Miami Hurricanes Football: 12 Players with the Most to Gain in 2011

Each player on the Hurricanes team has something to prove or gain going into this year's college football season.

There are many positions still up for grabs by the freshmen and sophomores.

The juniors and seniors are playing for more than just a position, but for their future at the next level as well.

Either way, here is a list of the 12 players that have the most to gain for the Hurricanes.

Aldarius Johnson, WR

As a true freshman in 2008, Aldarius Johnson was the team's leading receiver, catching 31 balls for 332 yards and three touchdowns.

In the last two seasons, he has caught 31 balls for 433 yards and just one touchdown.

There are many reasons why he hasn't been getting playing time, one of which was his place in ex-head coach Randy Shannon's, dog house.

Whatever the reason is, Miami needs Johnson to be better than he has ever been, as the Hurricanes are still looking for third and fourth receivers.

Johnson needs to work a lot harder then he has and if he wants is to have any chance of making it to the next level, he needs to do it this fall.

I honestly believe he can be a very good player for the Hurricanes. It just may be a little too late.

Vaughn Telemaque, FS

Vaughn Telemaque has been a little over shadowed by his safety counterpart, Ray Ray Armstrong.

That doesn't mean Armstrong is a better player by any means.

Telemaque had a great season last year, as he started all 13 games as just a sophomore.

He may not be NFL ready at the moment, but there is no doubt that if he has a better season then he did last year, he'll be playing on Sundays very soon.

He will continue to be the starter at safety and it is possible that he could have a better season than Ray Ray. Only time will tell.

Thomas Finnie, CB

Like most freshman, Thomas Finnie will have a lot to prove in his first year (unless he gets redshirted, which I do not see happening).

Finnie had a terrific spring session and was even listed as a starter at cornerback a couple times.

His athletic ability is there, he just needs to get used to the college speed and there is no doubt that he will contend for a starting position all season long.

Enrolling early at Miami has given Finnie a head start over the other big named recruits, and with what he has shown so far, he will have the most to gain.

Travis Benjamin, WR/PR/KR

Travis Benjamin has been a bit of a workhorse the last three years at Miami.

During his freshman year, he played in 12 games, starting in five, and was the fifth leading receiver on the team.

In his sophomore and junior seasons, he was the second leading receiver on the team.

Going into his senior season, Benjamin will have a chance to be the Hurricanes' main receiver as well as the starting kick and punt returner.

If he excels at any of the positions like I expect him to, he will have a great opportunity to get drafted in next year's NFL draft.

He has amazing quickness and great speed, and it will only take one breakout season for him to get the recognition he deserves.

Sean Spence, LB

Sean Spence has already had an amazing three seasons with the Miami Hurricanes.

In his freshman season, he was honored by many publications as a freshman All-American pick and was the ACC defensive rookie of the year.

After a subpar sophomore year, Spence went into his junior season with a chip on his shoulder.

He ended up having a breakout season, starting all 13 games, leading the team in tackles with 111 and leading the team in tackles for loss with 16.

Going into his senior season this year, Spence has a lot to prove to the college football world and to his next employer, the NFL.

Many people believe his size is questionable, while some believe he doesn't posses the leadership necessary to take the Hurricanes defense to the next level.

With another solid year, there will be no doubting his leadership or skill, no matter how small he is for a linebacker.

In fact, Ray Lewis was almost the same size as Spence when he got drafted and you know where he will end up when he is done—the Hall of Fame.

Tommy Streeter, WR

If there is one player that has the athleticism to be the next great Hurricanes wide receiver, it's the 6'5, 215 pound Tommy Streeter.

He has great size and amazing speed for such a tall player (he clocked a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash his freshman year).

The problem with Streeter seems to be his lack of knowledge of routes, as some scouts stated he seems absolutely lost on the field.

Streeter was redshirted in his freshman year, and after two additional years spent mostly as a backup, Streeter goes into his redshirt junior year with the most to prove and the most to gain.

Going into the spring game earlier this year, many believed that Streeter was doing a great job and was probably going to be a big part of the Hurricanes offense this year.

However, the spring game proved to everyone that he seemed just as lost as he was the last two seasons, as he caught only one pass for 17 yards.

With his size and speed, he has the opportunity to be a great receiver for the Hurricanes and in the NFL.

Marcus Forston, DL

Marcus Forston broke out in his very first season with the Hurricanes in 2008 and was named to multiple freshmen All-American teams across the country.

After getting hurt his sophomore year (earning a medical hardship redshirt), Forston came back last year to remind everyone that he is still the great player he was back in his freshman year.

The redshirt junior already has his defensive position on lock and now just needs to stay healthy the entire year.

If he is able to do that, many analysts (including ESPN's Todd McShay) believe that he will possibly be a first-round draft pick in next year's NFL draft if he decides to leave.

Lamar Miller, RB

Lamar Miller has possibly the most to gain out of all the Hurricanes.

As a redshirt freshman last year, Miller broke onto the scene with a kickoff return for a touchdown against Ohio State in a nationally televised game.

Miller proved himself every time he touched the ball last year, averaging a great six yards per carry in a very limited role at running back.

Earlier this year, he proved to the team and America that he was ready to put the Hurricanes on his shoulders—He rushed for 166 yards and scored three touchdowns on just 10 carries in the annual spring game.

Miller has so much to gain and his goal is simple: "To win every game, to win the ACC championship, and to rush for at least 100 yards in every game."

If he were to accomplish all of those things this year, we may never see him in a Hurricanes jersey again.

Ray Ray Armstrong, SS

Armstrong has been a very talked about man this offseason.

He has been put on multiple award watch lists as well as many preseason All-American teams.

Some analysts have even gone as far as to call Ray Ray the best safety in America.

Now all the publicity is great for himself and the school, but none of it will matter if Armstrong doesn't play up to expectations.

He has the safety position locked up, so he is basically playing for the team's return to glory and for draft status, if he decides to leave school early.

Brandon Washington, OL

Usually offensive linemen do not get talked about all that often during the spring and summer sessions, but then again, not many offensive linemen are better than Brandon Washington.

Washington made noise last year amongst scouts and media when he dominated defensive linemen as just a sophomore.

Going into this season, Washington has been on many award watch lists as well as preseason All-American and ACC teams.

He has the size and athletic ability to play on Sundays, and if he has the year that many expect from him, we could see him in the NFL next year.

Stephen Morris, QB

Stephen Morris had a very good true freshman season.

Ignore the fact that he threw more interceptions than touchdowns. He was an 18-year-old kid who had never played at the college level.

Morris got his break when Jacory Harris got hurt and Spencer Whipple threw two interceptions (in six passes) in the game against the Virginia Cavaliers.

Morris also threw two interceptions that game, but also threw two touchdowns and ran another one in for a score.

This game earned Morris the starting job for the last four regular season games due to Jacory's injury.

As a starter, Morris went 2-2, and had a respectable quarterback rating of 120. However, he also threw six interceptions to his three touchdowns.

After getting some repetitions as a true freshman last year, Morris is heading into his sophomore season with high expectations.

There is no doubt that he has the talent to compete for and win the starting quarterback job from Harris.

Jacory Harris, QB

There may not be a player in the country that has more to gain than Jacory Harris.

After a spectacular sophomore season, many tagged Harris as the next Ken Dorsey.

Then came a dismal junior year in which he threw for more interceptions than touchdowns and got hit so hard that he rode the pine for three games.

Harris still has the tools to be a great college quarterback, but he needs to just stay focused and make better decisions.

Head coach Al Golden has yet to name a starting quarterback for this year, so Harris has roughly one month to prove to his coach and the country that he is the leader of the Hurricanes.

Before Harris can do that, he needs to prove to himself that he can be the man he was just two short years ago.