Month: December 2006 (Page 8 of 14)

ESPN.com is reporting that the University of Miami has hired defensive coordinator Randy Shannon to replace the recently fired Larry Coker. Shannon has been the Hurricanes defensive coordinator since 2001.

Is this a good move for Miami? I don’t know. Can Shannon keep his players from shooting people and stomping on opponent’s heads during games? I know he can coach a hell of a defense. Under Shannon this past season, the Hurricanes ranked fifth in the nation in total defense and third overall against the run. But that’s not what will save a program that has been in turmoil for the better part of a decade.

Coker made a little ground in getting his player’s graduation rates up and trying to run a disciplined program. Coker won a ton of games too (59 to be exact), but also was the head coach of a team that was involved in one of the biggest melees in college football history. Coker was already a winner. Shannon needs to be much more than that for him to be deemed “successful” by the time he looks back on his career at Miami.

Good luck Randy Shannon, you’ll need to have much more than just a dominant defense to turn this sinking ship around.

The top three Heisman Trophy finalists have been announced with no big surprises.

Here is the top three:

Troy Smith, QB Ohio State
Brady Quinn, QB Notre Dame
Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas

I don’t think Quinn or McFadden touch Smith. With all due respect to McFadden, who was virtually the entire offense for the Razorbacks this season, no other player meant as much to his team than Troy Smith meant to the Buckeyes. He completely transformed his game this year from just a quarterback who can make plays with his feet, to a precision pocket passer who could also change a game with his legs. Smith became a quarterback this season.

Numbers alone (although Smith had those too) don’t tell the entire story. Along with all the great things Smith accomplished on the field for OSU, becoming a leader for his teammates was the most important. This was a kid who made a mistake a few years ago by accepting money from a booster. He was punished and learned from it. Smith has grown up over the years and he should be recognized for that as well as what he did on the field in ’06.