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One by one, athletic directors in the ACC are publicly reiterating their commitment to the ACC. Miami's Shawn Eichorst is the latest in that line. Eichorst issued a lengthy statement today, but the most important line was, "we have not engaged in any formal or informal discussions with any other conferences."

Of course, it doesn't say the university wouldn't entertain the idea, should another conference come calling. Clemson certainly would.

What we're hearing from ACC officials now is exactly what you would expect them to say: that they are committed to the league, that the ACC is wonderful, and of course, that they've got to do what's in the best interest of their program, including exploring all options. They have mastered the art of commitment, while at the same time leaving the door open for change.

Here is Eichorst's full statement:

We are so fortunate at Miami. Our University, under past and present visionary leadership and with an 87-year history of achievement, is strong in our foundation and in our beliefs. It allows us to stay steady when there are stormy seas, and that core strength holds us together today more than ever.

Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004, the University of Miami has worked hard to measure up to the high academic and athletic standards set by our peers, and we could not be more proud than to call the ACC our home. We are confident in our progress and in our accomplishments, yet there is still much work to be done. We are committed to the ACC, and to doing our part to continue the tradition of excellence across the board. In that regard, we have not engaged in any formal or informal discussions with any other conferences.

The additions of the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University, as well as the new exclusive television partnership with ESPN, signal the very strength and nationwide appeal of the ACC. Fans will be able to watch more ACC sports and more ACC games in more ways than ever before with the most powerful brand in sports behind us. This is an exciting time to be a part of the ACC, and we are honored and humbled to be among its members.

Going head-to-head is nothing new for Miami quarterbacks Stephen Morris and Ryan Williams.

They’ve been competing against each other since high school.

Who had the edge then? Depends on whom you ask.

“If you ask Ryan, I’m sure he probably did,” Morris said. “But that was a preseason game. During the regular season, we’re both 1-1.”

Who has the edge now? TBD.

Morris and his good friend Williams are both competing to be Miami’s starting quarterback this fall, and both are tired of watching from the sideline. Williams, a transfer from Memphis, had to sit out last year because of NCAA transfer rules. Morris took the backseat to former starter Jacory Harris, who won his job back last year after missing the season opener against Maryland because of the NCAA investigation. Morris has the edge in experience, but he missed spring practices to recover from a back injury. Williams took advantage of the extra snaps, but the competition will continue throughout summer camp.

“Me and Ryan have been together forever,” Morris said. “We came in in the same class and went through Nike camp together, and played against each other a couple of times. It’s definitely a lot more funnier, just because we go against each other with our records we had in high school and stuff like that.

“Just knowing Ryan and where he comes from, and knowing he has a great family, a great relationship with his parents, and a great relationship with my parents as well, it just makes things more comfortable,” Morris said. “At the same time, the flip side is that it could be a little more personal. But at the end of the day, we’re all going for the same position and we’re all behind each other.”

Morris, who had optional back surgery before spring practices began, said he has felt no lingering effects and that he has been able to do everything the coaches have since asked of him. It’s been a while, though, since he was leading the offense.

Morris played in five games and started one last season, the opener against Maryland. He completed 26-of-37 passes (70.3 percent) with no touchdowns and two interceptions. As a freshman, Morris played in six games and started four when Harris suffered a concussion. He threw for 1,240 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.

While at Memphis in 2010, Williams started 10 of 12 games and completed 165 of 290 passes for 2,075 yards and 13 touchdowns. In the spring game, he completed 15 of 27 passes for 167 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

“It was a lot of fun, but it was a big learning experience for me, being able to go out there and run the offense, getting a lot of reps and just getting back on the field after sitting out a year,” Williams said. “I feel like I did pretty good. … If I go out and do what I’m supposed to and do what I’m capable of, I feel like I have a pretty good chance to win the job.”

So far, though, they’re both still even at 1-1 in this competition.

Now that spring practices are over, it’s time to re-evaluate the ACC pecking order for 2012. There wasn’t much change at the top from the pre-spring power rankings, but Georgia Tech did get a slight bump, along with two teams on Tobacco Road. Here’s a look at the latest ACC power rankings:

1. Florida State: The Noles’ defensive line should be one of the deepest and best in the conference, if not the country, and they’ve got an outstanding quarterback in EJ Manuel. If the young offensive line can mature quickly and the running game improves from 2011, there’s no reason the Seminoles shouldn’t be contending for the ACC title.

2. Clemson: The Tigers could open the season without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who is awaiting his punishment after he was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges, but as long as he’s in the lineup and the offensive line is playing well, Clemson has enough talent to defend its 2011 ACC title.

3. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to forget how the Hokies fared against Clemson in two meetings last season, but they enter this season with the better defense. The question is how quickly the revamped offensive line can come together, and who will emerge as the next star running back.

4. NC State: This team is quietly preparing a championship-caliber roster. Quarterback Mike Glennon is still under the radar, and he’s got an experienced offensive line to work with. This is a team that could surprise some people.

5. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had a promising spring, but the defensive line has to replace two of three starters, and last season’s atrocious special teams still have a lot to prove. One thing is for sure: These guys will be able to run the ball on just about anyone.

6. Wake Forest: Much like the rest of its division, Wake Forest’s success will hinge in part on how quickly the new starters on the offensive line come together. The Demon Deacons have an experienced and much-improved quarterback in Tanner Price, and last year they made a statement that they’re not to be overlooked in the ACC race.

7. North Carolina: The two biggest questions for the Tar Heels are how quickly they can adapt to and execute a new system under first-year coach Larry Fedora, and where they will find their motivation now that the NCAA has banned them from the postseason. This spring revealed a positive outlook for the new offense, which should give quarterback Bryn Renner a chance to shine.

8. Virginia: The ACC’s 2011 Coach of the Year has quickly raised expectations, but they should be tempered because seven starters have to be replaced on defense. Michael Rocco is the undisputed starting quarterback -- unless Alabama transfer Phillip Sims has something to say about it.

9. Miami: With Stephen Morris out this spring with a back injury, quarterback transfer Ryan Williams had a chance to impress the coaches. The position is one of many questions still looming for the Canes, a young team still waiting for closure from an NCAA investigation.

10. Maryland: The Terps had a good spring and were able to move forward with players who wanted to be there. It was a positive vibe, but coach Randy Edsall is still tangled in the shadow of last year’s two-win season. He’ll have to improve upon it without the services of former quarterback Danny O’Brien.

11. Boston College: Several offseason staff changes were embraced this spring, and quarterback Chase Rettig made strides under yet another offensive coordinator, Doug Martin. The Eagles have to find a way to win without two of their most valuable players in running back Montel Harris, who was dismissed from the team, and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who left early for the NFL.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils had a good spring and are still buying into the philosophies of coach David Cutcliffe. They’ve been on the verge of making the postseason before, but fans are looking for them to finally break through in Year 5 under Cutcliffe. Quarterback Sean Renfree can get them there if they minimize the turnovers and play better defense.

Here's a look at those who made names for themselves, those who fine-tuned some strengths and those who burst onto the scene this spring in the ACC.

WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson: Hopkins had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' spring game, including five for 100 in the first quarter. Coach Dabo Swinney called him the team's spring MVP, and he and Sammy Watkins could form the top receiver tandem in the nation.

RB Rolandan Finch, Boston College: Finch will have to carry a bigger load with Montel Harris off the team, and he stepped up in the spring game when the three men ahead of him were all banged-up, rushing for 196 yards on 27 carries. He will likely battle with Andre Williams for the top spot this fall, though both figure to see plenty of time.

LT Cameron Erving, FSU: The converted defensive tackle impressed this spring, as the sophomore is one of two new tackles the Seminoles are breaking in on the offensive line, a unit that may just be the deciding factor on whether FSU can return to the national elite this season. Coach Jimbo Fisher has called the 6-foot-5, 304-pound sophomore a future NFL starter.

QB Ryan Williams, Miami: Coach Al Golden said this week that Stephen Morris has been medically cleared, and he will likely enter a full-on quarterback competition with Williams, the Memphis transfer who saw most of the action this spring and played well, despite a sub-par spring game.

TE Jake McGee, Virginia: The converted quarterback caught two passes for 81 yards and figures to be a reliable target this fall after a subpar performance for the Cavaliers' tight ends last season.

CB Demetrious Nicholson, Virginia: Coach Mike London named him the team's most distinguished freshman this spring, but he will have to grow up fast. After playing almost every snap last fall, he is the veteran of the Cavaliers' secondary in 2012.

DT Luther Maddy, Virginia Tech: Maddy was named the Hokies' defensive MVP of this spring. The rising sophomore has said he has adjusted to the speed of the game after a freshman year that featured seven starts, and he figures to be a key on a line that will anchor Virginia Tech's defense this season.

Over a span of five seasons, former Miami coach Jimmy Johnson helped set the elite standard that so many Hurricanes fans are still desperately clamoring for today.

In May of 1984, Johnson came to Coral Gables from Oklahoma State and took what Howard Schnellenberger built and topped it with what many consider to be one of the best college football teams in the sport’s history.

Led by Vinny Testaverde, Miami’s first Heisman Trophy winner, the Canes finished the 1986 regular season 11-0 and were ranked No. 1 in the country for 15 weeks. It was the school’s first undefeated season. Johnson rose to the top of college football with his program, where he compiled a stunning 52-9 record and won one national championship. In 1987, Johnson led Miami to a 12-0 finish, including a 20-14 win over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl to win the national title. During his final three seasons in Miami, Johnson lost a total of two games.

In 1989, Johnson moved on to the Dallas Cowboys, where he coached from 1989-1993 and won back-to-back Super Bowls -- one of only six coaches in the NFL to accomplish that feat. In 1996, he came back to Miami to coach the Dolphins. Schnellenberger left the door open for Johnson, but he knocked it down with a Hall of Fame career.

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Miami coach Al Golden said Tuesday that quarterback Stephen Morris has been medically cleared and is ready to participate in the Hurricanes' offseason program.

Players report back to campus Tuesday, and Golden said Morris will get right to passing drills and working with receivers on individual routes. Golden has previously said that Morris was ahead of schedule in his return from back surgery. Morris did return for the final week of spring practice, but he was limited and didn't participate in the spring game.

Now that has changed, and Golden fully anticipates a quarterback competition this summer and into the fall between Morris and Ryan Williams, who emerged during the spring.

"I see a competition at every position to be honest with you," Golden said at the ACC spring meetings. "I wouldn’t want it to be any other way, and it wouldn’t be fair to portray it any other way. They’ll work out for the next 90 days and then they’ll have training camp to prove themselves. They’ll have practices and two scrimmages, both will work with the ones, and then we’ll name a starter from there."

Williams, a transfer from Memphis, had a productive spring with Morris on the sideline. Though Williams had a shaky spring game -- throwing two interceptions -- Golden was happy with the strides that were made.

"He did good overall," Golden said. "It was tough because at times we only had three scholarship wide receivers in the spring, which made it difficult. But overall, I think he commanded the offense, he learned it really well. He was a good leader for us on the field, and his intelligence is evident in his ability to see the defense and know where to put the ball."

Golden added that he expects his team to be totally healthy for the start of fall practice.

"We came out of spring really good," Golden said. "When people ask me, 'Did you have a good spring? I usually say because there's no major surgeries or anything, I say yes. We had guys who had lingering injuries from the season that we stopped during the spring, but nothing that occurred during the spring that will prohibit anybody from being at training camp."

1. Former Miami athletic director Paul Dee, who died Saturday night at age 65, was a gentle man and a gentleman who loved his university and served it in various roles for three decades. Dee, an attorney by trade, shunned the spotlight and valued loyalty. He brought back former ‘Canes assistant Butch Davis as head coach. He promoted assistants Larry Coker and Randy Shannon as his next two hires. USC fans never forgave him for his role as chair of the NCAA Committee on Infractions when it ruled on the Reggie Bush scandal. Yet those who knew him knew a man of integrity and a good guy.

2. The College Football Hall of Fame began to announce the Class of 2012 Monday by revealing the selection of BYU quarterback Ty Detmer on College Football Live. The remainder will be announced Tuesday. Why does it take so long for a Heisman winner like Detmer (1990) to be elected? Math. There are 22 All-Americans every year. The Hall inducts 12-14 annually. It must select all positions and from all regions. And the Hall has a rule against taking players from the same school in consecutive years.

3. If all anyone cares about is television footprint, it makes sense for the Big 12 to woo Florida State. Some officials at the university are frustrated with the basketball-first ACC. As university president Dr. Eric Barron wrote in a memo obtained by ESPN Monday, emotion must be ignored when making a decision of this magnitude. Apart from emotion, few reasons exist for FSU to leave the ACC. And the Big 12, which just hired a new commissioner, hasn’t begun to ask. But it sure makes a pretty footprint.

This just in: Florida State will be in attendance at today's ACC spring meetings in Amelia Island, Fla. The Noles are still a part of the ACC. Jimbo Fisher has been spotted at the posh Ritz-Carlton resort, and he didn't appear to be running toward the Big 12 -- at least not yet.

Thanks, Jimbo, for keeping the expansion talk alive.

Not that today's meetings needed any help. Representatives from Pitt and Syracuse are also in attendance, and Pitt has sued the Big East to leave early and join in 2013.

It's a Monday in May, but there will plenty on the coaches' agenda to talk about at this year's spring meetings. Here are three hot-button issues to keep an eye on:

1. The BCS and current bowl structure. This should be one of the more time-consuming topics on the agenda, as the league aims to find out where the ACC and its coaches stand on the future structure of college football. BCS executive director Bill Hancock will be there.

2. The NCAA. Julie Roe Lach, the NCAA's vice president of enforcement, and Kevin Lennon, the NCAA's vice president of academic and membership affairs, will be there to meet with all groups about enforcement in general and some of the legislation dealing with APR requirements for the postseason. Will the vote on North Carolina come up?

3. Expansion. As mentioned above, Pitt and Syracuse coaches will be there to start their orientation with the league so they are prepared to join when the time comes. Fisher's recent comments about the Big 12 have already made things interesting.

Odds n' ends. As usual, the coaches will also talk about officiating, with a specific focus on any rule changes, and they'll watch film on flagrant hits, etc. The coaches will also meet with ESPN and Raycom executives.

My colleague Andrea Adelson will be there to get the news, so check back for any updates.

MIAMI -- Former Miami coach Randy Shannon is suing his alma mater, saying the university decided to not pay him all that he was guaranteed in his final contract.

Shannon was fired in November 2010 after going 28-22 in four seasons. On Feb. 1, 2010, two deals -- an employment agreement and a guarantee agreement -- both went into effect. The lawsuit states that because those were less than a year old when Shannon was fired, the university decided to prorate the amount of what he was owed in the event of a firing by about one-sixth.

Exact amounts of what Shannon was owed were not detailed in the lawsuit, because terms of the employment agreement requires him to keep the amounts confidential. The lawsuit said Miami has been making monthly payments to Shannon, but at a rate lower than what was stipulated in the coach's contract.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

Howard Schnellenberger has to do the honorary coin toss for this one, right?

Miami and Florida Atlantic will play each other three times between 2013 and 2016, the schools announced Saturday. Despite being roughly an hour apart, the schools have never met.

"I'm thrilled to death that FAU and UM are going to face-off on the gridiron," Schnellenberger said in a statement. "It is part of the big plan and may develop into a wonderful addition to south Florida football."

Schnellenberger coached the Hurricanes to their first national title in 1983. He started the Owls' program in 1998 and was its only coach before retiring at the end of this past season and becoming a school ambassador. Carl Pelini succeeded him as coach. Schnellenberger's career record is 158-151-3

FAU will travel to Sun Life Stadium on Aug. 31, 2013 and host Miami at FAU Stadium in 2015. Miami will host FAU again in 2016. The dates for the last two games have yet to be announced.

The 2013 game will be the first of four games Miami plays against in-state schools that season, as the Hurricanes will also travel to Florida State, host Florida and visit South Florida. The 2015 game will mark Miami's first in Palm Beach County and its first away game south of Tampa.

FAU's only game against an ACC school was a 54-6 loss at Clemson on Sept. 2, 2006.

"It's a great matchup," Pelini said in a statement. "Miami is a prestigious program of which we would like to emulate. It will be great for our players to challenge the names they played against in high school and for the fans to have a close away game to attend."

Miami offensive line coach Art Kehoe is one of the most honest men in America, which makes him a dream for people like me. Ask him anything, and he tells you the unvarnished truth. What makes him more compelling for my story on college football in Florida is his incredible role in the transformation. Kehoe had a front-row seat for it all, having played at Miami when the Hurricanes began their rise under Howard Schnellenberger. He got his first coaching job under Schnellenberger in 1982 and remained on staff there until 2005, coaching under Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson, Butch Davis and Larry Coker. If anybody is an expert on the rise of football in the state, it is Kehoe.

He returned to Miami under new coach Al Golden last season and is back where he belongs.

Here are some of his insights into why football in Florida exploded and how the Canes make their return.

On why Florida is breeding ground for high school talent:

Art Kehoe: When I grew up in Pennsylvania, the season got over in Thanksgiving. In December, January, February, March, you were locked in doors watching the “Three Stooges” and eating potato chips. Unless you were wrestling or good enough to play basketball. All the kids down here, they’re doing Frisbee, or they’re on a surfboard, playing basketball, baseball, football all year round. The best months of the year are November, December, January, February, March. To me, I always felt there was so much speed down here and the combination of, you were getting a Florida kid he might be a little scrawny because he wasn’t lifting all the weights and doing all the eating. You were getting a faster, tougher kind of athlete down here. You also had a mushrooming community that was producing tons of athletes, in a climate that said we’re going to practice year round, get faster, better and tougher.

On why Miami never skipped a beat despite the coaching transition in the 1980s and 1990s:

AK: People have said whether it was Jimmy or Howard, if they had stayed here, they could have been icons. Now they’re icons anyway, but it’s all the same reasons. It’s like Coach Golden says: We’re a landlocked peninsula. There’s nowhere else to go so why shouldn’t we control this area? If people want to win a national championship -- you have a private school, high graduation rate, beautiful campus, tremendous city, the weather’s fantastic, and we have the players in ... Miami, why can’t we control that?

On Miami's return:

AK: If anybody thinks Miami is gone, you’re going to learn the hard way. We are not gone, and we’re not falling off by the wayside. We’re going to win and we’re going to win big, and the reason I feel that is the guy at the top. I don’t know how close we are, because we’ve had a couple of dents in our armor, but I know it’s coming. I watched Coach Schnellenberger do it and I was in awe to be a part of it with the teammates we had. It was an awesome thing to watch. I’ve been through all the transitions, to do that, for that long and not believe you’ve got a leader and it’s going to happen again.

On heightened expectations when you win as many championships as Miami has:

AK: Nobody wants to hear about the pain, just deliver the baby and the baby’s got to be winning. People know what’s been done here, and they expect things to happen. And if it doesn’t, our fate will be sealed, and so will the guys up at Florida State if it doesn’t and so will the guys up at Florida if it doesn’t. That’s the inevitable thing about sports and society, especially if you go up levels. If you’re at the college level or the professional level, there’s big money involved and people expect results, especially at places where you have nothing but winning.

Miami running back C.J. Holton, and defensive end Shayon Green will miss the remainder of the spring with undisclosed injuries, the school announced Tuesday.

Both were injured during the Hurricanes' scrimmage Friday in Fort Myers, Fla.

Coach Al Golden did not provide details to reporters Tuesday, but did say both players are expected back for the fall.

Holton, a redshirt senior, has played mostly on special teams. Golden said Tuesday that Green, a redshirt junior, was arguably the defense's most improved player.

"Shayon really went from being a tough, rugged guy to a guy who was making plays, had some luck, was healthy," Golden said. "I know it's a setback for him, but he's so tough. I think he'll overcome this. This is not a major deal."

Andrea Adelson had a chance to sit down with Miami coach Al Golden during a recent visit to Coral Gables. Here is a little of what he had to say.

I know depth is an area of concern. How are you working to address that this spring?

Al Golden: Any time you’re bringing in a class of 33, that’s three starting units. Obviously, those guys are going to have an impact somewhere on your depth. You never want to have a year where you take six receivers or seven defensive backs, but the symmetry at those positions was not good. It was not vertical depth. It wasn’t fifth-year seniors, fourth-year seniors, juniors, sophomores, freshmen, then incoming guys. It didn’t exist. So that was a blanket approach of trying to bring in a lot of guys to fix a depth issue. Between the depth and those guys challenging for playing time as starters, that’s going to improve our team. I’m not worried about playing young guys. We’ll find a way to get them in a game if they’re talented and they learn it and they’re in good condition. I don’t care whether they’re freshmen or seniors, I just need guys who want to execute.

You lost some senior leaders. How is that aspect of your team developing?

AG: So far it’s been good. Mike James and Eduardo Clements at running back, Stephen Morris at quarterback. (Brandon) Linder on the offensive line has been very good. David Perry at tight end has been a nice surprise for us. Allen Hurns at wideout has done a nice job with the leadership. Defensively, (Ramon) Buchanan will be a leader for us, Ray Armstrong will be a leader for us, Jimmy Gaines has been and will be a leader for us. It’s been positive in terms of that. We just have to continue to develop leaders and give them opportunities to lead.

How about some questions that have been answered about your defense so far?

AG: I think the one thing that jumped out in the (first scrimmage) is we had a lot of linebackers that played physical. So that part of it was good. Even the young guys, [Raphael] Kirby was physical, Gionni Paul was physical, Denzel [Perryman] was physical on top of [Tyrone] Cornileus and Jimmy Gaines and those guys. Seeing that was good. We tackled a lot better in Scrimmage 1 this year than Scrimmage 1 a year ago, which was important, and we’re still trying to develop our depth on the defensive line and at cornerback. Those are two positions we need to bolster this spring.

Speaking of the defensive line, you don't have many players with starts or experience. What do you want to see out of that group this spring?

AG: I want to see, like Curtis Porter, I’d like to see him take his game to the next level. Darius Smith has got to continue to improve. Then we’re going to have a host of other guys at the defensive tackle position that need to compete and improve their game. At defensive end, Shayon Green’s had a good spring for us so far, and really at defensive end, we’re going to have in addition to what we have right now, we’re going to have three defensive ends coming in that are going to have to compete for starting jobs and also add depth.

Right now, do you have any idea of what team you will have in the fall?

AG: We have a long way to go. I just think before these other 23 players come in, because 10 are here now, you have to assess where you are at every position and see how they come out of it. We have a long way to go to get through spring ball, and then from April 14 until Aug. 5 there’s a great opportunity for them to grow and develop. It’s too early to assess where we are right now as a team.

A year into the job, what are your impressions of coaching at Miami, a place where championships are always expected?

AG: We’re not at that level right now. The first order of business when you’re trying to fix something or you’re trying to build something is to recognize where you are and then to not only plot a course but then to follow that path, follow that strategy and execute it. I’m glad the standards are where they are, and I’m glad we produce NFL players, and I’m glad we have so many things to offer young people. It’s the reason why you take the job. But we can’t jump from where we are right now to there without taking all the steps we need to take in between. We’re just trying to implement our schemes and our system and follow the process on a daily basis.

The ACC hauled in three of the nation's top-10 recruiting classes for the Class of 2012, and several teams could benefit immediately for their efforts. Here, we look at the top newcomers in the conference for the upcoming fall.

Florida State DE Mario Edwards (Denton, Texas/Billy Ryan). The Seminoles' 2012 class was ranked second nationally, and Edwards, the nation's top overall player, is a big reason for that. The 6-foot-4, 197-pounder has the size and agility to contribute immediately to a defense that finished fourth overall in 2011.

Florida State DT tackle Eddie Goldman (Washington, D.C./Collegiate Academy). Another big reason for the nation's No. 2 class? How about the nation's top defensive tackle, too. A senior season that featured 38 tackles, 15 sacks and five forced fumbles makes the 6-4, 310-pound Goldman hard to ignore.

Miami CB Tracy Howard (Miramar, Fla./Miramar). Hampered by an uncertain future, Al Golden and the rest of the Hurricanes' staff hauled in the No. 8 class, one that is quarterback-heavy (with three). But Howard, the nation's top corner, is the biggest get of the group. At 5-11 and 185, the nation's No. 18 overall player has the instincts and physicality to get on the field early, especially with Miami returning only two experienced corners.

Clemson S Travis Blanks (Tallahassee, Fla./North Florida Christian). A defense that gave up 70 points in its 2011 finale can use all the help it can get, meaning Blanks, the nation's No. 2 safety, could be in position to get on the field soon. Enrolling early, the 6-1, 195-pound Blanks has already earned public praise from coach Dabo Swinney, who brought in the nation's No. 10 recruiting class to the defending conference champs.

Andrea Adelson had a chance to sit down with Miami coach Al Golden during a recent visit to Coral Gables. Here is a little of what he had to say.

I see Ryan Williams has had a nice spring with Stephen Morris out. Will he or any of the other quarterbacks you have competing this spring really push Stephen in the fall?

Al Golden: We want to see how these guys develop this spring. Certainly, Ryan, because he has game experience at the Division I level, is a little ahead of those guys but they’re all going to continue to get reps with the ones and we’ll see how they develop in the summer. Someone, if not all, will challenge Stephen between now and summer camp.

How is the situation playing out at running back with Lamar Miller gone?

AG: Mike James is doing a good job. He’s had a good offseason. Eduardo Clements has done a good job. We’ll work Dallas Crawford in there as well, and then we have two guys coming in. In that group, we have to see who emerges and obviously design plays to match their skill set.

Receiver is a position where you only have a handful of scholarship players this spring. How are they doing?

AG: Tired.

I’m sure.

AG: They’re taking a lot of reps. We just didn’t have any symmetry at that position and we didn’t have the type of depth that we needed so those guys are shouldering the majority of the reps. It’s good exposure and good experience for them, and we just have to be careful to change the personnel groups enough so they’re not getting overworked.

What questions about the offense have been answered so far?

AG: I think Michael and Eduardo -- Lamar is obviously a very talented player to replace -- and so I think those guys have answered the bell so far this spring. And hopefully the offensive line, although we’re not experienced beyond the starters right now or that deep, so far they’ve looked like they’ve been able to have some continuity and some ruggedness about them, which we need to continue to develop. Then, Rashawn Scott at receiver has done a nice job so far. Not that that’s been a surprise, but he’s brought his off-field and offseason program work ethic to spring ball, which has been nice.