'Canes will be just fine

Fiesta Bowl sting may serve to motivate still-loaded Miami

From early this season, followers of the Miami Hurricanes had it all planned out.

Their budding dynasty would stretch its historic winning streak to 35, sending off heroes Ken Dorsey and Willis McGahee with a second national title ring before handing the reins to star-studded replacements Brock Berlin and Frank Gore for a possible run at Oklahoma's sacred 47-game streak in 2003.

Amazing how one night (or, if you ask them, one referee's call) can change everything.

Suddenly Ohio State, not Miami, enters 2003 as the team to beat. Suddenly the 'Canes' winning streak is zero. Suddenly McGahee is back for possibly another couple years, but in what capacity remains to be seen.

Suddenly, that aura of invincibility surrounding the 'Canes for the better part of three seasons is gone.

So what happens now?

Miami, much to the chagrin of its competitors, will be just fine.

Yes, suffering one of the most painful defeats imaginable in the Fiesta Bowl will continue to sting for much of the coming winter, spring and summer. But that's not necessarily such a bad thing.

The 'Canes have always been at their best when playing with a chip on their shoulder, and the memory of losing the national championship game in double overtime should serve as a pretty hefty-sized Tostitos in their quest to reach next year's Sugar Bowl.

What, you don't expect them to be back in contention for the big prize? Think again. Just like last year, Miami loses a wealth of talent that will be playing on Sundays next fall, but just like last year, their replacements may be just as adequate thanks to three years of deeply rich recruiting classes.

How many programs have the luxury of replacing a player as accomplished as Dorsey with two quarterbacks ranked No. 1 in their class, ex-Florida Gator Berlin in 2000 and the incoming Kyle Wright in 2003? How many programs can replace a superstar like McGahee -- who isn't expected to recover from knee surgery in time for the season -- with Gore who would have started ahead of McGahee last year if healthy?

Top receiver Andre Johnson might turn pro? No problem. Ryan Moore, Devin Hester and Aikeem Jolla, three of last year's top 10 receiver prospects, are waiting in the wings. The entire starting defensive line is graduating? Oh well, some feel their backups, Vince Wilfork, Orien Harris and Santonio Thomas, were even better.

"Without question, Miami has taken over as the dominant team in recruiting," said TheInsiders.com recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg. "They don't have to recruit, recruits recruit them."

That recruiting prowess has been on display again this month, with the 'Canes expected to battle Oklahoma for the title of 2003's top signing class. Among those in the fold is the nation's top defensive tackle prospect, Nate Robinson (Irvington, N.J.), and top-five running back Tyrone Moss (Pompano Beach, Fla.)

Even in defeat, Miami's Fiesta Bowl performance helped it score one of its biggest recruiting coups. Vaunted tight end Louis Irizzary, a Youngstown, Ohio, native committed to Ohio State since last July, switched his pledge to Miami after watching the way the 'Canes used Kellen Winslow against the Buckeyes.

Winslow, who caught a staggering 11 balls for 122 yards in that game, will be one of several returning stars for Miami in 2003, along with receiver Roscoe Parrish, linebackers D.J. Williams and Jonathan Vilma and safeties Sean Taylor and Maurice Sikes. There should be little contention as to whether the 'Canes have the ammunition to get back to the title game.

The hard part, though, will be regaining that swagger Ohio State so uncerimoniously destroyed.

It wasn't just the fact the Buckeyes won. How they won is sure to set a mold for future opponents. Teams like Florida, Florida State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh are likely foaming at the mouth for their chance to do what Ohio State did, which was basically hit the 'Canes like they'd never been hit before. Miami's previously impenetrable offensive line showed it can be beat, and that was before having to replace anchors Brett Romberg and Sherko Haji-Rasouli. Don't expect it to become a trend.

Throughout its 20 years at the top, Miami has excelled the most when there was a tangible source of motivation, be it a bowl loss the year before or a BCS snub. In this case, what better image to drive them this offseason than that of being kept out of the end zone on three straight plays from the 1.

"This will just get us more focused than ever," assistant head coach Art Kehoe told the Associated Press after the game. "I guarantee you, wherever we go next year, we're not going to be stopped at the 1-yard line. That's not going to happen."

Bulldogs have eyes on the top

Georgia's repeat chances in the SEC suffered a blow with junior tailback Musa Smith's decision to enter the NFL Draft, but their hopes of landing the nation's No. 1 recruit may have increased.

Ernie Sims of Tallahassee, Fla., the nation's most sought-after running back prospect, visited the Bulldogs' Athens campus last month and is choosing between them, Auburn, Florida State, Miami and Florida.

Of the five, Georgia has by far the biggest need for a running back, down to only sophomores Tony Milton (311 yards) and Tyson Browning (111) and incoming freshman Kregg Lumpkin. Compare that to Auburn, which returns Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown and Tre Smith, FSU (Greg Jones, Lorenzo Booker), Miami (Willis McGahee, Frank Gore and Jarrett Payton) and Florida (Ran Carthon, Willie Green and Ciatrick Fason).

Sims' natural position is linebacker, where he explodes to the ball like few high schoolers before him, but his 5-foot-11, 225-pound frame will likely lead him to play running back in college. The team to beat would seem to be hometown FSU, where both his father and brother played and his mother ran track. But Newberg believes the combination of Smith's departure and the 'Noles' recent troubles put Georgia on nearly equal footing.

Sims is not expected to decide before signing day, Feb. 5.

Trojans cleaning up out West

The surprise of the recruiting season may be USC, which is translating the momentum of its 11-2 Orange Bowl season into a possible top-five class nationally.

Pete Carroll, entering his third year with the Trojans, first made inroads in the West Coast prep scene last winter, landing four acclaimed teammates from powerhouse Long Beach Poly, including Winston Justice, starting right tackle as a freshman, and Hershel Dennis, who will enter spring as the No. 1 tailback. A third, Darnell Bing, enrolled late after failing to achieve a qualifying test score and may start at safety next fall.

The Trojans got their 2003 class off to a bang with several big early commitments, led by elite defensive end Lawrence Jackson (Inglewood, Calif.), and the pieces have been falling into place ever since. Two top 15 running backs with 4.4 speed, Reggie Bush (LaMesa, Calif.) and Lendale White (Littleton, Colo.).

Several high-profile targets remain, most notably the nation's top receiver, Whitney Lewis (Ventura, Calif.), who may be favoring Florida State, home of former high school teammate Lorenzo Booker. Conspicuously absent among USC's 20 commits, in light of Heisman winner Carson Palmer's graduation is a quarterback, but that's not the end of the world. The Trojans already have juniors Matt Cassel and Brandon Hance, eligible next season after transferring from Purdue, and sophomores Matt Leinart and Billy Hart.

Worth noting

At its convention last week, The American Football Coaches Association's ethics committee, headed by Air Force's Fisher DeBerry, censured Washington coach Rick Neuheisel for what they viewed as a lack of remorse for his recruiting infractions while at Colorado. Any future violation would cause removal of his AFCA membership, an unprecedented move for the organization. ... Ohio State should soon reap the benefits of its national title in recruiting, but so far it's been the opposite. In addition to losing Irizarry to Miami, All-America safety Prescott Burgess, a Youngstown (Ohio) Harding teammate of Maurice Clarett, committed to arch-rival Michigan two days after the Fiesta Bowl. ... Tennessee's quest to replenish its quarterback ranks isn't going as well as planned, with one-time target Chris Leak committing to nemesis Florida and coveted Californian Richard Kovalcheck spurning the Vols for Arizona. Their attention is now turned to Floridian Justin Midgett, who is wavering on his Gators commitment following Leak's decision. ... Nebraska head coach Frank Solich's overhaul of his staff is apparently complete, with New Mexico State offensive coordinator Barney Cotton expected to join the Huskers in the same position. The Aggies, whose head coach Tony Samuel is a Tom Osborne disciple, run a similar offense to Nebraska's option, with slightly more passing. Solich previously named Green Bay Packers assistant Bo Pelini defensive coordinator.

Stewart Mandel covers college football for CNNSI.com.

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