by Rich Cirminiello

Updated: July 1, 2008, 1:46 PM EST 157 comments

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Head coach Randy Shannon got a mulligan for going 5-7 in his first season, but the honeymoon is already over as he turns the corner and begins heading into Year 2. It wasn't just that the program is down by comparison to the unattainably high standard it set for two decades; it's that this has become just another program and just another team. Miami can say all it wants that it's Miami and is about to get back the swagger and the attitude, but it isn't happening.

Other teams have invaded the "State of Miami" by plucking a few choice players here and there that normally would've been a lock to go to Da U., but more than that, it's that the players in place aren't developing like they should, and worst of all, they're not showing up to play in big moments.

How does a team lose 48-0 to Virginia in the final game in the Orange Bowl? How does Miami, the school of Heisman quarterbacks, a jaw-dropping array of NFL running backs and high-octane offenses finish 110th in the nation in offense and last in the ACC in passing? Attitude and talent.

Shannon's first goal was to change the mindset back to being the biggest bad boys on the block, and that hasn't happened yet. That only comes from having a good team, and that's about to kick in with a great recruiting class ready to change things around. At least that's the hope.

The Hurricanes need to develop a consistent playmaker at quarterback and revamp the defense, two areas that never let the program down during the glory days. Very few positions won't be open to competition this summer as parts of the last two recruiting classes will be infused into the depth chart. Shannon built a fortress around Dade County this past February, assembling one of the nation's best hauls of young talent, but now he and his staff need to prove they can coach as well as they recruit.

Although this latest recruiting class has brought a spark and some positive national pub back to the program, it's not likely to have a profound impact on the win total in 2008. Shannon is likely to get the 'Canes back to the postseason, but with so much uncertainty on both sides of the ball and a minefield of a schedule, they'll fall a short of a Coastal Division crown.

What to watch for on offense: The last time Miami started a freshman under center, Bernie Kosar was a teenager on campus in the 1980s. It'll happen again this year as Robert Marve tries to reverse a recent trend of inconsistency at quarterback and a last-place ACC finish in passing. He'll be surrounded by 10 players with something to prove, particularly RB Javarris James and WR Sam Shields. James is looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled sophomore season and a drop in production. Shields has a world-class blend of speed, burst and leaping ability but needs to put it all together to finally reach his enormous potential.

What to watch for on defense: The Cane defense will be looking to rebound from a November collapse that saw it sink to an un-Miami-like 10th-place ACC finish in scoring D. While LB Colin McCarthy and DE Eric Moncur will be the catalysts, new coordinator Bill Young will also be weaving in a handful of younger players, including blue-chip true freshmen Marcus Forston, Arthur Brown and Sean Spence. Keep an eye on sophomore DE Allen Bailey, a converted linebacker who has torn it up in the offseason and possesses a ridiculous combination of size, speed and strength.

The team will be far better if... Marve doesn't play like a freshman. Heck, this is Quarterback U., and it's about time Miami starts playing like it. The defense will be better and the running game is in good hands, but the Canes can't afford another season averaging just 169 yards a game through the air. The burden falls on the rookie quarterback and a group of receivers that's been better in shorts than in pads.

The schedule: The Canes will know just how much better they've gotten this offseason in a big hurry. After a warm-up against Charleston Southern, road dates at Florida and Texas A&M could either set the tone for the season or show just how far the program still has to go. On the flip side, the big Coastal showdown against Virginia Tech is at home, missing Clemson and Boston College from the Atlantic and getting Florida State in Miami are all tremendous breaks. Closing up with three road dates (Virginia, Georgia Tech and NC State) in the final four, with the home game against the Hokies, isn't a plus.

Best offensive player: RB Javarris James. Although James had an off-year as a sophomore, some of the blame goes to a nagging neck injury and suspect blocking up front. Completely healthy again, he's poised to return to his freshman form, pounding between the tackles with ferocity and overpowering defensive backs once he gets past the second line of defense. James spent the past few months working on his speed, delivering the program's sixth fastest time in offseason testing.

Best defensive player: LB Colin McCarthy. In just his first season as the starter at strongside, McCarthy established himself as the new star of the Hurricane defense. The fastest of the linebackers, he cranked out 74 tackles, a dozen tackles for loss and two sacks, laying the foundation for what's going to be a breakthrough junior year.

Key player to a successful season: Marve. While he doesn't have to be Jim Kelly right out of the chute, the rookie does need to light a spark under an offense that's been slipping for years. If he gives opponents a reason to respect his arm and legs, the backfield combination of James and Graig Cooper will obliterate most ACC defenses.

The season will be a success if ... Miami returns to the postseason with no worse than an 8-4 record. After going 5-7 with a talented team, moral victories will fall on deaf ears this season. Even with a rookie quarterback, the 'Canes have enough talent to make last year look like an aberration. And the schedule is going to cooperate. After brutal back-to-back road games at Florida and Texas A&M, there isn't a remaining game that's not winnable.

Offense

The winner of the quarterback derby will be taking his first career snap when Miami hosts Charleston Southern on Aug. 28. The job may be Robert Marve's to lose, but he's getting challenged by Jacory Harris, a gem from this year's class who already took part in spring practice. Marve has moxie and the athletic ability that the program has never really had under center. With Graig Cooper and Javarris James on campus, the running game should be much better than a year ago, but not unlike the situation at Florida State, the line shares a lot of the blame. The 'Canes are hunting for three capable linemen to go along with steady starting tackles Jason Fox and Reggie Youngblood. It's time for Sam Shields to emerge as a No. 1 target in a young receiving corps that's brimming with upside.

If Javarris James returns to his freshman form, Miami's backfield could be very scary. (Doug Benc / Getty Images)

Quarterbacks: Although youthful mistakes will be inevitable, Robert Marve and Jacory Harris are microcosms of the optimism that's making its way back to the program. Both exude potential and excitement. Ideally, Marve can breathe some life into the offense, while Harris gets a season to adapt to his new surroundings and bulk up in the weight room. While only 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, Marve can make all the throws, has a quick release and moves well inside and out of the pocket. Harris, a true freshman, distinguished himself in March, playing with poise and picking up the offense faster than the coaches anticipated. At 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds, he's a fluid overall athlete with plenty of upside as a passer once he gains more size and strength.

Running backs: Just because junior Javarris James suffered through a sophomore slump doesn't mean he lacks the potential to be one of the nation's premier backs. His production dropped from 802 yards and 4.7 yards a carry to 582 yards and 3.7 yards a carry, while his longest gallop was for just 23 yards. In his defense, James went most of the year with a nagging neck injury and didn't always get a lot of help up front. Even at 6-foot and 214 pounds, he has an extra gear to blow past defenders and is quick to the hole and powerful between the tackles. In James and Graig Cooper, Miami has the luxury of two outstanding runners capable of earning All-ACC honors with enough carries. Cooper, the backup, would start for about 90 percent of FBS programs.

Receivers: New receivers coach Aubrey Hill inherits a talented group of athletes that's raw and lacking consistency. If you like the 'Cane receivers this year, you're going to love them in 2009. Only Khalil Jones and Kayne Farquharson are seniors, while Aldarius Johnson, Leonard Hankerson and Jermaine McKenzie have the look of future ACC stars. However, until the training wheels come off, there will be as many bonehead mistakes as big plays. If Sam Shields can be an outside threat that finally emerges into a steady force, the young receivers will get a chance to develop with less pressure and on a more manageable timetable. Johnson, in particular, is a microcosm of the kind of athlete that Miami hopes will get the program back on a winning track.

Offensive line: The Hurricanes have enough size and experience to improve on the interior. Now, they have to go out and do it. Things are set at tackle, where junior Jason Fox and senior Reggie Youngblood are back for a third season together as the starters. The Miami staff believes it harbors a pair of emerging stars in sophomore guards Orlando Franklin and Joel Figueroa. At 6-foot-7 and 345 pounds, Franklin is a masher on running plays that gets off the ball quickly and moves unusually well for his size. By far, the biggest concern is at center where no one has adequately stepped up to replace John Rochford. The front-runner is senior Xavier Shannon, the head coach's son and transfer from FIU.

Defense

Colin McCarthy is the anchor of Miami's defense. (Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images)

You're not in Kansas anymore, Bill Young. Young was lured away from the Jayhawks to coordinate a defense that allowed an un-Miami-like 120 points over last year's final three games. A master of the zone blitz, the new coordinator will be working with more talent than he's ever had at his disposal. While you certainly don't get better by losing DE Calais Campbell and S Kenny Phillips, the 'Canes have stocked the cupboard deep enough in the last two winters to rebound in a hurry. LB Colin McCarthy has the right makeup to evolve into the anchor of the defense. If S Anthony Reddick is ready to go after suffering a serious knee injury, Phillips' departure will be a little easier to digest. DT Marcus Forston and LB Arthur Brown, a couple of recruiting coups, are destined to be special.

Defensive line: Miami's biggest concern heading into the season will be to find an adequate replacement for pass rusher Calais Campbell, who left early for the NFL Draft. A fixture on one side is senior Eric Moncur, a speedy and powerful edge rusher that can shed tackles effortlessly. Moncur is taking the baton, and Allen Bailey looks like the real deal on the other side. Plus, Courtney Harris is a solid veteran on the second team, and Adewale Ojomo has a chance to be a disruptive situational pass rusher. The Canes were surprisingly soft inside last year, a situation that's being muddled by the uncertainty at tackle. Mr. Marcus Forston, arguably the crown jewel of the great recruiting class, opportunity is on line one.

Linebackers: While leading tackler Tavares Gooden will be missed, Miami believes it can make up the difference with a couple of blue-chip recruits and the return of senior Glenn Cook, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility. The corps will be good this season, but if all goes as planned, they'll among the best in the ACC by 2009. Colin McCarthy and Darryl Sharpton are juniors and true freshmen Sean Spence and Arthur Brown haven't even left the starters' block. It's not as if the Miami linebackers will get pushed around, but this is an undersized ensemble that could have trouble against physical offensive lines that get to the second level.

Secondary: Miami is mortal in the secondary for the first time in years, a microcosm for the program's recent decline. Even though the high-end talent isn't there, a whopping seven defensive backs have started at least one game in their 'Cane careers. While receivers still won't want to cross over the middle on this normally big hitting group, going deep on the DBs hasn't been a problem, and likely won't be again. CB DeMarcus Van Dyke certainly has upside, but collectively, this is not a premier group of pass defenders. The big loss is All-America S Kenny Phillips, who coaches hope can be replaced by oft-injured senior Anthony Reddick.

Special Teams: Noticing that there's a glaring need for a placekicker, Jake Wieclaw left high school early and has already participated in his first spring camp. One of the top high school kickers in the Midwest, he's 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds with good pop and accuracy. Junior walk-on Alex Uribe is in the picture, but Wieclaw's stiffest competition will come from 6-foot, 195-pound sophomore Matt Bosher, who averaged 40.2 yards as the punter a year ago. One of the premier kickers of 2006, he has the leg strength and mechanics to handle double-duties this fall. Until the young kickers prove their mettle, there's not a lot to brag about on special teams. The coverage units typically do a solid job, limiting the big play and not allowing a touchdown last season.