Monday Musings: That was swagger

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSS Monday!!!! And it’s a victory Monday following a huge win over #23 Texas A&M on Saturday. Those are the best kinds of Mondays. I miss them and will likely never take them for granted again.

With that all being said, let’s see what Canes-related stuff is rattling around inside my head...

1) First, I’m just so happy that Kam Kinchens is ok. That was such a scary moment when he went down in the final minutes of the game and was stretchered out with a neck brace on. He tweeted this out on Sunday.

I hope he recovers fully and quickly and that we see him back when he’s physically able. Take care of yourself, young man.

2) I picked Miami last week to win by the slimmest of margins. And I thought I was putting myself out there for doing it. Well, after spotting the Aggies two touchdowns on stupidly-good field position inside the red zone twice, it felt like perhaps the Canes weren’t past their mistake-prone and undisciplined tendencies.

Boy, was I wrong.

Miami took over the game in the second half, and it didn’t even feel like it was as close as 15 points. Miami’s defense was extremely physical, fast, relentless, and tackled very well. The offense was creative and explosive. It was beyond what we could have hoped from Week 2 of the Shannon Dawson era.

And they just looked prepared. That alone is monstruous progress from last season. And I’ll happily take that.

3) THAT. WAS. SWAGGER.

I see people try to define what swagger is. You can’t. You either have it, or you don’t. And my God, Miami showed it off. Swagger is talking trash. Swagger is flying off the line at the snap. Swagger is knocking the snot out of someone. Swagger is telling everyone about it after you do it. Swagger is ripping a dude’s towel off when you pummel him and his teammates. Swagger is blowing by a cornerback and streaking to the end zone. Swagger is acting like it’s no big deal afterwards.

Swagger is a lot of things. And Miami exhibited all of them on Saturday against Texas A&M. THAT is what I have expected Miami to look like for years.

4) Miami entered the AP Poll at 22. That’s always nice to see. Despite last year’s struggles, that’s all gone. Last year is last year. This is a different year and a different team. They earned their spot. Now, it’s time to make that number smaller.

5) The perception of UNC-Miami might be changing a tad. Between the Canes and Heels, UNC has been perceived by just about everyone as the better team this year with Drake Maye at the helm. Well, after squeaking by App State in overtime, UNC faces Minnesota and Syracuse at home sandwiched around a trip to Pitt. That’s a sneaky challenge of a stretch there...one that will tell us a little bit more about the Tar Heels, especially after Saturday’s struggle.

Miami has a much more navigable stretch of Bethune-Cookman, at Temple, and Georgia Tech. As such, UNC might be the one who has their work cut out a little bit more in order for Miami and UNC to face off as undefeateds in Chapel Hill on 10/14.

Regardless of how the teams get there, Miami has already shown it is better equipped on both sides of the ball to potentially deliver their fans a rare gift: taking down the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.

6) Prediction: Miami 66, Bethune-Cookman 10. Do you really need a breakdown of this one? The starters get a half of work, and Miami’s young and hungry defensive reserves feast in the second half. Looking forward to seeing Emory Williams and Jacurri Brown throw the ball.

GO CANES!