'Business as usual'

Confident, not cocky, 'Canes arrive at Fiesta Bowl

Only 25 of Miami's players arrived via the team's chartered plane. AP

PHOENIX (AP) -- When No. 1 Miami came to the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, the players came off the plane wearing camouflage fatigues and a combative attitude.

This year's Hurricanes arrived at Sky Harbor International Airport on Friday in Miami green sweat suits -- no arrogance, just the calm confidence of a program on a 34-game winning streak.

"We're really not a fatigues-type team," coach Larry Coker said. "We are business as usual. We have a tremendous task ahead of us. I don't think fatigues are going to help us prepare and have a chance to beat Ohio State."

If those long-ago 'Canes had a thuggish image, the modern version is far different.

"The big thing I can speak to on this team is I think we do have character," Coker said at a brief airport news conference. "That's something that's very special."

After last year's national championship, Coker spoke to his returning players about how they had a chance to repeat and "and why maybe some of the other teams didn't repeat."

Wilfork returns to practice PHOENIX (AP) -- Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork practiced with No. 1 Miami on Friday for the first time since his second family tragedy of the season. Wilfork's mother's died Dec. 16, five weeks after suffering a stroke. Her death added to an already difficult year for the 6-foot-2, 350-pound sophomore whose father died in June from kidney failure as a result of diabetes. "I'm doing good," Wilfork said. "There are things I dealt with, but I'm over that right now and I'm ready to play football. I know that's what she would want me to do. I'll be a lot better as the days go along." Wilfork, who leads the Hurricanes with 15 tackles for losses and 29 quarterback hurries, missed a week of practice to be with his family. Even though head coach Larry Coker said Wilfork had fallen behind in conditioning, he expects the lineman to contribute against No. 2 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. "He's been away from it for a little longer than the other guys," Coker said. "It's going to take him a little longer to get back in it, but we've got as full week before we play. He'll be fine." While Wilfork returned, two starters missed the team's first practice in Arizona on Friday afternoon. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Jamaal Green were not expected to arrive until Friday night. Vilma had prior permission to arrive late, Coker said, and Green was delayed by winter storms in his hometown in New Jersey.

"That was about being unselfish," Coker said. "And I think this is a very unselfish team. That's a big reason why we're here and have the opportunity that we have."

As was the case when No. 2 Ohio State arrived on Thursday, the No. 1 Hurricanes were greeted by a mariachi band and dozens of yellow-jacketed Fiesta Bowl officials as they climbed off the plane onto a red carpet.

Only 25 players were on board the chartered plane. After getting the Christmas holiday off, the rest were arriving on their own. The team practiced Friday at Scottsdale Community College.

Coker has been asked why the Hurricanes don't seem more excited as they seek to become the first repeat national champions since Nebraska in 1994-95 and just the second since Alabama in 1978-79.

"Well, you know, the game is a week away, so we don't want to be too hyped up too soon," he said, "but our players will be ready to play."

The Hurricanes will be allowed to mix business with pleasure in the days leading to the Jan. 3 national championship showdown at Sun Devil Stadium.

"This is a reward for our players. I want this to be a great college experience," Coker said. "This is not life or death. When it's time to have fun, we'll have fun. When it's time to practice, we're going to be focused in between the lines and we're going to practice hard."

Coker is 24-0 as a head coach at Miami. The Hurricanes are 0-3 in Fiesta Bowls. One of those streaks won't last beyond the next week, and oddsmakers rate Miami a double-digit favorite to end its Fiesta drought.

The Big East already is off to a good start, with Boston College winning the Motor City Bowl and Pittsburgh the Insight Bowl on Thursday. The performance adds weight to Coker's insistence that his conference no longer is loaded with pushovers. Still to come are West Virginia against Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl on Saturday and Virginia Tech against Air Force in the San Francisco Bowl on New Year's Eve.

Miami will try to cap it by winning the biggest of them all. "There's a chance it could be a very good bowl season for the Big East," Coker said. "I think the teams have a chance to win every game."

 

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