First and Foremost:

Happy Thanksgiving CanesFam.

I’m thankful that you are even taking the time on this day to stop by on your way to spend time with loved ones. This time of year features a deeper and more meaningful aura of gratitude and reverence of life. We as individuals, as families and as a society intentionally take a step back, look at what’s good in our lives, take a collective step back, and appreciate it.

We have a had a tumultuous year as a society, but we still maintain the ability to find the good in our world, in our surroundings and in our selves.

The same applies to the 2020 iteration of the Miami Hurricanes. Outside of the fourth Thursday of the Eleventh month of the year, it can be, at times, rather easy, rather simple, to look at the season and find fault in every section of it.

The Defense.

The Close Games.

Even Quarterbacking.

Yes, even quarterbacking.

The natural human emotion is to analyze, compare, and find fault in current holdings in order to identify weaknesses and paths forward. There is undeniable power, however, in rejoicing in our victories and progressions, big and small, to appreciate where we have come from and appreciate where we are going.

In analyzing the big picture, its easy to find the holes, the what ifs, the misses and the losses that haunt us any given day. Hurricanes football, gave us so much to rejoice over, and collectively, as a Cane Family, throughout the year. Lets recap and look at 10 things that broke Canes Internet in the absolute best ways.

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10) A CORNER!

The ascension of Te’Cory Couch has been met with massive appreciation by a Hurricaens faithful that seemingly been lamenting for good cornerback news since Rike Mumph has been on campus. The play of the Chaminade Madonna Alum has taken fans by storm at a moment it felt most needed.

The exciting cornerback is quickly flying up the snap count chart at corner and should continue to garner playing time as the season progresses.

Do NOT, forget to show appreciation for a D.J. Ivey has been locked in since a bumpy start to the season, and an Al Blades Jr., who, despite a falling back to earth of sorts this season is a strong competitor and great teammate for the Canes defense.

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9) Win After A Bye

9/23/2017 - A 52-30 win over the Toledo Rockets

That was the last time the Miami Hurricanes had one after a bye week or extended period time past 14 days. 9 losses later, including one this season versus defending ACC champion Clemson Tigers, Miami finally broke the 3 year bye week curse.

As seen above Miami had been atrocious off the bye week losing 9 such games going back to that Toledo game. The Hurricanes had found ways to lose those games in just about every fashion: Comebacks fallen short, blowouts, close games, heartbreakers, embarrassments, and 3 bowl games. The Hurricanes broke the bye week curse in dramatic fashion, coming from behind in dramatic fashion versus NC State. More on that later.

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8) 6th ACC Win

2019: 4

2018: 4

2017: 7

2016: 5

2015: 5

2014: 3

2013: 5

2012: 5

2011: 3

2010: 5

2009: 5

2008: 4

2007: 2

2006: 3

2005: 6

2004: 5

The Canes can tie the 2017 squad for most ACC wins in a season with 7 by win one of their last 3 games. They can eclipse it with two.

Yeah, that’s pretty good.

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7) Rooster’s Boosters

Despite the lack of fans at games this sports season, I am almost positive we all jumped up together and screamed at the TV when Jaylan Knighton took a D’eriq King pass the distance for a 75 yard touchdown against the Louisville Cardinals. This score was one half of a pair of long distance scores for the Canes in less than 2 minutes against the Cardinals. At the time, the scores and eventual win were viewed as major jump starts as the Canes defeated the sexy pick for an upset loss against Scott Satterfield and the Louisville squad.

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6) Leonard Taylor’s Commitment

Sometimes even a poorly hidden surprise is an amazing one.

The Leonard Taylor commitment fits that bill to a tee. The number one defensive tackle in the state of Florida COUNTRY and number 3 overall player decided to put on for his city and play for the Hometown Hurricanes, spurning the Florida Gators in the same moment.

Love it.

How big was this commitment? If things stay the same, Taylor will be the highest rated player to sign with the Hurricanes since Willie Williams in 2004. That’s MAJOR. Major appreciation, love and respect for a coaching squad securing the commitment of a generational talent AFTER a 6-7 season and BEFORE a 7-1 start. BIG props to Coach Todd Stroud and Coach Manny Diaz.

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5) 50 Burger

Not 1.

Not 2.

Not 3.

Four. As in four wins in a row versus former rival and current dumpster fire Florida State. What could be better than that?

OH, I KNOW. A BIG OLE’ FIFTY BURGER AT THE SAME TIME.

It is hard to find an evening this year where, as a community, the Miami Hurricanes had more fun together. A nearly flawless performance put the Hurricanes up big and early, in PRIMETIME, turning any and every watch party from a potential gut wrenching event to a amazing experience. As Cam would say, “IT’S A PARTAY, IT’S A PARTAY, IT’S A PARTAAAY.

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4) The Great Escape

While the Canes enjoyed a laugher versus FSU, the Cardiac Canes returned, enduring a shootout against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. From the start, it felt very apparent that it would be an evening that would favor the team who held the ball last, and on this night, that was D’eriq King, Mike Harley and the Miami Hurricanes.

In what would amount to an official coronation for D’Eriq King as a certified force in the ACC, King went OFF to the tune of 31-41, 430 yards through the air, 5 scores and 105 yards on the ground. The numbers still don’t do justice to the performance, as King dropped in dime after dime to keep Miami within a punchers chance, culminating in two electric throws on the final drive, both to Mike Harley, to put Miami ahead for good. Mike Harley was KEY in the game, continuing his assertion as top dog in the wide receiver room, hauling in 8 catches for 153 and two scores, including the aforementioned game winner.

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3) James Williams Shocking Return to the 2021 Class

For those of us that wade through the warzone that is twitter, the night James Williams recommitted to the Miami Hurricanes was the quintessential “Break the Internet” Moment.

The night Williams had committed to the U, Canes Twitter was having fun with hashtags, doing everything in their(our) power to compel the Palmetto Five, Jake Garcia, Divaad Wilson and anyone else we could imagine to make the move and become Canes.

Prior to the announcement, Miami had been on the outside look in on Williams recruitment, even being left out of his top three, until in a surprise move on its own, named a top two of the Georgia Bulldogs and the Miami Hurricanes. Soon there after, a trip, on his own dime, to Athens seemingly sealed his commitment to Kirby Smart and UGA.

Yet, at 7:41, on July 21st, James Williams completely set the Canes faithful on FIRE with his commitment drop, becoming an ambassador to a still maturing 2021 class for the Hurricanes.

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2) The Dawn of the Canes Spread Offense

Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Huskies, Tigers and Mustangs, OH MY!

Ok so maybe the first and last teams don’t necessarily capture the exact nature of the classic Wizard of Oz phrase, but you get the picture. The introduction of Rhett Lashlee to the Hurricanes offense meant one very important thing:

The Spread Offense was coming to Miami.

For years, we have ALL lamented that the talent in South Florida was TAILOR MADE for the fast paced, high flying spread offenses that are now the norm in college football. With Coach Lashlee, that became a reality. Along with long time spread proponents, Wide Receivers Coach Rob Likens and Offensive Line Coach Garin Justice, both former offensive coordinators, Coach Lashlee and company have answered our prayers as they instill a new offensive culture into the program. While still a work in progress, there is no denying that the difference in the offense is night in day from the Canes of the last two decades.

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1) Kings Landing

Where would that offense, or the Canes as a whole be without the arrival of one, D’Eriq King? I don’t care, because that’s the reality and I am hugely grateful. I won’t go deep into a story that now has been told over and over by every writer and major sports outlet, but the commitment of D’EriQ King, along with Coach Lashlee’s, set in motion a new era in Miami football that we ALL should be very grateful for. We are finally watching competent if not electrifying QB play, receivers impact most of the games, and, most importantly, winning football.

Not only am I truly grateful for what Canes football has meant to us this year, but even more appreciative to have had the chance to share the experience with an amazing fanbase and as a member of the State of the U.

As we part, thank you so much for your love of this team and caring enough to read our articles. With each other, this has been an amazing year for Canes Football.

Now lets close it out with a (Roman Marciante Voice) BANG!

Go Canes