Postgame Notes

Nov. 28, 2009

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Team Notes

• The attendance of 66,469 is the second largest in USF history. The school record for a home game is 67,012, set against West Virginia in 2007.
• USF falls to 0-2 against Miami, with the other loss being a 27-7 Hurricane win in Miami in 2005.
• Jim Leavitt (Missouri ’78) is the only coach in USF history. He has a career record of 94-56 and is in his 13th season at USF. Leavitt and the USF program are 63-18 in home games, 12-17 against ranked opponents with six wins in the past nine games, 10-2 against teams from the state of Florida, 0-2 vs. Miami and 4-3 against the ACC.

Individual Notes

• Aaron Harris, Jessie Hester, Kenneth Luberice, Jerome Murphy, Moise Plancher, Chris Robinson, George Selvie, Kion Wilson, Theo Wilson) made their final home appearance against Miami, and the senior class is the winningest in USF history (33 wins).
• Offensive starters for today’s game: LT Jamar Bass, LG Jeremiah Warren, C Sampson Genus, RG Chaz Hine, RT Mark Popek, TE Ben Busbee, WR Dontavia Bogan, WR A.J. Love, WR Sterling Griffin, QB B.J. Daniels, RB Mo Plancher.
• Defensive starters for today’s game: LE Jason Pierre-Paul, NT Cory Grissom, DT Keith McCaskill, RE George Selvie, LB Sabbath Joseph, LB Kion Wilson, LB Chris Robinson, LC Quenton Washington, SS Jerrell Young, FS Nate Allen, RC Jerome Murphy.
• Captains for the game were Kion Wilson, George Selvie, Mo Plancher, Nate Allen and Matt Grothe.
• K Eric Schwartz put the Bulls on the board in the second quarter with a 36-yard field goal. Schwartz has now hit six field goals longer than 30 yards.
• In the third quarter, B.J. Daniels connected with A.J. Love on a 12-yard pass play for USF’s first TD of the game. The catch was Love’s second TD of the season and Daniels’ 12th passing TD of the year.
• Jason Pierre-Paul sacked Jacory Harris in the third quarter, which increases his sack total to 5.5 for the season.
• With four kick returns against Miami, junior Dontavia Bogan has 62 career kickoff returns for 1,454 yards, surpassing DeAndrew Rubin’s 60 returns (1,534 yards) to take the top spot on USF’s career list. Bogan started the game in second with 58 returns for 1,356 yards.
• WR Carlton Mitchell had one catch for 21 yards, increasing his total to 1,505 career yards. He is just 19 yards shy of breaking Hugh Smith’s record of 1,523.

TODAY’S CAPTAINS: Today’s captains for Miami were Randy Phillips, Chavez Grant and Jason Fox.

TOP 10 FOR HANK: With his 12-yard TD catch in the first quarter, Leonard Hankerson moved into the Top 10 in single-season receiving yards, passing Wesley Carroll’s 770 yards in 1989. He now has 44 receptions for 774 yards on the season.

WHAT THIS WIN MEANS:

• Miami earned its first nine-win regular seasons since 2005.
• Head coach Randy Shannon has guided Miami to a two-win improvement in each of the last two seasons (5-7 in 2007, 7-6 in 2008, 9-3 in 2009).
• Miami closes out the 2009 regular season with a perfect 4-0 record. The last time the ‘Canes went undefeated in regular season non-conference play was 2005.
• Miami finished the regular season 4-2 on the road and 3-0 on the road in the state of Florida with wins at Florida State, at UCF and at USF.
• The win moves the ‘Canes within one victory of their first 10-win season since 2003.
• The Hurricanes improve to 2-0 all-time versus USF.
• Miami closes out the month of November with a 3-1 mark – the best under head coach Randy Shannon.

PASSING FIRST: Miami recorded eight first downs via the pass today, bringing the season total to 158. That mark ranks third all-time in school history, trailing only the 1988 team (161) and 1984 team (159).

JACORY JOINS ELITE GROUP: With 162 yards passing today, sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris moved into sole possession of fifth place on the school’s all-time single-season passing yards with 3,165.

MORE HARRIS: Jacory Harris also moved up the single-season charts in several other passing categories today.

• With two touchdown passes, he moved into a tie for sixth place for most TD passes in a single season (23).
• With 11 completions, he moved into fourth place for most completions in a single season (226).
• With 21 passing attempts, he moved into sixth place for most passing attempts in a single season (377).

MR. CONSISTENCY: With a 10-yard reception in the first quarter, Leonard Hankerson is the only Hurricane to have a catch in all 12 games this season.

BERRY HITS 100: Junior running back Damien Berry recorded his second 100-yard rushing game of his career with 112 yards on 12 carries. It marked the fourth time this season – and the first time on the road – a ‘Cane recorded 100 rushing yards in a game (Damien Berry – 162 yards vs. Florida A&M, Graig Cooper – 152 yards vs. Virginia, Javarris James – 150 yards vs. Oklahoma).

MIAMI vs. SUNSHINE STATE: With the win today, Miami improves to 21-4 against teams from the state of Florida this decade. The ‘Canes also improved to 9-2 against the state this decade when playing outside of Miami.

JAVARRIS FOR TWO: Senior running back Javarris James had his third career multiple rushing touchdown game with his two first half TD runs. The previous two times James ran for two touchdowns in a game was against NC State in 2008 and against Marshall in 2007.

STRONG GROUND ATTACK: Miami’s 240 yards on the ground was the second highest total on the road this season and the second-highest overall. The previous high on the road came was 116 at North Carolina. The season-high of 268 rushing yards came at Land Shark Stadium vs. Virginia.

BOSHER MOVES UP AGAIN: Junior kicker Matt Bosher connected on four PAT’s in giving him 48 consecutive PAT’s this season. Those 48 consecutive extra points moved him into second place in a single season, passing Carlos Huerta’s 47 straight in 1989. Bosher needs just three more extra points in a row to set the program’s single season mark for consecutive extra points (Huerta owns the mark of 50 straight during the 1990 season). Overall, Bosher’s 48 extra points this season puts him sixth in a single season.

SHARPTON AGAIN: Senior linebacker Darryl Sharpton matched a career-high with 12 tackles. It was second straight game that Sharpton recorded 12 tackles.

FIRST DRIVE: Miami’s touchdown on the opening drive was the first time since the season opener at Florida State that Miami has scored on the first drive on the road. The Hurricanes drove 81 yards in 12 plays that resulted in Jacory Harris hooking up with Leonard Hankerson for a 12-yard TD catch.

CRAZY EIGHT: Despite only recording 11 completions, quarterback Jacory Harris connected with eight different receivers today. The ‘Canes have now had eight different receivers catch a pass in all nine wins this season.

QUICK HIT: The Hurricanes put up another quick strike against USF fast and now has posted 19 scoring drives – including one today – in two minutes or less this season. At Wake Forest, all four scoring plays were under two minutes.

SHORT AND BERRY: Junior running back Damien Berry continued his short yardage ways against USF. Berry rushed for a 5-yard gain on 4th and 1 and a 7-yard gain on 3rd and 2 in the first quarter. Against Duke last week, he converted five short-yardage situations (two yards or less) for four first downs and a touchdown. Entering the game, Berry had carried 24 times for 192 yards, seven touchdowns and 15 first downs in short yardage situations (5 yards and less). Berry converted two short-yardage situations against USF in the first half. He carried two times for 12 yards and two first downs.

FOR STARTERS: Freshman Brandon Washington made his first career start at left guard today and Orlando Franklin started for the first time ever at left tackle. Franklin had started all 11 games at left guard this season. Franklin replaced Jason Fox. Here were the rest of Miami starters against USF:

BERRY FINDS PAYDIRT, AGAIN AND AGAIN: With a two-yard rushing touchdown to give Miami a 20-16 lead in the fourth quarter, Damien Berry has now scored a TD in a team-best seven-straight games, and all seven games in which he has played. Berry leads Miami with eight touchdowns on the season.

• Berry previously notched a three-yard score at Wake Forest, a 23-yard TD run versus Clemson, a 35-yard TD run against FAMU a three-yard score versus UCF, a two-yard and a one-yard touchdown run against Virginia, and a one-yard score against North Carolina.

RETURNING FROM INJURY: Ray Ray Armstrong and Sean Spence both saw their first game action since the Clemson game. Spence opened the game on the kickoff return team, while Armstrong came in on defense with 0:54 remaining in the first quarter.

BERRY FINDS PAYDIRT, AGAIN AND AGAIN: With a two-yard rushing touchdown to give Miami a 20-16 lead in the fourth quarter, Damien Berry has now scored a TD in a team-best seven-straight games, and all seven games in which he has played. Berry leads Miami with eight touchdowns on the season.

• Berry previously notched a three-yard score at Wake Forest, a 23-yard TD run versus Clemson, a 35-yard TD run against FAMU a three-yard score versus UCF, a two-yard and a one-yard touchdown run against Virginia, and a one-yard score against North Carolina.

CLIMBING THE LADDER: With a 30-yard completion to Travis Benjamin, Jacory Harris passed Ken Dorsey for eighth on the single-season passing yardage list.

• With 348 yards in today’s game, Harris became the seventh quarterback in Miami history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. He now has 3,003 passing yards through 11 games this season.

AERIAL ATTACK: Jacory Harris’ 28 first half passing attempts are the most first half passing attempts in his career. Harris threw 30 passes in the second half last week vs. UNC, which is the most of his career for one half.

TWO SPORT STAR: Former Miami basketball standout Jimmy Graham, who now plays tight end for the ‘Canes, set a career-high with five catches in today’s game. He also set a career high in yards with 73 yards.

• Graham’s five receptions are the most by a UM tight-end since Chris Zellner had eight against California in the 2008 Emerald Bowl.

MR. CONSISTENCY: With a 16-yard reception in the second quarter, Leonard Hankerson is the only Hurricane to have a catch in all 11 games this season. Hankerson set career highs for catches and yards in a game with eight catches for 143 yards.

• Hankerson leads Miami this season with 42 receptions for 752 yards and five touchdowns.
• With his 52-yard catch in the second quarter, Hankerson has had a catch of 20 yards or more in 10 of 11 games.
• Five Hurricanes have at least four TDs this season – , Travis Benjamin, Javarris James, Jimmy Graham and Hankerson with five, and Damien Berry with eight.
• Hankerson’s fourth quarter 44-yard reception was his third touchdown of over 20 yards on the season.

SPREADING THE LOVE: Nine different Hurricanes caught a pass today, including a TD receptions by Tervaris Johnson and Jimmy Graham.

BOSHER PASSES HIMSELF: After kicking 40 consecutive extra points last season, Bosher broke his own personal mark when he kicked four today to give him 44 consecutive for the season. Those 44 consecutive extra points rank him in a tie for fourth all-time in a single season. Bosher needs just seven more extra points in a row to set the program’s single season mark for consecutive extra points. Overall, his 44 extra points this season rank him 10th in a single season.

STOPPING THE RUN: The 55 yards allowed on the ground today by the Miami defense are the fewest allowed in ACC play this year by the ‘Canes, and the fewest allowed in a conference game since Sept. 27, 2008 against UNC (51).

BETTER WITH TIME: The Hurricanes get stronger in the second half, outscoring their opponents 202-121 after halftime. Miami owns a 101-70 advantage in the third quarter and 101-51 in the fourth.

THE SERIES: After today’s win, Miami now leads the all-time series 6-1.

• With the win, Miami also improves to 5-1 at Land Shark Stadium this season – topping its home win total from 2008. UM is 12-3 overall in its “new” home.
• The win moves the Hurricanes to 5-3 in the ACC.
• UM is now 76-22 in the month of November since 1984.
• The win moves the Hurricanes record to 8-3 on the year. The eight wins are the most for the ‘Canes since 2005.
• Miami’s eight wins overall and five wins in conference play are both career-highs for head Randy Shannon in his three year tenure and the most for Miami since the 2005 season.