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Did Miami's offense get an extreme spring makeover? We ask our go-to Cane

If the spring game is any indicator, Miami's new O-Coordinator Mark Whipple whipped the Canes' offense into shape faster than you can say "Fire Pat Nix." That prompted some questions for Kartik, the Cane blogger who doesn't see the world through orange and green glasses. Here's the first Q & A.

What did you see in the Canes offense that makes your new O.C. an upgrade over the last one?

More of a power running game. Damien Berry and Mike James both had a good spring game, after a few really good weeks of practice.  I think Nix had the offense on the right track and a lot of Miami fans either don't recall how Miami won a few of their titles (with passable offenses coupled with great defenses and kick/punt returners who were game changers) and how Nix had his unit closer to being a typical Miami unit than did the defensive and special teams coaches. The ultimate problem with Nix was that his offenses lacked an identity. From game to game the Canes would change their gameplan, offensive look, starting WRs, and often the featured RB. The lack of consistency not just in production but in looks killed Nix. Whipple on the other hand is used to the grind of the NFL and evidently believes that consistency in looks and play calling is a must. As a result Miami may actually become more predictable. Nix was anything but predictable, which hastened his downfall.

FSU and the ACC's pest control problem: who'll stop the killer bees?

With a world financial crisis, drug war on the Mexican border and North Korea testing long-range missiles, now comes news of something really scary. Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson, undoubtedly while rubbing his hands together like a sicko villain in a James Bond movie, says “I feel like we have only scratched the surface on offense. We can get a whole lot better. We can get better at almost every area offensively in terms of execution. We can get better at our reads, our steps and fundamentals. We will get more of it in and understand our schemes better."

Johnson has also teased the press and tormented future opponents with the threat of spicing up his tricky triple option with some run-and-shoot. Isn't that akin to allowing the UFC champ into the ring with a machete, as if his hands and feet weren't lethal enough?

Pray for Mickey Andrews and other ACC D-Coordinators. As they try to figure ways to slow down the triple option Tech ran last year, Johnson will be at least two steps ahead this year.

Besides more trickeration, more horsepower. “The sky is the limit with this offense,” says ACC Player of the Year Johnathan Dwyer. The 6-foot, 230-pound Dwyer led the conference with 1,395 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore. He plays the B-Back in Tech's terminology, the guy who dives into the line.

The A-back position trails the play and is the pitch option (as seen here in Tech's win over Georgia). And unlike last year, the position is loaded. Besides speedsters Roddy Jones and Embry Peeples, there's veteran Lucas Cox (the guy who scores in the video linked above).

In the immortal words of a K-Tel infommercial: But wait, there's more. Get a load (and he's exactly that) of Anthony Allen (pictured at left), a 6 ft., 225 lb. transfer from Louisville. The kid ripped Middle Tennessee for a school record 275 yards in 2007. What's more, he's cross-training to play either A-back, to complement Dwyer, or B-back to give him a rest. By the way, Allen may be yet another Floridian who comes back to haunt FSU. He's a Tampa Jesuit grad.

Don't discount the third threat of the triple option offense. Tech's QB is just as likely to squirt through the line as he is to hand off or pitch. Especially with a healthy Josh Nesbitt at the helm. A year ago while learning the system he was the 8th leading ACC rusher. Think what numbers he can put up this season, now that he knows what he's doing.

Then there's the shock and awe of WR Demaryius Thomas (627 yards and 3 TDs last year). Just when a defense is fixated on stopping Dwyer's burst over center, Thomas catches DBs napping and hauls in a big gainer. Which, unless Johnson is putting out misinformation to further confuse the enemy, could happen a whole lot more in '09.

It may not be America's Favorite Home Video. But you can be sure it's the most watched by ACC coaches this winter. We're talking about the instant classic of LSU shutting down Tech in the Chick fil-a Bowl.

Tech's 2009 opponents can analyze that video til their eyeballs spin around like cherries, lemons and liberty bells on a slot machine. But unless, like LSU, they have three weeks to prepare -- instead of three days -- they might as well be trying to solve the secrets of the pyramids.

Are we saying the Yellowjackets are unstoppable, on their way to eclipsing the glory days of Bobby Dodd and John Heisman?

Naw. But Paul Johnson's ability to outmaneuver opposing defenses like Bobby Fischer moving pieces around a chess board may very well vault Tech into an ACC power position. And not just as a one-hit wonder, but until some defensive Einstein draws up the triple-option killer equation.

We'd love to say that will be Mickey Andrews. And, who knows, maybe it will be the cranky coach's magnum opus and career swan song.

But unless it's this season, M.A. won't have another crack til 2013, the next time FSU tangles with Tech. And who doesn't think that by then Mickey will be directing his wrath at fish that wriggle off his hook. Hey, but there's always the the ACC Championship game -- and the three weeks he'll have to prepare for it.

A farewell tribute to a game-changing Nole from a very unlikely source

Our friend Kartik from Canes Rising is more than just a college basketball fan. He's a connoisseur of talented teams and players, no matter what color uni they wear. And today he joins us to salute a Seminole who will be sorely missed.

Florida State finished in last place in the ACC while Von Wafer sulked through the 2004-05 season. Leonard Hamilton’s third season in the ACC with FSU resembled his horrible third season in the Big East at Miami, where the Canes went from seven league wins the previous season to zero in 1993-94, setting a Big East record for futility. which mathematically can never be broken.

By Miami’s seventh season in the Big East, the Canes had made the NCAAs and were beginning a run of five seasons unlike any the school had ever experienced before (or sadly from my perspective, since.) Florida State was left in lamentable shape by Steve Robinson. A decent bench coach who couldn’t recruit to the standards of the ACC, The Seminole Basketball program was considered among the biggest failures in a power conference in the early part of this decade.

Hamilton was successful in initially recruiting some good players. Wafer, JUCO transfer Tim Pickett and Al Thornton were among the best. But FSU didn’t really get going until Toney Douglas showed up in Tallahassee. His arrival at FSU was similar to the arrival of Kevin Norris at Miami in 1994, a point guard whose arrival on campus helped Hamilton win National Coach of the Year in 1995, while authoring the biggest one year turnaround in Big East history.

Douglas started his career at Auburn. Recruited by Cliff Ellis, he ended up playing for Jeff Lebo. Despite a very good Freshman season, the new system wasn’t to his liking.

His transfer to Florida State caught many by surprise. But almost immediately he made an impact on the program. His work ethic and basketball IQ rubbed off on the team, even while sitting out the season thanks to incredible practice sessions. Douglas was credited by the Coaching Staff for helping to fuel the turnaround, though he sat out the season. FSU was snubbed by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, becoming the first team in recent memory to go 9-7 in the ACC and miss the dance. (Sadly, two years later an equally deserving Virginia Tech would be snubbed again at 9-7, while the  less competitive SEC received more NCAA bids that season than the ACC.)

As a point guard, Douglas made Florida State’s backcourt more complete in the 2006-07 season, setting up Al Thornton for a monster year and helping the three-headed shooting guard combo of Jason Rich, Ralph Mims and Isaiah Swann reach previously unseen heights.

But FSU ended the 06-07 and 07-08 seasons in the NIT. Graduations of key players left Douglas as the one real leader and veteran on the team. Douglas had been spectacular at times in the previous two seasons but also turnover prone, and had a tendency to disappear when FSU most needed him.

This season, Douglas's defense was, as always, spectacular. His offense improved but most importantly he provided critical leadership to a young team. During the wars of ACC Conference Basketball, Douglas could often be seen encouraging youngsters Derwin Kitchen, Chris Singleton, and Luke Loucks, among others, when the Noles left the floor for a TV timeout or going into the half.

Several sources confirm Central Florida DB's commitment to FSU's 2010 class

Okay, he's not getting a ton of recruiting buzz, but he does get high marks from FSU's Odell Haggins. And now DB and LB Chad Abrams from Lakeland's Kathleen High is the Noles newest 2010 commitment. Haggins, who's originally from the Lakeland area, recruited the 6-ft., 183 lb. Safety and invited him to FSU's Junior Day.

Abrams had 55 tackles and six INTs during his  junior season. He ran a laser-timed 4.71 40-yard dash and had a 36.3-inch vertical at the Orlando Nike combine.

The hard-hitting Abrams is from the same high school as Boston College QB Dominique Davis, who took over the starting job last season when Cris Crane was injured after B.C.'s visit to Tallahassee.

Forget the AIG mess, the real question is how did Florida State get bit by the Badgers?

FSU fans are still scratching their heads over the Noles first-round loss to Wisconsin. ChantRant reader "Nole More Nice Guy" questioned whether Hamilton should have stayed with three guards in the second half as he did in the first. Bill from Tampa answers with a slightly different take.

My thought more so was the lack of our big men in there in the second half. Solomon never touched the ball once in the second half and that is ridiculous.

Once again Leonard went to his usual tactics at the end of a game and for some unknown reasons he takes out Solomon in a situation he could have helped us -- aka his defense -- and after having a nice few minutes in the first half never used Xavier again. I don't get that at all. Toney was gassed and he didn't have that big man option around the basket. In other words Leonard adjusted our team to what Wisconsin was doing. That often fails when you have the height advantage and then go small. You play right into their hands. Think Dallas Mavericks two years ago when Avery Johnson did the same thing and promptly became the first #1 seed in NBA history to lose to an 8 seed. You go with your strengths. Leonard took some of that away by benching Solomon.

Noles lay a big chalupa at the Taco Bell Arena

In the end, it was luck. You know that last second, cliffhanger, Hail Mary good fortune that blessed the Noles all season long? Poof.

A smiling Lady Luck who almost always appeared just in the nick of time, suddenly revealed her dark side, breaking Garnet hearts and killing Golden dreams of a run deep into the finals.

Was Wisconsin that good? Were the Noles over-confident? Did they foolishly count on Toney to be the hero one more time? Or was Leonard's half time speech too much X's and O's and not enough Gene Hackman?

Hamilton and his promising roster of returing talent have nine months to ponder all that. But there's one thing this team does know. They can't put their blind faith in Toney Douglas next season -- or Lady Luck.

Are you counting on the Noles in Boise, or counting them out?

by Bill from Tampa

So on the eve of Florida State’s first appearance in the NCAA in eleven years Seminole fans are ramped up in anticipation of the ‘Noles hopefully making a good showing by winning a couple of games or maybe more. I know I am.

But a recent comment by a FSU fan kind of struck me kind of odd.

The comment was basically that Florida State has no experience in the Big Dance. It was also expressed that Toney Douglas may be a senior leader but he hasn’t been there either so he can’t be much help to the freshmen on the team on what to expect in Boise. Meanwhile I’m reminded that Wisconsin has been to the tournament eleven straight years (like those guys from eleven years are going to help them now?) and they have that experience.

Here’s why that strikes me funny.

In the league gathering before the season, the ACC media picked Florida State to finish 10th in the conference. That didn’t happen as the ‘Noles finished 4th.

As the season rolled on, FSU was making some noise and yet the pollsters ignored them to the point that the Seminoles were not even receiving but a couple of votes. And even when FSU finally could no longer be ignored and many voters ranked the team, even then they ranked the ‘Noles too low behind a Clemson team they beat twice, or some didn’t rank the Seminoles at all. Notice they are in the latest poll at #16 now. Took them long enough to stop discounting the Tribe.

And then there was the ACC tournament, coming in as a four seed. Most figured one win but probably a loss to North Carolina. Some FSU fans even sold their tickets to the semi-final game to Tar Heel fans.

Funny how that didn’t happen either and the ‘Noles ended up playing Duke for the tournament championship, a place they had never ever remotely been that close to before and with those same freshmen on the squad. And, oh yes, Toney who hadn’t been on a FSU squad that won more than one ACC tournament game.

Even long before the season began, most felt it would be a rebuilding year and reaching the NCAA would be just about impossible.

That would be the conventional thinking, with so many new players to initiate into college ball that the ‘Noles might be in a bit of a rebuilding mode.

And yet Toney Douglas and company managed to compile a 25-9 record, win the second most league games (10) in school history, earn a bye into the tournament, win game one, win the semifinal, play for the ACC title, and convincingly prove they belonged in the NCAA tourney.

Yes, it is true that FSU lack players on this current roster with any NCAA experience. Heck, half of them don’t even have NIT experience. However those freshmen led by Toney have been proving the doubters wrong every single time all season long.

 So go ahead and doubt them again. They just might prove you wrong again.

T.K.'s potty mouth embarrasses Fla. State, alums, Bobby Bowden and Ms. Manners

Did you catch T.K.'s act this morning? In a rambling and at times incoherent press conference announcing FSU's appeal to the NCAA he referred to a "dipsh*t school" (Andrew Carter has details here).

Yep, he said the word that might be okay when talking to boosters in hushed tones. But for a university president -- YOUR university's president -- in a very public spotlight, it's unforgivable.

Way to represent Florida State, pal. Way to kill not only your credibility, but detract from any serious argument FSU has to win its appeal to preserve those wins in football.

We heard T.K.'s slip. And though we're certainly no prudes, we were embarrassed. Especially since, as the picture shows, the school's name is so prominent on the podium. And get ready for all the snickers from friends and co-workers when it hits YouTube.

Unlike some sites, we haven't been on the warpath questioning T.K.'s ability to run our alma mater in an effective and professional manner. We will be now. This guy has got to go.

Boise? Wisconsin? Taco Bell Arena? Hey, it beats the heck out of the NIT

It's a bizarre match-up in a place that few Nole fans will travel to against a school that might just have a chip on its shoulder.

East Regional No. 5 seed FSU draws no. 12 Wisconsin in Friday's Round 1 of the big dance. If you're serious about going, here's the ticket link at the (and we're not making this up) Taco Bell Arena in Boise, with a seating capacity of 12,380.

At least Badger players and fans will be more accustomed to the chilly conditions in high altitude Boise, where the average March high is 53 degrees and the low 34.

The Badgers finished in the middle of the Big Ten pack with a record of 19 - 12. Their scoring leader is Marcus Landry, averaging 12.6 points per game. Question is, will 'Sconsin be able to muster any payback mojo from their loss to the Noles in the Champs Bowl?

Make it a Gordita Supreme and a ten-point margin of victory for the Noles.

Second half FSU surge turns Heel fans blue

Some might call FSU's win a David and Goliath thing. No way.

This year's Noles can't be symbolized by a skinny kid with a slingshot and great aim. Older fans will tell you it's the best team since Hugh Dawon's '72 Cinderella squad that went all the way to the title game against the legendary John Wooden and his Bill Walton-led Bruins.

Do Toney Douglas & Company have the mojo to take down their second big challenge in as many days? They certainly have the confidence, a theme that ran through post game comments.

Toney Douglas: "We came a long way since the pre-season, with six new guys coming in. But I think we're still hungry. We're never satisfied."

(On his ability to get hot when it counts)
"My teammates always say it's Tony Douglas time, it's TDT."

Leonard Hamilton: "I think Tony is the poster child for hard work and dedication, and the old adage that basketball players are made in the summer. When you take as many shots as he takes in the Summer, in the gym by yourself, you have a certain level of confidence that when you get an open look you feel like it's going in."

"In the second half, I thought we got good shots. Some of them just didn't fall. But what made the difference is that we got the stops in the period of time that we had to get the stops...And we're very fortunate today that we made the plays when the game was on the line."

Derwin Kitchen on his free throws with 15 seconds left: ''I knew if I made both of them they were going to have to get a 3-pointer. Man, I was holding my breath. Please go in! Please go in!''

A tired Tyler Hansbrough: ''I don't really know what happened. It was just crowded under there."