Eye on the U

Wheeler joins U family

BOSTON -- My flight just got into frigid Beantown an hour ago -- not in time for me to listen in on offensive lineman Jared Wheeler's live announcement on 790 The Ticket. But in case you haven't heard already, the 6-6, 305-pounder chose the Canes over Vanderbilt as expected.

I caught up with Jared and his dad as they were leaving the studio. Apparently, this decision wasn't such of a slam dunk as many of us thought it might be. Jim Wheeler said his son was torn until his mother gave birth to the Wheeler's 10th child -- John -- last Sunday. "I really just wanted to stay close to home," said Jared, who is second to Jenna, a sophomore at the University of Florida, among the Wheeler siblings.

"With the new baby John being born I wanted to be there while he was growing up. Family comes first for me."

Vanderbilt nearly did, too, for Jared. Jim Wheeler said the Commodores were making a hard push, visiting as late as Monday. But Jim said his son had his mind made up. "It was a tough decision," Jim said. "It was close."

Jared said he had a little fun making his announcement on the radio Saturday. First, he asked the show host to pick up a Vanderbilt helmet. After a pause, he said he told him "keep it as a gift."

The Hurricanes are certainly relieved Wheeler -- a good student who has a 4.1 GPA and 1070 SAT score -- has decided to stay home. His addition brings more depth to an offensive line position in dire need of it. Aside from Brandon Washington (6-5, 330) and Jermaine Johnson (6-6, 310) who are scheduled to begin classes Jan. 20 and participate in spring ball, UM now has two more offensive lineman coming in the fall with Wheeler and Fleming Island's Cory White (6-4, 240). The Hurricanes, who are up to 20 commitments, are likely going to add two to three more linemen in the coming weeks. Wheeler said he's not sure where he'll play once he arrives. The good news is he has experience playing guard, center and tackle.

In Wheeler (a Rivals 3-star recruit rated the 7th best player in Broward by The Miami Herald) Miami not only gets a unique athlete -- but possibly an in roads at American Heritage. Jared's father, a former defensive tackle at Hollywood Hills High who played with Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez as a teenager, is a middle school football coach at the school. Jared said Miami has already begun to sending mail to his younger brother, Jacob, a 6-7, 240-pound defensive end and tight end for Heritage.

Wheeler, who benches 315 pounds and squats more than 450, said he's already begun getting to know his new teammates and said he speaks with A.J. Trump and Jason Fox frequently. He said he's excited to be joining the family.

"I'm excited -- they're on the rise," Wheeler said. "They're going to be a really good team. They got all those kids from Northwestern, who I know are great players. All they need are some big guys and I want to help out with that."

> I'll be at the Canes-BC game later tonight with a live blog. Forecast for today is calling for 6-10 inches of snow in the area. I may be here longer than I thought.

Hocutt: 'No urgency' in filling OC spot

As I was writing my game story on deadline Monday night out at the BankUnited Center I got a visit from UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt, who was nice enough to come back and look for me after the game to follow through on a chat I had requested with him while he was busy earlier in the evening. On a night when he was hosting other guests and chatting with President Donna Shalala, Hocutt could have just forgotten about it entirely. But the fact he remembered was nice.

Anyway, it wasn't a very long conversation, but I did get to throw a few questions at him. I didn't have my tape recorder, but I did have my notebook. So, some of this will be paraphrased off my notes. We'll start with football.

> The first question was obvious -- what if anything could he tell us about the search to fill the offensive coordinator vacated by Patrick Nix. While he obviously wasn't going to drop any names or give us any hints he did provide some insight. "One thing I can tell you is we're looking for the best candidate possible, somebody who is experienced and can do the best job at not only developing these young players, but helping us win games. There is nothing we're in an urgency to do. We're in the process of talking to some people and finding the best candidate to run the system that Coach Shannon wants to run. That's really the biggest factor."

> I brought up the fact that last year Miami took its time -- about a month -- before replacing Tim Walton with Bill Young. "Again, we're not in a rush," Hocutt said. "We don't see hiring a coordinator before national signing day as a necessity. We see choosing the right person as the top priority."

> I asked him how he felt about the team's fade from being in the ACC title hunt to losing its final three games. I asked him if there was going to be more pressure on Coach Shannon and his assistants next season to compete for a conference title and national championship.

"That's the goal to compete for championships here. It was a tough finish to the season. But I saw it as a step forward. This was a really young football team. What I really admired about the team was that those players never gave up. They were hurt, short-handed, but the kept fighting. It's a testament to the coaches. I really believe we have the right guys coaching this team. The future is bright. Randy is with us for the long haul. I know everyone wants to see this program win a championship tomorrow. I do. But I really believe we're doing it right. Randy is not out looking for the quick fixes. He's recruiting not only great athletes, but great kids. We're looking to build a winner to stay over time. And I think we've got the right man leading us."

> Before I had to run back to finish my game story, I had to toss a couple basketball questions his way. Hocutt's face lit up talking about coach Frank Haith, who got an extension and a raise this past offseason through the 2013-2014 season. Hocutt, who watched Monday's win over FAU, said he expects UM's new basketball practice facility to be completed by March 1st -- just in time for the McDonald's All-American game. As for other facility upgrades and endeavors... "We're in the planning stages right now of planning some major upgrades to the Hecht Athletic Center. We really want to get the work on the football locker room and training room done. After that, the athletic training center, Cobb Stadium upgrades, the Hall of Fame and the tennis center."

MORE HOOPS...
Not everything I wanted to get into my basketball game story made it. Here are some leftovers...

> UM coach Frank Haith said he was proud of his team's 11-2 non-conference schedule. "11-2 non-league, with the schedule we played, I feel real good about us being in good shape, where we want to be. No bad losses, strong RPI, strength of schedule top 5 in the country, we are where we want to be. That strength of schedule won't change in the ACC."

> Forward Jimmy Graham, who bruised his right wrist severly two weeks ago when he slipped in the shower, saw his first action in three games. He played with what appeared to be a soft cast for nine minutes. He grabbed four rebounds and had one steal. Haith said Graham practiced for the first time Sunday in a few weeks. "Jimmy is quite yet back to form," Haith said. "He's going to need to get a few more practices in. He's not quite ready yet."

'09 Class adds two, shines bright over weekend

If you do the math, there are still another eight spots to fill in the University of Miami's 2009 football signing class. Which means there is still ample room to add some of the nation's top future college football players. But if you a chance this weekend to watch the U.S. Army All-American game and the Under-Armour All-American games you know what coach Randy Shannon has already got lined up looks pretty special.

I know I'm not breaking any news here (I had a long day out covering the Dolphins-Ravens playoff game) but if you don't know by now I'll repeat it: the Canes added two major studs to their collection of 19 commitments Sunday night when they picked up verbals from Sanford Seminole High's Ray Ray Armstrong and Dyron Dye.

Three weeks ago before Seminole rallied from a 21-0 deficit to beat Miami Northwestern in the Class 6A state championship game, I got a chance to speak to both of Armstrong and Dye as well as their coach. Although Miami lost out on the third part of the special Seminole trio (receiver Andre Debose chose Florida), there's no doubt the Hurricanes landed special players. And unlike a lot of those guys you hear about being 6-4, 215 pounds only to find out they're really 6-2, 200 -- these guys are legitimately as large as advertised and just as good.

Armstrong (6-4, 215) tossed the winning touchdown pass to Debose in the 6A state title game and ran for another score, outleaping the Bulls into the end zone. What impressed me that night wasn't just that he had the athleticism to play quarterback, running back and receiver, it was his physical toughness. He started at safety and was in on a number of tackles and always looking to lay the wood. ESPN rates him the 18th best recruit in the country and Rivals and Scout each list him as a 4-star recruit. But his addition to UM's class gives the Canes its most special defensive player and someone I truly believe will make an immediate impact like Sean Spence this season. He's too physically gifted and strong not too. His coach called him a Sean Taylor-type player when I spoke to him before about Armstrong. If you watch his highlight reel, you see some of the similarities.

Dyron Dye (6-5, 230) could potentially make the same type of impact. He played both tight end and defensive end in high school and has tremendous burst and athletic ability. What impresses me the most about Dye is that he already has the NFL body. With some coaching, he could be really special. I think he has the potential to move over to tight end and play that at the next level if he wanted to. But all signs are point right now to a future at defensive end. Check out his highlight tape.

> As good as Miami's two additions are, I think no player might be better in the country than running back Bryce Brown, who earned National Player of the Year honors at the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio. UM recruit Brandon McGee told me last Friday he was thoroughly impressed with Brown during the East's practices. He called Brown a special player.

Bryce proved it to the nation Saturday. After dropping a pass that would have gone for a touchdown in the first quarter, he hauled in two long touchdown passes in the second half -- a 60-yarder and a 41-yarder -- displaying his speed and athleticism in earning co-MVP honors. He also led the East with 44 yards rushing on seven carries. While there are reports out there Brown could end up switching schools, I'm not buying it.

> Not all of the Canes had great AA games. Defensive back Prince Kent got beat a few times at the Under-Armour game including by fellow Canes recruit Jamal Reid, who shined at receiver. Miami has plans to try both Kent and Reid at corner. But I'm beginning to believe Kent might be better off at safety and Reid at receiver, a place where he routinely makes plays. McGee played well at corner in the U.S. Army game, but not spectacular. Maybe one of those eight remaining scholarships should be invested on another legit cornerback.

> Later this week, I'm going to start my interview tour with current Canes commitments and potential recruits. I'm also planning on picking up the recruiting podcasts with Larry Blustein and Charles Fishbein.

> One quick basketball note. Did anybody see Boston College's upset of No. 1 North Carolina Sunday? The Eagles were picked to finish last in the ACC and some folks were thinking the Tar Heels might go unbeaten. Guess not. The Eagles are 13-2 and host the Canes this coming Saturday. I'll be up there for the game.

Marve granted release (confirmed)

It doesn't come as much of a surprise anymore, but quarterback Robert Marve has been granted his release and will leave the program. UM sports information staff has just sent a release confirming  the report by Canesport earlier this morning. Marve started 11 games for UM and was suspended for two others.

A little more than a week ago, Marve voiced his frustrations through his high school coach Robert Weiner about his strained relationship with coach Randy Shannon and his displeasure with sharing the quarterback duties. Jacory Harris started in place of Marve at the Emerald Bowl. And it appears the writing was on the wall for Marve. Early Tuesday morning, UM coach Randy Shannon spoke with WQAM's Joe Rose and told him regardless if Marve returned, Harris would go into the spring as the starter.

"If Robert chooses to leave the University of Miami, we got Jacory, we got Taylor Cook, we got Cannon Smith, so we’ll be fine," Shannon said. "We’ve got enough talent on this team, we’ve got an experienced quarterback with Jacory, if Robert leaves, Jacory will be our guy, he’ll lead the way, because he has a lot of game experience...

"Jacory did everything to be our guy right now. Robert has to accept that hey, I have to be a person that is willing to do what we are doing at the University of Miami and I think he will if he wants that opportunity to do it, but if not and he wants to transfer, I will grant him his transfer."

Stay tuned to hear Marve's part of the story soon.

> Among other things Randy discussed during his interview, his idea about where he would like to go with the offense moving forward. Monday, Patrick Nix was fired and told The Miami Herald he and Shannon had philosophical differences -- he wanted to open it up more and Shannon wanted to play more of a traditional style.

"If you look at our team, we’ve got tailbacks, we’ve got fullbacks, we’ve got tight ends, we’ve got receivers, now we have all those things in place. I just want a team where we can score some points," Shannon told Rose. "If you watch SC [Southern Cal], it’s a pro-style offense, they use multiple sets, do a lot of great things. Do they have a fullback? Yes. Do they have receivers? Yes. Do they have tight ends? Yes. Do they have three or four tailbacks? Yes."

"You want to be able to have a pro-style offense that can score points. I can’t sit up there and say that we’re gonna line up in 2-back and play smash-mouth; we can line up in one back, we can line up in 2-backs, and do a lot of great things. We should be able to throw the ball out of every personnel group that we’re doing. You want more of a pro-style offense that can score a lot of points.

> Not that many of you probably care to talk hoops at a time like this. But I just got back from Frank Haith's press conference. The news of the day is a bruised right wrist will likely keep Jimmy Graham out until ACC play. Graham slipped getting out of the shower two weeks ago and banged his wrist against the toilet. "We've got to give him some time, let that thing heal," Haith said. "He's tried to play with it and we've got to let it heal, because we need him down the stretch."

The injury should open up more playing time for redshirt freshman Julian Gamble, who has been playing well. He had 10 points and three rebounds in 12 minutes at St. John's. "With or without Jimmy's injury, he's earned more playing time," Haith said.

> I'll have an interview with Julian up for you later.

Shannon, Jacory react to Marve suspension

GREENTREE PRACTICE FIELD -- UM coach Randy Shannon confirmed after Thursday's practice what Eugene Marve told us earlier this afternoon -- the Canes' starting quarterback has been suspended for the Emerald Bowl. But what stunned me wasn't that Shannon was short with his answers to reporter's questions to the Robert Marve story. We expected that.

What was strange to me was that he didn't seem extremely bothered by the fact the guy he started 11 times this season began his season suspended and will end it suspended for basically failing to what he's supposed to -- go to class and be there on time. "You're always disappointed when a violation of team rules occur," Shannon said after telling reporters the decision to suspend Marve was made Thursday morning. "But you know what, our job is to teach them and they learn from it. He'll bounce back and we'll keep him going.

"It's just a growing pain. He's a redshirt freshman, you got to get guys understanding that it takes certain time with guys. Everybody's not going to come in and do everything that's supposed to be done. It's our job to get them to do it... Our job is to educate the kids when something happens. And that's what my job is to educate them. This university has been very helpful in educating all the student athletes we have on campus and we'll keep doing those type of things."

Shannon said he hasn't heard any rumors about Marve transferring and said he expects him back after the bowl game. As expected, Jacory Harris will be the starter in San Francisco Dec. 27. The mild surprise? His backups will be walk-ons Matt Perrelli and Jake Byrne, the team's current holder and long-snappers. Shannon said he won't let Cannon Smith or Taylor Cook burn their redshirts (both would by playing this late in the season, despite not having played much if at all).

As for what this means for Marve's future, Shannon was asked if being suspended twice would affect his standing going into the quarterback competition (should Marve return) next year. His response, "Spring is Spring. This season is still this season. We're still in 2008. So we got to play this game as 2008. You can't get ahead of yourself. When you get ahead of yourself, that's when you screw up."

When asked a similar question in reference to what his second career start and the bowl game means to him, Harris responded a little differently than his coach: "This game right here for me is going to be the start of the 2009 season. It's going to start out like a miniature spring game. We're just going to go out there and show everybody what we have in store for next year."

Harris, who injured his throwing shoulder in the season finale, said right now his goal is "to lead the team to a bowl victory." "That's all I can do," Harris said. "It's unfortunate about the situation that took place. I just got to go out and have a good game and my team will be behind me."

> Don't expect Jacory to be scared about starting. He's looking forward to it. "I think its easier to start a game," Harris said. "Coming off the bench, that's where the pressure comes in. You got to keep the momentum. If your down, you got to come back. If your up, you got to keep them going. And if you don't, people will say why didn't your bring us back? Why didn't you keep the momentum going? I've heard a lot this year about Jacory -- the momentum lacks when he's in the game. I just laugh and have fun."

> Harris said he still hadn't spoken to Marve about what happened because the team hadn't learned about his suspension until practice. But he -- along with others -- inferred they would be calling Marve to make sure he was OK. But most said they were told not to talk about the situation.

> For those of you hearing the complete interviews with coach Shannon and Jacory, visit our audio page.

> I'll keep this short since it's basketball newsy and I know there's a lot smaller of an audience for it. UM forward Jimmy Graham was seen wearing a cast on his right wrist Thursday. But I've been told by UM sports information director Margaret Belch, the injury was not serious. X-rays were negative and Graham supposedly practiced like usual. "He slipped in the shower, but it's not that serious," Belch told me. "From what I've heard he's supposed to play Sunday." UM hosts 25th-ranked Clemson (10-0) in its ACC opener on Sunday. Frank Haith is supposed to address the media Friday afternoon.

> On the recruiting front, I spoke with the father of Jared Wheeler this morning on my drive back from Orlando. He said Shannon and coach Jeff Stoutland are supposed to make an in-home visit tonight to the Wheeler home. Tuesday, the Wheelers hosted Vanderbilt. Jim Wheeler said UM coaches have been telling his son they'd like to try him out first at tackle, but realize "he's a kid that could play anywhere on the line, from guard to center if he had to." As for UM's chances -- they look really good. Wheeler said while Vanderbilt is great and offers many of the same things UM does, the distance seems to be favoring UM. Look for a possible commitment announcement soon.

Sanford trio talk Canes, recruiting

SANFORD, Fla. -- They say they want to go to a place where they have an opportunity to see the field right away. They say they want their college choice to have a family atmosphere -- similar to the high school where they play now. They say that deep down, they all really want to play together at the next level.

The question is will they? Meet the Sanford Seminole High All-American trio -- hard-hitting safety Ray Ray Armstrong, the speedy Andre DeBose and the big and intimidating defensive end Dyron Dye. I did Wednesday and came away just as impressed as apparently all of the major college football powers have across the country. And, I came away just as confused as to what they might do when they make their college announcement on Jan. 4 at the Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando.

While no one really has any clear insight into where each will end up, there are two things I learned for certain Wednesday -- the Hurricanes are not only in their thoughts, but UM probably is among the few schools that can fit all of their needs. The question is whether or not the Canes will have enough time to really convince the trio of that before their announcement in two weeks.

Seminole is set to take on Miami Northwestern in what I expect to be a great matchup in the Class 6A state championship game Saturday night at the Citrus Bowl. While making it to the state championship is obviously what DeBose, Dye and Armstrong wanted more than anything else this season, the unexpected, extended playoff run has created a time crunch for their visit and announcement plans. After the state championship game this weekend, the trio will only have one free weekend left before their supposed announcement date of Jan. 4 (that's Christmas weekend of Dec. 26-27). While they could make trips during the middle of the week the following week while school is out, they do have practice for the Under-Armour game in the days leading up to game day. Which means as DeBose hinted Wednesday, that despite an announcement on Jan. 4, these guys could still take official visits and leave the door open for change (not exactly shocking).

Since the start of the season, all three have kept tight lips throughout the recruiting process for the most part, hoping to keep their teammates and their season away from distractions. The result: each player has only been able to take two official visits thus far -- Armstrong and DeBose to LSU and Georgia and Dye to LSU and Iowa State. DeBose was the only player Wednesday who was willing to discuss potential visits and mentioned Florida, USC and the Canes as places he still wanted to take official visits to.

The good news is, each has already made enough unofficial visits (3 in all) to Miami -- including the Canes game against Florida State -- to get a great feel for the Canes. All three had nothing but wonderful things to say about the Canes coaching staff including Randy Shannon, who made the drive up to Sanford to watch the trio play with two assistants back in early November. Just know for sure Miami, though, UM is trying real hard to get one last crack at hosting the Sanford trio. As one UM person told me late tonight, "we really, really, really want to get all three down here one last time."

Here is what each of them discussed with me about The U and their college situation on Wednesday.

> Andre DeBose, who most insiders believe is headed to the SEC (LSU or Florida), said Miami will get one last visit from him no matter what. He said throughout the year, he's developed "a great relationship" with quarterback Jacory Harris, who calls him once a week to check-in on him. He said he talks to receivers coach Aubrey Hill every other day and the two have "a special bond."

As for the Canes and his recruiting needs: "The school I'm looking for has to feel like family," said DeBose, a Rivals.com 5-star recruit. " I want an opportunity to play. I know they can't guarantee me a spot on the field. I just want an opportunity to play. Miami plays guys early. They don't mind putting young guys on the field early. UM will probably get an official visit from us, or at least from me for sure."

> Ray Ray Armstrong, who reminds me of a cross of Sean Taylor and Kenny Phillips, said he's learned to be cautious
during the recruiting process. He said he values honesty above all else: "The thing I've learned is a lot of people are going to tell you everything you want to hear and some of it is just not true," Armstrong said. "You got to look through that and find the best fit. For me, I want to get to a college and play and I want to win. It was a great experience at Miami when we went there. The coaches are real with you. They make you feel like you're at home. The players really like to make you feel good too. They make you feel at home. For me, right now, everybody has a chance."

>Dyron Dye uses the same words -- home and family -- to describe Miami. He said he speaks to UM defensive line coach Clint Hurtt and receivers coach Aubrey Hill at least once a week. While some people may be concerned with his academics, one insider at UM told me Wednesday night they believe Dye is not far from meeting the standards at UM to get in. "I'm looking to go somewhere I can play and be in an atmosphere where I can make a big impact," Dye said. "Miami lets young guys do that."

> I didn't get a chance to talk to defensive end commitment Olivier Vernon, who has basically disappeared off the face of the earth since taking his official to the University of Miami last weekend. But I did get a chance to speak with his mother, who told me her son told her he plans on waiting until after Christmas to make his announcement. "He wants some time to think it over a little more," she said. Vernon committed to UM early in the process, but took official visits out to Alabama and Florida State. The 6-3, 240-pound end would be a pretty big loss for UM if he chooses to back away from the Canes now.

> One guy Miami no longer has a shot at is JUCO offensive lineman Roy Watts, who signed with Houston Wednesday. Watts (6-5, 335) had Shannon for an in-home visit recently, but decided to back away from the Canes to stay close to home for his baby daughter and fiancee. It leaves UM with only one real JUCO opportunity -- Andrew Tiller of Nassau Community College.

Tiller (6-6, 320) recently visited nearby Rutgers, but told UM coaches he plans on visiting Miami in late January. Ultimately, this could end up the same way Watts did, with Tiller opting to stay closer to home. If not Rutgers, then possibly Syracuse, which is close to hiring Tiller's JUCO coach as an assistant.

> Miami's best shots at landing offensive linemen now looks like it will be through prep school or through high school. Plantation American Heritage's Jared Wheeler could be the first to jump on. As our Barry Jackson reported last week, Wheeler (6-5, 310) is now down to Vanderbilt and UM and folks at UM believe he could make his decision very soon. Last week, UM hosted the No. 1 prep school player in the country in 6-8, 335-pound Bobby Massie and Hargrave Military Academy teammate Daniel Campbell. This week, the Canes will get visits from offensive lineman Jermaine Johnson, defensive tackle William Campbell and offensive lineman Brandon Washington (who will sign in January).

> With former quarterback Steve Walsh getting into coaching Wednesday at West Palm Beach's Cardinal Newman High, I'm beginning to get the feeling several former players have caught the coaching bug with hopes of perhaps of getting on the UM staff eventually. Receiver Lamar Thomas joined the staff at Boynton Beach last year and has expressed interest of perhaps being on the UM sideline one day. The question is will any former guys actually find their way onto the coaching staff at The U any time soon? That's doubtful.

What's so bad about 7-5?

It's pretty amazing how quickly the mood of an entire fan's nation can change in a matter of one week. Last week at this time, U were probably thinking...

> The Canes are going to win the ACC title and we're going to be in the Orange Bowl. Sweet!
> Randy Shannon probably deserves some Coach of the Year consideration.
> Bill Young has done a great job straightening out that defense. That FSU game was just a bad game.
> This whole Robert Marve-Jacory Harris quarterback sharing thing -- I can live with it this year as long as we keep winning.
> This team has really impressed me. They're doing great much better than I thought they would.

Not so much anymore. In a few hours, it's going to be a week since the Georgia Tech debacle, since all of those good feelings and positive opinions on this Canes season vanished with three hours of misery in Atlanta. But as you sit down to your turkey dinner tonight ask yourself this -- should U really be that disappointed? What were your realistic expectations for this team before Jacory Harris made you feel giddy with that comeback at Duke and Virginia and the defense and Marcus Robinson thrilled you against Virginia Tech? How happy would U have been if someone told you this team would likely finish 7-5 after starting 2-3?

Here's the reality: U probably aren't happy anymore with 7-4. And, things are probably going to get even uglier if that record slips to 7-5 with a loss at N.C. State on Saturday. But should U really be that upset? I think U should be thankful for this... this football team is better than it was last season; it's only going to get better with time; and Notre Dame is worse.

> Unfortunately, due to my flight delay in St. Thomas, I never got in on time to catch the end of practice Tuesday. But I did make it out on Wednesday to shoot a new video with Mollie Rose and gather some post-practice talk about the Wolfpack, who obviously have momentum (a three-game winning streak) and a bowl-berth to play for. So, what was the mood of the team? "We just want to get a win," linebacker Glenn Cook said. "This win will help us get into a better bowl. We don't get into redemption. We didn't do what we had to do to put us in a good position. So, this is what we've got to play for now."

Honestly, I'd say Cook and his teammates sounded a lot more disappointed they no longer have the ACC title to play for than thrilled about playing the Wolfpack. Not a good sign heading into Saturday.

> Randy Shannon has decided to make a few changes to the starting lineup on defense, benching veterans Bruce Johnson and Chavez Grant at cornerback for sophomore DeMarcus Van Dyke and freshman Brandon Harris. While I understand Johnson and Grant haven't done anything to warrant staying in the starting rotation, I'm taking it as a sign Shannon has decided with two games left to move forward at least at cornerback, throwing two guys into the fire even if they get burned.

Van Dyke, who started eight games last season, said Wednesday he'd only been playing about 10 snaps a game in certain situations. Harris, who has struggled this season, hasn't started since the Duke game. Harris said he believes coaches made the change because "I think its just giving us a feel to see how we can do starting off. They really want us to see us make some plays on the ball and tackle guys and get them on the ground. I think we play faster when you know what an offense is doing before you lineup. I think early in the season we were just trying to play off athletic ability."

Both Harris and Van Dyke said they've spent a lot of time in the film room, learning how to play in Young's zone-based coverage defense. Van Dyke said adjusting from man to zone is what caused him to struggle this season. "I think this right here is my stepping stone for next year," Van Dyke said. "I really want to get back to doing what I was supposed to do."

> Shannon said linebacker Romeo Davis has been replaced by junior Daryl Sharpton at the starting strongside linebacker spot.

> There are a few reports out two seniors could be seeking another year of eligibility after this season -- safeties Randy Phillips and Anthony Reddick. I'm of the opinion at least it's time to go in the direction of youth. Show me some Vaughn Telemaque.

Sunday notebook

The Miami Hurricanes are ranked for the first time in two years and control their own path to the ACC title game. But if you ask them, they don't really care.

Sunday, after the team began preparing for another Thursday night primetime game, coach Randy Shannon and his players didn't exhibit a lot of excitement over their newest rewards created by their current five-game winning streak. It seems they've got their eyes on the bigger prize.

"It really doesn't matter," Shannon said when asked what it means for his team to be ranked 23rd in the country by AP, the first time Miami has been ranked since it lost at Louisville Sept. 15, 2006. "The only thing that matters to us is we have an opponent on the road that's playing very well, which is Georgia Tech. That's the only thing that matters to us right now."

What about the fact you can win your way into the big game in Tampa now and that you don't need to worry about what happens anymore with North Carolina? "We don't think about it," Shannon said. "Not at all. We're just worrying about Georgia Tech."

For what's it worth, Javarris James and Xavier Shannon said said they had no idea the team was ranked when asked about it after practice. "Everyone outside of the University of Miami is all hyped about it, but we're not going to change anything," Xavier Shannon said. "Why would we?"

Truth is, no matter what they say, the Canes are definitely excited to be in front of the steering wheel and no longer sitting in the back seat of a conference many thought they would come in and dominate right away. And the truth is, UM could have everything locked up for a trip to Tampa by Saturday (at least we think). Today, Associated Press writer Tim Reynolds and I began trying to figure out if the Canes could clinch the Coastal Division title by this weekend. And it appears they can.

What HAS to happen? UM needs to beat Coastal Division rival Georgia Tech first, and then have either two scenarios play out. One, North Carolina loses at home to N.C. State. Or, if Carolina wins, Virginia Tech and Virginia both win their home games against Duke and Clemson. How does that get UM in? It's complicated. But, basically Miami would own all the tiebreakers needed regardless of what happens a week later. UM owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with Virginia Tech and Virginia, and in a three-way tie (best record among teams tied in the Coastal Division would be used as the tiebreaker) Miami would own that with a 4-1 in-division record. We tried explaining the scenario to Randy Shannon after practice and he didn't care. He took off his hat and said "You can get these [pointing to two gray hairs on his head] if you worry about that," he said.

But you know his players are excited. James said he received text messages from teammates who were watching the North Carolina-Maryland game while he was driving home to Immokalee this weekend. James admitted practice had more of a spark Sunday. "From here on out, we can control our own destiny," James said. "I think its definitely put more of a spark into us. Guys were talking about how they're ready to practice, ready to work. We know what we got to do now."

And it starts with beat Georgia Tech. Believe me, you don't want to know the other scenario if Miami loses to the Yellow Jackets.

> The best news from Sunday appears to be that left tackle Jason Fox is expected to return to the lineup Thursday night. Fox had his 22-game starting streak snapped when a right ankle injury forced him out against the Hokies. But he returned to practice Sunday with his right ankle heavily taped. Shannon said Fox will play.

> Receiver, speedster and return man Travis Benjamin is a different story. "We don't know about him yet, but he moved around pretty well," Shannon said.

> Quarterback Robert Marve had some extra drills to do after practice for some apparent fumble issues in practice. He was doing rolly-pollys and came off the field with some grass in his hair.

CoachSpeak: Shannon, Haith talk Friday

BANKUNITED CENTER -- Just got through a double-header of press conferences for football coach Randy Shannon and men's basketball coach Frank Haith here at The U and wanted to pass along what was talked about. We'll start with the guy who is coming off a big win Thursday night in front of a national TV audience...

> Shannon was obviously happy with his team's fifth consecutive win, especially with how the defense and special teams played. But Shannon said the goal this week in preparing for Georgia Tech is to learn how to "seal the deal." Shannon said he was frustrated Miami couldn't punch the ball into the end zone while in the red zone and settled for field goals. He also wasn't happen with Graig Cooper's fumble and Kayne Farquharson's drop. He said there are lessons to be learned. "We got to capitalize when we get those chances," Shannon said. "We got to seal the deal and not wait until the fourth quarter to make those plays. We're not getting hat extra push in the red zone. And we need to."

> What Shannon liked most in reviewing film was how Miami cut down on the number of penalties it drew two weeks ago against Virginia. The Hurricanes were flagged one time for 10 yards Thursday night -- a 10-yard illegal block penalty, which cost the Canes good field position.

But overall, Shannon liked the fact Miami was able to win the field position battle and praised kicker Matt Bosher for getting great hangtime on his punts and kickoffs, allowing the special teams unit -- led by Sam Shields -- to get down field and not allow for big returns. "It was probably his best performance in terms of all three phases," Shannon said of his kicker. "Our plan was for him to kick it up, let it hang and let our two fliers -- Sam and Ryan [Hill] to get there." Shannon pointed out freshman Ramon Buchanon had an opportunity to block a punt and didn't.

> Shannon said Shields big hit on the kickoff after Miami scored to make it 10-7 got the team excited and the crowd excited and gave Miami momentum.

> Shannon said one of the biggest keys to the game was winning the time of possession battle -- especially in the second half. Miami had the ball for 18 minutes in the second half -- including 10 in the third quarter. "Everybody talks points, points, points," Shannon said. "But sometimes, holding on the football is just as important. Bud Foster is one of the best coordinators in the nation. We knew if we could hold onto the football and keep their offense off the field, it was just as effective."

> Shannon was happy with the play of his defensive line, which produced six sacks and was led by freshman Marcus Robinson's three-sack performance. But as good as the line played, Shannon said he saw a few other blown opportunities for sacks and big plays.

"Allen Bailey missed a sack and Marcus had a few mistakes where he was out of position," Shannon said. "But I like what we're doing. It was a great game to see [Robinson] come around. But he wouldn't have had that type of a night if not for the guys inside. Coach [Clint] Hurtt pointed out how guys were not reacting to run pass like they should. We just did a better job recognizing that. Another guy who deserves some praise is Josh Holmes. He's been very active on the inside."

> Shannon said the only way Bailey will move to defensive tackle permanently is if he were to put on more weight. Right now, Bailey is only playing at the tackle spot in bandit formations.

> Shannon also had high praise for left tackle Reggie Youngblood, who stepped in and started for Jason Fox at left tackle. Shannon said Youngblood did a good job picking up the blitz. Miami rotated four guys at tackle -- Chris Rutledge, Matt Pipho and Tyrone Byrd rotated in at right tackle and a few snaps on the left side. Shannon said he doesn't know if Fox will be back for Georgia Tech this week.

> The other injured guy to follow this week is receiver Travis Benjamin, whom Shannon said was "nicked." It appears Rutledge, who was injured Thursday but returned to action, is "fine."

> Shannon talked a little about Georgia Tech and the challenge Miami faces next week. The key he said to stopping the Yellow Jackets option running game is stopping their fullback. "It's going to be difficult," Shannon admitted. "We got to play assignment football."

FRANK HAITH'S PRESS CONFERENCE...

> As expected, Haith told us Friday starting point guard Lance Hurdle will not play in Saturday's home opener against Florida Southern. He still hasn't practiced at full-speed since suffering an ankle injury the first week of practice. Haith said there is no guarantee Hurdle will play in next week's Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. "He's a couple days away," Haith said. "But for a guy like him, whose wheels are so important to how he plays, you got to take time to make sure its right. I don't think we'll see Lance at 100 percent for awhile."

> Sophomore Eddie Rios will get the start in place of Hurdle alongside Jack McClinton, James Dews, Dwayne Collins and Jimmy Graham. Haith said Rios has had a really great week of practice and is hoping he takes advantage of his opportunity.

> Saturday night's opponent Florida Southern is in Division II. But Haith warns the Moccasins won't be a pushover, not with 7-foot center Rashaad Singleton, a transfer from Georgia in the lineup. Miami beat Florida Southern last year 104-61 last year.

> Haith said he's excited about his two new post players including Cyrus McGowan, who led UM in scoring in their two exhibitions. Haith said he was pleased with the play of redshirt freshman center Julian Gamble as well as Miami's defensive effort in the preseason. The Canes are trying to create more turnovers this season and trap teams. What Shannon didn't like in the preseason were the turnovers Miami had.

> Haith said he's hoping to use freshman DeQuan Jones in a Jimmy Graham type fashion -- energy off the bench. He said Jones (6-6, 217) has the physical tools to block shots, rebound, score and create steals, but needs to work on his positioning. "He's a freshman and it takes time. I hope our fans understand that because he's going to be special."

What's holding back the offense?

The No. 1 question asked by Canes fans this week -- and probably this entire season -- has been: What's holding back the Canes offense? And it is a fair one. After all, how can an offense with more talent at quarterback, more talent at receiver, an improved group of tight ends, and veterans on the offensive line and in the backfield still be ranked six weeks into this season the same as it was at the end of last year (110th overall)?

In search of answers this week, I found plenty of explanations. Tight end Dedrick Epps was insightful with from the receivers perspective. Quarterbacks Robert Marve and Jacory Harris continued to fill us in on just how confused they've been by opposing coverages. And Wednesday, offensive coordinator Patrick Nix was about as honest, open and insightful as he's ever been in his two seasons here.

I'll have a story on what Nix said later tonight (YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE COMPLETE 16 MINUTE INTERVIEW HERE). But I'll try to answer your question right now from what I learned.

Basically, it's a combination of a lot of things.
> Opposing teams are indeed throwing defenses at UM their young players have never seen before and while Nix is making adjustments (Epps confirmed it), his players are not executing them. Shannon said Wednesday he began having his defense throw various coverage schemes at the offense -- not just what they see on tape anymore -- to see how they adjust on the fly.
> Poor route running is a problem and all of the interceptions Marve has been throwing lately are not all his fault. Epps talked at length Tuesday about how coaches are emphasizing running deeper, crisper routes to keep defensive backs off of them. Nix talked at length Tuesday and gave us examples how his young receivers are tipping off defensive backs, including twice last Saturday which led to two of Marve's three picks.
> Miami needs to remain healthy on the offensive line so they can keep the rotation running. UM simply isn't deep enough and must have fresh legs to be effective in both the running and passing game. The injury to Reggie Youngblood hurt Miami bad and forced Chris Rutledge to move from guard to tackle, leaving players like Orlando Franklin gassed and ineffective at many points during the game. The return of Barney and Youngblood this week will help.

Truth be told, nobody on this team believes the offense is doing as poorly as it. Kayne Farquharson laughed out loud when we told him the Canes' offense ranked 110th. "For real?," Farquharson said. "I didn't even know that man. Hearing it is tough. You want to be in the Top 5 in every aspect of the game. If we're 110, then we're the best 110 out there then. It's kind of shocking. But it is what it is."

> The good news for Canes fans is that nobody is pointing fingers -- yet. Unlike last year when you felt this team fold, many guys are still stepping up and taking responsibility for the woes. We'll see how long it lasts.

> For those of you who haven't seen it yet, my feature on Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis is up on our website already. I covered Thad when he was at Hialeah-Miami Lakes and always thought the Canes made a huge mistake not going after him or his HML teammate Armando Allen, who is now tearing things up at Notre Dame. Imagine where UM would be today if it would have had those guys each of the past two years?

Lewis can run and make plays with his legs. But what makes him effective is his elusiveness and ability to throw on the run. This year, the Blue Devils have learned how to protect him. Last year, Duke gave up an average of 3.8 sacks a game. This year, they've given up 10 in five games. UM sacked Lewis nine times last year, including what turned out to be the game-clincher by Eric Moncur. UM freshman linebacker knows how important it will be to get to Thad quick Saturday. "He's very talented, real mobile," Spence said. "He's not like a typical running quarterback. He wants to run around and look for the throw. He's not going to look for the run and make plays on his own. He's going to look for his receivers."

Chavez Grant admitted Tuesday UM was able to get away with some mistakes in coverage against UCF because the line finally got pressure on an opposing quarterback. UM had five sacks against the Knights and now has 14 for the season. "For the most part we cleaned up a lot of things, but at the same time we made some mistakes," Grant said of UM's secondary work. "I think it was a little less. But the thing about UCF, they didn't capitalize on our mistakes. We kind of covered them up really well because we were playing fast in the pass rush."

> The big news Tuesday was running back Javarris James and offensive tackle Reggie Youngblood were coming back from injury this week to play. But I'm not a firm believer either of these guys are close to being 100 percent healthy. Both talked after Tuesday's practice about how both are still feeling a lot of pain.

James suffered a high left ankle sprain against Florida. He admitted he's still feeling shots of pain when he makes cuts on his ankle, but said he feels confident he'll play and is around 90 to 95 percent. "I feel a lot more positive than Coach Shannon [about playng]," James said Tuesday. "He's going to do what's best for me. If it was up to me, I would have been dressed a long time ago. But it's just going to be some pain to fight through."

Youngblood injured his left leg, the same leg which he injured as a sophomore. Shannon told us two weeks ago Youngblood would be out for the year. Shannon said it was Youngblood who asked him if he could come back out and give it ago. But I'm sure he got some encouragement. Miami needs Youngblood badly at that right tackle spot. Chris Rutledge and Tyrone Byrd have proven they can't cut it without Youngblood at least in the rotation. "I've been playing with pain since 11th grade," Youngblood said. "It's not nothing I'm used to. I just got to gut it out."

Wednesday, Shannon told us he was hoping to get "anything between 35 to 40 snaps" from Youngblood and 25 to 30 snaps for James. Truth is, it might be less. Shannon, by the way, told us Wednesday its up to Youngblood if he wants a redshirt.

> There is a rumor floating around Sam Shields has been moved to cornerback. I don't buy it. Shannon laughed at it when we asked him about it Tuesday. Shields can't catch the ball too well. But that doesn't make him a corner.

> Shannon was asked why UM hasn't developed a go-to receiver through six games. His answer: youth. "Everybody wants us to have one go-to receiver. But these guys are too young," Shannon explained Tuesday. "It ain't like these guys have been in the system for three years. A lot of them just got here six months ago. Aldarius is the oldest guy we've got at 10 months. You can't do that to [those] young guys."

> Linebacker Glenn Cook landed hard on his jaw late in Saturday's game and didn't practice Tuesday. Shannon told us he did return to practice on Wednesday. But I'm worried he may be one of those surprise guys on this week's injury report. If he is, look for Spencer Adkins to start in his place. I also don't expect running back Lee Chambers -- who had a flash in the pan with a 25-yard run against UCF -- to be back this week. Chambers suffered what Shannon called a "turf toe" injury. I saw him walking in a protective boot Tuesday.

As for other injured players, Shannon told us receiver Leonard Hankerson practiced Wednesday. Safety Vaughn Telemaque did not. Defensive tackle Josh Holmes, who hasn't played in forever, is practicing on the scout team. Shannon, though, is hopeful Holmes might be able to return soon. He's doubtful, probably next week he'll be ready to go," Shannon said. "This week, he's getting over the soreness. If nothing doesn't go wrong, he'll be fine."

> I'm beginning to think we'll never see receiver Jermaine McKenzie get into a game unless somebody else goes down with an injury. McKenzie supposedly was on the verge of getting Saturday. He moved from the bench to standing on the sideline. But his number was never called. He was seen going back to the bench and slamming his helmet down in frustration. Shannon offered this on McKenzie Tuesday: "He's at the Z receiver behind Travis Benjamin and Davon Johnson. He's moved his way up on the depth chart, has been doing well in practice. He has to now execute moving forward."

> As for DeMarcus Van Dyke, who has basically disappeared after being a starter a year ago, Shannon said DVD simply isn't winning the battle in competition. "He just has to keep working hard," Shannon said. "When we put seven DB's in the game he's in that package. As players sometimes you go in the tank a little bit. Against Florida State he made a couple of plays. This week we used our dime package, he did a great job. We're not going to shove guys off on the shelf, we'll find packages with him. And that's what we're doing with Demarcus."

UCF progress report, midseason analysis

It's hard to grade last week's performance against UCF as a progress report considering it felt more like regression. But I'll stick with the theme considering the Canes got the win. Since we are also at the midseason point, I figured I'd also give you an overall grade and thought on each unit as well as an MVP. My grading system system, in honor of the Canes, is simple: National championship material (excellent), BCS worthy (good), MicronPC Bowl here we come (average), Coker-esque (poor) and Scout Team reserve (the bottom of the barrel).

Quarterbacks: For the second week in a row, starter Robert Marve took a step back instead of a step forward. Against a veteran UCF secondary, Marve was 8 of 19 for 74 yards and three interceptions. He admitted afterward he was confused by the coverage schemes UCF threw at him and had never seen it before -- proof positive he's not learning enough or fast enough in the classroom with offensive coordinator Patrick Nix. Jacory Harris, meanwhile, didn't set the world on fire finishing 4 of 16 for 14 yards. But he did play more than he has since he started the season opener in place of a suspended Marve. He failed to lead UM to a scoring drive for the first time this season, but was in there late in the game instead of Marve.
> This week's progress report says: Coker-esque. It wasn't as bad as Kirby Freeman's 1-for-15 performance a year ago against N.C. State, but Marve didn't do anything outside of a 25-yard touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin that looked good. I don't think we are headed toward a QB controversy yet, but Marve needs to stop throwing picks. He's got seven in his last three games and now has 8 INTs versus 6 TDs. UM's pass offense, which finished 108th a year ago, is now 101st in the country.
> Midseason report card: C. Marve has to be considered the MVP, but he is headed in the wrong direction right now and looks a lot more today like he's going to be another Kyle Wright instead of a Ken Dorsey. Nix has turn to this around quickly.

Running backs: Graig Cooper carried the ball a career high 23 times and finished with 90 yards and a touchdown. Lee Chambers, who hadn't carried the ball since the win against Charleston Southern, came in and provided a nice burst with a long 25 yard run. But there is no question in my eyes now this UM offenses misses Javarris James. Cooper always seems to start of great, ripping off nice runs. But he slows down and so does the UM running game.
> This week's progress report says: BCS Worthy. It was another good effort by UM's most consistent unit. But like I said earlier, the Canes need JJ back. And it looks like they'll get him this week.
> Midseason report card: B+. Not having JJ has hurt this group, but Cooper has played exceptional in his absence and earns the MVP for this group and possibly the entire team. But he's going to have to step his game up and prove he can be the featured back for four quarters if he wants NFL scouts to consider him an early round pick a year or two from now.

Receivers/tight ends: Everyone knows how much Marve struggled. But it wasn't a great day for any of UM's receivers either. Dedrick Epps and Cooper led the team with three catches each. Benjamin's 25-yard catch was about the only highlight. My question is, what's the real problem? Can these guys not get open? Are they not running the right routes? Is Nix calling the wrong plays? The bottomline is these guys aren't working in a lot of space. How many times Saturday did you see a UM receiver catch a ball and have any room to manuever? A lot of times, they already had defensive players draped all over them. You can't have success in the passing game if you can't create space. Part of it is the short routes and part of it separation.
> This week's progress report says: Coker-esque. Simply not enough production. I felt like I was watching a rerun of last season.
> Midseason report card: C-. UM has so much speed and talent at this position now. But we're only seeing it in flashes. And those have usually been provided by Travis Benjamin, the midseason MVP for this unit.

Offensive line: Unlike a lot of other critics who might rip this unit for the way they played Saturday, I'm not putting all the blame on their shoulders for the three sacks they gave up. Marve and Harris had a lot to do with it. Each had plenty of time to throw Saturday, but held onto the ball for long periods of time. Harris had an opportunity to throw the ball away the one time he was sacked and instead held onto it to keep the clock running. The running game is where more of my criticism goes. UM ran the ball 43 times and netted just 3 yards a carry. UCF's defense was good. But not that good.
> This week's progress report says: MicronPC Bowl here we come. Chris Rutledge looks like the weakest link on this line at right tackle. When he was splitting time with Reggie Youngblood, he was effective. But with Tyrone Byrd, he's not getting the same results. The good news is Chris Barney looks like he's back, which provides more depth on the interior.
> Midseason report card: B. They've given up some sacks this season and haven't been as good as we thought they were, but they haven't been bad. Jason Fox has been the obvious MVP of the unit.

OK, before we go to the defense... it's time to go to the polls.

The Front Seven: Talk about a turnaround. After looking horrendous against Florida State, UCF provided the perfect remedy for this unit. Yes, UCF wasn't good. But UM made tremendous strides in its open field tackling this week. Daryl Sharpton showed me a lot. And, I don't care who you are playing, if you hold someone to four yards rushing its an accomplishment. Aside from about two scrambles, UM also patched up the problem of giving up first down runs on quarterback scrambles. And how could we forget about the five sacks? After collecting nine in the first five games, that was a major improvement.
> This week's progress report says: National championship material. Bill Young got the job done -- albeit against a weak opponent. But he got it done.
> Midseason report card: B. Of all the units we had questions about coming into the season, I felt this was the one area that needed the most work. All in all, these guys have honestly overachieved. How else can you explain that this group gave up 281 yards rushing to FSU and still ranks 20th in the country in total defense and 16th against the run? After losing Colin McCarthy and Eric Moncur for the season, this unit stepped up and looked like they fixed some major problem areas this week. But that still doesn't mean I'm not worried about this group going forward. UM isn't very deep at linebacker. Thankfully, the Canes have had freshman Sean Spence, the MVP of the group, come in and provide some major minutes and some big plays. Now, if they can get Allen Bailey going and a couple of freshman like Marcus Robinson going you could see even more improvement.

The Secondary: The Knights had one of the worst passing offenses in the country coming and didn't disappoint. Quarterback Rob Calabrese had trouble making simple passes at times. Still, nobody got beat on any deep passes this week and UCF's receivers didn't get very far when they did catch the ball. Chavez Grant looked good back in his nickel spot and had two pass breakups. The bad? The dropped interceptions. Brandon Harris and Jojo Nicholas had chances to make picks. They have to hold onto the football.
> This week's progress report says: BCS Worthy. Only 74 yards passing allowed and a few batted balls in key situations this week helped these guys have their best day of the season.
> Midseason report card: C. Only one interception from the secondary and several blown coverages hurt UM bad this season in losses to North Carolina and Florida State. But we got to remember how short-handed this group is. Despite the woes, UM still ranks 37th in the country in pass defense. That's not too bad. I'll give the nod to Chavez Grant as the MVP of the unit. He hasn't made a ton of plays, but of all the guys in the secondary he's made the fewest mistakes. By the way, anybody seen DeMarcus Van Dyke?

Special Teams: Matt Bosher finally looked human this week, shanking two punts. But he still had a solid day considering he had to punt 11 times. He had some good hang time on the majority of his punts and made a field goal. Travis Benjamin was limited in what he could do this week as UCF kicked the ball high in the air every time they kicked to him, but still provided UM with decent field position. The stain was the 91-yard kickoff return they gave up following an offsides penalty on DeMarcus Van Dyke. The play of the day was provided by Sam Shields, who recovered a fumble to setup the winning touchdown and redeemed himself for drawing a flag on kick catch interference earlier in the game.
> This week's progress report says: MicronPC Bowl Here We Come. The good ultimately outweighed the mistakes since UM won.
> Midseason report card: B+. Bosher has been phenomenal considering he has to handle all the kicking duties. He's averaging 40 yards a punt and is 9 of 10 on field goal attempts. I'm giving him co-MVP honors with Benjamin, who has finally provided UM with a badly needed game-changer on special teams.

Coaching: Last week, I got on Bill Young's case. This week, it's Patrick Nix's turn. His quarterbacks were unprepared for the zone defense UCF threw at them and the Canes were never able to adjust and get the passing game going. Plus, I'm getting tired of those bubble screens. We see them at least once a drive. For a coach who looked creative in those trick plays against FSU, Nix didn't use one against UCF -- not even a reverse. He's getting too predictable. On the flip side, Young did his best to take advantage of a struggling UCF offense and made sure his players not only got to the quarterback this week with sacks, but didn't give up first downs. That's getting the job done.
> This week's progress report says: MicronPC Bowl Here We Come. You can't just have the defense playing well and expect to go anywhere. We saw what happened under Larry Coker when that was the case. Offensive adjustments have to be made.
> Midseason report card: C. Young has to be considered the MVP here. Aside from the FSU game and the final 10 minutes against Carolina, he's done a good job without much -- especially when you consider the injuries (McCarthy, Randy Phillips, Eric Moncur) and losses (Kenny Phillips) this team has had to endure. Really, only one freshman, Sean Spence, has been able to come in and provide a real lift. Young is ultimately doing more with this defense with less than the guy who was here a year ago. Offensively, Nix's clock is ticking. He's got more talent this year than he had last year, better quarterbacks, better receivers, a veteran offensive line and a solid weapon in Graig Cooper. Yet, UM ranks 110th in total offense and 11th out of 12 teams in the ACC. That's what UM ranked at the end of last last year. That's called not getting it done.

So what are your thoughts at the midway point? What are your grades for each unit? Who are your MVPs?

Moncur, Bailey will play

University of Miami coach Randy Shannon just completed his weekly press conference. Here are some notes:

> Defensive ends Eric Moncur and Allen Bailey will both play this week. Shannon estimated both will play 20-25 plays and join the rotation with Steven Wesley, Adewale Ojomo and a trio of true freshman. Moncur's mother passed away Sunday after long battle with cancer. Shannon said he hasn't missed any practice time and is focused on playing Florida this week.

> Right tackle Reggie Youngblood is healthy and is scheduled to start this week.

> Shannon called UM's trip to Gainesville this week "a great opportunity for us to see where we are as a program. We're playing against a team that is ranked in the Top 5, who has a Heisman candidate at quarterback."

"Our strength is probably offensive line, running backs and tight ends," Shannon said. "JJ and Coop all they got to do is what they do. Don't try to make the home run all the time. Sometimes a 2-yard run, another 2-yard run. We just got to be patient in the run game and have protection."

> Shannon said the game will only be for "bragging rights." He said he doesn't believe UM and Florida is a rivalry anymore because the team's don't play on an annual basis. He said the rivalry is between players, who played together in high school. "It's not a rivalry. It's a rivalry within themselves," Shannon said. "I guarantee there are phone calls going between each other. When you don't play a team for six years, the rivalry is gone. It's not like when I played. The Florida Flop and things like that. After we play them Saturday, it will be another six years. That's not a rivalry."

> Saturday night's game will be called by SEC officials. Usually, when UM goes on the road, ACC officials call the game. Shannon said he's confident the game will be called well because it's on national television.

> Shannon said he doesn't expect any problems with the teams. He said his team has long been practicing for taking cheap shots. He has players in practice deliberately hit others after a play to test them. "We practice it every week. We put our guys in those situations. Can you prevent it? All you can do is practice it. Usually when somebody pushes you in the back, you are going to turn around retaliate. We test our guys to make sure they don't do that."

> Shannon said a win for UM would be a "a tremendous boost for us as a university and for the ACC as a conference." Shannon said he will play a lot of young players throughout the game, but he needs his veteran players to step up and perform.

> Shannon said the key to defending Heisman winner Tim Tebow at quarterback is to focus on stopping him in the running game. "I don't think you control him. You have to try to understand what they're doing on offense. The big plays come when they throw off playaction. You have to control him as far as how they run the football. I know numbers, 25, 3, guysl ike that can be electrifying. If you can stop them, you got a chance."

> Shannon said the advice he will give starting quarterback Robert Marve is the same he gave Jacory Harris last week. "Just be himself," Shannon said. "Like we told Jacory last week, just get the ball to the guys that can make plays. And he'll do a fine job for us."

> Shannon downplayed the significance the game will have on recruiting. "We were 5-7 and did a good job in the state," Shannon said. "You got to have good coaches on your staff that can go out and recruit. You have to go out and sell yourself."

Moving forward

Sorry it took so long, but it took me awhile to get through all of the interviews from today, a day when the University of Miami began moving past the weekend news of first game suspensions for seven players including starting quarterback Robert Marve. Coach Randy Shannon and select players met with reporters for the first of a dozen Media Days this season Monday. And they kept me busy.

Shannon has been catching a lot of heat for the way he handled the suspensions both nationally and locally, including from our own Greg Cote, who believe the coach should not have waited 10 months to remind Marve he was being punished. On my way to UM this morning, I got a phone call from a staff member close to Shannon who told me the program is not pleased with the way the situation is being portrayed. "There's always two sides to a story," they said. And the truth is, they've got a point.

For all the fuss being made about the situation, the only thing that really matters in my eyes is how the team and Marve handle the situation moving forward. And according to the source who called me this morning to voice his displeasure, the suspensions are not as big a distraction internally as it might seem from the outside.

Last night, Marve was obviously agitated when he spoke about the suspension to the media. He seemed like he had already rehearsed his answers, saying basically the same thing over and over. While his feelings were hurt according to his family like The Herald reported Saturday, it seemed to me that a day later when the lights of the cameras were shut off and recorders were tucked away, Marve looked like he had already moved on. As we left the practice field Sunday, Marve was already asking Jacory Harris and Cannon Smith where they wanted to eat dinner and where they'd be hanging out later.

Although players said they were stunned by the news (just listen to receiver Leonard Hankerson), I genuinely believe this team is not going to let the situation affect them. Sunday, Cannon Smith told me privately he thought Marve was "handling the situation like a man." "That's one of the things about Marve, he's a tough guy," Smith said. "Of course, we felt bad for our teammate. I talked to him about it. He's handling it great. That's the kind of guy Marve is, he's not going to let this get in his way. He's going to come back and he's not going to skip a beat. He's going to be firing on all cylinders."

Monday, I asked team captain and starting left tackle Jason Fox, who always his big thumbs on the pulse of the team, for his thoughts on how he thinks the team responded to the suspensions and news.  quot;Really positive," Fox said. "... all the guys, they've all handled it real well. This is a program that's going to hold guys accountable and they know that they're still going to get their opportunities. The guys that are suspended are going to be there to cheer the other guys on. They're not there to hold any grudges. They're there to support the rest of the guys."

> While we know for sure the reason Marve was suspended was for his run-in with the last last October, Shannon didn't elaborate further Monday than he did Sunday as to why the other six players -- running back Damien Berry, receiver Kayne Farquharson, fullback Eric Houston, long snapper Chris Ivery, defensive end Adewale Ojomo, and safety Randy Phillips were suspended. So, we'll have to go with what he told us Sunday regarding "curfew, study hall and doing the right things in the classroom."

I asked Shannon if any of the six were supposed to be starters like Marve and he said no. We know that not to be the case at least with Ivery, who was supposed to handle snaps on punts. And I'm pretty sure Ojomo was going to start at defensive end. But hey, that's what Randy told us.

> As for Harris, Shannon said he will not shorten the playbook at all for his first career start Thursday. And he made no promises about Cannon Smith even getting a snap. Harris' teammates aren't worried one bit he's the guy starting Thursday -- despite being just eight months removed from his high school graduation and winning a second consecutive state title at Northwestern. Everything receiver Khalil Jones, Fox and right guard Joel Figueroa said about him Monday evoked confidence.

"He's very cerebral," Fox said. He's very confident. He's not a guy that will jump up and down and yell and holler. You can definitely see in the way he holds himself in the huddle, he's confident. He knows he's going to make the throw, that he's going to make a play. You don't really sense any type of timidness from him. He stands tall. You kind of respect him in the huddle already, even though he's a freshman. Marve's a little bit different. He gets excited. But they're both very confident in the huddle and they both kind of demand respect in the huddle. When they start talking everybody gets quiet and starts listening."

Jones said playing at Miami Northwestern, where the level of pressure is elevated, has prepared Harris well for his first collegiate start. "He's mature. He reminds me of a rockstar. To be that young, I marvel at how well he handles the pressure and how far he's come along in a short amount of time. He really doesn't act like a freshman quarterback. It's been a great transition from high school to now. He's taken it so well, really taken control of it. I'm proud of him."

Figueroa said the biggest difference between Harris and Marve as far as their play is that "Marve likes to get out of the pocket and scramble a little bit more. Jacory likes to stay in the pocket."

For those of you worried about Harris taking big hits and being able to get up from it, he told reporters Sunday night he's gained 19 pounds since he left Northwestern and is standing 6-4 and weighing 187 pounds. Ken Dorsey's height and weight his freshman season in 1999? A very similar 6-4, 185 pounds.

> UM's depth chart, released Sunday, had 14 true or redshirt freshmen on it's two-deep list. Shannon said he isn't worried about playing that many freshmen and neither are some of his older players. Shannon said many freshmen will play this season, but will not get the majority of work. "They'll play 20 to 25 snaps," Shannon said. "If we throw them in for 60 plays and 30 plays they don't know what they're doing, then you'll have problems."

Linebacker Glenn Cook said he's confident the freshman can handle it. "We have confidence because we prepared them for the situation," Cook said. "They've gotten a lot of reps in scrimmages and what not, so I think they'll go into the situation and be ready. They've gotten more work than most freshman have ever here. So, they won't be as brand new to things."

> Even though he was passed up by Jordan Futch for the No. 2 spot at weakside linebacker on the two-deep, Cook said freshman linebacker Arthur Brown is doing just fine. Shannon told reporters Monday Brown is not injured. Cook said not to pay too much attention to the depth chart because he believes a lot of linebackers will play.

> Even though Shannon told reporters last week Sunday was the deadline for defensive ends Allen Bailey and Eric Moncur to return to practice in order to be ready to play Thursday, he said Monday "the door is still open" on his projected two starting ends. I still believe its a safe bet they don't play in the opener.

"Allen Bailey the other day went through the whole entire individual work out and tossed one of the offensive lineman doing drills," Shannon said. "We just got to keep progressing. Both of them went to the doctor and the doctor said they looked good. As long as the doctors say its ok they could play. Moncur was probably more ahead of Bailey. But both of them are about equal now."

> Count cornerback Chavez Grant as a guy who is excited about the return of Cook at middle linebacker.

"Cook knows the defense like the back of his hand," Grant said. "When I came in as a freshman, he knew the defense like the back of his hand. And now he knows this one like that. It gives you a lot of confidence when you got a guy in there. When you know what to do, it gives you a lot of confidence."

Knowing what they have to do, though, could still be a challenge for the Canes, who are entering the second consecutive season with a new coordinator. Grant talked at length Monday about how much the terminology has changed under Bill Young and the growing pains.

"The terminology has changed a lot. And as we go through the season we'll pick up on a lot of things," Grant said. "Basically, what we have to do is erase everything from the last two years and start all over. It's not easy. But most of the time what we do is take something from last year and put a different name on it. It does create [a split second of hesitation]. And I believe [we'll see some growing pains]. I've seen it sometimes in practice where as a DB I said 'Oh man, I should have taken that route.' Repitition is the father of learning, though, and I think we'll be just fine.

> Fox said the difference with Xavier Shannon at center this year is having a guy who can stand up physically to the defense. Fox said he's proud, too, how fast Shannon has been able to adjust since coming over from FIU in the spring.

"He's graded out real well in all of our scrimmages and practices," Fox said. "It's real surprising when you think he's only been here one year. By the way he's playing it looks like he's been here a couple years.

"I wouldn't compare him to Rochford. [Xavier is] really athletic. Rochford was a guy who would beat you with speed. [Xavier] has a little more muscle on him. He some speed on him too, but he definitely can move people around."

> Sophomore Matt Bosher, who will handle all of the kicking duties Thursday, said the toughest challenge is "not so much physical, but more mental preparation."

"One minute, you could be getting ready to punt, then a first down comes and you might be in field goal range," Bosher said. "Things change pretty quickly. Coach has done a good job preparing us for it all."

I asked Bosher if its possible he could tire from handling all the duties. "You can kick your leg out just like a pitcher throwing too many pitches. You almost have to kind of be on a kick count," Bosher said.

As for his snapper, Bosher admitted Chris Ivery is a little bit faster than Jake Byrne when it comes to getting the ball back to the holder, but not much. "They both put it on the money every time," Bosher said. "Jake is a great long snapper and he's really going to do well with field goals. I'm completely confident with him for all of us to get our timing down."

FYI, safety Lovon Ponder is Byrne's backup. Ponder has been practicing at long snapper since the spring.

PROGRAMMING NOTES...
> Be sure to check out my feature tomorrow on Xavier Shannon, who took me inside his relationship with his father, including how much his Dad loves movies. Coach Shannon apparently likes war movies, adventure movies and one of his personal favorites is Get Rich or Die Trying with 50 Cent.

> This week will be the first Live Chat of the new season at our new time and day, 2 p.m. Thursday. The chats will no longer take place here on the blog, but on the same style Greg Cote used for his chat today. There should be a link up later this week for you to leave questions.

> FYI, for those of you who would like to hear the interviews, check out our Audio page. I post just about everything I collect.

Shannon talks about suspensions

OK, the news we've been waiting for since Friday night has been addressed by The U. Seven players will be suspended for the opener including starting quarterback Robert Marve. The others are: running back Damien Berry, receiver Kayne Farquharson, fullback Eric Houston, long snapper Chris Ivory, defensive end Adewale Ojomo and safety Randy Phillips.

UM coach Randy Shannon began his 4 1/2 minute meeting with the media by saying this:

"This Thursday night we'll have seven guys that won't be attending the game. Like I said before when I took the job at the University of Miami, we hold everybody to higher standards than most teams in the country. We have our rules and regulations, as far as curfew, study hall, and doing the right things in the classroom. We won't be having a few guys attending the game for those reasons and we'll move forward.

"Robert Marve will be our starting quarterback for the season. He will not be attending the game against Charleston Southern. We have two great quarterbacks. The competition was great between the two guys. They did a great job of competing. Jacory Harris will play in every game we will play this season. Robert Marve will be the starter. We will not have a controversy. When a guy goes in, like Jacory, and has a tremendous game, Robert Marve will be the starter. We got to build depth at that position.

"Some people may think this is a harsh decision because I'm such a stickler about the little things. But one thing I do know if you do the little things, but you forget about them, they add up to big things and that will cause a lot of problems for your team. As I said, we're going to build a championship team. We're going to do it the right way and we're going to keep enforcing those things to make a better team and better program by always doing the right thing. And like I said before, some schools may not be as harsh as we are, but we're the University of Miami and that's the stand we take."

Here's the official depth chart by the way...

Offense
QB: Jacory Harris | Cannon Smith
RB: Javarris James | Graig Cooper
FB: Patrick Hill | John Calhoun
FL: Khalil Jones | Travis Benjamin or Sam Shields
SE: Leonard Hankerson | Aldarius Johnson
TE: Dedrick Epps or Chris Zellner | Richard Gordon
LT: Jason Fox | Tyrone Byrd
LG: Orlando Franklin | Matt Pipho
C: Xavier Shannon | A.J. Trump or Tyler Horn
RG: Joel Figueroa | Harland Gunn
RT: Reggie Youngblood | Chris Rutledge

Defense
LE: Steven Wesley | Gavin Hardin
LT: Antonio Dixon | Marcus Forston
RT: Joe Joseph | Dwayne Hendricks
RE: Marcus Robinson | Andrew Smith
SLB: Darryl Sharpton | Jordan Futch
MLB: Glenn Cook | Romeo Davis or Spencer Adkins
WLB: Colin McCarthy | Sean Spence
LCB: Chavez Grant | Brandon Harris
RCB: Bruce Johnson | DeMarcus Van Dyke
SS: Anthony Reddick | Vaughn Telemaque
FS: Jojo Nicholas | Ryan Hill

Special teams
K: Matt Bosher | Jake Wieclaw
P: Matt Bosher | Taylor Cook
KO: Matt Bosher
LS: Jake Byrne | Lovon Ponder
PR: Graig Cooper | Travis Benjamin | Thearon Collier
KR: Ryan Hill and Brandon Harris | Shawnbrey McNeal and Davon Johnson

> Check back later tonight for my reaction to everything, as well as audio and video from today.

Marve suspension reaction

Wow. That's all I got to say about this morning's news. After plenty of rumors on the internet Friday night and some great reporting work by our Barry Jackson and Susan Miller Degnan this morning (I made a few calls too Friday night but struck out), The Miami Herald confirmed quarterback Robert Marve -- and possibly a few other players -- have been suspended for the season opener in relation to incidents in the past year.

The news was supposed to break Sunday night, but as usual around UM it leaked out two days earlier. One thing is clear, the timing couldn't be worse. Miami is set to open its season in six days. Marve and the other players were told Friday by coaches about their suspensions after practice and according to Barry Jackson's sources, coaches held off on it because they didn't want the players to ease up during fall camp. I can understand that from a team perspective. You want Marve and the other possible suspended players to make sure they're ready for the season and you don't want to deflate them. And it's not like not having them against Charleston Southern is that big a deal.

But from a public relations perspective, this obviously doesn't shine well on the program. My question to you is could it have been handled better? Should coach Randy Shannon just have announced before fall camp that those guys were out for the opener? Would it have made a difference for you?

Those are the public relation issues, but there are team issues now, too. When a player is injured or gets suspended (we remember the Sam Shields incidents last year) they've always had to work to get back onto the first team. Obviously, Jacory Harris will start the opener now. Does Shannon just give Marve the reigns in Gainesville as week later? Not according to his own rules. It's going to be very interesting to see how this is all handled in the next few days.

Either way, one thing is clear, this has become an unnecessary distraction for a team coming off a 5-7 season and dire need of positivity heading into a new year.

Depth chart, QB decision expected Sunday

Canes coach Randy Shannon said he plans to release a depth chart Sunday and that likely will include announcing his starter at quarterback.

"We'll probably have a depth chart ready Sunday," Shannon said. "You'll find out whose what. I'll give you an update Monday on whose out, who won't be playing."

Everyone around here is banking on Marve being named the starter. Shannon also said Marve, Jacory Harris and Cannon Smith are still receiving first team reps. I find that hard to believe, though, considering the team has already begun preparation for Charleston Southern.

> One guy that won't be playing this season is freshman receiver Tommy Streeter, whom Shannon said had surgery and will miss the season. Shannon didn't say what the injury was, but said "it wasn't knee surgery."

"He won't be playing this season, injuries happen," Shannon said. "You feel bad for Tommy. We'll rehab him and get him ready for next season."

It's not surprising. Streeter hasn't practiced in more than a week. To be honest, it's not really that big a loss for UM, which obviously has seen Laron Byrd and Aldarius Johnson (it's other two big incoming freshmen) play well this fall.

> Freshman linebacker Brandon Marti has finally gotten into school. Shannon said he still isn't practicing because he has to go through orientation. Marti is a guy I'm expecting could be redshirted with the amount of depth the team has at linebacker.

> There is still no news on defensive ends Eric Moncur or Allen Bailey. Shannon said he still hasn't spoken to the doctors about whether either of them have been cleared. Both were at practice Thursday morning. Sunday is the deadline when Shannon said both need to be healthy to be eligible to play in the season opener against Charleston Southern.

As for his team's first opponent, Shannon said: "They try to run a spread offense and they're going to do a lot of blitzing and zone blitzing and things like that. You can't take them lightly. You got to make sure your doing all the solid things on defense and picking up the blitzes on offense."

> Leonard Hankerson's move from the inside to the outside after his big night Tuesday has moved around a few other players at the receiver position. Sam Shields said Kayne Farquharson is now playing inside with Kendall Thompkins and Thearon Collier backing him up in the slot.

By my count and after talking to receivers coach Aubrey Hill earlier this week, that means the flankers are Khalil Jones, Sam Shields, Travis Benjamin, Jermaine McKenzie and Davon Johnson. The Split Ends are Leonard Hankerson, Aldarius Johnson and Laron Byrd.

> Junior Tervaris Johnson spent most of his first three years at UM lost in the secondary at cornerback. But Shannon and special teams coach Joe Pannunzio both said earlier this week Johnson is making strides at tight end and on special teams and could be a contributor.

I remember watching Johnson as a junior at Monsignor Pace when he hauled in a long pass as a tight end and always wondered why he wasn't given a shot at tight end earlier in his career. Johnson who was always a big corner said he's put on 12 pounds in the offseason and is now at 240 pounds.

"I feel better at tight end than I did at corner. I never really played it in high school, I was more of a safety," Johnson said. "I'm more happy at that position. It's come easier for me. At the beginning, I was having a little trouble with playbook. As I grasp the playbook, I'm getting more comfortable."

Scrimmage 3 wrap-up

The third and final scrimmage of the fall is all wrapped up. Even though we didn't get to see a single snap of this one (we at least got to see a little of No. 1 and No. 2), it's apparent the offense had it's best scrimmage of the fall so far.

"I think as far as an offense, this was our best scrimmage by far," left tackle Jason Fox said. "We executed. We didn't have a turnover tonight. Pass protection was there. I'm not sure if we gave up any sacks. No dropped balls. I think we had one penalty. This was a great way to finish off camp as far as an offense."

Fox told reporters the offense scored seven to eight touchdowns. Well, it wasn't that much. Chavez Grant told me somebody was multiplying by two. After all the interviews, I've concluded there were four.

Three belonged to sophomore receiver Leonard Hankerson, who told us he caught two long passes (one
from Robert Marve and Jacory Harris) and another on a bubble screen (from Harris). Hankerson admitted he's been feeling the heat from the freshmen, who up until Tuesday had been receiving all the praise from coach Randy Shannon.

"I felt I had to play well because in the previous [scrimmages] I didn't do as well as I should of," Hankerson said. "So, today I just had to come out and show I can play. The performance I figure it help with the coaches and my confidence too."

Hankerson, who said he's lined up at all three receiver positions (flanker, split end and slot), said he caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Harris in the end zone. His 45-yarder from Marve was caught at the 25-yard line, he then raced past the secondary into the end zone. His third and final touchdown came on a bubble screen at the 30-yard line.

"I guess he has that deceptive speed," cornerback Chavez Grant told me. "He's not a slim guy. He's kind of heavy set. He runs great routes. But you don't expect him to jump on the horse, but he did tonight. We kind of busted some coverages and once the offense got the momentum going. They just did well."

> Grant said the defense was called for offsides four times -- including once on a punt block, giving the offense new life.

> Shannon didn't say a word about Hankerson, a St. Thomas Aquinas grad once after we asked him who shined during the scrimmage. The only name that came out was freshman receiver Thearon Collier, whom Grant told us had a rushing touchdown. Shannon said Collier did a great job on punt returns.

Shannon told reporters before Tuesday the final scrimmage was going to focus on special teams. He reiterated that if the season started today, sophomore Matt Bosher would handle all of the kicking duties. Grant said he, Graig Cooper, Collier and Benjamin are the guys primarily working on punt returns and pointed to Ryan Hill, Brandon Harris and Shawnbrey McNeal as guys working in the kick return game.

> Grant said part of the reason he thinks the receivers have been enjoying so much success this fall is depth, something UM obviously hasn't had the past several season.

"I think we have a lot of speedy freshman, big strong guys like Laron Byrd," Grant said. "They're coming in, making it tough for us. They're rotating every play, so they got fresh bodies. It's making us tough on our DBs. All of them have great talent. If they keep rotating, they're going to be real good."

Grant said he and Bruce Johnson are the guys starting at cornerback, but admits he moves inside when DeMarcus Van Dyke comes in the game. He said Brandon Harris is seeing a lot of time at nickel. "I don't even want to take that spot back," Grant sad. "Right now, just like it was for my first two years, he's doing a phenomenal job, making all the right checks, that's his spot right now. You just got to give it to who is performing the best right now."

> Shannon said defensive end Eric Moncur and Allen Bailey still aren't participating in full contact drills. Safety Randy Phillips was held out. So was freshman receiver Tommy Streeter.

> I know Shannon doesn't want to be accused of favoring his son Xavier, who is expected to start at center. But we all cracked a laugh tonight when I asked him how Xavier is doing. "Don't know, don't watch him," Shannon said.

> Jason Fox is officially becoming my favorite quote on this team. He's answering questions honestly and with real thought. I asked him for his take on several subjects...

How is Xavier doing at center? "With Xavier, he's playing a new position, he played tackle over there, so he's picked it up. He's quick. He hasn't missed a beat. He's graded out well in scrimmages."

Who on the offensive line would you say has made the most progress since camp began? "AJ Trump he's a guy if he's not starting, he'll be the sixth man. He'll play a lot. He had a block that sprung a touchdown on the last play. He's a guy that's been working real hard and shined."

Who on the defensive line is making an impression on you? "Same old name keeps popping up -- Marcus Forston. He's a hard worker. He's playing real well for a freshman. He's making a lot of plays."

> UM is off Wednesday. Ill be back on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. The team practices at 5:30 a.m. on Friday.

Scary trip home for Pipho

When Canes offensive lineman Matt Pipho flew back home this summer to tiny LaPorte City, Iowa, he thought his trip was going to be a short stay. But instead of celebrating his brother's graduation, Pipho found himself treading through waist high water filled with manure.

Pipho went back home at the worst possible time this summer -- when floods were causing massive damage to the state of Iowa. But it didn't get bad until after he was already there.

"It was just amazing how much water there was," Pipho said. "One of my friends lost his house. A lot of my friends lost their crops, corn crops and it was just bad. My sister lives in Cedar Rapids which was one of the worst hit cities. She was fine. Everybody in the family was fine. One of my friends got an eye infection. I'm not sure how it turned up. He might lose his eye."

Pipho had been through floods before. "In 1993, we had a big flood. But in '93, the waters were 12-feet lower," Pipho said. "It was a night and day difference.

"I ended up having to stay the whole week because I couldn't get out. We had to wade through the water. My house is up on the hill, so I just stayed at the house. But I had to go help at one of my friend's house because he lived by a dam and the dam broke. So, you're just waist high in water trying to [survive]. Then you got to stay clean too because of all the manure plants, it gets the water dirty."

Thankfully, the 6-7, 307-pound junior said nothing bad happened to him. And now, he's back in Miami getting dirty for the Canes. Saturday, for the first time in his career, Pipho played some tackle during the team's first scrimmage. Tuesday, he said he was moved there because "we just have a few people that are a little banged up and they just needed to take a couple days off. I know tackle. I've never played it before. But I know the position, I know the job. So, they moved there and got some reps, and I cleaned up."

Pipho, who was back working at guard Tuesday, said he'll play wherever he has to. "I've been moved around my whole career and if I have to be moved around one more time, I'll do what I'm supposed to."

> Our UM beat writer Susan Miller Degnan will have a full feature tomorrow on defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, who talked with the media Tuesday for the first time since he was hospitalized nearly a week ago after suffering from the effects of heat. I don't want to steal any of Susan's thunder, so I'll keep it short.

Basically, Dixon is getting eased back into the drills this week and participating mostly in individual workouts.

"He's doing well," Shannon said. "He practiced today. He practiced about three-quarters, half the practice. We didn't do him the last part of practice. We got to ease him back gradually.

UM coach Randy Shannon said he's not concerned about Dixon and expects him to be back at full practice soon. "It's like anything. If you cramp up, you can't come back and throw him to the wolves. You got to ease him back into it, ease him back into the fitness part of it because he's going to be a little sore. And plus, they're going to be nervous. So, you give him a quarter of a practice. Then, you give him a half. And see how he responds and then give him a half and then another half and then total So, you ease him back into it."

Dixon, who lost 25 pounds in the offseason dropping from 345 to 320, said he really couldn't remember the exact details of what happened to him, but that he felt a bit tired and sluggish before trainers cut up his jersey, he was covered in ice and rushed to the hospital.

> In other tid-bits, Shannon said he remains confident defensive ends Allen Bailey and Eric Moncur will be available for the first game of the season and said Bailey could begin more intense work in individual drills by the weekend.

> No one has a better opportunity -- or the need -- to shine while Bailey and Moncur are out than sophomore Steven Wesley, whom defensive line coach Clint Hurtt told me last year it was time for the 6-3, 265-pound end to realize the prom was over.

Wesley, whom I spoke to for the first time Tuesday, told me he's really trying to make an impact with the coaches and show them he can be a contributor. "[Coach Hurtt] told me it's my time to mature," Wesley said. "I've been here, going on my third year now. It's time for me to step up and make an impact on this team here."

Wesley, who grew up in Bartow, Fla., said he's gained 15 pounds since last year. "I've gotten myself bigger and faster," Welsey said. "I think I've improved myself mentally and physically since last year. I've improved my strength a lot and my speed. This fall, I've been real good on my pass rushing. I'v been real good as a speed rusher. I've improved a lot on combo blocks with the tight end and tackle."

As for his young teammates -- Marcus Forston, Jeremy Lewis, Micanor Regis, Marcus Robinson and company , Wesley said, "My young defensive tackles, they're improving every day," Wesley said. "Coach Hurtt keeps telling them all three of them can make the bus this year. All three of them have the physical talent to play. They just got to get it right in the head."

> Shannon wasn't happy after Tuesday's practice and told his team he wants to see more consistency. Players said Shannon didn't like their effort.

Receiver Aldarius Johnson said Shannon was upset because "people weren't hustling. The offensive line wasn't where it was supposed to be. We got to come out tomorrow and come out hard and the offense has to execute on every play."

"It's normal for this time of the year, but as we're going to get better as a team we can't always go backward, have to go forward," Shannon said. "And this team understands that. They looked at last year and have to make an emphasis on last year. I don't like to bring up the past but we have to learn how to finish and not take anything for granted."

> Johnson, who was the only freshman receiver to come in the spring, surprisingly hasn't been a player coaches have talked too much about since the start of the fall. But Shannon said Tuesday, Johnson (6-2, 206) is coming along fine -- even if coaches aren't raving about him.

"Aldarius has picked up his game," Shannon said. "He's not staying the same. He knows we got some competition there. We got other guys that are very talented. He plays the game hard. He plays the game physical. And he's getting things done the way we want him to."

Johnson reportedly caught a touchdown pass Tuesday and said coming in the spring has helped him progress. He said the only thing he needs to get better at is "coming off the ball."

"It gave me an advantage to get in shape, get the concepts, get the speed of the game," Johnson said of arriving in the spring. "I'm really ahead. I'm not a freshman. I'm doing better. As [the other freshmen] get better, I get better. When I see them score touchdowns, I feel like I score touchdowns. It's just like a competition. All of us come out and compete."

For all the audio interviews from today, visit our audio page.

Barney hurt, Dixon returns

Randy Shannon told reporters after the team's second practice Thursday that left guard Chris Barney, a 6-5, 345-pound redshirt junior, suffered an injury and is expected to miss four to six weeks. Barney had been practicing with the first team offensive line, even though most expected Orlando Franklin to win the starting job. The injury was not disclosed.

"It may go into the season, we just don't know right now. The doctors will let me know, it may be four to six weeks, I don't know," Shannon said. "It's something that happened at practice. It's what it happens in camp. We got Orlando [Franklin], Fig [Joel Figueroa], Gunn [Harland Gunn], what's my buddy's name [A.J. Trump]. So, we still got four guys that played some and got some quality work in. You got to move on.

"It's bad for him because he'd been coming along, he dropped a lot of weight and he'd been doing great in practice. Whatever time it takes him to come back he's got to just start over and just get back into the groove of what he's doing."

> Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, who was sent to the hospital Wednesday after suffering illness from the heat, attending practice in shorts and a t-shirt, but did not practice. Shannon said he expects Dixon to be back in time for Saturday night's scrimmage, the first of the fall, along with linebacker Arthur Brown (who did not practice at all Thursday and was seen limping). Marcus Forston participated in the afternoon practice Thursday.

> Shannon said the quarterbacks will receive an equal amount of snaps during Saturday's scrimmage.

> Shannon said Matt Bosher connected on a 45-yard field with three seconds left during a two-minute drill. Shannon said if the season started today, Bosher would be the kicker.

> Of Taylor Cook, who is participating in the punting competition, Shannon said he needs to get used to the speed of the college game.

Dixon update; morning practice notes

UM coach Randy Shannon told reporters Wednesday that senior defensive tackle Antonio Dixon was taken to the hospital after suffering from dehydration. Thursday morning, he said Dixon didn't suffer from dehydration, but from hyperventilation.

"It was one of those deals we found out that Dixon was hyperventilating," Shannon explained. "He was excited during the practice and the drill he did. He got going, short of wind, short of breath and it was fine. His body temperature wasn’t above and beyond the normal. It was just a little high, but nothing great. But he was fine.

"Dixon is a guy to get excited. And when Dixon hyperventilates, he hyperventilates. He does it all the time."

There has been no official statement on Dixon's condition from doctors or UM's training staff. Dixon (No. 96) was taken to Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables Wednesday morning by ambulance and a UM press release Wednesday afternoon updated his status by saying the 6-3, 322-pounder was "in good condition."

One Canes website reported early this morning that Dixon had already been released, but UM football SID Kerwin Lonzo told reporters Dixon was still in the hospital as of 11 a.m. Lonzo said UM is expecting Dixon to be released later this afternoon. Shannon told reporters "he could be back out practicing here by this afternoon."

"I went over to see him [last night], everybody did," Shannon said. "He was joking around, talking about eating fried chicken and stuff like that. He was good. We just have to be careful with big guys like that. You always have those situations happen. He’ll bounce back, keep rolling."

Dixon (who has suffered from condition problems in the past and even earned the nickname Two Play Dix from defensive line coach Clint Hurtt) told reporters at media day last week he feels like he's in the best shape of his life after losing more than 15 pounds and dropping down to 322. Despite what Randy said, I doubt he'll be practicing this afternoon.

Miami once again practiced for more than two hours Thursday morning, but about 10 minutes earlier than usual this fall. Shannon said earlier this week he's trying to get his young players extra reps.

"With us knowing the situation down here with the heat at the University of Miami, we got to have precautions about the things we do," Shannon said. "We always got to think about the kid first and everything else second."

AUDIO REMINDER: Be sure to check out the latest audio interviews I've posted from practice -- including Shannon's entire Thursday morning post-practice press conference, freshman receiver LaRon Byrd, safety Randy Phillips, freshman defensive tackle Micanor Regis, special teams coach Joe Pannunzio (from Wednesday), running back Shawnbrey McNeal (from Wednesday) and Shannon's interview from Wednesday. All of it available daily on our UM audio page.

MORE NOTES...
> Linebacker Arthur Brown did not practice in the morning session Thursday and Shannon told reporters he could be back by Saturday's first scrimmage of the fall.

> Defensive tackle Marcus Forston, safety Anthony Reddick and defensive ends Eric Moncur and Allen Bailey did not practice either. Of Reddick, who I believe has now missed four days of practice, Shannon said: "It was his day to rest."

Shannon said Forston was a weight related issue. "Some guys we just rest here and there," Shannon said. "Like I said, we’re going to be very careful in monitoring the weight that they do. Players after every practice weigh in and weigh out, we keep their weight at a certain amount of pounds. So, sometimes we’ll sit some guys out because they lost just too much weight. It’s certain amount of weight loss. You just can’t go out and say you lost 10 pounds in practice and they only got two pounds back. You got to be careful about that. So, we make sure we monitor that, especially those big guys."

> Shannon told reporters not to ask him about the quarterbacks until after the second scrimmage.

> Shannon told reporters freshman defensive end Gavin Hardin was flying in this morning and said the school is still "waiting on two maybe three more guys" to be cleared by the Clearinghouse. Defensive back CJ Holton arrived at UM Tuesday, which means he likely won't practice until next week. Linebacker Brandon Marti, safety Joe Wylie and defensive tackle Jeremy Lewis still have not been cleared to show up at UM. Some of those players have told The Herald they have not received phone calls back from UM. "When the paperwork goes in, they’ll just roll in,” Shannon said. "[Gavin] has to go through a five day acclimation period. He can only wear shorts, go through meetings. He can wear shorts, but he can’t practice."

> With so many guys out on the defensive line, freshman Micanor Regis of Pahokee High says he's been getting so many reps at right defensive tackle he's lost count. Shannon said Regis is "showing flashes of of being the defensive tackle of what we [once] had. He’s young, got a motor. Sometimes he’ll come off the ball looking like a typical freshman, but then he’ll come off and cause havoc in the backfield. We’re pleased with his progress and the way he’s going right now."

Shannon said if the season were to start today, Regis would get upwards of 25 plays a game. Regis, who was already cut up in high school, said he's trimmed down from 320 to 317 and added more muscle. Shannon said his biggest obstacle is getting used to playing against guys his size. "In high school I was the strongest guy on the field, but now it’s like there are 10 other guys just as strong as me," Regis said. "Now, instead of my strength I got to use my technique."

> Even though in the first week of practice several key players from a year ago haven't been practicing with the first team, I wouldn't read too much into it. Safety Randy Phillips is a perfect example. He's been practicing on the second and third team, providing leadership and instruction for the younger guys.

"I’m still not going with the first team. Just kind of practicing hard, working with younger guys and trying to get the younger safeties going," Phillips said. "If you got all the experienced guys going with each other then, you know, when I run with the younger guys I can tell them what to do, be the leader of whatever group I’m in. I’m just rotating every different day. Might go with the ones, the twos or the threes. I’m just floating around."

> I'm now convinced Laron Byrd is separating himself from the rest of the freshmen receivers as the most likely to make an immediate impact this season. Byrd said he caught two touchdown passes Thursday and has lost count of how many he's caught this fall. Thursday, Byrd caught a long pass down the middle of the field on a pass from Jacory Harris during a two-minute drill, then hauled in another on a fade route in the corner of the end zone during short-yardage drills.

I asked Byrd point blank what he's doing to make Shannon, who has now mentioned him twice after practice, blush about him. "I’m just putting in the hard work and effort. That’s all I’m doing. Every day I’m coming out to play. I’m just focusing on doing my job. We got to think hard, knowing your role and I know my role. I know what it takes to come in and play hard. If he’s impressed, that’s good. But I’m just trying to do what I can to help the team."

Although I'm going to save my interview with receivers coach Aubrey Hill for tomorrow, Hill had nothing but great things to say about Byrd. ""He's a very smart player. He's a big kid who can run. In our meeting room he's smart too. He always has his playbook open. It's not like it's all new to him, a new language. He knows what he's doing."

Dixon hospitalized, more from Day 5

One day into full pad workouts and somebody is already in the hospital. Senior defensive tackle Antonio Dixon was taken to HealthSouth Doctor's Hospital on UM's campus for dehydration Wednesday morning and has been admitted.

"We sent him to get some fluids in him," Shannon told reporters after practice.

UM spokesman Kerwin Lonzo said doctors are running some tests on Dixon.
"We'll keep you posted," Lonzo said. Dixon is the first player to be hospitalized that we know of this fall. Shannon said Tuesday the team has been practicing longer to get more reps for the younger players. Javarris James, Damien Berry, Lee Chambers and Joe Joseph are other guys who have been sidelined by the heat since practice began Saturday.

> Shannon told reporters freshman linebacker Gavin Hardin has been cleared to arrive at UM. Freshman safety CJ Holton was out at practice Wednesday, but didn't participate in contact drills again.

> Safety Anthony Reddick missed practice for the third straight day. Reddick missed the 2005 and 2007 seasons with injuries. Not a good sign.

> Shannon said he sent both of his kickers -- freshman Jake Wieclaw and Matt Bosher -- to kick off the infield dirt Wednesday morning at Dolphins Stadium. "Since the goalposts are up because Miami is playing Tampa Bay this weekend, we figured they could get some work that way," Shannon said.

Special teams coach Joe Pannunzio said he tries to send his kickers to kick off an infield dirt surface every third day at UM. "We'll probably send them once or twice more [to Dolphins Stadium]," Pannunzio said. "Either that or we'll just go for it on fourth down [Pannunzio joked]."

> Pannunzio went into deeper detail about the progress of the special teams, particularly the kickers, the guys working in the return game, the fliers and more.

Pannunzio said freshman kicker Jake Wieclaw is "a very accurate kicker and getting better... his biggest issue is he's been kicking off a tee in high school... and it's a learning process for him. It's probably invaluable that he's been here since January."

Pannunzio said he's looking at all the skill players in the return game -- including all of the freshmen. "We're looking for somebody to get out there and give us some field position," Pannunzio said. "It doesn't matter what year their in."

Miami's search for a return man isn't the only spot in the special teams the Canes are trying to fill. Both long-snappers from last season -- John Rochford and Ross Abramson -- are gone. Pannunzio said Chris Ivory and walkon quarterback Jake Byrne are the two guys currently competing for the long-snapper duties.

As for the fliers -- the guys who go head-hunting on punt returns -- Pannunzio said "we should be good at that. We got Khalil Jones and Ryan Hill who have been my two guys for years."

> Regarding the tight ends, Pannunzio said he's excited -- especially about the three he says will play: Dedrick Epps, Chris Zellner and Richard Gordon. "They're a year older, a year smarter, a year stronger, a year faster and a year more mature," Pannunzio said. "They look like they're coming into their own so hopefully it will be a big year for them."

Pannunzio said he just doesn't have that all-around guy. He said Zellner is the better blocker and Epps is the better receiver. "With Gordon, I used to have to kick his ass to go to class," Pannunzio said. "But now all I have to do is push him a little. It's part of his maturity."

Pannunzio said he's been surprised by the play of Tervaris Johnson, who moved over from safety to tight end this summer. "He's better than I thought he would be and he's a guy you might see in there a little bit. He's got a big enough body and he's not afraid to put his face in there."

Pannunzio said it could prove to be tougher for redshirt freshman Daniel Adderley. "He's never had his hand on the ground, his facemask turned or his nose bloodied."

> Shannon said the team's first day in pads was very physical and focused on establishing the running game and focusing on playaction passing. Shannon once again pointed to Laron Byrd and Travis Benjamin as the standouts among the young receivers. "The other guys are doing well," Shannon said. "but those are two guys that are standing out right now."

> Shannon said he hasn't set a timetable as to when he'll be looking for separation among the quarterbacks. "We've got three scrimmages, so we got plenty of time," Shannon said. "That's why I'm not panicking and trying to rush things.

> Sophomore running back Shawnbrey McNeal said he's now weighing between 193 and 195 pounds. He came in as a freshman at 180 pounds. "Being JJ and Coop you learn a whole lot. It's not about just helping them. It's no hatred or down talk. Everyone has the same amount of respect for each other," McNeal said.

> I got a chance to speak to redshirt freshman receiver Jermaine McKenzie for about five minutes today and will have a feature on him later this week. McKenzie is obviously a kid who has endured a lot in his time at UM including the neck injury he suffered when he his car did several flips on I-75 with him at the wheel last fall which ended his freshman season. McKenzie didn't play in the spring because of high ankle sprain. But now he's back, bigger and stronger and competing with a talented crop of freshmen to get in the mix. Be sure to check out the story later this week.

DON'T FORGET TO... Listen to the audio uploaded from today's practice as well as the video interviews. I uploaded the feature on defensive end Adewale Ojomo this morning.

Hurtt: D-Line making strides

  It wasn't too long ago the University of Miami consistently housed some of the top defensive lineman in all of college football. From 2001-04, the Canes had four first round draft choices on its d-line -- Vince Wilfork, Jerome McDougle, William Joseph and Damione Lewis.

The tradition of top-tier lineman has continued over the last three years with Baraka Atkins, Orien Harris, Kareem Brown, Calais Campbell and the late Bryan Pata. But entering the 2008 season, Miami not only doesn't have a recognizable star, but it lacks the experience and established talent it once had on a regular basis. The D-Line returns just one starter (Eric Moncur) and must replace Campbell (who left early to the draft) and 10-game starter Teraz McCray at tackle.

If that wasn't enough of a chore for defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, fall practice has begun with Moncur and very promising sophomore Allen Bailey sidelined and rehabbing from injuries. Tuesday, I caught up with Hurtt after practice to talk about how the defensive line is progressing. Among the topics, Scout Team MVP redshirt freshman Adewale Ojomo (YOU CAN CHECK OUT HIS VIDEO INTERVIEW LATER TODAY) and the progress others are making.

Hurtt, who is always upbeat and positive when we talk, sounded a lot like the Coach Hurtt I spoke to at the end of last year when he was running a short-handed ship. The good news is, that although most of Miami's talented linemen are young, at least they're making strides.

"Adewale is a high motor kid, has gotten a lot better rushing the passer," Hurtt said of Ojomo. "He's a very strong kid in the run game, has great explosion, great hands. We expect him to come in and be a key contributor, keep pushing Eric (Moncur) and the other guys because we want to get the best four linemen on the field. He's doing a great job of that. The offensive linemen come up and talk about him, but everybody's improving as a group."

When asked who is currently shining at end, Hurtt said he couldn't name just one.
"Right now you're always looking at playing about five," Hurtt said. "We like to keep that rotation heavy so guys stay fresh. Hopefully around five or six. It all depends on who is game ready. That's what dictates it. Ideally you want five, but you don't want to throw a guy out there who isn't ready to go."

But Ojomo, whom I spoke with Monday, said incoming freshman Marcus Robinson is providing signs he might be. Randy Shannon compared Robinson Monday to former Cane Javon Nanton, a third-down pass-rush specialist, and said he hoped to get 20-30 plays out of him a game. Hurtt and Ojomo said Robinson (who played linebacker and defensive end in high school and has 4.5-speed) has had several sacks in the early going of fall practices and has even deflected a few balls. Hurtt negated one of my primary concerns about the freshman by saying Robinson (who told me Sunday he's up to 240 pounds) will put on the weight he needs to because he will be eating right in college.

"He has more natural skills right now coming in the door than Javon did," Hurtt said. "I worked with Javon a lot, and Javon did some good things as a freshman. He was a little stiff. Coach Swasey and those guys did a great job in the weight room getting him together. Marcus Robinson has some unbelievable tools, great tools. So he's got a lot of potential."

As for the defensive tackle spot, Miami feels confident Antonio Dixon's weight loss this offseason will allow him to be better conditioned. Who starts alongside Dixon remains a mystery though. Hurtt said Tuesday Joe Joseph, who made five starts as a sophomore last year (primarily because of injuries to others) has had the most improvement of the returnees.

"He's definitely improved," Hurtt said. "Getting Dwayne Hendricks back healthy definitely helps out. Guys are working hard to get better, and there's competition. Micanor Regis has come in and done a lot of things. Competition makes us all better."

> The fight for the starting center job -- the only position on the offensive line really in doubt (I don't care what people are saying about Chris Barney at left guard it's Orlando Franklin's job to lose) --apparently is becoming Xavier Shannon's job by the day. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland told our Susan Miller Degnan Tuesday Shannon has done the little extra things to outshine his competitors, Tyler Horn, Matt Pipho and A.J. Trump.

"I feel very confident with him," Stoutland said. "I was amazed at how fast he was able to learn all this stuff. I have children myself. And I know coaches who talk to me and say I know your son is a coach's kid. Because he listens. He absolutely listens. And he tries to execute what we're saying. Xavier is a coach's kid. He's been around it his whole life.

"Here's a for instance. During the practice session, whoever is getting the play, I will look at the script and I look at whoever is getting the play and whoever is not getting the play. And I look over to a group of them and I'll look over to see who is not paying attention. And if your not paying attention, I might say to you "What's the play?' Now, you don't have a script, but you got somebody calling out the plays. And if you don't hear the play and I call on your name, then I know your real serious about learning. A mental rep to me is as important as a physical rep to me. And so Xavier, I was looking around when he wasn't in the game and someone asked what's the play. He rehearsed it to me(snaps his finger) like that. It's a maturity factor. It's the ability to focus and listen when coaches are coaching. And that's what some of the younger guys to be honest with you have to learn."

> Go ahead and scratch CJ Holton off the list of missing incoming freshmen at camp. That leaves linebacker Brandon Marti, defensive back Joe Wylie, defensive tackle Jeremy Lewis and defensive end Gavin Hardin.

Holton was at practice Tuesday, but didn't participate in team drills. "He has to go through the acclimation period, so it takes time," Shannon said. "You have to go through two days in helmets, the whole day. He did some conditioning stuff, which is good for him because he can't just come in and (play). A kid could get hurt that way."

I've spoken to the family of at least one of those players who is still waiting, who tells me they've had a hard time getting a phone call back from UM coaches or school reps. Among the remaining recruits, there is growing fear one of the four will be asked to greyshirt (enroll in January) because UM might be over its scholarship limit of 85.

> Junior cornerback Chavez Grant, who has played nickel back most of his career at UM, told me Tuesday he's spending most of his time on the outside this fall. "My role, I'm pretty much outside on the corner," Grant said. "Brandon Harris is right behind me, pushing me, so is DeMarcus Van Dyke. I'm trying to be somewhat of a mentor to Brandon because he's working a lot at the nickel. And I kind of look up to Bruce, he's a great corner. We're all just working together."

> Shannon said running backs Lee Chambers and Damien Berry left practice because of "hydration issues." Berry was seen by a reporter leaving in a cart. Shannon has been extending practices a little longer than the usual two hours because he says he wants to get his younger players more reps.

> Despite not having a tight end on his roster who caught more than 13 balls or had more than 105 yards receiving last season, Shannon sounded optimistic Tuesday the tight ends will be more involved in the offense this fall.

"When you have guys only the first time playing last year it's kind of hard to get them going," Shannon said. "With a new offense coming in, guys never touched the field. Now these guys are making catches left and right in practice, big key catches. So we're kind of excited."

> Safety Anthony Reddick didn't practice for the second consecutive day. But Shannon said, "Everything's fine with him. He's doing well. We're just monitoring Reddick because guys come off knee injuries, you go and practice him every day you won't get much out of him. It's one day off, one day on, trying to ease him back into it. But he's doing fine."

Fellow safety Lovon Ponder didn't practice either. No reason was given.

> BY THE WAY... Don't forget to check out the two video interviews I've uploaded including a close look at Orlando Franklin's new mohawk and Damien Berry talking about his move to running back.

Trump could prove valuable

University of Miami coach Randy Shannon said there were no individual standouts at Monday morning's practice, the first in shells (helmets and shoulder pads) and third of the fall. But there were a few interesting guys available to chat with following practice including linebacker Darryl Sharpton, safety turned running back Damien Berry, and freshman defensive back Vaughn Telemaque, whom the Canes reeled in from longtime California power Long Beach Poly.

I'm starting today's blog, though, with a guy who could prove to be quite valuable to Miami's success this season on the offensive line, junior A.J. Trump. It's hard to feel happier for a guy on this team than Trump, who finally appears healthy after injuring his knee six games into his redshirt freshman season in 2006. Although he really hasn't played since, Trump said Monday "I feel like a freshman again." Trump played in just the fourth quarter of last year's opener against Marshall and admitted to me Monday "I think I tried to come back a little early and it wound up setting me back. I know how to be safe with it now and really take care of it."

Now, the 6-3, 300-pounder from Clearwater should be called Mr. Diversity for offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who has Trump playing all three interior spots on the offensive line this fall. UM could certainly use a healthy Trump. Although Miami's team strength this season is clearly the offensive line with established tackles in Jason Fox, Reggie Youngblood and even the roving Chris Rutledge, there isn't much depth or established talent in the interior beyond Orlando Franklin or Joel Figueroa. Trump could not only become the answer as the team's primary backup -- like Rutledge has been at tackle, but also possibly the answer at center if Xavier Shannon, Matt Pipho or Tyler Horn can't do the job done.

"I'm working the most at right guard. But on a given day be, I'll be at a totally different position," Trump said. "The trouble with switching positions is getting in the right stances. I'm a natural lefty, so the left guard position is easier for me. But I'm starting to get it at right guard. What can screw you up is flipping the plays when flip positions. But once you do it enough, you can figure it out."

I asked Trump if he'd prefer to compete for the center spot, which is open. "I'd love to compete [for the center spot]," Trump said. "But if my role is to play both guards and make sure Fig and Orlando have enough rest, then that's my role. But if I have an opportunity to play center, I'm going balls to the wall."

> Damien Berry talked about his move to running back Monday, and just like Shannon, said that the move was the coaching staff's idea, one to add depth to a position the Hurricanes were hurting at by the end of last season (when starters Graig Cooper and Javarris James were banged up). Berry (5-11, 207) ran for 1,080 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior at Glades Central (while playing on a torn ACL) and can certainly play the position when healthy. "I think I was coming along, I think I was doing good at safety," Berry said. "But I appreciate the switch. I'll play wherever coach Shannon needs me. If he wants me at safety, cornerback, center, wherever."

Berry, whose father Kenny was a defensive back at UM, is obviously taking the team first approach and that's good for the Canes, which could use the added depth this season. But there are a few things that make me queasy when I think about the move. For starters, it was after the spring. And from what I remember, Berry was actually doing pretty good at safety, a position most recruiting experts thought he would thrive at. Let's be honest. Does this move really make sense? At running back, Berry is going to be buried behind Javarris James, Graig Cooper and Derron Thomas this year and is definitely behind other young guys like Shawnbrey McNeal and Lee Chambers, who came in as running backs. Next year, Bryce Brown and Mike James are slated to arrive. When is Berry supposed to see the field? Miami coaches obviously know better than I do. They watch practice. I don't. But how often have position changes honestly worked out at UM Did Devin Hester ever really find a spot? Did James Bryant really ever settle in at linebacker or fullback? Where is Kylan Robinson these days? I'm just saying I think it's a lot to ask a guy to start over after they've spent a year a two working up the depth chart at one spot to move to the end of the line at the other. Here's to hoping Berry has better luck.

> Sharpton is one of those Canes who likes to get his nose into the action. When I spoke to him after practice, the bridge of his nose was swollen and red, the result of having his helmet slam against his face. After having three sacks in the spring, Sharpton potentially could find his nose in the chests of opposing quarterbacks more often this season than any player on Miami's defense.

The 5-11, 235-pound junior, who started the final five games of last season, said he has been playing with the first team at both outside positions (though he's slotted at strongside) and has worked hard this offseason to become a more dangerous weapon. Sharpton said he's trimmed down his body fat from 15 percent to 10 percent and says he's 40-time is down from a little over 4.6 to 4.5 seconds. It might just help him become the key blitzer at linebacker on this team. Shaprton raved about how much he loves how aggressive UM's new defense is under Bill Young. He says the advantage the team has is that it has learned the new schemes (filled with zone blitzes according to other guys I've spoken with) at the same time.

"Everybody is having fun out there, running around, playing in this new defense," Sharpton said. "I think all the guys have it down pat."

That includes freshmen Arthur Brown, who rotates behind Sharpton on the strongside, and Sean Spence (who is on the weakside).

"I've been very impressed with the young linebackers," Sharpton said. "I've been with Spence and Brown. From the spring until now, they've progressed into regular guys. I think they definitely know it well enough to teach other guys."

> There were rumors heading into fall practice Telemaque, who played safety at Long Beach Poly, could see time at cornerback. When I asked him Monday to clarify his position, he said "defensive back," but admitted he's spending most of his time at safety.

Telemaque, who was kind of shy during our interview, said he's comfortable in Miami and that his teammates are doing a good job helping him with the transition from the West Coast to the East Coast. But he said he still spends a lot of time every day calling his mother.

"I talk to my mom daily because I love her a lot," Telemaque said. "But I'm comfortable here. I'm looking forward to the next four years of my life here."

> Although defensive end Eric Moncur and Allen Bailey continue to be held out of contact drills, redshirt freshman defensive end Adewale Ojomo said they were "involved a little bit more today."

"We need Allen Bailey," Ojomo said. "Right now we're taking a lot of reps, and we need him to come in so he can take some of the reps off our back so we can last throughout the camp and throughout the season.

"Eric is a big leader on the d-line in general. We really need Eric back. If he's not healthy, we'll go without him. But we really could use him."

Ojomo said he's up to 250 pounds -- gaining about 3-4 pounds, but said he's upped his stamina and strength in the offseason. He was the MVP of the Scout team last season. "I can pass rush," Ojomo said. "But I also take pride in stopping the run. I don't want to only be known as a guy who can only pass rush on third down, I want to known as an all down guy."

Ojomo said he had two sacks Monday and said freshman Marcus Robinson batted down two balls and had "a few sacks."

Other quick tidbits...

> Coach Randy Shannon told reporters the freshmen who reported in the spring will definitely see playing time this season and said because of attrition, at least four freshmen receivers "in some way, form or fashion will help us this year."

> When asked what's he's looking for in the quarterback competiion Shannon said: "Time management. With the new clock change, the way it is now, they have to run the offense and not panic. Be calm, stay calm, get in and out of the huddle, set the plays, be able to execute the offense – don't give us a negative play. If we do those things we're going to be fine."

> As for the other five freshmen signees still not at practice, defensive back C.J. Holton was seen on the sidelines Monday with his family. Shannon preferred not to talk about it when pressed on whether Holton or any of the other five signees had been cleared yet.

VIDEOS AVAILABLE: For those of you who haven't seen any of the videos I've been posting yet, be sure to check them out. Today, I finally uploaded my interviews with freshmen receiver LaRon Byrd and cornerback Brandon Harris. I'm trying to post a few a day with highlights from Saturday's practice, the only one open to the public and media.

Day 2: Shields talk & more from freshmen

Two practices are in the books for the Canes. I celebrated it by having lunch with my homeboy and Panthers beat writer George Richards -- who I rarely see anymore -- at Casola's Pizzeria off NW 17th Avenue and US1. If you haven't been to Casola's, you are missing some great pizza (it's the place I always went to after games at the Orange Bowl).

As for practice, nothing too exciting came out of it Sunday -- just more positive signs from some young receivers, a quick conversation with the oft-troubled Sam Shields and plenty of other notes and quotes.

> Saturday was LaRon Byrd's day to shine. Sunday it was Travis Benjamin's. The former Glades Central receiver who caught my eye during Saturday's open practice was on the receiving end of two long scoring passes according to teammates during 11-on-11 drills Sunday. Benjamin, who can be spotted easily on the field because of his trademark long dreads, has tremendous breakaway speed. Canesport.com, who spoke to trainer Andreu Swasey, reported Benjamin having the fastest 40-yard time of any incoming freshmen at 4.26 seconds. Other top 40-times include receiver Davon Johnson (4.32) and Brandon Harris (4.47). Safety Vaughn Telemaque, who has received rave reviews, was times at 4.75 seconds -- slower than quarterback Taylor Cook (4.59) and defensive end Marcus Robinson (4.56)

> Speaking of Robinson, coach Randy Shannon set some what I consider lofty goals for the freshman when I asked Shannon what he hoped to get out of Robinson at defensive end. Basically, Shannon painted the picture of turning Robinson into a third-down, pass rushing end. "If he can contribute 15-25 plays in game situations, that is great. One guy we had out here was Javon Nanton that played just 15 plays a game and was a third down specialist. He led the Big East in sacks one year. If he can do that, then great, but if not then he is our future."

To me, this is just further proof just how beaten-down Miami's defensive line situation is when you get an 18-year old to arrive in August and you are hoping he can already be counted on for that much action. Robinson played defensive end and linebacker in high school, but was tabbed as the nation's No. 4 outside linebacker by Rivals.com. Freshmen have been contributors at defensive end before -- the late Bryan Pata comes to mind. But Pata was bigger than Robinson and more built for lining up versus 300 pound tackles. It's certainly going to be an adjustment for the kid.

"We have a couple guys down. Since I played d-end in high school, coach made the decision I could make the move," Robinson said. "Physically, I feel good really. I just got to use my technique and I'll be fine. I've put on 15 pounds since I've been here. I'm up to 241. Right now, I got to use my speed, my feet, my technique when I take on a big guy. I'm working with Eric Moncur. He's teaching me pretty much. Steven Wesley too. They're teaching me to be fast with my hands and how to move on the line without standing still."

> I'm not the type of guy who wants to fan the flames, but it's never a good sign to me when reporters try and ask a player a question and UM reps intervene to say he's not interested in answering it. That's what happened when reporters tried to ask Shields about his academic situation (which has been a hot topic/rumor this summer). The fear is Shields had a lot of making up to do in the classroom. Either way, we'll find out soon if he is in trouble. Friday was the last day of summer school and finals and Shannon told us on media day that the coaching staff would be receiving grades early this coming week.

For his part, I got to give Sam credit. He answered other questions and stressed he's matured. Shields said he's also gained weight -- about five pounds -- and is up to 185. Shields said he's lining up mostly on the outside and said freshmen receivers have been doing a good job pushing the veterans.

"I'm just focused on the things I got to do now," Shields said. "I want to help this team win games."

> Sophomore cornerback Demarcus Van Dyke, who started eight games last season despite being one of the thinnest corners I've ever seen, said he's bulked up to 178 pounds this season. He was weighing 160 when he arrived at UM. Van Dyke was awfully impressive from what I can remember in the spring. He said he had a couple breakups during 7-on-7 drills. He said coaches are trying to find the best two corners "and then the next two for a first and second team."

He also spoke highly of the other freshmen -- who he is playing alongside and against -- Sunday.

"Those guys are coming along real well," Van Dyke said. "Those guys have picked up their game fast. Brandon [Harris] is a great defensive back who will help us a lot this year. Vaughn [Telemaque] and [Ramon] Buchanon are ballers right there, real ballers. They'll help us out this year."

"All [the receivers] are good. They got their different styles. LaRon is a big physical receiver. Thearon and Kendall Thompkins are slashy guys. [Davon Johnson] and Travis Benjamin and Tommy Streeter will spread the field on you. You have to watch how you cover them. Those guys are good."

> As for the walking wounded, the same three guys who sat out Saturday and did drills off to the side -- defensive ends Eric Moncur and Allen Bailey and defensive tackle Josh Holmes -- were in the same place again Sunday according to Shannon.

> Tampa Plant tight end Orson Charles (rated No. 1 in the nation by Rivals.com) watched practice again Sunday. In other recruiting tidbits, I got the sense from a few conversations defensive tackle Antwan Lowery would still be welcomed at UM even though the team already has two defensive tackles lined up for it's 09 class. The U though appears to be getting tired of Lowery's games. He was supposed to announce August 1st, but has since negated and reopened his recruiting to include Florida with Rutgers and Miami.

First practice impressions

Football season has officially started at the University of Miami. I just got back home from Saturday morning's first practice of the fall and have plenty of thoughts and notes to share with you.

I took my new video camera out there and filmed plenty of practice, stuff I'll post as the year progresses (Note: Today's practice was the only one open to the press or public this season). In case you missed it, I posted a few video interviews yesterday with Jason Fox, Marcus Forston and Glenn Cook. There was also another video done on the quarterbacks by Emily Michot. I'll have more video up later today from practice including interviews with freshmen Brandon Harris, Laron Byrd, Jordan Futch and center Xavier Shannon.

To the highlights...

> The first noticeable difference in my eyes with this team -- there are playmakers at the wide receiver position. Even though the guys were just wearing helmets and shorts, the new arrivals made quite the impression. No one bigger than 6-4, 211-pound, No. 47-wearing LaRon Byrd. He was the first player Randy Shannon mentioned in his post practice meeting with the press.

Byrd, who comes from a little town called Boutte, La., can certainly be entertaining like the last famous No. 47 at The U. Byrd is a fast talker and you can see he loves being in the spotlight.

"We're very excited about him, the way he's progressing and things like that," Shannon said. "He stood out. We threw a tight end option route where Laron ran over the corner and that as a big play for us. He has great size, he's blocking, he's doing those things. You don't come in and teach a freshman to do that. It's just natural."

Consider it a big deal to hear Randy say what he said. Shannon rarely singles out players for what they do in practice. (CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT SHANNON SAID AFTER PRACTICE)

> Byrd (whom Herald recruiting guru Larry Blustein insisted to me months ago would make an instant impact this year at UM) wasn't the only freshmen to make me say 'Wow.' Freshman Davon Johnson of Booker T. Washington had a nice catch down the sideline, then stopped to avoid a cornerback before scoring a touchdown. Former Northwestern receiver Kendall Thompkins also scored a TD on a long pass from Taylor Cook during 11 on 11 drills. I also liked what I saw from Travis Benjamin and Thearon Collier, who look like they will be battling it out with Johnson in the slot.

> After dodging the question Friday, Shannon finally told us exactly which freshmen are still waiting to get into UM: Defensive back Joe Wylie, defensive tackle Jeremy Lewis, safety C.J. Holton, linebacker Gavin Hardin and Brandon Marti. None, obviously, were at practice Saturday. But they could be as soon as Monday. Ultimately, the wait could be a bit linger longer. As long as they report before the third day of school, they can play this season.

> For those of you worried about the depth of the defensive line, I saw something Saturday that might make you even more queasy. Defensive end Eric Moncur was unexpectedly held out of practice and was busy working out on the sideline with a trainer (he was tossing one of those weight balls while running side to side). Allen Bailey and Josh Holmes (also out with injuries) were also participating in the drills.

It might be good news that they're working out, but it wasn't good to see a few other guys leave. During practice, Dwayne Hendricks eventually made his way to the sideline (not sure if it was cramps or not) and defensive tackle Joe Joseph was carried off the field with cramps late. The good news, a leaner Antonio Dixon once nicknamed "2 Play Dix" was able to complete practice. As you know, Miami is already without Courtney Harris for the season and Holmes could miss significant time. Shannon insisted Saturday Moncur (who he says missed 5-6 weeks of workouts this summer) will be back for the start of the season. But to me, these are obviously not the kind of signs you want to see from a defensive line that lost so much and has been riddled with injuries. Also of note, freshman Marcus Robinson, who was recruited as a linebacker, was playing defensive end Saturday (call it out of necessity).

> As far as the quarterbacks are concerned, I thought both Robert Marve and Jacory Harris looked exceptionally well. Both did a great job during seven on seven drills, rollouts and connecting on deep passes. I still say both are better than Kyle or Kirby right now even though they still haven't thrown a pass in college.

> Cannon Smith, who I spoke to one-on-one Friday at Media Day, looked better than he did in the spring. Shannon told us his arm is stronger and I found out why. According to Smith, he was still recovering this spring from a separated shoulder. He said he couldn't throw the ball as hard as he wanted to. "I don't know what percentage I was at, but I know when I was throwing the ball, it wasn't all there," Smith said. "But now I'm back and after working hard with coach Swasey during the conditioning drills I feel I'm back to where I want to be." We'll see if that means in the race for the starting job with Marve and Harris.

> Shannon told reporters Friday that the team's fourth quarterback, Taylor Cook, was too far behind to compete for the starting job this fall. You saw why Saturday. Although, he showed some good arm strength and did connect with Thompkins for a touchdown, Cook looks like he'll need some coaching from Patrick Nix on his mechanics. He throws the ball sidearm and at times doesn't appear to be really stepping into his passes.

> Several player said they couldn't sleep last night before the start of practice -- including Byrd and Xavier Shannon. Shannon said he woke up early and was at UM early enough to still see the moon, "It was strange coming out here and still seeing the moon." Shannon, who has some great stories to tell about his father, said Randy recently called him at 6 a.m. on his day off a few weeks ago to ask him if the movie National Treasure 2 had been released yet. "He didn't ask me how I was doing or anything," Shannon said. "Just, 'Did it come out yet?"

> There were a few visiting recruits among the spectators and fans in attendance. I saw highly touted tight end Orson Charles from Tampa Plant, Northwestern safety Tevin McCaskill and Pace defensive back Kayvon Webster. I was told Cane commitment Stephen Plein of Fort Myers was there. Highly touted Plantation High defensive back Brandon McGee (who will announce his decision Aug. 11) was also reportedly there. I also spotted Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements (Class of 2010) on the way out.

> The following is by no means an official depth chart, but it was where I filmed guys practicing at Saturday. Consider just a starting point for discussion as the fall progresses.

Offense (first team | second team | third team)
QB: Robert Marve or Jacory Harris | Cannon Smith
RB: Javarris James or Graig Cooper | Derron Thomas or Shawnbrey McNeal
FB: Patrick Hill | John Calhoun | Eric Houston
WR: K. Jones and K. Farquharson | A. Johnson, L. Hankerson or J. McKenzie | L. Byrd
Slot: Sam Shields | T. Benjamin, D. Johnson and K. Thompkins
TE: Dedrick Epps | Chris Zellner or Richard Gordon | Daniel Adderley, Tervaris Johnson
LT: Jason Fox | Tyrone Byrd | Ian Symonette
LG: Chris Barney | Orlando Franklin
C: Xavier Shannon | Tyler Horn
RG: Joel Figueroa | Harland Gunn
RT: Reggie Youngblood or Chris Rutledge | Ben Jones

Defense (first team | second team | third team)
DE: Steven Wesley (since Bailey was out) and Adewale Ojomo (since Moncur as out) | Marcus Robinson
DT: Joe Joseph and Antonio Dixon and Marcus Forston | Dwayne Hendricks, Micanor Regis
SLB: Darryl Sharpton | Arthur Brown | Jordan Futch
MLB: Glenn Cook | Spencer Adkins | Romeo Davis
WLB: Colin McCarthy | Sean Spence | Kylan Robinson
CB: Bruce Johnson and Chavez Grant | DeMarcus Van Dyke, Carlos Armour and Ryan Hill | B. Harris
S: Lovon Ponder, Anthony Reddick, Randy Phillips | Jojo Nicholas, Jared Campbell | V. Telemaque

Media Day: Shannon speaks

With the start of fall practice set to begin Saturday morning, University of Miami coach Randy Shannon addressed reporters Friday afternoon during Media Day.

Here are some of the highlights of his half hour press conference.

> Shannon said all three quarterbacks -- Cannon Smith, Jacory Harris and Robert Marve -- will get equal snaps "just like they did in the spring" during the team's 24 practices and three night scrimmages (Aug. 9, 15, 19). Incoming freshman Taylor Cook, though, won't get the same number of snaps. "He's too far behind," Shannon explained.

> Shannon said although Cannon Smith doesn't get talked about by most media outlets when discussing who really is competing for the starting job, he said Smith "doesn't get down." He said Smith has "bulked up and his arm is stronger" than it was in the spring.

> Shannon said he is still changing the locker room assignments just like he was last year "every 2 to 3 weeks" to continue to build team chemistry with players who don't necessarily associate with each other. "This team was kind of spread out when I took over," Shannon said. "But they're together now."

> He said the key to having freshmen see the field will be if they are "physically and mentally" ready.

> Regarding injuries, Shannon said defensive end Courtney Harris will miss the season and said defensive tackles Josh Holmes and Chaz Washington will be out during fall drills.

> His reaction to Miami not getting a single vote in the Coaches' poll, released Friday: "When you 5-7 you're not going to get any votes." He continued: "We just got to keep building and we're expecting to be a much better team than we were last year."

> Regarding incoming freshmen and the Clearinghouse, Shannon said he could not give out any names but added "there are about 4 to 5 guys who still aren't cleared." When pressed on who they were, Shannon said "You'll find out tomorrow when you don't see them out there." He said he expects most to be fine and make it into school eventually.

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE COMPLETE AUDIO INTERVIEW. Check back over the next couple of days for video and audio interviews of players from today and Saturday's first practice.

Shannon speaks, recruiting news

We interrupt this week's regularly scheduled programming of position by position previews to pass along some news from this afternoon -- including some of the things coach Randy Shannon talked to the media about during an informal lunch Tuesday with beat reporters.

But first, the Canes have landed their 10th commitment in the 2009 class, picking up 6-2, 335-pound lineman Curtis Porter of Charlotte Victory Christian in N.C. Porter called UM coaches last night to give them the good word. He made an unofficial visit to UM earlier this month. Porter is rated an ESPN Top 150 recruit and said he chose the Canes over offers from Florida, Florida State, Michigan and Clemson among others. The following is Porter's highlight reel on YouTube.

Perhaps, the bigger news is that this likely ends the courtship of Miami Columbus High defensive tackle Antwan Lowery, who last week told me he was negating on his previous plans of announcing August 1st and plans to reopen his recruiting with Florida and Rutgers also in the picture. While Porter played left guard last season at West Charlotte High, he is expected to play defensive tackle in college. Miami is supposedly only seeking to sign two defensive tackles in this class and already has 6-3, 280-pound Luther Robinson of Fort Pierce Westwood.

In more recruiting news, Canes 2008 linebacker recruit Brandon Marti told me this afternoon he received the good news he was looking for from the NCAA Clearinghouse and will report for the fall semester at UM this Thursday. Marti played at Gulliver Prep his senior season, but transferred to Braddock High for the second semester of his senior year because he was no longer on financial aid. It caused a bit of confusion for Marti with the Clearinghouse.

"My dad went online today and saw that I was cleared at about 11 a.m.," Marti said. "I called and let coach Barrow know and now I'm waiting to hear back from a few other guys. I'll be in my suite with Thearon Collier and Kendall Thompkins later this week. I'm excited. Coach told me to come in ready because he thinks I can make a real impact on special teams."

As for coach Randy Shannon, our Susan Miller Degnan, who attended the lunch on UM's campus, tells me Shannon broke the news to the media today that it will no longer have locker room access after games. This is what Randy said when asked why:

"Some of the players voiced to me that they have a problem that some young ladies are over in the locker room that they go to school with, that are, what you call, reporters also. It’s a touchy situation, but when you’re walking around on campus and you see a young lady that you were in the locker room with and you.. it’s kind of tough for those guys to respond to that. So we’re going to try something new to see if this can work with you guys that the same thing we do after practice. You guys get together and say, “Here’s the eight guys that we want.’’ And those eight guys are going to come up when I come up. That’s when they’re going to come up. So when I come up, they’re coming to see you guys. I can tell you that if Robert Marve or Jacory Harris or Cannon Smith have a bad game, I’m going to bring Robert Marve up there and I’m going to bring Jacory up there. If the offensive linemen give up eight sacks, I’m going to bring two offensive linemen up there. I’m going to appease as much as I can, because I know that’s the story you guys gotta get. We’re going to give them an ample amount of time. We’re not going to say, ‘OK, you all got five minutes.’ No, we’re not going to do that. We’re going to give you guys time enough to get your story written, get your things that you want to get done. I’m not going to have them guys sitting down in the locker room, getting dressed. We’re going to bring them right up with me…because I know how important you all guys have to write your stories. But also I got to take into consideration what’s best for the players in certain situations like I explained. It’s tough, but let’s see if it works. It may work, it may not work, but I have to try to find a way to make it work."

All I'm going to say is that when I covered the Dolphins this past weekend, I had more access than I've ever in the years I've been going out to UM. I got to watch all of practice (something we rarely get to do at UM) and had about as much time as I needed for interviews.

Among the other highlights according to Susan...
> Shannon insisted defensive end Allen Bailey is "ahead of schedule" in his return from a torn pectoral muscle he suffered while training back in May. The 6-4, 289-pound sophomore could be ready for the first game according to Shannon and has already begun "pushing on things." I want to see what he looks like with my own eyes this Saturday.

> Shannon addressed several weight issues, saying offensive lineman Chris Barney has lost 21 pounds -- dropping from 360 to 339 this off season. Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon has dropped 15 pounds and is now at 323. He also said he would like Graig Cooper to get up to between 210 and 215 pounds with Javarris James between 220-225.

> Shannon pointed to senior Khalil Jones as developing as a leader a lot of players go to.

Another 2 QB system?

University of Miami coach Randy Shannon didn't give reporters at Thursday's Florida Sports Writers Association meetings in Tampa any insight into who will be the starting quarterback this fall (I say its Robert Marve). But he did say something that might not sit well with fans of the U -- there's probably going to be another two quarterback system this fall (which I was counting on).

"Whichever quarterback that we name, we're going to play the other one," Shannon said without specifying any of the quarterbacks by name (as if Cannon Smith or Taylor Cook really have a shot). "We need depth at every position on the field and that's the one position that we don't have depth at because they're young. They're good quarterbacks, but they're young."

Shannon explained it won't be a platoon situation and said the way he envisions it, one person will emerge as the clear starter, and another will play at certain times to get a feel for game action -- in case that person gets called upon for a bigger role, for injury or any other reason.

Can't say I'm surprised. It's the only move that makes sense. While Shannon probably made a mistake last year by putting Kirby Freeman in the starting spot, he's got four guys who have never thrown a pass in college available to play quarterback. He's got to play at least two, one more than the other to develop rhythm (Marve) while letting the other (Jacory Harris) feel important and ready should they need them.

While all Canes fans might not like the move, they can at least take solace in this: at least its not Kyle Wright or Freeman who will be behind center. I know it was just the spring, but Marve and Harris looked so much better than their predecessors I honestly believe either one would have beaten them out last year for the starting job if they were around.

* In other tidbits from the meetings, Shannon confirmed defensive end Courtney Harris will miss the season and expects defensive end Allen Bailey (who is now up to 290 pounds) to recover from his pectoral injury in time for the start of the season. That's great news since I think Bailey is probably going to be the best defensive player Miami has this coming season.

J-MAC STILL GRINDING: As much as I'm itching for football info just like U (because getting basketball interviews are easier than football interviews) I was able to catch up with Jack McClinton Wednesday after his whirlwind camp tour this summer which included hook-ups with Chris Paul, Steve Nash and LeBron James. Jack, who is taking this week off from workouts to rest his tired knees (he's got tendinitis), told me he's become so close with Paul, an All-NBA First Team selection, he can call him whenever he wants to talk hoops. Paul named him the MVP of his camp in June after McClinton outplayed Florida's Nick Calathes, Davidson's Stephen Curry, Boston College's Tyrese Rice and about a dozen other collegiate studs at the camp. I'll have a full fledged story on Jack's travels in Friday's paper and maybe a full Q&A with him later this week... as for his teammates, McClinton told me all of them are excelling. But he -- like Julian Gamble -- pointed to freshman DeQuan Jones as impressive. "I saw highlights of him in high school, but it's his athleticism, how hard he goes that's impressive. He's really impressing me. We've never really had someone as athletic on the wing as him."

MERCADANTE PROMOTED: If getting basketball news four months before the start of the season bothers you, then this baseball night is going to send you off the deep end. Thursday, Jim Morris promoted Joe Mercadante (a former volunteer assistant the last four years) to fill in one of his vacant assistant coach spots. Mercadante will continue working with hitters and catchers, but now he'll get to recruit. Mercadante was basically Gino DiMare's right hand man when it came to hitting. Mercadante is a 2003 graduate of Florida, where he played catcher.

* NEW PODCAST: And lastly, I've finally recorded a new podcast of The Countdown with Larry Blustein, Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat and Andre C. Fernandez. It's mostly high school talk, but I do talk to Larry about some Cane recruits as well with Rudy about some of the basketball players UM is recruiting.

Back from Vacation

I don't know about you, but I was completely blown away last night watching Texas' Josh Hamilton belt 28 home runs in the first round of the All-Star Game home run derby. It's probably one of the most amazing athletic feats I've seen in sports -- right up there with those amazing rounds Tiger Woods puts together or those nights when Michael Jordan just seemed unstoppable. It was total domination not for a brief moment or a run, but for an extended period of time. It's only a shame Hamilton didn't finish the job and win the crown (the New England Patriots come to mind).

Our Miami Hurricanes -- the football Canes you care most about -- are nowhere near that kind of excellence yet. They're about as far off as Hamilton's eye-opening 519-foot blast was from home plate when it landed in center field. As I make my return from vacation this week, the only reason I bring up Hamilton is because one of the guys he overshadowed last night was former Canes standout Ryan Braun (one of the few Canes currently in action during this college offseason break). As impressive as Hamilton was last night, you have to throw Braun (the 2007 NL Rookie of The Year) in the argument when it comes to the best young players in baseball today. Braun finished tied for third in last night's contest with 14 homers and he's currently hitting .286 with 23 homers and 66 RBI on the season and will start for the NL tonight in left field. And the bottomline is he's not getting enough love! So, here's to you Brauny, the first official winner of the new Eye On The U Bad-Ass Award, which will be given out once weekly this coming year here at Eye On The U. Nominees of course are always welcome for Canes past and present.

--> A DATE WITH THE GOLDEN DOMERS? If there was a runner-up award, new Hurricanes athletic director Kirby Hocutt would be the recipient. After hearing the complaints last week from Canes fans angry about possibly not having The U at midfield, Miami's new, young athletic director stepped up to the challenge and gave Canes fans what they wanted. Now, as our Barry Jackson reports, Hocutt is interested in approaching Notre Dame about scheduling a game in the future once it hires an athletic director. It's probably not going to happen, but if Hocutt can some how pull that one off Canes fans are at least in the early stages going to love this guy. I don't know about you, but I grew up loving every second watching the Canes destroy the Irish. And that would be the No. 1 game on my wish list... here's one for all you that remember those old Convicts vs. Cathlolic days.

--> TWO FORMER CANES IN ARENABOWL CHAMPIONSHIP: Baseball isn't the only sport going on during these boring sports months of summer. For those of you in need of a football fix and Canes action, two former Canes from the 2001 national championship team will meet this weekend in ArenaBowl XXII Sunday at 3 p.m. Receiver/linebacker Jason Geathers will represent the defending champion San Jose Sabercats and lineman Martin Bibla will start for the Philadelphia Soul. Geathers had two TD catches, a touchdown run and returned an INT for a score in last weekend's playoff game.

--> ANOTHER DEQUAN FAN: University of Miami coach Frank Haith told reporters on numerous occassions last year he's predicting big things for incoming 6-6 freshman swingman DeQuan Jones. After catching up with Julian Gamble last week for a story I'm doing on his trip with Athletes in Action to Africa, all reports say Jones has been tearing it up against his new teammates during the team's offseason pickup games twice a week. Gamble told me Jones knows how to get to the basket and score and was a bit surprised by how advanced Jones was. My question is if Jones is as good as everyone says he is, who goes to the bench for UM -- Lance Hurdle or James Dews? It's not a big deal and it's actually a nice problem to have... also according to Gamble, redshirt sophomore Adrian Thomas is showing great signs after coming back from his second season-ending injury in a row. He said Thomas has shown better shooting touch than he's ever seen from him and demonstrating consistency hitting three-pointers.... Jack McClinton, meanwhile, shined yet again at another basketball camp -- this time LeBron James' camp in Ohio. The All-ACC First Team selection was supposedly praised so much by All-Star Chris Paul earlier this summer at Paul's camp that Paul insisted on calling Haith afterward to tell him how impressed he was with McClinton's work ethic.

--> RECRUITING UPDATE: Among the many phone calls I fielded during my "vacation" last week was one from one of my buddies over at The U, who breathlessly told me to expect the news that the Canes had landed a commitment from Columbus defensive tackle Antwan Lowery (ranked fourth by the Herald among Dade recruits). The call never came and when I tried to reach Lowery later that night, his high school coach told me Lowery was going to wait until August 1st to decide between either UM or Rutgers. Lowery's older brother Antonio is a linebacker at Rutgers. But after interviewing Lowery last month, I got the sense he's going to be a Cane in the end. Miami, desperate for talented linemen (on offense or defense), could definitely use him... if Lowery commits, he'll likely be one of the few local players from Dade or Broward who end up at UM this year. Miami is no longer interested in Dade's No. 1 recruit, running back Lamar Miller and has only one Dade or Broward commitment in American defensive end Olivier Vernon (who is visiting other schools). The only other players who say UM is genuinely recruiting them are Pace defensive back Kayvon Webster, Plantation cornerback Brandon McGee and American Heritage offensive lineman Jared Wheeler. McGee has told our reporters he will announce August 11th and has the Canes in his top five.

* Alright, that's enough from me for now. I'll be back periodically this week as we in the media wait for football access. Coach Randy Shannon will speak this Thursday morning at the Florida Sports Writers Association meetings in Tampa. I'm still not sure if The Herald will be sending me or not, but Jeff Shain will be there to report for us.

Summer Check-In

With the baseball team enjoying a day off -- and me enjoying a few of my own too -- I figured I'd check in to say hello and share a few notes with you.

1. I officially feel old. I turned 30 on Saturday and had a great time. We partied at Opa -- that Greek restaurant -- on South Beach. I danced on tables with some really hot chicks. Later, we had a real nice time at a restaurant/club in the Grove called Christabell's Quarters. The place has the look and feel of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Drinks can be pricey ($7 beers?). But I still recommend it if you want to try something different in South Florida.

2. Expectations are continuing to climb for Frank Haith's basketball team. ESPN analyst Andy Katz recently moved the Canes up from 12th in his preseason rankings to 8th with this disclaimer... "The Hurricanes should be a top-10 team in the country and a top-three squad in the ACC. There really is no excuse if they're not. Jack McClinton might be one of the top guards in the nation next season. Dwayne Collins is a legit scorer in the post. The role players were all solid last season. And Miami has the experience of going to the NCAA tournament and winning a game." I'd love to think the Canes are ready to be a Top 10 team in the country. But they got to show me they have a consistent No. 2 weapon behind J-Mac first.

3. Speaking of McClinton, he reportedly balled out according to InsideTheU at Chris Paul's Backcourt Skills Camp two weekends ago. McClinton earned MVP honors among a group that featured Davidson's Stephen Curry, Florida's Nick Calathes, Boston College's Tyreese Rice and a group of about a dozen others. That's a great sign to see No. 33 not only enjoying his summer workouts, but outshining some of the other stars in college basketball. I'm hoping to catch up with Jack myself before the end of the summer. But tomorrow, I have an interview set with freshman Julian Gamble, who spent the first half of his offseason traveling with Athletes in Action in West Africa. I'll share the interview with Gamble, who is expected to play a pivotal role in the paint behind Jimmy Graham and Dwayne Collins next season, when I finish it later this week.

4. As for the football team, look for some movement on the recruiting front over the next couple of weeks. Coach Randy Shannon hosted a three-day camp over the weekend and had a number of high profile 2009 out of town recruits in town for unofficial visits to the campus (That's how they do it in college football these days). One recruit, Jacksonville Raines defensive end Lawrence Henderson, reportedly committed to UM Monday and then backtracked according to Canesport.com. Most of the guys who visited aren't anybody you've really heard of yet. But rest assured you will. I get the sense Miami coaches are really making a push out this year to nab out-of-town recruits. Truth is the 2009 class locally is not as strong as '08 was and Miami coaches are looking elsewhere to fill their primary needs at corner and along the offensive and defensive lines. I think ultimately the only local kids Miami is truly after are Killian running back Lamar Miller, Columbus defensive tackle Antwan Lowery, American defensive end Olivier Vernon and Plantation cornerback Brandon McGee. That's fine -- as long as the out-of-towners get locked in.

5. As for the remaining '08 signees who are still having issue getting into Miami with grades and test scores, look for an update my friend Barry Jackson tomorrow. BJ has news on that as well as some other eye-opening notes that have only been rumored topics on message boards up to now.

As for me, I'm supposed to be on vacation until the middle of July. And I plan to rest, relax and reinvigorate myself until then. But I'll still be around providing updates when I can. Until the next time, peace out!