Miami offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson has been dealing with personal issues for at least the past couple of weeks during fall practices. Turns out, it could cost him playing time. Following Monday’s practice, ‘Canes coach Al Golden said Henderson is still working through personal matters and projects him to miss the season-opening game against Boston [...]
As of yesterday, Miami quarterback Stephen Morris was atop the Hurricanes’ depth chart. With just over two weeks from the start of the season, UM has confirmed that won’t change between now and the team’s first game against Boston College. Miami offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said Tuesday morning that Morris will definitely start against the [...]
Former Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong has decided it’s better to let things end as they did with the Hurricanes. Armstrong, booted from the team last month for unspecified reasons, was intending to file an injunction against the school that would allow him practice with Miami until the NCAA determines if he violated any bylaws. It’s believed, although never…
Like the Big East, the ACC’s reputation in football has taken a dive in recent years. The conference has an insulting BCS bowl record and traditional powers (i.e, Florida State and Miami) can’t get back into the national championship picture. That has an opportunity to change this season. Florida State is one of those preseason [...]
Former Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong is filing an injunction against the school that would allow him practice with the team until the NCAA determines if he has violated any bylaws, according to Armstrong’s lawyer. Armstrong was booted from the team last month for undisclosed reasons, but rumors of Armstrong being in trouble had been circulating for [...]
With preseason camp just getting under way, now is not the time for coaching turnover in any capacity. Yet, that’s exactly what Florida is facing as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Aubrey Hill has resigned, according to a school release. Officially, Hill is resigning for “personal reasons”, but the assistant coach was mentioned in [...]
ACC media voted on this year’s preseason all-conference team, and the results were released Wednesday. In all, 11 of the 12 members were represented by at least one selection, the lone team not on the list being Boston College. Preseason favorite Florida State had four selections, with Clemson and UNC also having four. The only [...]
It seems no matter the year, Florida State and Virginia Tech will be favorites to compete for the ACC championship. 2012, you’re lacking some originality here. The Seminoles and Hokies have been selected by the media to play in this year’s ACC title game for the fourth year in a row. The media also selected [...]
When TCU linebackers coach Tony Tademy resigned earlier this month to spend more time with his family, former Miami coach Randy Shannon‘s name was instantly connected to the opening. Turns out the connection has come to fruition — reportedly. Both the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News are reporting that Shannon will indeed be…
Next month will mark one year since Yahoo! Sports investigative reporter Charles Robinson released a lengthy and damning report chronicling years of impermissible booster-player relationships at the University of Miami, the NCAA ramifications of which are yet to be determined. Happy early anniversary!?!? In a shorter but nevertheless astounding investigation, Robinson goes for The U’s jugular by [...]
Rumors churning their way through the rumor mill over the past couple of weeks have officially come to fruition. Senior Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong is no longer part of the Miami football team, per a school release this morning. “Armstrong can continue to be enrolled as a scholarship student at UM to complete his degree [...]
Though unexpectedly denied admission to Florida because of an academic issue, defensive tackle Dante Phillips could very well stay in the SEC East. We’re going to take a wild guess and say Tennessee. Phillips’ new Twitter handle is @knoxvillebound — subtle, I know — and the (sort of) former Gator tweeted that, although he hasn’t [...]
The Miami Hurricanes basketball program just received devastating news as their top player in center Reggie Johnson has been declared ineligible by the university.
According to the report, Johnson’s family had received travel benefits that the school said were taken care of by a member of former coach Frank Haith’s staff. This is not good news for the university and isn’t any better for a basketball team that is on the bubble as far as making the NCAA tournament.
Miami is hoping for a speedy decision by the NCAA for when Johnson can return to the court.
Full story on Bleacher Report
CORAL GABLES, FLA. (AP)
Miami Hurricanes running back Lamar Miller is skipping his final two seasons of college eligibility and entering the NFL draft.
Miller’s decision was announced by the school on Monday. Miller ran for 1,272 yards as a redshirt sophomore this season, becoming the first Miami back to top the 1,000-yard mark since 2002.
He becomes the third Miami underclassman to announce he’s leaving early, joining wide receiver Tommy Streeter and defensive lineman Marcus Forston. Miller had said he would only consider leaving school if he was assured of being a first-round selection.
Miami coach Al Golden previously said Miller would need offseason shoulder surgery, so it’s unclear when he will be able to work out for teams before the draft.
Miami Hurricanes receiver Tommy Streeter and defensive tackle Marcus Forston will forego their senior season and declare for the NFL Draft.
Streeter entered the 2011 season with a new attitude and dazzled on the field. The Miami-Northwestern product had a team leading 46 receptions for 811 yards, averaging 67.6 yards per game. He also finished first in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) among receivers with 40 or more receptions with an average of 17.6 yards per catch.
Forston on the other hand suffered early season-ending injuries his sophomore year and junior year. In 2009 he earned a medical hardship. This year he suffered a knee injury. He was named a Freshman All-American after recording 18 tackles and three sacks.
Full story at SouthernPigskin.com
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami Hurricanes coach Al Golden is unhappy with comments his agent made to CBSSports.com about his future.
Golden’s agent is Brett Senior. He told the website Golden would have “options available to us” if the NCAA sanctions Miami after an investigation into compliance practices ends.
Senior did not say what those options are.
On Wednesday, Golden revealed he talked to Senior and “expressed my displeasure.” Golden says he, his wife and his children are happy at Miami and that he’s simply trying to move the Hurricanes’ program forward.
Senior did not return a call from The Associated Press on Wednesday. Golden is in his first season at Miami, which is involved in an investigation involving benefits a former booster says he provided to athletes and recruits from 2002 through 2010.
Miami has declared a number of its football players ineligible until they are reinstated by the NCAA.
A source close to the team confirmed to ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich that Miami had declared up to 13 players under investigation by the NCAA ineligible to allow the NCAA to make a ruling by the season opener.
Miami’s internal investigation has determined some players, including quarterback Jacory Harris, are believed to have committed NCAA violations by associating with booster Nevin Shapiro and have been declared ineligible, said a person with knowledge of the process told The Associated Press.
Shapiro is a convicted Ponzi scheme architect serving a 20-year prison sentence for bilking $930 million from investors, and his claims have cast a long shadow over Miami’s season before it even begins.
Source: ESPN
Sounds like a similar situation to the one North Carolina had last year. The allegations and uncertainty killed the Tar Heels’ season. The same could very well happen with the Hurricanes this year.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Sean Spence led the Miami Hurricanes in a pre-practice chant. Jacory Harris took his spot at the front of a stretching line, a place typically reserved for starters.
Say this for the ‘Canes: They’re trying to carry on some sense of business-as-usual.
Spence, Harris and all other Miami players implicated by claims that a rogue booster provided dozens of Hurricanes with extra benefits like cash, cars, gifts and sex for the better part of a decade returned to the practice field Thursday. Whether they play in the season-opener at Maryland on Sept. 5 remains unclear, as the university works through the process of determining their eligibility.
As a result, the depth chart for Week 1 is still anyone’s guess.
“We’ll make sure we practice enough guys because we really don’t know what the future brings,” Miami coach Al Golden said. “Hopefully we’ll find out pretty quickly here in the near future if there are any penalties or suspensions, and we’ll adjust accordingly.”
Golden said the depth chart may take until Tuesday to complete. He also said in accordance with Atlantic Coast Conference policy, the Hurricanes will divulge their plans to the Terrapins before releasing anything publicly.
“Any projections or anything like that, all it is is speculation,” Golden said.
Spence and Harris are among two of the biggest names wrapped up in the scandal — Spence is considered by many to be Miami’s best defensive player and one of the top linebackers in the ACC. Harris has played 36 games at quarterback for the Hurricanes in his first three seasons, and he’s far-and-away the ACC leader among active players in passing touchdowns, yards and wins.
University officials have not commented on the specifics of the process. Miami President Donna Shalala said this week that 15 student-athletes — she did not specify names or teams — were being investigated by university compliance personnel. The former booster, convicted Ponzi-scheme architect Nevin Shapiro, told Yahoo Sports that he provided benefits to 72 athletes, 65 of whom played football for Miami. Of those, 12 are current football players, and one is a member of the men’s basketball team.
“We’re going about our business,” Golden said. “Obviously some of the players that are alleged to have done something are guys that have played a lot of football for us, so obviously there’s going to be some adjustments if there are suspensions. Other than that, we’re just moving forward and the kids have been great.”
The other football players named by Shapiro to Yahoo Sports are Vaughn Telemaque, Ray Ray Armstrong, Travis Benjamin, Aldarius Johnson, Marcus Forston, Olivier Vernon, Marcus Robinson, Adewale Ojomo, Dyron Dye and JoJo Nicholas. Like Harris and Spence, many of those players are presumed starters this season.
Shapiro is serving a 20-year prison sentence for bilking investors out of $930 million.
Copyright 2011 Associated Press
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Tim Tebow laughed off a report that he was the target of a $5,000 bounty from a former Miami Hurricanes booster who is at the center of the school’s growing scandal.
The former Florida quarterback who’s now a backup with the Denver Broncos said Thursday he doesn’t remember any unnecessarily rough hits from the Hurricanes. He said he was unaware of any alleged bounty on him until this week’s report.
Tebow threw for 256 yards and two TDs and ran 13 times for 55 yards in Florida’s 26-3 win over Miami on Sept. 6, 2008, the only time he faced the Hurricanes.
Jailed Ponzi scheme artist Nevin Shapiro told Yahoo! Sports that he put a bounty on Tebow that day and had a standing, three-year bounty on Florida State quarterback Chris Rix.
© 2011 The Associated Press
MIAMI — Miami Hurricanes coach Al Golden says some of his players may have made mistakes that prompted an NCAA investigation into convicted Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro’s role with the program.
Golden, preparing for his first season with the Hurricanes, said he just became aware of the investigation into allegations that Shapiro gave more than a dozen former or current players gifts and services.
“We’re not going to let this knock us backward,” Golden said Tuesday before a morning practice. “We have great kids on this team to the extent that they may have made a mistake. OK, that’s fine. But that’s also part of growing up. What we have to teach them now is if something did occur, let’s be honest and move forward.”
NCAA investigators visited the campus Monday in the wake of Shapiro’s allegations that he provided players with the use of a yacht and other favors, said his attorney, Maria Elena Perez.
Shapiro and Perez have been talking with the NCAA about the matter for a couple of months and provided documentation, she said.
Golden said athletic director Shawn Eichorst and president Donna Shalala were meeting with investigators, but the coach didn’t expect to be included in those discussions.
“It’s hard for me to stand up here and defend something that occurred three, four, five, six years ago,” Golden said. “I don’t know the extent of it. We’re going to look at it. We’re disappointed, but we’re not discouraged.”
Shapiro’s relationship with the program dates back about a decade. Some of the alleged incidents occurred in the past four years, which would be within the NCAA’s statute of limitations regarding violations.
Miami officials said that when Shapiro first made his allegations nearly a year ago, he and his attorneys refused to provide any facts to the school.
“The university notified the NCAA enforcement officials of these allegations,” the school said in a statement. “We are fully cooperating with the NCAA and are conducting a joint investigation. The University of Miami takes these matters very seriously.”
Golden joined the Hurricanes in December after Randy Shannon was fired. Eichorst was hired as athletic director in April to replace Kirby Hocutt, who resigned to become athletic director at Texas Tech.
Golden said he emailed his team “every day this summer” about avoiding problems that recently hit other schools, and he specifically mentioned North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Ohio State. He said his players have a “Cane Code” reminding them about such issues.
“We’ve got to make sure the third parties stay away from our student-athletes,” Golden said.
Golden said his players were told about the investigation before practice Tuesday. He declined to make them available to the media.
“I didn’t think that would be fair to the kids,” he said. “I’m living day by day right now.”
Golden said he didn’t expect his 24 committed players for the upcoming signing class to waver in their commitments.
In June, when Shapiro was sentenced, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said he “used investor funds to make payments to dozens of student athletes who were attending a local university in the Miami area to which Shapiro made significant donations … cash in amounts up to $10,000 and gifts such as jewelry and entertainment at nightclubs and restaurants in Miami Beach. As a result of a 10-year gift to the university, its Student-Athlete Lounge was named for Shapiro.”
The University of Miami was not specifically mentioned in that release, but the school temporarily named its lounge for Shapiro. His name was removed in 2008 after the school said he did not follow his pledged donation-payment plan.
Among the creditors listed as those who are owed money by Shapiro’s company, Capitol Investments, are the university, the Miami Heat and former Wisconsin football coach Barry Alvarez, along with members of his family. Alvarez has a close relationship with Shalala, largely from her time at Wisconsin.
Court records show Shapiro was accused of owing the Heat $732,348.49 for courtside seats he promised to buy, almost $600,000 of which were for future seasons. Alvarez’s family has filed claims for at least $1 million. The Hurricanes have an outstanding claim of $40,000 on a deal for a skybox lease.
Shapiro said he gave away a 2006 Heat NBA championship ring to satisfy a debt, though he did not reveal in sworn statements how he obtained the ring that was given to hundreds of Heat staffers.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press