Miami Game Notes
Sept. 26, 1999
MIAMI VS. EAST CAROLINA
9-25-99 — RALEIGH, NC
TONIGHT’S CAPTAINS: Tonight’s captains for the Hurricanes were junior safety Al Blades, junior cornerback Leonard Myers, junior wide receiver Aaron Moser, junior fullback Will McPartland, and junior wide receiver Reggie Wayne.
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY: Tonight marked Butch Davis’ 50th game as head coach of the Hurricanes.
TRUE FROSH AT TAILBACK: True freshman Clinton Portis made his first career start tonight at tailback for the ‘Canes. Portis became the first true freshman tailback to start at Miami since 1995 and only the third true freshman to start at tailback since 1975. True freshman Dyral McMillan made two starts in 1995. McMillan started vs. Rutgers on October 14, 1995 and later against Temple on October 28, 1995. Prior to McMillan, the last true freshman to start at tailback at UM was Ottis Anderson (10/4/75 vs. Nebraska). Tonight, Portis started in place of junior James Jackson (high right ankle sprain).
PORTIS MAKES MARK: Clinton Portis rushed for more yards tonight than any other true freshman running back in the modern era of UM history. He also became the first true freshman to rush for over 100 yards since Edgerrin James came off the bench to rush for 105 vs. Temple on October 28, 1995.
Most Single Game Rushing Yards by a UM True Freshman – Since 1980
Clinton Portis 147 yards at East Carolina, 9/25/99Edgerrin James 123 yards at Boston College, 11/11/95Leonard Conley 120 yards vs. Cincinnati 10/24/87Edgerrin James 105 yards vs. Temple, 10/28/95
CAPSHAW’S THE PUNTER: Sophomore Freddie Capshaw made his first career start tonight at punter. Capshaw had seven punts for 294, including a career-long 52 yarder in the fourth quarter. Four of Capshaw’s seven punts fell inside the 20-yard line.
WAYNE RETURNS TO PAYDIRT: Reggie Wayne’s first quarter touchdown marked the first TD by the junior since scoring two touchdowns vs. Virginia Tech on September 19, 1998, 12 games ago. Of note: Wayne did miss the last three games of 1998 with a left ACL injury.
BLOCK PARTY: Ed Reed’s blocked punt in the first quarter marked the fourth blocked kick this season and the 34th blocked kick in Coach Butch Davis’ 50 games at Miami. It was Reed’s first career blocked kick.
MORE CAREER FIRSTS: Senior Jeff Popovich registered his first career INT in the second quarter?Redshirt freshman Jamaal Green recorded his first career sack in the second quarter?Junior fullback Wilbur Valdez registered his first career reception in the fourth quarter.
CROSLAND CONNECTS: Andy Crosland matched his career high for both field goals made and by going 3-4 tonight. Crosland went 3-3 at Memphis in 1996 and vs. Rutgers in 1997. The performance at Memphis came in his first career game.
A RARE OCCURANCE: For only the second time over the last 157 games (over 14 years), the Hurricanes lost a game which they led after three quarters. Over this span, the only other loss while leading after three quarters 28-17 loss to West Virginia on 9/27/97.
INJURY REPORT: Tailback James Jackson did not start due to a high right ankle sprain, but entered the game with just over 3:28 point of the third quarter?Linebacker Dan Morgan was taken to the locker room to receive five stiches in his forehead in the first quarter, but did return to the game thereafter to lead Miami with 12 tackles (8 solo)?Defensive tackle Damione Lewis left the game with a right knee sprain in the first quarter.
