Monday Musings: We Back, Y’all; LSU on my Mind; Projecting ProCanes in the Draft

It’s great to be back! After a life-necessitating hiatus, Monday Musings is back and better than ever. Or worse. Or more random and senseless (?). I don’t know. Anyway, I’m very grateful to Cam for letting me return and giving me the best platform to spew the random Cane tidbits floating through my head every week. Now, on with it….

1. Somehow I’m appreciating Malik more than ever. Even Captain Obvious would tell you that keeping Malik Rosier in the pocket and forcing him to beat you with his arm is the blueprint to stopping the Miami offense. That being said, what hits me the most from the spring game is that, if this Miami offensive line is as weak as it appears, whoever will be under center will have little time to read the defense and make the correct decision. Add in the pressure from a fast and athletic defense in the opener, and throwing in Williams (provided he doesn’t redshirt) or Kosi – unless either separates himself in the fall – seems like a fire that I’m not sure either would be ready to be thrown in. As much hell as he’s taken in the offseason after absorbing plenty of blame during the Canes’ 3-game losing streak, I’ll still take the guy who set the school record for total touchdowns accounted for in a season and is used to the speed of a top-tier defense. Until he gives me reason not to, of course.

2. I’m having a hard time getting my mind off the season opener…….. Yeah…. I can’t stop thinking about LSU and Miami in Dallas. Sure, it’s the first game of the year, and it’s in a metropolis of a stadium against a marquee program in primetime. Fine. But this is a game that Miami really needs to win, if for nothing more than what we learned last year with the ever-evolving playoff rankings. Hairs were split. Non-conference games and wins over ranked teams were scrutinized. For Miami, outside of a roadie to Toledo’s glass bowl, this is it as far as non-conference relevance. And if Miami can overcome an LSU offense struggling to find itself, it’s in fine shape schedule-wise to make another deep run at a CFP spot. While the Canes should be favored in almost all (if not all) of its remaining games, it has an Oct. 6 date with FSU in front of late-season road trips to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Entering Georgia Tech week with anything more than one loss would be disappointing…….although Friday night at Boston College had best be given its due respect. But it’s all about starting the season strong against an LSU team that *appears* to be vulnerable.

3. LSU looks a whole lot like Miami, at least right now……In watching parts of the LSU spring game last weekend, the Tigers looked eerily similar to the Canes in a number of respects. They are trying to sort between three unremarkable quarterbacks. They’re trying to figure out where their offensive depth will come from. Their tackles were abused, particularly by an up-and-comer (K’Lavon Chaisson) trying to fill the shoes of an early draft entrant (Arden Key). They have young, encouraging, but unproven play at running back and wide receiver. Honestly, they may have as many, if not more, questions on offense coming out of the spring than Miami……....

4. …….but the Canes let Wisconsin look like the Patriots in the Orange Bowl, while allowing some dude named Hornibrook to complete 68% of his throws for 4 touchdowns and no picks……and where our defensive backs failed with simple techniques, such as turning to look for the friggin’ ball. As such, I will take no (seemingly flawed) opposing offense for granted EVER again.

5. It’s draft week….so where will our newest ProCanes wind up? I tend to laugh at mock drafts. No one really knows what’s going on a team’s draft board, aside from the players being brought in for private visits after the combine. For an outsider it’s a guess, and anyone who says otherwise is wrong. It’s more of who would be a reasonable fit for X-team’s needs. That all being said, let’s see if we can nail the team and round for our beloved Canes. Let’s hear it. If anyone in the comments nails a Cane’s draft round AND team, I’ll send you a $25 gift card to Target, on me. My guesses: Chris Herndon, 2^nd round – Titans. Chad Thomas, 3^rd round – Rams. Kendrick Norton, 3^rd round – Dolphins. RJ McIntosh, 4^th round - Redskins. Mark Walton, 4^th round – Lions. Braxton Berrios, 5^th round – Ravens. Dee Delaney – 6^th round, Buccaneers. Kc McDermott, 7^th round – Packers. Trent Harris, 7^th round – Broncos. Undrafted: Bagley, Darling.

6. Old Canes’ game I’ll be watching this week…… Louisville at Miami, October 14, 2004. With Devin Hester’s recent induction into the UM Sports Hall of Fame, it seems only fitting to watch him rip off one of the most electrifying plays of his career, and maybe in Orange Bowl history.

7. Next Monday, we’ll be talking about……… Me sheepishly mailing out gift cards to multiple people, probably.