Entering the fourth year of his coaching tenure at Miami University, Randy Shannon finally has a team that he feels can win the Atlantic Coast Conference. Jacory Harris will return as the team’s starting quarterback, Allen Bailey returns as the team’s speedy sack-master at defensive end, and Harris’s favorite target Leonard Hankerson is back at wide receiver. The main ingredients for a delicious ACC title run are all there.
So why are they seventh on this list? Miami’s schedule is absolutely brutal this year. Although nine wins isn’t enough for a rabid Miami fanbase, if this team can bring home nine wins again this year, it really will be a good season for Shannon’s Canes.
Miami will return seven starters on offense and nine starters on defense, making this one of the more experienced teams in the ACC. The Canes return senior running back Damien Berry who switched from defensive back to running back and averaged 6.6 yards per carry over the final seven games last season. The only true loss on offense was the loss of the Cane’s top three tight ends and the loss of three starting offensive linemen.
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Three of the four starters on the defensive line return, the only hole will be at defensive tackle, where Miami has plenty of young depth. The linebackers will be solid as long as outside linebacker Sean Spence returns to his freshman form. Finally, the defensive backs should be fine, although an increase in interceptions would help the Canes tremendously this fall.
Best Player
After two games last fall, Harris was the Heisman favorite according to the “Oh-so-knowledgeable” pundits on ESPN. However, after a rough outing in Blacksburg in week four, Harris fell off the Heisman radar. Despite the lack of late season attention, Harris still has a great season for Miami in which he threw for 24 touchdowns and over 3300 yards. This year, if Miami wants to return to their first BCS level bowl since 2002, they’ll need Harris to be even more spectacular than he was last season.
Biggest Strength
With every wide receiver on the roster returning for this 2010 campaign, it’s hard to argue against the wide receiving corps that Miami has. Hankerson, Byrd, and Benjamin aren’t likely first round NFL draft picks like some of their predecessors, but they are talented receivers that can stretch the field and score when given the opportunity. Add in Aldarius Johnson and Theron Collier and this might be the deepest group of wide receivers in the ACC.
Biggest Loss From 2009
When you lose an elite offensive tackle, it’s tough to immediately regain the stability on that side of the offensive line. Jason Fox started 47 games in his four-year career at Miami, which is good for third-most in school history. That leadership and experienced will be sorely missed this fall, especially since freshman Jermaine Johnson is the likely heir to the right tackle throne in 2010.
Biggest Weakness
Despite having adequate depth at running back, the Canes lack of a pure inside runner will cost them in a few games this fall. Damien Berry is an excellent running back but with him only acquiring 93 touches last fall, you have to wonder if he can hold up after the 200 or so he may receive this year. Greg Cooper injured his knee in Miami’s bowl game last fall and it’s unclear whether or not he can return for his senior year. The rest of the Hurricane’s running back depth is largely unproven. Mike James and Lee Chambers both saw playing time last year but neither are starting material in the ACC. True freshmen Storm Johnson made a huge impact during spring practice but having to rely on a true freshman to lead your team is never a good thing. Miami will always have talent at running back but this year, they’re going to need some of that talent to step up and produce on the field.
Best Incoming Freshman
Storm Johnson enrolled early and really blew the coaches away with his skill level and how well he’s handled the transition to college. Johnson was rated as the 7th best running back in the nation according to Rivals.com. He chose Miami over offers from Florida State, UNC, Penn State, and a handful of others. While I don’t see Johnson being an immediate impact player, if he can crack the depth chart at running back and pickup some carries this fall, he may be able to take over the starting role next year.
2010 Schedule
Since Shannon took over, the Canes haven’t been afraid to go on the road and face prestigious programs on national TV. This year will be very similar to last season’s schedule only slightly tougher (To view Miami's 2010 schedule click here.)
Miami will face Florida A&M before heading on the road for the rest of September. On September 11th, Miami will head to Ohio State, after a bye week, the Canes will head to Pittsburgh to play the Panthers on Thursday night, and on October 2nd, the Canes will finish their tour at Clemson.If the Canes can survive that stretch they will head home to face Florida State on the 9th, followed by a trip to Duke on the 16th, and a home date against UNC before finishing out at the month at UVA.
The Canes will play Maryland in Miami on the 6th of November then head to Atlanta to take on the Yellow Jackets the following week. Virginia Tech comes to town on the 20th and senior day will fall on the 27th against South Florida.
2010 Prediction
The good news is that Miami does have a good football team and is probably one of the four best teams in the ACC this year. The bad news is they have by far the hardest schedule of any team in the conference. Miami’s home schedule is winnable with both FSU and Virginia Tech heading to Sun Life stadium. However their away schedule is rough with trips to OSU, Pittsburgh, Clemson, and Georgia Tech.
The Canes are going to be a tough team to predict. Their good enough to win most of these games but there are still some question marks regarding the teams toughness and work ethic that need to be straightened out before anybody can pick this team to advance to their first ever ACC Championship game.
I have Miami finishing 7-5 but in all honesty, I think 7-5 is probably a worst case scenario for the Canes this year.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I believe this was written before Seantrel’s committment to UM so I’ll give you the Storm Johnson comment, but we have to get a few things straight…
RB is in no way shape or form Miami’s biggest weakness. I may have accepted an unproven Line Backing corps to go in to that category, but I think the overwhelming weakness of this football team is the Offensive line. It was their achilles heel last year against tough, physical defenses (UNC, VT, Wisconsin) and it will be again this year unless some of that young talent is able to mature quickly. Really quickly given their trips to OSU and Pitt.
Yes their schedule is grueling, but that is the fire that will purge this program of the weakness that built up during the Coker era. Will they beat OSU? Probably not. OSU is big and physical and it will be so early in the season I don’t believe Miami’s O-line will be able to hold up. Strangely enough, however, Miami usually plays better in the beginning part of the year and maybe can catch this OSU team napping. I am not convinced of the Buckeye offense, I just dont think they have enough weapons. Pryor will be forced to throw the ball against this improved Miami D and, frankly, Posey and Sanzenbacher aren’t that impressive. Ask Georgia tech how well a 1 dimensional offense works against Miami.
The OSU game will be telling of Miami’s future for two reasons:
1.) How good is this UM defense and how physical can they be?
2.) Can this Offensive Line protect Jacory and open up running lanes?
OSU and the Big 10 in general play tough, hardnosed football so this will be a good test for Miami’s young O-line. If they can surprise everybody and step up to give Jacory time then this game is very winnable for Miami. It will NOT be a shootout as some have predicted. A shootout would imply that OSU had a real offense and not some watered down, Tebow copy-cat surrounded by slow receivers. Either Miami blocks for Jacory and buys him time or OSU crushes our little buddy Jacory and he gets carted of fthe field in the first half. Only time will tell.
This brings me to my last point, Miami’s receiving corps. You said, “…and this might be the deepest group of wide receivers in the ACC.” Are you crazy??? MIGHT??? Top to bottom this is likely the best receiving corps in the country. Any of those receivers would likely be starting at the vast majority of programs throughout the country. If Whipple gets a little crazy and throws a few spread formations out there for some quick passes and fades, any defense in the country will be hard pressed to cover all of Miami’s slew of receivers. Teams dont keep 3rd string cornerbacks on their rosters if they can cover Aldarius Johnson and LaRon Byrd. If Jacory has time, there will be open receivers somewhere on the field. This actually makes decision making for opposing defensive coords easier as they should know they HAVE to get pressure on Jacory or they can just forfeit the game. OSU will bring the heat as will every other school this year who plays Miami simply because thats the only hope they will have.
7-5? I dont think so. I could see Miami losing to OSU, Pitt (they are actually better than people think), FSU (Ponder is ridiculous, great offense), VT (Ugh not again) and thats about it. This to me is the worst case scenario. UNC has been Miami’s curse but that wont last. They have no offense and Miami will have already faced two stout defenses in OSU and Pitt and will know what to expect from Butch and the gang. A C.J. Spiller-less Clemson is flacid and unless Nesbit discovered how to throw a football in the off season GT will get run over yet again this year. 8-4 is the worst case scenario but I wouldn’t be surprised by a 10-3. Everybody else will, but the writing is on the wall and the talent keeps coming to UM. This is just the beginnings my friends…
So, your blasting me for saying you guys are going 7-5 when you’re basically picking them to go 8-4?
I get what your saying and I knew I was going to get these comments when I wrote this article. Miami is a very good team and will be a competitor in the ACC this year but I just really have some question marks about your team. Also, I don’t buy into the “your WR’s are the best in the country remarks.” Are they very good, yes. Are they the best, no.
Also I did say at the end that 7-5 would be a worst case scenario for Miami this year. You all have a tough schedule and as an outsider, I just don’t see you guys getting to the 10 or 11 win mark without a little help. You guys are probably top to bottom the most talented team in the ACC, but I’ve said that before and you guys have gone on to squander away a chance at an ACC Championship.
I dunno, I just need to see something from Miami before I pick them to do any better than say 8-4 or 7-5.
Also I do think your underselling UNC and GT this year. With Pitt, OSU, FSU, VT, GT, UNC, Clemson, and USF on the schedule, that’s a lot of tough games. If you guys have a key injury (say Harris goes down) then that could drastically alter Miami’s season. 7-5 probably isn’t going to happen but I had to write something that will stir up some page views.
oh and FYI – Damien Berry is a manchild. He runs angry, he’s hard to take down and he quick. I hope Coop sits this year out and comes back next year 100% and we can cultivate some of the younger talent backing up Berry this year. He will get the job done provided we can give him some running lanes (once again comes back to the O-line).
I’m bookmarking this comments!!!