Miami Hurricanes Football: 10 Reasonable Goals for the 2012 Season

There are many goals the Hurricanes probably have this year, and I am guessing one of them is becoming national champions.

Of course, that would be the ultimate goal, but it's far from realistic, especially for a team coming off a 6-6 season and returning only five players on both offense and defense.

This list isn't my predictions on what will happen. It's a list realistic goals they can achieve if they play up to their potential.

Finish Better Than They Did Last Year

Doing better than last year's 6-6 record doesn't seem all that difficult, considering they stayed close in every game, but after losing five players on both offense and defense, it's a lot harder than it sounds.

Al Golden must improve though. It's Miami, and at a school filled with the history, he has to improve every year if he wants to keep his job.

This year will be no different, and I do not see a problem with Miami improving.  They have a load of talented young players back, and I foresee an improvement from last year's record.

Go Undefeated at Home

Miami doesn't have the same home mystique they had when they played at the Orange Bowl, but that doesn't mean they should be losing home games as often as they do.

In fact, the last time the Hurricanes went undefeated at home was in 2002, when the only game they lost was the robbery at the Fiesta Bowl.

Since than, the Hurricanes have gone a dismal 37-24 at home—a far cry from their NCAA record 58-game home win streak. To go even further, the Hurricanes are just 7-6 in the last two seasons at home.

That needs to change, and it has to start this year.  Miami needs to protect their house and make teams never want to come to Miami again.

This year they have home games against Florida State, Virginia Tech, Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina State, North Carolina, and USF. 

If they can win all those home games, they will not only restore order at home, but it will put them in great position for the postseason—if eligible.

Beat Virginia Tech

In last season's game between Miami and Virginia Tech, the Hurricanes only had to stop a fourth-and-one with one minute remaining to secure the upset.

They were unable to do that, as Hokie quarterback Logan Thomas ran a sneak up the middle for a 19-yard touchdown to give Virginia Tech a 38-35 victory.

Once again, the Hurricanes were so close to victory, yet couldn't find a way to win.

This is a new year, and with the Hokies only returning three players on offense, Miami has a great opportunity to beat Virginia Tech for the first time since 2008.

The Hurricanes have a lot of weapons on offense this year and should have an improved defense.

Beat Florida State (Twice)

The Hurricanes play the Seminoles on October 20 at Sun Life Stadium, with a good possibility Florida State will be undefeated.

The Seminoles play Murray State, Savannah State, Wake Forest, Clemson, USF, NC State and Boston College before they stop in Miami.  And with the amount of talent the Seminoles have, they should be able to do just that. 

That will even mean more for the Hurricanes in this already tense rivalry. The Hurricanes have a much harder schedule before the FSU game, meaning they likely won't be undefeated when the Seminoles come to town.

The chance of Miami pulling off the upset will be more important, so it's like the Hurricanes will come to play. And if they do win, there's a possibility it'll be a preview for the ACC Championship in December.

Obviously, there's a lot that must happen for Miami and Florida State to make it to the championship game, but it's definitely a realistic goal for both teams.

If they do, Miami has a shot to beat them again and win their first ACC Championship since joining the conference in 2004.

Bring the "Swag" Back, for Real This Time

Whenever I think of the Miami Hurricanes of the 80s and 90s, I think of winning and a thing called "swag." 

For those who don't know the term, you can watch this video. (It's already posted above, as well.)

To break down the term, it basically is a way a person, or team in this instance, carries themselves with confidence and style. 

I know many people believe people with swag are just arrogant and cocky, which may be true, but you've earned that if you win.

Well, Al Golden loved the swag of the past Hurricanes and wants them to bring it back to his current Miami team.  He wants his players to be confident and, above all, win games.

The Hurricanes tried to bring it back during the last eight years or so and have been unable to achieve it for an entire season.

If Miami can get eight or nine wins this year, the swag will be back, and I won't even have to tell you it is. You'll see it every time they play.

Finish the Season in the AP Top 25

The last time the Hurricanes finished in the AP Top 25 was 2009, when they finished 9-4 and took the No. 19 spot on both the AP and Coaches Poll.

This year, there is a possibility Miami will be under NCAA sanctions, in which case the Coaches Poll will not vote for a team ineligible for a bowl game. (See USC the last two years.)

That doesn't mean they will be left out, though.  If the Hurricanes finish with eight wins, I believe they will end up being ranked in the AP Top 25.

Produce an All-American

It's been seven years since the Hurricanes produced an All-American, but that could come to a screeching halt this year with Seantrel Henderson making the team.

After a great freshman year, I thought Henderson would come into his sophomore season and dominate. But unfortunately, back surgery derailed my prediction, and he missed the first four games of 2011.

This year, if he stays healthy, there is no way he doesn't become an All-American.  He has a perfect combination of size at 6'8" and 345 pounds and has the quickness to demolish any defensive lineman set in front of him.

Win the Coastal Division

They Hurricanes can definitely win the Coastal Division this year, if they can get past the two Virginia teams, the Hokies and Cavaliers.

The Hokies return only three offensive starters, but one of them killed Miami last year—quarterback Logan Thomas.  This year they will have to replace four offensive linemen, both running backs and two wide receivers.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, had a good year last season, and beat Miami 28-21 behind the terrific play of quarterback Michael Rocco.  Virginia returns seven on offense and five on defense and could very well improve on last years 8-5 record.

The rest of the Coastal Division will not pose a threat to Miami, in my honest opinion.  Yes, Georgia Tech returns eight on offense and seven on defense, but Miami has them at home this year and does well against their triple option.

North Carolina and Duke are missing too much, and I believe Miami will easily defeat both teams.

So if Miami can get past the two Virginia teams, they will have a great shot at winning the Coastal Division.

Win a Bowl Game (If Eligible)

The Hurricanes haven't won a bowl game since the 2005-06 season, when they beat Nevada 21-20 in the MPC Computers Bowl.

The Hurricanes lost all three bowl games under ex-coach Randy Shannon, and there is a high possibility of that changing this year—if they are eligible.

As you all know, Miami is still waiting on a final decision on the NCAA allegations, which could ban them from a bowl game this year.  Last year, the Hurricanes decided to skip out on a bowl game due to upcoming infractions.

If Miami is given an opportunity to play in a bowl game, there is no doubt they could win it. 

Win the ACC

Yes, I know this may not be realistic, but I truly believe Miami will be a contender for the ACC crown. They have terrific players on both sides of the ball and could have easily won every game last year.

Their largest margin of defeat was eight points, meaning they just didn't have enough to pull it out at the end. That can change with solid quarterback play and an improved defense.

I realize Miami only returns five players on offense and five on defense, but the players that never started last year got plenty of playing time and will be ready.

The biggest problem for Miami this year will be Florida State, as they return 18 players from last year's 9-4 team.

Miami has the talent and a great coaching staff, and without the distractions they had last year, they definitely have a chance to win the ACC this year.