Canes

"Thoughts on basketball & spring football"

Feb 24, 2010

During practice prior to the game against Virginia a University of Miami player was going through the motions when senior Duane Collins said act like you want to be here. The coaches couldn’t have been happier because they’ve been waiting 4 years for Duane to step up in the leadership department.

Collins had another monster home game against Virginia scoring 18 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.  At home against the ACC Collins is averaging 14.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal. If Miami is going to finish the season with a flurry they need Collins to continue with his vocal leadership and forceful play.

This is the time of the year when teams rise and slide generally because senior players decide they don’t want things to end so they carry a team or their content to end their careers. No doubt Miami is a long shot for the NCAA, but coaches always say, we can be the team that makes that late season run. For Miami they need Collins and James Dews to play like they don’t want it to end.

The Canes are no 4-2 against the ACC at home averaging over 70 points a game and they’ve led every game at the half. If they could ever figure out how to create a better home court advantage they would be a more dangerous team. The AA sports journal wrote Miami doesn’t care enough about basketball. Now that it’s in print you can bet every coach will use that against Miami in the recruiting wars.

There has always been an attitude if you win the fans will come. The problem is no matter who the coach is you need players and players want to play where people jam the arena. Miami needs to figure out how to create that atmosphere and it can be done. Look at baseball.

Spring football is under way and it’s disappointing that Randy Shannon still doesn’t have a contract extension. I have always been on the side of coaching because I believe in continuity.

Randy Shannon has done what they have asked him to do, recruit good character kids, graduate players and win games. I know they haven’t won the ACC or been to the ACC championship game, but they have not had the talent in place to compete for a championship of any kind. A coach might be able to will his to wins, but champions generally go to the side with the most talent.

The Canes talent is much better now than in was four years ago. I would like to see Miami find a running back that can give them the quick long touchdown run. The offense will continue to be a pro style vertical passing game with an emphasis on getting points out of the passing game.

I expect another big season from Leonard Hankerson and I’m not sure why so many are down on Aldarius Johnson. He spent most of the season playing through a painful upper extremity injury suffered in the FAMU game. I would say that upper extremity was probably in a harness for the final 8 games and painful as hell.

Miami finished last season with the defense ranked 29th and the offense 45th. Both numbers were a significant improvement over the previous season leading me to believe the Canes should see another jump on both sides of the ball this year.

I am looking forward to watching several players on defense this spring. Linebacker Shayon Green who coaches raved about last year until his knee injury, cornerback Brandon McGee who can be the fast physical corner Miami craves opposite of Brandon Harris. I am also looking forward to watching defensive ends Dyron Dye and Adawale Ojomo who could really help the pass rush opposite of Allen Bailey.

Just like last year one of the big questions will be the offensive line. There seems to be talent they just need to sort it out. I think 3 of the five will be Orlando Franklin, Ben Jones and Brandon Washington. I won’t be surprised if Jermaine Johnson gets into the mix or incoming freshman Brandon Lindner.