Stellar Cornerback Play Draws Coker's Praise
April 3, 2001
Spring Football Photo GalleriesSpring Football Practice Reports
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The Miami Hurricanes practiced for 90 minutes full pads Tuesday afternoon at the Greentree Practice Fields in a session highlighted by a limited scrimmage. Head coach Larry Coker continues to be impressed with the Hurricane defense, which has thrived this spring despite debuting new starters at three positions.
“Our defense has been excellent across the board this spring and I’ve been really impressed with the play of the cornerbacks,” said head coach Larry Coker. “Mike Rumph is a known quantity around here – he’s been a special player for us for a while now – but the really impressive thing this spring has been Phillip Buchanon’s development. Those two guys have just been smothering this spring, really producing some plays for us.”
Buchanon, a junior, and Rumph, a senior, started together in seven games last season. Rumph was a Thorpe Award Watch List honoree in 2000 while Buchanon broke into the starting lineup against Florida State when incumbent starter Leonard Myers was felled by a foot injury. Buchanon remained in the lineup for the remainder of the year, garnering three interceptions including a game clinching pickoff in the Nokia Sugar Bowl win over Florida.
Miami continues the final week of spring practice Wednesday afternoon with a workout slated to begin at 3 p.m. All practices are closed to the public.
Spring practices climax with UM’s FOX Sports Net Canes Fest on Saturday at the Orange Bowl. The event will be televised on a tape-delay basis by FOX Sports Net Florida Saturday night at 10:30 p.m.. It will be rebroadcast Monday, April 9, at 3 p.m. and Thursday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m..
That event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with a scrimmage highlighting the day starting at 10:30 a.m. That day will be a fun-filled one for Miami fans as spectators can huddle up with head coach Larry Coker for a question-and-answer session before the scrimmage at 10 a.m. Ticket buyers can take part in UM’s Select-A-Seat program, where fans pick their season ticket locations for the 2001 season, and kids can enjoy Touchdown Alley. Players will sign autographs after the scrimmage, beginning at approximately 12:30 p.m. Fans also can get a tour of the Miami locker room and photos with the Heisman Trophy and National Championship trophies from the past.
For ticket information concerning Hurricanes football, contact the UM Ticket Office at (305) 284-2263 or 1-800-GO-CANES. Ticket information also may also be obtained online at www.hurricanesports.com.
