Are the Canes Really 4th in the Coastal Division of the ACC?!

The past weekend has officially brought the beginning of College Football (minus the football part of it). The Hurricanes had Canesfest/Select-a-seat at Landshark Stadium on Saturday, followed by ACC media day on Sunday. I can already smell the burgers on my grill. Then I realized, Miami doesn’t hit the gridiron until labor day. So I have another month of speculating until the season starts. Either way, this weekend brought to light a great group of stories worth thinking about over the next couple weeks in regards to the Canes. The most notable is the lack of respect the Hurricanes are receiving from the media.

The general consensus from the media is that Miami is the fourth best team…….in the Coastal Division. In other words, the only teams they are better than is Duke and Virginia. If that isn’t a punch in the face to Miami, I don’t know what is. Meanwhile, the team they face out of the gate, FSU, has been picked to win the Atlantic Division (need any more motivation Miami?). Virginia Tech has been picked to win the Coastal (and the conference).  It’s not like they aren’t deserving. They have won the Conference title several times and deserve to be the favorites until proven otherwise. After that, however, I am baffled.

Picked second in the conference is Georgia Tech. The triple option, a gimmick offense from the 70’s is apparently unstoppable (except when teams get leads on them, notice UNC and LSU). Now, I think they deserve the respect for having a successful year last year. They had one solid upset against Georgia. But the media got out of control and thought they were a top 20 team. Didn’t LSU, a team that was pedestrian in the SEC, smack them in the face by 40 points? Seems like nobody is talking about that. The reason I bring this up is because that beatdown was more than just an isolated incident. It showed the blueprint from making the triple option attack irrelevant. Athletes playing assignment football along with getting an early lead will always lead to a victory. I don’t see Tech being as successful this year.

North Carolina was picked third in the Coastal Division. Now, again, don’t get me wrong, they beat Miami last year, they were inches away from being in the Orange Bowl (OT loss to Virginia, and a 4th quarter meltdown against Virginia Tech spelled doom for them). However, this team looked really good because of three NFL receivers on the field, along with an opportunistic defense. Those receivers are gone, Trimmaine Goddard, who accounted for half of UNC’s interceptions last year, has also graduated. I completely think that UNC is capable of being good this year, and I fully believe that they will be a consistent ACC title contender, I just think they will take a step back this year before they develop the talent on the roster.

Phil Steele is the only major writer that would agree with me and has Miami 2nd in the Coastal Division. Last year’s loss to Georgia Tech was one of overconfidence and lack of focus, not lack of talent. Miami has the speed and athleticism to pound Georgia Tech. The media took that blowout as a sign that Miami is vastly inferior to the Jackets, when in actuality it was youth showing up. Also, the game won’t be in November in the cold, it will be in September, in Miami. Miami’s loss to UNC was a nail biter that literally could have gone either way. Inches separated a Trimmaine Goddard interception from a Kayne Farquharson touchdown as time expired. If Miami wins that game, the media is probably predicting Miami to repeat as conference champions right now. That’s how fickle this game is.

All in all, its evident how far Miami has fallen from grace.  Once dominant, and now, basically 8th in the conference (according to the media).  Miami has plenty of talent, a solidified starting QB, and a defense that seems to be approaching 2000-2002 status.  Miami can only be disrespected long enough before they strike back.  Look for FSU to feel that strike as Miami makes a statement to start the season.

Check back for more thoughts I took away from this weekend tomorrow.

Related posts:

1. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Defensive Line
2. The U Report: What Happened? 2008 in Review
3. The U Report: Camp Finally Begins
4. The U Report: Schedule Analysis
5. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Key Arrivals