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19
Miami
Tired of looking more like chumps than champs,
the Hurricanes believe this is the year they turn things
around
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Covington will
direct a talented but callow supporting
cast.
(Mike
Dehoog/TDP)
|
When Miami
quarterback Scott Covington worked out this summer, lifting
weights and running laps through the oppressive South
Florida heat with his teammates, he frequently talked about
an incident that occurred on
Sept. 27 of last year, a day that will live in infamy among the
Hurricanes. That afternoon, during Miami's game against
West Virginia, a plane flew by towing this message for coach
Butch Davis above the Orange Bowl:
FROM NATIONAL CHAMPS TO NATIONAL CHUMPS!
THANKS
BUTCH! As the plane passed out of sight, you could almost see
the mystique of Hurricanes football disappearing with it
into the clear, blue sky over
Miami.
"We've talked about that banner a lot," says
Covington, a fifth-year senior. "It has motivated us
by serving as a reminder of how embarrassing last season
was."
True, the halcyon days of golden-armed quarterbacks,
Heisman
Trophies and national titles are over for the
Hurricanes—at least for now. Last year Miami finished
5-6, its first losing season since 1979. Worse, the
Hurricanes were at times laughably bad, as when they lost
47-0 to Florida State and 21-17 to that
powerhouse Pittsburgh. Yet for the first time since Davis was hired
in January 1995, there's reason for hope in Coral Gables.
Fifteen true freshmen got valuable playing time last
season, and the probation and scholarship reductions that
Davis inherited have
finally been removed. This year Miami signed its first full class
of recruits (25) in five years. This all translates into
program building, which doesn't take long when you're
located in a region that breeds some of the best high
school talent in the country
and you have a charismatic coach like Davis. "There are no more excuses," says
Davis. "Whatever we do now reflects
directly on us. I look forward to that
challenge."
That challenge will be made easier if Covington, a high
school All-America at Dana Hills (Calif.) High, can live up
to the hype that has followed him since he enrolled in
1994. Though he's blessed with beautiful mechanics and a
strong arm, Covington failed to win the starting job in any
of his first three seasons. Distressed over his lack of
playing time, he quit the Hurricanes in January 1996 and
returned only after Davis, citing the lack of scholarship
players on the roster, refused to release him from his
commitment to Miami. "I didn't understand at the time
why he wouldn't let me leave, but it has worked out,"
says Covington, who appeared in nine games last season and
completed 45% of his passes.
"Hopefully I can help this team get back into
the
elite."
The return to glory won't happen this year, but Miami has
an enviable foundation of experienced underclassmen, along
with junior tailback Edgerrin James, who is one of only
three backs in Hurricanes history to rush for more than
1,000 yards in a
season. Sophomore wideouts Reggie Wayne and Daryl Jones constitute
one of the best young pass-catching duos in the nation.
Sophomores Damione Lewis, a defensive tackle, and Dan
Morgan, a linebacker, are
All-Americas-in-waiting.
"This is the year we start our climb back to the
top," says Davis. "You have to have a lot of
seniors to win a national title, and in 1999 we'll have
23." Davis stops here. He makes no bold predictions,
but if he can pull off big things in '99, there
will be a pilot out there with some crow
to eat. —Lars Anderson
Fast Facts
1997 record: 5-6 (3-4, tied for 5th in Big
East)
Final ranking: unranked
| 1997 Averages | Offense | Defense |
| Scoring | 28.5 | 25.9 |
| Rushing Yards | 170.0 | 219.9 |
| Passing Yards | 222.2 | 177.3 |
| Total Yards | 392.2 | 397.2 |
|
Pivotal Players
Sophomore
Al
Blades, the younger brother of former Miami stars Bennie and
Brian, has fully recovered from reconstructive surgery on
his left knee, which sidelined him for the 1997
season....
Reggie
Wayne set a school record for freshmen last
season with 48 receptions, breaking the old mark set by
Michael Irvin (46 catches in 1985). Wayne figures to be a
prominent receiver again this
season.
Key Games
Schedule strength: 43rd of
112
Oct. 10 vs. Florida State
Another
embarrassing loss would severely hamstring Butch Davis in the Sunshine
State recruiting war.
Nov. 28 at Syracuse
Before last season's 33-13 setback, Miami hadn't lost to
the Orangemen since
'79.
Bottom Line
Davis is moving in the right direction. Even so, it'll be
at least a year before the Hurricanes spend New Year's on
the
road.
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