2010 Miami Hurricanes Football: Miami @ Georgia Tech

Stephen Morris, welcome to the big leagues. One lad’s display of levelheadedness just improved his team’s outlook for the future.

The second half had just begun in Saturday afternoon’s game against the homestanding Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the Miami Hurricanes faced a moment-of-truth crucible in the back stretch of their season. Not only a backup quarterback, but a man who was not the team’s first alternative under center, was asked to deliver the goods – and a win – to a proud program that has fallen on hard times in recent years. When Georgia Tech scored a quick touchdown after halftime to slice a 14-3 Miami lead to 14-10, all eyes in Bobby Dodd Stadium focused on a young man named Stephen Morris, a third-stringer placed in a very difficult situation.

Yes, when Jacory Harris – Miami’s regular starting quarterback – got knocked out of a game at Virginia in October, Morris was not the first choice of Coach Randy Shannon. Miami went to Spencer Whipple, the son of UM offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, as the No. 2 quarterback on the roster. Young Whipple, though, proved unworthy of the position on the depth chart, and then Morris was given the ball last weekend against Maryland. Morris struggled, but he was able to get his team to the finish line first in a 26-20 win. A lot of growing up needed to occur before this contest against Georgia Tech, the defending ACC champions, but it’s quite clear that Morris was up to the task against Coach Paul Johnson’s Yellow Jackets.

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Indeed, right after Tech closed within four points at the start of the second half, Miami’s new offensive leader didn’t shy away from the game pressure that was freshly applied to his more-than-able shoulders. In the blink of an eye and with a flick of his wrist, Morris hit the Hurricanes’ best wide receiver and playmaker, Leonard Hankerson, on a 79-yard long ball. Just 22 seconds after the Canes’ prospects were thrown into doubt; a man named Morris immediately enabled the visitors from South Florida to reassert full control over the proceedings. Following the 79-yard dagger of a throw from Morris’s right arm, Georgia Tech lost all hope. The Jackets faded away into the Atlanta day as Miami cruised to a 25-point victory. One play made all the difference, and one cool customer at quarterback landed the telling blow.

Miami is still behind the eight-ball in the race for the ACC Coastal Division crown, but the Canes are now assured of second place, since they own a head-to-head tiebreaker with North Carolina. Miami moved up the bowl pecking order with this win and can still gain 10 wins if it runs the table through its bowl game.

Obviously, the significance of this win – far beyond this season – is that Morris might be the leader this team needs. Harris, though immensely gifted in his own right, has been very inconsistent for “The U” under center, and if Stephen Morris shows more moxie as the trigger man in Mark Whipple’s offense, perhaps the Hurricanes could win their first ACC Coastal title in 2011. Life just got more interesting for a team that now has reason to think big next year.

Miami Hurricanes @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football Recap