Hurricanes Return To Practice

Aug. 22, 2005

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami football returned to the practice field for an evening workout at the Greentree Practice Fields on Monday. Exactly two weeks remain until the 2005 season opener at Florida State on Sept. 5.

UM’s players and coaching staff spent Sunday in meetings and reviewing film of last Saturday’s controlled scrimmage. The team will scrimmage again on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Orange Bowl.

“We’re going to let the situations dictate themselves,” head coach Larry Coker said of the scheduled scrimmage. Twenty-five second clocks, assistant coaches in the coaching booths and Atlantic Coast Conference officials will be included. “It will be as close to a game-situation as we can possibly manage,” Coker said.

With the 2005 season approaching rapidly, the Hurricanes will begin to heavily game plan on Thursday, following their off day on Wednesday (the first day of classes).

“We’ve done some work (on FSU),” Coker said. “We’re really working a lot on us, but a lot of us is FSU. They are a lot like us from the standpoint that they can run. Schematically, we’ll do a lot more after Wednesday.”

Miami’s Tuesday night practice at the Orange Bowl is closed to the public and media.

Notes: Offensive lineman Tyler McMeans (arm) returned to practice… Right guard Tony Tella (ankle) did not practice but was doing rehabilitative exercises for his ankle, including sprints with the rest of the team following practice… Former Hurricanes quarterback Steve Walsh (1987-88) attended practice… Practice was moved to the evening from the afternoon to accommodate the UM freshmen, who attended a function at the house of University President Donna E. Shalala earlier in the day… Lineman Alex Pou and linebacker Rocky McIntosh also saw increased action after being limited last week due to injury… Center Tyrone Byrd was excused from practice with a medical condition and should return to the field Thursday… Wide receivers Sinorice Moss and Darnell Jenkins were both dressed but did not practice. Their injuries are not thought to be serious. “(Their injuries) are minor and we don’t want to make them major,” Coker said. “We feel like we’ll certainly get them back at the end of the week and have them back for Florida State.”