Football Returns Home, Hosts NC State
GAME INFORMATION
Date / Time: Sat., Sept. 29, 2012 / 12:01 p.m. EDT
Site: Miami Gardens, Fla. / Sun Life Stadium (74,916)
TV: ESPNU
Play-by-Play: Tom Hart; Analyst: John Congemi
Local Radio: 560 WQAM
Play-by-Play: Joe Zagacki; Analyst: Don Bailey Jr.; Sideline: Josh Darrow
Spanish Radio: Caracol 1260 AM
Play-by-Play: Roly Martin; Analysts: Pepe Campos and Joe Martinez
Student Radio: 90.5 FM WVUM
Talent: Alex Schwartz, Corey Fujikawa, Chip Brierre
Satellite Radio: Sirius 136, XM 191 (UM broadcast)
Live Stats: HurricaneSports.com
Twitter Updates: @HurricaneSports
Series: Miami leads, 7-5-1
Miami:Miami leads, 5-4-1
Raleigh: Miami leads, 2-1
First Meeting: 1939 – W, 27-7
Last Meeting: 2008 – L, 28-38
Streak: NC State, 2 wins
Game Notes: Miami | NC State | ACC
STORY LINES
* After a thrilling come-from-behind OT road win, the Miami Hurricanes return home to host NC State at Sun Life Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. EDT and will be aired on ESPNU. Saturday will be the 14th all-time meeting between the programs, with UM owning a 7-5-1 series edge. However, the Wolfpack has won the last two meetings.
* Miami and NC State have not met on the gridiron since Nov. 29, 2008 – the longest stretch between two meetings for Miami’s ACC opponents.
* Since joining the ACC in 2004, the Hurricanes are a 35-31 in conference play and are 1-2 against NC State during that span.
* Freshman RB Duke Johnson has 838 all-purpose yards through four games, the national leader in that category. He is on pace for 2,514 yards in 12 games. The single-season all-purpose mark at Miami is 2,102 by Willis McGahee in 2002.
* Eight of Miami’s 20 scoring drives this season have needed less than two minutes.
* For the second consecutive week, a Miami RB scored four touchdowns in a game. Against Bethune-Cookman, Duke Johnson had two rushing, one receiving and one kickoff return for scores. At Georgia Tech, Mike James rushed for three touchdowns and added another on a receiving score. The Canes are the only team in the nation to have two different players score four touchdowns in a game.
* Junior QB Stephen Morris threw for a career-high 436 yards in Miami’s 42-36 road win at Georgia Tech. Morris is the first UM quarterback to throw for 400+ yards since 2002 and it was the most passing yards by a UM QB since Gino Torretta’s 485 yards against San Diego State in 1991.
COACH TO CURE MD SET FOR SEPT. 29 WEEKEND
* The Miami and N.C. State coaching staffs will be wearing Coach to Cure MD patches this week to raise awareness and funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research. Fans are encouraged to donate online at www.CoachtoCureMD.org or donate $5 by texting CURE to 90999.
* This is the fifth year of the Coach to Cure MD program and has now surpassed the million dollar mark for donations. The program is a partnership between Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and the American Football Coaches Association.
QUICK HITS
* Through four games, 17 freshmen have seen action for the Miami Hurricanes, including 14 true freshmen.
* Five freshmen have started at least one game for the Miami Hurricanes – true freshman RT Ereck Flowers, true freshman RB Duke Johnson, true freshman WR Malcolm Lewis, true freshman S Deon Bush and redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson.
* Freshman RB Duke Johnson has earned back-to-back Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll honors.
* In the first 16 games of the Al Golden era, Miami has used 13 different defensive starting lineups.
* Notable Miami ACC statistical rankings: 2nd in kickoff returns (28.86), 4th in rushing offense (154.33), 5th in net punting (38.85), 5th in turnover margin (.00) and 6th in scoring offense (30.67).
* Notable Miami NCAA statistical rankings: 15th in kickoff returns, 41st in net punting, t54th in turnover margin, 58th in scoring offense and 68th in rushing offense.
* Duke Johnson ACC statistical rankings: 1st amongst all-purpose runners (209.50); 2nd in kickoff returns (30.40); 3rd in scoring among non-kickers (9.00) and 3rd in rushing (80.00)
* Duke Johnson NCAA statistical rankings: 1st amongst all-purpose runners; t31st in scoring; 15th in kickoff returns and tied for 61st in rushing.
* Junior QB Stephen Morris ranks fourth among ACC quarterbacks in passing yards per game (267.2) and fifth in total offense (274.5).
* Freshman DE Tyriq McCord and DE Anthony Chickillo are tied for fifth in the ACC and tied for 91st nationally in sacks per game (.50). Chickillo is also tied for first in the ACC with .50 fumble recoveries per game.
* Senior PK Jake Wieclaw is tied for second in the ACC and tied for 13th nationally in FG per game (1.75).
* Nearly 70 of Miami’s 2012 roster hails from Florida (67 players), including 21 that hail from Miami-Dade County.
NC STATE SERIES HISTORY
* Saturday will mark the 14th series meeting, which dates back to 1939. Miami leads the all-time series, 7-5-1, but NC State has won the last two meetings by a combined score of 57-44.
* Miami and NC State have only met three times as ACC members, with the Wolfpack holding a 2-1 advantage in the ACC-only series.
* No active player on Miami’s roster has faced NC State.
A WIN BY MIAMI WOULD…
* Give the Hurricanes their first three-game winning streak under Al Golden and first since the 2009 season.
* Give the Hurricanes a 2-0 record on the season at Sun Life Stadium.
* Give the Hurricanes their first 3-0 ACC start since 2004 – the first season in the conference.
* Give the Hurricanes their first 4-1 start to the season since 2009.
#ROOKIECANES
* In Miami’s fourth game of the season, 16 freshmen (13 true freshmen) played at Georgia Tech.
* True freshman OL Ereck Flowers made his fourth consecutive start at right tackle. On the defensive side of the ball, redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson made his third start and true freshman Deon Bush made his second consecutive start at safety.
* RB Duke Johnson tallied 200 all-purpose yards (72 rush, 38 receiving, 90 return) and now ranks first in the NCAA with 209.5 yards per game.
* In his third start, Eddie Johnson led the Canes with nine tackles (six solo stops) including the overtime stop of QB Tevin Washington on 4th-and-1.
PLENTY OF OPTIONS
* Miami has 14 different players that have at least one reception in the first four games of the season.
* Allen Hurns, Rashawn Scott, Phillip Dorsett, Clive Walford, Malcolm Lewis, Duke Johnson, Devon Johnson, Mike James, Asante Cleveland, Kendal Thompkins, Eduardo Clements, Dyron Dye, Maurice Hagens and Herb Waters each have at least one grab through two games.
* Sophomore WR Phillip Dorsett leads UM with 21 receptions and 273 receiving yards this season.
MR. JAMES’ CAREER DAY
* Through the first three games of the season, senior RB Mike James had not found the end zone. In Miami’s 42-36 OT road win at Georgia Tech, James scored four times, including three rushing scores and the 25-yard game-winning scamper in overtime. James finished with 15 rushes for a career-high 89 yards and three scores. He also added a 10-yard TD reception.
* James became the second Hurricane in as many weeks to record four TDs in a game. Freshman RB Duke Johnson accomplished the feat against Bethune-Cookman. Prior to last week, the last UM player to score four times was Tyrone Moss in 2005 against North Carolina.
MORE CAREER DAYS ON OFFENSE
* Junior QB Stephen Morris established career highs for yards (436), attempts (52) and completions (31) in Miami’s 42-36 come-from-behind OT road win at Georgia Tech. Morris was the first Miami QB to throw for 400+ yards since Ken Dorsey (422) at West Virginia in 2002. Morris’ 436 yards were the most by a UM QB since Gina Torretta threw for 485 against San Diego State in 1991.
* For the first time in his career, senior RB Mike James scored more than two touchdowns in a game. In fact, he reached the end zone four times against Georgia Tech, three times rushing and once on a reception.
* WRs Phillip Dorsett (184 yards on 9 receptions) and Davon Johnson (107 yards on 7 receptions) set career highs for both receiving yards and receptions.
MIAMI’S THUNDER AND LIGHTNING
* Senior RB Mike James and freshman RB Duke Johnson have combined for 567 of Miami’s 636 rushing yards on 87 through four games. The lightning-quick Johnson, who has already collected two ACC Rookie of the Week honors this season, has amassed 320 yards and four rushing TDs on 40 carries, while the bruising James has 247 yards and three touchdowns on 47 carries.
* The duo has combined for 160-plus rushing yards in three of Miami’s first four games. In the Hurricanes’ 41-32 season-opening win at Boston College, Johnson rushed for 135 yards, while James added 54 yards. Two weeks later, the pair amassed 171 yards – Johnson 94 yards and James 77 yards (both season highs).
* Johnson (6) and James (4) have combined for 10 of Miami’s 16 total touchdowns this season.
