Sam Shields: The Comeback Kid

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

Written off by the majority of Canes fans just a few short weeks ago, Sam Shields has become a powerful symbol of the sudden turnaround in Miami's ACC fortunes the past few weekends.

Canes fans often forget that in an otherwise lamentable 2006 season, Shields caught 37 passes, several of them bombs, including the winning TD in the MPC Computers Bowl.

Last season, despite being suspended several times, Shields caught 27 passes, giving him a respectable 54 over a two year period.

Shields had to come through in 2006 and 2007. This was because under Larry Coker's strategy of recruiting blue chip athletes instead of solidifying Miami's local recruiting base, Shields was the only WR signed after the 2005 season when Sincorce Moss graduated. Akeem Jolla transferred and both Terrell Walden and Rashaun Jones didn't pan out.

In other words, Shields had to replace four WRs.

After a disastrous early season punctuated by dropped passes and a penalty that arguably cost the Hurricanes the game against Florida State, Shields' UM career appeared over. It seemed Shields would go the way of Charlie Jones, Tyrone Moss, Lance Leggett, and Andrew Johnson -- offensive skill players signed by Larry Coker who got progressively worse during their UM careers and, in some cases, didn't hang around for a final senior season (in the case of Jones and Johnson. Moss went from all ACC as a junior to overweight third- or fourth-teamer as a senior).

Instead, Sam Shields has reinvented himself as a key figure in a revitalized Miami special teams unit. Shields has been outstanding on kick coverage the last three weeks, recovering a fumble that sealed the win against UCF and limiting the ability of big play return men in each of the three games.

Shields also took a reverse on the opening kickoff of the second half Saturday to set up UM's only TD in the game. In fact, Miami's last two TDs at home have been set up by exceptional Shields plays on special teams.

Shields rebirth speaks very highly of Randy Shannon and his coaching staff.

Instead of throwing the kid to the wolves, as many seemingly blood thirsty UM fans wanted after the FSU loss, they found something he could do well: kick coverage.

If UM does finish this season successfully, either with an ACC title or a nice bowl bid, remember the role Sam Shields' turnaround made in Miami's improvement.