CFN: Miami Preview

[Brad]

By Pete Fiutak

The standards are set just a wee bit higher at "The U." Nine win seasons and Peach Bowl victories are nice for some, but this place has a different attitude: win a championship or the season is a failure. Not only did Miami blow a chance to win the ACC title at home in the stunning 16-10 loss to Virginia Tech, it has now seen the honor of being "the nation's best program" handed over to USC.

How bad have things gotten for Miami? It's now a fringe top-ten team in the eyes of some. That's right; underestimate the Canes. This is one of the nation's best defenses with a back seven to die for. The offense has the potential to be more explosive than it was last year if Kyle Wright becomes the quarterback everyone has expected him to be. In other words, Miami should be slightly better than it was last year. A slightly better Miami wins the ACC title.

So with the expectations as high as always from the demanding Cane fans, that makes this sort of a make or break season. Once again, nine-win seasons are no reason to get into a panic, but another year without a conference title might send the program screaming that something has to be done to get back to a national title level. That might be unrealistic in most places, but not for Miami and not for a team that has at least ten future NFL starters. In other words, it's BCS or bust.

The Schedule: It's a fascinating schedule of ebbs and flows. The beginning is a killer at Florida State, at Clemson and Colorado. If the Canes come out of that 3-0, they'll get through the squishy midsection and be 6-0 before a defensive slugfest against Georgia Tech. A win there means an 8-0 start before a battle at Virginia Tech. As good as Miami is, there's no reason to shoot for anything less than 10-1.

Best Offensive Player: Senior OT Eric Winston. A blown out knee shortened Winston's 2004 and kept him from leaving early to be a top 15 draft pick. Now he's back and has to prove his knee is 100%. If he's back to normal, he'll be everyone's All-American.

Best Defensive Players: Senior DT Orien Harris. At least it has to be. There are several other players who could end up being the defensive star on a given day, but Harris has to be tremendous for the run defense to be better and for the the rest of the line to shine.

Key player to a successful season: Sophomore QB Kyle Wright and/or redshirt freshman QB Kirby Freeman. Brock Berlin wasn't out-of-this-world, but he had a good two years and was clutch when he had to be. Wright and Freeman have to crank the offense up another level.

The season will be a success if ... Miami wins the ACC title. A loss in the mix is acceptable, but the team is too good not to win the league title and get back to the BCS.

Key game: November 5th at Virginia Tech. Of course the season opener at Florida State is big, but the Canes can lose and still win the ACC title and can still be in the mix for the Rose Bowl by running the table. A loss at Virginia Tech probably means they don't win the Coastal Division.

2004 Fun Stats:

- First quarter scoring: Miami 118 - Opponents 33

- Average yards per carry: Opponents 3.8 - Miami 3.7

- Penalties: Miami 95 for 736 yards - Opponents 69 for 584 yards

Basically ... The Cane offense is long on great prospects, but short on proven production. Unlike last year when the attack relied on experience over potential, players like QB Kyle Wright, RB Tyrone Moss and WR Lance Leggett have more excitement around them and have more NFL potential than their predecessors. Moss and Leggett have given a glimpse of what they can do, but Wright, or Kirby Freeman, has to show the maturity and poise to handle one of college football's most glamorous and highly scrutinized positions. The offensive line will be more than solid, but it needs Eric Winston and Tyler McMeans to return to pre-injury form.

Star of the offense: Senior OT Eric Winston

Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore QB Kyle Wright or Redshirt freshman QB Kirby Freeman

Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore WR Lance Leggett

Best pro prospect: Winston

Top three all-star candidates: 1) Winston, 2) Leggett, 3) RB Tyrone Moss

Strength of the offense: Receiver, all-around athleticism

Weakness of the offense: Quarterback experience

Quarterbacks

Only at Miami could a quarterback who was a win against Virginia Tech away from being the ACC Player of the Year be replaced by someone with twice as much talent. The Kyle Wright-Kirby Freeman battle for the starting spot is a non-issue if Wright plays lights out this off-season. Freeman has the talent to be the starter, but Wright has something special to be a first-pick-in-the-draft type of player. Miami's offense will move with either one. All that's missing is experience.

Player to keep an eye on: Kirby Freeman, RFr. ... Quarterback Rating: 7.5

Projected Starter

- Kyle Wright, Soph. - 2003's top recruit is ready to become the next, great Miami quarterback. Many Cane fans were calling for Wright to replace Brock Berlin the last two years, but the 6-5 star-in-waiting had to spend his time as the number three man. He saw a little bit of action competing five of nine passes for 30 yards against Louisiana Tech and Georgia Tech, but then sat out the rest of the season with a sprained ankle. He has the arm, the size and the talent, but he also has a ton of hype and plenty of expectations to deal with.

Top Backups

- Kirby Freeman, RFr. - It takes a certain attitude to not be afraid of going to a place that has one of the nation's top recruits waiting in the wings to take over. Freeman is a big passer who tore up the scout team last year. He has the skills to take over the starting job if Kyle Wright is anything less than perfect.

- Trey Burklin, RFr. - Strictly a scout team quarterback, Burklin is the number three man in the mix unless absolute disaster strikes. He'll get his chance in practice, but the 6-3, 209-pound walk-on doesn't have a chance at the number two job.

Running Backs

Frank Gore was fine last year, but he wasn't the same back after the knee injuries. Tyrone Moss adds some excitement to the running game with the speed and quickness to be a big factor from day one. The fullbacks are outstanding with veteran Quadtrine Hill and big blocking James Bryant leading the way. There's a bit of a concern over the reserves and their experience with Charlie Jones and Derron Thomas needing to prove they can handle the workload when Moss needs a break.

Player to keep an eye on: FB James Bryant, Soph. ... Running back rating: 7.5

Projected Starters

- Tyrone Moss, Jr. - At 221 pounds, Moss has the size to be a workhorse and the pop that's been missing from the Miami running game since Willis McGahee left for the NFL. He's a shifty runner with tremendous breakaway speed rushing for 856 yards and 11 touchdowns in his short career. What he hasn't done yet is hit the home run with his longest run only 37 yards. Now that the starting job is his, expect a 1,200-yard, ten touchdown season.

- Fullback Quadtrine Hill, Sr. - Hill lost his starting job last year, but he still made an impact on third downs and as a powerful change-of-pace back finishing third on the team with 111 yards averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He's an excellent receiver out of the backfield and is one of the fastest fullbacks in college football. Most importantly in this offense, he can pass block.

Top Backups

- Charlie Jones, Soph. - Jones got on the field as a true freshman and ran for 25 yards and a touchdown, but he spent most of his time on special teams. He's a good cutback runner with quick moves through the hole. He won't push Tyrone Moss for the starting job, but he'll be a solid number two back.

- Derron Thomas, RFr. - At 5-9 and 185 pounds, it's all about speed and quickness, but Thomas can still run with a little bit of power. He has the potential to be a dangerous third down back if he can prove he can be a reliable receiver.

- Fullback James Bryant, Soph. - At 6-3 and 235 pounds, Bryant adds more size than Quadtrine Hill at fullback. He's expected to play a big role this year in the offense after spending his freshman season as a standout special teamer. He has all the makings of a devastating run blocker.

Receivers

The loss of Roscoe Parrish to the NFL hurts, but it won't be that painful if sophomore Lance Leggett has the breakout season expected of him and Ryan Moore plays like he did this spring coming off a foot problem. Leggett has all the skills and athleticism to blossom into a superstar, and Moore has the look of the number one target by the start of the season. Speedy Sinorice Moss is a fantastic weapon to have in the mix, while Darnell Jenkins and Akeem Jolla have enough experience to make bigger impacts this year. The key will be for someone to pick up Parrish's scoring slack as he scored eight touchdowns last year. Greg Olsen is a great tight end prospect; Buck Ortega isn't a bad backup.

Player to keep an eye on: Khalil Jones, RFr. ... Receiver rating: 8.5

Projected Starters

- Lance Leggett, Soph. - The tall, fast sophomore started in seven games as a true freshman averaging a whopping 20.5 yards per catch. The sky is the limit after showing the deep speed to be a dangerous touchdown maker and the athleticism to be deadly around the goal line. He only caught 17 passes, but he scored four touchdowns.

- Sinorice Moss, Sr. - While Sinorice isn't as good as his brother Santana, he's a game-breaker with tremendous speed. He's a flash when he gets the ball on the move averaging 17.5 yards per catch last year with three touchdowns on 20 catches. He's also a top special teams performer.

- Tight end Greg Olsen, Soph. - Olsen has all the makings of being yet another superstar Miami tight end. At 6-6 and 247 pounds, the Notre Dame transfer and long snapper has excellent hands and speed averaging 17.2 yards per catch last year as a backup. He had a few problems with a wrist injury late last year causing him to miss spring ball, but he'll be ready by the start of the season. There are no problems whatsoever with his route running as he was always open when he got a chance to practice.

Top Backups

- Ryan Moore, Jr. - Consider Moore a starter after putting on a show this spring catching everything in sight looking like an All-American. He started in 2003 and was all set to make last year his breakout season before having problems with a foot injury. Limited to six games of action, Moore made nine catches for 85 yards with two touchdowns. He's 6-3 with decent speed and great hands.

- Darnell Jenkins, Jr. - A backup for most of last year, Jenkins caught 21 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. He also returned kickoffs, but struggled only averaging 13.6 yards per return. He has great speed and is experienced enough to be more of a factor this year playing behind Sinorice Moss

- Akeem Jolla, Jr. - Yet another tall Miami split end, the 6-4 junior caught 14 passes for 123 yards and a touchdowns last year. He'll be the fifth man in the receiver rotation.

- Tight end Buck Ortega, Sr. - The former quarterback has spent most of his time on special teams and waiting his turn in the tight end rotation. At 6-5 and 224 pounds, he's big enough to be a physical blocker in the running game and has wide receiver-like hands catching eight passes for 82 yards last year.

Offensive Line

Injuries hurt the overall production of the line with the loss of Eric Winston to a knee injury the biggest blow. He's back along with four other players with significant starting experience to make this one of the ACC's better lines if it plays better than it did in spring ball when it was unable to keep the quarterbacks from getting popped. Rashad Butler and Winston form an outstanding tackle due, while Tyler McMeans has All-ACC written all over him if he can return from the knee injury that sidelined him last year. The backups are good, but a little green.

Player to keep an eye on: Cyrim Wimbs, Soph. ... Offensive line rating: 8

Projected Starters

- Tackle Eric Winston, Sr. - The good: Miami gets Winston back another year before he makes NFL millions. The bad: Miami only gets Winston back because he tore up his left knee early last year. He was on his way to becoming a sure first round draft pick with tremendous feet and strength in a 6-7, 310-pound frame before his injury. The former tight end sat out spring ball to get healthy and should be back at 100% by the start of the season.

- Guard Tony Tella, Sr. - Tella manned the left guard last year starting every game after projecting to be nothing more than a decent backup. He worked his way into a good blocker with surprising athleticism for a 6-5, 298-pound guard.

- Center Tyrone Byrd, RFr. - Versatile enough to play tackle or center, Byrd spent time this spring working in Eric Winston's spot and emerged as the rising star in the middle with no one else stepping up and taking over the job.

- Guard Tyler McMeans, Sr. - At 6-5 and 337 pounds, McMeans is the biggest player on the Hurricane line. The JUCO transfer and Marine grabbed the starting job last year and turned into a dominant run blocker before getting knocked out for the year with a knee injury.

- Tackle Rashad Butler, Sr. - Butler has been an invaluable fill-in stepping in for Eric Winston on the left side last year after missing the first few games with an ankle problem. He'll move over to the right side this year where he'll be one of the line's better pass protectors.

Top Backups

- G Derrick Morse, Soph. - Morse with thrown into the mix last year when injuries struck the line. He ended up starting six games and got better and better as the year went on turning into a punishing blocker. He'll push for time as a starting guard, but he'll likely be the first player in the rotation.

- C Alex Pou, Jr. - A decent backup guard so far, Pou will move to the middle and challenge for the starting center job. He has shown promise, but he doesn't have a lot of experience.

- T Cyrim Wimbs, Soph. - A big-time tackle prospect, the 6-5, 325-pound Wimbs will spend this year as the understudy behind Rashad Butler at right tackle. He has all the makings of a big-time player.

- C Anthony Wollschlager, Jr. - The career reserve will battle with Alex Pou for the backup center job after Tyrone Byrd took over. Wollschlager is a bit bigger and a better run blocker, but the problem is his health having problems with injuries last year. He is hardly a lock playing time after struggling this spring.

Basically ... This will be one of the best defenses in the country, if not the best. The only concern is with a run defense that was surprisingly soft last year allowing 155 yards per game. If that's tightened up, which it should be with one of Miami's best linebacking corps ever, this will be a killer with 11 players returning who started six or more games last year. That doesn't include superstar Devin Hester likely taking over the full-time job at one of the corners.  

Star of the defense: Senior DT Orien Harris

Player that has to step up and become a star: Junior DT Baraka Atkins (moving from end to tackle)

Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore FS Anthony Reddick

Best pro prospect: Junior CB/KR Devin Hester

Top three all-star candidates: 1) Harris, 2) Hester, 3) LB Rocky McIntosh

Strength of the defense: Returning experience, depth, the entire back seven.

Weakness of the defense: Proven run defense

Defensive Line

This will be one of the best lines in America thanks to Orien Harris in the middle. The NFL talent is the star the rest of the line revolves around, but there are other great players as well and all can get to the quarterback. Bryan Pata has the potential to be the line's breakout superstar at one end with offenses concentrating on Thomas Carroll on the other side. Baraka Atkins will be a devastating interior pass rusher now that he'll be a full-time tackle moved over from end. The backups are experienced and talented.

Player to keep an eye on: DT Teraz McCray, Soph. ... Defensive Line rating: 9

Projected Starters

- DE Bryan Pata, Jr. - 19 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss ...One of the potential stars of the Miami defense, the 267-pound Pata is a pass rushing menace when his motor is going full-tilt. He has excellent strength and quickness, but he has to be more consistent. He came on at the end of last year making five stops and a sack in the Peach Bowl win over Florida.

- DT Baraka Atkins, Jr. - 33 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss ... Atkins is a big end and a small tackle. At 263 pounds, he was too much for most tackles as a pass rusher and too quick for most guard when he moved to tackle for four games. He's not going to be a dominant force against the run, but he'll be a game-changer when he gets into the backfield.

- DT Orien Harris, Sr. - 55 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss ... Get the All-America campaign rolling. Harris had a huge season as a run stuffer making 39 unassisted tackles, but he's also a devastating interior pass rusher with 46 career quarterback hurries. Most importantly, the 300-pound senior is the epitome of an anchor allowing the rest of the line to go all out into the backfield. He suffered a bit of a shoulder injury this off-season, but it's nothing serious.

- DE Thomas Carroll, Sr. - 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss ... The 6-5, 235-pound senior is a rangy player with tremendous quickness off the ball. He has been a dominant pass rushing force over the last two years with 11.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and 23 quarterback hurries. He saw starting time on both the left and right sides last year and will start on the right this season.

Top Backups

- DE Javon Nanton, Sr. - 24 tackles, 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss ... The 240-pound senior is a pure pass rusher with the best speed on the line. The former walk-on is used in passing situations and has responded with 15 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and 21 quarterback hurries over the last two seasons.

- DT Kareem Brown, Jr. - 28 tackles, 1 sack, 6 tackles for loss ... At 6-5 and 301 pounds, Brown is a valuable reserve in the middle of the line used primarily as a run stopper. He'll start off behind Orien Harris on the right side, but he'll see a little bit of work on the left side in place of Baraka Atkins when more beef is needed in the middle.

- DT Teraz McCray, Soph. - 21 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss ... McCray isn't all that tall, but he has great leverage used as a very strong rock in short yardage situations. He'll play behind Baraka Atkins on the left side and will be groomed for a starting spot next year.

Linebackers

If Willie Williams is fully healthy, there have been some whispers that this could be among the deepest and most talented linebacking corps Miami has ever had. Yikes. Leon Williams and Rocky McIntosh are experienced playmakers who can see time anywhere in the corps. Tavares Gooden was third on the team in tackles and will likely start out the year as a backup. Jon Beason was one of the surprises of spring ball working his way into a starting role.

Player to keep an eye on: Willie Williams, RFr. ... Linebacker rating: 10

Projected Starters

- Rocky McIntosh, Sr. - 111 tackles, 4 sacks, 13 tackles for loss ... It doesn't matter where McIntosh plays in the linebacking corps; he'll always make tackles. He's a big play veteran seeing time in the middle before settling in on the strongside. He had a little bit of a problem with a shoulder injury missing one game, but he still finished second on the team in tackles.

- Leon Williams, Sr. - 56 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss ... Williams had a big year taking over for Jonathan Vilma in the middle even though was slightly overrated earning a Butkus Award finalist nod. He has decent size, 121 tackles of experience, and tremendous instincts, but he's simply holding down the fort until Willie Williams is ready to take over.

- Jon Beason, Soph. - 29 tackles, 4 tackles for loss ... It'll be interesting to see if Beason maintains the momentum from spring ball when he was moved up to the first team on the depth chart on the outside. He can play any linebacking with his tenacity and speed.

Top Backups

- Romeo Davis, Soph. - 15 tackles, 3 tackles for loss ... Davis is only 208 pounds, but he's very fast and showed that he can be something special after getting the starting spot on the weakside late in his true freshman season. He's great in space able to chase down plays. Now he has to prove he can be an consistent force against the run.

- Willie Williams, RFr. - Putting aside all the past legal issues and controversies, Williams really is a very, very good linebacker who'll be playing in the NFL some day very soon. His first year wasn't a good one breaking a finger and tearing up a knee, but he'll be back for what should be a big year after shining this spring on the outside. He'll play on the weakside, but he can see time in the middle if needed. If his knee is 100%, look for this to be an interesting battle for the starting spot all year long.

- Tavares Gooden, Jr. - 83 tackles, 10 tackles for loss ... Gooden started on the weakside before a shoulder injury knocked him out late in the year. He isn't all that big, but he can flat out fly with sideline-to-sideline range. Think of him as a 6-1, 220-pound safety.

- Glenn Cook, Soph. - 17 tackles, 5 tackles for loss ... Cook is a versatile reserve seeing time in the middle and on the strong side. He mostly made plays on special teams last year, but he'll be a bigger option behind Romeo Davis on the weakside if he doesn't have problems with fainting spells that he suffered this spring.

Defensive Backs

Miami was ninth in the nation in pass defense last year allowing only 173 yards per game. Expect the secondary to be even better with Devin Hester a full-time cornerback and everyone else returning. It should say something that 2004's leading tackler, Greg Threat, is likely to start the year as a reserve. There's speed, depth, and a whole bunch of talent. It'll be a stunner if this isn't another top ten pass defense.

Player to keep an eye on: FS Anthony Reddick, Soph. ... Secondary rating: 10

Projected Starters

- CB Kelly Jennings, Sr. - 40 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 6 broken up passes ... A steady producer in the secondary for the last three seasons, Jennings is a smooth corner who can handle most number one receivers without much of a problem. He has decent size and is a good open-field tackler.

- FS Anthony Reddick, Soph. - 73 tackles, 3 tackles for loss ... Reddick earned just about every All-Freshman honor possible after stepping in and taking over the starting role halfway through the season. Even though he only started in six games, he still finished fourth on the team in tackles and showed flashes of potential to suggest that he's the next great Miami safety.

- SS Brandon Meriweather, Jr. - 62 tackles, 2 interceptions, 6 broken up passes ... Meriweather spent most of last year at free safety and will spend this season at strong safety. He has tremendous speed and is good in pass coverage, but his real talent is in providing the big hit. A shoulder injury limited him last year. Now he's all healed and ready to be one of the team's top tacklers.

- CB Devin Hester, Jr. - 20 tackles, 4 interceptions, 5 broken up passes ... One of the most electrifying players in college football, Hester has been begged to see more time at receiver to go along with being the best kick returner in college football. But from day one he said he wanted to be a big-time cornerback and will quickly be one of the most feared corners in the game if he can hold down a starting spot. Consistency has been his problem early on and he needs a lot of work. The lightning fast junior picked off four passes last year despite playing half the time in the secondary.

Top Backups

- SS Greg Threat, Sr. - 139 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 6 broken up passes ... While Threat will technically start out the year as a backup behind Brandon Meriweather, he'll find a place somewhere on the field at either strong or free safety. He's the biggest safety in the mix and the best tackling defensive back leading the team with 139 stops last season.

- CB Glenn Sharpe, Jr. - 4 tackles ... Sharpe was limited last year trying to recover from a bad knee injury suffered in 2003. When healthy, he's a great corner reserve who was on the verge of big things before the injury. He'll play behind Devin Hester on the right side.

- CB Marcus Maxey, Sr. - 21 tackles, 3 broken up passes ... A huge corner at 6-3 and 200 pounds, Maxey is a key player in nickel situations and a good hitter. He has mostly spent time on special teams, but he'll play more defensive back behind Kelly Jennings on the right side.

Special Teams

Miami should enjoy the nation's best special teams. Jon Peattie was hurt last year contributing to a rocky season, but he's healthy now and should be among the best placekickers in the nation. Brian Monroe fought through a bad freshman year to come up with a strong season. Now he's expected to be a weapon. Devin Hester is the best return man in college football averaging 17.2 yards per punt return and 25.9 yards on kickoff returns.

Special Teams rating: 9

- Placekicker Jon Peattie, Jr. - 15-24 FGs, 45-45 extra points ... Peattie is one of the best kickers in college football and  is also clutch. Don't let the 15-of-24 field goal season fool you. He had a groin problem for most of the year and missed three of his kicks from beyond 50 yards. Five of his nine misses came from beyond 40.

- Punter Brian Monroe, Jr. - Monroe has had a shaky career so far, but he settled down last year to finish with a 41.2 yard average putting 20 inside the 20. With two years of starting experience under his belt, he's expected to have a big junior year.

With a fresh set of downs…

1st and Ten – Okay, Let’s Get It Over With – You’ve got the question right on the tip of your tongue.  It’s so obvious.  And, it’s a good bet that it’s the most asked question of Miami head coach Larry Coker in the off-season.  And, it definitely isn’t “How’s the weather?”  Say it with me - Who is going to be the quarterback?  The Brock Berlin years have come and gone and there are many of you out there, especially Hurricane fans, that file those two years right along side the Frank Costa years, although Costa did have them in the Orange Bowl following the 1994 season.  So, now, offensive coordinator Dan Werner has a clean slate to work with, and two young studs to choose from – the Californian Kyle Wright and the Texan Kirby Freeman.  The sophomore Wright has the classic look for a Miami quarterback – 6’4” 210 pounds, above average arm, but he also has the quickness to elude defenders and get out of the pocket when he must.  Freeman is a tad smaller than Wright, but that’s the only perceived weakness in his game.  The Canes have had their quarterback controversies in the past, but this one can’t tear this team apart.  The offense, as usual, has some explosive talent (Tyrone Moss, an improved Ryan Moore and TE Greg Olsen come to mind); thus, someone has to be able to handle the team at the line of scrimmage and get the ball to the people that need to have the ball.  So, in essence, the decision is very simple – whoever can get this team in the end zone on a more consistent basis should start.  How they do it and what they have to do to get it done doesn’t and shouldn’t matter.  Well, Coach, who’s it going to be?

2nd and Seven – The Neanderthal is back! – Former Midland (TX) Lee grad and stud offensive tackle Eric Winston should return in the fall to the lineup after tearing his ACL during the 2004 season.  The loss of Winston hurt the running game immensely and made pass protection that much more difficult.  He was such a physical marvel before his injury – his quickness and ferocity were trademarks that made him an All-American, but how much of that quickness he’s lost due to the knee injury remains to be seen.  Regardless, even if Winston is 90% of his former self, that’s a lot better than most guys at 100%

3rd and Three – ROB – A coach once had this acronym on his defensive play sheet, and when he was asked what it meant, he responded “Roll Out Ball”.  When pushed as to why it was on his play sheet, he said “I just roll out the ball, get out of the way and let my players play.”  Exactly.  With the returning talent on defense for this year, the Canes’ DC Randy Shannon might be better served to roll out the balls and let his ‘D’ play.  Six of the front seven starters return, and although All-American Antrel Rolle is soon to be a rich man, the secondary has three of four starters returning, including future star in the making FS Anthony Reddick.  If this group can stay healthy, the speed, quickness and aggressiveness are there to de dominant in 2005.  Perhaps, it’s time to just ROB.

4th and One – 4 to the Floor – A preview on Miami football wouldn’t be complete without mention of the most exciting player east of the Mississippi – Mr. Devin Hester.  The term game breaker doesn’t even begin to describe how incredible this kid is on a football field.  But, the Canes’ coaching staff has to find a way to get the ball in Hester’s hands at least ten times a game.  So, if he plays CB, that’s fine, Deion Sanders it’s going to be.  You want to help that youngster at QB, give him 4.3 speed on an outside go route this fall.  Teams won’t (and/or shouldn’t) kick to him, so the staff has to be creative with ways to get him the ball.  Then, just watch him roll.

LINK (with Depth Chart)