Miami's Quarterback Question...

Feels SO good to be blogging again!

It's been a while. In the interest of explanation--- I just moved and have been without high speed for a week.

The Canes have been without Jacory Harris for a week--- and looked good.

So, should the U stick with Stephen Morris (not pictured)?
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Here's what pissed me off watching Saturday's game.

Mark Whipple made a reasonable gameplan.

He used the running game extensively, and simplified the playbook to reasonable/makeable passing plays for the true Freshman.

And shockingly--- Miami looked more efficient.

Why didn't Whipple do that sooner?
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The old--- chuck it 30 yards downfield and hope the receiver makes a play-- philosophy, needs to go.

Miami's play-makers are talented (specifically Leonard Hankerson and Travis Benjamin)... But they're not Andre Johnson and Santana Moss.
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When Jacory stops seeing stars, I'm not sure if I want Morris or I want Harris.

I do know I want this version of Whipple.

I want the guy who doesn't try to get too cute for his own good.

I want the guy who uses his rushing attack.

I want the guy who doesn't encourage his QB to throw into triple-coverage.
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Now to the Randy Shannon issue.

During games I ask myself the following question: Do the Hurricanes look like a well-coached team?

When they burn all three timeouts in the 3rd quarter--- is that the trait of a well-coached team?

When they consistently have CRUCIAL penalties against them and constantly shoot themselves in the foot--- is that a well-coached team?

When the alleged talent level isn't close to the performance on the field--- is it a well-coached team?

You don't need to go much deeper than that.

All the staying-out-of-trouble stuff and the academic stuff are great.

That is, if your name is Donna Shalala.

But when you have an empty student section--- and a demoralized fan base--- it's hard to defend Randy.

At least the freshman QB looked good.

Making Peace With Jacory's Interception Problem...

I'm guessing that I'm in the same place as most Canes fans concerning Jacory Harris (not pictured).

I love him, but at times, he drives me ABSOLUTELY NUTS!


Heading into FSU week, I wish I could say I'm fully confident in the Canes quarterback: I'm not.

And yet, somehow I'm confident in the Canes offense.

Does that make ANY sense?

Absolutely not.

But nothing about this Canes team is logical.
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Take the first half of Saturday's game at Clemson.

At the half, Miami was up 27-13.

Jacory had 4 touchdown passes (matching a career-high), three of them were to future high-draft pick Leonard Hankerson, and yet, I was annoyed.

How is that possible?

Despite the touchdowns, Jacory had ALSO thrown 2 drive-killing interceptions, one that was picked off in the endzone.

While most of us have NEVER read a defense before in game-speed, I think we can all see when the safety is drifting over and a guy is doubled.

Why can't Jacory?
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The 'will he get better' question keeps coming up.

Tick, tock.

Dude's a Junior.

He started 1 game freshman year, 13 as a sophomore, and now 4 as a Junior.

I think the whole 'inexperience' argument is out the door.

Sadly, I think Jacory is what he is going to be.

Can it work?
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The BEST analogy I have to watching Jacory is my experiences on Sundays, watching my beloved Giants.

Eli Manning does the SAME thing that Jacory does.

Rain or shine, big lead or not---- at least once or twice a game---- Eli throws a pass that makes a little piece of me die.

Death, taxes, and a dumb Eli throw.

You only have to hope that 1. it doesn't come at the worst possible time 2. it's not a pick-6.
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I think that's where I'm at with Jacory.

I've moved passed denial, depression, bargaining, I'm at acceptance.

My name is David and I cheer for quarterbacks who throw ill-advised interceptions.

Eli won a Super Bowl and a Super Bowl MVP.

Maybe Jacory can win.

Until then, I'll be the guy curled up on the couch in the fetal position saying "WHAT THE ***K WERE YOU THINKING? WHO WERE YOU THROWING THAT TO? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF *NOT* LOOKING AT YOUR PRIMARY TARGET?"

Football's bad for my health.

Trimming The Stache...

Well that didn't go as planned for Dave Wannstedt (not pictured).

The Canes manhandled Pitt on Thursday night 31-3.

The game could've been a whole lot worse were it not for a few mistakes by Jacory Harris.

Pitt was BEGGING Miami to beat them 52-0, but Miami settled for 31-3.

But, in all, you can't be too dissatisfied with a blowout on the road.
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I'm trying to figure this out.

Is Miami's defense that good or is Pitt's offense that bad?

I honestly think it can be a bit of both.

Still, Canes fans HAVE to be feeling better about their defense today than they did last year or even last week.

Sean Spence was the standout.

He had 11 tackles and looked every bit as promising as he did early in his freshman year.

The question with Spence has never been speed or talent.

The question is: Can he sustain it over the course of a long season?
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Allen Bailey clearly is the focal point of most offenses trying to game-plan around Miami.

We have to double-team the potential first-rounder.

That's fine.

Vernon and company, door is open.

Props to them for walking right through it.
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Special teams are one of the true strengths for Miami.

Travis Benjamin SHOULD have had another punt return for a touchdown, but it was called back.

Lamar Miller gets you dreaming big every time he touches it.

Bosher is a stud, and does everything well (remember he was team MVP before---which also speaks to how bad they were at the time).
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So defense and special teams are sound, the team wins by 28, and the quarterback throws for 2 touchdowns---what's my problem?

Jacory's picks.

That's what.

They weren't late and irrelevant.

They kept Pitt in the game early, when they were doing nothing.

It looked like Jacory had pulled the pin out of a grenade and was just throwing it in a direction hoping to hit a target.

You can get away with that against an awful Pitt team.

You learned last week that doesn't fly against Ohio State.

Turnovers like that can be deadly in Death Valley.

While you like that he's trying to make plays, the risks need to be more calculated.
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Truth is, the Canes have 9 days off before the real season begins.

Randy Shannon needs a championship.

While the National Title may already be gone, I think a dominant run through the ACC would go a long way.

A bowl game after New Year's day, that extra practice time, and an ACC crown, that would be a step for this program.
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I keep trying to impart this word of wisdom to my friends and anyone who cares about the U.

It's a variation on Rick Patino's 'Larry Bird isn't walking through that door' speech.

The 2010 Canes are NOT the 2001 Canes and they aren't the 1986 team either.

Let's not judge them by that standard.

That's not fair.

Let's allow these kids to be inspired by the ghosts of Canes past, not haunted by their shadows.

Instead of constantly expecting Miami to do the same things they DID, let's evaluate these kids based on their accomplishments and celebrate those.

Tonight, they went on the road and kicked some major ass.

Let's enjoy that.

Can't Believe I Even Have To Write This...

You know... I thought about just ignoring the issue.

I really did.

But, it bothers me enough that I think I have to mention it.

This blog is to the IDIOTS who were sending Jacory Harris racist messages on Twitter.
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Hi,

Welcome to 2010.

I know you haven't been here in a while. Allow me to bring you up to speed.

Plessy vs Ferguson (1896) has been overturned. There was a little case called Brown vs Board of Education (1954) which says, black students and white students can go to school together.

The Civil Rights Movement happened.

Thousands of people sacrificed their lives for equality in this country.

Jim Crowe no longer exits.

We all drink from the same water fountains and use the same restrooms.

There was a guy named Jackie Roosevelt Robinson. He played for the Dodgers, he did this incredible thing, integrating baseball.

Now, in every sport, people of all races are allowed to play at the same time.

There was this guy named Doug Williams.

He was a quarterback who won the Super Bowl MVP in 1987.

Incidentally, he's black.

Oh, and I hope you're sitting down for this one, our current President, he's biracial.
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I know.

I know.

A lot of information to take in for such small brains.

But yes, our society has made incredible advances.

The whole offensive question of the "black quarterback" was a hot topic, somewhere around the 1970s.

Watch this "Monday Night Football" Open from 1973 where Howard Cosell talks about Joe Gilliam filling in for Terry Bradshaw...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOkgcFj6MJQ


We've all moved past that.

Remember, the clip was from 1973.
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I don't judge Jacory Harris by the color of skin, nor should you.

I judge him by the quality of his play.

Criticizing his interceptions is fair game, his race, that's not.

The only color I care about is the color of the jerseys of the guys he throws it to.

Last week, he threw it to too many guys wearing Ohio State colors.

Hopefully, on Thursday night he gets it to his teammates.

And doesn't let bigots distract his focus.

Maybe Jacory Harris Just Isn't That Good...

I love Jacory Harris (not pictured).

That is, as a person, as an interview, and as a personality.

The only problem is, all of his wonderful qualities don't translate into touchdowns.

As unpopular an idea as this may be, watching the Ohio State game, I was left with the following thought... Maybe Jacory just isn't that good.
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Jacory's yardage figures last year were impressive.

It was in the top 5 ever in school history.

But, you can't argue with the following, his interceptions cost Miami the North Carolina game and Clemson.

17 picks last year were the reason the Canes didn't take as big of a leap as they could have.
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Fast forward to the horseshoe on Saturday.

You can point to several factors.

You can break the game down however you want.

The bottom line is that Terrell Pryor played very well, and Jacory Harris played badly.

Yes, Travis Benjamin bobbled one of his interceptions.

Doesn't matter.

When you are an elite quarterback, you don't throw 4 picks in a big game (unless you're Vinny Testaverde, you throw 5!)
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It's funny, Canes nation WANTS Jacory to be good.

You can feel it.

And who could blame them?

Jacory looks the part of the next great Canes quarterback.

He talks the part of the next great Canes quarterback.

He's from down here.

He never lost a game in high school.

He says he'll wear a pink suit to the Heisman ceremony (slow down)!

Given all of these factors, we're willing to apologize for and explain away poor performances.

Jacory had a bad thumb....

Jacory is young... Wait until he's a Junior.

The sun was in Jacory's eyes...
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If Jacory were an elite college quarterback, Saturday's atmosphere would've helped him thrive.

Instead, we got more touch passes that nearly got his receivers killed.

Instead, we got more bad reads and attempts to throw into places where he shouldn't have.

Instead, we got a drive-killing interception by a defensive lineman.
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Over the last 7 years, Canes fans have been bitching about a bad call.

Saturday was a chance at redemption.

Didn't happen.

You don't need to overthink this one.

It starts and ends with #12.

If Terry Porter were playing quarterback for the U, he couldn't have done worse.

I'm not ready to declare Jacory a bust by any stretch.

But it's worth considering that perhaps we've let liking him cloud our judgement.