Randy Shannon's Clock Management Skills Could Use a Little Improvement

San Francisco's Emerald Bowl: not known for highlighting college football's best teams. But the bowl has been the lucky recipient of some formerly great ACC programs hitting the skids and adding some marquee value. Florida State won in 2006 against a terrible UCLA team. And in 2008, 7-5 Miami showed up to face a pretty marginal Cal squad led by Nate Longshore, a quarterback with "issues" to say the least.

But unlike FSU, Miami found a way to lose the game. They lost despite Longshore's utter ineffectiveness (10-21, 121 yards). They lost despite getting good play from freshman quarterback Jacory Harris -- the over-enthusiastic ESPN commentors were calling it his 'coming out party' which might warrant an excessive celebration penalty -- and good running from Graig Cooper, who averaged 5.3 YPC, but received only a mystifying 12 carries.

It came down to turnovers and terrible clock management. At the end of the first half, down 14-7, Miami was intercepted at their own 43-yard line; Cal promptly went four and out. Getting the ball back with 1:18 remaining and three timeouts, Shannon appeared to be running out the clock: fair enough, given that his freshman quarterback had just turned the ball over in Hurricane territory. But wait... no! After three passes resulted in a first down, Shannon called a timeout with :04 remaining. Hail Mary time, right? Nope: Harris completed a 3-yard pass to Graig Cooper. Miami walked off the field with two timeouts remaining with the ball on Cal's 49-yard line.

No harm, no foul. But the happened at the end of the second half was far more inexplicable. And inexcusable.

Tied late in the 4th with a chance to win the game, a Harris fumble was recovered by Cal's Cameron Jordan at Miami's 9-yard line. Two plays later, Cal was celebrating a 24-7 lead. Miami went back to work with 2:41 left on the clock and two timeouts.

Here's what Miami's final possession looked like:

-1 yard rush: Miami 31
6 yard pass: Miami 37
4 yard pass: Miami 41
3 yard pass: Miami 44
5 yard rush: Miami 49
Incomplete pass
Timeout Miami, 0:12 remaining.

Explain that one to us, Randy. We especially enjoyed the timeout called after an incomplete pass.

Miami took one final shot downfield, then ran Graig Cooper 14 yards downfield for the inevitable tackle, ensuring Cal's victory. Surely Miami's inability to effectively work the clock cost them any chance of coming back to tie or win this game.

What the stats don't show is Miami's inability to do the basic stuff: you know, quickly spike the ball or at least run up to the line of scrimmage and get the pass off. The ESPN commentators were absolutely dumbfounded as Miami took a good 35 seconds to set up after their 5-yard rush to get to their own 49-yard line. It was incomprehensible. Timeout should have been called immediately, or better yet, a spike.

Would Miami have scored? Probably not. But Randy Shannon's complete and total lack of clock management skills removed any chance of a successful final possession, and in fact ensured a Cal victory. Can the head coach for the losing team win a bowl MVP award?

Miami wraps up the season a disappointing 7-6, losing three straight to end the season... and Randy Shannon is officially on the hotseat. It seems unlikely he could survive another season like this one.