Jan 1, 2002
By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Miami’s Clinton Portis relives the high-speed car crashdaily. Not by choice. Every time he looks in a mirror, he can’t help but noticethe 2-inch scar just above his right eye.
It’s a constant reminder of how fortunate he’s been.
“I could not be here or I could not be able to walk or see or anything,”said Portis, the Hurricanes’ rushing tailback. “I could have missed all ofthis. … Just to be alive makes this season and everything else moreprecious.”
A national championship would make it even more special. No. 1 Miami playsNo. 4 Nebraska in the Rose Bowl on Thursday, and the outcome could affectwhether Portis returns for his senior season.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him leave, especially considering thesuccess he had this season.
Portis ran for 1,200 yards, the third-best mark in school history, and movedinto fourth place on Miami’s all-time rushing list with 2,523 yards. He alsohad eight 100-yard games, giving 14 for his career to tie the school recordheld by Edgerrin James.
It was a strong season for a running back who shared playing time for thethird consecutive year, almost quit football a year ago, then walked away fromthe crash in July.
“He’s been through a lot, so it’s nice to see things really work out forhim,” tackle Joaquin Gonzalez said. “He runs hard and gets the most out ofanything you give him.”
Especially opportunities
Portis had 25 or more carries only twice this season, sharing time withtalented freshmen Frank Gore and Willis McGahee. Portis spent his first twoseasons splitting time with James Jackson.
With fullback Najeh Davenport out, the Hurricanes might rely even more onPortis.
He ran 34 times for 124 yards against Virginia Tech and hopes to get as manycarries against the Cornhuskers – especially after watching Colorado run for380 yards in a 62-36 win over Nebraska in November.
“Watching Nebraska and Colorado, it’s exciting but also scary because youknow Nebraska’s going to make adjustments and have another defense to stop therun,” he said. “But if they don’t make those adjustments, then we’ll be ableto expose the defense like Colorado did.”
Portis always has been one of the team’s most confident and outspokenplayers, and he’s always backed it up.
He set the school’s freshman rushing record with 838 yards in 1999 despiteplaying behind Jackson, and was on pace for an even bigger season last yearwhen he broke three toes in practice and missed three games.
The injury set prevented him from competing for the starting job, eventhough he had a higher yards-per-carry average than Jackson.
“It got to the point where I was thinking, ‘Is this worth it?’ I thoughtabout quitting,” he said.
Portis returned this season in the best shape of his career, having escapedserious injury just days before the start of fall practice.
Portis and teammates Jarrett Payton and Clint Hurtt were taken to a Miamihospital after Payton’s BMW convertible hit a wall and spun out of control.
Police said the driver, Hurtt, was speeding. None of the players was wearinga seatbelt, and all were ejected from the car. They suffered minor cuts andbruises.
Portis says it could have been much worse.
“If I would have had my seatbelt on, I would have been stuck in that carand probably dead,” he said.
Now he uses the accident as motivation on the field, not wanting to wastewhat he believes is a second chance. He has five consecutive 100-yard games andexpects another against Nebraska.
“Pretty much all you’ve got to do is give him a little hole and he’ll skateright through there and break it,” tackle Bryant McKinnie said.
Which is one reason he might be leaving early for the NFL, especially if theHurricanes win the Rose Bowl and the national championship.
“This could be my last game, but only if it’s time for me to go to theNFL,” he said.