Hurricanes Ready To Head To Death Valley

Sept. 15, 2005

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – All that remains is a Friday walk-through and a plane flight to South Carolina before the No. 13 Miami Hurricanes take on the No. 20/23 Clemson Tigers at Clemson Memorial Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Hurricanes wrapped up their practice week with a Thursday afternoon session at the Greentree Practice Fields.

Head coach Larry Coker stressed the essentials of offense, defense and special teams and drove home an even more critical point for the Clemson game.

“The main thing we have to do is have focus, a lot of energy and play for four quarters,” Coker said. “(Clemson) has done a great job of winning in the fourth quarter. They beat us last year in the second half. We have to be ready for four quarters of football.”

It will be 12 days away from a game field before Miami steps foot into Death Valley Saturday, a stretch of time that has tested UM’s anxiety but has mended its wounds.

“Especially if you lose, you like to get back on track and play the next night,” Coker said. “Getting Baraka Atkins (knee) back will be helpful and Tyrone Moss a little more will be helpful, also. We’re trying to make a positive out of (the layoff). We’ll know how helpful it was Saturday evening.”

Notes: In 2006, Miami and Florida State will start their seasons against each other on Labor Day Night on ESPN for the third year in a row, it was announced today. “It will be great,” Coker said of the game. “We’ll have national exposure and we’ll be here in the Orange Bowl. I think it will be a great event, I really do.”

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