Four regular season games to go and Miami (16-9 overall 7-5 ACC) remains a bubble team, albeit one with a strong resume.
Coach L tells Dequan Jones to keep his bags packed for March Madness
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the ‘Canes in as a #13 seed and one of the last four in, in his latest projection. But how will all that change, based on the ‘Canes last 4 games?!?! No need to wait for ESPN, Category 6 worked all night with our science and math departments to give you this breakdown:
Joe Lunardi has nothing on the Category 6 computer.
Scenario 1: Miami runs the table and finishes 11-5 in the ACC. Our computers returned a result on this scenario faster than a Devin Hester forty. 99.999% chance they get in with a seed anywhere from 7-9. Even a quick exit in the ACC tournament wouldn’t derail the ‘Canes. Only the miniscule chance that Nevin Shapiro is released from prison, and takes over the reigns as AD could leave UM out under this scenario.
Scenario 2: Miami finishes 10-6 in the ACC including a win over FSU. 98.7% chance of getting in, with only the highly unlikely circumstance they upset the committee and replace Jim Larranaga with Seth Greenberg as coach, causing their demise (sorry Virginia Tech). Likely a 9-10 seed, depending on if they do work in the ACC Tourney.
Scenario 3: Miami finishes 10-6 but loses to FSU. 93.3% chance of getting in. In this scenario UM only gets left behind if NC State defeats UNC Tuesday and beats everyone else on their schedule minus the Hurricanes. 10 seed or lower.
Scenario 4: Miami finishes 9-7 and beats FSU. 74.4% chance of getting in. Again the odds go up if NC State fails to beat UNC, as the Wolfpack and Miami appear to be in direct competition for a bid. A win over FSU gives the ‘Canes a huge edge as it would provide a 2nd win over an RPI top 50 (Duke of course being the first).11-13 seed.
Scenario 5: Miami finishes 9-7 and loses to FSU. 44.3% Here is where things get murky. If the ‘Canes split their final four and can not defeat the Seminoles, they are at the committee’s mercy. They can still improve their chances with a strong showing in the ACC Tourney, but this scenario defines “bubble”. 13 seed if they get in.
Scenario 6: Miami finishes 8-8 in the ACC, 21.2 %. Barring a big time run in Atlanta (ACC tournament championship appearance), the ‘Canes are headed to the NIT. Forget seeding, just lucky to be considered at this point.
Durand, we are just as confused as you when it comes to the science of selecting the field of 68.
Note: When we tried to enter data for the ‘Canes losing each of their 4 remaining games, the computer went into power save mode and displayed a screen saver of random fans throwing up a “U”. Our technical department is investigating this anomaly.
Keep an eye out for more from our science and math departments as we fill their glasses with Red Bull and keep them from the light of day.
Coming off a monumental win at Cameron over Duke ‘Canes fans wondered if the next match-up was the definition of a “trap game”. It had all the ingredients of a let-down in the making. VT has been struggling this season getting wins, but they’ve played some of the better ACC teams tough. Miami had the momentum and used it early and often on their way to a 65-49 drubbing of the Hokies. The win also moved Miami to 6-3 in the ACC with 7 games to play.
Just before tip-off . . .
Coach Larranaga had his squad ready to play and the Hurricanes coasted to an easy win. The ‘Canes used a balance attack to systematically wear-down the Hokies. Miami didn’t go away from their big match-up advantages and utilized Reggie Johnson (15pts, 7reb, 4ast, 1blk) and Kenny Kadji (11pts, 4reb, 3blk) effectively in building a 8 point halftime lead.
Trey McKinney Jones (7pts, 3reb) and Rion Brown (8pts, 3reb, 1stl) both played with energy and really stretched the floor for the ‘Canes and finished breaks with athletic dunks. DeQuan Jones (4pts, 2reb, 1stl, 3blk) played great defense and continues to focus on being opportunistic on offense.
Coach Larranaga has some final words for the team in the waning moments of the win over VT.
Again, one of the hallmarks of ‘Canes victories this year is the assist/turnover differential. Against VT, the ‘Canes dished out 13 assists and only turned the ball over 9 times. There is no question that the approach Coach Larranaga has brought to the Hurricanes is already paying dividends in a variety of areas.
But there is also little doubt that the emergence of true freshman point guard Shane Larkin (14pts, 2reb, 4ast, 1stl) has really solidified the ‘Canes offense. Larkin was all over the court (as usual) and was deadly from behind the arc. Larkin is also a calming influence on the Hurricanes, even with his frenetic style of play. I’ve heard a rumor that Larkin was just a so-so athlete before he arrived at the U. There was something about an accident in his chemistry class. Someone made a mock trailer for his story . . .
Durand Scott and Malcom Grant both struggled from the floor but contributed in other ways. Scott hit the glass and Grant found teammates for open looks. It’s never good when two of your best offensive players can’t find the range, but it’s also a testament to how far this team has come. The ‘Canes are deep and can cover for each other on a day when the shots just aren’t falling.
This game wasn’t a sterling display of basketball, but it was evident that Miami had more talent and experience than a very young Virginia Tech team. They seemed to coast to a lopsided victory. There was a brief moment where VT cut the lead to 5 in the 2nd half, but there wasn’t an ominous feeling. On the next possession McKinney Jones nailed a three and the Hokies seemed to be looking for a way out of the BUC.
Offensive Player of the Game: Reggie Johnson continued his torrid week. After feasting on the Plumlee brothers Miami’s marshmellow-handed center played with energy and intensity. He even hit a 3 which drew some rousing cheers. No offense Reg, but your 3-pt form looks like what I’d imagine a giant would look like throwing stones at a village nestled in a canyon below. Since I couldn’t find that on the interwebs . . .
Defensive Player of the Game: This was a team effort, but Kenny Kadji had a ridiculous block. I’m shocked the ball didn’t fuse with the backboard somehow.
Player of the Game: Reggie Johnson takes it by a nose in a team-effort.
The Good: The ‘Canes won and didn’t have to sweat all that much.
The Bad: Too many empty seats at the BUC. There was a decent student turnout – and they were plenty noisy – but we need more foot-soldiers from the campus. We especially need more support from alumni and the community.
Sebastian leads the student section battlecries!
The Ugly: The post I’m going to pen discussing the volume of empty seats at the BUC.
Next Game: The ‘Canes venture to Tallahassee on Saturday to take on the Seminoles of FSU @ 1pm.
(Editor’s note: Special thanks to Chicagomaroon of www.gobblercountry.com/ for working on this preview with us and providing advanced scouting on Virginia Tech)
Coming off of one of the most exhilarating victories in school history at Duke, The Miami Hurricanes return to action Thursday (9pm EST TBA/ESPN3) against struggling Virginia Tech at the BUC. Reggie Johnson out muscled the Blue Devils all day long on his way to a career high 27 points and 12 boards on Sunday. Fellow big man Kenny Kadji chipped in with 15 and 8, as Duke had no answers for the ‘Canes inside players. In the Hokies, UM will face a perimeter oriented team that is better than its 2-6 conference mark. Virginia Tech has lost 5 of its 6 ACC battles by 4 points or less. Much like last year’s UM team they have struggled to close out close games, but have been ultra competitive. If Miami hopes to avoid a letdown they will need to keep guards Erick Green (15.7 ppg) and Dorenzo Hudson (11.4 ppg) under control.
Reggie Johnson played with passion on Sunday against Duke.
Projected Starting Lineups:
Miami
C Reggie Johnson 6’10 300 JR
F Kenny Kadji 6’11 260 SO
G Shane Larkin 5’11 160 FR
G Malcolm Grant 6’1 188 SR
G Durand Scott 6’4 198 JR
Virginia Tech
F Victor Davila 6’8 245 SR
F Dorian Finney-Smith 6’8 192 FR
F Jarell Eddie 6’7 209 SO
G Marquis Rankin 6’1 165 FR
G Erick Green 6’4 185 JR
Keys to the Game: Do not bask in the glory of conquering Duke. Nothing will get you beaten quicker in this league then not showing up to play. Virginia Tech may be struggling but if Hudson and Green go off, it can be a long night for Miami. Additionally Finney-Smith is a big time talent who has had a rough freshman year. It would not be inconceivable for him to have a big game. Ever since the loss to NC State, Jim Larranaga has had the full attention of the team, so we do not expect a letdown, but anything is possible on any given night in the ACC.
Keep getting the ball inside. The Hokies would like nothing more then to watch UM launch a series of ill-advised threes. And while the ‘Canes are capable of shooting the ball well, the most efficient way for them to win is via Kadji and Johnson. Like most of the conference, the Hokies do not have the size or skill upfront to match-up with the ‘Canes big men.
Trying to guard Big Reg can be a hazardous chore.
Best Match-up:Victor Davila VS Reggie Johnson. Big Reg has a definite size advantage here, but the 6’8 245 Davila too likes to bang inside. With Va Tech loaded with small forward types, it would appear as if he will draw the unenviable assignment of checking big # 42. We wish him luck.
Va Tech's Victor Davila finishes with power.
Prediction: When the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” US Olympic Hockey team defeated the Russians they had one game left for the gold. In that game they fell behind early 2-0 to Finland before fiery Coach Herb Brooks fired them up by saying “ if you [mess] up here, it will be with you for the rest of your life.”
Well for the sake of Miami Men’s basketball Virginia Tech is Finland. Like the Americans in Lake Placid, Miami will follow-up their biggest win ever with another win. The prize may not be a gold medal, but it will take them one step closer to the NCAA Tournament. The ‘Canes roll 74-68.
Here is our full Q&A with Chicagomaroon of Gobbler Country:
C6: Virginia Tech is similar to the Miami team of last year in that they’ve lost a lot of close games. What are the reasons that VT hasn’t been able to close out some of those games? Do you think VT is improving?
GC: Looking back at the 2010-11 Miami team, I realized there were a LOT of similarities. In fact at this point of the season their records are almost identical. Both teams were shown some love in the pre-season (I know Miami was picked 8th, but analysts from around the country mentioned them as a sleeper team), especially considering the ‘Canes finished 12th in 2009-10 and the Hokies lost their top-3 players from 2010-11. I equate that to getting love a year too early. The ‘Canes played their way into that recognition with their performance at the 2010 ACC Tournament and the Hokies got it because of their 2011 recruiting class. Now look at the ‘Canes THIS year. That’s where the Hokies want to be next year.
However, back to this year: There are several reasons they are losing the close games. They don’t take care of the ball throughout the game. They don’t box out on the defensive end. They are too reliant on the 3-point shot (often bad ones). They don’t have any flow on offense and they seem to be running isolation instead of sets. These are all things that can be attributed to why Tech has struggled to win close games. But the thing I think is reason numero uno is the holes they put themselves into early in games. We’ve only held leads at half in three games in 2012. We have started the game off slow in almost every game in recent memory except against Clemson. For instance we started 0-17 against BYU at home (not kidding). When you have that big of a hole to climb out of it’s hard to win against anyone. While I think the Hokies are improving, it’s hard to tell. Every time you think they turn the corner they revert to their old habits and do something that calls that into doubt. So I really don’t have a definite answer on that one yet. Get back to me in a few games.
C6:We know that Dorenzo Hudson and Erick Green can score in bunches, what other players should ‘Canes fans worry about and who has been disappointing this year?
GC: Two players the ‘Canes should be worried about are Jarell Eddie and Victor Davila. Eddie is among the leaders in the ACC in 3-point percentage. He can be invisible at times, but when he is getting shots he can get all kinds of en fuego. That said, his shot selection is an issue and he can also be the guy who goes 0-5 from deep (I think he had that line against Duke). As for Davila, I’m going to go ahead and tell you he’s the answer to both parts of this question. He has been a bit of a disappointment this year because as our most senior post player, we thought he would be a HUGE impact player on this team. However, he has once again been just a role player. His average isn’t really up and his rebounding is down despite being the only true post player on the floor when he’s out there. BUT, to his defense, he NEVER gets fed in the post. He’s only a back-to-the-basket type of player. He has no mid-range game. So if you don’t give him touches, he’s not going to get any points. The games in which he’s done well (BC, Maryland, Duke) he’s gotten touches. But in the games this year where he does not have 5 shot attempts, he hasn’t scored in double figures. He’s incredibly efficient down low with his hook shot, so if he’s on Tech should feed him.
C6: You mentioned that VT is weak inside. With Miami’s strength being inside play in mammoth-center Reggie Johnson and do-it-all PF Kenny Kadji, how do you see VT’s front court matching-up?
GC: This may come back to bite me but I think Tech may have the most success defending Kadji of any of the ACC schools. Tech employs two tweeners (oh who am I kidding? They’re 3′s not 4′s) at the PF position in Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarell Eddie. While they will bring Cadarian Raines and Barksdale off the bench, Raines is almost exclusively a center and Barksdale doesn’t average much more than 10 mins a game. So unless Kadji decides to go to the low block all game then he won’t be taking advantage of his biggest asset against Tech: his size. If I were Larranaga I would demand both players to post on every possession. If Kadji goes to the perimeter, he may find getting good shots a bit more difficult. As for Johnson, he’s going to get his against the Hokies and I’m really worried. I love his game.
C6:What do you think Miami has to do to make the NCAA tournament? Also, what are your expectations going forward for the Hokies? Many fans, including ‘Canes fans think that VT got jobbed by the NCAA selection committee over the last 3-4 years. One year when VT was 11-5 in the ACC and didn’t make it was particularly horrific. As a VT fan, how do you deal with such disappointment based on factors outside of actual basketball? Do you think Miami is headed for a similar Titanic-like disaster come Selection Sunday?
GC: I think the ‘Canes are looking good right now, but as you mentioned cracking the Selection Committee’s formula for the last few years has been difficult. I DO think the ‘Canes need 10 wins in conference. I could see them getting in with 9 if one of those wins was over UNC, but that would also probably require getting to the ACC semi’s. The RPI is good, but a lot of things can happen still. If the ‘Canes win 11 they should be feeling pretty good, but as you mentioned, Tech was 23-7 (10-6) in 2009-10 entering the ACC tournament and got left at the altar, so that tells you how they feel about the ACC. As for the continual letdowns of the NCAA Selection Committee I try not to worry about it too much. I actually laughed with my friends a year ago as we watched the show because we knew it was going to happen. What else can you do? We were a sure-fire tournament team in 2007-08 and 2009-10 and a fringe team in 08-09 and last year. I can accept that we weren’t tournament worthy a year ago, but I can’t stomach an argument for UAB or VCU’s inclusion a year ago (even with VCU’s run, the selection process is supposed to be what qualifies you to be there, not what you CAN do if you’re admitted and everyone doubts you) OVER the Hokies. As long as the majority of people know what the truth is and the media clamors for Selection Committee reform and rips them for not including teams that deserve to go I can’t ask for much more. In one way, experiencing those letdowns on multiple occasions makes it a little easier to cope with, but that pill is bitter no matter how many times you have to swallow it. I’m hoping you guys never have to go through that.
Prediction: 75-66 Miami
Thanks again to Chicagomaroon with Gobbler Country, Please check out our answers to his questions here:
Before we go forward it is sometimes necessary to take a quick glance back. You know, like when you’re struggling to get over to the left lane on the 836 to head north on 95 (or whatever dreadful highway is in the city you reside) and you’ve got to look or it could be smash-up city. Before Johnson’s injury healed, before the suspension was revoked, and before anyone knew anything tangible about Kenny Kadji, Shane Larkin and Trey McKinney Jones, Category 6 was sticking its neck out and made some bold predictions. Let’s see how some of them stack up as we are now halfway through the ACC basketball slate. Miami sits at 14-7 (5-3).
“I expect Miami to lose a few of the early season out of conference games, but finish strong. 20-9 overall and 10-6 & third place in the ACC seems very reasonable with this squad. From there I’d expect about a #5 seed in the NCAA tournament and a sweet 16 run, maybe more if this team clicks.” – Jerry, Nov. 2nd, 2011.
With Julian Gamble out for the season and until Big Reg gets back, Kadji is the man down low. Kadji sees himself as a Lamar Odom type with versatility to do it all. But early on the Canes need him to do the dirty work, set good screens, rebound, and block shots. Kadji may end up being one of the most talented guys on the roster, but with UM short handed up front, they need him to maximize all of his 6’11 frame. - Jerry, Nov. 2nd, 2012
Pretty spot on so far. It seems we’ve entered the domain of the “clicking point”. Miami has won 4 of its last 5 games and is on an absolute tear. After downing Duke at Cameron, Miami is poised to make some more noise as ACC play continues. Right now Miami is sitting pretty at 14-7 (5-3) with 8 games left. Kadji has been a revelation on both ends of the floor and as one of the emotional leaders on the ‘Canes.
Miami Hurricanes Rankings:
AP Poll
NR
RPI
#37
SOS
#33
SOS Projected
#34
The chart above references RPI and SOS. The closer to #1 the better for a ticket to the dance.
RPI: The RPI (Rating Percentage Index) is a measure of strength of schedule and how a team does against that schedule. Created in 1981, the RPI is a tool used in selecting and seeding the 68 teams for the NCAA Men’s basketball Division I tournament. RPI data includes games against Division I schools only.
SOS: The SOS (Strength of Schedule) is similar to the RPI. The numbers are consistent from each computer model.
Tennessee Tech 16-9 (8-4), 2nd place in the Ohio Valley Conference: Miami took the home opener with a 69-58 win over Tech. Trey McKinney Jones and Erik Swoope asserted themselves on both ends of the floor to give the undermanned ‘Canes their first victory of the season. 1-0
Rutgers 12-12 (4-7), 10th place in the Big East Conference: At the time the 72-57 win looked more impressive statistically. Rutgers had been playing well while missing big-time freshman Kadeem Jack. Shane Larkin played in his first game and Kadji had his first solid game for the ‘Canes. K2 was 0-1 from 3-point range in that contest. I’m sure the sight of the ‘Canes only big man launching a three caused some worry for ‘Canes fans early . . . but we now know that Kadji has a great stroke from beyond the arc. Note: he was 4-5 from long-range against Duke. 2-0
North Florida 12-13 (6-6), 6th place in the Atlantic Sun Conference: Miami’s 75-62 drubbing of the Ospreys looked more lopsided on paper than it actually was. The ‘Canes struggled in this game and let a huge 18-point 2nd half lead dwindle to 6 before finally putting North Florida away. At this point the mantra was that the team would be different when Reggie Johnson returned from injury. At this point it was certain DeQuan Jones would miss the entire season. Now both points seem moot. 3-0
Florida Gulf Coast 12-11 (7-5), 4th place in the Atlantic Sun Conference: Miami struggled with another inferior team. Still, the 60-50 win was the team’s 4th in a row. Malcolm Grant was money from the line and his ability to get to the line late sealed the win for the ‘Canes. 4-0
@Mississippi 14-8 (4-4), 5th place in the SEC: Miami lost this one 61-64 in overtime. Malcolm Grant had another big game and tried to keep the ‘Canes in it, but eventually the Hurricanes fell. Trey McKinney Jones also came up big. This is one of those games you look at now and can’t help but think the full complement of ‘Canes would have pulled out the win. The Category 6 mantra was to wait until Reggie Johnson was back before passing judgment on the team. 4-1
@Purdue (15-8) 5-5, 5th place in the Big Ten: This is another game where Big Reggie could have made a big difference as Miami was brutalized inside by Purdue and fell 65-76. Kenny Kadji only played 2 ineffective minutes before Coach Larranaga pulled him from the game and he didn’t return. The reason I bring this up is that it seemed to be a turning point for Kadji who is playing like one of the best big men in the ACC – if not the country. One of the best things about this game for Category 6 was working with T-Mill over at www.hammerandrails.com. He’s a Boilermaker married to a ‘Cane, so he’s a ‘Cane fan as long as they’re not playing Purdue. 4-2
UMASS 17-6 (6-3), 2nd place in the Atlantic 10: As it stands, the thrilling 83-75 win over UMASS served two purposes: 1) it remains Miami’s strongest out of conference win of the season; 2) it was the game where we saw a nice glimpse of the player Kenny Kadji was going to become over the next several weeks. Kadji had a massive block on one end that buried any hopes of a UMASS comeback and then K2 dunked on the other end with authority. 5-2
Memphis 16-7 (6-2), 3rd place in Conference USA: This game was an unmitigated disaster as the ‘Canes were thumped 71-54. It reminded me of watching clips of the NBA jam video game. Will Barton put on a dunking clinic the way Oscar De La Hoya believed he put on a boxing clinic against Felix Trinidad all those years back. Again, we try to have fun with the losses, so check out the recap here5-3
@West Virginia 16-8 (6-5), 8th place in the Big East: This game fell apart in a hurry as the ‘Canes were “trucked” by Darryl Bryant in a 66-77 loss. ‘Canes fans were concerned about Coach Larranaga’s inaugural season turning into a montage of terrible and crawly nightmares. The post-game recap was really funny; read it here5-4
Florida Atlantic 9-14 (5-5), 2nd place in the Sun Belt Conference –East: This game marked the real “beginning” of the season as the ‘Canes took it 93-90 in OT. Miami had been beaten-up inside in all their losses but had reason to celebrate: Reggie Johnson was back from injury and played a strong 36 minutes. His return sparked the ‘Canes as the inside/outside game went into high gear. Kadji’s 21pts started a string of incredible games that is still rolling along. 6-4
Charlotte 11-11 (3-6), 10th place in the Atlantic 10: Miami downed Charlotte 76-61 and continued to shoot the ball well with Johnson back in the lineup and his return also seemed to open things up for Kadji who finished with 18pts, 10reb, and 2blks. 7-4
Appalachian State 9-13 (5-7), 4th place in the Southern Conference – North: Miami clobbered Appalachian State 84-54. It was the basketball equivalent of the worst, most horrifying scenes from the movie Deliverance. 8-4
UNCG 9-15 (7-5), 2nd place in the Southern Conference – North: In a tough, high-scoring game Miami prevailed 99-89. Kadji went ballistic with 30pts, 12reb, and 2blks and it was enough to help counter the ridiculous effort by UNCG’s Trevis Simpson. 9-4
@Virginia 18-4 (5-3), 5th place in the ACC: Miami lost a close one 51-52 and had a chance to win the game on the last possession of the contest. This was a devastating loss at the time because Miami was a more talented team. Still, Mike Scott was quite a beast and will be playing in the NBA next season. 9-5
@North Carolina 20-3 (7-1), 1st place in the ACC: Miami was pummeled 56-73 by the Tar Heels. The ‘Canes were demolished on the boards. Category 6 snuck into the ACC Headquarters on a covert operation and burned the master copies of the game film. 9-6
Clemson 11-11 (3-5), 7th place in the ACC: Miami downed Clemson 76-73 to secure their first ACC win of the season. The ‘Canes won a close one in one of the worst officiated games of all time. The recap is good for a laugh if you haven’t read it. Check it out here. 10-6
N.C. State 17-7 (6-3), 4th place in the ACC: Miami shot 2-20 from beyond the arc in a 73-78 loss to N.C. State. This game may have been a turning point in the season. Coach Larranaga took off the kid’s gloves in the press conference and the team has rallied since. 10-7
@Georgia Tech 9-14 (2-7), 10th place in the ACC: Miami steamrolled Georgia Tech 64-49. Kadji and Grant went nuts pacing the ‘Canes to . . . gasp . . . an easy road win in the ACC! 11-7
@ Boston College 7-16 (2-7), 10th place in the ACC: Miami relied on a 2nd half run to obliterate Boston College 74-54. 2nd ACC road win in a row. 12-7
Maryland 13-9 (3-5), 7th place in the ACC: Miami needed double OT to de-shell the Terps 90-86. In what one of the announcers called “one of the most exciting games in ACC history” Miami was without Kadji, who had sustained a concussion during practice earlier in the week. The game was filled with ups-and-downs and a ridiculous amount of foul disqualifications, technical fouls, and the ejection of Maryland’s coach. DeQuan Jones played center for the end of the 2nd half and both overtimes. 13-7
@Duke 19-4 (6-2), 3rd place in the ACC: Miami had its first signature win of the season – and one of the greatest wins in program history – by extinguishing the Blue Devils 78-74 in OT. It was a game that aged ‘Canes fans several years due to pure emotional force unraveling the telomeres that act as governors of the aging process. Sorry to wax scientific here; the game was metaphysical for the ‘Canes fam. 14-7
Special thanks to http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/signingday/ for providing live coverage of today’s events. Today is the most exciting day in college football!!! It’s like Christmas for coaches and fans.
Loving the enthusiasm today of Cane Nation!!! Twitter and Facebook are blowing up with Canes fans.
Here are some random thoughts and updates as they occur:
By 9am EST Randy “Duke” Johnson, Danny Isadora, & Deon Bush had all faxed in their LOIs. No surprises here, as all three had verbally committed. But worth mentioning the top all-purpose back in the country (think Reggie Bush with power), a road-grading guard to make a path for him, and a play-making defensive back could all be cornerstones of monster class.
Early enrollees: The big news here is quarterbacks Preston Dewey and Gray Crow arrived in time for the spring semester. While we fully expect either Stephen Morris or Ryan Williams to emerge as the starter, both guys give themselves a better chance to play early on by enrolling early. Dewey appears to have the bigger arm and the higher upside. Linebacker Raphael Kirby is also on campus. I can’t help but to compare him to Sean Spence after watching his highlight reels. Also on campus are offensive lineman Taylor Gadbois and Erick Flowers along with corner Ladarius Gunter (JUCO transfer), and linebacker Josh Witt.
QB Preston Dewey could be a key to the class.
Sleeper Alert: I am hearing nice things about defensive end Jake O’Donnell, a 3 star prospect from Pennsylvania. At 6’6 233 he runs a 4.6 forty. Once he fills out he could be a strong run stuffer as well as a nice pass rusher.
9:52 AMTracy Howard is coming to the U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Best corner in the nation makes signing day even sweeter!! This kid might play right away. The U nation is erupting right now!!!!!
Welcome to the U, Tracy Howard!!!
10:02 am:Reggie Northrup to FSU. A bit disappointing, but with Kirby in the mix and some of the other young linebackers on the roster, UM should be fine. Also LB Josh Harvey-Clemons to UGA, no surprise there either.
10:07 am: #1 DT Eddie Goldman to FSU. Our bitter rivals are putting together a nice class as well. FSU war room erupts on ESPNU.
Another huge piece in this year’s class is Tyriq McCord. The 4 star defensive end from Tampa is rated as the #7 DE in the nation. He could pair nicely with Anthony Chickillo over the next few years. 6’5 250 pound Jelani Hamilton from powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas also figures prominently.
Future UM stars Tyriq MCord and Deon Bush flash the U
10:17 AM: All World WR Dorial Green-Beckham announces he will attend Mizzou!!! Big Surprise. He is already drawing raves and being compared to Calvin Johnson. With Missouri headed to the SEC they just got a major piece to compete with the Alabamas and LSUs.
(Josh asks did Haith recruit him? LOL)
Breaking down the WRS:Angelo Louis-Jean has the highest upside. If he can get his academics in order, he might play immediately. He’s a burner with good hands and superior athleticism. Malcom Lewis (from Miramar, same school as Tracy Howard) could be a Steve Breaston type. He’s shifty as well as sure handed and may be a punt returner as well down the line. He also has the experience of making a bunch of clutch catches in the state playoffs. D’Mauri Jones is 6’4 red zone threat, who could step in to the void left by Tommy Streeter. Herb Waters is a 3 star guy who may be a project early on. Rayshawn Jenkins may end up at DB, but is another good athlete. The sleeper of the group might be Robert Lockhart, a 6’2 do it all type from Fort Union Military Academy in VA, who will come in more mature then your average freshman. Jontavious Carter is another talented kid in the mix. Louis-Jean and Lewis look like future starters, but overall a very deep and potentially special group.
10:45 am: Will Avery Young come to the U???? The 4 star O Lineman would be another nice pickup. Alabama proved that National Championships start up front. Fingers crossed here!!
Sleeper Alert Part 2: Watching some highlights of RB Danny Dilliard may not make you forget Duke, but he looks like a load. Already 210, he should get bigger and provide a “smash” to Johnson’s “dash”.
11:04 AM: Miami adds DT Dequan Ivery 6’4 310, originally a Louisville commitment. Ivery is a 3 star prospect who adds depth to the D line. Ivery looks to be a run stuffer. A nice steal by Golden and Co.
(Jerry wonders, Can he dunk like Dequan Jones?)
My top 5 UM recruits:
1) RB Randy “Duke” Johnson
2) CB Tracy Howard
3) DB Deon Bush
4) WRs Angelo Louis-Jean/Malcolm Lewis
5) LB Raphael Kirby
Another steal: 4 star DB Antonio Crawford and his 4.4 speed are headed to UM. Crawford was a verbal commit to Georgia Tech. Along with Larry Hope, Vernon Davis, and of course Howard, Crawford adds to Miami’s very deep class of DBs. Are the days of Sean Taylor, Antrel Rolle, & Ed Reed returning?
Rumor has it, 3 star MLB Jawand Blue has switched commits from VA Tech to UM. Coach Beamer must be steaming!!! Al Golden is a closer!!!
1:40 EST:Andrus Peat declares for Stanford, phew. Was worried he’d go to FSU. The massive offensive lineman is a steal for the Cardinal!!
2PM EST: Avery Young announces he will be attending Auburn. War Eagle it is.
At this point all of the major announcements affecting Miami are through. We will do a full write-up on the class in the next few days for those interested. What an exciting day so far!!!! The big news being the addition of Tracy Howard. Congratulations to all the newest ‘Canes and Al Golden and staff.
Don’t forget this evening’s signing day party at the BUC, leading up to Miami’s critical home Men’s Basketball game against Maryland starting at 8pm EST. Go ‘Canes!!!!!
Editor’s Note: Thanks to hokieguru for setting the panel up and the other ACC bloggers for participating on the last few eves before ACC basketball conference play. We’re only a handful of hours until the Miami Hurricanes hoops team takes on the Virginia Cavaliers. ACC play will rage on all day and give us some solid flooring under some of the speculation.
Through 13 games this year, Graham has 80 catches 1101 yards and 8 touchdowns.
In 152 of 153 weeks a Miami Hurricane has scored a touchdown in the NFL, including the remarkable recently broken streak of 149 in a row. Superstars like Clinton Portis, Andre Johnson, Ed Reed, and Devin Hester highlight the list. UM is after all “NFL U”. But in 2011 one ‘Cane has shined the brightest. Jimmy Graham is the best tight end in the NFL right now.
Back in 2007-08 UM’s hoops team was a scrappy bunch. Jack McClinton was the unquestioned star. Anthony King provided the inside punch, James Dews was
Sometimes a scream says 10,000 words.
McClinton’s sweet-shooting side kick, and Dwayne Collins was king of the thunderous dunk. They ended up being the last Miami team to make the NCAA Tournament, bowing out to a tough Texas team in the second round. Perhaps the least skilled but most fiery member of that team was a 6’8 250 hulk of a power forward named Jimmy Graham. He only averaged 4 points a game and 6 rebounds and was ALWAYS in foul trouble. When the guards dumped the ball down to him in the low post, my usual reaction was “no. no. no!” But the kid played with heart. He set bone crushing screens, played great D when he wasn’t fouling, and quite frankly his primal screams after big dunks seemed to scare the other team and fire up the ‘Canes.
Below are some of the team’s highlights. Graham stars with a big block at 2:24, an incredible in-bounds save at 4:21, 7:03-7:13 well that speaks for itself, and 8:51-8:55 are exclamation points!
I can remember when I first heard that Jimmy Graham was going out for UM’s football team. I thought it might be a cool way for the basketball team to get some much deserved publicity, but thought little else of it. He scored a few touchdowns and looked real good at times, but I mostly remember his heart breaking drops in the Virginia Tech game. As a diehard basketball junkie, I rooted harder for him then anyone. He finished his lone year on the college gridiron with 17 catches 213 yards and 5 touchdowns. Not bad considering it was his first football action since 8th grade.
Did I think Graham was on his way to NFL stardom? I absolutely did not. Do I think it is the coolest thing ever? That’d be an understatement. So while the University of Miami is and always will be unequivocally a football school, I encourage fans to take a closer look at the basketball program. You just might see Drew Brees’ future favorite target, or something else really cool.
