Hurricanes Legend Wilfork to Serve as Honorary Captain vs UF
By Christy Cabrera Chirinos
HurricaneSports.com
In their storied history, the Miami Hurricanes have produced legendary players at practically every position on the field, from quarterback to linebacker to tight end and beyond.
But when head coach Manny Diaz thinks about how the Hurricanes revolutionized college football, he can’t help but think of the defensive tackles who’ve worn orange and green and the impact they’ve had first in Coral Gables, then in the NFL.
That’s just one reason it seems fitting that when Miami takes the field next Saturday for its season opener against Florida in a game that will celebrate the start of college football’s 150th anniversary season, it’s Vince Wilfork – one of the Hurricanes’ greatest defensive tackles – who will serve as Miami’s honorary captain.
“To me, if you’re going to talk about something from a Miami legacy, despite all the great quarterbacks, skill guys, wideouts and defensive backs, Miami’s kind of predicated on that defensive tackle,” Diaz said. “It’ll be great to have Vince there. … When we’ve had Vince here in the past, his mere presence has commanded respect, not to mention his resume and all that he’s been able to accomplish.”
That resume and that list of accomplishments is remarkable.
An eventual five-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time Super Bowl champion, Wilfork arrived at Miami as a Super Prep All-American and second-team USA Today All-American after a stellar career at Santaluces High School in Lantana.
He was one of four freshmen to see extensive playing time during Miami’s 2001 national championship season, notching 41 tackles and 15 quarterback hurries. A year later, Wilfork had 43 tackles and seven sacks, numbers that helped him earn preseason All-American honors ahead of the 2003 season.
That year, Wilfork finished with 64 tackles, a team-high 20 quarterback hurries, 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, all of which helped him earn first-team All-Big East honors and helped him become a first-round draft pick of the New England Patriots.
After his 13-year NFL career, Wilfork – who was also a member of the Hurricanes’ track and field team during his time at Miami – was inducted into the UM Sports Hall of Fame this past May.
All of that, Diaz says, has made an impact on the current Hurricanes, who on Saturday, will look to match the kind of success Wilfork and Miami had in their own matchups with Florida.
“Anytime Vince walks into the room here, everybody kind of leans in to hear what he has to say,” Diaz said.
