Canes Move Forward As Suspensions Remain

CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami.com) – With less than two weeks to go until the Miami Hurricanes tee it up against the University of Maryland to start the season, the program is in chaos. Allegations of NCAA violations and suspensions have made head coach Al Golden's job much more difficult.

The biggest question heading into fall camp was who would end up being the starting quarterback. Senior Jacory Harris and sophomore Stephen Morris were both competing for the starting job throughout camp.

Harris seemed to have the upper-hand as preparations for the Maryland game began. But then, Harris was declared ineligible by the university after he was named by Nevin Shapiro as being one of more than a dozen current athletes who took improper benefits from the convicted Ponzi schemer.

Morris may have won the job by default, unless the NCAA moves quickly to reinstate Harris to the team. The school is waiting for the NCAA to rule on the ineligible players, but the NCAA investigates each case individually, which could mean problems for the U heading into the Maryland game.

The Canes' move to suspend the players was two-fold. First, they put the onus on the NCAA to decide the eligibility of the players in a timely fashion. Second, if a player is declared eligible, it could give the school clues on the process of the NCAA investigation.

But Canes fans can rest a little easier having Morris under center against the Terrapins. In his first career start last season, Morris torched the Terps for 286 yards through the air and led the team to a last-second victory throwing a touchdown pass with 37 seconds left in the game.

The problem for head coach Al Golden will be if something happens to Morris, only redshirt senior Spencer Whipple is on the depth chart as a scholarship quarterback. Golden hasn't released his depth chart for the Maryland game yet.