Miami Prepares For Florida International
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Oct. 9, 2006
(ARV Coaches/ARV AP) MIAMI HURRICANESvs. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
When: Saturday, October 14, 2006, at 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Orange Bowl (natural grass; 72,319) in Miami
TV: The game will be broadcast live only on ESPN GamePlan pay-per-view. Contactyour local cable operator or espn.com.
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 18, with JasonSolodkin (play by play) and Lamar Thomas (analyst).
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki(play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis) and Brian London (sideline reporter).
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WRHC 1550 AM with Joe Pujala (play byplay) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Florida International (www.fiusports.com)
THIS WEEK’S GAME: There are not a lot of great intra-city rivalies in college football, but a new onebegins next Saturday at the Orange Bowl. It’s not going to be like Southern Cal-UCLA or TCU-SMU, butthe first-ever Miami-Florida International game promises to be something like the city of Miami has neverseen before. The two schools, who kickoff their budding rivalry at 7:00 p.m., are located only 11 milesapart.
The Hurricanes are 3-2, with back-to-back victories over Houston and North Carolina. The FIU gamewill be their last non-conference game of the season before a string of six straight games against ACCrivals. The Golden Panthers are 0-6, but they have lost only one of those games by more than five points.Last week, FIU lost to North Texas 25-22 in an NCAA-record seven overtimes. Earlier in the season, FIUlost by one point to Middle Tennessee and South Florida, by five points to Bowling Green and four pointsto Maryland.
The Hurricanes are slowly improving week by week, playing one game at a time … but knowing that keyACC clashes with Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech are just around the corner. Miami is 1-1 in the ACCCoastal Division, and every team in the division has at least one loss.Miami’s recent improvement has been keyed by a resurgent defense that has allowed only 17 pointsand 520 totals yards in the last two weeks. Offensively, the Hurricanes have been spurred by the play oftrue freshman running back Javarris James, who has rushed for 148 and 111 yards in his first two startsin the last two weeks. James, the cousin of former UM star and current Arizona Cardinals running backEdgerrin James, has rushed for 361 yards and three touchdowns so far this season, to go along with sixreceptions for 93 yards and one touchdown.
THE OPPONENT: Florida International started its football program in 2002, going 5-6 that season. Theyfollowed with records of 2-10, 3-7 and 5-6. The Golden Panthers have been coached since their inceptionby Don Strock, the former Dolphins quarterback. A’mod Ned leads FIU in rushing with 331 yards,and QB Josh Padrick has started all six games, compiling 1,161 yards passing. The Golden Panthers’defense ranks 32nd in the NCAA.THE SERIES: This is the first game between Miami and Florida International. The two schools will alsoplay on October 6, 2007 at the Orange Bowl.
A HURRICANES VICTORY OVER THE GOLDEN PANTHERS WOULD: Give them a 4-2 recordand be their third consecutive victory. It would be Miami’s 14th win in their last 16 games againstin-state rivals dating back to 2000 and be their seventh straight win in first-ever meetings over anopponent.
CONNECTIONS: FIU starting C Xavier Shannon is the son of UM defensive coordinator RandyShannon … FIU wide receiver Lloyd Moss is the younger brother of former Hurricanes stars Santanaand Sinorice Moss … FIU offensive line coach Leon Searcy was an All-American at Miami , letteringfrom 1988-91 … FIU DB coach Hurlie Brown played on UM’s 1989 national championship team … FIUdefensive graduate assistant Marcus Wilder was a UM walk-on from 1997-99 … FIU linebackers coachVernon Hargreaves coached at Miami from 1998-2005 … FIU TE/special teams coach Carmen Grosscoached on the UM staff under Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson … FIUassistant head coach Bruce Hardy played for the Dolphins in the Orange Bowl for his entire career, andStrock played for the Dolphins for 14 seasons … And Miami assistant DL coach Clintt Hurtt coachedFIU’s defensive line last season.
