College Football 2011: 5 Questions from the Miami Hurricanes' Spring Game
Spring ball is just an opportunity for early high school grads to get a head start on their Hurricane careers.
Many of Miami's prize recruits have yet to step on the field for the Hurricanes. Some are on the field, that may not be for too much longer though.
Overall, the spring season has come to an end with the Green team beating the Orange team, 30-17.
While many things were answered about certain players, there are still some unanswered questions about others, as well as some broader questions on positions. Here are my takes.
Who Is Going to Start at Left Tackle?
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One is a red-shirt freshman, Malcolm Bunche, and the other is a sophomore who was listed as the No. 1 overall recruit in high school, Seantrel Henderson.
Bunche has never played a game at Miami, whereas Henderson started nine of 12 games for the Hurricanes last year and was listed on many freshman All-American teams.
So why is Bunche on top of the depth chart at left tackle? Is it because Henderson has been having off-the-field issues, as well as injuries?
According to Al Golden and staff, Bunche has just been a harder worker and doing a better job, period.
With the loss of left tackle Orlando Franklin last year, Miami had to reorganize it this year, moving Jermaine Johnson to right tackle, where Henderson was, and moving Henderson to left tackle.
Bunche, a guard in high school, also moved to left tackle and has excelled faster than Henderson.
Since both quarterbacks are right-handed, the left tackle position needs to be extremely important, and with Henderson out due to injury, there really was no answer as to who really is going to be the starter come fall.
Which Wide Receivers Are Going to Step Up for the Second and Third Spots?
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With all the injuries this spring to the receiving corps, there was no way to determine which receivers were going to be starters.
The No. 1 starter will be Travis Benjamin, you can bank on that.
When it comes to the second starter, a lot of people believe LaRon Byrd will be that guy.
The problem lies at the No. 3 spot; it basically comes down to Allan Hurns, Aldarius Johnson, Tommy Streeter and Kendall Thompkins.
Streeter really started hot, but toward the end of the last week of spring, returned to his old tentative style, catching only one ball for 17 yards in the spring game.
Johnson started his Hurricane career off with a bang in 2008, leading the Hurricanes in receptions as a true freshman. Over the last two years though, he has gotten less touches, and many believe it was due to being in Randy Shannon's doghouse.
This year he was to turn things around, but an ankle injury has limited his time during the spring, so we really don't know how well he is doing.
Thompkins and Hurns have a total of three catches combined while at Miami, but during the spring game, they showed they are now contenders for those second and/or third spots.
Hurns had six catches for 64 yards, while Thompkins had seven catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Fall practice is going to be very interesting come August.
Will a Real Quarterback Please Stand Up?
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I'm sorry, I know this is the same question in every article I write, but the Hurricanes still have no definite answer as to who is going to start at quarterback.
Jacory Harris is the veteran and knows the game a little better at this point, but his problem is all about his lack of arm strength.
Stephen Morris is a sophomore this year, and he had pretty much the same numbers as Harris through the spring, but he still doesn't seem all that comfortable with all the plays.
The spring game didn't help either as both players threw two interceptions apiece, a huge problem that needed to be resolved before the game.
The burning question for the Hurricanes and all the fans, is who is going to excel this summer/fall and come out to lead this team.
A two-quarterback system will not work, as it never has in the past.
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Who Will Distinguish Themselves at the Middle Linebacker Position?
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I know there isn't such a thing as too much of a good thing, but many Hurricanes have stepped up and played very well at linebacker this spring.
Sean Spence played lights out all spring and will be the starter at outside linebacker. Barring no legal problems, Ramon Buchanon will have the other outside spot filled.
The middle linebacker is basically a coin flip right now.
Jimmy Gaines and Jordan Futch are listed as starters at middle linebacker right now, but Kelvin Cain is right behind them both.
All three linebackers had a good spring, but Gaines emerged as the defense's most improved player.
Cain is just a sophomore, and his upside is tremendous, while Futch has been playing lights out.
So who starts?
As of now in my books, any one of them can do a good job, but we will need the summer and fall to see who really is going to break away from the crowded position.
Any Cornerbacks out There?
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With the losses of Demarcus Van Dyke and Brandon Harris, the Hurricanes went from an abundance of experience to a total of one start, by Brandon McGee.
This is one of the huge questions marks of the season for the Hurricanes, considering the lack of experience in the defensive backfield.
As of the last depth chart, Lee Chambers and JoJo Nichols are starting at cornerback; neither played that position last year.
Nichols was a safety, and Chambers was a running back.
True freshman Thomas Finnie is the listed backup for Nichols, but he had an interception in the spring game and looks very polished for a young player. Chambers' backup as of now is McGee, who played in 11 games last year at corner.
So what does this all mean?
Nothing really, all the cornerbacks need a significant improvement and more playing time before they can compete in a real game.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
