Yesterday, on the eve of the season opener, Miami Hurricanes football coach Randy Shannon eschewed the usual disclaimers about his rebuilding program and offered the most resounding endorsement of his team's prospects we've ever heard.
"Kind of excited to see this football team coming up this season," he announced.
Taken aback by such an outrageous display of feeling, we consulted our Randy Shannon Emotional Expression Converter. Turns out "kind of excited" falls roughly between "Giddy Football Voltron Joy" and "Subject Has Injested Contents of Michael Irvin's Jacket Pockets."
If you weren't on board before, it's time to punch your ticket to the bandwagon: the Hurricanes have no intention of repeating the mistakes that kept them from last year's ACC Championship game and beyond.
"From a lot of things we learned last season...our first three games I think we were very, very focused as a football team last season," Shannon said. "Going and playing Virginia Tech, we kind of got away from where we needed to be at. I reminded the guys of that situation happening, that the more you are staying focused on what's ahead of you, don't look down the future, then you'll be okay.
"We've had an unbelievable practice this August. We put them in situations where it was tough to adjust, adverse situations in practice to make sure they focus on what we were trying to get done that day."
The Hurricanes will need that focus, facing as they are one of the toughest schedules in college football. Just beyond tonight's opener against Florida A&M (er...the band is really good!) looms a visit to hostile Ohio State, where linemen are force-fed corn and pre-season pollsters say the no. 2 Buckeyes should contend for a national title.
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Miami, they say, is worth a solid no. 13. But Shannon knows something they may not -- that barring injuries, the team he has worked years to assemble can be as dangerous as any in the country.
That starts with Jacory Harris, far more talented than his crippled late-season slide would indicate. Harris has learned to deal with success as well as adversity, and in his third year will enjoy a variety pack of the most talented receiving corps in the country. The 'Canes now sport the deepest group of running backs since Willis McGahee rode the bench; the line is a year stronger and a class deeper; and kicker/weapon Matt Bosher retains eligibility, though Allen Bailey crushed it for funsies.
Aside from the schedule -- the 'Canes also host Florida State and Virginia Tech, visit Pitt and Georgia Tech -- the sticking point is likely found at linebacker. But so long as Sean Spence and Colin McCarthy remain healthy, there's no reason not to expect the 'Canes could find 10-2 disappointing.
Tonight's season opener against Florida A&M is at 7:30 at Sun Life Stadium. The game is available on ESPN3 and 560 WQAM.
