Miami Football Post Game Notes

Nov. 27, 1999

MARGIN OF VICTORY OVER SYRACUSE: Miami’s 32-point margin of victory over Syracuse marked the second largest margin of victory by the Hurricanes in the all-time series. In 1993, Miami defeated Syracuse, 49-0.

UNLUCKY 13: For the third straight season, the loser of the Miami-Syracuse game ended the game with a point total of 13. Last season, Miami lost to Syracuse, 66-13 in 1998 and 33-13 in 1997.

BIG EAST SECOND PLACE: Miami’s win, coupled with Boston College’s loss to Virginia Tech yesterday, clinches second place in the BIG EAST for the Hurricanes. Miami improves to 5-1 in conference play with a game to play next week vs. Temple. Virginia Tech (7-0 in BIG EAST) clinched the conference title.

STARTING LINEUP: On defense, Miami opened the game in an eight-man front with four linebackers starting. In addition to linebackers Chris Campbell, Dan Morgan, and Nate Webster, senior linebacker Rod Mack started. As a result, UM started the game with three defensive backs: Al Blades, Ed Reed, and Mike Rumph.

SAFETY: The Hurricanes recorded a safety in the first quarter as Syracuse had an errant snap on a punt that sailed out of the end zone. It marked the second safety on the year for Miami. The ‘Canes recorded a safety vs. Florida A&M (11/4/99) when Aaron Moser blocked a punt in the end zone.

BLOCKED PUNT: Edward Reed blocked a punt with 10:41 remaining in the second quarter. It marked Reed’s third blocked kick of his career and the second blocked punt of his season. Prior to today, Reed registered a blocked punt vs. East Tennessee State (9/5/98) and a blocked field goal at East Carolina (9/25/99). As a team, Miami has blocked five kicks this season. In Butch Davis’ 57 games as head coach of the Hurricanes, Miami has blocked 35 kicks.

PUNT RETURN FOR TD IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES: Santana Moss‘ 61-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter marked Moss’ second punt return for a TD in as many games. Last week vs. Rutgers, Moss returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown. It marked the first time a Hurricane has scored a touchdown on a punt return in back-to-back games since Kevin Williams did so in three consecutive games in 1991. Williams registered a 91-yard punt return (longest punt return in UM history) for a touchdown in Miami’s 26-20 win over Penn State on October 12, 1991. On October 19, 1991, Williams had a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter of UM’s 55-0 win over Long Beach State on October 19, 1991. Williams returned a punt 48 yards for a TD in the second quarter of a 36-9 win over Arizona on October 26, 1991.

Punt Returns for TD in Consecutive Games (1990’s):

INT RETURN FOR TD: Leonard Myers scored a touchdown on an 54-yard interception return in the second quarter. The last time a Hurricane registered a interception return for a touchdown was on October 3, 1998 when Al Blades had a 60-yard INT return for a touchdown at Rutgers on October 3, 1998. It marked Myers’ first career touchdown. The 54-yard INT return fell short of Myers’ career-long. On November 15, 1997 vs. Rutgers, Myers had a 64-yard INT return.

RETURN PARTY: The Hurricanes notched a rare feat today by registering interception and punt returns for touchdowns in the same game. The last time Miami accomplished this feat was on September 13, 1986 when Kevin McCutcheon had a 42-yard punt return for a TD and Bubba McDowell had a 30-yard interception return for a TD in Miami’s 61-11 win over Texas Tech. The last time Miami registered an interception return for a TD and a kickoff return for a TD was on November 30, 1996 vs. Syracuse. In that game, Tremain Mack had a 95-yard kickoff return for a TD and Duane Starks returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown.

DORSEY AS A STARTER: Quarterback Ken Dorsey has been very efficient as a starter. In his first career start last week vs. Rutgers, Dorsey went 19-26 for 194 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Dorsey as a Starter:

DORSEY MATCHES RECORD: With three touchdowns today, true freshman Ken Dorsey matched the UM record for touchdown passes thrown in a game by a freshman. Dorsey joins Gino Torretta, Bernie Kosar and Jim Kelly as the only freshman Hurricane quarterbacks to throw three or more touchdown in a game. The three touchdowns thrown by Dorsey sets a record for Miami true freshmen.

MIAMI FRESHMAN QBs – TOUCHDOWNS IN A SINGLE GAME

* – True Freshman

PORTIS KEEPS IT UP: With 98 rushing yards today, freshman running back Clinton Portis improved his 1999 total to 777 rushing yards. Portis’ 777 yards ranks 10th on Miami’s single-season rushing chart. Portis, who already owns the freshman rushing record, now holds the third largest single-season rushing total in the 1990’s.

Rushing Yardage – Single Season (1990’s):

MOVIN’ ON UP: Wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss each moved up the UM all-time receiving yardage chart with their performances today. With 47 receiving yards today, Wayne moved into fourth-place on the all-time list with 1,753 career yards. Moss, with 56 receiving yards today, moved into seventh place with 1,692 yards.

All-Time Receiving Yards: