The University of Miami has a long and glorious history of outstanding defensive coaches and players. When you take a long look back and look over the names of heroes past for the Canes defense it is easy to be overwhelmed by the number and quality of talented coaches and players that have graced the halls of the Hecht Athletic Center.
Coaches such as Tom Olividotti, Dave Wannstedt, Butch Davis, Tommy Tuberville, Mark Stoops, Greg Mark, Greg Schiano and Randy Shannon.
Old school players like Ted Hendricks, Fred Marion, Lester Williams, Jay Brophy, Jim Burt, Burgess Owens, Jerome Brown, Bennie Blades, Warren Sapp, Maurice Crum, Russell Maryland, Randy Shannon, Cortez Kennedy, Ray Lewis, Danny Stubbs, Michael Barrow, Greg Mark, Darrin Smith, Mike Rumph, Jessie Armstead, Phillip Buchanon, Nate Webster, Ryan McNeil, Kenny Holmes and Kennard Lang.
New wave players such as Vince Wilfork, Jonathan Vilma, Ed Reed, Dan Morgan, Antrel Rolle, Jon Beason, Brandon Merriweather, William Joseph, Baraka Atkins, and Sean Taylor. And even newbies like Kenny Phillips and Calais Campbell who are certain first round NFL picks in 2008.
All of these defensive players who wore the orange and green and played at the Orange Bowl, home of 58 Straight victories and too many glorious games and moments to name here, will forever live in Hurricane legend and lore. They had names and nicknames like The Mad Stork, Tiger, Big Daddy, Bam Bam, Superman, Flash and the Bermuda Triangle.
Now suddenly, after weeks of no news at all, and fresh off his trek deep into Kansas to snatch up
coveted LB Aurthur Brown, Randy Shannon has hired Kansas defensive coordinator Bill "Forever" Young. Young, who will leave behind the Jayhawks players, Coach Mangino and the cold, grey town of Lawrence, Kansas agreed on Thursday to coach the Canes defense in 2008.
In interviews following his decision, Bill and his wife Lawana Young stated they wanted a challenge and a change of scenery. Both of these will be offered in bunches by the small, private university located in warm, sunny Coral Gables known affectionately as The U. Now, Forever Young (or Mr. Bill, we haven't decided which one will stick yet) will have to get busy fixing a defense that simply was offensive to watch in many games last year. Giving up 51 points to the Sooners in Norman? Ugly. Down 27-0 against UNC at the half? Disheartening. Losing 48-0 to Virginia in the final game at the Orange Bowl? Mind numbing.
Coach Young replaces coach "Timmy" Walton who was dismissed from his duties by The Boss after a disastrous 2007 campaign. Walton, as many of you know, has landed in Memphis and will coach the Tigers defense in 2008. Young will take over Walton's former players and the star studded recruiting class of 2008.
That class, which consists of about 123 linebackers, a DL or two and a maybe couple of defensive backs, was landed by Shannon, Hurtt, Barrow and company in an effort to infuse talent into the Canes defense.
Young's job will be to try to shape these players back into the intimidating defense that was once respected and feared by opponents, sometimes by their mere presence, and often before they even hit the field. So let's take a look at the 411 on Mr. Bill and his background of accomplishments and achievements...
Bill Young, is a 38-year coaching veteran with 20 seasons as a defensive coordinator. He spent five seasons as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Kansas. Young joined the Kansas staff in December 2002 after serving as defensive line coach with the Detroit Lions in 2001.
The 2006 season was another banner year for the Jayhawk defense under Young's guidance. The unit finished third in the Big 12 and 28th in the nation in rushing defense (109.0 yards per game), as it held four opponents to under 70 yards of rushing and limited all opponents to a fourth-down conversion rate of less than 25 percent.
In 2005, Young oversaw the development of a defense which finished the season as the top run-stopping unit in the Big 12 and eighth among all NCAA I teams. In nine of KU's 12 games during the 2005 season, the opposition's run-game failed to collect 100 yards rushing as a team.
After KU's win over Missouri on Oct. 29, Young was awarded the Master Coaches Survey game ball and was named Coordinator of the Week by Rivals.com.
In 2004, Young directed a much-improved defense that led the Big 12 with 27 takeaways, including a league-best 19 interceptions. Cornerback Charles Gordon, in his first full season under Young's tutelage, tied for the national lead with seven picks. In addition, the defense allowed an average of 117.6 rushing yards per game -- the third-best single-season average in school history at the time and the lowest since 1961. The biggest improvement in the overall defense occurred on third downs, as the opposition converted just 29.9 percent of its chances -- only two Big 12 teams in 2004 were more effective at forcing fourth down.
Prior to his stint in the NFL, Young worked three seasons as defensive coordinator at Southern California. While at USC in 1999, his defense led the nation in total takeaways and topped the conference in rushing defense and turnover margin (third nationally). His USC defense in 1998 was number one in the Pac-10 in total defense, pass efficiency defense (third nationally) and scoring defense. It was also ranked second in the country in forced turnovers.
Mr. Bill will have talent to work with at the U that he only dreamed of in Kansas. And, the competition his defense will face will be tougher at Miami than at KU. If it is in Randy we trust (and we do), then it is Coach Young that we will support and count on to restore the once proud tradition of Hurricane defense.
Because everyone knows that we just love it when The U gets defensive.