by Jeff Goodman

Comment

The Miami basketball team, the same one that was predicted to be the doormat of the ACC a year ago and the same program that has just a half-dozen NCAA tournament appearances to its credit in its less-than-storied history, is more formidable and has higher hopes than its gridiron counterparts.

"There's no question about it," said Sandy Nusbaum, a long-time booster for both sports, 1971 graduate and former president of the Hurricane Club. "This is by far the most talented basketball team we've had."

Football coach Randy Shannon took over a brutal situation prior to last season, his first as the head man, and the program failed to participate in a bowl game for the first time in a decade. This season the 'Canes are 1-1 with a rout of Charleston Southern and a somewhat-embarrassing setback at rival Florida in the Swamp in which Gators coach Urban Meyer ran up the score with a late field goal.

The realization is still that Miami remains a couple years away from taking its place back on the national radar in terms of a team that can compete for a legitimate top 10 national ranking.

I'm not getting carried away here and picking Frank Haith's Miami Hurricanes to knock off North Carolina, win the ACC and win the national championship.

But fans down in Miami should put their stock on the hardwood this year instead of with the pigskin if they want to follow a winning team.

Haith returns four starters from last season's 23-11 team that nearly knocked off Texas in the second round of the NCAA tournament. A win would have put the Hurricanes into the Sweet 16 for just the second time in school history.

This is a program that wasn't even in existence from 1972-85 after it was disbanded due to a lack of attendance, facilities and funding. Leonard Hamilton got it going in the late 1990s when he took Miami to three straight NCAA tournaments — including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2000.

However, football was king (the 'Canes won the national championship under Larry Coker in 2001) — and even though the program is mediocre right now, it'll always be king.

"When you're a Miami guy, the city is synonymous with the football team," said NBA player James Jones, a member of Hamilton's Sweet 16 team. "I know Coach Shannon will turn it around, but right now they're struggling and that's tough for people to swallow. However, it's bittersweet because at the same time, the basketball program is taking the lead and as a basketball player, that's the way I love to have it."

Jack McClinton (17.7 ppg) is one of the top scorers in the ACC and is also arguably the top perimeter shooter. Miami has wings with James Dews (10.3 ppg), Brian Asbury (8.8), no shortage of big men with Dwayne Collins (8.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Jimmy Graham (6.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and a solid point guard, Lance Hurdle, who has allowed McClinton to capitalize on his ability to play without the ball in his hands.

Haith also has added one of the most talented players to come into the ACC this season in athletic wing DeQuan Jones, who is ranked as the No. 22 player in the country by Rivals.com and 23rd overall by Scout.com.

``I told someone the other day that we're getting a bye in the ACC tournament this year," Nusbaum said. "We're not playing on Thursday."

Nusbaum may be right this time.

The 'Canes will be a fixture in just about every preseason Top 25 (we've got them at No. 15) and it's not out of the question that could make a legitimate run toward the Final Four in Detroit.

The last time that Miami cracked the top 10 was nearly a decade ago.

Don't be surprised if it happens again — and we're not talking about the football team, either.