Miami Hurricanes Football: 5 Players Who Are Key to 2011 Season

The Miami Hurricanes have a variety of factors that will affect just how successful they are in the 2011 season.

First of all, they will have more media distractions than any college football team in the country. This is the biggest scandal relating to players taking money and other items of value at the present moment and maybe of all time considering that it's the University of Miami.

Second of all, Miami has more distractions that it faces due to the impending suspensions of eight key players, all of whom are starters. Six of these players are starters on the defensive side of the ball and one of them is starting QB Jacory Harris.

The Hurricanes were supposed to enter the 2011 season as an improving team due to the departure of former head coach Randy Shannon and the departure of many former starting QBs that had dominated the ACC for several years, including Christian Ponder and Tyrod Taylor.

The challenges that the Hurricanes face in 2011 aren't just on the field anymore; it'll be a mental game also.

Here are five players who are key to the Hurricanes' season in 2011:

Jacory Harris/Stephen Morris

In two of my most recent articles, I mentioned how key Stephen Morris is to the Hurricanes' success.

If you're a 'Canes fan, although Morris is a backup QB, you know how important the backup QB is when Jacory Harris is your starting QB.

Harris is one of the most inconsistent QBs in the nation and, similar to a former 'Canes starting QB named Kyle Wright, has not lived up to the acclaim that he received coming out of high school as a top-flight recruit.

Harris has stated recently that he expects to play September 5th at Maryland, although the NCAA has yet to make an official ruling on any of the suspensions.

Al Golden hopes the NCAA makes a decision by Tuesday, so the coaching staff can make proper plans for the upcoming game vs. Maryland that is only a week away.

Either way, whoever starts at QB is absolutely essential to this team's success.

In a pro-style offense, you need a QB who can at least perform adequately. The Hurricanes QBs have not performed to that level over the past three years of the "Jacory era."

The Hurricanes don't need their quarterbacks to put up Case Keenum-type numbers. They need a quarterback who will take care of the ball and make big plays when the team needs it—not lose games for the team by forcing the issue.

Both of the 'Canes QBs threw more INTs than TDs last year, with Harris finishing at 14 TDs compared to 15 INTs and Morris finishing at seven TDs and nine INTs. That is absolutely unacceptable at not only a big school like Miami, but at the collegiate level period.

If 2011 is anything like 2010 as far as the performance of the QBs are concerned, the 'Canes might be lucky to be bowl eligible.

Lamar Miller

The running game is absolutely essential to the 'Canes' success this season.

Although I expect the passing game to better than it was last year, that's not saying much.

The 'Canes will still be a below-average vertical team, even more so if the suspension of Travis Benjamin is upheld.

The 'Canes averaged over 183 yards rushing per game in 2010. They were 29th in the nation in rushing.

Lamar Miller split carries with Damien Berry in 2010, and with Berry having graduated, it leaves Miller and Mike James to continue the 'Canes' recent success of their running back by committee.

In order to create more big plays for the passing attack by utilizing the play-action fake for mobile QBs Harris and Morris, the running game needs to be as good, if not better than it was last year.

Harris is not a good pocket passer. Morris is only a sophomore. They need the play-action fake in order to gain a comfort zone in the passing game. The running game needs to succeed for that to happen.

RT Brandon Washington

Brandon Washington is simply Miami's most dominant offensive lineman.

Washington was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2010 and he earned ACC Lineman of the Week honors twice during the season.

The running game is the most pivotal asset that the Hurricanes have and in order to continue their running success from 2010, Washington will have to have another season as he did the year before.

With Seantrel Henderson out for possibly the first few games of this season and Joel Figueroa being bumped to LT, Washington will now start the season at RT.

With the passing game being as shaky as it is, Washington will have to have another All-ACC season to prevent the inconsistent Harris and the young/inexperienced Morris from getting rattled.

LB Ramon Buchanan

If the "suspensions from hell" are upheld, Buchanan becomes this defense's leader.

Buchanan was fifth on the 'Canes in tackles last year, often being overshadowed by the bigger playmakers at LB position, Sean Spence and Colin McCarthy.

With McCarthy having graduated and Spence being potentially suspended, Buchanan becomes the team's best and most experienced LB. He also becomes the best player on the defense, if the suspensions of Telemaque, Armstrong, Vernon, Forston and Ojomo are upheld.

Young and inexperienced defensive players such as Jordan Futhc, Jimmy Gaines, AJ Highsmith, etc., will look towards Buchanan for guidance.

Buchanan is a playmaker and although he may not be as talented as his fellow teammate Sean Spence, he is absolutely pivotal to the Hurricanes' success this season.

WR Travis Benjamin

Travis Benjamin is a poor man's Devin Hester.

Benjamin has been the 'Canes' biggest threat for big plays for the past few years. He's averaged at least 16 yards a reception in all three of his seasons at the U.

Benjamin is also the 'Canes starting punt returner, having returned one for a TD in 2010.

Benjamin is a small guy at 5'10", but he's lightning-fast. With the departure of Leonard Hankerson, the 'Canes are awfully inexperienced at the receiver position, with the exception of starters Benjamin and Laron Byrd.

Benjamin is potentially suspended for the season-opening game, but if Benjamin is to make a return, the 'Canes need him to stretch the field so players such as Laron Byrd and Allen Hurns can make their impacts felt in the passing game.

If the running game is to succeed, the Hurricanes can utilize the play-action fake to perfection with the speedy Benjamin. If Benjamin is absent, the 'Canes will find it a little bit harder to stretch the field in the vertical game.