Miami Hurricane Football: 10 Off the Wall Predictions for 2011

There are already many expectations going into the 2011 for the Miami Hurricanes.

Many are expecting a little better year then last, while some are even predicting Miami winning the ACC championship.

There are even speculations that Miami will head to the national championship game.

No matter what anyone says, it's only a guess at what will happen this year for the Hurricanes, and this is a list of what could happen, as it's college football and anything is possible.

We are starting from the most possible and counting down to the totally unexpected.

10. Lamar Miller Winning the Heisman Trophy

Lamar Miller started his career at Miami as a red shirt freshman last year by running for 65 yards on 11 carries against Florida A&M Rattlers.

Although it was the next game against Ohio State where he showed off his speed and quickness taking a kickoff return back for a touchdown.

It only got better as Miller got plenty of touches during the season and ended with 646 yards on just 108 carries, an average rush of six yards per carry.

In this year's spring game, he showed he was a serious contender by rushing for 166 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns.

With a revamped offensive line and a better coaching staff, if given enough carries, Miller has every chance in the world to be Miami's third Heisman Trophy winner.

9. Jacory Harris or Stephen Morris Dominate at Quarterback

With a combined 24 interceptions between Harris and Morris last year, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the Hurricanes just couldn't compete with the big boys in the ACC.

While the true freshman, Morris, was just getting used to actual game speed, Harris continued his inconsistency at quarterback.

Harris has the experience to finally put things together, while Morris has the athleticism to become the starter.

If Miami is able to produce an unstoppable running game, there will be no problem for either quarterback to shine.

The reason I consider this an off the wall projection is because both quarterbacks ended the spring session's game this year with two interceptions a piece.

8. Vaughn Telmaque Wins the Jim Thorpe Award

Vaughn Telemaque came into Miami with high hopes of becoming the next superstar at the safety position, following the likes of Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, and Brandon Meriweather.

He had a very solid Sophomore year last year leading the team with three interceptions, fourth in tackles with 59, and first in fumble recoveries with three.

The most notable thing about Telemaque is not only his knack for the ball, but the ability to punish receivers with helmet jarring hits.

He had a tremendous spring with Miami and if he keeps the momentum up, there is definitely a chance he wins the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in the country.

7. Miami Exposes Florida State and Revenges Last Year's Embaressing Loss at Home

The FSU vs Miami rivalry doesn't have the National Championship feeling of past seasons.

Last year the 24th ranked Seminoles came into Miami and completely blew the 14th ranked Hurricanes out of the water, 45-17.

FSU went on to have a very productive year finishing 10-4 and getting to the ACC Championship game.

Miami on the other hand had a dismal second half of a season and finished with a 7-6 record, losing to Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl.

This year, FSU has been getting a lot of love from media as many believe FSU has a shot of an ACC Title and a National Championship bid.

It is understandable, since they have a lot of great players returning, but Miami has a chance to end FSU's chance by going into Doak Campbell Stadium and returning a favor to the Seminoles.

With a better defense and revamped rush-first offense Miami can and will do it.

Will it be 45-17 score, probably not, but a 35-17 score wouldn't surprise me.

6. Miami Wins the ACC Championship.

I know, crazy concept, going from 7-6 to winning the ACC championship.

Remember people, this is college football, where anything and everything can happen.

Miami has proved to everyone, especially NFL scouts that it isn't the lack of athletes that was hurting Miami the last few years, it was a lack of coaching.

In come Al Golden.

Golden and his new crew have a legitimate chance to prove to everyone that Miami is back.

With a favorable schedule, only tough road games are against North Carolina and FSU, Miami will have a shot at the conference championship.

The players are in place and the coaching is a breathe of fresh air.

Miami beats FSU for the conference championship.

5. Travis Benjamin Gets 1,000 Yards Receiving

Miami's focal point will be the rush game, there is no hiding it.

With a staple of running backs and lack of quarterback, Miami really has no choice.

Leonard Hankerson was the only real consistent threat last year at wideout yet still was able to gain over 1,000 yards receiving.

Benjamin will be that guy this year.

While teams start to stack eight to nine people on the line, Benjamin exposes the defenses one on one coverage and lets his athleticism due the talking.

Benjamin gets his 1,000 yards, but with the amount of great wide receivers across the country, he isn't able to garner any individual awards.

4. Sean Spence Is an All American and Wins the Butkis Award

After a promising freshman season, earning all sorts of freshman awards including Freshman All American teams, the Sophmore Slump caught up with him.

After leading the team in tackles for loss and third in tackles his freshman year, he missed three games late in the season and seemed a little loss at times on the field.

He still finished with 36 tackles and six and a half tackles for loss but wasn't near what people expected him to be after a stellar freshman year.

Last year, Spence took the conference by storm, with 111 tackles and 16 tackles for loss, both fifth in the conference.

He was named to the second team, all conference team

This year, by what he showed this spring, he will eclipse anything he did last year.

I would be surprised if he didn't lead the ACC in tackles.

With a combination of the team's success, Spence wins the Butkis Award, given to the best linebacker in the country.

3. Miami Leads the ACC in Rushing Yards

I know many of you think Georgia Tech's option is more the style to lead the ACC in rushing again, but with Miller, Mike James and Storm Johnson (if he does indeed stay) Miami could have a lock at leading the ACC.

The Yellow Jackets led the country in rushing with 323 yards rushing.

This year, with Joshua Nesbitt and Anthony Allen gone, their two leading rushers, I see Georgia Tech's number's shrinking.

Georgia Tech will average around 250 yards per game, but Miami will sneak in just ahead of them at around 260.

I know that is far fetched for a pro-style offense, but I truly believe Miami will be running the ball around 75 percent of the time.

Give Miller 130 yards a games and 130 coming from the others, they end up the leading rushers in the ACC.

2. Miami Demolishes Ohio State

Last year, Miami went into Ohio and did a fairly good job in keeping up with the No. 2 team in the country, but at the end, turnovers cost them any chance of the upset, as Jacory Harris threw four interceptions.

That game gave Miami a dismal 1-3 record against the Buckeyes.

This year, Miami finally gets their revenge.

Ohio State will not have Terrelle Pryor or four other players and head coach Jim Tressle.

All the players and coach are suspended due to off-the-field infractions.

Which really is too bad, because when Miami dismantles them on the field this year, all the fans and media will blame it on the infractions.

Even with all the starters and their head coach, it wouldn't make a difference.

Miami beats them 45-17 without the Buckeye suspended players and 35-17 if they had them play.

1. Miami Finishes Undefeated and Wins the National Championship

Of course there are question marks on the team, every team has them. What separates Miami from every other team this year are the playmakers.

Miami has tremendous talent on the offense this year, and with the proper coaching staff, they will excel.

Will they end up undefeated? Maybe, maybe not.

They have a fairly decent schedule as their only true difficult games will come against the Florida State Seminoles and maybe the Maryland Terrapins.

Their other road games are against North Carolina, Virginia Tech and South Florida, which all those teams but USF will be starting new quarterbacks.

Miami gets by all those teams on the road, takes care of business at home and beats FSU in the ACC Championship game.

They meet the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS Championship game and win, 35-24, giving Miami its sixth national championship.

Sound too much off the wall?

Maybe, but again, it's college football. You just never know.