Hurricanes report: Notes, quotes

Dec. 5, 2007
The Sports Xchange

Notes, quotes · Inside slant · Strategy and personnel

GAME OF THE YEAR
Miami 37, Florida State 29 -- The Hurricanes trailed their arch rival 29-24 when they took over at their own 17-yard line with just 2:45 left in the game. To that point, QB Kirby Freeman, who had relieved an injured Kyle Wright, was only one of eight passing. But with some key runs from Graig Cooper, Freeman was three of three in engineering an 83-yard drive for the go-ahead touchdown. When LB Colin McCarthy picked up Xavier Lee's fumble and ran it into the end zone on the ensuing possession, the Hurricanes had snapped their three-game losing streak in the series. Who knew at the time it would be Miami's last win of the season?

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LB Tavares Gooden -- After playing strong-side and weak-side linebacker his previous three years and benefiting from the depth the Hurricanes enjoyed at the position, Gooden was moved to the middle for 2007 and was rarely off the field. He ended up as Miami's top tackler and also had an interception and three fumble recoveries. Miami's defense wore down in the last month of the season, but early on it gave the Hurricanes their best shot at a win, and Gooden played a big role in that.

FAST FORWARD
Miami is looking to a good recruiting year to bolster the future, but it's hard to imagine first-year players coming in and making a big impact in 2008. There will be a huge question mark at quarterback, where Freeman, the senior, and redshirt freshman Robert Marve will compete for the No. 1 job. Considering how Freeman flubbed his opportunity this season, the job has to be Marve's to lose. Incoming freshmen -- the Hurricanes have three "commitments" at the position -- also could figure in. The non-conference schedule includes road games at Florida and Texas A&M. Could the Hurricanes be facing a second consecutive losing season? That hasn't happened since the Hurricanes were 2-8, 3-8 and 3-8 from 1975 through the 1977 seasons. But if they don't get solid play at quarterback and fix problems in their secondary, it could happen.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"The players who made a lot of plays this season are back next season." -- Coach Randy Shannon, looking for better things in 2008.