Hokie-Doked: How The Miami Hurricanes Quickly Lost Their Swagger

Simply put, the Miami Hurricanes and their fans were “Hokie-Doked” into believing they were better than they were. They were brought back down to earth with the 31-7 drubbing Virginia Tech gave them yesterday.

Miami Hurricanes fans entered Saturday’s game on a high they hadn’t been on in more than four years. Not since 2005 had the ‘Canes been ranked in the Top 10. It’s been eight years since the glory days of Andre Johnson, Ken Dorsey, Ed Reed, Jonathan Vilma, Bryant McKinnie, and Roscoe Parrish, and Miami fans were hungry and waiting to announce they were completely back with a win over Virginia Tech.

Sure, the win over the Florida State Seminoles was impressive. Certainly the triumph over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets a week later was even more impressive, but there were still lingering doubts, even in the minds of the most faithful of ‘Canes fans.

A win over the vaunted Virginia Tech Hokies would quell any of those doubts and would give the ‘Canes ample reason to brag about their possible title hopes, for if they were to beat the Hokies, the Sooners would be the only team who truly stood authoritatively in between them and a possible shot at a return to glory; and that game was in Miami.

Was Jacory Harris the real deal? Would he stand up to any pressure the Hokies would bring? Would the offensive line protect him the way they had in the previous two games, where he could have ordered coffee from California, had it delivered, and drank it while eating a delicious croissant every time the ball was snapped?

These and many other questions ran through the minds of the fans, and even non-fans, of the Miami Hurricanes.

Yesterday those questions were answered.

Jacory Harris might still be the real deal, but judging from yesterday’s matchup, I’ll say no. Unlike other QB Alma Mater from the “U”, who were decidedly better under pressure the first time they faced it, and went on to distinguished careers in South Florida, Harris seemed to fold up like a wet suit; finishing 9 of 25 for 150 yards, an interception, and a fumble, both of which led to Hokies’ scores.

And he wasn’t alone. The offensive line failed miserably to stop Virginia Tech’s defense from sacking Harris three times (one more than they had in the previous two games combined), including the vicious hit by Dorian Porch that caused Harris to fumble at the 11-yard line, resulting in a Ryan Williams touchdown five plays later.

And the rest of the ‘Canes weren’t sharp either. Take for instance the play of Jimmy Graham, who dropped two key passes on a drive into Hokies’ territory in the third quarter that curtailed the ‘Canes possibly cutting the lead to seven. This team simply didn’t seem to have come into this game prepared for the intensity the Hokies were going to bring to the contest.

They should have realized that the Virginia Tech players might feel a little slighted by all the attention the Hurricanes had been getting from the media lately. After all, the Hokies were the favorite at the beginning of the season to win the ACC.

As Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm put it, “We felt like we were being a little disrespected. We were the defending ACC champs and no one was talking about us having a chance in this game.”

I’m one of those who gave the Hokies a small shot at winning the game against the ‘Canes. I felt their play in their last two games had shown a mediocre team at best, and I had no worries that their defense would be able to put the kind of pressure on Harris they did.

However, I’m a fan.

Players and coaches for Miami don’t have the luxury of having those kinds of feelings. They are supposed to play each game, and make a game plan for it, as if they’re playing the best team on the planet. To do otherwise invites what we Miami fans saw yesterday, a thorough butt-whupping.

The ‘Canes (2-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) are now going to really have to buckle down and prepare. Their next contest is against a very good Oklahoma Sooners team, and while they definitely have a shot against them, I’m not half as confident they can beat the boys from Norman (even with the game in Miami) as I was last week.

If Randy Shannon and the boys from South Beach want to have a shot at a BCS Bowl (a title shot seems a little unlikely now), they need to make sure they treat every game, and every opponent like they’re the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

To do otherwise is foolish at best and tragic at worst. We fans shouldn’t have to put up with seeing our boys “Hokie-Doked” again.

Quote taken from the AP Article on the game