It's That Time Of Year: Hurricane Season
Aug. 28, 2006
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – For three straight years now the Miami-Florida State season opener has coincided with the onset of a real or possible hurricane. Although the Labor Day season opener is exactly one week away, Tropical Storm Ernesto was an estimated 24 hours away from the University of Miami football team and South Florida during Monday’s afternoon workout at the Greentree Practice Fields.
“It’s obviously Florida State week because we have a hurricane in the soft, warm Caribbean waters,” head coach Larry Coker quipped after practice. But all jokes aside, football is not the main priority with a possible hurricane approaching.
“I was concerned about football practice,” Coker said. “But I still see a lot of the blue tarps on roofs and people still living in FEMA trailers. I guess that really puts it all in perspective. We’re going to make sure to have our players safe and our staff safe.”
In compliance with the University of Miami, which will be closed at Tuesday and Wednesday, the football team will practice at 8:20 a.m. at the Greentree Practice Fields on Tuesday.
“Tomorrow morning (weather) should be fine,” Coker said. “But I’m sure as the day goes on and tomorrow evening, and tomorrow night, the weather will deteriorate.”
Nevertheless, Florida State is still on UM’s mind. The team practiced Sunday night at the Orange Bowl for the third time in the preseason.
“The intensity was good, the workout wasn’t long, but it was a very, very good workout last night,” Coker said.
Miami’s depth chart was also released on Monday, revealing that freshmen Javarris James, Sam Shields, Ryan Hill and Jason Fox might all get introduced to college football against UM’s biggest rival. The age and experience level of his freshman doesn’t worry Coker, who prefers to have talent rather than age.
“If you’re the best player, then that’s fine,” Coker said. “It doesn’t bother me. We did it at Ohio State. We started Orlando Pace and Korey Stringer. We started Thurman Thomas at Oklahoma State. If they can play and they’re ready to play, then we’re going to give them an opportunity.”
