2011 Miami Hurricanes Football Preview

After four years of landing highly rated recruiting classes and finishing the season with little to show for it, the Miami Hurricanes fired Randy Shannon. His replacement, Al Golden, worked a near miracle in turning the moribund Temple Owls into a respectable team with winning records his last two seasons at the helm. With such a large talent base to draw from, and past success, expectations in Miami will always be high. For that reason, there will be little patience with Al Golden. It is a mystery how a program just a decade removed from winning a national title has since been unable to even reach the ACC Championship Game a single time since joining the league. Golden’s job is to reestablish the recruiting roots in south Florida and get the most out of the remaining talent on hand right now. Trying to reenergize underachieving talent is a much more desirable position to be in that trying to “coach up” less talented players.  Golden has a lot to work with in his first year, if he capitalizes on it, he’ll have the Hurricanes back on the road to prominence.

The Miami offense returns seven starters, with talent at each position. The biggest question for Golden and the coaching staff is at quarterback. No one denies Jacory Harris’ talent. Harris is mobile, tall, and can make all of the throws. The challenge for Harris, now in his senior season, is in the mental aspect of the game. Harris still struggles with decision making and occasionally with accuracy. If Harris struggles again, Golden won’t hesitate to turn to Stephen Morris, who played in relief of Harris in stretches during 2010. The two actually exited spring practice officially battling for the starting job, though, one would assume Golden is trying to send Harris a motivating message rather than actually considering starting Morris. This battle will bear watching as fall camp opens.

If the quarterback position is even competent in 2011, the pieces are in place for the Hurricanes to have a very good offense. There is talent, albeit inexperienced talent at running back in Lamar Miller. The position is somewhat thin with the summer departure of Storm Johnson. The ‘Canes have a stable of talented receivers in Travis Benjamin, LaRon Byrd, and Aldarious Johnson.  They could be a dangerous trio if Miami ever gets consistency at quarterback. Whoever is taking snaps will have the luxury of playing behind an offensive line that brings back four starters, including the enormous Seantrel Henderson (6’8, 345).

As one might expect, the Hurricanes still boast a talented and fast defense. In fact, it is the defense that has kept the ‘Canes afloat during the struggles at quarterback. The coaching staff should feel good about the seven starters that return on that defense. Defensive tackle Marcus Forston and end Oliver Vernon anchor another solid defensive line that is very deep. The Canes could play as many as nine defensive linemen in a game without a significant drop off. The linebacking corps loses its leading tackler in Colin McCarthy, but, both outside linebackers Sean Spence and Ramon Buchanan return to bring stability to the unit.

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The biggest challenge for Golden’s defensive staff will be in the secondary. Just two starters return and neither Jojo Nicholas at corner or Vaughn Telemaque at safety strike fear into the hearts of opposing offenses. The best three cover men from 2010’s defense are gone and that leaves the defense at significant risk. The Canes have recruited the position fairly well, so there is some talent on hand, but, the coaches may be forced to rely on some very young players to start or play significant snaps and against some of the better offenses on the schedule, that could cause problems.

The schedule is tough for a team in its first year under a new head coach. The Canes open on the road against Maryland on a Monday night. They then have a week off to prepare for an Ohio State team that is a mystery at this point. It doesn’t get easier after that. The Canes face North Carolina, Miami, Florida and South Florida all on the road. It could be a bumpy first season for Golden in Miami.