MIAMI HURRICANES O:5 D:6

Shockingly, the last memory we have of the '05 Hurricanes is of them getting pasted by LSU in the Peach Bowl. That lackluster effort caused Head Coach Larry Coker to make a number of coaching changes in the off-season, and it’s believed he’s on the hot seat in 2006 even though he’s won 53 of the 62 games he’s coached in Coral Gables. Only 11 starters return from last season’s squad that went 9-3 overall, but there’s plenty of talent on hand. His offense will be guided by Junior QB Kyle Wright who was ranked second in the ACC in passing last season, and he’s got a plethora of talent to spread the ball around to. The WR corps is long, speedy, and athletic as usual. Senior WR Ryan Moore is back off a disappointing ’05, as is stud TE Greg Olsen who was second in receptions on the team. The RB corps is in the good hands of a solid duo as both Tyrone Moss and Charlie Jones each carried the ball over 120 times last season, and combined for 1250+ yards. However, the O-Line is the least experienced its been in quite some time, and is coming off an unproductive ’05. Still, this has the makings of a very potent make-up, and should excel in QB Wright’s second season under center. Defensively, the Canes return six starters with a number of studs at impact positions. The D-Line is in good shape at both end positions anchored by DE Baraka Atkins, and there’s plenty of talent and depth on hand. This will be another fine Miami front wall. The LB corps is still in search of the next Ray Lewis, Dan Morgan, or Jonathan Vilma, but Jr. Jon Beason is coming off a huge ’05 and fits the mold. The secondary is set at the safety position with both Brandon Merriweather and Kenny Phillips back, but the CB position is a concern. Defensive Coordinator Randy Shannon doesn’t have the nine starters back this year that ranked amongst the top five in all the land, but he does have an excellent group with plenty of new talent to fit in. It will still be one of the nation’s elite defenses, but might give up a few more PPG. Miami has to find another punt and kick returner, but that’s never really been a problem for this program. Overall, the special teams are in great shape with both K Jon Peattie and P Brian Monroe back for their senior campaigns.

Miami has the best winning percentage in Division I-A since 2000 (50-8), but there is concern that HC Coker's team is sliding backwards after a pair of uninspiring 9-3 seasons. Maybe the Miami faithful were a bit too spoiled at the turn of the century, or maybe the move to the ACC wasn’t the smartest of moves. Either way, Miami is still a beast of a team, and even scarier this season playing with a chip on their shoulder. The first half of their schedule sets them up very nicely with five of their first six in the Orange Bowl. They also get to host both BC and VTECH in the second half, and their road games all fall in the winnable category. This could be the year Miami wins the Coastal Division.