No. 1 Miami Plays Pittsburgh In Battle Of Big East Unbeatens

Nov. 15, 2002

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Miami Hurricanes (9-0, 4-0 BIG EAST) (#1 AP/#1 ESPN/USA Today)vs. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (8-2, 5-0 BIG EAST) (#17 AP/#19 ESPN/USA Today)

When: Thursday, November 21, 2002, at 7:45 p.m. EST.
Where: Orange Bowl Stadium (72,319/Natural Grass) in Miami, Florida.
TV: ESPN will televise the game live with the telecast team of Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analysis), Lee Corso (analysis) and Dr.Jerry Punch (sideline).Fox Sports Net Florida (Tape Delay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 5 p.m. Eastern Time) will produce coverage of all Miami Hurricanes football games this season with Frank Forte (play-by-play) and Craig Minervini (analysis) describing the action.
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki (play-by-play), former Hurricane offensive lineman Don Bailey, Jr. (analysis), and Brian London (sideline reports) describing the action. Josh Darrow is the studio host.
En Espanol: Radio Unica (WNMA 1210 AM) will broadcast the game in Spanish with Roly Martin (play-by-play) and Jose Martinez (analysis) describing the action.Student Station WVUM (WVUM 90.5 FM) will broadcast the game in with Jeremy Marks-Peltz (play-by-play) and Darren Grossman (analysis) describing the action.
National Radio: Westwood One Radio Network will carry the game live with John Tautges (play-by-play), and former Hurricane head coach and player Fran Curci (analysis) describing the action.Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com), Pittsburgh (www.pittsburghpanthers.com).

MIAMI HEAD COACH LARRY COKER
Second-year head coach Larry Coker has a 21-0 (1.000) record at Miami. His 21-0 record includes an 11-0 mark in BIG EAST play, along with a 10-0 mark at the Orange Bowl and a 11-0 record on the road. 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.

Coker led Miami to an undefeated season in his first year as a collegiate head coach with the 2001 Hurricanes. Coker was named Miami’s 19th head football coach on February 3, 2001. Coker was named National Coach of the Year for 2001 by the American Football Coaches Association (an honor shared with Maryland’s Ralph Friedgen) and was recipient of the 2001 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. The 2002 season marks Coker’s eighth overall at Miami, after serving as the Hurricanes’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1995-2000. Prior to 1995, Coker was an assistant coach at Ohio State (1993-94), Oklahoma (1990-92), Oklahoma State (1983-89) and Tulsa (1979-82).

MIAMI-PITTSBURGH SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

* Miami and Pittsburgh have met 29 times since 1950 with the Hurricanes holding the 19-9-1 series lead, including an 8-1 mark in BIG EAST play since league play began in 1993.
* Miami has won the last four meetings with Pittsburgh by a combined score of 149-41 (37.3 – 10.3), a 27-point margin of victory. Additionally, the Hurricanes have been in the win column against the Panthers in 11 of the last 12 meetings since 1984. The lone loss to Pittsburgh in this 18-year stretch was a 21-17 defeat at Pitt Stadium in 1997, the year UM went 5-6.
* The Miami/Pittsburgh series began in 1950 with a 28-0 Miami victory on Oct. 28 at Pitt Stadium. The first game played in Miami was the following season, a 21-7 Panther victory on Dec. 7, 1951. At that time, the Hurricanes were coached by legendary Hall of Famer Andy Gustafson, who starred as a player at Pittsburgh from 1923-25. Overall, the two schools have been common opponents in each decade since.
* Miami owns a 9-4-1 record against Pittsburgh all-time at the Orange Bowl, while forging a 10-5 lead in road games. Last season’s 43-21 victory at Pittsburgh was the first at the newly opened Heinz Field.
* The Hurricanes currently own an eight-game win streak over Pittsburgh in home games dating back to the 1966 season. Since then, UM has outscored the Panthers 293-50 (36.6 – 6.3, UM +30.3) in those eight contests.
* UM coordinators Randy Shannon (1985-88) and Rob Chudzinski (1988-90) and defensive line coach Greg Mark (1986-89) were a combined 5-0 against Pittsburgh as players for the Hurricanes. Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line coach Art Kehoe (1979-80) did not play Pittsburgh during his collegiate career as a Hurricane.
* The Miami/Pittsburgh game will be broadcast nationally as the ESPN Thursday night featured game, marking the 11th network-televised contest between the two schools. Of the 10 previous televised Pittsburgh games, nine have been nationally televised, including three on ESPN. The 2002 meeting will also be the fourth Thursday night affair.
* Miami owns a 6-1 mark in games played on Thursday, including wins over Pittsburgh in 2001 and 1998 and the lone loss coming to the Panthers on the road in 1997.
* Both schools are coming off a bye week entering this season’s contest. Miami last defeated Tennessee, 26-3, on the road in Knoxville on Nov. 9, while Pittsburgh handed Temple a 29-22 loss also on Nov. 9.

MIAMI/PITTSBURGH: TEAMMATES TO RIVALS
Pittsburgh has nine players on its roster from the state of Florida. Miami has one player on its roster from the state of Pennsylvania (wide receiver Nate Smith/Elizabethtown).
* A combined 10 players from the Miami and Pittsburgh rosters attended high school together. All three mutual high schools are located in the Dade/Broward/Palm Beach area, while Miami Northwestern leads the way with five players each from UM and UP.
Miami Northwestern (5) – Travarous Bain (UM), Vernon Carey (UM), Jarrell Weaver (UM), David Williams (UM), Torrie Cox (UP).
Belle Glade/Glades Central (3) – Santonio Thomas (UM), Claude Harriott (UP), Tremaine Knight (UP).
Ft. Lauderdale Piper (2) – Quadtrine Hill (UIM), Roosevelt Bynes (UP).

NATION’S LONGEST WIN STREAK NOW AT 31 GAMES
With the 26-3 win at Tennessee, Miami extended its national leading win streak to 31 games, the longest winning streak in college football since Toledo won 35 straight from 1969-71. The current 31-game win streak, including bowl games, continues Miami’s school-record and surpassed the 29-game streak set from 1990-92. The streak also ties for the 7th longest win streak in college football history.
* In the regular season, UM has won 29 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.

ORANGE BOWL WIN STREAK AT A NATIONAL-BEST 20 GAMES
Miami’s 28-27 win over Florida State extended the Hurricanes’ Orange Bowl win streak to 20 games, dating back to a 28-20 win over West Virginia on Oct. 30, 1999.
* The 20-game home win streak is currently the longest in the nation following Nebraska’s recent home loss to Texas on Nov. 2. UM’s streak is also its longest since setting the NCAA record with its 58-game streak from 1985-94. Texas holds the nation’s second-longest active home winning streak at 17.

MORE ON THE HURRICANES’ 20-GAME ORANGE BOWL WIN STREAK
Miami will enter the Pittsburgh game on November 21 riding a 20-game home win streak at the Orange Bowl that dates back to a 28-20 win over West Virginia on Oct. 30, 1999. Miami’s last loss at home was to No. 2 Penn State, 27-23, at Sept. 18, 1999. During the 20-game streak Miami has outscored its opponents 924-217 (46.2-10.9 per game – 35.3 UM margin of victory). In non-conference games during the streak, Miami has outscored eight opponents 372-141 (46.5-17.6 per game – 28.9 UM margin of victory). Against the BIG EAST, Miami has outscored the league 552-76 (46.0-6.3 per game – 39.7 UM margin of victory) in 12 home contests. Against the five ranked teams defeated at the Orange Bowl during the streak, Miami outscored the opposition 220-79 (44.0-15.8 per game – 28.2 UM margin of victory).
* During the streak Miami’s lowest point total is 27 points in a 27-24 thrilling win over No. 1 Florida State on Oct. 7, 2000. Scoring has also been high during the streak with the Hurricanes surpassing 30 points 17 times, 40 points 13 times, 50 points eight times and 60 points four times. The most points UM has scored during the streak is 65 points in a 65-7 win over No. 12 Washington on Nov. 24, 2001.
* The UM defense has posted five shutouts during the 20-game streak and another six games where the opponent scored seven or less points. The most points allowed by UM were 31 vs. Louisiana Tech on Oct. 28, 2000. Opponents have achieved double-digit scoring just nine times during the 20-game streak. FAMU totaled 17 points in the 2002 season opener at the Orange Bowl, marking the first time in a nine-game home span the opponent scored more than seven points.
* Of interesting note, the last touchdown recorded by a BIG EAST opponent at the Orange Bowl was in the first quarter vs. Boston College on Nov. 25, 2000 – 23 straight quarters over six league games.
* Over the last 12 home games since defeating Pittsburgh, 35-7, on Nov. 11, 2000, the Hurricanes have outscored home opponents 570-94 (47.5-7.8 per game – 39.7 UM margin of victory).
* Including the home loss to Penn State in 1999, Miami has won 24 of 25 home contests since a 26-14 loss to FSU on Oct. 10, 1998.

MIAMI ON ESPN
The Hurricanes are making their 36th all-time appearance on ESPN since 1984 and hold a 28-7 (.800) record on that network. Miami has also appeared on ESPN2 six times holding a 4-2 mark. All-time, Miami is 124-49 (.717) on network television and 98-36 (.731) in nationally-televised games. Earlier this season, Miami defeated Boston College, 38-6, in a nationally televised ESPN game.

CURRENT ROAD WIN STREAK AT 16 GAMES
Miami has won a national-best 16 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 14-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 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
Since 1983, Miami has constructed the nation’s best record in road games (not including neutral sites). The Hurricanes’ road record in the 19 seasons beginning with 1983 is the best among all NCAA Division 1A football institutions. Miami has a record of 83-19-0 (.814) in road games at the opponent’s home. 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 took on three more in 2002 (Florida State, Tennessee and Florida).

MIAMI EXTENDS BIG EAST WIN STREAK TO 21 GAMES WITH WIN AT RUTGERS
Miami has extended its BIG EAST-record win streak to 21 games with its 42-17 win at Rutgers. Additionally, UM has also won 24 of its last 25 BIG EAST games, including a 1999 loss to Virginia Tech. The streak began with a 55-0 defeat over Rutgers on Nov. 20, 1999. Miami has also recorded conference win streaks of 12 games (1991-93), 10 games (1995-96) and seven games (1994).

UM STANDS TALL IN THE BIG EAST
In its 12th season of competition in the BIG EAST, Miami has forged a league-best 63-10 (.863) overall conference record. The Hurricanes’ seven BIG EAST titles are also a league-best, ahead of Syracuse (3), Virginia Tech (3) and West Virginia (1).

MIAMI REGAINS THE CONSENSUS NO. 1
Miami regained its status as the consensus No. 1-ranked team on Nov. 10 after defeating Tennessee, 26-3, on Nov. 9, along with an Oklahoma 30-26 loss at Texas A&M. Miami had held the consensus top spot for 16 straight weeks until Oklahoma was voted No. 1 by the Associated Press on Sunday, Nov. 3. Miami has held the No. 1 ranking in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll for the last 19 weeks dating back to the 2001 season.
* UM finished off the 2001 season as consensus No. 1 the last six weeks and was at the same spot each of the first 12 polls this season. In 2001, UM was the consensus No. 1 in 12 of 17 total polls.

HAVING THE NO. 1 RANKING
The Hurricanes enter the Pittsburgh game ranked No. 1 for the 14th straight poll this season in the USA Today/ESPN rankings. Coupled with the 2001 season, Miami has been ranked at the top spot in the either the Associated Press or USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll for the past 29 weekly polls.
* Miami ended the 2001 season having been ranked No. 1 by the AP for the last 9 weeks and 14 of 17 polls during the season. UM was No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll for the last six weeks and 13 out of 17 polls.
* Since the AP poll began in 1936, the weekly rankings have been published 876 times. Miami has been ranked No. 1 62 times.

RECORD TOP-RANKED STREAK
Miami fell from atop the Associated Press weekly poll after a stay of 21 consecutive week dating to Oct. 14, 2001. The 21 straight weeks is the longest of any team in college football history to remain atop the AP rankings.

MIAMI AS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NO. 1
The Hurricanes have played in 44 games all-time while holding the Associated Press’ No. 1 ranking and have forged a 39-5 record in those contests. Miami has won 15 straight as the nation’s top-ranked team. Prior to the Alabama loss (34-13) in the 1993 Sugar Bowl, UM had won 12 straight games when it held the top spot in the polls dating back to the 1991 season.
* In the regular season, UM has been ranked No. 1 by the AP in 40 games and has recorded a 37-3 mark. UM last lost a regular season game while holding the No. 1 ranking in the 1990 season opener at BYU, 28-21 on Sept. 8.

MIAMI’S RECORD ACCORDING TO AP RANK
UM is 207-40-2 all-time in games while holding an AP national ranking. Since 1983, Miami is 142-20 as a top 10 team and 114-12 as a top five team. The Hurricanes are 39-5 as the nation’s No.1-ranked team. Miami has won 29 of its last 30 while ranked No. 1.

MIAMI VS. AP-RANKED TEAMS
Miami is 71-98-1 vs. AP-ranked teams since its first game against a ranked opponent against No. 18 Alabama in 1941, is 35-52 vs. AP top-10 teams since playing No. 6 Alabama in 1947, is 19-31 against AP top-5 teams since playing No. 3 Maryland in 1953, and is 9-7 against No. 1-ranked teams.
* Miami has won 10 consecutive games against ranked opponents beginning with a 27-24 victory over No. 1 Florida State on Oct. 7, 2000. That streak includes five straight wins on the road or at neutral sites against ranked opponents and five victories at the Orange Bowl against ranked foes.

VS. RANKED/UNRANKED OPPONENTS
Since 1990, Miami has registered a 32-22 mark against Associated Press ranked teams and a 92-6 record against unranked opponents.

HURRICANES IN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
Since the 1980 season Miami has been nearly unbeatable as it heads into the final two months of the season totaling an 82-9 record in games played in November and December. In the month of November, UM is 74-9 since 1980, along with a perfect 8-0 record in December. The Hurricanes are currently riding a 10-game win streak in November with their last loss coming at Virginia Tech in 1999. Miami has not lost in a December game since 1977, going 8-0 since.

2002 SCORING OFFENSE AMONG THE BEST ALL-TIME
The 2002 squad has amassed 370 points through the first nine games of the season, marking the third-most points scored by a UM team after nine games played. The 2000 Hurricanes sit atop the list with 391 points after nine games, followed by 2002 (382) and 2001 (370). The Hurricanes current 370 points after nine games is already more than the single-season totals accumulated during the schools’ first 57 seasons of football, or up until 1983.

PLAYING IN FRONT OF LARGE CROWDS
The fifth-largest crowd in Tennessee history, 107,745, attended the Miami game on Nov. 9 marking the second-largest crowd ever to watch the Hurricanes play. Additionally, it was the fourth crowd to surpass the 100,000 attendance plateau for a Miami game. The all-time largest crowd to see UM play was last season at Penn State, where the attendance hit 109,313. Games at Michigan in 1988 (105,834) and in 1984 (105,403) are now third and fourth, respectively.

2002 ATTENDANCE HITS RECORD MARK
The attendance for the first four home games of the season was a combined 276,228 (Florida A&M 68,548; Boston College 73,622; Connecticut 52,131; Florida State 81,927). The combined attendance is the most in four consecutive home games at Miami all-time, surpassing the 255,439 that came to watch Iowa, FSU, Kansas and Pittsburgh in 1990. The third-most attendance in a four-game stretch was 252,506 that came to see McNeese State, FSU, Louisiana Tech and Virginia Tech in 2000.

UNDEFEATED IN THREE CONSECUTIVE ROAD GAMES
The Hurricanes just completed an undefeated stretch of three straight games on the road, the ninth time in school history Miami has played three straight away from home. The 3-0 mark is just the second time UM has done so in these nine occurences along with 1985. This season Miami defeated West Virginia, 40-23, on Oct. 26, Rutgers, 42-17, on Nov. 2 and Tennessee, 26-3, on Nov. 9. UM played three straight road games in 2000 (2-1), 1999 (1-2), 1985 (3-0), 1979 (1-2), 1978 (2-1), 1976 (0-3), 1936 (2-0-1) and 1931 (0-3).

VILMA, D.J. WILLIAMS MAKE SHORT LIST FOR BUTKUS AWARD
Jon Vilma and D.J. Williams were listed among the 11 semifinalists for the 2002 Butkus Award, presented by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando (DACO), Inc. to the top linebacker. Miami is the only school in the nation to place two players among the 11 semifinalists. Traditionally, 10 semifinalists are named, but there was a tie for 10th place in the voting.
* On Thursday, November 14, 2002, DACO will announce the three finalists for this year’s Butkus Award at a national teleconference. The three Butkus Award finalists and their coaches will participate in the announcement. The 2001 Butkus Award winner will be announced at the Butkus Award Presentation Ceremony on Friday, December 13, 2002, by the award’s namesake Dick Butkus.

KEN DORSEY AMONG FIVE CANDIDATES FOR JOHNNY UNITAS GOLDEN ARM AWARD
Ken Dorsey was selected as one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, awarded to college football’s top senior quarterback. Dorsey is listed with Byron Leftwich (Marshall), Carson Palmer (Southern California), Dave Ragone (Louisville) and Seneca Wallace (Iowa State). Past Miami winners of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award were Gino Torretta (1992) and Craig Erickson (1990). A winner will be announced Dec. 4.

JEROME McDOUGLE, ANDREW WILLIAMS AMONG SEMIFINALISTS FOR TED HENDRICKS AWARD
Jerome McDougle and Andrew Williams were selected as two of 10 semifinalists for the inaugural Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year award. The Hurricane duo is listed along with Nathaniel Adibi (Virginia Tech), Terrell Suggs (Arizona State), Michael Haynes (Penn State), Alonzo Jackson (Florida State), Kindal Moorehead (Alabama), Cory Redding (Texas), DeWayne White (Louisville) and Jimmy Wilkerson (Oklahoma).

THREE HURRICANES AMONG 12 SEMIFINALISTS FOR ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD
The Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalists include Miami defensive tackle William Joseph and defensive end Jerome McDougle along with center Brett Romberg, plus Georgia’s Boss Bailey (LB) and Jon Stinchcomb (OT), center Jeff Faine of Notre Dame, defensive tackle Tommie Harris of Oklahoma, linebackers E.J. Henderson of Maryland and Bradie James of LSU, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy of Penn State and defensive ends Cory Redding of Texas and Terrell Suggs of Arizona State.

QUICK STRIKE OFFENSE
The average drive time on UM’s 45 offensive touchdowns in 2002 is 1:53. Overall, 28 of the 45 touchdowns were scored under two minutes of drive time. Additionally, 14 touchdowns have come in under a minute.

EXPLOSIVE OFFENSE
Miami’s offense is one that can strike quickly. In eight games the Hurricanes have recorded 155 plays of 10 or more yards, or 25% of its total offensive plays for the season. The Hurricanes strike for 10 or more yards once every 4.1 plays from scrimmage.

IF MIAMI SCORES FIRST
When Miami scores first it is nearly a lock to win. Beginning with the 1983 season, the Hurricanes have gone 160-14 (.920) when scoring first.

THE HURRICANES WHEN SCORING 30 OR 31 POINTS
Miami has won 108 consecutive games when scoring 30 or more points since a 31-30 loss at Notre Dame in 1988.
* Miami has won 129 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 140 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 158 of 160 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 those 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.

MIAMI KEEPS HOLD ON “STATE CHAMPIONSHIP”
There has been 28 seasons between 1958 and 2002 where Miami, Florida State and Florida all played each other in the same year. Of those 28 seasons, UM has won seven “state” championships (62-80-81-86-87-00-02), including the last four in 2002, 2000, 1987 and 1986. Florida leads the three schools with 14 “state” titles (58-59-60-63-69-71-72-73-74-75-76-82-83-85), while FSU has three “state” titles (64-78-79). Miami and Florida State play annually, as do the Seminoles with Florida. The annual Miami/Florida series was discontinued after 1987, with three meetings in 2000, 2002 and upcoming in 2003 at the Orange Bowl.

MIAMI AGAINST SUNSHINE STATE OPPONENTS
Miami holds a 3-0 record vs. teams from the state of Florida in 2002, including a 28-27 win over Florida State on Oct. 5, a 41-16 win over Florida on Sept. 7 and a 63-17 win over Florida A&M in the season opener on Aug. 31. The Hurricanes have also won 19 of their last 27 games against Sunshine State opponent since the 1985 season. Miami is currently riding a six-game win streak over state teams since the 2000 season.

DORSEY SETS YET ANOTHER BIG EAST PASSING RECORD
Ken Dorsey set a new BIG EAST record for passing yards at Tennessee. His 20-yard pass to Kellen Winslow with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter gave him a new conference record, breaking the old mark of 8,389 previously held by Donovan McNabb of Syracuse (1995-98). Dorsey ended the day with a career total of 8,461 passing yards. Dorsey now holds three BIG EAST career passing records: yards (8,461), completions (598) and touchdown passes (79).

Ken Dorsey in the BIG EAST record book:
TD Passes – 1st (79) (old record: 77 by Donovan McNabb of Syracuse, 1995-98)
Passing yards – 1st with 8,461 (old record: 8,389 by McNabb)
Pass completions – 1st with 598 (old: 571 by Marc Bulger of West Virginia, 1996-99)
Total offense – 2nd with 8,425 (record: 9,950 by McNabb, 1995-98)
Pass attempts – 2nd, 1,039 (record: 1,138 by Henry Burris of Temple, 1993-96)

DORSEY’S SCHOOL RECORDS RECAP
Ken Dorsey extended his school passing records at Tennessee with his 18-of-35 performance for 245 yards and one touchdown. Dorsey holds seven UM records (touchdown passes, passing yards, pass completions, total offense, pass attempts, most 200-yard passing games, and consecutive passes thrown without an interception).

Ken Dorsey in the UM record book:
TD Passes – 1st (79)
Passing yards – 1st with 8,461 (old record: 7,690 by Torretta, 1989-92)
Pass completions – 1st with 598 (old record: 555 by Torretta, 1989-92)
Total offense -1st, 8,425 (old record: 7,722 by Torretta, 1989-92)
Pass attempts – 1st, 1,039 (old record: 991 by Torretta, 1989-92)

DORSEY AS A STARTER
Ken Dorsey has been the Hurricanes starter since the final three games of the 1999 season and, in those 36 starts, has passed for 400 yards one time, including a career-high 422 yards at West Virginia. He has passed for 300 yards seven times and 200 yards 28 times. Dorsey has had multiple touchdowns in 29 games. His statistics as a starter read: 588-of-1,010 for 8,372 yards with 78 touchdown passes, one touchdown rush, and 23 interceptions thrown.

DORSEY’S CAREER TOUCHDOWNS
Split end Andre Johnson leads all current players with 16 Dorsey touchdowns. The Dorsey to Johnson equals the second-most prolific scoring tandem in school history behind Vinny Testaverde/Michael Irvin (19) and tied with Gino Torretta/Lamar Thomas (16). Overall, Dorsey has connected with 19 different players in his career.Dorsey’s Touchdown Targets (current players – regular season games only)

DORSEY: AT HIS BEST IN BIG GAMES
Several of quarterback Ken Dorsey’s greatest performances have been turned in against some of the nation’s top-ranked teams. Miami is 11-1 against ranked opponents with Dorsey as a starter including 6-0 against teams ranked in the top 10.

DORSEY: A WINNER
By any measure, Ken Dorsey is primed to set a new standard for quarterback success at Quarterback U. He enters the Tennessee 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 as the starter earlier this season.

DORSEY’S BIGGEST DAY
Ken Dorsey set a new personal single-game best for passing yardage against West Virginia on Oct. 26, as well as a new mark for a West Virginia opponent at Mountaineer Field by passing for 422 yards (old record: 366, Alex Van Pelt of Pittsburgh, 1989). The yardage total is the most by a Miami quarterback since Craig Erickson passed for 424 vs. San Diego State in 1989. The total ranks eighth on the UM single-game passing yards list.
* the first 400+-yard outing also was Dorsey’s third 300+-yard passing outing of the season and his second consecutive after a 362-yard effort against Florida State on October 12. The passing yardage is the most by a WVU foe since 1994 (433, John Ryan of Pittsburgh, 1994).

THE LONE QUARTERBACK TO WIN THREE TIMES IN THE UM/FSU SERIES
Ken Dorsey made his third consecutive start against Florida State on Oct. 12, while his FSU counterpart Chris Rix got his second start. Dorsey was just the fifth quarterback from either school to get a third start in the series, joining UM’s Ryan Clement (95-97), Gino Torretta (89, 91-92) and Kary Baker (72-74) and FSU’s Chris Weinke (98-00). Dorsey also became the first starting quarterback in the series to have a 3-0 record. Torretta and Weinke each went 2-1 in their three starts, while Baker went 1-2 and Clement 0-3. Rix was the 28th quarterback in the series to be getting a second start, and the 15th Seminole. In the series, UM quarterbacks went 17-14 in their first starts, 7-4 in their second and 2-2 in the third. FSU quarterbacks have gone 13-17 in first starts, 8-7 in second starts and 0-1 in third starts.

McGAHEE ON THE SINGLE-SEASON TOUCHDOWNS LIST
Willis McGahee scored one rushing touchdown at Tennessee to give him 17 for the season, tying the all-time mark in Miami history held by Edgerrin James in 1998. McGahee also is closing in on the total touchdowns record for a season, which is 19 by Edgerrin James in 1998 (17 rushing, 2 receiving).

McGAHEE MOVES UP SINGLE-SEASON RUSHING YARDS LIST
Willis McGahee gained 154 yards rushing on 30 carries at Tennessee and scored one touchdown on the ground. McGahee has rushed for 1,188 yards this season, a total that ranks fourth in Miami history for single-season rushing yardage. He is just the seventh runningback at Miami to break 1,000 yards in a single season.

McGAHEE ON SINGLE-SEASON ALL-PURPOSE YARDS LIST
Willis McGahee compiled 171 all-purpose yards (154 rushing + 17 receiving) at Tennessee to move into fifth place on the Miami single-season top 10 list for all-purpose yards. McGahee now has 1,506 all-purpose yards in 2002. The UM single-season record for all-purpose yards is held by running back Ottis Anderson, who gained 1,708 yards (1266 rush, 47 receiving, 395 return yards) in 1978.

McGAHEE OVER THE CENTURY MARK AGAIN
Willis McGahee rushed for 154 yards on 30 carries against Tennessee with one touchdown. It was McGahee’s seventh 100+-yard performance of the season and is third-most in a single-season by a UM runningback. The record is 8 by both Ottis Anderson in 1978 and Clinton Portis in 2001.

*McGAHEE IS A BIG PLAY BACK
Willis McGahee has established him as one of the nation’s top big play running backs. McGahee is averaging 7.2 yards every time he touches the football (208 touches for 1,506 total yards). He has carried 190 times for 1,188 yards (6.3 avg) and recorded 18 catches for 318 yards (17.7 avg). Against Tennessee, McGahee rushed for 156 yards on 30 carries and caught two passes for 17 yards, for a combined total of 173 yards for the game. After scoring a touchdown in the second quarter, McGahee tied Edgerrin James’ record for rushing touchdowns in a season at 17.
* He has recorded 47 plays of 10 or more yards, including 11 of 20 or more yards and nine of 30 or more yards. Of the 208 times he touched the football 69 (33.2%) have gone for first downs or touchdowns. McGahee has accounted for 35.7% of Miami’s 193 first downs this season.

BACKFIELD NOTES
Miami posted 177 rushing yards on 38 carries at Tennessee, including 156 by Willis McGahee…Jason Geathers carried the ball five times for seven yards.
* McGahee leads the team with 102 points scored this season as well as the BIG EAST…McGahee is the conference’s leading all-purpose runner and No. 2 rusher behind WVU’s Avon Cobourne…McGahee is No. 8 in total offense in the conference.
* Nationally, McGahee ranks No. 6 in rushing and all-purpose running and No. 3 scoring. Miami is 31st overall in rushing.
* McGahee also tied a school record vs. Temple with four rushing touchdowns equaling the total set by Melvin Bratton vs. Boston College on Nov. 23, 1984…McGahee has twice been honored this season as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week…Geathers started off the season with a 199-yard rushing effort vs. FAMU, the fifth-highest single game effort in UM history…McGahee’s 204 yards at Florida was the fourth-most in a single game.

JOHNSON ON THE CAREER TD PASSES LIST
Andre Johnson caught caught a 20-yard scoring pass from Ken Dorsey in the fourth quarter of the Rutgers game. He has 17 touchdown catches in his career, a total that ranks him fifth in UM history. Santana Moss (97-00) holds the school record with 26.

RECEIVER NOTES
Eight players accounted for 245 yards receiving on 18 catches at Tennessee…wide recever Andre Johnson led with 103 yards on five catches including a spectacular 44-yard jump-ball catch inside the Volunteers’ 20 that ultimately resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Willis McGahee…tight end Kellen Winslow followed with five catches for 67 yards…Ethenic Sands and McGahee followed with two catches each totalling 16 and 17 yards respectively, followed by Kyle Cobia (1-16), Roscoe Parrish (1-14), Kevin Beard (1-7), and Jason Geathers (1-5).
* Andre Johnson and Kellen Winslow rank 2nd and 3rd in the BIG EAST with 4.12 and 4.11 catches per game, respectively…Johnson ranks 1st in receiving yards with 70.0, Winslow is 6th (52.4 ypg)…Johnson is 3rd in total receiving yards (592), while Winslow is tied with Syracuse wide receiver David Tyree for 6th (472).

OFFENSIVE LINE NOTES
The offensive line once again kept Ken Dorsey without a sack against Tennessee…Dorsey has not been sacked in five games this season, including Tennessee, Rutgers, FSU, UConn, and FAMU…Florida and Boston College had one sack each, while Temple recorded two…Temple had one sack each on Dorsey and Derrick Crudup..as far as run blocking against Rutgers, the line assisted Willis McGahee in getting his seventh 100-yard game of the season with 156 yards on 30 carries.
* Vernon Carey (RT) and Carlos Joseph (LT) and Chris Myers (RG) each made their ninth-straight starts after the career first in the season-opener against FAMU…Brett Romberg made his 33rd career start at center against UT, while senior Sherko Haji-Rasouli (LT) made his 16th career start…Romberg is the anchor of Miami’s offensive line and a legitimate candidate for the Dave Rimington Award, presented annually to the finest center in college football…Romberg joined fellow Canadian Haji-Rasouli on the Outland Trophy preseason Watch List for college football’s top interior lineman.

DEFENSIVE LINE NOTES
The defensive line recorded seven sacks at Tennessee, tying a season high for the third time this season…Miami had seven sacks against FAMU in the season opener and also against Connecticut…Cornelius Green and Jamaal Green had two sacks each, while Matt Walters, Antrel Rolle, and Orien Harris had one each…Jamaal Green led the line with five solo tackles and one assist…Matt Walters was next with four solo tackles and two assists, followed by Cornelius Green (6 total), William Joseph (3), Jerome McDougle (2), and Harris (2)…eight of the 10 tackles for loss against against Tennessee.
* William Joseph heads the list of returnees, a Playboy magazine All-American and one of the top defensive players in college football this season…Jerome McDougle was a first-team All-American by several preseason publications and joins Joseph among the semifinalists for the Lombardi Award.
*McDougle is one of four finalists for the inaugural Ted Hendricks Award for outstanding defensive end.

LINEBACKER NOTES
Jon Vilma had a team-high seven tackles against Tennessee, the fourth straight week he has led the team in tackles…he also recorded 14 at West Virginia and 15 vs. FSU a game earlier and was honored as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for his effort vs. the Seminoles…D.J. Williams had six tackles followed by Howard Clark (3), Roger McIntosh (3), Jarrell Weaver (2), and Darrell McClover (1).
* Vilma and D.J. Williams place first and second on the team in tackles with 86 and 71, respectively. The pair is also first and second in solo tackles with 54 and 35, respectively.
* Both Jon Vilma and D.J. Williams have been named among 11 semi-finalists for the Butkus Award, presented annually to college football’s top linebacker.

SECONDARY NOTES
The secondary assisted the defense in holding the Volunteers to just 77 passing yards…over the last four games, the unit has held its opponents to 333 combined passing yards, including 60 from West Virginia…Maurice Sikes led the secondary with four tackle…Antrel Rolle had three, including a sack for a 12-yard loss..Kelly Jennings had two tackles…Al Marshall, Greg Threat, Tim Kelly, and Sean Taylor each had one tackle.
* The Hurricanes lead the nation in pass defense for the fourth straight week allowing just 106.8 yards per game through the air…no opponent has eclipsed the 200-yard passing mark this season, while four were held under 100 yards.
* The secondary has given up just four passing touchdowns all season, one vs. FAMU, Temple, UConn, and FSU…Florida, Boston College, West Virginia, and Rutgers were held without a passing touchdown.

PLACEKICKERS/TODD SIEVERS
On the 2002 season, 28 of Todd Sievers’ 62 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks…at Tennessee, three of his seven kickoffs went for touchbacks…in the UT game, Sievers scored 12 points off four field goals and two extra points….the 12 points gives him 282 for his career, keeping him in fifth place on the all-time UM list…he also has 44 career field goals, which ties him for number four among Hurricane kickers.
* Sievers earned BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week this season after his 11-point effort vs. Florida…it was the third weekly honor of his career.
* Sievers, a native of Ankeny, Iowa, lettered in his true freshman season in 1998, becoming the first player from the state of Iowa to letter at Miami since fullback Tom Smith (Waterloo) in 1971-72…Smith and Sievers are the only two players from Iowa ever to letter at Miami…Joe Carlstrom, a defensive tackle from Iowa City, played in limited action on the 1951 team after serving in the armed forces, but did not letter.
* Gent kicked off for the first time in his collegiate career and saw further action in the season-opener vs. FAMU…Gent also had kicks in the second half vs. UConn.

PUNTERS/FREDDIE CAPSHAW
Freddie Capshaw had five punts against the Volunteers and average 41.8 yards per punt)…his long was a 52-yarder with one punt placed on the 1-yard line…so far this season, Capshaw has punted 38 times for 1,489 yards and a 39.2 average…seven of his punts have been fair caught, 10 have been placed inside the 20, three were blocked and two were for touchbacks…Capshaw missed the Florida A&M game to injury and saw his first action of the season at Florida, where he punted six times for 253 yards and a 42.2 average with three landing inside the 20…In Capshaw’s absence against FAMU, true freshman Jon Peattie handled the role with three punts for 133 yards and a 44.3 average.
* Capshaw, a senior from Rock Springs, Wyoming, has established himself among Miami’s best ever…the leading punter in the BIG EAST Conference the last two seasons, Capshaw is a solid contender for the Ray Guy Award, recognizing college football’s outstanding punter…twice an All-BIG EAST selection, Capshaw has earned BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week four times during his career…in 2001, he was one of three Ray Guy Award finalists as he averaged 41.8 yards per punt in his junior season.

THE RETURN MEN
Miami fielded four punt returns and two kickoff returns at Tennessee…the punts were returned for 58 yards, including 3-for-54 by Roscoe Parrish…Ethenic Sands had a four yard return…Jason Geathers fielded one kickoff for 52 yards…Jarrett Payton had a 15-yard kickoff return.
* For the season, Roscoe Parrish is averaging 12.6 yards per punt return, ahead of Ethenic Sands (9.9 ypp)…Parrish and Sands rank third and sixth in BIG EAST punt returns…Jason Geathers leads the team with 18 kickoff returns for 398 yards (22.1 avg.).

NEW JERSEY AND CANADA BOAST STREAKS IN THE UM LINE-UP
Other then the state of Florida, New Jersey boasts the second-longest streak of having a player in the UM line-up with 59 games. Canada is third among the streaks with 58 straight games with a UM starter from the Great White North. The New Jersey streak began with Matt Sweeney (96-99) at the end of the 1997 through 1998 and now resides with linebacker Howard Clark and defensive end Jamaal Green. From Canada, center Brett Romberg and guard Sherko Haji-Rasouli continue a streak that began with Richard Mercier (95-99) in 1998.

MIAMI REMAINS NO.1 IN THE NFL DRAFT
During the last 20 years, National Football League teams have turned to the University of Miami more than any other college or university when it comes to premium picks in the annual draft. The following chart illustrates college programs that have produced the most players selected in the first three rounds from 1983 to 2002.

MIAMI GAMES USUALLY PACKED WITH NFL TALENT
The Miami program has been the best in sending players to the NFL by way of the first three round of the draft over the last 16 years leading the country 63 top-three round picks since 1987. With that, many of the Hurricanes games in 2002 are among the highest in sending a combined amount to the NFL Draft’s first three rounds. The Miami/FSU and Miami/Tennessee games highlight this list. In each of these games, a combined 117 players have been drafted into the first three rounds of the draft.