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Deacons prepare for Halloween scare
Grobe says Miami has frightening speed, particularly when it has the ball
AP File Photo
Quarterback Jacory Harris is one of the best in the ACC.
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Published: October 31, 2009
Since its last trip to Winston-Salem to play Wake Forest, Miami has suffered through three of its most dismal seasons in the past 30 years.
The Hurricanes are back, in more ways than one.
Coach Jim Grobe of the Deacons remembers all too well the last visit, when the Hurricanes rolled into what was then known as Groves Stadium on Nov. 12, 2005, and rolled out with a 47-17 victory.
"Back the last time they were here, they whipped us pretty good," Grobe said.
To those looking for a tingle or two of Halloween fright, Grobe was willing to oblige. The Miami team that will play Wake Forest at 3:30 today at BB&T Field, Grobe said, is better than the one that romped through the same stadium four seasons ago. The Hurricanes (5-2, 2-2 ACC after last week's overtime loss to Clemson) have yet to prove it. But they are better than they were the past three years, when they finished 7-6, 5-7 and 7-6 with a combined conference mark of 9-15.
And in Jacory Harris, they have one of the most talented and electrifying quarterbacks in the ACC. Harris, a sophomore from Miami, is third in the conference with 253.4 yards a game and third with a passing efficiency rating of 155.5 -- despite an ACC-high 10 interceptions.
"I've not seen many quarterbacks that have the touch this guy's got," Grobe said.
"He's got kind of a reputation as a big arm. But he's got great touch.
"He very rarely throws a ball that's not a catchable ball."
Even through the downturn of Randy Shannon's first two seasons as head coach, the Hurricanes maintained their reputation as one of college football's fastest teams.
They were young on defense last season, and Shannon might have undermined his second team by alternating between Robert Marve (who has since left the program) and Harris at quarterback.
But they never lost the speed that made them one of college football's most feared teams through the 1980s, 1990s and the first five seasons of this decade.
Three receivers, 6-4 sophomore LaRon Byrd, 6-3 junior Leonard Hankerson and 5-10 sophomore Travis Benjamin, have caught at least 18 passes. One running back, 6-0, 208-pound senior Javarris James, is averaging 5.4 yards a carry. Another, 6-0, 205-pound junior Graig Cooper, is averaging 5 yards.
James has been sidelined for today's game with a lower-extremity injury.
"You know the speed," Grobe said. "Any of the Florida teams are going to have great foot speed.
"But I like their offensive and defensive lines. Of course the defensive guys, they can all run. But their offensive line is huge.
"They're really big and physical.
"You know they've got all the speed guys at wideouts. They've got about five or six guys that it doesn't matter who he's throwing the football to, they're going to go get it.
"But I think they do a good job up front. They've got a couple of really, really special running backs. So they're getting in the I some and knocking you down and handing the ball off.
"And of course if you don't fit a seam right, it'll probably be 7."
The Deacons, coming off back-to-back losses that left them 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the ACC, need to make a stand soon to have a solid shot at reaching a bowl game for the fourth straight season.
The offense desperately needs to get on track after scoring just 13 points over the past two games and two touchdowns over the past 10 quarters.
"We'll find out more (today)," Grobe said. "I think Miami will be another great challenge.
"Certainly we're not happy when we're not scoring points, and that's the problem right now."
Defensive end Kyle Wilber, who has missed six games recovering from a broken fibula, practiced this week but is still considered questionable for today's game.
Linebacker Hunter Haynes has recovered from an injured knee and is expected to play.
Running back Kevin Harris, sidelined five games with an injured groin, also is expected to play.
dcollins@wsjournal.com | 727-7323
ACC today
• Noon: N.C. State at Florida State; WXLV Ch. 7 (ABC); WIFM 100.9; WSJS 600
• 1:30: Coastal Carolina at Clemson
• 3:30: Miami at Wake Forest; WXLV Ch. 7 (ABC); WBRF 98.1; WZTK 101.1
• 3:30: Central Michigan at Boston College; ESPNU Ch. 143
• 3:30: Duke at Virginia; WIST 98.3
• 7:30: Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt
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