The big picture
Give Larry Coker credit - his job might be on the line this year, and he's still playing by the rules, even if doing so might end up costing him his job.
The Miami football coach suspended four players, including star running back Tyrone Moss, for the Hurricanes' 2006 season-opener with rival Florida State - citing unspecified team rules violations.
"The message is pretty clear - we have high standards here," Coker said.
"We're a program of quality kids. And these kids are good kids. They're not bad kids. But we've got to get this message across," Coker said.
Coker, whose team spent much of the 2005 season in the top five in the national polls before limping home to a 9-3 finish, has been on the hotseat since UM was embarrassed by LSU in the Peach Bowl in a 40-3 rout.
The loss of Moss, who led the 'Canes in rushing (701 yards) and scored 12 touchdowns before going down to a knee injury preceding the late-season losses to Georgia Tech and LSU, could make it tough for Miami in their game with FSU - and get the '06 season off on the wrong foot in the process.
Kudos to Coker for focusing more on the big picture than on his own interests of self-preservation.
- Chris Graham