Canespace: When The Wolfpack Comes To Town

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After spending three of the first four weeks of the 2012 season on the road this week your Miami Hurricanes get to enjoy some home cooking as they take on North Carolina State at Sun Life Stadium at noon on Saturday. It will be the 14th all-time meeting between the programs, with UM owning a 7-5-1 series edge. However, the Wolfpack has won the last two meetings.

Here are some more quick facts about the Hurricanes coming out of big win against Georgia Tech and headin into their showdown with the Wolfpack:

• Miami and NC State have not met on the gridiron since Nov. 29, 2008 — the longest stretch between two meetings for Miami’s ACC opponents.

• Since joining the ACC in 2004, the Hurricanes are a 35-31 in conference play and are 1-2 against NC State during that span.

• Freshman RB Duke Johnson has 838 all-purpose yards through four games, the national leader in that category. He is on pace for 2,514 yards in 12 games. The single-season all-purpose mark at Miami is 2,102 by Willis McGahee in 2002.

• Eight of Miami’s 20 scoring drives this season have needed less than two minutes.

• For the second consecutive week, a Miami RB scored four touchdowns in a game. Against Bethune-Cookman, Duke Johnson had two rushing, one receiving and one kickoff return for scores. At Georgia Tech, Mike James rushed for three touchdowns and added another on a receiving score. The Canes are the only team in the nation to have two different players score four touchdowns in a game.

• Junior QB Stephen Morris threw for a career-high 436 yards in Miami’s 42-36 road win at Georgia Tech. Morris is the first UM quarterback to throw for 400+ yards since 2002 and it was the most passing yards by a UM QB since Gino Torretta’s 485 yards against San Diego State in 1991.

NC STATE SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday will mark the 14th series meeting, which dates back to 1939. Miami leads the all-time series, 7-5-1, but NC State has won the last two meetings by a combined score of 57-44.

• Miami and NC State have only met three times as ACC members, with the Wolfpack holding a 2-1 advantage in the ACC-only series.

• No active player on Miami’s roster has faced NC State.

A WIN BY MIAMI WOULD...

• Give the Hurricanes their first three-game winning streak under Al Golden and first since the 2009 season.

• Give the Hurricanes a 2-0 record on the season at Sun Life Stadium.

• Give the Hurricanes their first 3-0 ACC start since 2004 — the first season in the conference.

• Give the Hurricanes their first 4-1 start to the season since 2009.

QUICK HITS

• Through four games, 17 freshmen have seen action for the Miami Hurricanes, including 14 true freshmen.

• Five freshmen have started at least one game for the Miami Hurricanes — true freshman RT Ereck Flowers, true freshman RB Duke Johnson, true freshman WR Malcolm Lewis, true freshman S Deon Bush and redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson.

• Junior QB Stephen Morris ranks fourth among ACC quarterbacks in passing yards per game (267.2) and fifth in total offense (274.5).

• Freshman DE Tyriq McCord and DE Anthony Chickillo are tied for fifth in the ACC and tied for 91st nationally in sacks per game (.50). Chickillo is also tied for first in the ACC with .50 fumble recoveries per game.

• Nearly 70 of Miami’s 2012 roster hails from Florida (67 players), including 21 that hail from Miami-Dade County.

PLENTY OF OPTIONS

• Miami has 14 different players that have at least one reception in the first four games of the season.

• Allen Hurns, Rashawn Scott, Phillip Dorsett, Clive Walford, Malcolm Lewis, Duke Johnson, Davon Johnson, Mike James, Asante Cleveland, Kendal Thompkins, Eduardo Clements, Dyron Dye, Maurice Hagens and Herb Waters each have at least one grab through two games.

• Sophomore WR Phillip Dorsett leads UM with 21 receptions and 273 receiving yards this season.

MR. JAMES’ CAREER DAY

• Through the first three games of the season, senior RB Mike James had not found the end zone. In Miami’s 42-36 OT road win at Georgia Tech, James scored four times, including three rushing scores and the 25-yard game-winning scamper in overtime. James finished with 15 rushes for a career-high 89 yards and three scores. He also added a 10-yard TD reception.

• James became the second Hurricane in as many weeks to record four TDs in a game. Freshman RB
Duke Johnson accomplished the feat against Bethune-Cookman. Prior to last week, the last UM player to score four times was Tyrone Moss in 2005 against North Carolina.