On the Verge

March 27, 2003

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – For the past three seasons of the Miami renaissance, the hallmark of Hurricane football has become its offensive line play. Lost amid the All-American caliber names that have studded the Hurricanes’ front line on offense has been Vernon Carey.

Playing under the shadow of gregarious center Brett Romberg, Carey quietly had the most productive season of any Hurricane lineman in 2002 as he led the team in pancake blocks (42) and was second in metrorails (35).

A member of numerous high school All-American teams and prospect lists, Carey’s career bridges the gap between the dominant pass-blocking unit of 2000 to 2001 and the explosive run-blocking unit that, during the 2002 season, carved swathes through opposing front sevens for Willis McGahee as he rushed for a UM single-season record of 1,108 yards and 28 touchdowns.

In 2003, Carey will look to emerge as one of the nation’s most complete and dominant offensive tackles and will likely be a darkhorse candidate in the race for both the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy. To achieve his goals, Carey is trying to scale down his weight by escalating his conditioning regimen.

“Even though I’m in the best shape of my life, I think I can get even better,” the 350-pounder said. “I think if I can do that, I can have an even better year than last year.”

He also says he’s trying to make strides in his technique and explosiveness.

“I want to work with my hands better, keep them up, keep punching, coming off the ball every time, going hard, just be ferocious,” Carey said. “I want to be one of the most dominant players this year. Last year, I was a good player. But this year I want to up my game a little bit more.”

After a Saturday scrimmage, Carey said he was pleased with the line’s overall performance. Against an admittedly green defensive front, tailback Frank Gore and fullback Quadtrine Hill shared carries for a combined 72 yards on 11 carries (6.5 yards per carry).

Although he was pleased with his squad’s performance, Carey thought the offensive line will need to play with more consistency once fall rolls around and the Hurricanes are padding up against the likes of Florida (Saturday, Sept. 6) at the Orange Bowl.

“We moved the ball up and down, but we didn’t move it like we want to and we didn’t have enough consistency,” he said. “That’s what we need to work on.”

In 2002, Carey played his best football in the Hurricanes’ biggest games. He was selected as the offense’s MVP by the coaching staff in the most notable wins of the season including Florida State, Florida, West Virginia and Pittsburgh.

But he didn’t get caught up in big-game hype. Although he faced defensive lines staffed by the likes of the Seminoles’ Alonzo Jackson and Ohio State’s Darrion Scott, Carey insists that the most menacing challenge he grappled with was UConn’s undersized bandit end Uyi Osunde

“(He’s the toughest I played) believe it or not,” Carey said. “Me and coach (Art) Kehoe talked about it and agreed that he’s a very sound technique player. From the school he’s at, he’s got to work even harder. He’s one of those types of kids who’s quiet, but good. Not that much recognition, but still just good.”

Two-year Turnaround

Coming out of high school, the whole world knew that Carey was good. His name was uttered in the same sentences as those that carried such top-flight players as receiver Andre Johnson. One observer noted that he may have been the most important offensive lineman signed in the history of the Hurricanes’ program.

He was among the most highly sought linemen in Florida that year and part of the Hurricanes’ new emphasis on O-line might established in the latter half of the Butch Davis era. Miami recently became famous for going as far as Canada for its lineman, but Carey was found right in the Hurricanes’ own back yard.

A graduate of perennial South Florida powerhouse Northwestern High School in Miami, Carey was a Parade All-American, a USA Today First Team All-American, the National Recruiting Advisor’s No. 1 prospect, and a highly regarded recruit by almost every prep publication and newspaper in the nation.

Carey admits that the hype may have gone to his head.

“I came in with all those accolades and I thought that it would probably carry on,” Carey said. “But knowing what I know now, when you come in here, you have to just start all over. I think I’m closer, maybe 60 percent of the way there.”

Working within an offensive line that sent three members to the pros last year has helped Carey. Among those was behemoth tackle Bryant McKinnie, who was selected seventh overall in the 2002 NFL Draft and was the first offensive lineman taken.

“I took a lot from him,” Carey said. “I learned a lot. I know what he has and what I can get. Just being around him was amazing. He was an amazing athlete and he did amazing things.”

While his teammates may have been a good example for him, Carey says his motivation has come from the birth of his son, Vernon Jr., two years ago.

“He made me change my whole mindset as to what I needed to do to be a better football player and get to the next level,” Carey said. “He’s my motivation to push me to be a better player. If I can be a better player here then, hopefully, that can carry me to the next level.”