ACC Coastal Division
Team;Conf.;Overall
Duke;3-2;6-3
N. Carolina;3-2;6-3
Miami;3-2;4-4
Va. Tech;2-2;4-4
Ga. Tech;2-3;3-5
Virginia;0-4;2-6
Bye weeks are supposed to be quiet and uneventful. For the University of Miami, it was anything but that.
Since the Hurricanes lost to Florida State 33-20 on Oct. 20, one player left the team, another player’s father went on radio to call coach Al Golden a liar and two freshmen were widely rumored to have tangled in a brawl.
By Sunday, the usually unflappable Golden had gotten his fill of questions regarding the turbulence.
After repeated inquiries during Sunday’s post-practice briefing about a rumored fight between linebacker Gabe Terry, a graduate of Palm Beach Central High School, and defensive end Jelani Hamilton, Golden bared his teeth at reporters.
“You guys are having a dynamite week — keep it up,” Golden said.
Whether those distractions have had any effect on the youthful Hurricanes (4-4, 3-2 ACC) could be answered Thursday night (7:30, ESPN) when UM faces a critical Coastal Division showdown with Virginia Tech (4-4, 2-2) at Sun Life Stadium.
The winner becomes the clear favorite to represent the division in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 1 in Charlotte, N.C.. The loser will likely be left fighting for bowl eligibility.
The Hurricanes have lost seven of their last nine games against Virginia Tech and have watched the Hokies dominate the ACC since both schools joined the conference from the Big East in 2004. Since the ACC split into two divisions in 2005, Virginia Tech has won the Coastal five times. UM is still looking for its first division title.
But this year’s Hokies aren’t scaring anybody. Coach Frank Beamer’s team is off to its worst start since 1992 and is 0-4 outside of Blacksburg. Virginia Tech has lost three of its last four games, including a 38-17 beatdown by Clemson in its last outing.
“We’re not used to being 4-4, I can tell you right now,” said Billy Hite, a long-time Virginia Tech assistant coach who now serves as Beamer’s senior advisor.”It has really been a tough time for us this year.”
It hasn’t been so great lately for the Hurricanes, either. Consecutive losses to Notre Dame, North Carolina and FSU have taken much of the steam out of a 4-1 start. UM is trying to avoid its first four-game losing streak since 2007.
A suddenly-sputtering offense combined with a defense that has been among the nation’s worst all season left the Hurricanes without a win in October.
Despite that, UM is guaranteed to win the Coastal Division by taking its three remaining conference games — against Tech, at Virginia on Nov. 10 and at Duke on Nov. 24. Virginia Tech has won three games in a row from Miami.
“It’s a very important game, a big game for this program,” UM quarterback Stephen Morris said. “We haven’t beaten Virginia Tech in a while.”
After playing for eight consecutive weeks and facing a schedule that included three teams — No. 3 Kansas State, No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 9 FSU — now ranked in the Associated Press Top 10, the Hurricanes’ off week couldn’t have come at a better time.
“Our bodies feel great right now,” receiver Phillip Dorsett said. “Not a lot of teams went this long without a bye week.”
But it wasn’t all rest and relaxation for UM.
A couple of days after the FSU loss, it was revealed that back-up defensive end Kelvin Cain had — depending on who was talking — either quit or had been kicked off the team after not showing up for the game against the Seminoles.
That was followed last week by inflammatory comments made by the father of junior defensive lineman Luther Robinson, who claimed that Golden was playing favorites with players he recruited over those brought into the program by former coach Randy Shannon. Robinson is in the latter group.
Then came social media chatter that Terry and Hamilton had engaged in a fistfight. Golden and Terry insisted no altercation took place.
Golden referred to all the controversies as “outside noise” and said his only concern is Virginia Tech, which is vying for its fifth ACC championship.
“I don’t really judge them on where they’re at in terms of their record,” Golden said. “This league has gone through them. They’re the champion. So whether they’re 4-4 or 8-0 is immaterial to me. … They know how to win.”
About the Author
