Late Season Stretch or Late Season Retch?
By JANIE CAMPBELL
Updated 8:30 AM EST, Sat, Nov 7, 2009
Football teams normally don't get much sympathy for injuries. Someone goes out? Put in the next guy and stop whining.
Rebuilding teams don't necessarily have that luxury, and the Miami Hurricanes will have to figure out a way to beat Virginia today at noon in spite of heavy losses to the defense: Eric Moncur is doubtful with a groin injury; Ray Ray Armstrong, Patrick Hill, JoJo Nicholas, and Sean Spence are out; Marcus Forston, Jordan Futch, Dyron Dye, Shayon Green, Adewale Ojomo, Ryan Hill, and Gavin Hardin have been lost for the season.
(We'll take a linebacker for -- anything, Alex.)
And they do need to beat Virginia. The Cavaliers will need to be beaten every year until no one remembers what happened the last time Virginia came to town, the Orange Bowl's embarrassing 48-0 swan song, which is to say they'll need to be beaten forever and ever. It was just that bad.
The 'Canes will also have to avoid the trendy late season slump: UM lost its last three games in 2008 and its last four games in 2007. More than one loss in the final stretch of the season (Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, USF) would stamp a big "UNDERACHIEVED" all over Randy Shannon's crucial third year.
Fortunately for Miami, Virginia is a paper patsy. The 3-5 Cavaliers have lost to William and Mary and Duke, and coach Al Groh is all but assured a lovely job hunt come December, when Virginia won't be bowling. The Cavs possess a pretty good past defense, but don't rank higher than 105th in any other category. If the 'Canes can run the ball -- and with running backs all happy, healthy, and thriving, they should -- and avoid turning it over, all they have to worry about is scoring more than the defense allows.
Of course, with the gimpy ones giving up 555 yards to Wake Forest last week, that's easier said than done.
First Published: Nov 7, 2009 8:11 AM EST
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