Today, the worst possible news for the Miami Hurricanes was announced: Frank Gore is out for the season, again.

The pressure now falls, not to Jarrett Payton, Tyrone Moss or Jason Geathers, but to the Miami defense and Brock Berlin.

Berlin cannot afford to have any more of his slow starts. He has got to play smart, instinctual football for 60 minutes each week for the rest of the year. No more bird-dogging, no more short-arming throws, no more mental breakdowns.

Miami's defense has also got to step it up quite a few notches. They cannot afford to be pushed around. They cannot afford to give up big plays because they're out of position or they don't feel like tackling properly. The linebackers and secondary keep getting hyped as some of the best in the country. Well, it's put up or shut up time for them. Miami has to play incredible D for the rest of the year to even dream about going to New Orleans.

Everyone seems to want to rip Payton for last night. He only touched the ball 31 times for 140 yards. Most schools would love to get those kind of numbers from their first string tailback. Miami is disappointed with them from their second stringer. Payton is not the same type of player as his father was, but he is still more than adequate. We Miami fans have just been spoiled by Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, and now Frank Gore. Payton, Moss and Geathers will hold together the Miami running game. It may not be as explosive, but it will be good enough to keep the offense balanced.

There is one other player who needs to step it up now, but not so much in his play as in his leadership: Kellen Winslow. Kellen is great tight end and last night he stepped up as a leader on the field - something Berlin is not yet. Kellen has got to keep leading, but he has to do it smartly. When he was more concerned with making plays, the whole team clicked with him. When he was more concerned with Kellen Winslow and with jawboning with A. Jones, Miami's offense fell apart and looked confused. Winslow is a leader and that means he has to lead all the time, not just occasionally when it suits him.

Last night may have been the swan song for Miami's National Championship hopes. Gore going down again is devastating. But last time it happened, we found Willis McGahee - the Buffalo Bills current savior-in-waiting (yes Kevin, he's another reason for you to worship the sandy shores of South Florida, just like Jim Kelly was). Will Payton step up to be this year's McGahee? Probably not, but we'll almost certainly find out next Saturday.