Restoring "The U"- University of Miami Dynasty

[Jefferson2Lafell]

Miami Fires Defensive Coordinator Mark D'Onofrio After 6-7 Season

Miami, FL-- Two days after ending their season with a disappointing loss to South Carolina in the Independence Bowl, the University of Miami announced today that it had terminated the contract of Defensive Coordinator Mark D'Onofrio, effective immediately. D'Onofrio was not available for comment, but Head Coach Al Golden said, "Mark is a good friend and good coach. However, the fit here just wasn't right. I think he will have a lot of success wherever he goes next."

D'onofrio came with Miami from Temple, where he served as Defensive Coordinator under Golden from 2006-2010. He and Golden are close friends who played together under Joe Paterno at Penn State. The move comes as a surprise, as his defense finished 13th overall in the nation in yards allowed. Many around the program are accusing Golden of making his friend a scapegoat for the struggles that the program has undergone since Golden took over.

The search for a new coordinator is already underway, and here are a few names to watch:

Michael Barrow- The former All-American Linebacker and 13-year NFL veteran has been working as the Linebackers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator for the Canes since 2007. He has a fiery attitude and is very well-liked as a player. He was a member of the 1989 and 1991 National Championship teams at Miami and has long spoke of returning his alma mater to its previous heights.

Bill Miller- Miller is currently the Linebackers Coach for Florida State. However, he has a wealth of experience leading defenses, and has served as a defensive coordinator at Nevada, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Arizona State, Western Michigan, Kansas- as well as a stint from 1995-1998 at the University of Miami. He led some quality defenses under Butch Davis, and Golden could be hoping to bring him on once again.

Jeremy Irvin- The sleeper candidate of the bunch, Irvin just finished his first year as the Linebackers Coach for the University of Mississippi, where he helped turn an average unit to one of the top Linebacking corps in the nation. He is the youngest candidate at 31, having served previously as a graduate assistant at LSU and as Defensive Coordinator for Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, FL- the alma mater of former LSU star Patrick Peterson and his younger brother, current LSU Receiver Avery Peterson. Irvin is the cousin of former Miami star and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, and was a walk-on Defensive Back at Miami from 2002-2006.

Regardless of who is hired, the new Coodinator will almost certainly have ties to the University- specifically, the old days of Miami football, when 'The U" was at the top of college football. Golden, although clearly lacking "swagger" (according to former DB Antrel Rolle), reportedly wants to regain some of the "bad boy" image that the University tried so hard to quell in the last 30 years. He is obviously not able to come out and said this, but his closing remark during the D'Onofrio press conference was, "Just remember-it's all about the U."

[Jefferson2Lafell]

Jeremy Irvin Hired as New Defensive Coordinator at Miami

Miami, FL-- After interviewing several candidates over the last week, Al Golden has announced the hiring of former Miami Defensive Back Jeremy Irvin. Irvin played at Miami from 2002-2006 as a walk-on, and is the cousin of former Canes WR Michael Irvin, one of the University's most famous alumni.

The choice came as a surprise to many, as there were several candidates with much more impressive resumes looking at the job. However, the young coach reportedly blew Golden away during his interview, and received a glowing recommendation from Ole Miss Head Coach Hugh Freeze, under whom Irvin spent the last year as Linebackers Coach. Irvin has a growing reputation as an ace recruiter, and has already sold the program to three players that will likely play a bigger role than any incoming recruits this year - Safeties Deon Bush and Kiy Hester and Corner Tracy Howard. Bush and Howard are both draft-eligible Juniors who planned to enter their names into the upcoming 2015 NFL Draft, and Hester is a True Freshman who had planned to transfer due to lack of playing time. All three, after meeting with Irvin, announced their decision to return to the University.

Irvin began his press conference with the statement: "It's good to be home." He went on to express how he grew up in the Miami area and how much he was looking forward to getting to the area high schools to spread the news about the University of Miami. "We're bringing 'The U' back. It's all about locking down the state of Miami." The state of Miami is a term coined by former Miami Coach Howard Schnellenberger which refers to a three-county area in south Florida that the university targeted for most of its incoming talent.

"The state of Miami and a few from the nation's elite. That's all we need."

Irvin plans to bring a Multiple style of defense to Miami. "A little 3-4, a little 4-3, some 4-2-5 maybe... I want to get our best players on the field, however that looks depends on who those players are. Most importantly, we want to attack the opponent's offense and get the QB off his spot."

Irvin's first task is replacing four starters on his Defense- RE Anthony Chickillo, DT Olsen Pierre, MLB Denzel Perryman, and CB Ladarius Gunter.

[Jefferson2Lafell]

Miami Signs 18 Players on National Signing Day

Miami, FL-- The University of Miami announced today that 18 players faxed Letters of Intent to join the school's football program. The class was called a disappointment by many fans who were unhappy with the lack of star talent signing, especially after new Defensive Coordinator Jeremy Irvin was hailed as an ace recruiter upon his signing in January.

"Jeremy's actually didn't have much influence on this class. You'll see his impact more on next year's class, in my opinion," said Head Coach Al Golden, who went on to say that he was excited about the prospects that signed, especially JUCO Defensive End/Outside Linebacker Tra Foster. "Tra could very well be a starter this year. We're excited about having him on board."

The class was ranked 28th nationally.

Here is a complete list of today's signee's:

4-star OLB Kyle Carter- 6'2'', 216 lbs, Oakland Park, FL

4-star ATH Andrew Harrell- 5'11", 185 lbs, University West, FL

4-star TE Eddie Livingston- 6'2", 257 lbs, Palmetto Estates, FL

4-star WR Duane Yancey- 6'2", 192 lbs, Rolla, MO

3-star (JUCO) DE/OLB Tra Foster- 6'3", 252 lbs, Holiday, FL

3-star WR Nick Dunlap- 6'1", 209 lbs, Aurora, OH

3-star T Isaiah Charles, 6'6", 291 lbs, Lakeside, FL

3-star MLB Akim Maxey, 6'1, 240 lbs, Key West, FL

3-star C Ron Johnson, 6'6", 330 lbs, Casselberry, FL

3-star WR Kyle Myrick, 6'0", 176 lbs, Long Beach, NC

3-star G Tim Williams, 6'7", 299 lbs, Chattahoochee, FL

3-star T Kevin Jenkins, 6'3", 330 lbs, Bradenton, FL

3-star G David Watson, 6'5", 266 lbs, Dublin, GA

3-star C Ray Miller, 6'2", 312 lbs, Deerfield Beach, FL

3-star QB Jamil Jefferson, 6'1", 227 lbs, Rome, GA

3-star RB Tristan Cooper, 6'1", 207 lbs, Pompano Beach, FL

2-star FB Tony Brock- 6'1", 237 lbs, Pinellas Park, FL

2-star FB Sidney Johnson- 5'10", 222 lbs, Oak Ridge, FL

[Jefferson2Lafell]

Miami Begins Work On 2016 Recruiting Class

Miami, FL-- As the college football calendar passes from Spring Football to the slow months of the summer, the University of Miami has hit the trail hard in recruiting, offering 15 scholarships in the last week.

Led by new Defensive Coordinator Jeremy Irvin, who also holds the title of Recruiting Coordinator, Miami has set out to fulfill the goal that Irvin discussed in his introductory press conference: locking down the state of Florida.

It is a bit of a down year in the state, with RB John Perkins being the only player in the state to receive a 5-star ranking from ESPN. Nevertheless, Irvin stated that there is "so many underrated players" in the state for 2016, and "if other schools look them over, so much the better for us.

Here is a list of the recruits that were recently offered. You'll notice that Irvin has kept his word- 11 of the 15 are native Floridians.

Miami Hurricanes Recruiting - 2015
NAME	POS	CLASS	HOMETOWN	HT	WT	CALIBER
George Whitaker	SS	HS	Highland Springs, VA	6'5"	196
John Pekins	RB	HS	Dade City, FL	6'0"	196
Lawrence Ross	C	HS	Ocala, FL	6'3"	275
David Swain	OT	HS	Pompano Beach, FL	6'5"	313
Jon McKinney	QB	HS	Fort Rucker, AL	5'11"	203
Ty Spicer	OLB	HS	Ormond Beach, FL	6'1	227
Jacob Young	HB	HS	Cutler, FL	6'0"	194
Frank McTaggart	MLB	HS	Holiday, FL	5'11"	225
Jeff Stallings	TE	HS	Satsuma, AL	6'4"	249
Alan Harwell	QB	HS	Lauderdale Lakes, FL	6'0"	209
Aaron Vaughn	DE	HS	Greater Northdale, FL	6'4"	240
Sean Perkins	DT	HS	Conway, FL	6'3"	298
Tim Warren	DE	HS	Oakland Park, FL	6'1"	288
Jeremy Ford	MLB	HS	West Pensacola, FL	6'2"	235
Charles Henry	CB	JUCO	Cordele, GA	6'0"	166

[Jefferson2Lafell]

The University of Miami Announces 2015 Schedule, Renews Rivalries

Miami, FL-- It seems that Al Golden is no longer attempting to hide his desire to return the University of Miami's football team to its glory days. The team announced its 2015 schedule today, and many were shocked to see the return of longtime rivals Florida and Notre Dame to the schedule.

"We are very excited for the opportunity to renew two rivalries that are integral to the history of our program and for the exposure that will be afforded by these two great match-ups," Golden said via press release. Notre Dame had reportedly agreed to begin playing Miami on a yearly basis again beginning in 2016, but due to some prodding by new Defensive Coordinator Jeremy Irvin, those plans were accelerated a year.

Irvin reportedly pushed for these renewed rivalries from the moment he was hired. "He actually mentioned it in his interview," said a source. According to a former Miami player, "Jeremy hated Notre Dame and Florida in college. I'm sure he just wants a shot at beating them."

Miami and Florida last met in 2013, with the Hurricanes winning 21-16. The Canes have won 8 of the last 10 meetings in the series, and lead the all-time series, 29-26.

Also of note, Miami is scheduled to play an out-of-conference game against the University of Nebraska, ranked #6 in the preseason AP Top 25.

Miami Hurricanes 2015 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 5	vs Notre Dame
Sep 12	vs Pittsburgh
Sep 19	at #6 Nebraska
Sep 26	at Wake Forest
Oct 3	at Virginia
Oct 10	vs #8 Florida State
Oct 17	at Georgia Tech
Oct 31	vs #17 Florida
Nov 7	vs Duke
Nov 14	vs #19 North Carolina
Nov 21	at #22 Virginia Tech
Nov 28	vs Arkansas State

[the red c]

Interesting schedule, I like it! I've always liked Miami. Good luck getting the program back to where it used to be. Following!

[Jefferson2Lafell]

University of Miami Releases First Depth Chart, Shows a Sneak-Peek of New D

Miami, FL-- The University of Miami released its 2015 depth chart, a week before they kick off the season at home against Notre Dame. There were a few surprises, especially the addition of a "3-4 Defense" section, proving correct the reports of the team practicing the 3-4 in closed practices. It seems obvious that the base defense will remain a 4-3, as the 3-4 depth chart only displayed a first-team, with no backups listed. The three down linemen will be a trio of Senior Defensive Tackles, with Ufomba Kamalu (6'6", 287 lbs) and Earl Moore (6'1", 306 lbs) playing end and the massive Michael Wyche (6'4", 335 lbs) as the Nose Tackle. Starting Defensive Ends Trent Harris (6'2", 249 lbs) and Al Quadin Muhammad (6'4", 245 lbs) will be standing up in the Outside Linebacker spots. LOLB Raphael Kirby (6'1", 238 lbs) and MLB Darrion Owens (6'3", 219 lbs) will remain on the field as the inside linebackers, and the secondary will remain the same.

Many players on offense and defense are listed at multiple positions, indicating the versatility that Head Coach Al Golden and Defensive Coordinator Jeremy Irvin have stressed this offseason. "We want guys who will play whatever position they have to. Those guys get on the field."

The best example of this is 6'8", 326 Lineman Sunny Odogwu. He is listed as the backup for every position on the offensive line. "Sunny performed so well in the spring and offseason workouts that we knew we wanted him on the field. He came in to the spring in a battle for about three positions on the line, but we decided that having him as a 'sixth man' of sorts was the best. He is a guy who can play every position on the line, and play it well. We're very proud of his progress," said Golden after a recent practice.

Miami Hurricanes Depth Chart - 2015
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Herb Waters	Braxton Berrios	Duane Yancey
TE	Chris Herndon	Eddie Livingston
LT	Ereck Flowers	Sunny Odogwu	Trevor Darling
LG	Hunter Wells	Sunny Odogwu	Trevor Darling
C	Taylor Gadbois	Sunny Odogwu	Nick Linder
RG	Danny Isidora	Sunny Odogwu	Alex Gall
RT	KC McDermott	Sunny Odogwu	Trevor Darling
WR	Stacy Coley	Malcolm Lewis	Darrell Langham
QB	Brad Kaaya	Kevin Olsen	Malik Rosier
FB	Tony Brock
HB	Duke Johnson Jr.	Gus Edwards	Joseph Yearby
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Ufomba Kamalu
NT	Michael Wyche
RDE	Earl Moore
LOLB	Trent Harris
LILB	Raphael Kirby
RILB	Darrion Owens
ROLB	Al Quadin Muhamma
CB	Tracy Howard
SS	Rayshawn Jenkins
FS	Deon Bush
CB	Artie Burns
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Trent Harris	Tyriq McCord	Chad Thomas
LDT	Ufomba Kamalu	Michael Wyche	Chad Thomas
RDT	Earl Moore	Anthony Moten	Tyriq McCord
RDE	Al Quadin Muhammad	Tyriq McCord	Chad Thomas
WLB	Raphael Kirby	Jermaine Grace	Tyriq McCord
MLB	Darrion Owens	Juwon Young	Jermaine Grace
SLB	Thurston Armbrister	Jermaine Grace	Juwon Young
CB	Tracy Howard	Antonio Crawford	Corn Elder
SS	Rayshawn Jenkins	Dallas Crawford	Antonio Crawford
FS	Deon Bush	Jamal Carter	Dallas Crawford
CB	Artie Burns	Dallas Crawford	Ray Lewis III
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Matt Goudis
P	Justin Vogel
H	Kevin Olsen
PR	Stacy Coley
KR	Stacy Coley
LS	Ereck Flowers

[Jefferson2Lafell]

Quote: Originally Posted by the red c

Interesting schedule, I like it! I've always liked Miami. Good luck getting the program back to where it used to be. Following!

Thanks! I'm an LSU fan (obviously), but I've always had a bit of an affinity for Miami. I think College Football is more fun when they are doing well.