HURRICANES COMPLETE LAST OF THREE TWO-A-DAYS
Aug. 17, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – – The Miami Hurricanes football team wrapped up its third and last of three two-a-day practices of this year’s training camp with a light practice in shells Friday afternoon at the Greentree Practice Fields. UM had its full pad workout earlier Friday morning.
“We got a lot accomplished and we went fast,” UM head coach Randy Shannon said. “It was a normal practice. We had an up-beat tempo. The guys flew around. When you fly around like that, you get off the field quick.”
The Hurricanes spent a little over an hour on its session in the morning. The afternoon session was only the third double-session one of the summer. The afternoon session was nearly two hours.
“Early (afternoon) games have been one reason for all the morning practices,” Shannon said. “Also, it helps because of all the afternoon thunderstorms. You have to get a practice in. If you try to wait until 3 o’clock in Miami, we know how it can be with thunderstorms. It prepares us for our two early games (12 noon vs. Marshall and Oklahoma), and we have a 3:30 game (vs. FIU). But it’s getting us prepared for the season, also.”
Special teams continues to be a primary focus for the Hurricanes. The team spent Friday morning’s session working on onside kicks.
“We try to attack every phase of special teams that we can,” Shannon said. “We’ve had some hurry-up situations, where the field goal team has to hurry and go on the field. We’ve had hurry-up situations on punts. We try to put everyone, including the kickers, in many adverse situations so they know what expect for games.”
Shannon said linebackers Colin McCarthy and Darryl Sharpton have returned to practice after missing time with injuries.
The Hurricanes practice again at 7:50 a.m. Saturday.
Notes:
Depth in the Secondary
Shannon talked about the returning secondary as one of the stronger units on the team. Miami returns safeties Kenny Phillips, Lovon Ponder and Willie Cooper. In addition, starting cornerbacks Randy Phillips and Glenn Sharpe, as well as key reserves Bruce Johnson, Carlos Armous and Chavez Grant are back. The Hurricanes’ lone loss in the area came when safety Anthony Reddick went down with an injury in the spring. “We have some depth, but you have to keep developing,” Shannon said. “The more you develop guys, the more you can be a sound team.”
16 Days Until First Game
Hurricanes fans can purchase single-game tickets, a four-game Mega-Plan or season tickets through the month of August. Single-game tickets are $47 each, while the Mega-Plan, which includes a reserved ticket to the Texas A&M game and three other home games of choice, is $160 per pack ($7 savings per ticket ). Season tickets start as low as $190, which is only $27 per game. Tickets can be purchased at www.hurricanesports.com or by calling (305) 284-CANES in Miami-Dade or (800) GO-CANES outside of Miami-Dade. The Hurricanes open the season on September 1 against Marshall in the Orange Bowl.
