Out Of Kilter

Associated Press Story
I’m tired as hell, so expect the game wrap later on, but I needed this to get out there just in case all you people out in internet-land hadn’t heard.

more to come later

There’s a lot of media talk saying Larry Coker may be looking for a new job soon, and while the man behind Miami may not “own this friggin’ town” like say, Jim Tressel, I’m not so quick to believe Shalala will fire the dude just because he can’t control his players, or gives lousy press conferences, or can’t bring home the wins… on second thought, listen to buzz:

Mike Farrell at SportingNews gets the ball rolling with this,

The worst-kept secret in college football is that a new head coach will soon take over the hallowed Miami program… But fret no more Miami fans, your proud program will be back among the recruiting elite before you know it.

Read more bad news for UM’s Gargamel after the jump.
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ESPN says Coach Coker “sounded tired and spent” after the game. A full breakdown will follow if we can talk Trick Daddy Doubloons out of buying a pine condo; and with no Bowl games to look forward to, that’s one big “if.”

Coker admits,

“It’s been tough. It’s been draining on everybody and maybe it culminated today because we didn’t play with a lot of energy.”

Kirby “Your Enthusiasm” Freeman adds,

“I’m sick of losing. Miami’s sick of losing. This football team is sick of losing. You know it’s been like this all along; we’ve been busting our tails in practice. We’re doing what we need to be a good football team. Things aren’t clicking.”

Family and friends have laid Bryan Pata to rest in Miami. A sea of orange and green shirts filled the church as “Amazing Grace” was sung.

Pata’s brother, Edwin Pierre said simply,

“He didn’t deserve to die that way. He worked so hard to get to where he was at. It just doesn’t seem fair for it to end that way.”

More from the funeral, and the police effort to catch Pata’s killer after the jump.
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I just don’t know what to expect this afternoon. Last week had some positives to work on and work towards (the burst Ty moss showed on his long run and his actually capably running out of the shotgun), as well as some negatives (Kyle and Kirby turning the ball over too much, not running the ball once after Moss’ big gainer).

I still believe this team has guys that are quality players. The performance hasn’t been there, but I think that’s due to a combination of Coach Coker’s ineptitude and some of the worst goddamned luck possible. I’m ashamed to say I haven’t watched one full Maryland game all year, so all I can go on is the less than impressive reputation.

I also don’t know what effect Kirby Freeman will have on the offense. There’s no doubt he’s looked sloppy at times and his numbers as an aggregate are less than impressive. However, Kyle Wright has looked downright bad this season. His late game turnovers have outright lost us one game and prevented us from doing anything in two more. I don’t know the exact reasons, whether it’s pathological fear of mistakes that end up paralyzing him into it, or whether he forces throws because by the end of games the offensive line no longer has any facsimile of his trust. All I know is Kyle is not where he needs to be.

The University of Miami community has only begun to morn the loss of Bryan Sydney Pata. According to reports, UM will hit the field against Maryland this Saturday, but they will dedicate the game to #95.

In the meantime, some fans have turned his MySpace page into a digital memorial.

In a release from the UM Athletics Dept.,

Tonight the University of Miami tragically lost a member of our football family, Bryan Pata. Bryan was a fine person and a great competitor. He will be forever missed by his coaches and teammates. We offer our thoughts and prayers to his family.

More on the tragedy, the response, and the investigation after the jump.
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This will be an ugly game. Not merely aesthetically, although that is certainly true, but as a fan of Miami football. The team that takes the field at the Orange Bowl tonight isn’t the team that miraculously blew out VT last year. That team had proven players and it had earlier bright spots in the season.

Virginia Tech is vulnerable, make no mistake. From what I’ve seen though, it’s not in such a way that the Hurricanes can exploit. We rarely get to the quarterback, which is how you mess up Sean Glennon. We can’t hit deep passes in stride, which VT has, surprisingly, appeared to be prone to giving up.

On the other hand, we can stop the run. Even there, we have weaknesses. I’m not revealing any secrets when I say that Brandon Ore makes the VT offense go. If Frank Beamer commits to running at Tavares Gooden, he will give up a play or two by missing a tackle.

Our running game will break one every so often, but Coach Olsen is all too willing to abandon the run.

It would be great if we pulled out the tricks and actually went against tendencies this game, but at this point it seems doubtful.

Needless to say, though, if we manage to repeat last year’s blowout at Lane Stadium, I reserve the right as a fan to say this was all a jinx.

For a look at the Miami offense vs. the Yellowjackets, check here…

The defense’s flaws are nowhere as perplexing as the other side of the coin, but that makes them no less pervasive. Currently we exist in some sort of bizarre limbo state where despite the legions of talent on the line, we can’t rush the quarterback, despite the sheer numbers of players at linebacker, we can’t just follow the football, and despite our tandem of the best safeties since Ed Reed and James Lewis, we can’t get interceptions.

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