Post-Game Notes From Miami at Temple
Sept. 15, 2002
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI FOOTBALL POST-GAME NOTES
MIAMI AT TEMPLE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2002
COKER NOW 15-0 AS A HEAD COACH
Miami head coach Larry Coker improved to 15-0 as a head coach with the victory today. Coker’s start at Miami is the best of any first-time head coach in the “modern era” of college football (post-1950) for wins without a tie or loss. Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer started out 21-0-1 in 1973-74, but suffered a tie in his second game as head coach. Coker’s unbeaten/untied start is the best by a first-time Division I-A head coach since Walter Camp of Yale led the Bulldogs to 28 consecutive victories before a loss in the 1888-89 seasons.
McGAHEE OVER 100 AGAIN
Sophomore tailback Willis McGahee rushed for 134 yards today and scored four touchdowns. The performance was McGahee’s second consecutive performance of more than 100 yards, following his 204-yard effort last week against Florida. Through three games in 2002, McGahee has rushed for 398 yards and 5 touchdowns.
SHARPE MAKES MEMORABLE FIRST START
True freshman cornerback Glenn Sharpe made the start at left cornerback today and had a memorable game. In addition to his defensive duties, Sharpe also played on the kickoff coverage team and recovered a fumble on a kickoff following Miami’s first touchdown of the game. Sharpe’s fumble recovery at Temple’s 10-yard line set up a Ken Dorsey 9-yard touchdown pass to wideout Kevin Beard to give Miami at 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
BIG EAST CONFERENCE WIN STREAK AT 18
Today’s win over Temple was Miami’s 18th consecutive BIG EAST conference victory in a streak that began with a 55-0 defeat over Rutgers on Nov. 20, 1999. The current streak ranks ahead of Virginia Tech’s 14-game string from 1998-00, which UM ended on Nov. 4, 2000. Additionally, UM has also won 21 of its last 22 BIG EAST games, including a 1999 loss to Virginia Tech. Miami has also recorded conference win streaks of 12 games (1991-93), 10 games (1995-96) and seven games (1994).
MIAMI IN ITS BIG EAST OPENER
With today’s victory, Miami has gone 9-3 in BIG EAST openers since starting the league in 1991, while going 8-3 since league play began in 1993. UM has also won its last three conference openers. On the road in league openers, UM has forged a 7-2 record, including wins in three straight.
NATION’S LONGEST WIN STREAK NOW AT 25
Today’s victory extended Miami’s national leading win streak to 25 games. The current win streak, including bowl games, is the most for the Hurricanes since the team won a school-record 29 straight from 1990-93. In the regular season, UM has won 23 consecutive regular season games dating back to a 47-10 victory at West Virginia on Sept. 23, 2000. The longest win streak in the regular season for Miami is 36 games, accomplished from a 48-20 win at Rice on Sept. 14, 1985, to a 31-30 loss at Notre Dame on Oct. 15, 1988.
CURRENT ROAD WIN STREAK AT 13 GAMES
With the win today, Miami has won 13 straight games away from the Orange Bowl, including the 2002 Rose Bowl and 2001 Sugar Bowl, since defeating West Virginia in Morgantown, 47-10, on Sept. 23, 2000. Regular season only, Miami has a current 11-game road win streak since that win over the Mountaineers. The regular season win streak is the longest at UM since the Hurricanes won 14 straight road contests from 1990-93. Including the bowls, UM last won 14 straight from 1990-92. The longest road winning streak in UM history is 20 games, stretching from a 28-17 win at Purdue on Sept. 15, 1984, to a 31-30 loss at Notre Dame on Oct. 15, 1988.
ROAD WARRIORS
Miami’s road win today continued the program’s tradition of success in road games. Since 1983, Miami has constructed the nation’s best record in road games (not including neutral sites). The Hurricanes’ road record in the 20 seasons beginning with 1983 is the best among all NCAA Division 1A football institutions. Miami has a record of 80-19-0 in road games at the opponent’s home stadium. During that span, Miami has gone unbeaten in road games in eight seasons (1985, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2001). Of interest is the fact that Miami played three of the top seven best road teams during the 2001 season (Nebraska, Florida State and Penn State) and will take on three in 2002 (Florida State, Tennessee and Florida).
SENIOR QB KEN DORSEY
Senior quarterback Ken Dorsey completed 20-of-35 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns today, running his Miami record total to 67 in his career. That total is second on the BIG EAST career list. Syracuse’s Donovan McNabb holds the BIG EAST record for career touchdown passes with 77 from 1995-98. The 300+-yard performance was the fourth of his career at Miami and the fourth-highest yardage total of his game.
DORSEY’S CAREER TOUCHDOWNS
In his Miami career, Ken Dorsey has connected with 19 different players for a school-record 67 passing touchdowns. Jason Geathers was the most recent player to join the heralded list with his two touchdown receptions at Florida. Split end Andre Johnson leads all current players with 12 Dorsey touchdowns. Johnson’s TD catch at Florida tied him with Reggie Wayne (1999-2000) as Dorsey’s top scoring target.
Dorsey’s Favorite Touchdown Targets
(current players - regular season games only)TD Player12 Andre Johnson5 Ethenic Sands3 Kevin Beard2 Jason Geathers2 Kellen Winslow1 D.J. Williams
DORSEY: A WINNER
By any measure, Ken Dorsey is primed to set a new standard for quarterback success at Quarterback U. He enters the Temple game with the best winning percentage ever established by a Miami starting quarterback, in addition to taking over the all-time mark in winning starts with his last victory as the starter.
Winning Percentage of UM quarterbacks since 1979:Player GS W L Pct.Ken Dorsey (99-present) 30 29 1 .966Steve Walsh (87-88) 24 23 1 .958Gino Torretta (89-92) 28 26 2 .929Craig Erickson (87-90) 20 18 2 .900
WHEN MIAMI SCORES FIRST
Miami scored the first 21 points of today’s game. When Miami scores first it is nearly a lock to win. Beginning with the 1983 season, the Hurricanes have gone 158-14 when scoring first.
THE HURRICANES WHEN SCORING 30 OR 31 POINTS
Miami has won 104 consecutive games when scoring 30 or more points since a 31-30 loss at Notre Dame in 1988. Miami has won 125 consecutive games when scoring 31 or more points since falling 39-37 to UCLA in the 1985 Fiesta Bowl. Excluding bowl games, Miami has won 136 consecutive regular season games when scoring 31 or more since a 34-31 loss to Mississippi State in 1980.
4TH QUARTER DOMINANCE
Over the last 16 seasons, Miami has been almost unbeatable when leading after three quarters. Since 1985, Miami has won 154 of 156 regular season games in which it entered the fourth quarter with a lead. The two losses in this span occurred at East Carolina (1999) and West Virginia (1997). Prior to these two losses, UM last lost when leading after three quarters in 1984 against Maryland (42-40) after leading 34-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
MISC.
Redshirt freshman fullback Quadtrine Hill had a 17-yard reception in the third quarter, the longest of his career…Kevin Beard’s 34-yard catch in the third period is the second-longest of his career behind a 47-yarder last year at Penn State…Ethenic Sands had a 53-yard catch in the fourth period, the longest of his career and the longest by Miami this season.
###
