Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami and Cincinnati Battle for the Bell
9/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 18, 2001
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Match-Up at a Glance:Stadium: Yager Stadium (30,012)Surface: Natural GrassKickoff: 2 p.m. EDTSite: Oxford, OHCybercast: www.MURedHawks.comSeries Record: Miami leads 55-43-7/Streak - Cincinnati 2
THE GAME After opening the season with two straight road games, Miami (0-2, 0-0 MAC) returns to action this week after taking an unscheduled week off due to the tragedies in New York City, Washington D.C and Pennsylvania. The RedHawks get back into action with longtime area rival Cincinnati in the 106th meeting for the Victory Bell in Oxford, Ohio this Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. While the RedHawks are still looking for their first win of the year after losing at Iowa, 44-19, two weeks ago, Cincinnati hopes to continue its good fortune as it came from behind to beat Army, 24-21, on Sept. 8. A Miami win would not only bring home the Victory Bell to Oxford for the first time in three years but it would also keep the RedHawks from starting out 0-3 for the first time since 1990. This week's game will feature two of the nation's most heralded freshmen quarterbacks as Miami redshirt freshman Ben Roethlisberger and Cincinnati true freshman Gino Guidugli square off. The pair combined to throw for 484 yards and five touchdowns in their last starts on Sept. 8.
TERRY HOEPPNER After spending 13 years as a Miami assistant, Terry Hoeppner (pronounced HEP-ner) was named the RedHawks' head coach in 1999. He posted a 7-4 record in his inaugural season, joining the likes of coaching legends John Pont, Ara Parseghian and Bill Mallory as seven-game winners in their first season as a Miami head coach. A 1969 graduate of Franklin (Ind.) College, Hoeppner owns a 13-11 overall record in his third year as a head coach. Since coming to Miami in 1986 under then head coach Tim Rose, he has served as a linebacker coach (1986), defensive back coach (1987-93), assistant head coach/defensive back coach (1993-95) and assistant head coach/defensive coordinator (1995-98). Hoeppner's other college coaching stint came at his alma mater as defensive coordinator (1980-86). Miami's record with Hoeppner as defensive coordinator was 32-11-1 and 44-22-2 as an assistant head coach. He is 0-2 vs. Cincinnati.
Hoeppner Month-by-Month
Year Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Totals1999 0-0 3-1 2-2 2-1 0-0 7-42000 0-0 3-2 1-2 2-1 0-0 6-52001 0-0 0-2 - - - 0-2Totals 0-0 6-5 3-4 4-2 0-0 13-11
COACHING CHANGES FOR 2001 There are two new additions to the Miami coaching staff for 2001. Shane Montgomery, a former record-setting quarterback at North Carolina State (1987-89) and an eight-year assistant at Tennessee-Chattanooga, is returning to his native state to serve as the RedHawks' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He replaces Greg Seamon. Brian George, a graduate assistant for the RedHawks the past two seasons, has been promoted to defensive line coach and replaces the position previously held by Ron Johnson. The only other coaching responsibility change for the upcoming season has Bobby Johnson taking on the additional duty of coaching the tackles.
A MIAMI WIN WILL ... - Improve the RedHawks' ledger to 84-22-4 in home openers and give them their fifth straight victory in a home opener, - Be head coach Terry Hoeppner's first career win vs. Cincinnati, giving him a 1-2 mark versus the Bearcats, - Give the RedHawks their first win vs. the Bearcats since a 1998 41-0 shutout at Cincinnati, and - Up the RedHawks' all-time record vs. Cincinnati to 56-43-7, including a 12-6-2 mark in Oxford.
A MIAMI LOSS WILL ... - Drop the RedHawks to 0-3 for the first time since 1990, Randy Walker's first year at Miami, - Hand the RedHawks their third straight loss, their longest losing streak since 1996 (losses at Indiana - 21-14, vs. Bowling Green - 14-10 and at Cincinnati - 30-23) - Extend Miami's losing streak versus Cincinnati to three games, the longest such streak since a four-game skid from 1986-89, and - Mark the first time ever the RedHawks have lost three straight to Cincinnati at home.
GAME DAY ACTIVITIES As part of the game day festivities this Saturday, Miami will honor the United States and the people involved in last Tuesday's attacks on New York and Washington D.C. As fans enter the stadium, ushers will be passing out American flags and during the pregame show before the Star Spangled Banner, both the Miami and UC marching bands will join together on the field and play "America the Beautiful." Also, in memory of those who lost their lives, the Miami football team will be wearing American flags on the back of their helmets. There are several promotional events tied into the home opener. Today is Miami's 47th annual "Band Day," as approximately 1,700 area high school musicians will join Miami's 250-member marching band. Miami's high school band day is one of the longest continual collegiate-high school musical events in the country. In addition, the first 2,000 Miami students who pass through the South Stadium entrance receive a free "Get in the Game" T-shirt. Also, the first 2,000 fans to arrive at the stadium receive a free Miami football schedule magnet. It is also Red and White Club Day at the game.
GROUND-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENT This weekend, the Miami University athletic department will dedicate the Walter L. Gross Family Student Development Center, which is located on the hill between Yager Stadium and Millett Hall. The 23,000-square foot facility caters to both the academic and physical needs of Miami's athletes. The West wing of the center is devoted to academic enrichment. Featured in the academic wing are two large study areas, an informal study lounge, private tutoring offices and a state-of-the-art computer lab. Offices for Miami's academic advisors also are located in the wing. The East Wing consists of a 10,000-square foot physical fitness center, which includes free and machine weights, curcuit training machines, cardiovascular equipment, and speed, agility and jump training facilities. Providing the lead gift for the construction of Miami's student-athlete development center was the Gross Family. Walter L. Gross, Jr., president of the G&J Pepsi Cola Bottlers, Inc., until his death in February of 2001, earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Miami in 1952. His wife, Barbara is a 1952 graduate of the Western College for Women. They have two children, Walter III and Sandra, who graduated from Miami in 1975 and 1991, respectively.
SZCZERBIAK'S NUMBER TO BE RETIRED AT HALFTIME In honor of his superior achievements, Miami University will retire former basketball standout Wally Szczerbiak's jersey number 32 at halftime of the Miami/Cincinnati football game on Saturday, Sept. 22. Szczerbiak, currently with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, becomes just the fifth men's basketball player to have his number retired. Szczerbiak ranks second behind Los Angeles Laker Ron Harper in career scoring at Miami with 1,847 points. He is also the school's career leader in three-point field goal percentage with a .431 mark and set Miami's single-season scoring mark in 1998-99 with 775 points, just three more than Harper's 772 in 1984-85. He led Miami through its most magical season in 1998-99-the first time a Miami team collected two wins in the NCAA Tournament-which culminated in an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Tabbed first-team all-America by John Wooden, Basketball News, Basketball America, CollegeHoops Insider and Sports Illustrated and second-team all-America by AP, NABC and USBWA, Szczerbiak was a unanimous choice as the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year as a senior in 1999, becoming just the third player in Miami history to earn the honor. Szczerbiak also was a finalist for the Naismith, Robertson and Wooden National Player-of-the-Year Awards, finishing third in the voting for the Wooden Award.
REDHAWKS AT YAGER Since moving to Yager in 1983, the RedHawks have posted a 51-29-4 record (.630), but a slightly better 14-4 mark the past three-plus seasons. Only Miami's 12-1-1 mark from 1984-86 represents a better three-year home record at Yager. In non-conference games in Yager since 1990, Miami is 3-3-1, including a 2-2-1 mark vs. Cincinnati.
HOME-OPENING STATS Miami owns an 83-22-4 record in home-opening contests. That calculates out to a gaudy .780 winning percentage. The RedHawks have won their last five home openers.
SERIES HISTORY The "Victory Bell" series between Miami and Cincinnati dates to 1888, when the two teams tied 0-0 in Oxford. Miami and UC have met a total of 105 times, with Miami holding a 55-43-7 advantage. Minus two World War II years, 1943 and '44, the series has run continuously since 1909. In the 1990s, the RedHawks produced five victories: in 1990, '91, '92, '95 and '98. From 1992 to 1997, the outcome of each contest, was decided in the game's final seconds or overtime. Three of those contests were tied at the end of regulation, with two games decided in OT. The other three games were three-, seven- and two-point decisions. For a complete look at the Miami-Cincinnati series history, see pages 78-79 in the Miami guide. Coincidently, following the tragedy of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963, the first game Miami played was versus Cincinnati, a 21-19 win. Following is the series history with Terry Hoeppner a member of the Miami coaching staff:
* 1986 at UC 45, Miami 38 * 1994 at Miami 17, UC 17 * 1987 at UC 31, Miami 26 * 1995 at Miami 30, UC 28 * 1988 UC 34, at Miami 18 * 1996 at UC 30, Miami 23 (3OT) * 1989 UC 30, at Miami 14 * 1997 UC 34, at Miami 31 (2OT) * 1990 Miami 16, at UC 12 * 1998 Miami 41, at UC 0 * 1991 Miami 22, at UC 9 * 1999 UC 52, at Miami 42 * 1992 at Miami 17, UC 14 * 2000 at UC 45, Miami 15 * 1993 at UC 30, Miami 23
At Oxford: Miami leads 11-6-2 At Cincinnati: Miami leads 42-35-5 At neutral sites: Tied 2-2 Most Miami Points: 43 (43-7) in 1971 Most UC Points: 52 (52-42) in 1999 Biggest Miami win: 41 (41-0) in 1998 Biggest UC win: 46 (46-0) in 1904
TURNOVERS TELL MOST OF THE STORY Much like it was a year ago with mistakes, six turnovers and a-4 margin have played a major factor in the RedHawks' first two losses. Since the start of the 2000 season, Miami is 5-0 when committing two or fewer turnovers per game. When the RedHawks suffered three or more miscues, they are 1-7. Miami's opponents have capitalized on the six turnovers, scoring five touchdowns. The only victory with more than three turnovers came in last year's season finale, narrowly, eking out a 17-16 victory at Buffalo. Last year, the RedHawks finished the season with a -12 turnover margin, which ranked 108th nationally. Two years ago when the RedHawks went 10-1, they ranked first in MAC turnover margin and 15th nationally (+10).
DOZEN IS DANDY For the first time in school history, Miami plays 12 regular-season games. The RedHawks earned the extra game with the addition of Hawai'i to their schedule this fall. Contests played outside the continental United States are considered "exempt" games and do not count toward an institution's regular-season slate.
GETTING OFF TO A FRESH(man) START Redshirt freshman quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay) has turned in solid outings in his first two career starts for Miami. After completing 18-of-35 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns at Michigan, he continued to show progress vs. Iowa, throwing for 173 yards (9-for-18) and two more scores. The Hawkeyes also saw another less touted side of his game, as Roethlisberger ran for a team-high 93 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run for the RedHawks' first score of the game. In terms of the debuts of Miami starting quarterbacks since 1991, Roethlisberger's 18 completions and 193 passing yards versus Michigan are second only to Sam Ricketts' totals of 24 and 281 versus Ball State in 1994. His two touchdown passes came up one fewer than the number Neil Dougherty threw versus Ohio in 1991, while his 35 pass attempts are the most any Miami freshman quarterback has made in his debut in that time. Three of his 18 completions went for 20 yards or more, including a 21-yard scoring strike to Eddie Tillitz in the second quarter. Before Roethlisberger, the last time a Miami quarterback made his first collegiate start as a freshman was on Nov. 5, 1994, a span of 67 games, when Ricketts engineered a late come-from-behind 24-21 victory over Ball State. Roethlisberger comes to Miami as one of the most highly touted recruits in recent years. In 1999, he was named the Ohio Division I Offensive Player of the Year, setting state passing records for yards (4,041) and touchdowns (54). In the recruiting battle, Miami beat out Ohio State and Duke for Roethlisberger's services.
SHOOTING FOR 600 Miami, which ranks 13th nationally among long-running Division I-A football programs for overall winning percentage, can join an elite club if it earns three victories this year. The third win will give the school 600 all-time victories, making Miami the 22nd school to accomplish the feat. North Carolina was the last team to join the club and sits 21st with an even 600 victories. Miami can be the first MAC program to reach this milestone.
GUNNING FOR AN EIGHTH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON Coming off a 6-5 record, Miami shoots for its eighth straight winning season this fall. The RedHawks are 51-26-2 during this current string. The school record for consecutive winning seasons is 17 (1943-1959), while the record for consecutive non-losing seasons is 33 (1943-1975).
HURRY-UP HAWKS With the new spread offense that is being employed this season, one thing is for certain ... Miami can score quickly from anywhere. In the first two games, the RedHawks have scored five touchdowns, covering an average of 79 yards per drive in just over 2:13 per drive. All but one of those touchdowns were made on plays in excess of 20 yards (21, 80, 56 and 40 yards).
WALK-ON WARRIORS Two former Miami walk-ons, sophomore running back Luke Clemens (Dayton, OH/Bellbrook) and redshirt freshman strong safety Matt Pusateri (Dublin, OH/Bishop Watterson), have shown in the last couple weeks why they earned scholarships this past off-season. Clemens, a versatile player that can play in both the offensive and defensive backfield, leads the RedHawks in rushing after the first two weeks with 130 yards on 33 carries. He also managed four catches for 23 yards. Clemens had a breakout performance in the season opener at Michigan, finishing second on the team with 86 all-purpose yards. Last year, Clemens was named Miami's Outstanding Walk-on, seeing limited action as a defensive back and a member of the special teams. The coaching staff made the decision this spring to try him at tailback. Clemens, a running back in high school, piled up a school-record 5,300 yards in his four-year career at Bellbrook. In 1999, he was named the Ohio Division III Offensive Player of the Year, racking up 2,400 yards rushing and 33 TDs. The 1999 Ohio Division III Defensive Player of the Year, Pusateri took advantage of his first career start, finishing the game at Michigan with 13 tackles, one for a two-yard loss, and a pass defended. After two weeks of play, he leads the MAC with 33 tackles. After being redshirted last year, the hard-hitting Pusateri earned the top safety spot on the depth chart coming out of spring practice.
NOT YOUR ORDINARY MR. JONES Sophomore middle linebacker Terrell Jones (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) continues to post impressive numbers on defense, averaging eight tackles per game through the first two weeks. He has now tallied 10 or more tackles in seven of his last eight games. Last year, as a true freshman, the plan was to redshirt Jones, but due to numerous injuries to the linebacking corps, he was pressed into action. In the final seven games of last season, Jones averaged 11.75 takedowns per game, which also led the nation for all freshmen players. Jones was the only Miami player to pick up Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2000, receiving the award following his stellar performance in a Nov. 4 win against Ohio. Against the Bobcats' option attack, Jones racked up a career-best 23 tackles, including a personal-high 16 solo hits. He also forced a fumble at the end of the contest, which stopped any threat of an Ohio comeback. Jones totaled two tackles-for-loss, including a sack. In seven games last season, he amassed 84 tackles, which ranked third on the squad. Jones ranked second in the MAC in tackles per game. For his efforts, Jones was named a third-team Freshman all-American by The Sporting News.
RUSHING STRING ENDS ... BARELY In 2000, Miami was bidding for a school-record seventh straight season with a 1,000-yard rusher. The RedHawks nearly came up with one as Steve Little (Louisville, Ky./Seneca) made a late season run but fell 14 yards shy of the coveted 1,000-yard mark. He closed the year with a personal-best 222 yards vs. Buffalo. The RedHawks are generally successful, when they possess a 1,000-yard rusher. Miami has finished with a winning record 17 of the 19 times it's had a 1,000-yard rusher. This season, Little is one of the candidates for the Doak Walker Award, presented by the SMU Athletic Forum. Through the first two weeks, a lingering ankle injury has limited Little to just two carries for -1 yards, all against Iowa last week.
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA Last year, for the first time in Miami football history, the RedHawks produced multiple Verizon Academic All-America honorees. Graduated senior Brian Potter and returning junior wide receiver/punt returner Eddie Tillitz (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) received first- and second-team recognition, respectively. Only two other individuals had been honored as Academic All-Americans in Miami football history: Andy Pederzolli in 1973 (first team) and Steve Dailey, the RedHawks' team physician, in 1984 (second team). Potter carried a 3.50 GPA in finance, while Tillitz held a 3.54 GPA in zoology. Place-kicker Andy Brumbergs (Solon, Ohio/Solon) was also nominated for the honor, he carried a 3.79 GPA in accountancy.
EDDIE'S ESCAPADES After not returning a punt for a touchdown in 283 consecutive games-the longest such streak in Division I-A football-Eddie Tillitz (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) stopped Miami's string last year on Sept. 9 at Eastern Michigan. Tillitz returned not one, but two punts for TDs against the Eagles. The streak dated to Oct. 19, 1974 (John McVay, 66-yard punt vs. Bowling Green). Further research revealed that during the 26-year stretch that Miami did not return a punt for TD, the RedHawks went 1,628 punts without a score. In the Sept. 2, 2000 season opener at Vanderbilt, Tillitz's career as a punt returner started on an inauspicious note as he fumbled the Commodores' first punt deep in Miami territory. He then unleashed the MAC-record-setting 162-yard performance against Eastern Michigan the following week. The two TD's also tied a national record held by several individuals. Tillitz finished the season with a 12.2 yards per punt average to rank 25th nationally and fourth in the MAC. He also ranked second on the team in receptions with 39. In the season opener at Michigan, Tillitz pulled in four catches for 50 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown from Ben Roethlisberger.
BRANCHING OUT If the RedHawks would have named a "Most Improved Player" in 2000, sophomore wide receiver Jason Branch (LaBelle, Fla./LaBelle) would have made a strong run at the honor. With top receivers Sly Johnson and Ty Buxton ailing with injuries in the season's final weeks, Branch stepped up and delivered some key plays. He totaled a career-high 143 receiving yards vs. Ohio (Nov. 4) and caught a personal-best seven receptions (for 86 yards) against Marshall (Nov. 11). Branch, who finished with 24 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns in the final five games, totaled 31 receptions for 541 yards and four TDs for the year. The 6-6 218-pound junior has been the RedHawks most consistent receiver the first two weeks, pulling in eight receptions (four each week) for 148 yards (18.5 yards per catch). His four receptions per game average has him tied for second in the MAC. His lone touchdown this season came last week versus Iowa, pulling in a 40-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger.
X-PERIENCE ON THE O-LINE The offensive line is one area where offensive line coach John Peterson won't have to take much time explaining Xs and Os. Four of five starters return from last year's squad. The returning front four starters, seniors Joe Costello (Cheviot, OH/LaSalle), Paul Thaler (Cleves, OH/LaSalle), and Phil Hawk (Ashland, OH/Ashland) and sophomore Jacob Bell (Euclid, OH/St. Ignatius), have a combined 63 starts, including Bell, Hawk and Costello starting every game last year. For Costello and Thaler, their experience together dates back to their childhood and high school playing days in Cincinnati at LaSalle High School. The projected starting offensive line, with the addition of sophomore Ben Herrell (Middletown, WI/Middletown), comes in at an average height of 6-5 and a weight of 302 pounds.
MR. SMITHs GO TO OXFORD Miami's roster includes six players with the last name Smith-Dwight, Frank, Mike, Justin, Phil and Sherman. No other Division I-A football team has that many players with the same last name.
THAT OLD TOUCHDOWN MAGIC Redshirt freshman quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (Findlay, OH/Findlay) and redshirt freshman wide receiver Mike Iriti (Findlay, OH/Findlay) will be looking for that old high school magic that brought them to Miami two years ago. During their high school careers at Findlay, Roethlisberger connected with Iriti 22 times for touchdowns with all but one coming during their senior season (Roethlisberger's only year as a starting quarterback). That season, Roethlisberger broke the state single-season records for touchdowns (54) and passing yards (4,041) while Iriti caught 101 passes for 1,411 yards and scored a total of 25 TDs.
Familiar Name - Part I As people read down Miami's roster, one quick question comes to mind as they come to redshirt freshman place-kicker Jared Parseghian: any relation to Ara Parseghian? The answer: yes. Jared is the great nephew of college coaching legend and Miami alumnus Ara Parseghian. This season, Parseghian has converted on 2-of-3 extra-point attempts.
Familiar Name - Part II Freshman wide receiver Michael Larkin (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) is another name on the Miami roster that also garners a great deal of attention as people scroll through. Larkin is the second cousin to the Larkin family, which includes Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin, Xavier University's all-time leading basketball scorer Byron Larkin, and another Michael Larkin that played football at Notre Dame. Last week, Miami's Michael Larkin made a grand debut, pulling in three catches for 121 yards, including his first career reception, which was a 56-yard touchdown pass.
