated for first-team players: P Dalton Botts, DE Anthony Chickillo, DE Shayon Green, CB Brandon McGee, LB Ramon Buchanan -- and freshman CB Tracy Howard, who is listed under McGee on depth chart.

* Linebackers have been ailing. Eddie Johnson had been out, as had first-team OLB Thurston Armbrister (finger in eye, according to Golden) and Gionni Paul (knee) and now, the newest injury is to Raphael Kirby, who previously was behind Denzel Perryman in the middle but is not longer on the depth chart. Golden said he "got banged up in the scrimmage,'' but did not elaborate. "As soon as we find out what his status is, we'll release that. That's all I can say right now.'' Doesn't sound optimistic.

    Armbrister returned to the practice field Tuesday, and Eddie Johnson, now not on the depth chart, was wearing a yellow (limited) jersey. Gionni was neither in a red nor yellow jersey, and he was participating, but limping pretty badly. Jimmy Gaines (foot) returned for the scrimmage, and now he's listed behind Denzel in the middle. Basically, the position that defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio sounded pretty secure about last week needs some healthy bodies back.

    *Defensive end Anthony Chickillo was seen walking off the field by a trainer, then being examined under a tent, during the media's 15 minutes of practice viewing. Brian "The Beast'' London @allcanesradio said it appeared that UM people were examining his neck, head -- or what Randy Shannon might call "upper extremities.''

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

 LOOK BELOW FOR NEWEST DEPTH CHART

MIAMI HURRICANES POST-SCRIMMAGE DEPTH CHART  OFFENSE WR 1 ALLEN HURNS 6-3 195 JR.   4 Phillip Dorsett 5-10 187 So.   24 Davon Johnson 6-0 184 Sr.   9 Malcolm Lewis 6-0 192 Fr. LT 79 MALCOLM BUNCHE 6-7 323 RSO.   55 Ben Jones 6-5 315 Sr. LG 70 JONATHAN FELICIANO 6-5 314 RSO. 68 Jeremy Lewis 6-4 312 RSr. C 62 SHANE MCDERMOTT 6-4 296 RSO. 75 Jared Wheeler 6-5 312 RJr. RG 65 BRANDON LINDER 6-6 312 JR.   63 Daniel Isidora -OR- 6-4 312 Fr.   64 Hunter Wells 6-4 300 RFr. RT 74 ERECK FLOWERS 6-6 314 FR.   78 Jermaine Johnson 6-6 318 RJr. TE 82 ASANTE CLEVELAND 6-5 260 JR.   46 Clive Walford 6-4 248 RSo.   85 David Perry 6-7 265 RSo.   49 Dyron Dye 6-5 258 RJr. FB 33 MAURICE HAGENS 5-11 238 JR.   43 Sean Harvey 6-4 260 RSo. QB 17 STEPHEN MORRIS 6-2 214 JR.   11 Ryan Williams 6-5 223 RSo. RB 5 MIKE JAMES 5-11 222 SR.   23 Eduardo Clements 5-9 192 Jr.   25 Dallas Crawford 5-10 190 RFr.   8 Duke Johnson 5-9 188 Fr. WR 80 RASHAWN SCOTT 6-2 202 SO. 83 Kendal Thompkins 5-10 184 RSr.   86 Herb Waters 6-2 185 Fr.    DEFENSE DE 71 ANTHONY CHICKILLO 6-4 265 SO.   99 Jelani Hamilton -OR- 6-5 271 Fr.   95 Jake O'Donnell 6-6 243 Fr. DT 98 DARIUS SMITH 6-2 313 SO.   96 Curtis Porter  6-1 308 RJr. 66 DeQuan Ivery 6-1 303 Fr. DT 91 OLSEN PIERRE 6-4 296 SO.   93 Luther Robinson -OR- 6-3 290 RJr.   92 Jalen Grimble 6-2 292 So. DE 51 SHAYON GREEN 6-3 260 RJR.   97 Dwayne Hoilett -OR- 6-3 230 So. 17 Tyriq McCord 6-3 236 Fr. OLB 34 THURSTON ARMBRISTER 6-3 222 SO. 58 Gabe Terry 6-3 215 Fr. MLB 52 DENZEL PERRYMAN 6-0 230 SO.   59 Jimmy Gaines 6-3 232 Jr. OLB 45 RAMON BUCHANAN 6-1 228 RSR.   31 Tyrone Cornileus 6-2 215 Jr. CB 21 BRANDON MCGEE 6-0 197 SR.   3 Tracy Howard 5-11 185 Fr. S 22 KACY RODGERS II 6-2 212 JR.   2 Deon Bush -OR- 6-1 195 Fr.   29 Rayshawn Jenkins 6-1 203 Fr. S 7 VAUGHN TELEMAQUE  6-2 202 RSR.   30 A.J. Highsmith 6-9 208 RJr. CB 37 LADARIUS GUNTER 6-2 198 JR.   20 Thomas Finnie -OR- 5-10 185 So.   39 Antonio Crawford 5-11 188 Fr.    SPECIALISTS P 13 DALTON BOTTS 6-3 207 Sr.   40 Jake Wieclaw 6-2 197 RSr. FG 40 JAKE WIECLAW 6-2 197 RSr.   18 Matt Goudis 6-0 172 RFr. KO 40 JAKE WIECLAW 6-2 197 RSr.   18 Matt Goudis  6-0 172 RFr. H 13 DALTON BOTTS 6-3 207 Sr.   11 Ryan Williams 6-5 223 RSo. LS 60 SEAN MCNALLY 5-10 208 RJr. 30 A.J. Highsmith 6-0 208 RJr. SS 65 BRANDON LINDER 6-6 312 Jr. 60 Sean McNally 5-10 208 RJr. PR 4 PHILLIP DORSETT 5-10 187 So.   9 Malcolm Lewis 6-0 192 Fr. KR 4 PHILLIP DORSETT 5-10 187 So.   8 Duke Johnson 5-9 188 Fr.