The year was 2002. College football mania was running high in the 305.
The University of Miami was coming off of their fifth national Championship in 2001, and even though they had lost several players to the NFLU, the team was loaded with talent.
Miami's opening game that season, just like this year in 2010, was against FAMU. And, just like this year when the Hurricanes travel to face 2nd-ranked Ohio State at The Horseshoe in Columbus, the Hurricanes second game of the season was on the road against a highly ranked opponent, the Florida Gators at The Swamp in Gainesville.
The Hurricanes played for the National Championship that year, losing to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. So the question is: "Could the 2010 UM team make fans feel like it is 2002 all over again?"
Let's take a look back at that season and what was being said about that Hurricane team. Here is how the FAMU game was described on the UM web site:
As Miami Hurricanes assistant coach Art Kehoe jogged off the Orange Bowl field, he turned to the emptying bleachers and started doing the "Gator Chomp." After disposing of Division I-AA Florida A&M 63-17 Saturday night, the top-ranked Hurricanes think they're ready for The Swamp.
Ken Dorsey threw three touchdown passes and became the winningest quarterback in school history as the 'Canes overwhelmed Florida A&M in their season opener. Dorsey improved to 27-1 as a starter and moved past Gino Torretta (26-2) on the school's career victory list. The Hurricanes also extended the nation's longest winning streak to 23 games.
No. 6 Florida will provide a much tougher challenge next Saturday, especially considering how convincingly the Gators beat Alabama-Birmingham.
"It's a huge game, obviously," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "They have great talent. We're playing at their place. It's going to be a tremendous challenge for us, but at the same time, it's what our players are looking for. "National championships seem to come through the state of Florida, so it's certainly a very important game for both of us."
Dorsey played a little more than a quarter, spending part of the first half with his hands on his hips, a towel around his neck and former Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar by his side. Dorsey probably wasn't getting any tips from Kosar on how to win in Gainesville. Although Kosar led the Hurricanes to their first national title in 1983, he lost 28-3 at Florida in the opener of that season.
Miami looks much more prepared for the Gators this time. It'll be the first regular-season meeting between the teams since 1987. The Hurricanes were sharp, efficient and almost error-free against Florida A&M.
"It's not about Florida; it's not about FAMU," defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. "It's about us. If we go out and play like we practice, there's no one who can beat us."
The following week, Miami traveled to Gainesville to play "The Damn Gator" as Eddie Dunn would say. The Hurricanes smashed the Gators at The Swamp 41-16. Here is how it read on the UM web site...
Miami dominated. Florida flopped.
The top-ranked Hurricanes left The Swamp on Saturday the same way they came in - best in the state, best in the country, and still waiting for their first big challenge of 2002.
Ken Dorsey threw four touchdown passes, Willis McGahee ran for 204 yards and the Hurricanes rolled through another overmatched opponent with a 41-16 win over No. 6 Florida.
A great opportunity for new Gators coach Ron Zook to prove he can make it in the big time instead turned into a showcase for Dorsey, and a couple of Hurricanes trying to replace key players from last year's national championship team.
Miami (2-0) actually came into this game as a 2-point underdog, but when the day of domination was over, that seemed silly. "I don't know what that was all about," defensive tackle Matt Walters said. "It's not a big surprise to us that any of that happened."
Safety Maurice Sikes, replacing big-play defensive back Ed Reed, had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a 97-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. "We have players who want to play and can play," Sikes said. "Just nobody has heard of them." Until Saturday.
Sure the 2002 season ended with the phantom pass interference penalty that resulted in Miami losing to Ohio State in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. But to even be competing for a BCS title again would be a huge step forward for this Hurricane team after several years of being kept off of the National stage.
So Hurricane fans, can this 2010 team compete for a National Championship?
Can Miami travel to Columbus and beat OSU at The Shoe in week two?
We're not sure but is sure is going to be fun finding out don't U think?
Your Miami Hurricanes go into the 2010 season with three obvious question marks:
Will the play of the offensive line improve with several new starters?
Who will start at MLB?
Who will start at CB opposite Brandon Harris?
Tonight during the first full scrimmage (7 PM / closed to the public and the media) at Cobb Stadium those will be the positions under the most scrutiny when the lights come on and the player evaluation process really begins for head coach Randy Shannon and each of the position coaches.
Jorge Milian at The Palm Beach Post recently spoke to OL Coach Jeff Stoutland about his group of players. After Spring practice and over the Summer Coach Stoutland began an evaluation of the offensive lineman on the UM roster. It was then, in an effort to get his best five players on the field, that he decided to move RG Joel Figeroa to RT.
It is a move that has gone over very well this Fall. Milian quoted Stoutland as saying:
“I watched Fig for four years. He’s such an athlete. We all know he’s explosive and we all know he’s very physical. But he’s such a tremendous athlete. I just felt like, let’s give this kid a chance. Let’s see what he can do. This was the first time to really see him (at RT) and I got to tell you, we’re all really happy right now. Very happy.”
There has been a great deal of shuffling along Miami's revamped offensive line. The main concern for Stoutland and other UM coaches was getting all five of the starting offensive linemen familiar with each other, communicating effectively and playing together as a unit before Fall practice ends.
In case you haven't kept up with all of the changes UM has moved not only Figueroa but also Orlando Franklin from guard to tackle on the left side of the offensive line. Brandon Washington (seen at R above) switched from left guard to right guard while Harland Gunn has moved to left guard next to Franklin.
Center Tyler Horn replaces last year's starter A.J. Trump (seen below with Javaris James at the 2009 East-West Shrine game) and will be starting his first game at Miami when the Hurricanes open the season at home against FAMU.
At middle linebacker, converted RB Kylan Robinson is penciled in as the starter for Miami going into the 2010 season. However, some expect that SLB Colin McCarthy may eventually move to the middle or that one of the young but impressive Freshmen like Kevin Nelson or Kelvin Cain may take that spot later in the season. Tonight's scrimmage will be very important for Robinson to show what he can do and possibly help him solidify his spot in the starting lineup.
At cornerback, DeMarcus Van Dyke is projected as the starter over Brandon McGhee and Ryan Hill. DVD had an impressive Freshman season when he was a starter but has faded over the last two seasons and was beaten out by the speedy Sam Shields last year. Shields has moved on to the NFLU and is now playing for the Green Bay Packers. He was last seen doing the Lambeau Leap during a Packers' scrimmage after returning an interception 97 yards for a touchdown.
Van Dyke needs to continue to work on improving his ball skills and play with more physical toughness in run support to secure the starting CB spot opposite budding super-star Brandon Harris.
Tonight's scrimmage may answer some questions about DVD and his role on the 2010 Hurricane squad.
Your Miami Hurricanes held a short practice today at Greentree Field in anticipation of the first scheduled team scrimmage of the Fall tomorrow. But before we get to today's practice information, let's take a minute to review a very important news report that came out of Coral Gables over the last week.
Let's take a step back and take some time out to celebrate what Randy Shannon means to the University of Miami and the student-athletes that sign scholarships to play football at "The U."
In case you haven't heard, or simply pretended not to care, you need to wake up and start paying some serious attention to what is really important to the University, recruits, their parents and the NCAA:
Randy Shannon is the highest ranked coach in terms of academic success among all BCS schools in the NCAA.
NOW GO BACK AND READ THAT AGAIN, AND SLOWLY THIS TIME.
GO AHEAD, I'LL WAIT.
In the recently released 2010 NCAA Academic Progress Report only two Non-BCS coaches outranked Randy Shannon in the national cumulative rankings over the past three years. Here is more information on this important story from the UM web at www.hurricanesports.com :
University of Miami head football coach Randy Shannon ranks third among all active Division I football coaches with a career Academic Progress Rate of 977, The Center for Research on Sport In Society announced this week.
"This is credit to our student-athletes and the support staff in our academic area," said Shannon. "Academic success is important to the players on this team and they are receiving the credit they have worked so hard for."
Shannon's 977 lifetime APR average leads all head coaches in Bowl Championship Series conferences and trails only Troy Calhoun of Air Force (983) and Ken Niumatalolo of Navy (978) on the national stage.
The APR was established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to measure the success or failure of collegiate athletic teams in moving student-athletes towards graduation.
Now if that doesn't get your attention then maybe Miami contending for a National Championship in 2010 will?
That's right your Miami Hurricanes have a very good chance of winning a BCS title if they can survive a brutally difficult four game stretch that starts on the road in week 2 of the season at Ohio State and ends at home against the Florida State Seminoles in week 5.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take a closer look at what's happening on Greentree practice field on day 6 of Camp Shannon 2010.
For the third straight day, the University of Miami football team missed out on South Florida's usual August heat, practicing under cloudy skies in cool, damp conditions during a brief walk-through practice Tuesday morning on the Greentree Practice Fields.
The `Canes spent just under an hour on the practice fields sharpening up for the team's first fall scrimmage Wednesday night. After working through positional drills, the team came together and spent the rest of the session in 11-on-11, two-minute drill work.
Defense Continues to Shine:
The Hurricane defense had another strong showing Tuesday morning in the two-minute drill.
The first-team defense forced a quick three-and-out, and only allowed one score the rest of the session.
Ford Stands Out Offensively:
Despite it being such a short practice, junior tight end Chase Ford may have turned in his best showing of camp on Tuesday.
Ford caught a big first down pass over the middle on a third a long before later scoring the session's only touchdown on a 40-yard catch-and-run down the right sideline.
Your Miami Hurricanes returned to the practice field on Monday morning for Day 5 of Camp Shannon 2010. After practicing in a light but steady rain on Sunday, the Hurricanes were back out in the brutal August sun and practicing in full pads for the first time this Fall.
According to the UM Athletic Department web site at www.hurricanesports.com it was the defense that dominated the day on Monday. After being out-played by the potent UM offense during the first few days of practice, the defense showed up BIG during Day 5 of Camp Shannon.
Here are some of the highlights of Monday morning's practice:
Offensive Highlights
RBs Lee Chambers, Lamar Miller and Eduardo Clements each broke off long runs.
WR Kendall Thompkins led the team in receptions for the second time in three days.
QB Jacory Harris connected with Leonard Hankerson on a 70-yard touchdown in 11-on-11 drills.
TE Asante Cleveland caught another long bomb over the top in 7-on-7 drills.
TE Richard Gordon had a big catch and run down the right sideline for a 35-40 yard gain.
The right side of the line (RT Figueroa and RG Brandon Washington) played well again Monday.
Defensive Highlights
CB Cory Nelms and S Jared Campbell each recorded an interception in 7-on-7 action.
LBs Sean Spence and Kelvin Cain each recovered a fumble in goal line work.
S Vaugh Telemaque stood out again, breaking up a few passes and stepping up to stop the run game on several occasions while LB CJ Holton and DE Marcus Robinson each recorded a sack.
DT Josh Holmes and DE Adawale Ojomo each had a tackle for a loss.
Here are some additional updates with other UM news from around the Internet:
Susan Miller Degnan from the Miami Herald wrote a feature about Jordan Futch's (seen below) return from a knee injury in 2009. She reported that UM coach Randy Shannon has been easing Futch back into practice, as he has the other players returning from injury.
"He's doing things just to strengthen it,'' Shannon said Sunday. "Him and [tailback Graig] Cooper are in the same boat. We're excited about the way he's progressing. We figure if we take him slow and we have him for the season instead of [just] for practice we're going to be OK."
"Jordan was a real key guy last year. His big hits got a lot of things going. Big hits on kickoff returns, big hits on kickoffs. We really missed that. Now Jordan is going to take that next step. We need him to play linebacker also this season.''
Futch said he has been practicing at all three linebacker positions and has no preference. He just wants to play. "It's a humbling experience,'' Futch said of the injury. "But now I'm coming back and ready to work harder. Camp is going awesome. Coach Shannon really has these guys enthused.''
The hardest working sports journalist in South Florida, the Herald's Manny Navarro, was also out at practice covering the 'Canes on Monday and posted several player interview videos on his blog as well. OL Tyler Horn, OL Jared Wheeler, DE Marcus Robinson and DE Dyron Dye took time to chat with The Mandingo about practice and their positions on the team.
Many fans have forgotten about Dye who was just as heavily recruited out of Seminole High School as his teammate S Ray Ray Armstrong (seen above with 86Cane). This what the Um web site had to say about Dye when he was recruited out of high school:
Ranked No. 4 by Rivals.com in the "Quickest First Step" category, and he is rated the nation's No. 6 weakside defensive end prospect ... Ranked No. 145 in ESPN's top 150 prospects ... Very good pass rusher, who had 13.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and 65 tackles as a junior and 65 tackles and three catches for 46 yards as a senior ... Helped lead Seminole High School to the 2008 FHSAA Class 6A state championship ... Played in the Under Armour All-American game ... Class 6A All-State First Team.
Dye red-shirted last year and returns for the 2010 season bigger, stronger and hungrier after a year of working with UM Strength and Conditioning Coach Andrew Swasey.
Here is Manny's interview with Dye after Monday's practice on Greentree Field:
To see all of Manny's video interviews on the Miami Herald Blog "Eye On The U" click here:
Sure it was only practice and we all know that NBA star Allen Iverson will be appalled if we keep talking about it, but just for you die hard football junkies here is some more news and a few notes from around the Internet about the open practice on Saturday.
Don’t be surprised if Mike "Smiley" James (below L in his old #22) is your starting RB this Fall over Damien Berry. James continues to look really sharp, especially in his new #5 jersey, and started with the first team on Saturday morning. Even if Smiley does not take the starting spot from the big bruiser, he’s definitely going to get plenty of prime time P/T along with Lamar Miller and (when healthy) last year’s starter Graig Cooper.
With Thearon Collier long gone expect Kendall Thompkins to have a very productive season. He knows how to get open, has great hands and runs very smooth routes primarily from the slot WR position.He was impressive in the Spring and that has continued into the Fall.Can U say “Breakout Season”?Yeah, I thought so!
Consistent with all previous reports the UM wide receivers are really, really good.Individually and as a group they are looking more physical (bigger, stronger, faster) and more NFLU ready than ever.It was obvious that the ‘Canes best WR Aldarius Johnson (seen below with Benjamin) looks to have dropped a few extra pounds which should help him pick up that extra tenth of a second he seemed to be lacking last year. If he does get a step quicker U better watch out for AJ II in 2010.
Seldom heard from Tommy Streeter looks to be primed for some major action this season along with Byrd, Benjamin and Hankerson. As mentioned Freshman Allen Hurns even got into the mix by making some nice down field blocks during two long TD plays.
Breaking news, this just in: Seantrel Henderson really HUGE!I know, that’s a real shocker right? The big man started out with the second team at Right Tackle but that didn’t last too long. After a few series you could tell the heat and humidity was really getting to him. I guess going from Minnesota to Miami in August ain’t no picnic.It is obvious that Henderson still needs to lose some weight and get acclimated to the South Florida weather.That may take a while especially since he allegedly reported at a whopping 365 pounds!
In case you have been living under a rock, you should be told that DE Allen Bailey is a beast! On one play Bailey lined up across from Henderson and according to some reports ran right by him. Do not expect to see too much of big ST early in the season but do expect him to play a few series late in games just to get a feel for the speed of the college game in live action. We predict that Henderson will likely see more playing time against FSU at home under more friendly conditions than during the early season road games with all of the crowd noise to help reduce the potential for false starts.
Another surprise: This LB class could potentially be even better than the 2007 haul.Kelvin Cain may be the sleeper of this class.He is a big, physical guy and is seeing playing time at MLB. LBs Kevin Nelson, Tyrone Cornileus, Travis Williams and Jimmy Gaines all bring different skill sets to the position.Each will be fun to watch develop. Let's hope the new #52 (Nelson) turns out to be something like the old #52 seen below. One thing is for sure: They were all seen “flying around” during the open practice.
During the practice the DL looked solid and made some nice plays.At different times Micanor Regis, Luther Robinson and Jeremy Lewis all took turns crashing into the interior of the OL and each made some serious penetration into the UM backfield. Now, if they can learn to keep those pesky OL off of the UM linebackers so they can make plays then we may have a return to the UM defense of old.We like that; we like that a lot.
Several of the newly acquired TEs continue to draw rave reviews.All are physically impressive athletes. As mentioned in our earlier post Asante Cleveland was a surprise star of the practice.He made the one spectacular catch where three defenders made contact with him just as the ball got there. The defenders went down but Cleveland held onto the ball and scored after a nice down field block from Freshman WR Allen Hurns.
While some are comparing transfer Chase Ford to Jeremy Shockey, others are saying that Asante Cleveland may be a Bubba Franks clone with good size, great hands and good body control when the ball is in the air. Here at Canespace we hope both predictions turn out to be true!
Hurricane fans showed up in large numbers early Saturday morning to watch their University of Miami football team practice at Cobb Stadium.
An estimated 3,000 fans made their way to the lovely UM campus in Coral Gables for the "invitation only" event held for season ticket holders and UM employees.
Those who did manage to wake up and then show up had to endure the sweltering Summer heat in a dedicated effort to catch a brief, yet exciting glimpse, of the much anticipated 2010 team.
The event was also the only practice that will be open to the media this Fall so many of them were on hand to cover the Hurricanes and grab some quick interviews with a limited group of players selected by UM. More on that later in this feature article.
Here is our quick summary of the event with information provided by www.hurricanesports.com :
Offensive Highlights:
Backup QB Spencer "The Younger" Whipple connected on a handful of big passing plays to Freshman TE Asante Cleveland (who may have been the surprise star on the day), Tommy "Downtown" Streeter and Aldarius "Glue Hands" Johnson.
Mr. Whipple also found Spring sensation Kendal Thompkins on several occasions. Thompkins recorded the most catches during the event, mostly on routes over the middle of the field.
For the third straight day of practice, projected starting RB Damien "The Beast" Berry stood out in short yardage and goal line situations. Berry was able to consistently get through the defensive line for what would amount to easy TDs in game situations.
Starting QB and Heisman watch list nominee Jacory "Tattoo U" Harris connect with the speedy Travis "Beep Beep" Benjamin and AJ II on big passing plays in 11-on-11. Johnson, who some fans believe is the Hurricanes' best WR, had one of the better days among offensive players.
Defensive Highlights:
Players who recorded sacks were: DT Marcus Fortson, CB Brandon Harris, DE Allen "The Manimal" Bailey and DE Andrew Smith.
Players who recorded INTs were: CB DeMarcus "DVD" Van Dyke, CB Cory Nelms, S Jo "Squared" Nicolas and S Ray "Squared" Armstrong.
Others who made plays included: LB Shayon Green, S Jared Campbell and LB Sean "Sleepy" Spence who broke up a reverse attempt by the offense.
The TE battle, in addition to the expected competition at RB and WR, is suddenly shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested positions on the team.
Many Hurricane fans had already penciled in transfer Chase Ford (seen above), who some have compared to Jeremy Shockey, as the man to beat. But Saturday's surprising showing by Freshman Asante Cleveland had Coach Shannon and the media buzzing.
Manny Navarro from the Miami Herald had this to say about Asante Cleveland and the TE position:
University of Miami coach Randy Shannon said Saturday he won't really begin zeroing on position battles or worry about who is running with the first team until after his team's first scrimmage Wednesday night.
But based on what he did Saturday, Asante Cleveland can feel good about at least being on Shannon's radar. In the first and only practice open to season ticket-holders and media this fall, the freshman tight end made a spectacular play that impressed a crowd of about 3,000 -- and Shannon -- when he yanked a Spencer Whipple pass out of the air between three defenders, rolled off contact and sprinted down the middle of the field for a touchdown.
"Unbelievable," Shannon said of the play afterward. "I'm very excited about Asante Cleveland's performance today. He's learning a lot of things and improving every day."
Cleveland (6-5, 250) is one of four tight ends the Hurricanes signed in their 2010 recruiting class. Junior Chase Ford (6-6, 245) also looked impressive Saturday, making a handful of catches over the middle of the field in traffic. Shannon said with only two returning veterans -- fifth-year senior Richard Gordon(6-4, 265) and redshirt freshman Billy Sanders (6-4, 248) -- there is no doubt in his mind at least two newcomers will have to play this coming season. So far, Cleveland looks like the most advanced freshman with Andrew Tallman (6-5, 245) and Clive Walford (6-5, 235) a little further behind.
Shandel Richardson of the Sun-Sentinel wrote this about the talented TE who came up big today:
UM coach Randy Shannon wasted little time to give a few props to freshman tight end Asante Cleveland.
Shannon opened Saturday’s post-practice press conference by addressing the pending NCAA investigation for improper contact with recruits, but Cleveland was the first name he mentioned. He caught a few passes, including a leaping catch over a couple defenders.
“I’m very excited about Asante Cleveland’s performance today,” Shannon said. “The big catch he had with three people around him was unbelievable.”
Shannon said Billy Sanders and Richard Gordon remain in front because of their experience, but don’t be surprised if at least two of the newcomers grab playing time. Cleveland, out of Sacramento Christian Brothers, and junior-college transfer Chase Ford appear to be the likely candidates.
“I’m going to work as hard as I can to do whatever they need me to do,” Cleveland said.
Of his spectacular grab, Cleveland said, “I had to run a deep route and (Spencer Whipple) just threw it where it needed to be. I jumped and hoped I caught it.”
Come on sing along with me, you know the tune: "It the most wonderful time of the year!"
Your Miami Hurricanes will begin their quest for a sixth National Championship when players report for Fall practice on August 5.
Things will get very busy in and around the Hecht Athletic Center as Camp Shannon gets underway in Coral Gables in preparation for the 2010 season.
And while it may sound cliche', it is truly a season of hope and change around Miami.
The majority of Miami fans sincerely believe that the Hurricanes are finally back from their six year hiatus from BCS national championship contention as the 'Canes finally have the talent back to 2000-2003 season levels and the addition of two new coaches that have joined Shannon's staff at UM.
Hope comes in the form of a recently-re-signed, secure and confident head coach, a healthy Heisman candidate at QB, speed and talent at the skill positions on offense, improved competition and and depth on defense and quite possibly college football's best punter/kicker in Matt Bosher.
Change is found in the experienced Rick Petri who came all the way from Kentucky to take over the UM defensive line and running backs coach Mike Cassano who came all the way from Calle Ocho after leaving former 'Cane Mario Cristobal at FIU for greener pastures at Miami.
Fortunately for Petri and Cassano they both find themselves surrounded by talent and depth at the RB and DL positions on this year's version of the Miami Hurricanes' football team. Now with a little coaching and maybe a little bit of luck (staying healthy) the 'Canes can simply dominate games like the days of old by running the ball effectively and effectively stopping the run.
Wouldn't that be nice!
Much like last year, the Hurricanes start off the season with a tough four game swing. After opening against over-matched FAMU at home in the first game of the season Miami travels to face Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Clemson on the road in consecutive weeks before returning home to face ACC and in-state rival the Florida State Seminoles at newly re-named Sun Life Stadium.
Once again it will not take long to figure out just how good the 2010 Hurricanes will be. By game five we should definitely know if this year's team are just pretenders or the contenders that most prognosticators expect them to be.
Hurricane fans will get only one chance to see their boys of Fall practice before they face FAMU in the opener on Thursday, September 2. Season ticket holders are invited to watch practice on Saturday, August 7 from 8-10 AM at Greentree Field on campus.
Returning to re-write Hurricane history for a second straight day, today we look at five more plays and five more games that would have changed college football forever and resulted in more national championships, maybe some additonal Heisman Trophies and other various assorted awards and acomplishments for the Miami Hurricanes.
Here they are changes 6-10, but remember they are listed in no particular order of importance:
6. 9/24/1994 versus Washington - "Whammy in Miami"
WHAT HAPPENED: Rare is the game that can be claimed as having been lost at the game opening coin toss. The referees, choosing to ignore common sense, seize on informal terminology by the winner of the coin toss, who instead of saying the key words “We will defer” said “We will kick off”.So, Washington gets the ball first in both halves.But they also did not TELL anyone that they were going to do that to Miami, who spent halftime preparing to go on offense instead of defense.Miami, up 14-3 at halftime, gives up an easy TD to start the second half, and then two more quick TDs, and are suddenly down 25-14, in a classic example of meltdown, Brent Musberger shouts with glee, and the 58 game home winning streak is broken.After our split title, losing to this team at this time in this manner was sickening.The flight to Rutgers the next week was the least fun of any road trip, even the old-timers were moping on their way to the plane, as the end of an era occurred.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:By either the team captain saying “we will defer”, or the Pac 10 ref UNDERSTANDING (let’s be honest, he understood, but CHOSE to screw Miami) that he meant they would receive in the second half, we get the ball to start the second half, and the huge momentum shift in the third quarter does not occur.
7. 1/1/1995 versus Nebraska - "The Osborne Strikes Back"
WHAT HAPPENED: In the third quarter, in a home game that could lead to another Miami National Championship, Warren Sapp is rolling around, having fun, and WEARING HIMSELF OUT.So when it comes time to rush the QB in the fourth quarter, he is exhausted.Nebraska rallies behind their suddenly free from pressure QB, and wins the title for themselves in OUR HOUSE.Nebraska fans still point to this as their redemption and Tom Osborne’s revenge for 1983.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:Warren Sapp, at the first sign of taking the game lightly, gets pulled.He understands the message, and is FOCUSSED the rest of the game, leading to sacks and tackles that he otherwise did not make.Miami wins, and the next day is given another National Championship.This would have allowed for a 34 game win streak on the heels of the previous 43 game winning streak, clearly making Miami the team of the century, not just of the 1980s and 1990s.The 58 game win streak, with this and the Washington game changed, would increase to 72 straight wins, From a loss to Florida on 9/7/1985 until a loss to FSU on 10/12/1996, over eleven years later. The eight straight titles unify the city, the stands in the renovated Orange Bowl are full, and assistant coaches like Coker and Shannon are given high paying jobs in the NFL.Osama Bin Laden, seeing the unity of the Miami Hurricanes, decides against attacking the World Trade Center, and peace reigns on Earth.
8. 9/9/2000 versus Washington "Bowden Charity System gets it’s excuse"
WHAT HAPPENED: On two separate TD throws by a young Kenny Dorsey, Santana Moss got the ball despite suffering from flu symptoms, and dragged his feet in the end zone, the scratch in the turf plainly visible.However, the refs called him out of bounds.You can’t find it in any recap or box score, but I remember that game clearly, and the replays showed the bad calls.Miami then has too large of a hurdle to climb, and loses to Washington.That loss, on the road, somehow is enough for the computers to give the BCS chance to FSU versus Oklahoma instead of Miami.While folks were demanding recounts in the Gore and Bush election (I know, politics!) the real injustice was being carried out by pointing to the point spread of this loss as the reason Miami was only third.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:Dorsey’s throw is just a BIT earlier on the first of those two catches, giving the refs no CHANCE to call him out of bounds.Miami doesn’t even need to WIN the game, they just need to make it so close that more pollsters vote them ahead of FSU and we go on to play Oklahoma.Anyone that saw that snorefest of a game knows that the Hurricanes would have won.In an interesting turn of events, the media catches on that the Miami Hurricanes are the good guys now, and that the Washington Huskies were the thugs in the year 2000.Butch Davis, rather than running off to Cleveland, stays to defend his title, and the Larry Coker years never happen.After Miami’s time off the national map from 1993, fans are overjoyed that Miami is back and ready for more.
9. 1/3/2003 versus OSU "The Fiasco Bowl"
WHAT HAPPENED: I know, there is ANOTHER play that catches the mind of Canes fans, and we could change that one, but I think by changing this one, we end up even happier.Ken Dorsey, spreading out the OSU defense after some finally successful inside runs, passes in the flat to Willis McGahee, leaving him open to Will Allen’s awful illegal spearing that tore out his ENTIRE knee.And not just for the sake of his NFL career.He was just getting the running game going, which was in turn opening up the pass for Dorsey.His previous three runs had been 9 (for a TD), 9, and 4 yards.Of course, this game has been voted by OSU fans as THEIR best win ever.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:McGahee, seeing the helmet coming his way, jumps over the low cheap shot, and after a flip in the air that gained him another ten yards, he trots back into the huddle.Instead of having to settle for a missed FG, McGahee and Miami score a TD to make it 21-17 and avoid a double overtime where we are at second and 1 from the 1 and throwing the ball because we have lost our running back.Butch Davis is praised for back to back titles while “doing it right”, McGahee goes into the draft healthy and lives happily ever after.With these changes, Miami’s eventual 48 straight wins surpasses their own 34 and 43 game win streaks, and peace guides the planets and love fills the stars.Virginia Tech, who would have given Miami their losses on each end of the streak, on 11/13/1999 and 11/1/2003, brag about being the only team to beat Miami for four years.Miami’s three straight titles after their previous 8 in a row and the starter in 1983 leads to an ESPN movie called “The U”, full of positive vibes and without the scandals that were in the original version.
10. 12/29/2009 versus Wisconsin "The Red Scare"
WHAT HAPPENED:Running back a punt, Craig Cooper spots an opening to the left, but as he cuts back, the poorly sodded turf under him gives out, tearing out his knee, and costing the Hurricanes their RB for the rest of the game and a TD.Miami ends up losig the game by six, and falls in the polls, as the question of “Is Miami Back?” again gets answered “No.”I know it isn’t of title contention level, but just as with McGahee, if I can go back and change the past, this ranks higher to me than the Spiller run or the UNC ints.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:The roots in that sod, thanks to the care of the groundskeeper, hold fast, the cut is successful, and Cooper blasts into the end zone.The momentum of the game shifts, after a second long run of the night, and Miami ends up just needing to get into FG range to win the game, if not already with the lead at the end.Miami’s win moves them back into the Top 10, and Randy Shannon’s contract gets signed much earlier, removing the negative recruiting option from other coaches.We get those coveted five star recruits that were swayed by the bowl loss and the missing contract.
So, there you have it. Twelve National Championships in 20 years; two fewer knee injuries; no more Brent Musburger replays in BC games; and even better recruits every year through the two complete decades of dominance.
What a team and what a special time it was. What more could a fan ask for?
You know those Gatorade commercials where they change some of the big plays in history, like a Jordan game-winner, the Clark catch, and make it look like the results have changed?Over the years, folks cheering for their teams have always claimed: "If only we had made that one play!"
But few teams in the history of college football can claim that changing 10 plays could have led to SEVEN more national championships, changed the perception of the team in the media, changed Heisman winners, and even changed the cover of Sports Illustrated.The University of Miami CAN make that claim.
Now, I call this my top ten, but I will not place them in order of importance, because they are all important in one way or another.I have also learned from bloggers Solarcane and Six that people will actually criticize your selections if you put them in order.How dare they!
Of course, there might be some big plays prior to 1979 that might have changed history, but since I am too young to know much about them, my picks are from my own recollections.While I know this might sound greedy, there were 12 titles were well within our reach, and sometimes folks forget that in praising the five we DO have.
Here are five of the top ten changes to Hurricane history:
1. 11/23/1984 versus Boston College - "Hail Flutie"
WHAT HAPPENED: You all know the play, because THEY REPLAY IT EVERY TIME WE PLAY BC!Miami has a 23-4 record versus BC, outscoring them 704 to 384, and including a 15 game, 21 year winning streak from 1985 to 2006.All anyone remembers from Miami versus BC is not the Reed INT runback, not the 52-6 blowout, but that ONE. FREAKING. PLAY.Miami had just had their defense blow an NCAA record 31-0 lead versus Maryland the previous game, and would proceed to blow a lead against UCLA in the bowl game following this one, but folks don't remember how bad the defense was at that point.They just remember a seeing-eye ball that wasn't swatted away by two guys that were right in position to make the play, but stood flatfooted as the ball passed their hands.Brent Musberger's excitement over seeing Miami lose carries over to make him root against the Canes for many years afterward.Musberger - "Flutie flushed....throws it down....caught by Boston College!!! I don't believe it!!! It's a touchdown!!!... Phelan's at the bottom of that pile!" In the highest rated regular season college football game of the year, Flutie wins the Heisman thanks to that play. It even got Flutie on Saturday Night Live!This was voted the top BC game ever by their fans.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:Daryl Fullerton takes one more step back, does NOT collide with Reggie Sutton, and knocks the ball to the ground.Musberger - "Flutie flushed....throws it down....knocked away by Fullerton!!! The Hurricanes are going wild, Fullerton's at the bottom of that pile!" The game becomes a footnote in history, one of MILLIONS of failed Hail Mary attempts.Sport Illustrated cover title is "Kosar's Komeback", Bernie Kosar wins the Heisman Trophy instead of Flutie, and the Miami Hurricanes are less disoriented to end the season, winning their bowl game versus UCLA and ending up 10-3.No, they don't win a National Championship, but it makes Canes fans suffer less every time these ACC teams meet up.
2. 1/2/1987 versus Penn State - "Duel in the Desert"
WHAT HAPPENED: The Miami Hurricanes had racked up 445 to 162 yards, but needed five more on second down for the win, against a tired defense expecting a pass, and with an awesome running back that was averaging 6.6(!) yards per carry.But instead Vinnie pulled back to pass three times, and had the three bad things that can happen on a pass occur, with a sack, an incompletion, and the game-killing interception on fourth down."I pretty much shake off interceptions," Vinnie Testaverde said. "They didn't bother me. But it's hard to throw an interception on the last (offensive) play of the game. If I had to do one play over, it would be that one."Alonzo Highsmith says: "To this day, I have no clue what happened. All I know was they weren't gonna stop me that day. I always figured I'd get one or two carries on the goal line."There was a book written just on this game, and even 20 years later, it is pointed to as the day that college football went to hell.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:"Second down, Testaverde takes the snap, hands to Highsmith, who breaks to the right and strolls in for the score; 39 seconds left, and Miami has retaken the lead!"With Penn State being run by a QB that could not throw, Miami wins, 17-14, and Jimmy Johnson is carried off the field.Miami is praised for their complete dedication to the game, looking at the game as a battle and playing hard until the very end.The media eases up on the "good versus evil" thread, and Vinnie Testaverde, like Steve Walsh in 2000, shakes off the four INTs to accept the win with grace and class.Miami doesn't have to hear about a Fiesta Bowl curse, and Penn State has their players apologize for the racist comments directed toward the Miami players.Miami has their second title, and folks are calling them the San Francisco 49ers of college ball.
3. 10/15/1988 versus Notre Dame - "Catholics versus Convicts"
WHAT HAPPENED: Even after the refs steal the ball from Miami by claiming Cleveland Gary fumbled, when he was doing what ALL good running backs do, reaching forward for the end zone as he was going down, Miami scores to make it 31-30, and decides to go for two.But Quarterback Steve Walsh doesn’t see an open man, and throws it to the outside, where it is harmlessly batted down.Miami’s lone loss and Notre Dame’s fear of a rematch on neutral territory give them an easy matchup with West Virginia instead and they take the title in 1988.Notre Dame, sensing how dangerous it is to play Miami, uses this win as a chance to drop Miami from their schedule.Notre Dame fans, in what is considered one of the most “storied” franchises in football, voted this game as the top game EVER to be seen by Touchdown Jesus.Jump two minutes in to see the play.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:It is tough to see in this replay, but Conley was open earlier as he curled out.Walsh throws it earlier, and Conley makes the catch.Miami wins, 32-31, and continues their winning streak.Steve Walsh, a Catholic BTW, for his two years of perfect football, earns the Heisman.Catholics versus Convicts gets derided as premature taunting and a reason for the loss, Notre Dame apologizes, and they choose not to cancel the series since they don’t want to be accused of quitting because of a losing streak.Miami’s win streak would have been able to go to 43 games, from the 35-7 loss to Tennessee in 1985 to the 24-10 loss to FSU in 1989, unprecedented in the modern era and against all the other top teams in the nation.
4. 9/8/1990 versus BYU - "Detmer’s Deseret Demolition"
WHAT HAPPENED: A perfect storm of overconfidence, as 1: The schedule-makers let Miami start the season on the road in BYU while BYU has a warm-up game versus UTEP first.Coaches know that the biggest improvement in a team is between their first and second game.As Edwin Pope commented afterward “Never fly 4,200 miles to play a good team at 4,500 feet — especially if they have Ty Detmer.” 2: Erickson the coach did not plan for the impact of Ty Detmer and the BYU style of offense on a team more used to facing less pass-happy offenses, and goes for it on fourth down with the lead, from their OWN 43.And 3: Erickson the quarterback listens to the hype that he is the next in the Heisman Trophy line of Miami QBs, but goes only 28 for 52 and with a COSTLY fourth quarter interception.However, that interception was not his fault.Again, BYU fans have voted this victory the best in their stadium’s history.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:Kevin Williams drags in instead of tipping that pass, and Miami ties the game up at 28.With Miami’s defense having held BYU to one first down in the fourth quarter, they get the ball back, and kick a game winning FG on the next possession.Miami would at this point have won the 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989 National Championships.Kosar, Testaverde, and Walsh would have had Heismans, and Erickson moves ahead of Detmer in this year’s race.In a year where Colorado and GT had split a title, Miami’s complete domination of Texas 46-3 sends them over the top in at least one poll, giving them a fifth straight title even with the road loss to ND still on their record.
5. 1/1/1993 versus Alabama - "Pour Some Sugar On Me"
WHAT HAPPENED: Folks remember the play where Lamar Thomas has his arm pulled back, and George Teague yanks it from his hand, but that play was a non-factor, because an off-sides penalty on Alabama brought it back.However, Alabama had scouted Miami well, including coming up with a defense for the WR shallow crossing route that won the game for us against FSU that year.Teague jumped on the throw, and ran the INT in for a touchdown to turn a 1 TD game into a 20-6 hole.To me, that was the play that spelled doom for Miami’s title chances that year.Alabama defenders went from no-names to stars thanks to this game, and it was Alabama’s last hurrah until Saban got them another title this year.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:Toretta pump fakes, dragging in the overeager Teague, and after Jonathan Harris passes him, throws for a first down, maybe more, but definitely not a demoralizing INT for a TD.He learns how to deal with the shallow pass defense, and Miami ends up winning, and because they keep winning, coach Erickson keeps the team clear of trouble.
Miami fans start talking about one for the OTHER THUMB, as we win the title in 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992.
Tragedy strikes a UM family member. I am sure that all of you at Canespace will feel the sorrow for what has happened.
Canespace blogger Loco, a UM student, rugby player and our original on campus reporter, sent us the news and the following post to summarize his feelings:
"Four members of an Orlando family on a beach vacation were killed early this morning when a drunken driver ran a red light and slammed into their car in St. Petersburg, police said.
Elroy "Roy" McConnell, 51, an accountant and triathlete, was at the wheel of a Ford Fusion about 12:45 a.m. when a speeding southbound Chevrolet Impala ran the light on MLK Street North at 22nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg police said.
McConnell, 51, and his sons, Elroy "Roy" McConnell III, 28, of Pineville, La.; Nathan McConnell, 24, of Orlando; and Kelly McConnell, 19, of Orlando were pronounced dead at the scene. The collison propelled their car into a large support beam for a sign.
All three McConnell boys graduated from University High School near the University of Central Florida and were Christian athletes who played football, said their aunt, Cheryl McConnell.
Roy III was married and had a 4-month-old son, Elroy McConnell IV. He worked for JCPenney. Nathan McConnell, an electrician, was married with a 2-year-old daughter. His brother Kelly had just finished his freshman year at the University of Miami, where he played rugby, according to his Facebook page.
The driver of the Impala, Demetrius D. Jordan, 20, was arrested on four counts of DUI manslaughter, along with DUI causing serious bodily injury and possession of alcohol by a minor. Jordan and a passenger in his car, Mario D. Robinson, 20, were taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg with serious injuries."
Ruggers,
I'm both shocked and saddened by what I have to tell you now. A fellow classmate, teammate, friend, and brother has passed away. Kelly McConnell, his two brothers, and his father were killed in a car accident last night by a drunk driver. We will send out information about services as soon as they are made available to us.
For those of you, like me, who knew Kelly, know that he was a great guy. He was smart, he was absolutely hilarious, and he was just an overall good person. If somebody needed help, he would do it without question. I know some of you were closer to him than others, but I know we will all miss him. I know it may sound cliche, but the world is a worse place without him in it.
If you were particularly close to Kelly and need somebody to talk to, know that you can count on your teammates to help you through troubled times. For those of you that weren't particularly close but know somebody that was, call them, talk to them, help them get through this.
Even if you never met Kelly, I hope you will all join me in a moment of silence for him and his family - both when you read this message and once we all get back to school. I encourage everybody to write on his wall and tell him what you thought of him, so that his girlfriend and surviving family can take some comfort in knowing how great Kelly was, and what kind of impact he had on people.
I also encourage you to add to the discussion board that is on the UM group in his honor. While I know that there is nothing that can ever make up for his loss, I personally would like to do something in his honor, so if anybody has any ideas about what we can do as a team, please let the officers and captain know (besides dedicating the season to him, because that is pretty much assured anyway).
Kelly McConnell, you will be sorely missed, and may you rest in peace...