Canes “Not Intimidated At All” By Looming Ohio State Clash

This season, there's focus where their mouths are as the Canes face their biggest test

They know it's important, or whatever's bigger than that.

"It's not important," defensive end Adewale Ojomo corrects himself. "It's critical."

But that doesn't mean the Hurricanes are concerned about Ohio State's 100,000-capacity stadium, its noise, or those stalwart Big Ten linemen.

"We're not intimidated at all," Ojomo said this morning, days before no. 12 Miami takes on no. 2 Ohio State Saturday on ESPN. "We're giving it our all. We're giving it all we've got. It's hard to say it's a normal game week."

Focus without fear? Sounds about right -- which is to say, it sounds like nothing at all.

"During stretch you can hear a pin drop," Ojomo says of practice sessions at Greentree Field, where Randy Shannon's 'Canes are preparing confidently but very intently for what might be the most important game they play all season.

Some of that has to do with the pressure of being called upon to avenge a loss that occured when none of them were yet through junior high -- that fateful 2002 national championship game, awarded Ohio State on a bogus pass interferance call in double overtime.

And the rest has to do with the desire to prove just how far the program has rebounded since it held hands with Larry Coker, eschewed both discipline and a recruiting coordinator, and jumped straight off a cliff.

Shannon acknowledges looming contextualization, but he says that, as per usual, it's all about The U.

"A lot of people want to say this is a measuring stick to where your program is at. I agree, but every year you want to improve...I tell the guys we've been through this, don't fall into the trap, stay focused on ourselves.

"...You can't get caught up in one of the University of Miami individual players going against one of their individual players. It's not [Ohio State quarterback] Terrelle Pryor against Jacory Harris. It's Jacory being the best football player for the University of Miami to win the game. It's players being the best they can be, and understanding the process of the game, staying focused."

It's a far cry from last season, when before week 1 even began there were playfull predictions of Heismans and pink suits and pimp cups. This time, the older and wiser Hurricanes are planning to express themselves the best way they have ever found: by scoring points and taking names.

And the Vegas line, the one that has the 'Canes listed at -9.5? That's not intimidating, either.

"[The underdog] always has something to prove," Ojomo says. "You know how that goes."

Contact Us