Tracking Miami's Regression

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

Now that Randy Shannon has officially stopped the bleeding in Miami football, which began in 2002, let's look back at how the Canes progressively got worse year to year until the 2008 Freshman class changed things.

2002
A year after an undefeated national title run, the Canes did return to the BCS title game. However, this team was a missed field goal away from losing to FSU at home. The Seminoles finished the year 8-5.

Miami was also gashed for big yardage in a win at West Virginia, and struggled with Rutgers.

Pitt gave the Canes all they could handle until finally wilting in the dying seconds.

While the Fiesta Bowl loss was controversial, thanks to Terry Porter's Pass Interference call on Glen Sharpe in overtime, Miami was clearly much less dominant in 2002 than in 2001.

2003
Miami was a fourth-and-17 Kellen Winslow catch away from not even sharing the Big East title with West Virginia.

Down the stretch of the season, Virginia Tech lost to West Va., BC, Pitt and UVa. However, they beat Miami, 31-7, and a week later the Canes lost to Tennessee at home.

Two regular season losses in a row after winning 39 straight was a bad sign.

2004
Miami's first year in the ACC featured exciting wins over Florida State and Louisville.

It also featured a defense that was routinely shredded win or loss in the conference. After debuting at #2 in the initial BCS poll, which followed a Brock Berlin performance that tied a school record with 5 TDs in a 45-31 win against NC State (who finished the season with a losing record yet still moved the ball at will on Miami), the Canes lost three of five and found itself in the Peach Bowl.

Beating Florida was nice, but the program was clearly in a regression.

2005
After an unfortunate opening game loss to FSU, in a game dominated by the Canes, Miami ran off eight straight wins including a 27-7 shocker in Blacksburg against VaTech.

During that stretch, however, Miami's lack of play makers became apparent.

After averaging at least one defensive or special teams TD per game since 1999, Miami scored only three TDs defensively or on special teams all season. After a stunning, 14-10, loss at home to Georgia Tech and the embarrassing 40-3 Peach Bowl loss to LSU, panic signals were beginning to be pushed as the program was in a free fall.

2006
Larry Coker lost prized QB recruit Pat Devlin just before signing day and also could not secure any top WRs other than Sam Shields who was forced to carry the brunt of the receiving duties for the team as a true freshman.

Miami's QB play became more and more erratic and the national media made Miami its target after the FIU fight.

The team collapsed and Coker was fired.

Miami scored one defensive or special teams TD all season. Remember, the Canes scored over a TD a game on Special Teams and defense between 1999 and 2004.

However, Kirby Freeman's effort in the bowl game against Nevada deserved praise as Miami, BCS eligible just a season earlier, limped to a 7-6 record.

2007
Randy Shannon's first season saw the continued regression of the offense now completely devoid of any play makers and the defense which had few, if any, ball hawks in secondary.

For the second straight year Miami did not score a TD on special teams.

The Quarterback position long central to Miami's success had turned into a joke.

Kirby Freeman completed just one pass against NC State and Kyle Wright was often times even worse than Freeman.

Miami missed a bowl game due to a factor other than probation or limited scholarships for the first time since 1979.