After the jump...We continue our interview with Chris of Allcanes

Here you go. Good luck this weekend. - Canes305

1. What are your thoughts on Robert Marve?  He seems super talented, but I've watched the Miami tape against UF and UNC, and they really don't let him throw downfield very often. No 15+ yard completions against UF? Only 2 against UNC? Do they not trust Marve, of are they just down on the talent of the wideouts?

I think Marve looks like the next great Miami quarterback. His poise as a r-freshman has been incredible. He has that "it" factor and showed more moxie in four games than Kyle Wright did in four years.

As for why he's not throwing downfield more... I don't know. The coaches say receivers aren't getting open. Even against Florida, the rumor was there were some plays in the bag but the wideouts didn't execute, so the passes weren't thrown.

I think talent-wise Miami is loaded; but it's all bottled up potential until they prove it. This is the youngest position on Miami's roster and in time, they'll break out. I think the problem right now is Patrick Nix being a conservative, by the book, percentages guy instead of rolling the dice.

Last week Marve improvised and pulled off an impressive four-yard touchdown throw to true freshman Aldarius Johnson. When the cameras panned to the sideline, Nix was yelling at Marve regarding the risk he told there and not following procedure. Marve has a Favre-like moment and is getting chastised for not doing things by the book.

Hopefully Nix can get out of Marve's way and let the player play.

2. In the game against UNC, Miami had two drives over 50 yards in the first half, but in the second half UNC held Miami to 33 plays for 101 yards (3.3 per), and 7 points. What adjustments did you see UNC make on defense to shut down Miami? What adjustments would you have made?

I don't know how much were defensive adjustments versus conservative playcalling and not executing. Nix went away from Graig Cooper in the second half, using him twice in the third quarter - once on 2nd an 23 and once on 3rd and 6. Coop dominated the first half and Miami went away from him when they needed to keep running the ball. Nix then turned back to him in the fourth when trying to bleed the clock with UNC stacking the box. When Nix relied on Marve, it was a lot more dinking and dunking instead of what you saw early in the game and again on the final drive, when in panic mode.

Nix outsmarted himself more than UNC's defense shut down Miami.

I don't like to play the role of armchair quarterback, but I believe Miami needs to stick with what's working. I'm also not a fan of inserting Jacory Harris into the game early in the second quarter, as Shannon has these past few games. Stick with the hot hand. Marve had momentum and UNC wasn't figuring him out. Let him run the offense as much as he can before second half adjustments are made.

3. Sort of the same deal here. In the first half UNC ran only 25 plays, for 78 yards, and Miami's defense looked good. In the second half, UNC went up and down the field at will, having 206 yards on 35 plays (5.9 per play!), including drives of 60, 74, and 56 yards. I can't believe I am even asking this, but is Miami out of shape? How are Miami's coaches not making any adjustments? Are they simply Praying at half like the guys do at Clemson? Sacrificing a goat?

I don't think it's conditioning a much as Miami's secondary being exposed as the softest position on the field.

You're playing the stats game, which I disagree with. North Carolina didn't have a "74-yard drive" - they had a 74-yard score where they exposed a hole in the secondary and with too many Canes keyed in on Brandon Tate, Hakeem Nix reeled in a pass that Bruce Johnson misplayed (playing the ball, not the receiver).

The ensuing drive, the Heels partially block a kick, get great field position, completed three passes, benefitted from a facemask penalty and got the go-ahead score. UNC rushed six times in the fourth quarter and gained 2 total yards. Miami's secondary broke down and on a few occasions, Bill Young's biltz left his corners alone on islands and they didn't make plays. Simple as that.

4. Talk about the loss of Reggie Youngblood, a multi-year starter at tackle who won't play b/c of a foot injury. He was a five-star recruit out of the Houston area. How big of a loss is this, and more specifically, how much of a dropoff are we looking at as far as his replacement is concerned?

Tough call. Youngblood has been hit or miss over his career. He's a big body and Miami can't afford a lack of depth on the line, but the fact he was a five-star out of high school means nothing. He hasn't performed like a five-star at the next level.

High school accolades aside, Miami's offensive line is sort of even across the board. There are no 'superstars'. per se. A lot of capable players and some big boys, but I personally see a lot of Larry Coker's kids on the line. A lot of other positions - wideout, linebacker, etc. - you can see Randy Shannon's kids making their presence felt.

OL coach Jeff Stoutland spent time this off-season getting guys ready to play multiple positions. Right now it looks like Tyrone Byrd is slated to start for Youngblood, but you never know how Randy's depth charts will play out on game day.

Long and short of it, Youngblood would've helped as he's a big body in the rotation, but that's about it.

5. Does it concern you that Miami's ground game has been feast or famine, rushing for 10 yard chunks or getting stuffed? Is this offensive line inconsistency, play design, or more of Greg Cooper's preference to try to bust every play for huge yards? How much does this offense miss their inside threat?

Javarris James is missed and unfortunately isn't living up to his potential due to a rash of injuries the past few years. Miami never had that one-two punch that was expected with JJ and Coop.

I think play design is the biggest problem. The predictability has been an issue. Coop up the middle isn't fooling anyone. He's had a few nice runs that way, when blocks have been sprung - but it's not your bread and butter play.

I'd like to see some direct snaps to Cooper (used a few times in 2007, but not yet in 2008) as well as lining him up at receiver and creating more space. He's a very versatile player, being used in a very watered-down way at times.

I think a lack of ingenuity with the playcalling is the biggest issue with Miami's ground game, aside from James being out and no back up truly stepping up and taking control.

6. Give us a player on offense (this is usually the TE) who could surprise us on offense this Saturday.

TE Dedrick Epps scored the game winner last year and Marve started locking on to him last week. Epps is a tough kid and gets the tough yards. He could be primed for a big game.

I also think Aldarius Johnson is primed to break out at receiver. Had two nice grabs last week and has shown solid route running ability, great hands and great feet thus far. Last week Marve keyed in on Kayne Farquharson as his go-to guy. I think AJ eventually gets there, maybe as soon as this Saturday.

7. Miami's defensive line is usually nasty. Who is the standout this year, and who would you consider the weak link?

Eric Moncur (DE) is your heart of the defensive line, but the Canes line is far from being nasty. This is another position left somewhat depleted by Coker. Shannon is addressing that with next year's recruiting class.

Marcus Forston will be a stud, but was out last week as well as this week. That hurts. Guys like Stephen Wesley and Dwayne Hendricks have really stepped up, but neither are superstars or future NFLers. They've overachieved as of late, which will hopefully continue.

Allen Bailey has showed flashes of greatness and can eventually be a great one, but he's still coming along as a soph. When Bailey and Forston are upperclassmen, expect Miami's DL to be an utter force again.

8. 66th in the nation in Opponent Adjusted Pass Efficiency Defense? This is Miami! You guys have led this category in two of the past 6 years! What the heck is going on down there?! This has to be a trick, right?

Again, I don't get caught up in the stats game. A 74-yard strike from UNC with blown coverage skews that stat. As does a game-opening screen pass that goes for a 62-yard score at aTm.

Miami's secondary needs to step up it's collective game, while everyone on defense needs to worry about wrapping up. Too many missed tackles already this short season.

9. Bill Young needs to stop messing with my head. Miami sat in Cover-2 Man Under for the last 10 years, yet against UF and Texas A&M they blitzed like they would be killed if they didn't bring 6+ men on every play. What kind of defensive scheme do you expect this Saturday? Will Miami bring the heat, or do they bet that they can get pressure using only the front 4, as they are going up against the youngest OLine in America (true stat).?

After watching the Florida game, I thought Miami's defense would shut down just about any offense in the game. The over the next two weeks the Canes were effectively picked apart by a second-stringer and a third-stringer.

If you as a fan can talk about Miami sitting in a Cover-2 Man Under for years, Florida State coaches have to feel the same and there should be some confusion for either Ponder or Richardson. Young is really the X-factor here. What will he bring?

I would think with a weak offensive line and question marks at quarterback, Young would blitz, rattle your guys and attempt to force turnovers - though that hasn't been the case yet this season, with a defensive lineman (Moncur) recording the team's only interception.

Young's overall scheme vs. FSU's o-line is the key to this game, obviously.

10. Vegas considered the move from The Orange Bowl to Joe Robbie a 1.5 pt downgrade in terms of home field advantage. Miami brought 18 people to the UNC game. Will the entire 28,000 man fanbase be out in full force? Will they rock extra yellow gold to blind the 'Nole players in the mid-day sun?

Ahh, an attendance cheap shot. Should've seen it coming. Again, Miami is a private school with just over 10K undergrads, in a major metropolitan city with several pro sports franchises. It's a city full of transplants and there are more FSU, UF and FIU alum in the 305 than there are Miami alum. For a private school with an off-campus stadium, attendance-wise Miami does fine if you want to crunch those numbers.

Florida State is a state school with a big-time athletic budget and upwards of 40K students and no disrespect, but Tallahassee is a rather podunk southern town that can't hold a candle to the city of Miami regarding where that entertainment dollar is spent. Simply put, what else are you going to go on a Saturday in Tallahassee? That town revolved around the Noles.

As a Miamian you have South Beach, the Keys, boating, nightlife and another high profile football game a day later in the same stadium when the Chargers head to town to face the Dolphins.

The Miami fans who "pack" that stadium are as diehard for The U as any fans in the nation. They will make noise and do all they can to give the Canes as much of a homefield advantage as humanly possible.

11. Is Miami the only place in the country where the general admission section is considerably more dangerous than the student section?

I think the dangerous angle is played up a bit much. I've been to Miami/Florida State games at the Orange Bowl in my 34 years on this planet and let's just say both programs have their share of great fans, as well as big-mouthed, drunken, arrogant idiots. I've been to games at Doak and took my fair share of grief while wearing my orange and green.

To your point about the GA... the West End Zone Crew at the Orange Bowl were some of the most loyal fans in the game. Rowdy? Sure - but diehards. That element was lost at Dolphin Stadium, with the way the seating charts were laid out... but those fans are still going to do what they can to hold court on Saturday.

I went to games at the OB for almost three decades and I only survived the West End Zone a few times. That place was too hardcore, even for a diehard like me.

12. What is your prediction for this game?

Tough call. Back in the day both teams were hitting their stride early October and the game was vital in deciding who remained in the title hunt. Nothing could be further from the truth these days.

I think we know more about Miami than we do Florida State right now. The Noles first two games against doormats showed little and the loss against Wake Forest now looks worse after the Deacs fell to Navy.

Miami hung tough early at Florida and looked like a defensive juggernaut early on, but defense lost the game last week and the Canes have had fourth quarter breakdowns in three straight games (albeit the lead against aTm was too big to make a difference.)

The storyline was 'defensive battle' from 2004-2006 and the inexplicably last year the teams combine for 66 points in 2007.

What I do predict is a better all around and more complete effort from Miami, after last week. This team didn't have to 'finish' at aTm and when they let up last week, it cost them the game. A collapse helps you right the ship better than a close call would.

I think the difference in this game is Miami's defense against Florida State's offense. The Canes have shut down the run nicely thus far this season, so in a one-dimensional game it'll be on the Noles air attack to get the "W". Miami's D let up last week, but I believe Young and his crew are out to make a statement this week and we see more of the fire displayed in Gainesville, as opposed to the lethargic effort seen last Saturday.

I hate making predictions... but I'll bite and I'll say Miami 24, Florida State 17.