UM’s Randy Shannon Preps for Thursday Rivalry

Body language specialist Randy Shannon

On the eve of the 13th-ranked Miami Hurricanes’ biggest Thursday night home game of the season, head coach Randy Shannon graciously took time out of his hectic schedule to share insights on the season opener against Florida A&M. Occasionally surly, UM’s fourth-year man makes up for his lack of charisma, charm and overall personality with an incomparable sense of brevity and wholly original logic.

Said Shannon of Sunday’s practice, “We were a little bit sluggish today, which was good.”

Miami is a nearly three-touchdown favorite this week, but with a showdown against second-ranked Ohio State just 11 days away, coach expects his team to fly around a little bit, do great things and continue to improve, because that’s all you can do. Which is good.

The following are Shannon’s word-for-word answers responses to a barrage of heavy-hitting questions from local muckrakers at the Miami Herald and Rivals.com.

Was Saturday a work day or were you able to get some rest?

Work day. Always a work day, trying to get better in some way or fashion, which is good.

Now that you’ve settled on a preliminary depth chart, what do you think you have in this team?

Don’t know.

You said [true freshman LB] James Gaines really caught your attention in fall practice. Will he contribute this season?

Don’t know. He’s there. Practicing hard. That’s all you can say.

How many true freshmen could see time this year?

Don’t know.

Have you made a decision on Jacory’s backup?

Nope.

Tell us what it’s like to finally have [late commit, Rivals No. 15 overall, ATH] Latwan Anderson out there?

Didn’t do much. He’s in the pre-trial phase – his helmet – so really couldn’t do anything.

Your plans for him?

He’s a walk-on.

Wait. So you’ve hit the scholarship limit?

He’s a walk-on.

Will you play him?

He’s a walk-on.

What can you tell us about [true freshman DE] David Perry?

He’s a walk-on in the acclimation period.

You’ve moved Kylan Robinson to outside linebacker, correct?

Nickel situations he’s always outside. Sometimes he’s in the middle, sometimes outside.

And in base situations?

He’s been in the middle.

How do you get an idea of what FAMU will do on Thursday?

Just look at last year’s tape. That’s all you can do, and do what they’ve done the last three or four games of the season and base it off that. It’s going to be something new.

Tell us a little more.

We don’t know what FAMU is going to do.

What do you like about your team?

They didn’t hit the wall. The year we went 7-6, we hit a wall against Virginia – there was no way to get those guys out of it. [This year] we had a walkthrough at 10:30 at night, came back the next morning at 6 and they responded.

Will [senior middle linebacker] Colin McCarthy start on Thursday?

Depends on the game. I couldn’t tell you.

Tell us who’s in the mix to return kicks.

About eight of them.

Which unit is the FAMU game more important to?

The whole team.

Editor’s note: Special thanks to insider/Core Team member J. Franklin. Go ‘Canes.

- Robbie