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Aug. 24, 2004
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
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TELEVISION COVERAGE: Miami is slated to appear on television six times this season, including three national television appearances - at Michigan (Sept. 4 on ABC), at Marshall (Sept. 29 on ESPN2) and vs. Toledo (Nov. 2 on ESPN2). The season opener versus Indiana State is the first of two broadcasts the Miami Sports Network will produce in conjunction with WB64 (WSTR, Cincinnati) and ESPN Plus. Broadcasting the two games are MSN's own Tim Bray and Neil Dougherty. Bray will handle the play-by-play call, while Dougherty provides analysis. The second game of the package is on Oct. 23 when Miami hosts UCF at 7 p.m in a Homecoming clash.
SEASON OPENERS: The RedHawks have captured six of their last eight season openers dating back to 1996 and bring an all-time mark of 77-32-6 (.696) in lid-lifters into this weekend's game vs. Indiana State. Four of the six wins are against BCS programs - North Carolina (twice, 1998 and 2002), Northwestern (1999) and Vanderbilt (2000). This season marks the first time since a 64-6 win over Ball State in 1997 that the RedHawks open the year in Yager Stadium.
HOME OPENERS: Miami owns an 85-23-4 record in home-opening contests after knocking off the University of Cincinnati last year, 42-37. That calculates to a gaudy .777 winning percentage. The RedHawks have lost just once in their last eight home lid-lifters since 1996, running their Yager Stadium home-opening record to 12-9-0 (.571).
HOME SWEET YAGER: After a disappointing 2-3 record at Yager Stadium in 2002, the RedHawks made a point of controlling the home turf in 2003 and control it they did, posting a perfect 5-0 record and outscoring opponents 224-76. After giving up 37 points in the home opener vs. Cincinnati (Sept. 27) and 20 points to Akron (Oct. 4), Miami allowed just 19 points over the last three home games vs. Buffalo (59-3), Bowling Green (33-10), Marshall (45-6).
IN THE POLLS: After an impressive 49-28 defeat of Louisville in the GMAC Bowl, Miami University's football team rose to No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 12 in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll. Miami's No. 10 final ranking in the AP poll was its highest since the 1974 team finished 10th and matched the Red and White's highest finish ever. Miami broke into the top 25 on Nov. 9 after defeating nationally-ranked Bowling Green on national television. The RedHawks stand 31-3 all time when carrying a national ranking.
THE FEW, THE PROUD: Of 112 NCAA Division I-A football programs, Miami finished 2003 as one of only four programs in the nation to complete its season with only one loss. Joining the Red and White were national co-champions LSU and USC and Boise State. Miami, which won its last 13 games after stumbling in the season opener, owned the nation's longest winning streak in 2003.
ON A ROLL: After dropping a heartbreaking season opener at Iowa on Aug. 30, Miami was unstoppable the rest of the way, winning 13 straight - the longest active winning streak in the nation. With its win in the MAC Championship Game, the RedHawks broke the program's single-season record for wins, previously held by the 1973 and 1975 teams. With its victory in the GMAC Bowl, the RedHawks tred the program's longest winning streak at 13 games, previously established from 1972 to 1974. Miami's longest unbeaten streak extended 24 games from the final game of 1972 to the second game of 1975.
LIFE BEGINS AT 40: With his 49-28 win versus Louisville, head coach Terry Hoeppner became the sixth coach in Miami history to record 40 wins. His 40 wins are tied for fifth all-time in school history with college coaching luminary Bo Schembechler, who went on to a legendary career at Michigan, Miami's opponent next week.
NEW ARM IN TOWN: Saturday marks the starting debut of junior quarterback Josh Betts, who emerges from the shadow of Ben Roethlisberger and prepares to take control of one of the nation's highest-octane offenses. Betts, whose first career pass went for a touchdown in a 2002 win at Cincinnati, saw action in nine games last season, completing 19 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown. His most impressive performance was at UCF on Nov. 28 when he completed 10-of-14 passes for 120 yards and rushed for a touchdown. Betts, the 2000 Southwest Ohio Offensive Player of the Year as a prep, possesses a strong arm and excellent mobility, which could result in more called quarterback scrambles in 2004. He is backed up by redshirt freshman Mike Kokal, who is coming off a strong camp.
MAKING HIS OWN NAME: A second cousin to the Larkin family that includes Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin, senior Michael Larkin has been making his own name on the football field. Larkin, who will earn his Miami degree in just three and a half years, took the field in just the second game of his true freshman season and promptly hauled in three receptions for 121 yards versus Iowa. Since that time, Larkin has hauled in at least one pass in 37 consecutive games--nine short of the MAC record--on the way to becoming Miami's all-time leader in receptions (143) and receiving touchdowns (24). He currently is stalking current Detroit Lion Trevor Gaylor for the RedHawks' receiving yardage record, needing 192 yards to surpass Gaylor's record total of 2,131 yards.
THE NANCE FACTOR: If there was any player on the Miami roster that could truly claim a breakout season in 2003, it was Martin Nance, who emerged not only on a team and conference level but also on a national level. Beginning with the second game of the 2003 campaign, Nance went on a torrid run that included a RedHawk record seven 100-yard receiving days. Nance's sophomore year totals of 90 receptions for 1,498 yards shattered Miami's single-season records and his 107.0 receiving yards per game ranked fourth nationally. The Offensive MVP of the 2003 GMAC Bowl, Nance hauled in nine catches for 169 yards and a touchdown in his last contest. Armed with a 6-foot-5 frame and sub 4.4 time in the 40-yard dash, Nance's 1,498 yards ranks only behind California's Geoff McArthur among returning wide receivers in 2004.
A QUALITY STABLE: While Miami's running back corps lost its 2003 leading rusher to graduation, the stable remains well stocked. Senior Mike Smith, who saw nearly half of Miami's carries at running back last season, returns after rumbling for 802 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns, which ranked 10th nationally in 2003. Returning to the RedHawk lineup is fifth-year senior Luke Clemens, a former walk-on, who rushed for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns as Miami's leading rusher in 2002. Clemens left the second game of last season with a season-ending injury and was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA. Also in the hunt for carries is senior Adam Ciborowski, who totaled 234 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns in 2003, and redshirt freshman Brandon Murphy, who totaled a gaudy 6,982 yards and 83 touchdowns as a prep at Strongsville High School and demonstrated his burst and quickness with a 65-yard touchdown run in the fall Red-White Scrimmage.
AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL: The veteran of the offensive line is third-year starter Todd Londot, who has emerged as one of the nation's top centers. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 300 lbs., the amazingly agile lineman has a 30-inch vertical leap and has been rumored to throw down a 360-dunk. Last season, Londot, who has been named to the 2004 watch lists for both the Rimington and Outland Trophies, made only one bad exchange at center despite the fact that nearly 70 percent of Miami's plays were run from the shotgun.
BUILDING FROM SCRATCH: While many schools prefer to recruit 300-pound offensive linemen, Miami has taken a different approach. With the guidance of RedHawk strength & conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple, the Red and White has focused its recruiting efforts on recruiting athletic linemen and tight ends with big frames. The weight then comes from the individuals' extensive work in Dalrymple's program. The average weight of Miami's current starting offensive line when it signed with the program was a meager 257 lbs., with only Dave Rehker weighing in at more than 265 pounds. Today the RedHawk line averages a lofty 299 lbs. per man--and average gain of 42 lbs. per player--but still possesses the mobility to handle a variety of roles within the offense.
TAKING THE REINS: Taking over the reins of the Miami defense this season are co-defensive coordinators Joe Palcic and Brian George. The pair shares coordinator duties while Palcic focuses on the defensive secondary and George oversees the defensive line. In 2003, the duo helped re-energize a Miami defense that ended the year 26th in the country, allowing 329.5 yards per game.
DOMINATING "D": Miami's defense became the talk of the MAC in 2003. Over the final three months, the RedHawks reduced their yards allowed from 360.3 yards per game to 341.1 ypg. Much of that improvement can be credited to Miami making opposing offenses one-dimensional by taking away the run. The RedHawks' run defense was tops in the MAC and among the top 20 in the nation, holding opponents to 111.6 yards a game and to less than 70 yards in six of the last 13 games (Northwestern - 41, Colorado State - 39, Akron - 47, Ball State - 29, Kent State - 68, UCF - 22).
THE HEART OF IT ALL: As has often been the case in Miami's illustrious football history, the heart of the defense is a linebacking corps that is anchored by a trio of explosive juniors. Outside linebackers John Busing and Terna Nande, both starters in 2003, are coming off remarkable true sophomore seasons in which their big plays often set the tone for the entire team. Nande, a second team all-MAC selection in 2003, ranked fifth in the MAC with 20 tackles for loss while totaling 109 tackles and also nabbing four interceptions. Busing, who was equally impressive, led all linebackers nationally with five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, and made 101 tackles. The lone newcomer in the linebacking corps really isn't a newcomer at all, as junior middle linebacker Derek Rehage saw extensive playing time in 2003. Named the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after Miami's defeat of Buffalo, Rehage started two games last season and finished the year with 58 tackles, three quarterback sacks and an interception.
A FINE LINE: On the defensive line, Miami must replace graduated defensive ends Phil Smith and Will Stanley, who posted 18 of the RedHawks' 36 sacks, but it returns a talented trio of defensive tackles that started all of its games in 2003. Last season, the trio of Larry Burt, John Glavin and Will Rueff were almost interchangeable for the RedHawks, combining for 130 tackles and 19 tackles for loss while spearheading a run defense that was the stingiest in the MAC. Glavin led the way during a breakout season, totaling 55 tackles, 11 stops for loss and eight quarterback hurries.
THE MEANS TO AN END: While the defensive tackle position possesses great experience and depth, the RedHawks are relying on a young group of defensive ends to rise to the occasion in 2004. Juniors Jarrod Rich and Marcus Johnson break from camp as starters. Rich--a big, powerful end--saw action in all 14 games last year and made 24 tackles as a special teams contributor and reserve on the defensive line, while Johnson played at both ends. Sophomore Tranaine Sills provides the RedHawks with even more skill at the position, using his quick first step to provide pressure on the quarterback. Sills played as a true freshman last season and recorded six quarterback sacks. Supplying depth are junior redshirt freshmen Craig Mester, who impressed with his quickness in the spring, and Jerome Bennett, a converted linebacker.
BACKIN' IT ALL UP: Arguably Miami's most improved area in 2003 was its pass defense, where it returns all four starters at corner back and safety. Anchoring the corners for the Red and White are the speedy duo of senior Alphonso Hodge and junior Darrell Hunter, who both were clocked at under 4.4 in the 40-yard dash during the offseason. Hodge emerged as a shutdown corner in 2003, breaking up nine passes and totaling 47 tackles while typically covering the opposing team's top receiver. Hunter made great strides during his true sophomore campaign, picking off four passes, breaking up 10 more and notching 43 tackles. Returning for his fourth season as Miami's starting strong safety, senior Matt Pusateri is coming off a career-high 141 tackles in 2003 and is on the verge of becoming one of Miami's Top 10 all-time tacklers. The Defensive MVP of the 2003 GMAC Bowl, Pusateri is backed up by sophomore Joey Card, who earned his first letter last season and emerged during the offseason. Junior Steve Burke returns as Miami's starting free safety after totaling 100 tackles and 10 pass deflections in 2003. He'll battle with truesophomore Jerrid Gaines, who impressed with his speed during the spring and is expected to see extensive playing time.
THE AMAZING MR. ROBINSON: After a remarkable true freshman campaign in which he ranked second nationally behind LSU's Skyler Green in punt return average (17.2 ypr), even bigger and better things are expected of sophomore Ryne Robinson this season. Last season, Robinson racked up Miami and MAC records of 654 punt return yards, including three punt returns for touchdowns. He is just 348 yards shy of surpassing the MAC's record for career punt return yardage. Robinson's role is expanding this season to kickoff returns, where Miami ranked near the bottom of the league in 2003, and he's also taking over as the RedHawks' place kicker. An outfielder and second baseman on Miami's MAC East Champion baseball team, the versatile Robinson also is a talented pianist and is learning to play the drums.
GREASY, FAST SPEED: Miami's coaching staff is hoping pure speed is the anecdote for solving the team's 2003 kickoff return woes. The RedHawks averaged a league worst15.6 yards per kick return in 2003 and are looking to improve upon that opening field position in 2004. Junior Darrell Hunter, who returned a team-high 12 punts in 2003, joins Ryne Robinson, Miami's punt returner in 2003, to form arguably the fastest kickoff return tandem in program history. Hunter a former Ohio track and field sprint champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes is the fastest player in program history with a scorching 4.25 time in the 40-yard dash, while Robinson has improved his 40-yard dash time to a simmering 4.30.
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