Miami

 Well that was fun huh? It was a Miami game like no other in my memory, and that is a 40 year mental jumble of ridiculousness. As we all looked at the scoreboard at the half when our kids led by 13, there was not a Nole in the house that felt even remotely comfortable. In fact, because it was Miami, we actually had supreme confidence that we would in fact be the victims of a furious comeback and be trailing late in the game. That was a Nole certainty. However, what made this one unique in the annals was that FSU does not win these games late. We are not the team that comes back from 8 down in the 4th and string together two straight backbreaking drives. We are not the team that kicks a FG with four minutes left and expects our defense to quickly turn it back over to our offense. And we damn sure are not the team that gets the ball with 2 minutes left and 80 yards to go and wins the damn game. But, now we are. It is a new day Noles!

If you are as old as I am, the vision of Michael Irvin sprinting down the sideline just open and grabbing a perfectly thrown ball to put a forth quarter dagger into our heart will never go away. Well, I am fairly certain that J'Khai Douglas will not have a pro career like Irvin, but Cane fans will now have that image emblazoned of 22 creating separation, and after a heart stopping bobble, flying 60 yards to the 20 and injecting Red Bull XL into the veins of the previously doubting Doak crowd. I was cocky enough at that moment to actually think "Whew, glad he did not score cuz that would give Miami too much time to come back." That asinine thought was eradicated very quickly as our next three plays netted minus four. Then, what we all predicted as the finish to this drive - soon to be the second best 4th and 14 in FSU history (just behind Rix to Robinson in the Swamp - but just as unlikely) as Jordan calmly dropped back and delivered an absolute laser to our goat turned forever hero Andrew Parchment. Boom, boom into the recruiting room we went. Jordan snuck his way into the end zone where the future of Florida State was standing all in  with their parents chopping like it was their job. This was not just a win, but the beginning of the next chapter. 

Again, our coaching staff put all the chips on the table early in the season on this game. Every key recruit that was scheduled after ND was told to come to Miami and was in the house this week. They needed a raucous crowd and a competitive game, with a win being the coup de gras. Bingo Bango Bongo. Norrell pulled the lever and three spears hit. Every recruit who was wavering is now rock solid, and the uncommitted are drinking the garnet koolaid. The staff has completely changed the culture, but can only go so far without some dudes. Well, the dudes were corralled in the corner of Doak Ranch and this game had to happen before we take the next step. I honestly don’t even think we have to win again this year - it would be lovely - but I think the proof of concept has been sold. 

One of my favorite moments in this classic was early when on a third and long, our coaches thought it was a good time to give Jermaine Johnson a blow. Fuller sent out DE Fuller, and JJ just stood there incredulously wagged his finger at both Fullers. The freshman shrugged and turned around, while the DC shook his head and left #11 in. Next play was the strip sack. Time to trust that man coach. How about the play where he diagnosed the play behind the line and grabbed the Cane by the collar and instantly realizing the situation, let go and was still strong enough to grab him midway down his back and drag him to the ground. His high tide has elevated every boat on the line. 

We were all very critical of the coordination of our defense early in the season. The lack thereof at the Jacksonville State game was a fireable offense all by itself. But no one can say now that this group is not coordinated and the beleaguered defensive backfield has improved more than any other unit on the team. Cooper has gone from 3rd team freshman to a force. Brownlee shut down the most talented wr in the conference for much of the night; when he was not running into kickers. For most of the game, completed passes were just great contested plays by dudes on scholarship for the other team for a reason. Tough to bitch about that. We are hiding the linebackers as best we can, and with Robinson creating  turnovers like Emeril Lagasse, the back end is more than holding their own. The Jammie vicious hit, grab and theft had Minnesota police nervous. It was yet another forced takeaway from him, and proving that the transfer portal was an absolute boon for the defensive staff this year. Kier, Jammie and Jermaine have taken the entire unit and led by words and actions. They may be one year rentals, but this win again with them leading the way showed the kids around them how Noles should comport themselves.

For those of you watching on tv, another of the wonders of winning this was watching the forced efforts of Manny's bunch to emulate the past fall short. They have seen videos of what Miami swag is supposed to be and were trying to just roll like those cats without the talent or the reason for confidence. Pregame saw them roll up to the Marching Chiefs who were in the end zone waiting for their entrance with arms flailing and gestures gesturing. Welp, the Band played. What else could they do, jump on the field and start beating them with brass (fun, and possibly legendary) but not appropriate. They had just short of a plethora of penalties like all former green and orange squads specializing in late hits and facemasks. Then, in a coaching blunder that if properly officiated should have cost them them a TD, the entire team followed four-finger-raised Manny onto the field at the end of the third quarter. How could he possibly have known that the entire team would start dancing on the logo? Well, that will be an answer for the exit interview with his AD. To repeat the obvious, This Hurricane football team has never won the ACC in 18 years, has a president that cares not at all about sports, and has just about no shot of ever being "back" again. Yet, they are trying like mad to act like undisciplined morons who just won consecutive nattys. Thus, it was rather lovely to send them packing back to North Cuba. Now that QB and those young wideouts will not be any fun to play for the next few seasons, but maybe a 2 or 3 Travis Hunter picks a year will solve that issue.   

When the Cane's had 26 seconds left and only needed a field goal to tie - eerily similar to the mess we faced in game two - everything was wonderfully different. We were man up on the line, rushing four and had three safeties parked 25 yards back. The result was three incompletions, and a first down with only :02 on the clock. I think that Mike and I may have been the only people on our sideline holding 3 fingers in the air as I screamed at the ref with everything I had. Thank goodness he heard me - or maybe he just knew the rule- as the game ended without a heart palpitating Hail Mary; that knowing the series almost certainly would have ended badly.  

When Jordan starts, we are 4-2, and when he does not, we are 0-4. Hmmm. When he left the game late in the third after a Cane pounded him cheaply and typically after a routine tackle, I was, um, not super confident in our ability to come back. But an X-ray and a shot of sunshine had him back on the sideline before our next series. If he can stay upright for the next two weeks, who knows - maybe we go bowling. Goodness gracious, it apparently is not very tough to score at Florida Field. I think a Tibetan monk might pick up. Jordan's coming out party as a Nole was when Odell took us up to BC in 2019, so maybe he likes the cold as well. If you are looking for us, we will be the ones in garnet wearing ski hats. Have a great week. I know I will.