2017 Week in Review: May 10

Despite not reeling in any new commitments, the past week has been anything but low-key for Hurricanes football.

With spring practice in the books and the late-spring, early summer doldrums taking over, the occasional commit is usually the only thing making news this time of year.

At least good news anyway. And let's hope it stays that way. Remember AQM and Jermaine Grace this time last year? That kick in the nuts was followed up by Mark Walton making headlines of his own – for all the wrong reasons.

Fast-forward one year and the enthusiasm surrounding the program is on the rebound. Let's be honest, the last time Miami encountered the possibility of opening a season inside the top 15 was in 2010, and we have yet to wake up from that 7-6 nightmare that cost Randy Shannon his job.

However, the program is trending upward, even more so than 2010. Two of the primary reasons are Storm 18 and the new indoor practice facility, that are both scheduled to arrive in Coral Gables for the 2018 season.

As for the upcoming season, Miami received some glorious news on that front.

Two of the top recruits in the Class of 2017, dual threat QB N'Kosi Perry and 4-star WR Jeff Thomas both announced that they will on campus is less than 2 weeks.

Why is that news?

Since signing day in February, much speculation has surrounded Thomas and whether or not he would meet UM's vigorous academic standards. Many doubters questioned if he would be ready to go for 2017. Well, Thomas answered those doubters on Twitter last week. (That was the collective sigh of relief that you heard. Later in the week, those sighs turned into profanity-laced tirades when an FSU D-bag came to the conclusion that mocking the death of Sean Taylor was an absolutely wonderful idea. Then spent the better part of his weekend trying to justify his morally reprehensible tweets by using Aaron Hernandez as “Defense Exhibit A.” Long story short, his anti-Miami, Taylor-hatred went so far overboard that Florida State defensive back Devonte Taylor finally said enough is enough – but I'll get to that later).

Back to football.

As I was saying, Thomas, the fastest man in the '17 recruiting class is on his way to Coral Gables following reports that he would be unable to qualify. However, those rumors have officially been put to rest and the East St. Louis wide receiver that has drawn comparisons to Devin Hester and Philip Dorsett, will provide the offense with game-changing speed – something that has been lacking since the aforementioned Dorsett was torching secondaries a few years back.

(Another thing Hester, Dorsett, and Thomas have in common – the No. 4)

As for Perry, the QB that many fans believe will be the one responsible for getting the ball to Thomas over the next 3-4 years, also announced that he will arrive on campus this month.

If the tweets are 100-percent, to-the-day accurate, Perry will arrive in the Magic City on the 22^nd with Thomas trailing him by 24 hours.

Coach Richt will finally have all three starting-QB finalists in one place. And regardless of who wins out, the intense competition that awaits will offer each candidate a choice: compete your ass off, raise your game to never-before-seen heights, and win the starting job at The U, or, possibly drop completely off the two-deep, become an afterthought, and maybe, if you're lucky, hear your name mentioned in the opening 10 minutes of the upcoming ESPN 30-for-30 Films' The U Part 3.

In a perfect world, all three impress CMR so much that he's left with the hardest decision of his life. But even in a perfect world, someone has to fall to third string, and if that turns out to be Rosier, he may begin looking elsewhere for playing time as a graduate transfer. BTW, I doubt Perry falls to third string without getting a redshirt. If Rosier and Shirreffs claim the top two spots, I believe Testaverde will be named QB-3 and Perry lands a redshirt.

Tye Dye Pirate

Clemson grad-transfer RB Tyshon Dye chose East Carolina over Miami last week leaving the Canes' offensive backfield as one of the thinnest areas on the roster.

While all we heard for months-on-end was how UM was the front-runner, something told me he wouldn't be spending his fifth CFB season in South Florida. Although, I thought he would choose Georgia Southern.

ECU allows Dye the opportunity to battle for a starting job, not compete for a few carries here-and-there when Mark Walton needs a breather. Also, Greenville, NC is roughly 5 hours closer (than Coral Gables) to his northeast Georgia hometown of Elberton (about 30 miles east of Athens).

At this point in his career, he's looking for attention from the League. And while spending a year at Running Back U can only help his pro stock, it's doubtful that a backup would garner more than a late round selection. Meanwhile, a breakout season at ECU could propel him into the first two or three rounds.

As for Miami, true sophomore Travis Homer is the only returner not named Walton that saw the field last season. Redshirt-junior Trayone Gray has battled injuries but has yet to pan out at UM due to getting stuck behind the likes of Duke Johnson and Joe Yearby.

I've always been a fan of Gray and believe 2017 will provide him with his best opportunity to see significant playing time and get his career back-on-track.

Most recently, reports have been floating around that Miami has contacted Blinn College RB D'Anthony Hopkins. The 6-2, 220-pound, 3-star Texas native would have two years of eligibility at UM after two seasons in the JUCO ranks.

Following a ho-hum 2015 campaign where he totaled 261 yards and 4 Tds on 37 carries, Hopkins shined last season with 1,114 yards and 18 scores on the ground. Despite the impressive numbers he only drew interest from the likes of New Mexico, UAB, Utah State, Western Kentucky, and Wyoming.

The addition of Hopkins would give Miami enough depth at the position if incoming freshman Robert Burns is healthy. Will any of the backups prove reliable enough to prevent Walton from getting his brains beat out by running into 8-man fronts, 25+ times on a weekly basis? Let's hope so, because until a QB proves himself capable, defenses are going to stack the box vs Walton. Hell, can you blame them?

Speed, speed and more speed (is on the way)

In off-the-gridiron news, several Miami commits stood out at the finals of the Florida state track and field championships.

Over the weekend, IMG Academy of Bradenton played host to the event where UM was represented by not only your usual track stars – receivers, defensive backs, and running backs – but by tight ends and linebackers, as well.

Tight end commit Will Mallory – who joined the nation's top TE Brevin Jordan last month as the second blue chip tight end to pledge themselves to the Hurricanes – reached the state finals in the 110M Hurdles where he posted a time of 14.99 seconds to take third in 1A. Mallory, who stands 6-5 and weighs in at 210, also placed seventh in the 300M hurdles, clocking in at 41.33.

Meanwhile, 5-star running back (and Storm 18 ambassador) Lorenzo Lingard added a pair of 4A State Championships to his already impressive resume. His time of 14.02 was fastest in the 110M Hurdles, then he followed that up with a 36.63 in the 300M Hurdles to claim his second gold medal of the weekend.

Trajan Bandy and Josh Jobe made up one-half of Columbus High's 4A State Champion 4x100 Relay team that crossed the finish line at 40.97. Bandy and Jobe are both 4-star DB commits, however, Jobe turns 19 this year, making him to old to compete - per Florida High School football rules – and forcing him to play his final season at Cheshire Academy, a prep school in Connecticut.

Gurvan Hall, a DB commit out of West Palm Beach, took third in 3A with a time of 14.8 in the 100M Hurdles.

Recent decommit Thomas Burns won the 3A championship with a 35.9 in the 110M Hurdles. He also placed second in the 110M Hurdles with a 14.54.

Miami DB target Tyson Campbell matched Lingard in the 3A finals with state titles in the 100M (10.76) and 200M (21.35).

Class of 2019 linebacker commit Jesiah Pierre also took home the 1A state title in the discuss with a toss of 47.34 meters before flashing “The U” on the medal stand.

The IPF countdown is underway

The University of Miami began construction on its indoor practice facility with a groundbreaking on campus last week.

The facility's namesake Carol Soffer and her family, along with University President Julio Frenk, Athletic Director Blake James, former University President Donna Shalala, coach Richt, members of the Miami football team, along with donors and other guests were all on hand for an event that was “groundbreaking” in more ways than the obvious one.

The IPF, which is expected to be ready next year, is another step into the 21^st century and narrows the gap on the recruiting trail with the likes of Bama, UF, FSU, and even Michigan and Ohio State, who continue to cherry pick South Florida talent.

Coach Richt explained other benefits as well, “we lose or must reschedule 22 practice sessions every year due to weather-related issues.” The IPF will allow UM football to reach maximum preparedness, and according to Richt, The U will be able to “compete at the highest level, build champions, and win.”

The IPF still needs help to cross the finish line. The project remains approximately $2 million shy of its $34 million price tag. Whether its $5 or $50 or $500, every little bit helps. Donations are being accepted at:  www.hurricanesfootballfacility.com

NCAA rule changes

In other recruiting news, the NCAA recently approved an early signing period in December for football recruits.

Only time will tell what this has in store for Miami, but with the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, the spotlight on Storm 18 will be magnified as December draws near, especially if UM finds a home among the top 10 or 15 teams in the CFB polls while remaining atop the recruiting standings.

If things go well on those two fronts, you can guarantee CMR will face a plethora of questions regarding the “impact” of the early signing period.

The Sean Taylor-Twitter fiasco

For those that missed it, an FSU homer (who's somewhat well known by CFB fans in Florida) spent Friday insulting Taylor, mocking his death, his legacy, his abilities, his fans, basically anything to get a reaction from Canes Twitter.

I won't mention his name, but he seems like a successful, intelligent individual, so why he felt the need to troll (he blamed tequila and a Patriotic Mexican Holiday) then refer to Taylor as the “god” of Miami fans, before stepping waaaay over the line with: (paraphrasing) Miami fans will be upset when they get to heaven and Taylor isn't there.

His defense: “Miami fans made jokes about Aaron Hernandez's death.”

First of all, I didn't see many AH jokes, and the majority of the ones I saw weren't made by Miami fans. In fact, FSU Twitter – along with New England haters – were just as responsible, if not more so, that UM Twitter.

Second: He's a Nole, but I now have tons of respect for Levonta Taylor for speaking out against the “disrespect.”

Best of luck this season, Levonta.

Third: AH was a convicted murderer who took the cowards way out and laid more even more baggage (if possible) at the feet of his young daughter and other innocent members of his family.

Taylor died while defending his wife and children from scumbags LIKE AARON HERNANDEZ. Taylor died a hero.

Taylor, like Hernandez, and many of us for that matter, faced adversity in their youth, but UNLIKE Hernandez, Taylor didn't succumb. He faced it head on and came out a better man, a stronger man, and most importantly a father that his daughter could be proud of, UNLIKE Hernandez

So, as far as I'm concerned, there is absolutely no comparison between the jailhouse suicide of a convicted murderer and a man who succumbed to his injuries after fighting off two home invaders, while his wife and daughter were in the house.

I could go on about Sean Taylor all night. He is one of my all-time favorite Canes. The day he passed away is one I will never forget.

11-27-2007.

A roller coaster day that began with the tragic news of Taylor's passing and ended with the birth of my first-and-only child.

11-27-2007 are 8 numbers that will forever hold a special place in my heart. But for Taylor's family, will remain the most painful of their life. That close to the holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas will never be the same for them again. I try my best to say a little prayer for 26's family every Thanksgiving Day and/or 11-27 – whichever comes first each year. And on more than one occasion, they've fallen on the same day.

Go Canes and God Bless the Sean Taylor family.

And just so we don't end on a depressing note: there's always the Florida Gators – the gift that keeps on giving – and once again they've blessed our offseason with this juicy nugget: (Am I the only one who hears South Park's Kanye parody “Gay Fish” playing in their head when they see this picture?)

Next Man Up: Vincent Testaverde Jr.

Vincent Testaverde Jr. sporting his father's iconic (and previously retired) No. 14. Photo/Todd Forrest

With a Testaverde sporting the retired No. 14 jersey on the Miami sidelines this season, many Hurricane fans were left reminiscing on the glory days of the 1980's when Heisman trophies and National Championship games were an annual occurrence.

Vincent Testaverde Jr., son of Vinny, the first Hesiman Trophy winner from The U, was a redshirt-sophomore quarterback under Head Coach Mark Richt, a former teammate of Vinny Sr., Bernie Kosar, and Jim Kelly during the infancy of the “Quarterback U” era in Coral Gables.

Last week, I profiled North Georgia's Evan Shirreffs, who like Testaverde, comes from a family of quarterbacks, but the similarities end there.

So lace up your combat boots, slip on some camo, and top it off with a pair of 1980's Wayfarer sunglasses as we welcome another Testaverde to the Miami backfield with this edition of CaneResurrection Next Man Up: Vincent Testaverde Jr.

First of all, I just have to say one thing: Regardless of who is named starter and whether we agree or disagree on the decision; there is one thing that NO Cane fan can argue: competition at the QB position will only benefit the program.

Having five capable quarterbacks, all offering a unique mix of skill-sets and intangibles, allows each to bring something distinctive to the table for Coach Richt and staff.

Remember when Jacory Harris was named starter? No questions asked, no open competition in camp, no need to recruit another quarterback, end of story. Does anyone recall his backups? Alonzo Highsmith Jr. - not a D1-level QB who was converted to a safety. He was hurt vs Virginia 2010 the one time we needed him at QB when J12 went down.

Spencer Whipple – a walk on from UMass that was only on the roster because daddy was offensive coordinator. Got playing time vs UVa because Highsmith was injured. He lasted one or two series and was so overwhelmed that Randy Shannon was compelled to burn a redshirt on Stephen Morris.

We should all be appreciative. This will be the first legit competition involving adept, competent QBs at The U in a very, very long time.

But like I said in the Shirreffs article, regardless of who is named QB, they will have my full support. After a little research on Vincent Jr., I found a very gripping article from the Baltimore Sun   that reminded me (as a single father with a 9-year old son) that each of these players are someone's child. While we may look at them as invincible, undaunted athletes, let's not forget these young men put their bodies on the line for our entertainment and they all have families that want their children to be safe, successful, and content first and foremost (with winning football games a little further down the list).

Growing Up the Son of a Legend:

I'll begin with the Baltimore Sun article and his early days before getting into his time as a QB at Tampa Jesuit, Texas Tech, and The U.

After spending his early years in Tampa, where his father was the No. 1 overall pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1987 NFL Draft, he moved to Long Island when his dad spent his first stint with the Jets and that's when it all “sunk in.”

In an interview with GAIN Sports Blog, Testaverde Jr. discussed his early football memories. “It was when I was either 7 or 8 that I went to one of my dad's games with the Jets and was allowed to go down on the field after the game that it all sunk in,” he said. “I was able to take everything in and it successfully clicked for me that football was a big part of my family's life.”

In a 1997 Baltimore Sun article, Vinny and his wife Mitzi Testaverde reflected on the birth of Vincent Jr., and his twin brother that didn't survive the womb.

Eight weeks into the pregnancy, Mitzi began to hemorrhage and called 911.

The ER doctor informed her she had miscarried and needed to abort the pregnancy. But since her husband wasn't at the hospital – he was playing a football game – she refused. Later, a sonogram was performed and it was discovered that both of the twins' hearts were still beating.

Unfortunately, one of the hearts stopped two weeks later.

“From the beginning it was difficult,” Mitzi told the Sun's Sandra McKee. “We'd go for sonograms and they always seemed to have trouble finding the heartbeat or the baby. Something always happened involving the one. Finally they couldn't find one of them. That was awfully tough, but we were thankful we had the one.”

The twin remained in the womb until Vincent Jr.'s birth.

Mitzi was put on bed rest for the four months leading up to the birth and each time she went in for a test, the results rarely brought solace.

“I was a nervous wreck,” she said. “Every test they did came back positive. I was tested and it said the baby was positive for Down syndrome. Then they'd say, 'it could be the twin.' You just didn't know”

Finally, the day arrived.

“(The birth of Vincent Jr.) was emotional, both joyful and sad, because you're sitting there looking at a beautiful healthy boy and you're saying, 'we could have had two,'” Vinny said.

From Tampa to Lubbock to Coral Gables

With the exception of Malik Rosier, no returning Miami QB has more game experience than Testaverde.

COLLEGE game experience that is.

Testaverde Jr., whose first love was basketball, was a bit late in taking an interest in dad's profession. It wasn't until his junior year at Tampa Jesuit that he decided to give football a shot. Eight games into the season, Vincent Testaverde Jr., donning No. 14 just like his old man, earned the starting quarterback job and finished the season with 152 yards and one score on 16-of-35 passing.

“I was a good (basketball) player but going into my sophomore year at Tampa Jesuit I started having thoughts about playing quarterback,” Testaverde Jr. told gainsports.com in 2014. “Even during my time playing only basketball, I would go out and shoot hoops with my dad and then spend time throwing the football with him in the yard. During the spring of my sophomore year, I talked with my dad, and decided to switch it up and start my development on playing quarterback.

With two seniors ahead of him on the depth chart at Tampa Jesuit, the coach offered Testaverde the opportunity to start junior varsity games but he declined.

“I did not want to be the only junior on the field,” he said. “So I worked my hardest to make sure I was prepared if I received an opportunity to start on varsity.

“Against Lakewood, they inserted me as a starter. I went 4-for-10 and threw for around 115 yards. We had an opportunity to kick a field goal late in the fourth quarter to tie the game but it was blocked. I only made one pass attempt in the redzone during that series and it made me appreciate having the ball in my hands in those situations moving forward.

“I started the final two games of the season and we won both games. The final game was against our rival Tampa Catholic. I threw a TD pass and we won 17-3. It gave me confidence going into the offseason that I had an opportunity to go out and play well as a senior.”

With a year of experience while also playing under Vinny Sr., an assistant coach at Jesuit, Testaverde Jr. showed substantial improvement as a 12^th grader, leading his team to a District Championship and the state regional semifinals while completing 90-of-167 passes for 1,015 yards and 9 scores.

Despite not turning 18 until after graduation and being overlooked by most of the major recruiting websites, following in his father's footsteps by honing his skills at the prep school level was thoroughly considered. But after being well received by the people of West Texas he accepted a preferred walk-on offer from Texas Tech Red Raiders' Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury.

“A lot of FCS, Division II and Division III schools showed interest when my film was sent out after the season but I was set on giving myself the opportunity to compete with a BCS school if I was not going to go the prep route,” Testaverde Jr. told gainsports.com. “I ended up having walk-on opportunities at Florida, USF, FAU but I fell in love with Texas Tech and knew that is where I wanted to go.”

Kingsbury was a former teammate of Testaverde Sr. on the 2005 New York Jets, where he developed a respect for the veteran Pro Bowl QB.

“(Vinny) was an 18-year veteran and he was very good to me and treated me well, and I always remember that,” Kingsbury said in a Dallas Morning News story.

He also discussed his first impressions of the younger Testaverde, “he hadn't played football a lot, so we thought a little more development and he could have a shot to be a good player.”

At 6-foot-1, Testaverde drew more comparisons to Texas Tech's freshman starting QB Pat Mahomes than the elder Testaverde who stands 6-foot-5. But unlike Mahomes, Vincent wasn't expecting to get thrust into action during his first year in Lubbock.

A little more than two years prior, Vincent's focus was strictly basketball. Now he was on the field, facing the in-state rival Longhorns after Mahomes went down with an injury with 7:12 to play before halftime.

The Red Raiders eventually fell 34-13 and Vincent Testaverde completed 15-of-26 passes for 116 yards and a pick. Mahomes returned the following week and Testaverde didn't see the field for the remainder of the 2014 season.

What's being said about Vincent:

Following his transfer to Coral Gables in March 2015, Vincent told Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald that he “had a good time” at Texas Tech, but he “wanted to come (to Miami).”

When asked about following in his father's footsteps, he said, “it's a lot to live up to, I understand that. You can't listen to that. You can't let it get in your head. You just have to do your thing.”

He “throws a really pretty ball,” former UM Offensive Coordinator James Coley said of Testaverde Jr. “Obviously, this is a really big change from Texas Tech and its (spread offense). It takes a little getting used to down here.”

According to former head coach Al Golden, Vincent is, “very bright” and “(throws) the ball really well” while noting the “stark contrast in systems” as his greatest challenge at The U.

Prior to the 2016 season, Testaverde and Rosier were neck-and-neck as the front-runners for the backup job while Shirreffs was dealing with a hand injury and coaches were leaning towards a redshirt for incoming freshman Jack Allison .

“Right now what I'm going to do is work more Testaverde and Malik and give them all of the reps with the twos and have them battle it out,” first year head coach Mark Richt told CanesInSight last summer.

Prior to the season opener with Florida A&M, Cameron Underwood at SB Nation: State of The U also broke down the backup QB competition.

“(He) is a walk-on with some talent. He's probably not going to be more than a depth player..., but he's probably one of the better walk-ons in America, non Baker Mayfield division.

“The younger Testaverde adds depth and a modicum of talent to the QB position,” Underwood added in another article. “But, Miami would be in a bad, bad place if he were to take meaningful snaps at QB this season.”

That statement from Underwood came prior to the 2016 season when Kaaya remained on the roster. He said pretty much the same thing in a early-January 2017 QB preview:

“Testaverde may have his father's name, but the comparisons end there. He, like Rosier, lacks ideal size for the QB position at 6-1 and doesn't have any outstanding physical traits...I would be SHOCKED if Testaverde made any noise in this QB battle, to be quite honest. He's a Cane, just like his dad, but Vincent Testaverde is never going to play any snaps here. If he does, something – lots of things – went horribly, terribly wrong.”

Two Minute Drill:

Finally, the odds are clearly not in Testaverde's favor but if he becomes the starter, and beats out the competition, then more power to the kid - he will most certainly have earned it.

If not, I wish him nothing but the best. Even if that means going somewhere else as a graduate transfer and getting to play right away. If he can't help Miami, I hope he can help someone...as long as they don't cross paths with my Canes.

Until then, his experience in the spread offense at Texas Tech could be a bonus for the scout team if/when we meet up with a spread team...like West Virginia. That makes me wonder if Richt used him to simulate Skyler Howard prior to the bowl. I would expect that Testaverde would mirror Howard more so than Allison.

Next Man Up: Evan Shirreffs

Backup QB Evan Shirreffs warms up prior to the 2016 Georgia Tech game after returning to his home state as a member of the Hurricanes. Photo/Todd Forrest

(This is not an opinion piece and I'm not endorsing anyone for the starting job in 2017. I'm simply offering Canes fans the opportunity to get to know each candidate. I expect an open competition where the best man will earn the job and I will support the starting QB 100%.)

As Coach Richt and the the University of Miami coaching staff groom its next quarterback, here is a look at a possible replacement for Brad Kaaya, who earlier this week, announced his intentions to enter the NFL draft.

Since most Cane fans are familiar with backup Malik Rosier and heralded freshman N'Kosi Perry, I'll begin with a few of the lesser known QBs, and I've chosen the signal caller that I know better than the rest, Northeast Georgia's Evan Shirreffs.

Shirreffs, a redshirt-freshman, is a 2015 graduate and valedictorian of Jefferson High School in Jackson County, Georgia, located about 30 minutes north of Athens – so it's safe to assume he was on Richt's UGA radar despite not receiving much attention from the Dawgs.

Standing 6-5 and weighing 215 pounds, Evan is the brother of University of Connecticut starting QB, Bryant Shirreffs. Bryant began his career at North Carolina State where he was moved to fullback when the Wolfpack accepted the transfer of former Gator QB Jacoby Brissett.

While I don't know the reasons for Bryant Shirreffs transfer, I believe that Brissett's transfer and the move to running back could've had something to do with it.

Bryant, before Evan, was the starting QB at Jefferson High, although I felt Evan was the better passer of the two and had a brighter future at the next level, despite not drawing much attention from big name schools, with the exception of Miami.

But no disrespect to Bryant, he led Jefferson to its first ever State Championship in 2012 when he defeated Taylor Lamb (Appalachian State) and defending champions Calhoun.

In my opinion, Bryant was a Tim Tebow-style QB. He was a quarterback with a running back's body. Perhaps that's why NCSU was so quick to move him to FB. But I wish him the best of luck at UCONN, I watch him whenever I get the chance and I'm always rooting for him, especially being a North Georgia boy.

On the other hand, Evan is more of a Ken Dorsey-type QB. He is an extremely accurate passer and while he doesn't have the strongest of arms, he is a surgeon in the passing game. It also doesn't hurt that he has a 4.0 GPA and could've attended his Ivy League school-of-choice.

Even minor comparisons to Ken Dorsey will win the hearts of Canes fans because we're so desperate for another winner, but does he have the intangibles that made KD a University of Miami legend? That would be nice, but only time will tell.

With Bryant Shirreffs in Raleigh, NC and Evan taking over behind center as a high school junior in 2013, the Dragons remained poised for a return trip to the Georgia Dome where they would defend their Class AA State title.

However, in early October, Evan Shirreffs suffered a serious thumb injury in a 21-14 loss at Washington-Wilkes High School, preventing the Dragons from repeating as region champs.

The injury, which required surgery, sidelined him until the second round of the playoffs, forcing Jefferson to move its deadliest deep-threat wide receiver to QB to fill in for Shirreffs.

After a blowout victory in round one of the state playoffs, the Dragons were on the road at Region 5-AA Champion Heard County, where Shirreffs was cleared for action but didn't get the start.

With less than 8 minutes remaining in the game, Jefferson found itself trailing by 10 points and with the season on the line, first-year head coach Ben Hall turned to Shirreffs. Although he hadn't played a single snap since game five, Shirreffs engineered back-to-back scoring drives to lead his squad to a four-point victory.

With his team in hurry-up mode, the deadly accurate right arm of Evan Shirreffs moved his team downfield inside the 10-yard line where the Dragons scored on a 9-yard run.

After the defense forced a turnover on downs, Evan had less than 2 minutes to work with, but as it turned out, he only needed half of that.

With 1:06 to play, he connected on a 9-yard scoring strike to put his team on top. The defense kept the Braves out of the endzone on the ensuing drive, and while that was Jefferson's final win of the season, his heroics in the second round, forever cemented his legacy in Northeast Georgia, proving he was more than just Bryant's little brother.

In the offseason, Jefferson was the victim of reclassification and moved from Class AA to AAA, yet Shirreffs didn't miss a beat. He went on to throw for 2,638 yards and 23 TDs on the season. What makes his numbers even more impressive is the fact he wasn't needed during the second half of the majority of games due to lopsided scores.

Jefferson finished its regular season undefeated while Shirreffs continued to shine while the spotlight was the brightest. In the regular season finale (with a region title on the line), then in his three playoff games, Shirreffs threw for 200-plus yards in each one while only tossing one pick over those final four contests.

The Dragons would finish 2014 with a 12-1 record, a region championship and a State Quarterfinal appearance.

In early 2015, Shirreffs led Team Georgia to its first-ever victory, 26-14 over Team Florida in the Florida-Georgia all-star game where Shirreffs was named MVP after throwing for 242 yards and a score.

That performance caught the attention of then-Miami offensive coordinator James Coley.

Evan visited Coral Gables in January where he was offered a roster spot as a preferred walk-on. Then National Signing Day came and went without a scholarship offer from the Canes. But when he received offers from Old Dominion and Eastern Michigan, The U changed its mind and Coley made a phone call to Shirreffs, but he didn't pick up.

Coley tried again. Still no answer.

“After I finished working out, I checked my phone and I had a couple of missed calls from Miami” Shirreffs told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2015. “The next time they called was 10 minutes later. Miami offered, so I committed on the spot.”

Shirreffs was redshirted during his freshman season under Head Coach Al Golden. Then in October, Golden was canned following a 58-0 loss to Clemson. In December, Miami replaced Golden with one of it's own, and someone the Georgia-native was familiar with, ex-UGA Head Coach Mark Richt, a former Miami QB under Coach Howard Schnellenberger.

While he didn't receive any serious consideration from Richt's staff in Athens, it didn't take Shirreffs long to make an impression on the new staff.

In an August 2016 article by Peter Ariz for CanesInSight, Quarterbacks Coach Jon Richt called Shirreffs the “most athletic” of the Miami quarterbacks while “multiple players and coaches have noted that he has a complete understanding of the playbook.”

It was also mentioned that Shirreffs was dealing with another hand injury which “hampered” him during camp. “Although Shirreffs does not have the strongest of arms, the hand issue could be a reason for his lack of consistency,” according to Ariz.

When asked what Shirreffs could do to earn the backup QB job, Jon Richt answered, “He just needs to keep taking the reps and knowing what to do and hit his target when it presents itself. The accuracy will go a long way.”

In an article by Cameron Underwood for SB Nation: State of The U, Underwood made his case for Shirreffs as Kaaya's backup, “(Shirreffs) is a smart player who can diagnose defenses and make quick decisions. The quick and timing passing games...is a perfect fit for Shirreffs. Meanwhile, Rosier struggled with these concepts... after Richt was hired.”

Underwood called him, “arguably, the most accurate passer I've ever seen, and he's reportedly added velocity to his throws through his redshirt year.”

Each of the backups struggled in last year's spring game with Rosier completing 2-of-6 for 27 yards, Shirreffs was 1-for-5, 11 yards and a pick, while Vincent Testaverde Jr. went 1-of-6 for 4 yards.

In the first scrimmage of fall camp, each of the backups showed improvement with Shirreffs completing 3-of-5 for 16 yards while Testaverde was a perfect 3-of-3 for 62 yards. The second scrimmage saw Shirreffs connect on 2-of-3 passes for 4 yards, while rushing for 22 yards on 3 carries. Testaverde was 4-for-8 for 42 yards and 6 rushing yards; freshman Jack Allison struggled – not completing a pass in an 0-for-6, 1 interception outing, finally Rosier was 3-for-7 for 19 yards and a score. He also ran twice for 22 yards.

Shirreffs made his college debut on Miami's final offensive series of a 70-3 shellacking of FAMU in the 2016 season opener (two handoffs and a third down pitch to freshman Travis Homer).

According to Underwood, “While some saw Shirreffs, a severely under recruited player, as just filler, I think he has the skills and intellect to be a factor in the QB race in future years.”

Canes dominate Mountaineers in Russell Athletic Bowl victory

Kaaya, Canes defense shine in Russell Athletic Bowl victory as Miami exercises its bowl demons

Jamal Carter celebrates a Miami victory at Ga Tech in October. Photo/Todd Forrest

Leading up to last night's Russell Athletic Bowl, the University of Miami's decade-long bowl struggles were no secret.

And while junior quarterback Brad Kaaya may have picked up some well deserved post-game hardware after being named the MVP, it was the play of the Canes' defense that proved to be the game changer.

The credit belongs to each and every member of UM's defensive unit. Starting at the top with Head Coach Mark Richt and Defensive Coordinator Manny Diaz to Coach Kool and the position coaches, the starters as well as their backups.

From the opening possession, when D-linemen Chad Thomas and Kendrick Norton teamed up for a strip and fumble recovery, to senior defensive back Adrian Colbert's upending of a Mountaineer late in the fourth quarter – bringing back memories of Vaughn Telemaque vs Georgia Tech in 2009 - until the dust settled and the Canes held one of the top 20 offenses in the nation to a season-low in yardage.

Mountaineer senior quarterback Skyler Howard was sacked four times by a vicious Canes D-line, harassing Howard into an anemic passer rating of 32.9. The Orange & Green limited WVU to 229 yards of total offense with Howard throwing for just 134 yards – and this was one of the top offenses in the pass-happy Big 12. Yes, I realize WVU is a run-first offense, but they managed just 95 yards on the ground with most of it coming on QB scrambles when the pocket collapsed and the youthful Canes pass rushers were breathing down Howard's neck. And BTW, the Mountaineers entered the game churning out more than 220 YPG on the ground and they equaled that number against The U – when you add the passing yards.

While Richt's offense was dysfunctional early on – unable to convert excellent field position into points on the early fumble – the defense kept Miami in the game.

Later in the first, the 'Neers were on the verge of putting UM into a two-score hole, until the D went old-school-Canes, pinned their ears back and knocked West Virginia out of field goal range.

Eventually, freshman Ahmmon Richards proved why he's the most electrifying freshman in college football (doing my Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson voice, while failing at the People's Eyebrow) and took an 8-yard completion to the house from 51 yards – knotting the score at 7-7.

On the ensuing Mountaineer possession, Diaz's crew forced a three-and-out, then Kaaya roars to life and the Canes were dancing, celebrating, playing the way Miami is supposed to play, and bringing a giant smile to my face.

Malcolm Lewis and Braxton Berrios hauled in scoring tosses from Kaaya, showing off their dance moves afterwards.

21-7. 

Before I forget, how was there not a targeting penalty on Berrios' TD catch? Watch the replay and tell me the WVU didn't launch himself into BB helmet-first.

OK, moving on.

Following a quiet first half, redshirt-sophomore tight end David Njoku showed the nation what Cane fans have known for two years: when 86 gets the ball in the open field, he looks like a grown-@$$ man playing against children. (Njoku announced after the game that he is turning pro. That was expected.)

Remember, Kellen Winslow, Mountaineer fans? I'm certain Miami tight ends already weren't too popular in Morgantown, WV.

28-7, Canes!

A read-option keeper by Howard made it a 28-14 game but Michael Badgley answered from 30 yards out and Miami led 31-14.

A 17-point lead with a little more than a quarter to play... more than enough for the UM defense.

Kaaya may have played the last game in a Canes uniform, and if he did, he went out on a high note following a rocky start.

He opened by missing on eight of his first 13 passes.

He finished 24-of-34 with 282 yards and 4 TD's to four different receivers. Mark Walton was bottled up most of the night and tallied a pedestrian 52 yards on 17 carries. However, his punishing first down run to keep the drive alive late in the game was one of the game's underrated plays. That allowed UM to burn several minutes off the clock and essentially put the game away.

Finally I would like to point out that entering Wednesday, Miami was among the nations best in protecting the football and once again, played turnover-free football. Someone remind me, which team was talking smack to Corn Elder and the Miami DB's earlier in the week? 134 passing yards for WV. Nothing more to say.

Defensive Coordinator Manny Diaz with a pair of his young linebackers. Photo/Todd Forrest

AFTERMATH – I tweeted a few days ago that this year's bowl game was going to remind Canes Nation of the Gator Bowl following the 1999 season when Miami disposed of Georgia Tech, before they were Coastal Division foes, to finish the year at 9-4.

The following year, Miami was robbed of playing for another NC by a computer in a dark room somewhere. I'm not saying Miami is back to it's early 2000s level, but we're closer than we've been in a decade.

The last two times folks were asking if UM was back, we played less than stellar (Understatment alert!) in the Russell Athletic Bowl in 2009 and 2013. The following season (2014), we took a YUUUGE step back (in my Donald Trump voice) after getting embarrassed by UL. Bigly.

(For more on UM struggles in the Russell Athletic Bowl and the downward spiral that followed, scroll down a few paragraphs).

I see the Canes building on this win and playing for their first ACC Championship in 2017. There are still a few too many holes to compete for a playoff spot, but if we continue recruiting savages that are dedicated to putting The U back on top, we'll be there very soon.

Speaking of young savages tearing it up in Coral Gables, I will touch on what I've vented about on Twitter a few times, HOW WAS JOE JACKSON NOT A FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN?!?!

How many freshman defensive lineman are better than #99? Please, show them to me!

And while I'm at it, how did Miami NOT have more representatives on the All ACC teams? Maybe we should hold a separate vote at the conclusion of bowl season.

Freshman Joe Jackson returns a fumble for a TD at Georgia Tech. Photo/Todd Forrest

Russell Athletic Bowl has been unkind to Canes

What makes this Russell Athletic Bowl victory so darn sweet? The last two times the University of Miami rolled into Orlando to take part in the Russell Athletic Bowl, they did so with high hopes. The only problem: they forgot to show up mentally.

In 2009 the Hurricanes spent the majority of the season in the top 25 following a shootout victory in Tallahassee on Labor Day that propelled sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris into the national spotlight and briefly into the Heisman Trophy conversation.

The Canes climbed into the top 10 before inconsistency returned to Coral Gables and Miami found themselves watching the ACC Championship game from home. However, a Russell Athletic Bowl match-up with an athletically inferior Wisconsin squad awarded UM the opportunity to win 10 games for the first time since 2003.

Unfortunately, what the Badgers lacked in speed and overall talent, they made up for with toughness and superior coaching. Most fans of the Orange & Green remember the sight of Miami players gathered around the sideline heaters when the temperatures plummeted into the 50's (yes, the 50's) while Wisconsin, wearing short sleeves and cramping from the heat, mocked and laughed at the Canes acting like they were suffering from frostbite and hypothermia.

Randy Shannon's bunch didn't show up until they found themselves trailing in a two-possession game, late in the fourth quarter. Their frantic rally turned out to be too-little, too-late as Wisconsin held on for the W.

That loss, unlike the loss in 2013, wasn't quite as devastating to Canes fans since Shannon fielded an extremely young team in 2009 and the mood remained optimistic for the future.

Fast forward one year: Shannon is fired, Al Golden is hired, and the Miami players are throwing snowballs at each other in El Paso during a beatdown at the hands of hated rival Notre Dame, after opening the season in the top 10 and finishing 7-5 with a humiliating loss to Florida State and an overtime loss to South Florida, who was playing with a 3^rd string freshman QB.

Three years later, the hot topic on the UM message boards and social media was a guy named “Nevin” and talk of the “death penalty” when the NCAA “drops the hammer.”

Just like the 2009 season, 2013 opened with promise, highlighted by an ugly turnover-filled victory over the hated Gators. While Head Coach Al Golden and players celebrated in Landshark (or whatever the stadium called itself that year), that's one of the rare moments that I was proud of an Al Golden accomplishment.

After climbing high as No. 7 in the polls and Shapiro-gate in the rearview, Miami was embarrassed by Jameis “Crab Legs” Winston and the eventual National Champs. To add injury to insult, the heart-and-soul of that Hurricanes team, Duke Johnson went down with a broken ankle, and the season went down with him.

Three consecutive losses dropped UM into irrelevance once again. But they did wrap up the regular season with a pair of wins to improve to 9-3 with a chance to win No. 10 in the, you guessed it, Russell Athletic Bowl.

Back in 2009, the Canes didn't show up until the fourth quarter against Wisconsin. Facing Louisville and all-world QB Teddy Bridgewater in the 2013 edition of the Russell Athletic Bowl, Miami didn't bother to show up at all. To make matters worse, during his recruitment, Bridgewater dumped The U because he didn't want to become the “next Jacory Harris” (I'm paraphrasing).

Not only did he beat the Canes, Bridgewater humiliated his hometown school in a rout that caused me to turn off the TV before halftime and retire to bed for the evening.

In the offseason, likely starting QB Ryan Williams blew out his knee, forcing Golden to turn to true freshman Brad Kaaya. While getting Kaaya that extra year of experience only benefited the program, the excuse of playing a true-freshman QB probably bought Golden another year when even Stevie Wonder could see it was time to part ways.

Although, had Golden been canned following the 2014 season, we'd probably be stuck with Cristobal or Schiano right now instead of Richt, so it was probably worth another year of cursing at Golden through the television screen to land a coach worthy of taking the reigns of The U.

To summarize: Every time we've been close, the Russell Athletic Bowl has b!#%h slapped us back into mediocrity and it took us years to recover each time. This is the year we finally take that next step following a bowl victory.

Ahmmon Richards celebrates with the defense following a Shaq Quarterman scoop-and-score at Ga Tech. Photo/Todd Forrest

31-14: How sweet it is!

I have faith in Mark Richt. Being a UM fan in Georgia, sometimes I get tired of hearing about UGA from my friends, but the one thing I always respected about the Dawgs was UM alum Coach Richt. I would root against UGA in hopes they would fire him and last December, the stars aligned and they parted ways with MR while we were looking for a coach. (DISCLAIMER: Nothing against Butch. I wanted the BOT to bring back Butch because I didn't think UGA would be stupid enough to fire Richt. I wanted Butch ever since I knew Golden wasn't the man for the job, but Richt was the best coach available at the time, and for the first time, the school opened up its checkbook and went out and hired the best).

My argument remained constant: if MR can win 9-10 games annually in the SEC, he should average 10-11 wins in the ACC, and more often than not, 11-1 with an ACC title is going to get you into the CFB playoffs.

Canes fans had a lot to celebrate in 2016 and 2017 should be an even better year after the bowl victory. Photo/Todd Forrest

September 2017 can't get here fast enough

This will be an exciting offseason as we wait until signing day. Up next is spring practice, then the preseason magazines will come out in the summer as we count down the days to opening day.

Living in Georgia I don't get to attend a lot of games but I plan to be on the sidelines taking pictures at UNC and at Duke games in 2017. And even if Kaaya doesn't return in 2017, I have faith in Malik Rosier as a junior.

He was impressive when he saw action as a freshman and I trust he's only improved, and will continue to improve, the more time he works with a top-notch coaching staff. His mobility will add a wrinkle that opposing defenses will need to prepare for. He is a solid thrower and if it wasn't for the defense giving up a late score and forcing the 8-lateral miracle in Durham, we would have been praising Rosier for winning that game for us, with an interim coach, only days after Golden was canned.

That game proved he can sling the rock, not on the level of BK, but his legs will add another dimension that BK never possessed. And with a suspect offensive line, a mobile QB is a gigantic plus.

I also have faith in Chris Herndon to fill in for Njoku. He's no Njoku but I expect he can replace Njoku as well as Kevin Everett replaced Winslow. Herndon will be playing on Sundays, joining the long line of UM tight ends in the League.

The defensive front-7 will be downright nasty, the only question mark will be replacing the losses in the secondary. That's where corners Sheldrick Redwine, Malek Young, and safety Jaquan Johnson will pick up the slack left by Elder and Co.. Also, watchout for the upcoming freshmen on that side of the ball.

Happy New Years Cane fans! Isn't it wonderful to enter the offseason with a WIN! Leave me a comment or holler at me on Twitter. I appreciate the feedback.

Peace, love, and Miami football,

Todd