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Let's revisit Sean Spence's place in Miami history.

In regards to his place in Miami history...

Third tier.

Not as good as the top guys. He doesn't have the accolades to back up being on par with Vilma, Smith, and Crum.

Now, you look at that third tier. Jay Brophy was a first team All-American and was a beast in '82 and '83. Nate Webster, many felt, was a better player than Dan Morgan, despite me thinking he may have left his best football at UMiami on the table when he went pro early. Mira Jr. owned the tackling record book until Morgan came along.

I think Spence, when its all said and done, will be placed right near the top of that third tier. You could start to splice the differences between Spence and guys like Brophy and Mira Jr. and the like, but somewhere in that group is where Spence will be heralded. A guy you could slot in the bottom half of a University of Miami Top 100 list. Overall, a strong career during a bad era of Miami football.
 
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Larry said:
In regards to his place in Miami history...

Third tier.

Not as good as the top guys. He doesn't have the accolades to back up being on par with Vilma, Smith, and Crum.

Now, you look at that third tier. Jay Brophy was a first team All-American and was a beast in '82 and '83. Nate Webster, many felt, was a better player than Dan Morgan, despite me thinking he may have left his best football at UMiami on the table when he went pro early. Mira Jr. owned the tackling record book until Morgan came along.

I think Spence, when its all said and done, will be placed right near the top of that third tier. You could start to splice the differences between Spence and guys like Brophy and Mira Jr. and the like, but somewhere in that group is where Spence will be heralded. A guy you could slot in the bottom half of a University of Miami Top 100 list. Overall, a strong career during a bad era of Miami football.
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Agree with third tier. Don't see 'high third tier' though. As you noted, you've got AAs on at list. Bernard Clark made a lot of big plays at UM. Webster, Vilma....

As for the pros, IMO he's good enough to hold a roster spot somewhere, but without the size or speed to make an impact. Just going to have trouble shedding blocks.
 
3rd tier.


Has the intangibles, just needs to build the physique. Special teamer for 1-2 year(s), has to gain weight (min. 12-15lbs) and will likely contribute, possibly start, in the right system.
 
Jetsandcanes4life said:
Better than Nate Webster?! GTFO
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I loved Webster, especially when he went Waterboy on teams like Rutgers. His last game at the Gator Bowl was beautiful. But look at Spence as a freshman and Webster as a freshman. Spence belonged from Day One.
 
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Ethnicsands said:
Larry said:
In regards to his place in Miami history...

Third tier.

Not as good as the top guys. He doesn't have the accolades to back up being on par with Vilma, Smith, and Crum.

Now, you look at that third tier. Jay Brophy was a first team All-American and was a beast in '82 and '83. Nate Webster, many felt, was a better player than Dan Morgan, despite me thinking he may have left his best football at UMiami on the table when he went pro early. Mira Jr. owned the tackling record book until Morgan came along.

I think Spence, when its all said and done, will be placed right near the top of that third tier. You could start to splice the differences between Spence and guys like Brophy and Mira Jr. and the like, but somewhere in that group is where Spence will be heralded. A guy you could slot in the bottom half of a University of Miami Top 100 list. Overall, a strong career during a bad era of Miami football.
Click to expand...

Agree with third tier. Don't see 'high third tier' though. As you noted, you've got AAs on at list. Bernard Clark made a lot of big plays at UM. Webster, Vilma....

As for the pros, IMO he's good enough to hold a roster spot somewhere, but without the size or speed to make an impact. Just going to have trouble shedding blocks.
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Not sure if Spence is or is not an All-American. He had a great year. Not sure if he'll be recognized. I can foresee him being second team All-American at worst. He surely won't get voted over Luke Kuechley. Then you have players like Manti Te'o, Lavonte David, the Wisconsin duo at LB, McGraw and Sammie Brown at Houston, Audie Cole at NC State (Kuechley, Spence, and Cole will or should be First Team All-ACC, IMO), Jarvis Jones of Georgia, Courtney Upshaw at Alabama, among others that will be recognized nationally, and I'm not sure where Spence fits in Nationally. Considering he's on such a nondescript team, it doesn't help him.

Gotta remember, guys like Brophy and Mira were top tacklers on top teams, those guys get a bump come time for awards over guys who may have compiled and played better. I just think there are a bunch of guys grouped together in that third tier at Miami, and its really tough to split the hairs.

Jetsandcanes4life said:
Better than Nate Webster?! GTFO
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Like I said in my post...Webster left his best football behind when he left early. As a player, Webster was better, but Spence had a better career.
 
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I would put him 3rd tier only bc ultimately we are talking about what he did versus what he would have done had he had a better supporting cast, etc. which is purely speculative.

Truth be told, I'm surprised he wasn't more dominant at the collegiate level. When he got here, I felt like he was going to be an all-timer, but I think he lost some momentum with the coaching carousel on defense and bc he just had such a hard time gaining and keeping weight on.

A buddy of mine, who some on this site know, used to take these dudes for lunch as part of their summer intern jobs, and he would tell me that Spence would tell him that he would get to 215-217 in the off-season but then drop a good 10 lbs during the season.

I think if he is able to maintain weight at the next level, he has a chance to make a team very happy. Those instincts are worth a few milisecs on the 40. That 4.7 then becomes a 4.5 in terms of playing speed.
 
I'd throw Vilma into that first tier and put Spence in the second tier. Pretty remarkable what he's done when I'm sure he's the only guy offenses are truly worried about when they play us.
 
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I know it isn't the point, but everyone forgot Jessie Armstead too...
 
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Spence is one of the all time greats. Top tier in UM history.

keep in mind he played on teams here that were the worst in the modern-championship erra from 1983-present.
 
Spence does not belong on a list with Lewis, Morgan and barrow. Sorry, but nope.

The next list, IMO, ditto. Smith, Vilma and crum made big plays in big games. Maybe it's spence's hard luck he didn't get to do that, but that's how sports is. If Webster came along a year or two later, he might be second tier too.
 
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Spence had less around him than anyone. I would have loved to see what he would have done without being the only guy the opposing offense had to worry about. Can you imagine him playing behind some real DT's and next to a couple of other LB's he didn't have to cover for?

He was an all pro QB on defense.
 
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A) I don't think I ever saw Spence play a down where he weighed more than 210
B) I apologize for remaining stuck on this point, but if Spence was other-wordly as other UM LB's have been, BC would not have gouged us for a thousand rushing yards yesterday. That being said, I think Spence played as well as he possibly could have and gave 100% effort the entire time he was at UM. I hope he finds a place as a SS in the League (not trying to say he isn't an LB, but does the League allow guys to put on weight after college?).
 
Third tier, though I regret that a substantial part of the reason he is there is because he didn't have good players around him for most of his career and the coaching issues held him back as well. He could have been in that second tier (comfortably) and, I think, isn't there through no real fault of his own.

I think his instincts are exceptional and should help him in the NFL, where he can contribute. How much he contributes will depend on what he can do to develop strength/size-wise and the scheme in which he plays.
 
I think I would put him high third tier. In all my years of watching Canes football he is one of the hardest players for me to figure out. One play he makes a spectacular read, fills the correct gap, and tackles the ballcarrier for a loss or no gain. The next he seems to try to do too much (freelancing) and gets caught up in the wash in the gap one of his linebacker buddies should be in and we get a cutback 10+ yard run.

It's been that way for years. But I love the way he competed. And I have to say - for a small dude (and I'm not going to start talking NFL because I really don't care), he seemed to be pretty durable. IIRC there was only one injury that caused him to miss time in his 4 years of starting. For a position that requires taking and delivering a lot of serious hits that is pretty impressive IMO.
 
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