Football Squad Has High Expectations for 1999
Aug. 17, 1999
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP)- The Miami Hurricanes caught a break from Hurricane Georges last year.
Without Georges’ late-September threat to the South Florida coastline, the still-maturing Hurricanes would have faced UCLA in the season’s third week. Instead, Miami upset the Bruins on the regular season’s final day.
The euphoria from that victory still reverberates through the Miami program.
“The UCLA game gave us momentum,” All-Big East guard Richard Mercier said. “That made us say we can establish ourselves again. We can hold our heads high.”
It was only a year ago that players openly wondered what happened to the Miami mystique after three years of scholarship sanctions imposed by the NCAA. These days, the Hurricanes talk of reclaiming their place among college football’s elite — and more.
“Most of us have been together three years,” linebacker Dan Morgan said. “Our goal is the national championship. That’s definitely attainable.”
Miami nearly won the Big East title last year until being crushed by Syracuse 66-13. Things didn’t look encouraging with then-No. 3 UCLA up next, but the Hurricanes rallied from a 17-point deficit to stun the Bruins 49-45.
A 46-23 Micron PC Bowl win over North Carolina State completed a 9-3 season, and the Hurricanes enter 1999 ranked 12th in the AP preseason poll.
“That (UCLA) game gave us a huge shot of confidence,” coach Butch Davis said. “It was truly a gift.”
The Hurricanes return 17 starters, including 10 on defense. Davis’ biggest concern will be replacing Edgerrin James, who owns Miami’s single-season rushing record, and the rest of the offensive backfield.
Most of the focus is on Kenny Kelly, a sophomore touted as the next in the Hurricane tradition of high-octane quarterbacks. He already is featured in promotional material.
“That surprised me,” Kelly said. “But I’ve dealt with pressure all my life. That’s why I came to this university.”
As Scott Covington’s backup last season, Kelly completed 23 of 43 passes for 433 yards and five touchdowns. A talented athlete who plays minor league baseball during the summer, his scrambling ability also has big-play potential.
“He brings such a wide range of possibilities, perhaps the best since Vinny Testaverde,” Davis said. “He has size, a strong arm, he can move around. . . . We feel like he has a chance to throw for 3,500 or 4,000 yards this season.”
An experienced group of receivers includes four juniors who have played key roles since their freshman years. Reggie Wayne led the team in receptions each of the past two years, though he is coming off knee surgery. Santana Moss, Daryl Jones and Andre King complete the quartet. Daniel Franks, another junior, starts at tight end.
James’ early departure for the NFL, where Indianapolis selected him fourth in the draft, should be eased by the return of James Jackson and Najeh Davenport.
Despite James’ emergence, the duo combined to rush for 937 yards and 11 TDs last year on just 137 carries. Jackson gets the first call, but he wants to make sure Davenport gets ample time.
“If we can score quickly and I can rack the yards up on 15 carries, we can get Najeh in,” he said.
Mondriel Fulcher, a converted tight end with 17 catches last year, moves to fullback in place of the departed Nick Williams.
Mercier and tackle Joaquin Gonzalez, last season’s Big East freshman of the year, head an offensive line that returns four of five starters. More importantly, experienced backups return at every spot.
The defense is emphasizing aggression this year under new coordinator Greg Schiano, a former Chicago Bears assistant brought in to install a more attack-oriented scheme.
Linebackers Dan Morgan and Nate Webster, who finished 1-2 in the Big East in tackles, anchor the defense. Combined with Michael Smith, the trio could be Miami’s best since Darrin Smith, Micheal Barrow and Jesse Armstead in the early 1990s.
Tackles Damione Lewis and Matt Sweeney and end Quincy Hipps return on the defensive line, though Davis expects to rotate a half-dozen or more players in Schiano’s new scheme.
“Miami developed a reputation for many years as having one of the most dominant defensive lines in the country,” Davis said. “For the first time since I’ve been here, we may have a defensive line reminiscent of what we had in the ’80s.”
The secondary, hampered by injuries and youth last year, should benefit from the experience this year. Al Blades and Edward Reed are solid at safety, with Leonard Myers, Markese Fitzgerald and Delvin Brown competing at cornerback.
The early schedule is challenging, starting with the Kickoff Classic Aug. 29 against Ohio State. Miami also faces Penn State and Florida State by the second week of October, then plays seven straight Big East games.
“I’ve been talking to Paul (Dee, athletic director) as to which game we need to have the hurricane and move to the end of the season,” Davis quipped.
