Miller might go pro even if not first rounder+other info

USNAVYCANE

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Maude
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After UM's self-imposed bowl ban, Hurricane players said facing Boston College on Friday afternoon would be their bowl game.

Unfortunately for Miami, this game wound up the same way as its recent bowl results: With a loss.

The Canes fell at Sun Life Stadium, 24-17, in part due to Jacory Harris tossing four interceptions.

Miami hasn't won its final game of the season since 2006 when the team beat Nevada in the MPC Computers Bowl.

"Obviously I'm terribly disappointed for our seniors," said coach Al Golden, whose contract extension through 2020 was announced during the fourth quarter. "It's not like we're not fighting. We're fighting. We just made too many mistakes to win a game like that. … We had too many turnovers (four), some really inopportune penalties. And, to be honest, we didn't make some plays that we've made all year. They did a great job holding onto the football. We did not convert on third down, they won the field position battle and the game changed on a defensive score (a 45-yard interception return with 14:48 left that put BC up, 24-14)."

Miami scored on its first two drives, with the first a LaRon Byrd seven-yard TD catch and then a 79-yard Lamar Miller TD run. That was the longest run for a Cane since Clinton Portis' 82-yarder in 2000.

But then the offense went in a drought, with no scores the rest of the way until a 49-yard field goal at the very end.

"Our first two drives it was `Alright, here we go!'" center Tyler Horn said. "But we never got in a rhythm."

Harris finished hitting on 23 of 39 passes with one touchdown and the four picks.

"Boston College, they played a great game, made some great plays," Harris said. "We wanted to finish the season off strong, but we didn't win the game. They played hard, fought their butts off. These guys are very resilient, have been fighting the whole year through adversity and I wouldn't want to be on any other team."

Harris, a senior, was asked after his final game what headline he would put on a book describing his four years at Miami.

"Came Out A Champion," Harris said. "That's how I feel."

The running game was led by Miller, who had 114 yards. But he barely averaged over three yards a carry outside of his long TD run.

Miller said of his long run that "Once I got the ball I was being patient, took it to the outside and just ran."

Miller addressed the chances he could go pro after the game. He previously said he would only leave if projected as a first-rounder. But after the game he didn't rule out leaving if he's not in the first round, saying he would have to consult with his parents.

Miller said a reason he would want to come back is "I always wanted to win a national championship, ACC championship. That was my main goal coming to the University of Miami, get a ring."

Defensive end Olivier Vernon also didn't rule out leaving early when he was asked about it following the game.

"I'm not really trying to think about that," Vernon said. When pressed on the subject, Vernon said, "I'll have to talk to my parents and we'll see what happens."

The defense allowed 349 yards to Boston College (153 rushing). There were 183 yards allowed in the first half.

"We didn't do a good job, especially early in the game," Golden said. "Later in the game we settled down on defense. But early there were too many holes there. The times we did get pressure we weren't where we needed to be in coverage. It's really simple, to be honest with you. We didn't execute. We settled down on defense, never got going on offense. And we couldn't get the ball back."

Linebacker Sean Spence, who had 14 tackles, added that "We had a couple of missed fits on the run. You don't fit in the gap right, there's going to be a crease."

Players said after the game that they're proud of how hard this team fought this season.

"There is no quit in this team at all," Horn said. "Coach Golden's brand of football is tough, hard-nosed football that is very disciplined, gets the job done. Now, do we make mistakes, get penalties? Yes. But there's not any point in any one game that I felt we gave up. We kept on fighting.

"As a team (last year) there were times we did `Oh, well.' But not this season."

Harris added that "I feel like last year's team would have given up in the first half when things were going wrong. This year's team, we were always going into the half either in a close game, always came out and we fought, and we fought our way until the clock struck zero."

The recap:

Phillip Dorsett returned the opening kickoff from the goal line to the 19, and on first down Harris went deep down the left sideline to a wide open Benjamin. Benjamin grabbed the ball, ran for an extra 10 yards and moved the Canes 60 yards downfield to the BC 21-yard line. Tommy Streeter then had a short catch on the left side to bring up second-and-two, and then Miller ran to the 10 for a first down. Harris scrambled to the seven, then threw a quick pass on the right side to Byrd for a touchdown, with Byrd taking the pass near the line of scrimmage and surging into the end zone past a defender.

With 12:37 to go in the opening quarter it was a 7-0 Cane advantage.

A high, short kickoff into the wind by Jake Wieclaw was returned to the UM 30, with Wieclaw making the tackle on the right sideline. Chase Rettig's opening pass was complete to Lars Anderson for a gain of five, and another pass on the next play was complete to Bobby Swigert for 12 yards and a first down at the BC 47. Tahj Kimble's first carry of the game gained two, and an offsides penalty made it second-and-three. Kimble picked up a first down on the next play, running up the middle for five yards to the Miami 41. An offsides penalty against Curtis Porter was followed by a Kimble run for no gain. On second-and-five a completion to Donte Elliott picked up a first down at the 26. A run went nowhere with Sean Spence making the tackle at the line of scrimmage, and then Chris Pantale got open on the left side for a gain of 16, bringing up first-and-goal from the 10. Kimble ran to the five, and then Denzel Perryman blitzed and took down Kimble in the backfield for a loss of four. On third-and-goal from the nine Pantale got wide open in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown.

With 5:47 left in the quarter it was a 7-7 game.

Travis Benjamin's return from the goal line set up UM at its 20. A run by Miller lost seven, with Luke Kuechly breaking through for the tackle. A pass interference call on a short pass with the throw intended for Streeter gave the Canes a first down at the 21, and then Miller took a handoff on the right side and burst through the line untouched. He ran past the defense for a 79-yard touchdown that put Miami up, 14-7, with 4:49 to go in the quarter.

Taking over at its 29 after another short kick, a big hole up the middle let Andre Williams pick up 13 yards to the 42. Williams then ran for four and three yards, bringing up third-and-three at the BC 49. A pass to Swigert over the middle picked up 19 to the Cane 32, and then Williams gained four yards. Another Williams run moved the ball all the way to the 14-yard line, a gain of 14, and then Curtis Porter tackled Williams for a loss of three. A Williams run picked up a yard, and on third-and-12 Swigert couldn't find anyone open and scrambled for a gain of three yards.

A 30-yard field goal with 14:28 left in the second quarter made it a 14-10 Cane lead.

A 20-yard Benjamin return on the kickoff set up Miami at its 20, and a first down pass to a well covered Streeter was incomplete. A Mike James run gained one, and a completion to Eduardo Clements came up a yard shy of a first down. Dalton Botts' first punt of the game was high and short and fair caught at the BC 34.

A two-yard Kimble plunge up the middle was followed by a dropped pass in the right flat, and on third-and-eight a completed pass on the right side to Anderson picked up 17 yards to the Cane 47. A pair of runs by Rolandan Finch gained 13 yards to the UM 34, and then he ran again, picking up 12 yards to the 22. Finch ran for a fourth consecutive time, gaining seven, and his fifth carry of the drive went nowhere. Facing third-and-three from the 15 Rettig scrambled up the middle for two yards. It was fourth-and-one from the 13.

Boston College went for it.

And didn't get it.

Backup quarterback Josh Bordner came in and ran a keeper on the right side, with a swarm of Canes stopping him for a loss of one.

Miami took over at its 14. A run by Miller up the middle picked up three, and then a screen to John Calhoun on the right side gained four. On third-and-three a pass deep over the middle to Streeter was underthrown and almost intercepted but fell incomplete.

A 41-yard punt was fair caught, and BC had possession at its 38 with 5:38 left in the half.

Williams gained two up the middle, and that was followed by a catch and run to Donte Elliott on the right side that picked up a first down at the Miami 47. Williams then ran for a yard, and a deep pass down the left sideline was overthrown incomplete in double coverage. On third-and-nine Rettig was sacked by Olivier Vernon for a loss of two. The ensuing punt bounced into the end zone and Miami took over at its 10 with 2:49 remaining.

Clive Walford made a four-yard reception, then Miller weaved his way past defenders running from right to left on a gain of 25 yards to the UM 39. A drop by Walford was followed by a Benjamin one-yard catch. On third-and-nine with the clock running down to a minute remaining Harris couldn't find anyone open and scrambled for a gain of five. Botts' punt was fair caught at the eight, and BC ran out the clock on the half from there.

The Eagles got the ball to start the second half, beginning at the 20, and Swigert made a catch on the right side for a gain of 12. On the next play Finch got a hole up the middle and gained 11. Williams gained one, then Rettig hit Alex Amidon for 14 yards to the Canes 42. A Finch run up the middle went for 10 yards, and that was followed by a 32-yard TD catch and run by Pantale.

With 12:08 to go in the third quarter BC led, 17-14.

The Cane return went to the 20, and on first down Harris' pass over the middle to Streeter was broken up. A James run up the middle gained two, and then Harris threw the ball away with nobody open. BC took over at its 30 after a 62-yard Botts punt was returned 13 yards.

A Williams run lost two yards, and then a short pass was dropped on the left side. After a false start brought up third-and-17 a Williams run up the middle went for a gain of 14 and forced a punt that was returned 18 yards by Benjamin to the Cane 42.

Miller's run on the left side gained two, then Harris' pass was broken up on a screen on the right side. On third-and-eight Harris lofted a pass on the left sideline to Streeter that was intercepted by Hampton Hughes and returned seven yards to the Cane 46. A personal foul facemask call against UM on a short run moved the ball to the UM 36. Anthony Chickillo then sacked Rettig for a loss of five, and that was followed by a Finch run that went for just one yard. On third-and-14 Swigert got wide open on the left side for a first down at the 16-yard line. A Finch run gained one, and then Pantale made a grab at the two-yard line. On first-and-goal a Bordner keeper was fumbled and the Hurricanes recovered at the two-yard line.

A first down screen pass to James gained one, and then Miller got a handoff on the left side, evaded a defender in the end zone and made it to the six-yard line. On third-and-six a pass to Benjamin over the middle was initially bobbled, and then the receiver hauled it in for a gain of 14 yards to the 20. A Hurns catch gained seven, and then James had a two-yard loss. On third-and-five Byrd made a seven-yard grab on the right side for a first down at the UM 32. Maurice Hagens followed with a nine-yard catch, and on the final play of the fourth quarter James was hit in the backfield for a loss of two yards. Facing third-and-three Harris threw into double coverage and was intercepted by Luke Kuechly, who ran 45 yards into the end zone with Benjamin unable to take him down despite being right on him the last 10 yards.

With 14:48 left in the game it was a 24-14 BC lead.

A holding penalty on the kickoff return set up UM at its 12, and on the next play a run by Miller inside BC's 30 was called back by holding against Harland Gunn. On first-and-16 a pass from the six was incomplete intended for Allen Hurns 20 yards downfield, and then a deep pass on the left side intended for Streeter was incomplete thrown into traffic. On third-and-long a pass to Streeter was juggled, taken in and then a pile with Streeter at the middle of it was pushed forward. The gain went for 15 yards, coming up just shy of a first down. Botts' punt went 54 yards with the return setting up BC at its 33.

A pair of UM runs netted nine yards, and then an incomplete pass forced a punt that set up Miami at its 13-yard line.

Harris completed a pass to Hurns for a gain of 12, and then Miller ran for two yards. Another Miller carry gained one, and on third-and-seven Harris was hit as he threw and the pass was incomplete. Botts' punt was fair caught at the BC 34.

Finch's run up the middle gained three, and then Finch ran on the left side for six yards. On third-and-one a run went for no gain, and BC's punt was fair caught by Benjamin at the 15 with 8:14 remaining.

A first down deep pass on the right sideline was underthrown to Benjamin and intercepted at the BC 44.

A pair of Finch runs gained six yards, and on third-and-four a delayed handoff to Finch didn't pick up the first down, but offsides against Shayon Green gave BC a first down at the Cane 45. Finch then gained eight yards and ran again for one yard. On third-and-one the Canes stopped Finch shy of a first down. After taking a delay of game penalty BC's punt was downed at the 10.

UM took over down 10 with 5:25 to go.

A completion to Streeter moved the ball to the 17, and then Harris threw to Streeter, who never looked back for the ball. It fell incomplete. UM picked up a first down at the 23 on a six-yard completion to Hurns, and then Miller made a grab over the middle for eight yards. On the next play Miller ran up the middle to pick up five yards and a first down at the 36, and with four minutes left Harris was hit as he threw and intercepted by Sean Duggan.

BC took over at the Cane 44.

Finch ran for three and two yards, and on third-and-five Finch's run went for no gain. The Eagles punted with 1:38 remaining, and it rolled down to the Cane two-yard line.

Harris' first down pass was batted down, and then Streeter hauled in a first down pass at the 13. Another completion to Streeter moved the ball to the 19, and then Clements moved the ball to the 33 with a catch and run. Clements got open deep on the next play, but Harris overthrew him, and then a Hurns grab gained 17 yards to midfield. With 34 seconds left Harris found Clements at the 41, and then Clements made another catch at the BC 32. After spiking the ball with 19 seconds to go, UM went for a field goal on second down to try and make it a one possession game.

The 49-yard attempt was good.

With 14 seconds remaining UM's onsides kick was recovered by BC, and the Eagles ran out the clock on Miami's season.

Golden was asked after the game what the team needs to do in order for better results next season.

"Well, the first thing is to get stronger" he said. "We need to get stronger than we are now. Clearly we have to create depth at a lot of different spots. The first order of business is to go out and recruit kids that match what we're trying to do on offense, defense and special teams and want to compete to be a starter. There's going to be a great opportunity. We're losing a great deal of seniors, but not a great deal of starters."

* Twenty-five were on this year's team. Blake Ayles (TE), Travis Benjamin (WR), Ben Bruneau (WR), LaRon Byrd (WR), John Calhoun (FB), Lee Chambers (DB), Joel Figueroa (OL), Chase Ford (TE), Jordan Futch (LB), Nate Gholston (DB), Sean Goldstein (LB), Harland Gunn (OL), Jacory Harris (QB), Tyler Horn (C ), Chris Ivory (LS), Mile Levine (LB), Erik Lichter (LB), JoJo Nicolas (DB), Micanor Regis (DL), Marcus Robinson (LB), Andrew Smith (DL), Sean Spence (LB), David Thompson (RB), Spencer Whipple (QB) and Mike Williams (DB).

* Jacory Harris' 60-yard pass to Travis Benjamin on the first play from scrimmage of the game is the third-longest "big play" of the season. Harris connected with Benjamin at Virginia Tech on a 77-yard touchdown.

* The Canes scored on their first two possessions of the game, marking the fourth time this season that they have scored touchdowns on the first two possessions of a game.

* Lamar Miller moved into third place in all-time single season rushing yards with his 114-yard output against Boston College. Miller, who finished the season with 1,272 yards, passed Ottis Anderson's 1978 season of 1,266 yards.

* Senior quarterback Jacory Harris moved into first place all-time in the Hurricanes record book in pass attempts for a career in Friday's game against Boston College. With 39 pass attempts against the Eagles defense, Harris moved up to 1,170 career attempts, surpassing Ken Dorsey's previous record-high of 1,153.

* Senior John Calhoun made his first career start today. Calhoun saw action in 26 games as a Miami Hurricane. In addition, Calhoun caught his first pass of the 2011 season, a four-yard slant from Harris.

* Miami's offensive starters: Jacory Harris (QB), Tommy Streeter (WR), John Calhoun (HB), Brandon Washington (LT), Harland Gunn (LG), Tyler Horn (C), Brandon Linder (RG), Jon Feliciano (RT), Lamar Miller (RB), LaRon Byrd (WR) and Travis Benjamin (WR). Starting for Miami on defense: Anthony Chickillo (LDE), Darius Smith (LT), Micanor Regis (RT), Olivier Vernon (RDE), Kelvin Cain (WLB), Sean Spence (MLB), Denzel Perryman (SLB), Mike Williams (CB), Vaughn Telemaque (FS), JoJo Nicolas (SS), Brandon McGee (CB).

* Seniors Jacory Harris, Tyler Horn, JoJo Nicolas, Sean Spence and Travis Benjamin served as Miami's captains.
 
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Just let him go already, if he doesnt wanna be a part of rebuilding us to a top tier school then fack him ol brittle bones ***
 
Along with those seniors I'm wondering what dead-weight will be shown the door by Golden and staff.

Junior Alexis, Wells, Swasey, Kehoe?
 
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it will be interesting to see where Lamar is drafted. The potential is certainly there, but he does not have good vision and he is afraid of contact, and that does not bode well in the nfl.
 
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Seriously - Jacory said "came out a champion." I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
 
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Miller, IMO, is 2nd rd material at best. His chronic shoulder injury could push him further down in fact, but the kid has elite speed that you just can't teach. He isn't particularly tough despite his size, is an average at best blocker, but has solid hands. I'm sure he will test well, so he shouldn't fall too far unless he just can't clear medical.
 
Where is Miller projected to go in the draft 2nd or 3rd round?

I'm not sure what the consensus is on his outlook...but Todd McShay has him as the #2 RB and #14 overall prospect I believe. We're all speculating on whether his history of shoulder trouble will hurt his draft stock a bit.
 
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