 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
After taking the nation by storm last season, the defending champions haven't lost any of their ferocity By Kelley King
For guiding a defense that yielded the fewest points (9.4 per game) of any team in the nation last year, Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon won the Broyles Award, given annually to college football's top assistant. A few months ago his returning defensive linemen came by Shannon's office and pointed at the trophy, which was displayed prominently on a shelf.
"You've gotta take that home, Coach," they said. "But it's a testament to you guys," Shannon said. "That's why you have to take it home," one of his charges answered. "It's time to move forward." The Hurricanes may be coming off a 12-0 season and a 37-14 win over Nebraska in the Rose Bowl, but they continue to show little of the braggadocio displayed by Miami's great teams of the 1980s. Instead, as they look ahead to a schedule packed with Alps-like obstacles that include games against Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, most players acknowledge that a national championship repeat requires redoubled dedication. "The thing that surprised me most about these players and coaches was their eagerness to get to work the day after the Rose Bowl," says Larry Coker, who last year became the first rookie coach in 53 years to lead his team to a national championship. "They understand the danger of resting on our laurels." The Hurricanes also know they have some rebuilding to do. They lost 12 starters, three of whom were early NFL draft entries. Only senior center Brett Romberg is back from the gifted offensive line that was the foundation of the offense, which set a school record by scoring 43.2 points per game. The secondary that held opponents to 138.2 passing yards per game (second fewest in the nation) is gone, replaced by a jumble of underclassmen who collectively have zero starts. The biggest void, however, may have been left by senior linebacker Chris Campbell, whose death in a car crash last February cast a pall over the team's spring sessions. "We all sat around after the funeral and thought about what Chris would want us to do this season," says senior defensive tackle Jerome McDougle. "His desire to win gives us a special reason to succeed." Despite its losses, Miami shouldn't fall far, as the Hurricanes have no shortage of marquee players. In anticipation of diminished protection, 6'5" senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Ken Dorsey (who has already passed for a school-record 58 touchdowns) has added muscle to his lanky frame through intense workouts, hearty breakfasts and second helpings of roommate Romberg's pasta with homemade marinara sauce. Slippery sophomore tailback Frank Gore (9.1 yards per carry), who shredded his right ACL in a March practice, should be back on the field by Oct. 1. In his absence, capable backups Willie McGahee and Jarrett Payton will share the running duties. On what could be the country's deepest defensive line, no fewer than eight players are in hot competition for places in the starting rotation. McDougle, who had 48 quarterback hurries last year, is not the only star on the line. Senior tackle William Joseph (10 sacks, 22 tackles for losses) has quietly become one of the best run-stoppers in the nation. "Each of the eight gets 35 plays in every practice," says Shannon. "They're not very boisterous, but they are all quick, powerful and they're perfectionists." Topping a near-flawless season will be tough, but the Hurricanes believe that it can be done. A superior coaching staff and a still-abundant array of talent give Miami as good a title shot as anyone. If these relatively quiet and unassuming Hurricanes can make some noise in tone-setting games (starting with a Sept. 7 brawl at Florida), they could have more trophies to put on the shelf come next January. Issue date: August 12, 2002 |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
