FIU Joins Conference USA

FIU is unbuckling its ties with the Sun Belt Conference and joining forces with Conference USA in 2013. The decision comes with hopes of new opportunities, greater exposure and larger revenues. The Panthers become part of a six-school expansion for the conference, including FAU, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Charlotte and UT-San Antonio. That makes the conference's school map look like this.

This was a no-brainer for the university as its young athletics program continues to grow. As Pete Garcia, Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment, simply put it, "For us, there really wasn’t any downside to the move." And rightfully so the school can only gain from joining the C-USA; gain money, gain media coverage and gain reputation.

FIU Football

Colts Draftee T.Y. Hilton

With football being FIU's largest sport, they now have a chance to build on their recent success and open doors to more lucrative bowl opportunities. The school earned its first ever bowl berth in 2010 to the Little Ceasar's Pizza Bowl, where it defeated Toledo. FIU followed up by returning to another bowl the following season at the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

While Mario Cristobal's departure in 2012 shook things up, the program is pushing forward with Ron Turner at the helm. Turner should experience better recruitment opportunities as a result of the C-USA realignment - more exposure lures more talent.

Add recent NFL draftees T.Y. Hilton and Jonathan Cyprien as recruitment selling points and you can bet that FIU will be able to build a stronger roster.

FIU Basketball

Coach Anthony Evans

As for the men's basketball team, they were just one win away from claiming an NCAA Tournament spot last season. Unfortunately, they lost in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Finals to WKU (63-65).

New head coach Anthony Evans looks to prove his worth and improve upon his coaching success at Norfolk State University. Evans took Norfolk to two consecutive post-season appearances, most notably orchestrating a huge NCAA Tourney upset versus the #2 seeded Missouri Tigers in 2012.

The head coaching position has been a revolving door for FIU's basketball program, hiring its third new coach in three seasons. The program hopes to establish longevity under Evans with its new conference allegiance. That should also expand its recruiting efforts and draw more attention to potential talent.

FIU Baseball

Since becoming the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Champs, FIU's baseball squad has experienced a couple of consecutively average seasons. With another conference title in sight, the team must now step up to match the stronger competition level in the C-USA.

Baseball coach "Turtle" Thomas believes that move is a huge benefit for the team and will bring better days to the program. Thomas cited that C-USA featured four teams in the NCAA Regionals just last season, making it "a pretty darn good" conference in his opinion.

Final Word

In essence, all of FIU's athletic teams should experience more positives than negatives from this move. The conference realignment trend across all the NCAA may seem troubling but it's an unavoidable reality in today's competitive environment. More schools are competing to make more money, even if it means breaking long-standing relationships with their current conferences.

FIU still has plenty to prove before it can be included in the conversation with the Gators, Seminoles and Canes. But they clearly are taking the right steps toward entering that discussion.

Recap: South Florida Prospects Drafted to the NFL

May 4, 2011

The 2011 NFL Draft came with plenty of anxiety and excitement, not only for the draft prospects but for the teams that knew this particular draft held more weight than usual. With the NFL lockout still looming as the owners and players clash in court, there still isn't any free agency or player trading in place. Hence, the importance of drafting players that will impact your team in the short-term as well as the long-term.

With that said, let's set aside the frustration of this lockout and take a moment to appreciate the South Florida prospects that made it to the NFL this year. We begin by looking at the University of Miami's nine draftees, marking the third most players drafted from a university.

Next Generation of Canes in the Pros

The first Miami Hurricane picked in the draft was offensive lineman Orlando Franklin, selected by the Denver Broncos in the 2nd round (46th overall pick). Franklin was touted as a top 10 offensive linemen in the draft by many analysts. His 6'6, 316-pound stature makes him a human wall and in the trenches. Whether it's Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow calling the shots as the Broncos' QB, I'm sure they'll feel a bit safer with Franklin in front of them. And so will Denver's running backs.

Brandon Harris was next to come off the board as the Houston Texans snatched him up late in the second round (60th overall). The cornerback was expected to go higher in the draft and can be technically labeled a steal for the Texans. Harris is a high energy athlete with great instincts. What he lacks in size he makes up for in speed and ability to close in on receivers. For a team that was hurting in the secondary, the Texans should get a boost from this draft pick.

Next up was Leonard Hankerson, who was The U's number one receiver last season and improved each year as a Cane. As a third round pick (79th overall) by the Washington Redskins, this is perhaps the biggest steal out of Miami's draft class. Many thought Hankerson would get picked in the late-first or early-second round. While that guess was wrong, the Redskins still got their value's worth with this 6'2 receiver that recorded over 1,100 yards and 13 TDs in 2010. He reminds me of a smaller Andre Johnson. He will now line up alongside former Cane Santana Moss, creating a dual deep threat in the nation's capital.

The fourth Cane to go was defensive back DeMarcus Van Dyke. This guy has blazing speed and he proved it at the NFL Combine by posting the fastest 40-yard dash time among all prospects (2.28 seconds). In typical Oakland Raiders fashion, they used their third round pick (81st overall) to add more speed to their roster. He lacks in physicality and isn't a ball hawk, but he can help brake up deep passes and contribute as a role player.

Allen Bailey became the fifth UM player to make it pro after the Kansas City Chiefs took him in the third round (86th overall pick). Bailey is a defensive lineman that can play the DE and DT spots, making him a dynamic option for the Chiefs. Bailey tallied 14 sacks in his last two seasons at UM and recorded 78 total tackles. He's a decent D-lineman that should be able to contribute immediately, particularly on run defense.

As for the last three Canes to get selected in the draft, here they are:

• Colin McCarthy (LB) - 4th round, 109th overall pick (Tennessee Titans)
• Richard Gordon (TE) - 6th round, 181st overall pick (Oakland Raiders)
• Matt Bosher (K) - 6th round, 192nd overall pick (Atlanta Falcons)

FIU Prospect Gets Drafted

Florida International University had one of their own taken in the draft. Conerback Anthony Gaitor was drafted in the seventh round (222nd overall pick) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gaitor was FIU's standout player on defense, averaging 49 tackles per season and raking in a combined 11 interceptions  throughout his four-year stint with the Golden Panthers. He was expected to go much higher than the seventh round, but now he's a pro football player nonetheless. Gaitor becomes the third FIU football player to make it to the NFL. 

Representing the Hialeah High Thoroughbreds!

Shout out to a former classmate of mine who made it big after being drafted 22nd overall by the San Diego Chargers - Corey Liuget. He attended Hialeah Senior High, as did I, and definitely showed his great potential back then.

Now, I didn't know Corey personally but I'm still proud to have graduated in the same class as him. He's representing my alma mater at the highest level now. Go T-Breds!

Check out a nice article written about him in The Miami Herald.

FIU Falls to Miami in First-Ever College Hockey Game in Miami-Dade County

March 6, 2011

KENDALL - Well...I really don't have a game story for you but the Miami Hurricanes topped the FIU Panthers 11-3 in the first ever college ICE hockey game played in Miami-Dade County.

Should be something to celebrate if you're a South Florida hockey fan. Stay tuned for future posts on college hockey matches in South Florida.

New Dawn for FIU Football

December 28, 2010
Update: January 31, 2011

Nine years. That's all it took for FIU football to reach its first bowl game since the program's inception in 2000. And the team is ready to continue its ascension in the college football ranks from this point on.

It was a season of firsts for the Golden Panthers: first Sun Belt Conference Championship, first bowl game appearance, and first bowl win in school history. These are all accomplishments that seemed unattainable prior to Head Coach Mario Cristobal's taking of the helm.

FIU held an 0-12 record the season before Cristobal was given the head coaching job. Defeat became more of a tradition than a result and the program was on a downward slope.

But all that changed with the infusion of confidence that Athletic Director Pete Garcia and Cristobal injected in the program starting in 2007. Promising to commit more resources and energy into the program, Garcia, Cristobal and company began the process of changing FIU's losing tradition into winning ways.

Today, that winless season seems like such a distant memory for FIU as their 2010 conference record (6-2) has overshadowed their forgetful past. What once was a dark, gloomy overcast of negativity that hovered above FIU's football program is now a bright, new dawn with plenty of potential to spare. 

What's Next for FIU

The team's 2010 success brings more than just school pride in the present; it brings positive future implications for the program.

First off, the combination of elevated team success and heightened media coverage will drive much-needed attention to the football program and the school as a whole. Florida high school football athletes now can look at FIU in a new light and potentially consider the Golden Panthers as a legitimate option. The mere fact that the program made a serious effort to become a winner and achieved that goal in such a short span has marked FIU as a new blip on the radars of these high school athletes.

Here's some proof: "A Bull Market Boost for FIU Golden Panthers"

But athletes aren't the only constituents that are affected by this. The idea of a successful sporting tradition attracts students in general to a university, and that's exactly what FIU is trying to establish. It's no secret that many students seek entertainment as an important element of their college experience, so having a sports program worth cheering for only adds to that aspect of a university.

Now, FIU may not be anywhere near the status of elite in college football but they are now one small step closer to the next level. In order for FIU football to reach that next level they will need to win a few more bowl games and probably move out of the conference. Nevertheless, programs that are now considered elite had to start somewhere and 2010 can be labeled as that "somewhere" for FIU.

FIU's Pro Prospects

It was a team effort that drove FIU's success this season but we cannot discount the help that a few of there premier athletes with pro potential brought to the table. We're talking about WR T.Y. Hilton and DB Anthony Gaitor in particular. These two studs have made enormous impacts on their respective sides of the field and deserve extra accolades for their contributions. One of those accolades will likely come in the form of a draft selection in future NFL drafts.

T.Y. Hilton

Hilton is a junior and is expected to return next season but would likely be drafted by NFL teams even if he were to enter the 2011 draft. As a combo receiver and kick returner, Hilton provides a dynamic skill set with game-changing potential (similar to the Chicago Bears' Devin Hester). Standing at 5'10, Hilton may be smaller than the average NFL receiver but his versatility may outweigh that disadvantage. Whether he enters the draft early or waits until 2012, expect this young gun to be off the draft board by no later than the third round. 




Anthony Gaitor

Gaitor is a senior and will enter the upcoming NFL draft. Just like Hilton, he is smaller (5'9) than the average player at his position but offers a skill set that is worthy of an NFL roster spot. Gaitor plays well in zone coverage, deflecting passes with regularity and raking in the occasional interception. Gaitor is expected to go in the later rounds of the draft, likely between rounds five and seven. Whatever the case may be, Gaitor will proudly represent FIU in the NFL.

FIU Football Surging in Sun Belt Conference

November 9, 2010

 Four games into the college football season the FIU Golden Panthers were staring into an 0-4 start that dashed some of the high hopes the team had set for itself. Even though each of their first four opponents were heavy favorites, FIU felt they could muster at least one or two upsets to set the tone for the season.  However, a four-point loss at home versus Rutgers and a seven-point loss at Texas A&M was the closest the Golden Panthers could get to an upset.

All that means nothing now.

FIU began their in conference games in week five, facing four conference rivals to date. Their conference record: 3-1. Their spot in the standings: second place.

And it only gets better as conference-leading Troy welcomes the Golden Panthers to their home turf this week.

That gives FIU an opportunity to not only complete their season's 180 degree turn, but become the Sun Belt Conference's top ranked team; something FIU has never accomplished at this stage of a season.

Wide receiving phenom T.Y. Hilton continues to impress fans and NFL scouts with his versatile skill set and game-breaking speed. Last week versus Louisiana-Monroe, Hilton scored three touchdowns in FIU's 42-35 double overtime victory (two receiving and one rushing). In that game alone, Hilton contributed 291 all-purpose yards as a receiver, rusher, kick returner and punt returner.

In the ground game, the Golden Panthers have benefited from a bevy of running backs that have scored rushing TDs for the team. That is, six different players have combined for 12 rushing TDs, with Darriet Perry (6) leading the way.

Junior QB Wesley Carroll has been sporadic for the most part, but has thrown for over 210 yards in five the team's eight games, including a season-high 355 yards at Maryland. His touchdown-interception ratio stands at a less-than-stellar 9 to 11, but Carroll has posted solid QB ratings in the team's three SBC wins.

Defensively the Golden Panthers still have plenty of room for improvement, allowing an average of 27.4 points per game. Beyond that, the team has not consistently forced turnovers on opponents and is losing the turnover-differential battle thus far. At the same time, their defensive showing at Texas A&M was very impressive as they forced five turnovers, four of which were interceptions. Performances like that are what give the coaching staff and the fans hope that the defense has the potential to be more disciplined.

Overall, the team is in a prime position to make some noise and make history in their own realm. We will see how Head Coach Mario Cristobal rallies his troops for Saturday's game versus Troy and attempt to keep momentum in FIU's corner.

* * *

Here's a clip of FIU's big third down sack versus Louisiana-Monroe in the second overtime en route to their third win of the year. A big time play by the Panther defense:

For Isiah and FIU, There's Always Next Season

February 28, 2010

A record of 7-24 is not what FIU had in mind when they brought in Isiah Thomas to lead their basketball team to the next level. With no shot at the NCAA tournament, the hoops program must turn its attention to next season and their recruitment efforts. While patience is a virtue and Miami is not know for such virtue, FIU's hoops program is progressively improving.

The time for FIU may not be now, but the shining beacon in the distance is steadily growing brighter and inching closer.

The allure of South Florida and the notoriety of Coach Thomas is drawing interest from four and five star recruits across the country, something that was not possible just a year back. High caliber college basketball programs are established on the front-lines of recruitment, securing commitments and letters of intent from top-ranked high school prospects. With the impending recruiting classes for 2011 and 2012, expect a surprisingly impressive class for the Golden Panthers.

With a chip on his shoulder, Coach Thomas will be out to prove that his mishaps in New York were an anomaly and college coaching has brighter days ahead for him. The last thing the NBA Hall of Famer would want is the tainted image of a disastrous coaching and management career.

As for those who are into march madness betting, keep FIU in mind as they are just a season or two away from banking home some key upsets in the big tourney. And perhaps the sports betting world will soon see the Golden Panthers in the sweet sixteen, elite eight, final four or the NCAA championship. But that is all wishful thinking if commitments fall through, chemistry goes sour and Coach Thomas does not deliver. With that said, FIU's strong push for excellence in athletics and Isiah's drive to regain glory are factors that should not be bet against.

F.I.U. Continues to Struggle

October 4, 2009

For the third time in the last four seasons, the Golden Panthers have begun the year 0-4. After going 1-23 from 2006 to 2007, the Golden Panthers showed signs of change going 5-7 in 2008.

The turn around began attracting nationally ranked recruits like QB Jake Medlock and CB Mac Brown. They have six ranked recruits who have verbally comitted to FIU for 2010.

Key word there is verbally. If Coach Mario Cristobal wants to keep those commitments, something more needs to be done.

• The weakest link on the team is the run defense. Florida International is ranked 113th allowing 240.5 yards a game on the ground. Only three teams allow more yards per game. Most of the problems are attributed to the immaturity in the box. 20 of the 29 line backers and defensive linemen on their roster are underclassmen.
  
• The past two games QB Paul McCall has really opened up the offense. He has put his team in position to win with his arm and his legs. He has thrown for four touchdowns and has ran for two . The team has averaged 33 points per game their last two contests, compared to 14.5 points the first two.

• Wide Receiver T.Y. Hilton has scored a touchdown in each game this year. He returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against Alabama in the season opener and has caught at least one touchdown in each of the last three games. Hilton is six touchdowns shy from tying his total mark from last year.

T.Y. Hilton the Next Devin Hester?

Get used to the name: T.Y. Hilton. This 5'10, 175 lb. Sophomore is stunning crowds left and right. Born and raised from the County of Dade, this hometown kid is giving Florida International University's football program some serious hype.

Losing on Saturday night to 4th ranked Alabama was no surprise. After all, FIU's football program is very young and is part of the dominant and unrelenting SEC. What mattered was that T.Y. Hilton took the Crimson Tide to the house with a 96-yard kickoff return. With that as a trademark of Hilton's young college football career, it was no surprise to see him do it.

Grab a stopwatch and clock this kid on a 40-yard dash - you will likely see the number 4.3 once he crosses the finish line. Blazing speed, agile footwork and a knack for finding holes on defense are the attributes Hilton carries. Attributes that are very similar to the former University of Miami star, Devin Hester.

Last season Hilton returned one kick and one punt for TDs as well as 7 receiving TDs (plus a throwing TD). He's an all-purpose player that uses his speed to the fullest potential. His talent is shining light on FIU's burgeoning football program and is giving opponents something to worry about, whether he lines up at wide reciever or sets up for a kick return.

Keep your eye on this one because he won't be going away any time soon. At this rate, he'll be a top prospect for NFL teams.

* * *

Come to think about it, T.Y. might be the reason why FIU has recently done so well in recruitment. According to the Miami Herald's high school sports blog, the Golden Panthers received commitments from a few reputable high school players - including QB Jake Medlock, RB Kedrick Rhodes and LB Caleb Vincent.

Here's the list of FIU's current high school commitments:

• Mac Brown, DB, 6-0, 155, St. Petersburg Gibbs
• Justin Halley, S, 6-2, 181, Boca Raton
• Wade Isaac, DL, 6-2, 255, Norland
• Khambrell McGee, CB, 5-9, 170, Northwestern
• Jake Medlock, QB, 6-3, 220, Neptune Beach Fletcher
• Sam Miller, Jr., DB, 5-10, 175, LaSalle
• Kedric Rhodes, RB, 5-10, 185, Ocala Trinity Catholic
• Caleb Vincent, LB, 6-2, 225, Hollywood Hills
• Randy Williams, S, 6-1, 195, Miami Springs

Courtesy of the Miami Herald.