No. 1 Miami Turns to Young Receivers
Sept 7, 2001
By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP) – Miami receivers Andre Johnson and Kevin Beard expect to seesome familiar defensive schemes against Rutgers.
Johnson and Beard, both sophomores, were part on the Hurricanes’ offensivescout team in 1999 – facing Greg Schiano’s defense every day. Schiano spent twoyears as Miami’s defensive coordinator before leaving in November to take thehead coaching job at Rutgers.
“Nobody knows better than I do how good Miami is,” Schiano said.
Although Johnson and Beard have just 10 career catches between them, theyhave emerged as starters for the top-ranked Hurricanes (1-0). Already tired oftalking about their inexperience, Johnson and Beard are ready to start hearingabout their talent.
They might not have to wait very long, either. Miami plays host to Rutgers(1-0) on Saturday at the Orange Bowl. The ‘Canes have outscored the ScarletKnights 119-6 the last two years.
“It’s just a matter of us going out every week and making plays thatreceivers are supposed to,” Beard said. “We have to take it upon ourselves todo a little more. If we do that, who knows what people will start talkingabout.”
The Hurricanes began the season with concern about the young receiving corpsand whether they could replace first-round NFL draft picks Santana Moss andReggie Wayne.
Miami’s 33-7 win over Penn State last week offered some insight.
Johnson had four receptions for 69 yards, one more catch than he had in 11games last season. Beard caught three passes for 76 yards, including a47-yarder from quarterback Ken Dorsey.
Ethenic Sands and Jason Geathers caught deep balls, too, helping Dorseyfinish 20-of-27 for a career-high 344 yards with three touchdown passes.
“The big question this season was the wideouts,” first-year coach LarryCoker said. “We felt we had running backs, we felt our offensive line could begood and, of course, we knew about Ken Dorsey. But I think you saw someglimpses of where we can be with the wide receivers.”
There were glimpses of inexperience, too.
Dorsey found Beard wide open down the sideline and threw him a perfect passthat would have covered at least 45 yards – and might have been a touchdown.But Beard bobbled the ball into the arms of Penn State defensive back BruceBranch.
It was Dorsey’s only interception.
“Everybody I know and everybody I run into, they won’t let me forget it,”Beard said. “I took it real hard. But being a receiver, you can’t let one playget you down. If you let one play get you down, you might as well call it offfor the rest of the season.”
Beard said he lost the ball in the lights, but he didn’t get a chance togive Dorsey an explanation. After the turnover, Dorsey quickly found Beard onthe bench and offered encouragement.
“Stuff like that is going to happen with a younger group of receivers,”Dorsey said. “He apologized and I said, ‘I’m not going to stop throwing youthe ball, that’s for sure.”‘
Beard caught two passes after the fluke interception, and was named astarter this week to replace senior Daryl Jones, who has a sprained ligament inhis right knee. Jones might not play next week against No. 15 Washington.
“Some younger guys will have to step up,” Beard said.
