No team in the Coastal Division has an easier path to the ACC championship game than Miami.
A shorter trip, anyway.
After spending its first three years in Jacksonville, the ACC’s big game is moving to Raymond James Stadium, a four-hour shot up Interstate 75 for the Hurricanes.
“Only 287 miles to go,”
read the green sign in front of Randy Shannon on Thursday, as the second-year Miami coach answered questions at the Florida Sports Writers Association college football media days.
Indeed, Shannon, whose team took its lump last year, would love nothing more than to be back in Tampa representing the Coastal Division on the first weekend of December.
Can it happen?
“You always have those expectations — no matter if it’s ACC titles, BCS games,”
Shannon said. “We continue to have that going forward into this year.”
This, it would seem, is a pivotal season in the Shannon era, with the Hurricanes moving into Dolphin Stadium after last year’s Orange Bowl farewell.
The good news is that the new coach signed 33 prospects during the winter, a Floridian-dominated class that ESPN.com ranked the best in the nation.
Some of the newcomers, it seems, will need to contribute right away, as Miami has only 11 starters back from a 5-7 team that lost six of its last seven games.
The most glaring concern for the Hurricanes is at quarterback, where redshirt freshman Robert Marve will battle true freshmen Jacory Harris, Cannon Smith and Taylor Cook. The winner, whoever it might be, is going to take the first snaps of his college career in the Aug. 28 opener.
“We’re young,”
Shannon said, “but those guys are working hard. We feel no matter which quarterback we name the starter, we’re still gonna play another one.”
Confidence could be won — or lost — in a hurry, thanks to an early season schedule that sends Miami on the road against Florida and Texas A&M in back-to-back weeks.
The offense, then, might have to ride its rushing attack until the passing game establishes itself. And Javarris James, the former Immokalee star, and Graig Cooper appear capable.
“We expect big things for us this season,”
Shannon said. “I can’t tell you what the record’s gonna be, but we will improve from last year’s record.”
