Spring Training With The Minnesota Twins

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

My original plan for the weekend of March 13-16th was to attend the 12 Hours of Sebring, as I always like to cover endurance races.

But my instincts took over and said, you’ve been there and have done that. Once again, my instincts were right.

Instead, it was time to get back in baseball mode. 

I’ve always wanted to attend a Spring Training Game at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, FL, the home of the Minnesota Twins. I’ve already been to Fenway South which is six miles away. 

When you talk about great people to work with, Nina Zimmerman and Dustin Moorse are as good as it gets. Nina told me she was pleased to accommodate the South Florida Tribune to expand their presence in our market.

Meanwhile, Dustin was awesome as he granted me clubhouse access and whatever else I needed. 

I’m looking forward to working with both of these individuals both in Fort Myers and in Minneapolis in the future.

My original target was former Miami Marlins pitcher Pablo Lopez, but he was pitching and would only be available in the clubhouse after his outing. As a result, I would ask some questions which occurred around the seventh inning. You’ll see the conversation in the video in the story. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay afterwards to talk to Manager Rocco Baldelli as I had to return home. Hopefully, that opportunity will come at a later date.

I asked Moorse if he could find me a catcher. I told him that I played the position in Little League and have interviewed a lot of them through the years covering baseball. 

Dustin delivered and I interviewed Ryan Jeffers outside of the clubhouse because when I explained to Moorse getting the interview on You Tube would be problematic, due to copyright issues; he totally understood and it worked out well.

He told Jeffers that I wanted to talk to him about catching and that I would keep the interview short and it was a blast with the 6-4, native of Raleigh, NC. Jeffers has been with the Twins since 2020. He was the Twins second round pick, 59th overall in 2018.

We talked about so many different aspects of catching as you’re going to watch. Jeffers didn’t play in the Twins 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox. 

But you can rest assured that I’ll be watching him throughout the season and hope he has tremendous success. I always root for people that make my job easier and more pleasant. In addition to the video, we also took a photo together. 

Before I interviewed Jeffers, Moorse came to me in the clubhouse and told me the Twins athletic trainer was having a media availability. Since I was new, it was nice of him to go out of his way to invite me to it and the one thing that gets my energy level higher is when someone talks about my “Motor City Mad Mouth Hat.” I got in my few questions and learned a lot.

Finally, I approached Twins reporter Audra Martin and asked her if she has some time to talk to me. She covers the Twins and the Minnesota Wild. She was extremely cooperative and sweet. We had a blast. One question that I decided to not ask due to time limitations about what female broadcasters she idolized growing up. Perhaps, down the road, it will come up.

Instead, I talked to her about the Twins, working in the Minnesota market and kept the conversation about her goals. Audra came across to me as an individual that’s extremely happy working in a small market and being appreciated in the Twin Cities. In this interview, we both had a lot of fun doing it.

The one story that I told Moorse and Zimmerman was back in 1987 when the Minnesota Twins played the Detroit Tigers during the American League Championship Series. 

I attended game five and attempted to buy a ticket but was ripped off initially. However, fate would work out for me and I saw my uncle Gene Ryeson and he gave me some money when I told him what happened. I mentioned this in my book, “Lessons From The Microphone” and I bought another ticket.

This time, I turned a negative into a positive and I sat next to former Minnesota Twins Owner Calvin Griffith. 

We talked baseball the entire game and I remembered everything he said then proceeded to write a story. My editor George Eichorn sent the story to Griffith and the Twins and he responded back to us and if I ever made it to the area, I would be invited to attend a game and we could talk more. If there was ever a time that I wish I had a camera phone, this was it.

The Twins would defeat the Tigers in this game and went on to win the World Series. As much as I would have liked to have seen Detroit win, I became an admirer of the Minnesota Twins ever since.

What happened this past weekend with what I accomplished only added to the respect that I have for this classy organization beginning with Moorse and Zimmerman. 

If you ever have a chance to see Hammond Stadium, this facility holds 9,300 and the complex is just unbelievable. The state of the art venue also is the home of the Twins Florida State League team.

I’ve always felt great that when I get a lot of cooperation, this is when I’m at my best. 

Since Covid 19, getting total cooperation has been a challenge throughout the sports world. 

But with the Minnesota Twins, it felt like old times and made the task so much more pleasant! I can’t thank them enough and am looking forward to promoting them in the future.

They indicated they wanted exposure in our market and I will do everything in my power to give them that and much more!

It’s safe to say that the detour I took shifting from Sebring to Fort Myers turned out to be a no brainer. The trip from Deerfield Beach, Florida to Fort Myers is slightly under two hours away off of I-75. 

My instincts were right again as you can tell in this story and the videos inside. 

A topic on the 108 Stitches, Baseball Talk Podcast on Monday which you can find on the South Florida Tribune You Tube Channel was on the trip to Fort Myers. This show featured Pablo Lopez, who is happy that he has a new home in the Twin Cities.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com. You can find him on Twitter/X @TribuneSouth. To see his broadcasts, they can be found of The South Florida Tribune You Tube Channel and there is no cost to subscribe.

Also, he wrote a book, “Lessons From The Microphone” which is available on Amazon/Kindle and Barnes and Noble. 

Life After Football, Former Washington Redskin, Antomio Wise

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to attend press conferences and record interviews, then write basic stories.

Once upon a time, a mentor of mine named Andy Liscano, who was a television reporter in Miami back in the early 1980’s always taught me that the key to being a real journalist is by being different. I mentioned him in My book “Lessons From The Microphone.”

I’ve received a lot of great advice in my 45 + years in Sports Media and have used a lot of it. It’s always great to learn from other colleagues in the industry.

When you go to a big event, it’s like Halloween.

How much candy can you get to fill-up your bag?

The best part about this candy is you don’t have to have your parents go over it to see if there are unexpected and unwanted surprises in it.

There is nothing like a big event because that feeling that you’re a kid out of a candy store is running through your mind. I thrive on these events because I view it as advanced networking.

In a day where the smart phone has replaced the tape recorder and you can get videos, it makes content hunting even more fun. The smart phone comes in handy to do interviews and in some cases, I use it for just photos.

My niece Brook once taught me a lesson about Facebook. She told me that she only uses it to post phots. Great stuff, Brook because not only do I use Facebook to post them, but these photos also land on Instagram. When I thought of the California Wildfires, I definitely appreciated what Brooke had to say.

To tell you that Super 59 in New Orleans was a smashing success, would be mildly understating the obvious. I’m looking forward to covering the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa, just weeks away.

My wife/photographer Candy was a recording machine. 

Where there was an interview, Candy was there to take care of it. 

At a family meal, My nephew Branden once said to me that “Uncle Scott, how did you find a woman that likes what you do? I said, I don’t know, but I’m glad that I did.” I used his question at our wedding on January 1, 2017.

I’ve been to five Super Bowls and they’ve all been very enriching. I’ve made a lot of contacts, taken some photos and more importantly accumulated a lot of memories. 

As long as my health allows, I’ll go to more of them and eliminate national media awards banquets events that only last a few days and are too costly for that short period of time.

As I was talking to Roy Kessel of the Sports Philanthropy Network, who is a great friend of mine, I stumbled across this opportunity. 

I met former Washington Redskins player Antomio Wise and we started talking. The thing that impressed me about Wise was that when his football career is over, he found a career outside of the gridiron in the financial industry. 

At that point, my content hunting instincts went to work and since we’re both authors, we made a book exchange.

Every social media has its purpose. I look for guests that are successful after their athletic careers are completed. As I was looking at Wise, the one person who came to mind is former MLB catcher and a great friend of mine, Barry Foote.

Interviewing Wise turned out to be a “Wise” move because many athletes go broke after their athletic careers are completed. Wise gives good advice to non athletes and I hope you enjoy the interview. If you learn something off of it, then I did my job and followed the advice of Andy Liscano.

I really enjoy writing stories about the subjects that I interview because it provides a great overview of them and the message that we’re both looking to share.

I look forward to the next event and will produce another story like this one.

It’s one thing to produce content that working behind the computer at your home and office is productive. But there is no better place to be than in the field than hunting for it.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com and you can find him on Twitter/X @TribuneSouth. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and to see his broadcasts, there is no cost to subscribe to the South Florida Tribune You Tube Channel.

His book “Lessons From The Microphone” can be purchased on Amazon/Kindle along with Barnes & Noble.

FAU Had Their Wheaties And Crushed ECU 81-53

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

I’ll never forget that when the FAU Owls named John Jakus as their new Men’s Basketball Coach on March 27, 2024 to replace Dusty May, who went to the Michigan Wolverines, that there was quite a turnout at his opening day press conference.

He was cheered mightily by the fans. Jakus only had about seven minutes to talk to the media and a reporter from a West Palm Beach TV Station asked the majority of the questions while others couldn’t get a word in. I was one of those.

But on Sunday, I finally had a chance to get to a Men’s Basketball Game which turned out to be Senior Day. The team honored KyKy Tandy, Ken Evans Jr. and Jack Johnson for their contributions to the program.

FAU went into the contest leading the all-time history 4-2. East Carolina entered the game with and 18-12 mark and 10-7 in the AAC. Meanwhile, FAU entered the contest with a 16-14, 9-8 mark in this key conference showdown.

As I looked at the press notes before and throughout the game, Jakus was mentored by two of the nations best head coaches in Scott Drew (Baylor) and Mark Few (Gonzaga) and is no stranger to working with mid major programs.

Jakus will be on a future edition of the Motor City Mad Mouth Show after the season.

The Owls responded with a performance that showed they’re on a mission to get to the post-season.

The game started off slow and at one point the game was tied 9-9.

But with 9:33 left in the first half, FAU led 18-11 going into a timeout.

By the 4:53 Mark in the half, FAU led 33-14 and at halftime the score was 41-23.

Why did a game that appeared to be a close matchup get out of hand so quickly?

FAU out rebounded ECU 25-14 and outscored the Pirates 7-0 on second chance points. The Owls held the lead for 13:50-2:06. 

Even Florida Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov, who was wearing his FAU t-shirt was impressed sitting in his court side seats and was signing autographs. 

There was no let-up in the second half for FAU as the Owls out scored ECU 40-30. The time with the lead jumped to 33:50. ECU only led 2:06 the entire game.

FAU out rebounded ECU 47-33 their second chance points raised to 20-7. FAU outscored ECU 32-26 in the paint and led in bench scoring 30-8.

Baba Miller had 18 points, five assists and 12 rebounds, Maya’s Vokietaitis had 10 points, Tandy led all scorers with 19 points, while Tre Carroll had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

When the game was over, Jakus was really delighted with the way the team played all-season. I finally had a chance to ask the first year coach several questions as you’re going to see in the videos included in the story.

After the press conference, we finally had our formal introduction and took photos. When I was leaving the building, we took another photo and talked. I told him something he already knew, have a good conference tournament and the post-season awaits you. He appreciated this comments and we took another photo on the court.

I told him that he’s the fourth FAU Coach I’ve worked with. The others were Rex Walters, Mike Jarvis and May. He told me, “I hope that I’m the last.”

I hope so because Jakus can now settle into his surroundings and continue to build the program the way he wants to. For a guy that has worked at mid-major programs, there is no question that Athletic Director Brian White got this hire right.

I’ll be interested to see what goes on from here and you can be rest assured that it won’t take me until the last game of the season to see John Jakus and his Owls going forward. I was amazed by the energy at “The Burrow” on Sunday and it was a pretty decent crowd. 

Now, the Owls begin AAC Tournament play on Thursday so we’ll see what’s in store with the squad in the next few days.

Meanwhile, he knows that our conversation is far from over as we mentioned him coming on the Motor City Mad Mouth Show so we’ll be able to promote the FAU Program nationally. He said he was looking forward to coming on.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com and you can find him on Twitter/X @TribuneSouth.

To see all of his shows, you can subscribe to the South Florida Tribune You Tube Channel.

Finally, he wrote a book, “ Lessons From The Microphone,” which can be purchased on Amazon/Kindle and Barnes & Noble.

Motor City Mad Mouth Insights: Iconic Performers

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

In my lifetime, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet many iconic performers and witnessed many others.

On last night’s edition of the Sports Exchange with Myself, JB Ellis, Pensman Sports, Candy Ebling and George Eichorn, the opportunity to do a show with a pair in the headline was too good to pass up.

I titled the Show “Paying Tribute to Gene Hackman and Al Trautwig” and I told my co-hosts this would be a loaded episode. I knew Ellis was leaving for Japan on Sunday to watch MLB in Tokyo so it was necessary to have him on this episode.

We talked about Bill Laimbeer believing LeBron James could play in the 1980’s, the most points by a Canadian player is 55 by Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets against the Portland Trail Blazers, Vlad Goldin of Michigan proposing to his girlfriend at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor after a loss to Michigan State, in addition to discussing Matthew Stafford staying with the LA Rams. 

I also interviewed current and soon to be former Philadelphia Eagle Darius Slay Jr. about returning to the Detroit Lions. We also had our parting shots. 

The chat room was active as each individual talked about the movies that Hackman participated in and many remembered Trautwig’s accomplishments. As usual, Ebling did her research about both individuals and that continued the momentum in the chatroom along with the dialogue with the crew.

This is a must watch video that we’re inserting in this story. 

I’ll say this, Hackman will always be remembered in my eyes for his role in the movie “Hoosiers” because  the two quotes that stand out include: “When it comes to this basketball team what I say is the law, absolutely and without discussion.” I use that line a lot in my dealings with people. Another quote, “Let’s see what hand I’ve been dealt.” How many of us can relate to that? All I know is that I’ve watched Hoosiers a lot, too many times to count and it never gets old! 

If you’re a student of life, then watch the movie! 

Hackman died at the age of 95 and while his passing is still under investigation in Santa Fe, NM, his memory is engrossed into my head. 

Rest in peace, Gene, you’re never going to be forgotten.

As for Trautwig, he won numerous awards in New York, worked for MSG for 30 years, covered the New York Yankees, Knicks and the Rangers. 

I remember him early in his career when he was working with the Dan Kelly Sr and Gary Green on the USA Network covering NHL Hockey. 

He covered Tennis, the Olympics and every sport imaginable. Candy Ebling did an outstanding job going over his background. 

His impact in New York Media can be spoken in the same sentence as Kenny and Marv Albert, Sam Rosen, Walt Frazier and he’s worked with the legendary Jim McKay. Trautwig also covered the Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately, he passed away at age 68 due to Cancer.

When you’re in the entertainment business, your voice and performances live on. There was way no way that I could do a show without including both of those individuals.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to do an interview with Kenny Albert. 

We’ve been friends for years dating back to meeting at the NHL All-Star Game in Tampa and reconnected at the NSMA Awards Convention last summer in Greensboro, FL. 

We’re both authors and when I approached him about coming on the Motor City Mad Mouth, he quickly accepted and after a couple of months texting, we got it done in January. 

As I battle Alzheimer’s Disease and realize that now I’m confronted with an illness that’s fatal, I’m embracing every opportunity that comes my way and taking full of each situation to the max. My You Tube Channel is something I take full pride in so my family and friends will always appreciate my memory, especially my wife Candy.

We had an incredible run at Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans amassing over 30 videos.

To add last night’s Sports Exchange and talk about Hackman, Trautwig and even mention Kenny Albert, is another thing that I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to do. 

I couldn’t have had a better crew to enjoy the 1:10:13 to acknowledge these people along with the topics that were addressed.

RIP Gene Hackman and Al Trautwig and thanks to your legacies we all had the opportunity to celebrate you on March 5, 2025 on the Sports Exchange.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com and he can be reached on Twitter/X @TribuneSouth.

To see his broadcasts, there is no cost to subscribe to the South Florida Tribune Channel on You Tube.

Lastly, he wrote a book, “Lessons From The Microphone” Tuning into the Enduring Wisdom of Visionary Leaders and you can purchase on Amazon or Barnes in Noble. The link is also available on The South Florida Tribune Website.

Motor City Mad Mouth Insights

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

As I write this column at 1:42 AM ET, on 2/25/25, there are some things that I’ve decided I want to get off of my chest.

1. On a recent edition of 108 Stitches, Baseball Talk, my crew and I talked about the Boston Red Sox heavily overpaying for Alex Bregman. Who in there right mind would pay a guy in his early 30’s  salary of $40 Million per-season. You guessed it, the Boston Red Sox. Despite having two opt outs, there is no way that Bregman will use them with his recent injury history. The Tigers made him the highest offer of $171.5 Million for six years and he turned it down with a chance to reunite with former Manager AJ. Hinch. I give the Tigers credit for attempting to open up the checkbook under Owner Chris Illitch.

2. What a difference a coach makes. The Detroit Red Wings ousted Derek Lalonde and hired Todd McClellan during Christmas. The results have paid off as the new pilot has a 16-5-2 record. If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Red Wings would snap an eight-year playoff drought. I expect them to be buyers at the trade deadline.

3. It was great having Dr. Michael Hutchinson on No Limits last night with Candy Ebling. We met Dr. Hutchinson at Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans. He has created NeuroGuard + and it serves so many purposes in lower jaw alignment during sports, concussion mitigation, helps breathing, banging teeth together, etc… Dr. Hutchinson lives in Traverse City, MI and we both talked about our struggles playing “The Bear” a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course which is known for devouring golf balls. Years ago, while staying at the Grand Traverse Resort, My brother Lonny and some friends played “The Bear” and by the fifth hole, as we started losing golf balls, wound up lining up in teams and played best ball to get through the 18 holes. A great story as I look back, but it was a humbling experience when it took place.

4. The Detroit Pistons defeated the LA Clippers 106-97 at Little Caesars Arena in front of a crowd of 18,989 fans. Cade Cunningham led the team with 32 points, and nine rebounds, Jalen Duran added 12 points and 19 rebounds to win their seventh straight game. Tobias Harris added 20 points for the Pistons, who broke a 10-game losing streak to the Clippers. Detroit (32-26) hadn’t won seven straight since December 26, 2014, to January 7, 2015. The Pistons have their best 58-game record since they were 42-16 in 2007-08—the last year they won a playoff game. The worst kept secret on the planet is former Coach Monty Williams finished 14-68 last season. As I mentioned with the Red Wings, coaching changes can make a difference as JB Bickerstaff and his coaches have done an outstanding job with this group of players. Detroit Owner Tom Gores hired Trajan Langdon from the New Orleans Pelicans and the Duke graduate has done a remarkable job incorporating veterans to blend well with the younger players.

5. I see a lot of myself in Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell. When I sense changes have to be made on my broadcasting network, I seek to find replacements. I’ll even make sure my guys and gals can appear on multiple shows. In Campbell’s case, he saw the writing on the wall in 2023 when there were rumors that his offensive and defensive coordinator were hot head coaching prospects. The Lions managed to keep Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn through the 2024 season. As a result, Detroit finished with a 15-2 record. As soon as the Lions were eliminated by the Washington Commanders, Johnson and Glenn were hired by the Chicago Bears and New York Jets respectively. Campbell knew this was coming and proceeded to fill these positions.

6. It was great covering Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans for a couple of reasons. First of all, this was my fifth and Candy Ebling was working her first. In addition to coming to the Big Easy for the first time, Ebling was a recording machine. We amassed over 30 interviews which will be on the South Florida Tribune YouTube Channel. Please subscribe to the channel. Second, one of the classiest Communications Executives I’ve ever dealt with is Brad Gee, the Vice President of Football Communications for the Kansas City Chiefs. When I needed to get a question at the Media Availablities, Brad came through in the clutch. I hope our paths cross again.

7. On Monday, February 17, 2025, it was great having Facebook Friend Cliff Neill on the Motor City Mad Mouth Show talking about NHL Expansion. You never know where your next guest will come from.

8. On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the gunslinger came out of my and this sports guy proved that he’s not a one trick pony and left his sports comfort zone to interview actress, writer and on air personality Rachel Galvin. We talked about her beginnings in Los Angeles, CA and her road to South Florida. We worked together at the Deerfield Beach Observer and I’m looking forward to her assistance in Lessons From The Microphone, Part Two.

9. It was a privilege to work with former FAU Basketball Coach Dusty May for a few years in Boca Raton. The man who led the Owls to the 2023 Final Four, has a chance to do it again with the University of Michigan Wolverines. Only two players remain from last year’s Michigan squad that was 8-24 under former Coach Juwan Howard. May has worked the transfer portal and made use of U-M’s NIL funds to turn around this Blue Blood Program.

10. Speaking of the transfer portal, May brought in former Owls Center Vlad Golden and this move has paid big dividends. The Wolverines are second in the Big Ten with a 21-6 record. Following a 75-62 loss to rival Michigan State in Ann Arbor, Goldin proposed to his girlfriend Camryn Volger at Center Court at the Crisler Center. After the NCAA Tournament, Goldin’s next stop will be the NBA.

That’s it for this column. I’m going to try to get a couple hours of sleep before I take a blood test at 6:40 AM. 

But this was fun so get used to more “Motor City Mad Mouth Insights” once a month.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com and you can find him on Twitter @TribuneSouth. To see his broadcasts, check out his YouTube Channel (South Florida Tribune) then press the subscribe button.

Canes Roller Coaster Ending

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

After watching some of the College Football Playoff Games, there is no doubt the Miami Hurricanes could have put on a good show.

Unfortunately for Miami, the Canes lost two out of the last three ACC Games, thus failed to make it to the ACC Championship Game against SMU. It’s one thing to lose games, but when you lose to unranked opponents that will do nothing to impress the College Football Playoff Committee, which judges by strength of schedule.

When Miami lost to Georgia Tech in Atlanta, November 9, 2024, the Canes took a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. But Georgia Tech put sevens on the board during the next  three quarters to emerge with a 28-23 win and handed Miami its first loss of the season.

After a bye week, Wake Forest came to town and Miami redeemed itself with a 42-14 win over the Demon Decons. The Canes stayed in the playoff discussion.

It all came down to a road trip to the Syracuse Orange on November 30 in upstate New York playing at the Carrier Dome. There would be no elements to play a factor in the contest. 

Miami jumped out to a 21-0 and the Canes seemed like they were cruising towards the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. I was actually preparing the cover this game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

But there was one person that prevented that from happening. It was Syracuse QB Kyle McCord, who transferred from Ohio State after the Buckeyes lost to Michigan in 2023. Buckeyes fans used him as a scapegoat in a loss to Michigan and he bolted to Syracuse.

McCord put on a show against Miami as he was 26/36 for 380 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions. His main weapon was running back LeQuint Allen, who had 22 carries for 82 yards and scored two touchdowns.

His favorite targets were wide receivers Trebor Peña who caught six passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. Jackson Meeks had seven receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

Miami’s Cam Ward had an excellent contest as he was 26/36 for 349 yards with two touchdowns.

RB Damien Martinez had 10 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown, Mark Fletcher rushed 13 times for 56 yards and two touchdowns.

Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo played in what turned out to be in his final game and he caught nine passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. Jacolby George had six catches for 212 yards and Elijah Arroyo has five receptions for 44 yards and one touchdown.

When it was all said and done, Syracuse pulled off the 42-38 upset and Miami found itself just waiting for its Bowl Game.

Amazingly enough, I saw the Orange get crushed by the University of South Florida 45-0 in the Boca Raton Bowl 45-0 so this program has come a long way. Both Miami and Syracuse finished with 10-3 records.

The Hurricanes were invited to the Pop Tarts Bowl on December 28, 2024 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

Outside of the College Football Playoff, this looked like one of the best Bowl matchups. 

Both teams entered the game with 10-2 records. This would be the first meeting over between these two squads for whom both felt they belonged in the playoffs. 

During the first media availability, I asked both coaches whether they could schedule each other down the road. 

Miami’s Mario Cristobal and ISU’s Matt Campbell were open-minded to the idea and even laughed about it. You’re going to see that in the video.

Restrepo didn’t play in this game to prepare for the NFL Draft.

This game was billed as “The Battle of the Storms” Cyclones vs Hurricanes.” Judging by these two teams respective offenses, this title was appropriate. 

The over/under on this game was 61.5 and Iowa State ranked fifth in the country in total yards with 422.1 per game. Meanwhile, Miami was ranked first in the country amassing 550.7 per game.

Miami played this game without WR Isiah Horton, who entered the transfer portal.

The first quarter was entertaining as Iowa State jumped out to a 21-14 lead, as QB Rocco Becht was 6-9 for 87 yards and a touchdown. Greg Burkle caught the touchdown pass. RB Carson Hanson rushed for two touchdowns.

Miami scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 31-28 lead at halftime. Ward threw a pair of touchdowns. One was to Elijah Arroyo while the other went to Joshisa Trader.

At halftime, Miami outgained Iowa State 358-267 total yards.

Ward threw 12 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns. Martinez looked great on the ground by amassing 179 yards on seven attempts and a touchdown.

Becht, held his own in the first game by going 14-22, with 180 yards and two touchdowns.

What we would see in the second half is what defines today’s college football?

Ward didn’t play in the second half and was replaced by Emory Williams. 

This move caught all of us off guard. 

I heard reports on the field that there were two New York Giants scouts and they asked Ward to play in the first half. 

After the Game, Coach Cristobal chose to not give an explanation about this decision,

The Cyclones took advantage of the Wardless Hurricanes by outscoring Miami 14-10 and won the contest 42-21. Becht finished the contest going 22-35 for 270 yards and tossed three touchdowns, Once again, for Miami, Martinez wound up with 179 yards.

Miami had 524 total yards and Iowa State had 415, but the only thing that mattered was the result on the scoreboard.

Since the Pop Tarts Bowl ended, Jcoolby George and Damian Martinez decided to enter the NFL Draft. 

Hurricanes defensive coordinator Lance Guidry was fired.

During the second half of the contest, Cristobal had to find out what he has in Williams. He struggled as he was 5-14, 26 yards and an interception.

I can only imagine how differently this game would have turned out had Ward played all of it.

But welcome to the new era of college football where the transfer portal can cripple a team during Bowl Season. There is no question that this system needs to get fixed. 

The Hurricanes have hired Corey Hetherman, who was the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Golden Gophers last season.

Another update, Iowa State Head Coach Matt Campbell is a candidate for the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at Southfloridatribune@gmail.com and you can follow him on “X” @TribuneSouth. You can find his broadcasts by subscribing to the South Florida Tribune You Tube Channel.

Canes Blazing Trail Towards College Football Playoff

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

As the 2024 season continues to progress, Coach Mario Cristobal continues to eliminate ghosts out of his closet and lead the Hurricanes into the College Football Playoff picture.

Prior to the Hurricanes 52-45 win over the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday, October 19, Cristobal had to hear that he had never won a game after the bye week. Thanks to a 319 yards and four touchdown performance, QB Cam Ward buried this statistic.

He had help from running back Damien Martinez, who had 12 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown.

Ward’s top targets were Samuel Brown, who caught three passes for 125 yards along with one touchdown, and Xavier Restrepo, who had seven catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.

The Hurricanes amassed 538 yards in the effort and picked up a quality victory in the Bluegrass State.

The following week, the Hurricanes welcomed state rival Florida State to Hard Rock Stadium and Cristobal was 0-2 vs the Seminoles. 

This was the 69th meeting between these two rivals.

Last season in Tallahassee, FSU defeated Miami 27-21 in a hard fought contest. 

Ward had an efficient game as he passed for 208 yards, in a game that Miami leaned on its rushing attack. As a team, the Canes amassed 230 yards, 148 of those by Martinez. 

In the first half, Mark Fletcher Jr. scored on a one-yard run, Martinez had an 18-yard scamper. Andres Borregales added a 20-yard field goal enabling the Hurricanes to take a 17-7 lead at the break.

The third quarter saw Borregales kick field goals of 42 and 45 yards to extend the lead to 23-7.

The only passing touchdown of the contest occurred from wide receiver Elijah Arroyo, who threw a seven-yard pass to Ward in the fourth quarter. The two point conversion failed and Miami led 29-7. The Canes ended the scoring as Martinez found the end zone again at 1:51, this time for 12 yards and the extra point way good to extend the lead to 36-7.

FSU scored another touchdown with 18 seconds left in the game and the final score was 36-14 before a sellout crowd of 66,200 at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami improved to 8-0 while the Seminoles dropped to 1-7. 

The win was Miami’s first over FSU since 2020 and the Canes lead the all-time series 36-33.

At the post game press conference, it was evident that Cristobal and the rest of his players were not happy that they didn’t run up the score but the teams’ offense wasn’t totally in sync and Ward was sacked three times. 

Miami dominated FSU in first downs 31-14 and led time of possession 35:22-24:29.

Leading Miami’s defense was linebacker Francisco Mauigoa with seven tackles, while linebacker Wesley Bissainthe had six stops and defensive end Akheem Mesidor had three tackles and a sack. The Hurricanes defense saw FSU convert 3-13 on third down conversions.

The real number to take note of was of Miami’s 445 total yards, 230 of them were rushing.

The Hurricanes outscored FSU 19-7 in the second half.

In week 10, the Duke Blue Devils came to town, led by former Hurricanes Coach Manny Diaz. Duke entered the game as 21.5 yard underdogs which seemed high to me for a squad that was 6-2 entering the contest.

Going into the game, Miami led the all-time series 15-5. Duke won the last game in 2022, 45-21 in Cristobal’s first season.

The Hurricanes got off to a fast start scoring the first two touchdowns. 

On the first drive, Ward hit Restrepo for a 34-yard touchdown at the 11:54 mark. 

On the second drive Ward struck again as he hit Cam McCormick for four yards and the score. The Canes led 14-0. It appeared as though the oddsmakers were on track with the point spread.

The Blue Devils got on the scoreboard at 2:28 mark as Peyton Jones rushed for an eight-yard touchdown. Miami’s lead was reduced to 14-7.

Diaz’s team showed some fight in the second quarter as they outscored Miami 14-3 and took a 21-17 head at halftime. 

Blue Devils QB Maalik Murphy threw a 27-yard touchdown Shamir Hagans at 11:15 and with 1:47 left in the half connected with Jones for a for a six-yard strike. 

The Hurricanes only score was a 29-yard field goal by Borregales.

This game would be a tale of two halves. 

Miami outscored Duke 36-10 to blow the game wide open. Ward threw three touchdown passes and the team added a couple on the ground to pull away.

The numbers tell the story. The Hurricanes led in total yards 526-404. 

Against FSU, Miami relied on the ground attack. 

In this game, the Canes did their damage in the air by amassing 400 yards. Miami converted 6-12 in third down efficiency.

Murphy was 25-41 for 325 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. The Blue Devils top receiver was Sahmir Hagans who caught nine passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. Jones led the team in rushing with 71 yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, Ward performed like a Heisman Trophy candidate as he was 25-41for 400 yards, five touchdowns and had only one interception. Three of those touchdowns were to Restrepo, who had eight receptions for 139 yards and three touchdowns. 

Restrepo became Miami’s all-time leading receiver with 182 receptions and 2,573 yards. 

As the season continues, the 22-year old Deerfield Beach High School graduate will be able to continue to pad those numbers.

Fletcher was Miami’s work horse on the ground with 12 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown.

There is no doubt that this was a complete team effort and Miami improved its record to 9-0 going into Saturday’s road game in Atlanta to face a 5-4 Georgia Tech squad which is trying to become bowl eligible. Miami enters this game as an 11 point favorite. 

This game starts at Noon and you can watch it on ESPN.

But one of the key plays in this game was Ward converted an important two point conversion which he talks about in one of the videos in the story.

In fact, this story is loaded with videos of the past two games against Florida State and Duke. 

This is a team that’s on a mission and despite the fact that the Canes haven’t faced many ranked teams means that as Ward continues to pile up big numbers and Miami wins; that will be enough to get them into the ACC Championship game next month. 

Ward has amassed 3,333 yards along with 33 touchdowns. He transferred from Washington State and is making the most of his opportunity in Miami.

After the Georgia Tech game, the Hurricanes have a bye and return to action in their final home game of the year vs Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons currently have a 4-4 record and this game will be played on November 23 in Week 11. The time will be determined.

Miami will travel to Syracuse and face the Orange in Week 14 on November 30 during Thanksgiving weekend. Syracuse record at the moment is 6-2 and this is another opponent to not take for granted. No details have been released at this time are available for the network and time.

You can check our website for those updates.

But for now, there is a lot of work to be done and the Hurricanes and Cristobal know it. 

The next three opponents have plenty to play for.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com. You can find him on X @TribuneSouth.

To see his broadcasts, there is no cost to subscribe to the South Florida Tribune You Tube Channel.

Finally, Scott’s written a book called “Lessons From The Microphone” which can be purchased on Amazon-Kindle and Barnes & Noble.