Corner Turned

Randy Shannon keeps proving the critics who populate the message boards wrong each week.

Every passing game gives us more evidence that Miami is on its way back -- slowly but steadily.

Sure the Canes still look like a mediocre team at times, but this group of kids has a resourcefulness and gritty nature that the past two Miami teams have lacked late in football games.

Miami has now won four straight ACC games, the second longest streak the team has had in league play since joining the ACC five years ago.

The truth is, Miami was only a couple of plays away in both 2006 and 2007 from being a decent football team -- but, those plays were never made. Whether it was Ryan Hill dropping what would have been the winning TD against Maryland in 2006 or Kyle Wright throwing an INT at the five yard line late against North Carolina in 2007, the Canes never made the plays to win ball games.

That trend continued this season with a humiliating fourth quarter collapse against Florida, a blown 10-point late lead against North Carolina and the embarrassment of allowing Christian Ponder to run for almost 200 yards (not including lost yards on sacks) in a close loss to FSU.

That particular performance was all the more humiliating when you consider Charlie Ward was the last FSU QB to even rush for a 100 yards in a game, again ignoring lost yards on sacks.

But since the humiliation of allowing Florida State to convert a late 3rd-and-goal from the 20 to seal a 41-39 victory, Miami's defense has made the plays it needed to late to win ball games.

Miami's offense has done just enough also. Tonight's game may have been different had Tyrod Taylor been healthy. Let's be honest, Miami has not stopped running QBs since Donovan McNabb ran all over the Canes over 10 years ago.

The list of Cane killing running QBs includes Rasheed Marshall, Al Clark, Bryan Randall, Craig Krenzel, Michael Vick, Reggie Ball and now Christian Ponder. Tyrod Taylor did his best to join that club today with two rushing TDs and several other great plays with his feet. But we must remember he was hurt and Miami didn't get his best.

I fear his best would have been too much for the Canes, whose youth is still evident on option plays and long passes.

But the bottom line is we saw Allen Bailey and Marcus Robinson make some incredible defensive plays, and Sean Spence continued his solid freshman year with some good tackling. The poor play of DaMarcus Van Dyke continues to be a sore spot for this defense and look for Georgia Tech, whose triple option attack does mix in the occasional deep ball, to pick on DVD next week.

Miami's offense under Pat Nix came out with a different look tonight -- five WRs, and a lot of designed QB runs.

For the most part, this offense looked like a juggernaut between the 20s but bogged down in the red zone.

Robert Marve got most of the game but seems to lock onto receivers and be unable to make a decision down field if a play is not designed to be a quick short route.

Marve's confidence has clearly been shaken by his frequent interceptions and today he played scared, often times taking off or giving up on his receivers before he should have.

Marve may be the better QB for a spread offense that needs a QB who can step up against a blitz and take off, but if Miami reverts to the pro style, it's hard to imagine Marve holding off Jacory Harris much longer.

A win over Virginia Tech is always critical.

This game represents the annual measuring stick for Miami.

More often than not, the Canes flunk this test. This year however, the team passes with an asterisk due to Taylor's injury.

Miami, now at 4-2 actually leads the ACC Coastal Division, but needs North Carolina to lose one of its final three games against weak opposition to reach the title game in Tampa.