Behind The Box Score

Swagger. This was what Miami created, the term that is used so much today was the brainchild of the orange and green, a program that dominated for over 25 years, winning multiple national championships along with sending dozens of players not only to the NFL but to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. After collecting their last national championship in 2001, with a stacked team led by Jeremy Shockey, Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, Clinton Portis, Andre Johnson, Vince Wilfork and Kellen Winslow among others, the program hit many bumps along the road.

 Losing to Ohio State in the 2002 BCS Championship Game, a game that has received as much criticism as President Bush’s policies, the aura of the “U” disappeared. When Randy Shannon was hired from within to take over for the Canes in 2006, the program looked to be on the rise. Bringing in top classes from 2007 up until this past year, Shannon looked like he was leading Miami in the right direction.

 The beginning started with a lanky quarterback named Jacory. Jacory Harris, the 6’4″ 175 pound product of Miami’s Northwestern High School, was the key to what is becoming one of the best teams in America. Along with Harris, the Canes reeled in seven other players from the school including LB Sean Spence and WR Aldarious Johnson. Playing 22 true freshman in 2008, Miami experienced a successful season, winning seven games and making a trip to a bowl game.

 Returning for ’09, the QB job was directly in Harris’ hands as former starter Robert Marve transferred to Purdue.  Showing the grittiness and heart of the football program, Shannon went out and scheduled South Florida, and Oklahoma in non conference play along with an improved ACC. Many critics around the country questioned whether the Canes could make it back on top for this season and after a 38-34 victory over archrival Florida State in Doak Campbell, it looks like the “U” is back.

 With Harris calm and composed under center, the Canes directed multiple scoring drives in the fourth quarter to beat a Seminoles team who FSU defensive coordinator Micky Andrews said was his fastest defense in his tenure at the school. Falling behind 31-24 in the fourth quarter, a score more than familiar with Miami fans, Harris was lights out for the rest of the quarter. Compiling 386 yards in the air, skill players Travis Benjamin and Graig Cooper were effective, both catching touchdown passes, with Benjamin’s coming on the first drive. As Seminole quarterback Christian Ponder had all day to throw, the Miami secondary stepped up big time on the last drive. After Harris directed a scoring drive with 50 seconds left in the game, including a 40 yard pass to Cooper that got the Canes in position, when Cooper would then run it in, the Seminoles got great field position. Getting within the three yard line, the Seminoles could not push it in, as two consecutive incompletions led to a third down play with five seconds left. This was the biggest play of the game. As Ponder rolled right, receiver Jarmon Fortson, who had been big all game, found a hole in the secondary. Noticing the open receiver, Ponder fired a strike, relatively low, Fortson got his hands on the ball as he hit the ground, but the pigskin squirted away, giving the Canes the victory in front of 81,000 frantic fans.

 In a game where Miami outscored the Seminoles 21-11 in the fourth quarter, it is clear that this university is on the way up and well quite frankly, I think they have arrived. Coach Shannon has built a talented team with speed at all levels. Harris is as poised as anyone in the pocket and his experience with winning only adds to his talent. Winning multiple Florida state titles in high school along with the mythical national championship in 2007, it is more than likely that the Canes have the pieces to duplicate their quarterback’s success in high school.

 The next three games are death row, and look to very much stand in the way. Squaring off against the triple option Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets next week in Miami, the remainder of the month doesn’t get much easier. Miami then travels to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech and comes back to Landshark Stadium to square off against Oklahoma, a team mourning the loss of Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford. If Shannon can get his team to display the perserverance and play every down like they did on the Florida State’s last drive last night, there is no reason this team can’t run the table and bring the “U” back to primetime. Downing Bobby Bowden for the first time in Doak Campbell during an opener, it’s likely that the swagger will return and so will the wins, something that this prestigious university has lacked in recent years.