Miami Football Scandal: Jacory Harris Awaiating the Axe, Suspension Coming?

Jacory Harris is the most notable of the current crop of Miami Hurricane football players that are being investigated for accepting illegal benefits from former booster Nevin Shapiro.

Al Golden has been put in a tough spot as he waits to hear what the verdict is on his quarterback.  With all the evidence mounting, Golden would probably be best suited to just begin season preparation without Harris.  Stephen Morris will likely be looked to if Jacory is deemed ineligible.

No details of what exactly Jacory Harris accepted have been released, but if it’s anything like what the other Hurricane players have taken, he could be in serious trouble.  Nevin Shapiro stated that he provided 72 players with cars, cash, yacht trips, jewelry, and prostitutes.  Harris could potentially see his senior season lost because of his mistakes if this is proven to be true.

Harris’ silence has been deafening.  He has not been made available to talk to the media.  In fact, of the 105 players that Miami sports on the practice field, only four of them have been made available for comment since the Yahoo! Sports article was released featuring the interview with Shapiro.

Harris has not made a denial either, which doesn’t mean that he won’t.  However I think the public perception is that if he isn’t immediately denying it, it probably means that he is trying to think up a story if evidence does suggest that he was involved.

If he is found guilty of the allegations, there is no doubt that a suspension is on the horizon.  The question will be, for how long.  If Shapiro bought him dinner, maybe Harris only misses five games.  If Shapiro bought him a Rolex and took him for a spin on the yacht, then we will likely have seen the last of Jacory Harris last year.

Al Golden needs to stay on top of keeping his team prepared to play without several players who are reported to be involved in the scandal.  Some of the key starters they stand to lose are Harris, safety Ray Ray Armstrong, and linebacker Sean Spence.  2011 could be a rough year for the Hurricanes.  The disheartening thing for Canes fans is that it may only be the first rough year in a period where Miami football will be under more scrutiny than ever.