The Miami Hurricanes opened fall training camp Saturday with a new coach, an ongoing battle at quarterback, and hotel maids to clean up after them.
“There’s urgency,” said head coach Al Golden, who has installed his team at a hotel during camp to promote unity. “I think the guys know we’ve got to get a lot done in a short period of time. We’re excited about that. I know personally I am, just to get back on the field and get around the guys.”
Golden's remarkable turn-around of a Temple program that hadn’t had a winning record in decades attracted Miami's attention after Randy Shannon's firing in November. But rebuilding The U may be an equally formidable challenge: while Miami returns a majority of last year’s starting line-up, it is a squad that finished last season a disappointing 7-6.
The team's most important position battle resumed after players arrived for morning activities in shirts reading "Uphold the Legacy" -- a Golden touch.
"He wants to see the Jacory from my sophomore year," said senior quarterback Jacory Harris, who hit the field attempting to lock up a starting job over sophomore challenger Stephen Morris. "I still have all the confidence, just want to have all the fun out here on the field, go out there and execute and win some games with my teammates."
"Competition brings out the best of you,” said Morris before practice. “Me and Jacory have been pushing each other to the limits. It's going to be healthy competition, but it's necessary competition which is good."
So far, Golden says, his hotel experiment is working.
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"Everyone together there having snack, doing things we haven't done together, studying the playbook, being with a roommate that maybe they don't know a lot about - those are all things that this program at this time needs," he said. "Moving forward I don't know, but right now we need that."
"It's great for team bonding," agreed senior linebacker Sean Spence. "You don't have to clean up after yourself, have maids to come clean up for you. You have nice A/C, a big bed. You're not staying in a little dorm room."
The Canes will spend most of August holding evening workouts at Greentree Practice Field before kicking off the season September 5 against Maryland in College Park. They then enjoy a bye week before hosting Ohio State for a home opener at Sun Life Stadium September 17.
