Edgerrin James expects Miami football players who want to be successful

In a Monday morning appearance on the Joe Rose Show Pro Hall of Fame Inductee electee and Miami Football legend, Edgerrin James discussed his upcoming induction into Canton and his opinion of the state of the Hurricanes.

Miami football legend Edgerrin James received the news Super Bowl weekend that he will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer. In an interview on the Joe Rose Show on Monday morning, James discussed his career with the Hurricanes and the NFL as well as the current state of the Miami football program.

James is the third leading rusher in the history of the Miami football program. Number five also holds the mark for the third-best season running the football in Miami Hurricanes history and the top two performances in a game. James joined Rose and co-host Zack Krantz on 560 The Joe on Monday Monday morning.

James will become the tenth Miami football alum inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer. The addition of James pushes Miami to fifth all-time with 10 alums inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. James will likely be joined in the next few years by another Miami football alum, wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

Wayne was also a teammate of James with the Indianapolis Colts. James will become the second member of that unit inducted into Canton, after wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Quarterback Peyton Manning is a lock next year in his first year of eligibility. James is the second inductee who played for Butch Davis at Miami.

Rose began the conversation by asking James about the process of hearing he will be one of the five inductees this summer. Most people picture 6’9 400-pound Hall of Fame President David Baker knocking on the inductee’s door. James found out via phone call. He then discussed being in Miami when he heard the news.

"Good things always happen for me in South Florida….I got a chance to be inducted in the best place for me, that’s home in Miami. My last carry in the Orange Bowl for a touchdown. That’s the greatest stadium I ever played in. Anyone that ever played there understands that..Good things happen for me in Miami. The game (versus UCLA in 1998 when he set the Miami rushing record for a game) was postponed. Was not supposed to have that game that late in the season. Before that we was spillitin’ carries. For some reason not everyone was eligible to play.It gave me a chance to show what I could do. Everything good happens right there in Miami."

After discussing his upcoming induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the legendary 299 yard game against UCLA in 1998, the discussion turned to where James thinks the Miami football program is now. James’ expectation of the Hurricanes players is that they need to want to be successful and how to keep players home.

"We’re not far off. Its a detail the little things. We need more selfish players. We need players that want to be successful. We need players that want the ball. I mad, I’m frustrated I am not getting the ball. We have the best youth players in the nation. We need to figure out a way to keep them home.Everybody is going to other places. We have the best youth programs in the nation because that’s where it all starts from. The move that (Athletic Director) Blake (James) made with Ed Reed and getting everyone involved.We need to get back to getting those players that want to be super successful and say ‘I want to be the man…Need guys that want to take advantage of their opportunities, not guys that are just there."

Reed as with most of the Miami football alums getting behind Blake James and the hiring of Reed is important if not critical for the Hurricanes. His criticism of the players not wanting to be successful enough has been a common thread among most of the Miami alums. Too many players in this era have a sense of entitlement.

Head coach Manny Diaz and his staff worked hard to clear the Miami football roster of players with that attitude. Getting players who buy-in, want to be successful and as Edgerrin James said securing players from the youth programs in South Florida will help build that culture. Players that want to be in Coral Gables are critical.