Hurricanes Prepare For ACC Run, Focus On Tar Heels
Oct. 3, 2006
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami began preparation for North Carolina and an Atlantic Coast Conference stretch run with an afternoon workout at the Greentree Practice Fields on Tuesday. Seven of the Hurricanes’ eight remaining opponents are ACC teams, and how Miami fares in that stretch will determine their placement in the postseason.
Fresh off a 14-13 win against a potent Houston team that relied on offensive misdirection, the Hurricanes will have to take a different approach against the Tar Heels.
“The Tar Heels are the complete opposite of what we played last week,” head coach Larry Coker said. “Their offense is more of a power running attack. Last week, Houston was more of passing, finesse attack. Offensively, I think they have some weapons.”
Spearheaded by running backs Ronnie McGill and Barrington Edwards, the Tar Heels will do plenty to keep the Miami defense busy.
“Their offensive linemen are big and McGill does a good job of getting behind those guys,” Coker said. “We have to make sure we do a good job of being explosive, control the clock, and control the football.”
North Carolina’s powerful running game, an upset of then No. 3 ranked Miami two years ago, and the fact that they’ve come back from a bye week to beat a ranked team in three of the last five years, is proof positive that they can not be taken lightly.
“For the rest of the time we play the University of North Carolina, they are going to remember that game from 2004, and we are going to remember it also,” quarterback Kyle Wright said. “We need to come out and start fast. We’ve done that the past few games, and we finished fast last game. We just need a middle. We are getting there. I think we are really going to fine tune things.”
Miami returns to the practice field at 3:20 p.m. Wednesday.
Notes: Safety Anthony Reddick seems to be back strong from an ankle injury and will play Saturday, Coker said … Coker said that running back Tyrone Moss was not at practice and was having his knee checked.
