MAC Championship Title on the Line in Detroit
11/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Storylines
1. DEFENDING WHAT'S THEIRS: Miami's football team puts its MAC title on the line Thursday when it takes on MAC West Champion Toledo in the first neutral site MAC title game. The RedHawks, who defeated the Rockets on Nov. 2, are trying to repeat as MAC Champions for the first time since 1973-75.
2. ON A ROLL: Miami, which began the season with the nation's longest winning streak, has rallied from some early adversity to reel off six straight wins. The winning streak is the third-longest of the Terry Hoeppner-era and ranks 10th nationally.
2. DEFENSE WINS: While the offense stole the headlines during Miami's 2003 MAC Title the run, the RedHawk defense has garnered its share of attention in 2004. Miami ranks 13th nationally in rushing defense (101.8 ypg) and 28th in total defense (323.5).
3. PLACE YOUR BETTS: Miami junior quarterback Josh Betts enters Thursday's game needing only 49 yards to become just the second Miami quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards in a season. Betts, who ranks 13th nationally in total offense, has passed for 200 or more yards in 10 of his first 11 collegiate starts.
4. COMEBACK KID: Fifth-year senior Luke Clemens, who earned his fifth year via a medical redshirt last season, has revived Miami's running game over the past six weeks, averaging 102.0 yards rushing and totaling nine rushing TDs during that span.
General Notes
CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN: In a rematch of a nationally-televised Nov. 2 contest, Miami University faces the University of Toledo in the eighth Mid-American Conference Championship game. Hosted at Detroit's Ford Field, the MAC Championship game is taking place at a neutral site for the first time in league history--previously the East and West Division champions alternated hosting rights. The RedHawks and Rockets both bring identical 8-3 overall and 7-1 league records and are riding hot streaks. Miami has won a league-best six straight games, while Toledo has prevailed in eight of its last nine games. Both teams are coming off key division-clinching wins, with Miami outlasting Akron, 37-27, on Nov. 20 and Toledo coming from behind to shock nationally-ranked Bowling Green, 49-41, on Nov. 23.
ON THE TUBE: Thursday's MAC Championship game is being broadcast live on ESPN. Calling the game is ESPN's Thursday night team of play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico, color commentators Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporter Jill Arrington. Thursday's contest marks Miami's ninth appearance on ESPN or ESPN2 since 2002, with the RedHawks posting a 5-3 mark in those games. The RedHawks appeared on national television five times last season, including appearances in the MAC Championship game and GMAC Bowl, and have made three appearances this season, including their ABC debut at Michigan on Sept. 4.
THE SERIES: Miami and Toledo are meeting for the 48th time since the teams' first clashed in 1936. The Red and White won 13 of the series' first 14 contests, but the Rockets closed the gap between 1979 and 1992, when they won 11-of-14 games. The RedHawks have posted a 5-1-1 record since 1993, a current string of three consecutive win. Two of the MAC's top coaches over the past five-plus season, Terry Hoeppner and Tom Amstutz are meeting for just the third time, with Hoeppner claiming both previous meetings, including a 2002 win in Toledo that is the Rockets' only home loss since 1999.
LAST MEETING--Miami 23, Toledo 16 (Nov. 2, 2004): In front of a national-television audience, Miami kept its MAC title hopes alive with a key 23-16 defeat of MAC West leader Toledo. In a back-and-forth battle, Miami broke a 16-16 tie with a one-yard Luke Clemens touchdown to start the fourth quarter. The RedHawk defense stood tall from there, blanking the vaunted Toledo offense in the final quarter and coming up with a key fourth-down stop in their own red zone late in the game. Clemens led the way with 94 yards and two touchdowns, while the RedHawk defense held the Rockets nearly 100 yards below their season average for total offense.
IMMOVABLE MEETS UNSTOPPABLE, PART TWO: In the classic athletic confrontation, one of the league's top offenses collides with one of the MAC's top defenses in Thursday's MAC Championship game. Averaging a whopping 477.5 yards per game, including 311.4 yards through the air, Toledo ranks second in the MAC and seventh nationally in total offense. Miami, meanwhile, is allowing 323.5 yards of total offense, including a league-low 101.8 yards on the ground, to rank third in the MAC and 28th nationally in total defense. In the Nov. 2 meeting between the schools, Miami held Toledo's passing game to just 203 yards and a touchdown, but the Rockets became the only MAC team to rush for more than 160 yards against the RedHawks.
BATTLE OF THE BIG ARMS, PART TWO: Among the five MAC quarterbacks ranked among the top 15 nationally in total offense are Toledo's Bruce Gradkowski (3rd/309.5) and Miami's Josh Betts (13th/278.8). Both lead passing offenses that are ranked among the top 11 nationally (Toledo 6th/Miami 11th), while both individuals rank among the nation's top 25 in pass efficiency rating (Gradkowski 6th/Betts 22nd). In the last meeting between the two, Betts enjoyed a slight edge, completing 24-of-41 passes for 295 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. Gradkowski completed 23-of-36 passes for 203 yards, one TD and one INT.
STREAKS AND SUCH: Entering its Sept. 4 contest at Michigan, Miami's football team owned the nation's longest winning streak with a program-record 14 straight victories. After the Wolverines ended the streak, Miami struggled to regain its balance and dropped to 2-3 before a come-from-behind defeat of Kent State on Oct. 9 righted the ship and sent the RedHawks streaking again. Miami enters the MAC Championship game riding a six-game winning streak, which ranks as the third-longest of the Terry Hoeppner era and the 10th longest active winning streak nationally.
PROTECTING WHAT'S THEIRS: Miami enters the MAC Title game attempting to successfully defend the MAC Championship for the first time since the program won three straight MAC Championships from 1973-75. The RedHawks, who wear red bands on their wrists that say "Defend What's Ours", rallied from a 1-1 MAC start to reel off six straight league victories, including a 37-27 win at Akron on Nov. 20 that clinched the program's second straight MAC East title. Prior to last season, Miami had gone without a MAC title since 1986--the longest drought in program history.
TEAM OF DESTINY?: Following Miami's Sept. 29 loss at Marshall, the RedHawks found themselves facing an early deficit that would require them to be two games better than the Thundering Herd the rest of the way. Despite the long faces, head coach Terry Hoeppner had a strange sensation that kept bringing him back to the 1997 season when the RedHawks defeated a Marshall team that included Randy Moss and Chad Pennington but faltered down the stretch, dropping games to Akron and Bowling Green as Marshall rallied to claim the MAC East. Hoeppner rallied his troops for the final six regular-season games, winning all six, while Marshall dropped games in back-to-back weeks to none other than Akron and Bowling Green, setting up Miami's MAC East Division-clinching victory over Akron on Nov. 20.
ROADHAWKS: By posting wins in its last three contests away from Yager Stadium, Miami has rallied its road record to 3-3 after an 0-3 start. Traditionally a strong road team, the RedHawks have gone 26-16 on the road during Terry Hoeppner's tenure, including a 16-6 record away from home over the past three seasons. Miami has not finished a season with a losing road record since 2001 and led the nation in 2003 with eight wins away from home. Miami's only other neutral site game under Hoeppner was last season's GMAC Bowl victory over Louisville.
A TURNOVER TURNAROUND: Since a 2-3 start that included Miami's lone MAC loss at Marshall, Miami has reeled off five straight wins to put itself in position for a second straight MAC East title. Among the most telling statistics of Miami's dramatic turnaround has been the team's turnover margin. Miami turned the ball over a whopping 19 times in its first five games, including seven times at Michigan and five times at Marshall, while forcing only eight opponent miscues for a -2.25 turnover margin. Over the past six games, the RedHawk defense has created 11 opponent turnovers while the offense has limited itself to a manageable eight miscues for a +0.50 advantage in turnover margin.
SECOND-HALF SUCCESS: Whatever Terry Hoeppner says in the locker room at halftime this season, is certainly getting the attention of his players. Since winning just three of the first 18 games in which his team has trailed at the half, Hoeppner's RedHawks have rallied to win the last three games they've trailed at the half, coming from behind this season in wins over Kent State, Buffalo and Akron. Since the Kent State victory, which started Miami's current win streak, the RedHawks have outscored their opponents 130-41 in the second half.
STARTING FAST ...: One factor that leads to Miami wins is getting on the board early. In the last two years, the RedHawks are 18-1 when scoring first. The last time Miami lost when scoring first was last year's season opener at Iowa, when the RedHawks took the opening drive against the Hawkeyes and posted their only score of the game, a field goal. Miami is 36-8 (.818) under Hoeppner when scoring first. Leading at the end of the first quarter also translates to success, as Miami owns a 28-6 record under Hoeppner when leading after the opening quarter and has won the last 14 games in which it's enjoyed first-quarter advantages.
... AND FINISHING: Since 1999, when Terry Hoeppner took over at Miami, the RedHawks have not blown fourth-quarter leads often, posting a 43-3 record when leading at the start of the final quarter. The RedHawks were a perfect 13-0 last season when leading after three quarters and are 7-0 this season. Miami has won the last 23 games overall in which it's led after three quarters.
GETTING ON THE BOARD: Something Miami's fans have not seen in a long time is their team walking off the field without leaving some points on the board. The Red and White presently own one of the nation's longest strings of games without a shutout, avoiding the goose egg for 127 straight contests. Miami has not been blanked since a 21-0 loss at Ball State in 1993 and has been held under 10 points in a game only four times since. The RedHawks have not been blanked at home since 1983 and have been shut out only once in 21 seasons in Yager Stadium.
CLIMBING A LEGENDARY LIST: With his 49-28 win versus Louisville in the GMAC Bowl last December, head coach Terry Hoeppner became the sixth coach in Miami history to record 40 wins. Sporting a 48-23 mark to date, Hoeppner is now second only to his predecessor Randy Walker's 59 Miami wins and could be the second Miami coach to reach 50 wins by winning Thursday's MAC Championship game and a bowl game. Hoeppner's 37 MAC wins already rank 12th in league history.
YAGER, SWEET YAGER: Presently riding a Yager Stadium record 10-game home winning streak, Miami has strung together back-to-back undefeated seasons at home and has not lost a game at home since the conclusion of the 2002 campaign. The RedHawks, who had a FieldTurf playing surface installed prior to the 2003 season, have yet to lose on their new carpet and have won their home games by an average margin of 27.9 points per game over that span. Under Hoeppner, Miami has posted a 22-7 (.759) record in Yager Stadium. Miami's home unbeaten streak is the longest since an 11-game unbeaten streak from 1985-86, and the home winning streak is the longest since the Red and White won 14 straight from 1980-82.
RELOADED: After last season's success, head coach Terry Hoeppner was faced with one of the negative by-products of success, having to replace three members of his coaching staff, including his defensive coordinator, linebacker coach and offensive line coach. Hoeppner filled the majority of his gaps from within, promoting defensive backs coach Joe Palcic and defensive line coach Brian George to co-defensive coordinators, promoting tight end coach Bobby Johnson to offensive line coach, promoting 2003 graduate assistants Tim Cooper and Billy Lynch to safeties and tight ends coach, respectively, and bringing in MAC veteran George Ricumstrict to head the linebackers.
EYES ON 11: A program that has regained its greatness since 1994, Miami clinched its 11th consecutive winning season with a Nov. 2 defeat of Toledo. The RedHawks are an impressive 85-38-2 (.685) during their current run of success. Miami's record for consecutive winning seasons was set between 1943-59, when the Red and White notched 17 straight winning campaigns. From 1943-75, Miami totaled 33 straight non-losing seasons.
ONE OF THE TRULY ELITE: While its reputation as the Cradle of Coaches sometimes tends to overshadow the football program itself, Miami possesses a tradition of football success that ranks among the elite programs nationally. In its 116th season, Miami football has accounted for 632 wins, which ties for 18th nationally. The Red and White also has posted an impressive all-time winning percentage of .640, which ranks among the top 15 programs nationally.
MAC DADDIES: Over the past two seasons, Miami has made an impressive run through its Mid-American Conference schedule, posting wins in 15 of its last 16 regular-season league contests on the way to consecutive MAC Championship game appearances. The MAC record for most regular-season wins over two years since the league went to an eight-game schedule is 16 held by Bowling Green, which ran the table in both 1991 and 1992. Since it began MAC play in 1948, Miami has accounted for league highs of 245 conference victories and 14 MAC Championships.
REDHAWKS IN THE NFL: Currently four Miami players are on NFL rosters, including offensive linemen Eric Beverly (1993-96/Atlanta Falcons) and Alex Sulfsted (1998-00/Cincinnati Bengals) and 2004 NFL Draft Picks Ben Roethlisberger (2001-03/Pittsburgh Steelers) and Jacob Bell (2000-03/Tennessee Titans). Roethlisberger is an NFL-record 9-0 as a starter for the Steelers, while Bell moved into the Titans starting lineup in the second game of his rookie campaign. Last season, Roethlisberger was picked 11th overall in the NFL draft, making him the highest Miami player ever drafted.
The Offense
SCOUTING REPORT: Ranked 19th nationally in scoring offense (33.4) and 32nd nationally in total offense (412.2), Miami's offense has found success in a balanced attack. Junior Josh Betts, a first-year starter at quarterback, has passed for 200 or more yards 10 times in 11 games this season and has totaled 2,951 yards and 19 TDs to lead the nation's 11th-ranked passing attack. Betts' top targets include sophomore Ryne Robinson (55 rec./780 yds.) and senior Michael Larkin (46 rec./682 yds.), but seven different players have made at least 16 receptions so far. Fifth-year senior Luke Clemens leads Miami rushing attack, posting 808 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns to date. He has been spelled recently by freshman tailback Brandon Murphy, who has rushed for 202 yards over Miami's last four games.
SETTLING DOWN: After having to overcome the loss of his top receiving threat and a series of changes on the offensive line along with the typical growing pains of a first-year starter, Miami junior quarterback Josh Betts is coming into his own. Betts, who is averaging 284.7 yards passing per game over the past six games, has completed 62.2 percent of his passes this season and ranks, along with four other MAC quarterbacks, among the top 15 nationally in total offense (277.5). Taking care of the football has become one of the biggest elements of Betts' growth. After accounting for 11 turnovers (seven interceptions/four fumbles) over his first five starts, Betts has committed just five miscues over the past six outings.
MAKING HIS MARK: While a great deal was made early on of Josh Betts having big shoes to fill, the junior has quietly gone about making his own name. One of the nation's top 15 offensive weapons, Betts is placing his name among the best Miami passers of all-time. With 2,951 yards passing to date, Betts is on pace to become just the second Miami quarterback all-time to pass for 3,000 yards in a season. Betts' current passing yardage total ranks as the fourth-highest single-season total in program history, while his 227 completions rank fourth all-time, his 19 TD passes rank fifth and his 62.2 percent completion percentage places him fifth. Betts 3,307 career yards passing already rank seventh on Miami's career charts.
THE COMEBACK KID: A 1,000-yard rusher in 2002, Miami's Luke Clemens had his true senior season ended just two games in by an injury at Northwestern. After earning a medical redshirt during the offseason, Clemens is back for a fifth year and leading the RedHawk rushing game. Miami's leading rusher with 808 yards this season, Clemens has regained his old form over the past six outings, averaging 102.0 yards rushing, 24.0 yards receiving and totaling 11 touchdowns. Clemens, who started the season splitting carries, has earned the feature-back role since Miami's Oct. 16 game at Buffalo and has averaged 24.8 carries a game over the past five outings. Ranked among Miami's career top five with 28 rushing TDs and 31 total scores, Clemens became the 14th Miami player to surpass 2,000 yards rushing at Western Michigan and needs 121 yards rushing to reach Miami's career top 10 rushers.
LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE: With senior running back Mike Smith sidelined for the past month, redshirt freshman Brandon Murphy has been given the opportunity to tote the rock in relief of Luke Clemens. Though not imposing in stature at 5-foot-8, Murphy has proven quite elusive and shown off his blazing speed in recent weeks. At Western Michigan, Murphy touched the ball only four times but produced a 21-yard touchdown reception and 22-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Last week, Murphy received eight carries that he took for 90 yards, including a go-ahead 35-yard touchdown dash in the fourth quarter. Murphy already has accounted for six plays of 20 yards or greater, four of which have gone for touchdowns.
STEADY AS CAN BE: With a first-quarter reception at Akron on Nov. 20, senior wide receiver Michael Larkin laid claim to the NCAA record for most consecutive games with a reception. Since making his collegiate debut at Iowa in 2001, Larkin has made at least one catch in 48 consecutive games, surpassing the NCAA record of 47 previously shared by USC's Kareem Kelly (1999-2002), Northwestern's Kunle Patrick (2000-03), Texas Tech's Wes Welker (2000-03) and Texas' Roy Williams (2000-03). During the course of the streak, Larkin made the minimum one reception just five times, while snagging five or more catches 19 times. He is Miami's all-time leading receiver in terms of receptions (189), receiving yards (2,622) and receiving TDs (31).
PRIME TARGET: Though he doesn't possess the prototypical size of a red-zone target, the 5-foot-8 Michael Larkin has become one of the nation's best at making touchdown receptions. With a remarkable 31 TD catches for his career, Larkin ranks third nationally among active players in touchdown receptions, trailing only Michigan's Braylon Edwards and Tulane's Roydell Williams. Larkin, who has seven TD grabs this season, has totaled seven career games with multiple touchdown receptions. His 31 career receiving TDs rank third in MAC history.
HIGHLIGHT: Since having to step into the starting lineup after Martin Nance's season-ending injury, sophomore Ryne Robinson continues to emerge as an offensive threat. In six starts since the Nance injury--all Miami victories-- Robinson has hauled in 40 catches for 595 yards or an impressive average of 99.2 yards per game. Known by his head coach as "Highlight" because of his big-play ability, Robinson is averaging 14.9 yards a reception during Miami's current six-game win streak. On the season, Robinson has been involved in 20 of Miami's 74 plays of 20 yards or longer, including 12 of the 44 pass plays that have covered 20 yards or more. He is the only player in Miami history to catch a touchdown pass, throw a touchdown pass and return a punt for a touchdown.
SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS: If there's been an Achilles heel to Miami's offense this season, it's come in the form of turnovers. The RedHawks have already committed 27 turnovers this season, which is higher than the teams' complete season total in any of the past three seasons. The RedHawks, who had not lost more than eight fumbles since 2000, have put the ball on the ground 27 times this season and lost 14 fumbles. Miami's opponents have made them pay for their mistakes, scoring 72 points--or 30 percent of the points allowed by the Red and White--off turnovers. Versus Michigan on Sept. 4, Miami committed seven turnovers, which resulted in 36 of Michigan's 43 points.
OWNING THE ROCK: Any coach will tell you that the best defense is an offense that keeps the other team's offense off the field, and that's something the Red and White has mastered in recent years. Miami led the MAC in time of possession in both 2002 and 2003, owning the ball more than five minutes per game more than its opposition in 2003. Since a rash of turnovers and problems with the running game allowed the RedHawks to win the time of possession battle just once in their first five games, Miami won the battle in five of its last six games, including a dramatic 40:00-20:00 edge at Buffalo. Miami ranks second in the MAC in the category, averaging 30:55 per game. During its six-game winning streak, Miami his holding onto the ball for an average of 32:46.
SHAKING THINGS UP: Miami's offense went into the Oct. 9 Kent State game with a new-look offensive line. Though the personnel were the same, Miami shifted all-MAC center Todd Londot to right tackle, moved left guard Dave Rehker to center, and rotated redshirt freshmen Charlie Norden and Steve Meister at left guard. Since giving up six sacks at Marshall and making the changes, Miami has allowed just nine sacks over the last six games and paved the way for 157.7 yards rushing per contest.
ANCHORING THE LINE: The veteran of the offensive line is third-year starter Todd Londot, who emerged as one of the nation's top centers prior to moving to right tackle on Oct. 9. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 300 lbs., the amazingly agile lineman has a 30-inch vertical leap and has been rumored to throw down a 360-dunk. Last season, Londot, who has been named to the 2004 watch lists for both the Rimington and Outland Trophies, made only one bad exchange at center in 2003. A second-team all-MAC pick in 2003, Londot has been moved to right tackle to make better use of his athleticism. At Western Michigan, he temporarily went back to center when Dave Rehker left the game with an injury.
NOSES FOR THE ENDZONE: When Miami finds itself deep in the red zone, it has the luxury of turning to a pair of senior backs with plenty of experience getting into the endzone. Mike Smith, who has found the endzone in 20 of the last 25 games in which he has played, ranks in a sixth-place tie on Miami's career list with 25 rushing touchdowns and has 27 TDs for his career, ranking him among the program's Top 10 all-time. Luke Clemens, on a torrid pace recently, has 28 rushing TDs and a total of 31 career touchdowns, also ranking among Miami's career leaders. Both backs rank among the nation's active career leaders in rushing TDs with Clemens ranking in an 18th-place tie and Smith ranking 23rd. Smith has been held out of Miami's past four games with an injury, but did dress for the RedHawks' game at Akron on Nov. 20.
BUILDING FROM SCRATCH: While many schools prefer to recruit 300-pound offensive linemen, Miami has taken a different approach. With the expertise of RedHawk strength & conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple, three-time MAC Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year, the Red and White has focused its recruiting efforts on recruiting athletic linemen and tight ends with big frames. The weight then comes from extensive work in Dalrymple's program. The average weight of Miami's current starting offensive line when it signed with the program was a meager 257 lbs., with only Dave Rehker weighing in at more than 265 pounds. Today the RedHawk line averages a lofty 299 lbs. per man--an average gain of 42 lbs. per player--but still possesses the mobility to handle a variety of roles within the offense.
NANCE LOST FOR SEASON: After hauling in 115 passes for 1,825 yards over a 19-game stretch, Miami junior Martin Nance will miss the rest of the 2004 season after suffering a season-ending injury to his left leg in the RedHawks' Sept. 29 loss at Marshall. A second-team all-MAC selection in 2004, Nance led the RedHawks in receptions and yardage at the time of the injury. Nance is expected to make a full recovery by next season.
THE MAN BEHIND THE WHEEL: In only his fourth year at Miami, offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery already has established himself as one of the most innovative coordinators in the program's illustrious history. A finalist for the Frank Broyles Award for the nation's top assistant coach in 2003, Montgomery has increased Miami's offensive output in each of his first three seasons while generating three of the top five single-season total offense outputs in program history, including last season's Mid-American Conference record total of 7,016 yards. Montgomery was a former quarterback at North Carolina State, where he was the MVP of the 1988 Peach Bowl and 1989 Copper Bowl.
The Defense
SCOUTING REPORT: With eight starters back from a dominant defense that was overshadowed by its offensive counterpart in 2003, Miami's defense has come to the forefront in 2004. Ranked 28th nationally in total defense (323.5) and 13th in rushing defense (101.8), Miami has allowed just 11 touchdowns in the last 22 quarters of play. The RedHawks also have been solid against the pass, ranking fifth in the league at 221.6 yards per game.
ON A ROLL: Since giving up 20 first-half points to Kent State on Oct. 9, Miami's defense has rallied in grand fashion. Over the past 22 quarters of play, the Red and White has allowed only 14 scoring drives, and 77 first downs out of 68 total possessions (1.1 first down per possession). The RedHawks restricted both UCF and Buffalo to fewer than 200 yards of total offense and held the Golden Knights to a mere seven first downs--the lowest total allowed since holding Akron to five first downs in 1995. Miami is giving up only 4.8 yards per play over the current stretch, compared to the RedHawk offense which is averaging better than 6.1 yards per play over the same period.
GRINDING TO A HALT: The key to Miami's resurgent defense over the past two seasons has been its ability to stifle the run. Miami's rushing defense, which has restricted the opposition to just 101.8 rushing yards per game, ranks 13th nationally and is giving up fewer than 3.0 yards per carry. Over the past 24 games, Miami's rushing defense has held 13 of its opponents under 100 yards rushing, including seven to fewer than 50 yards. During that same span, only seven opponents have totaled more than 150 yards on the ground versus Miami. Versus the MAC this season, Miami is allowing only 77.5 yards rushing per game, including a season-low nine yards rushing allowed to Ohio on Sept. 18 and, most recently, just 10 yards allowed at Akron.
A BLIP ON THE RADAR: While a key factor of playing "Miami Football" involves an aggressive defense, the Red and White appeared tentative in a 45-26 loss at Cincinnati, in which it gave up 599 yards of total offense, including the highest rushing total allowed by the Red and White since 1996. Fortunately, the breakdowns experienced by Miami that were just a blip on the radar. In the RedHawks' other eight games, they have given up just 295.9 yards per game, which would rank 13th nationally. Also impressive, Miami has allowed just 77.9 yards rushing and 2.3 yards per carry in its other nine games, which would rank it third nationally.
A STRONG SAFETY INDEED: The unquestioned veteran leader of the Miami defense, senior strong safety Matt Pusateri has made 46 consecutive starts for the RedHawks and played in all 49 games since making his debut as a redshirt freshman. A walk-on success story, Pusateri ranks seventh all-time at Miami with 459 career tackles and is just four solo tackles away from becoming the program's career leader in unassisted stops. A 2001 Freshmen All-American by Sporting News, the senior has led Miami in tackles in each of the past two seasons and ranks second this year. Pusateri, who also has five career interceptions, was the Defensive MVP of the 2003 GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
KILLER "B": Junior outside linebacker John Busing (pronounced BEE-sing), who emerged as a playmaker on the Miami defense the second half of last season is taking the next step in 2004. Busing. who leads the team with 73 tackles this season, has been active again this season. Versus Marshall (Sept. 29), Busing recorded a career-high 15 tackles. Against Kent State (Oct. 9), Busing made five tackles, forced a fumble, returned a lateral after a fumble 33 yards and intercepted his only pass of the season. Against Toledo, Busing led the RedHawks with nine tackles and blocked an extra point. Busing, who has seven career interceptions, led all linebackers nationally with five picks in 2003 and has four pass breakups this year.
THE NEW NIGERIAN NIGHTMARE: And a nightmare is exactly what Terna Nande has become for opposing teams. Last season, the junior earned second-team all-MAC honors and was twice named MAC Defensive Player of the Week after consecutive wins over Bowling Green and Marshall. While Terna means "God's Gift" in his native language, Nande gets his other nickname from head coach Terry Hoeppner because of his ability to make punishing hits. Coach Hoeppner has been quoted as saying, "Once he hits you, you keep having nightmares about it." Nande ranks third on the team with 67 stops and also has 3.5 quarterback sacks and a pair of forced fumbles on the year.
THE PHYSICAL FREAK: Miami strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple has seen a lot of remarkable athletes come and go in his 17 years but even he appreciates the rare specimen that is Terna Nande. Not much of a weight lifter prior to arriving at Miami, Nande has packed on remarkable strength gains in his first three seasons. Earlier this fall he maxed out at more than 500 lbs. in the bench press and 600 lbs. in the squat. Despite the remarkable strength gains, Nande has maintained his weight as well as his 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash and 38-inch vertical leap. In third-and-long situations, Nande has been moving to defensive end to take advantage of the mismatches he creates.
STEPPING RIGHT IN: Miami redshirt freshman Craig Mester, the brother of former RedHawk Kurt Mester, has been a strong addition to Miami's defensive end corps. Mester, a Grand Rapids, Mich. native, broke onto the scene on Oct. 9, when he was in on two quarterback sacks and forced a fumble. On Nov. 13, Mester was inserted into the starting lineup when Jarrod Rich was unable to go and played strong in making three tackles, including another sack. Mester was in the starting lineup again on Nov. 20 at Akron, making two sacks on Akron's elusive Charlie Frye and raising his season-total to five sacks.
SMOOTH TRANSITION: Junior defensive end Marcus Johnson, who ranks 20th nationally with 7.5 quarterback sacks, has been a breakout player on defense in 2004. Johnson totaled a season-high three quarterback sacks versus Kent State (Oct. 9) and leads the Red and White with 12.5 tackles for loss. Johnson, who spent last season as a defensive tackle, slimmed down during the offseason to make the transition to end. Johnson was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after totaling six tackles and two sacks versus Ohio (Sept. 18). He made a career-high 10 tackles the following week versus Marshall and ranks fifth on the team in tackles (49).
A FINE LINE: While Miami's defensive line was forced to replace its defensive ends from last season, it returns a talented trio of defensive tackles at the heart of the defensive line. Last season, the trio of Larry Burt, John Glavin and Will Rueff were almost interchangeable for the RedHawks, combining for 130 tackles and 19 tackles for loss while spearheading a run defense that was the stingiest in the MAC. The line has been integral in Miami's nationally-ranked rush defense while totaling 18.5 tackles for loss. Last week, Glavin busted out with three quarterback sacks versus Akron.
THE LONGEST YARD: The test of a good defensive line comes when its back is against the wall and, through 11 games, Miami's defense has shown strength in short-yardage situations. The RedHawks have allowed only four first downs out of 15 third-and-one situations this season, including stuffing Michigan on all three of its third-and-one plays back on Sept. 4. Opponent are converting 40 percent of their third downs from third-down-and three or less.
THIRD AND LONG: When trying to figure why Miami's opponents are converting just 33 percent of their third downs, they may want to turn their attention to first and second down. Of 168 third down situations, Miami's opponents have faced only 58 shorter than third and five and have faced third-and-10 or longer 54 times, converting only 11 times.
SHUT DOWN CORNERS: A key to the overall success of Miami's defense has been corner backs Alphonso Hodge and Darrell Hunter, who, because of Miami's aggressive defense, are often left on their own to stop the opposition's top receivers. A speedy tandem, that both covers the 40 in under 4.4 seconds, the RedHawks have so much confidence in each that they allow either to cover the opposition's top receiver depending on which side of the field he lines up. Hodge, a prospect for the 2005 NFL draft, has only been beat twice for TDs this season.
A CORNER BLITZ: Miami's Alphonso Hodge has posed quite a threat for the Miami pass rush in 2004. The senior corner back with sub 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash has totaled five quarterback sacks off corner blitzes this season, including two sacks versus Toledo on Nov. 2. Hodge, who had eight solo stops versus the Rockets, made perhaps the play of the game when he sacked Bruce Gradkowski for a nine-yard loss on a third-and-15 play during Toledo's final series.
WIWO GETS THE NOD: Versus Toledo on Feb. 2, Miami sophomore Frank Wiwo became the third different RedHawk to start at free safety. Returning starter Steve Burke opened the season as the starter before suffering a hand injury versus Ohio that sidelined him for a month. He has since returned to practice. Joey Card started the next four games for the RedHawks but had his season ended with a hand injury in the UCF game. Making his first start, Wiwo made four tackles and stood tall against one of the nation's top passing attacks. The lanky walk-on with an impressive wingspan entered the season as a corner back and played strong safety during much of Miami's win at Buffalo.
PROTECTING THE HOUSE: Miami's defense did more than its share to protect its house, posting a quintet of dominant performances in Yager Stadium this season. In the five wins, Miami held its opponents to 285.0 yards of total offense, including a meager 75.2 yards on the ground. Miami opponents averaged just 2.2 yards per carry and were been sacked 22 times in Yager Stadium. The RedHawks also forced 14 of their 19 turnovers this season in their five home games. Miami's opponents have averaged just 12.1 points per game in Yager Stadium over the last nine games.
Special Teams
A GREAT PAIR OF LEGS: With two great legs on your roster, why not use them both? Head coach Terry Hoeppner has been alternating Jared Parseghian and Todd Soderquist in Miami's kicking game this season. Parseghian is 10-of-12 on field goal attempts this season and 19-of-21 on PATs, while Soderquist is 6-of-8 on field goals, including a season-long 43-yarder, and 22-of-22 on PATs. True to form, Hoeppner alternates the kickers on every field goal and PAT attempt, unless it's determined before the game that a kick would be out of Parseghian's range. Parseghian, who holds the MAC record with 18 straight field goal conversions earlier in his career, is Miami's career leader in extra-point conversions (152) and field goal percentage (.800) and ranks third all-time in scoring (260).
THE MISSING LINK: After ranking last in the MAC in kickoff returns a year ago, Miami has experienced a resurgence thanks to the return of sixth-year senior Korey Kirkpatrick. The senior, who suffered a season-ending injury of last season's second game, ignited Miami's second-half explosion versus Kent State (Oct. 9) by returning the opening kick of the half 68 yards and setting up Miami's first score. Versus Western Michigan, the senior responded to a Bronco score with an 89-yard return to WMU's one-yard line. Kirkpatrick is averaging 28.4 yards per kick return to rank fifth nationally and first in the MAC. Last week, freshman Brandon Murphy got in on the action, returning a kick 59 yards against Akron as Miami has gone from worst to first in the MAC in kickoff returns.
IT'S ALL HIS NOW: Though the rumors were circulating that he may not letter during the 2003 campaign, senior punter Mike Wafzig most certainly did. Though only six teams nationally punted fewer times than Miami's 46 punts, Wafzig was solid in averaging 41.1 yards per punt. A former walk-on wide receiver, Wafzig is entering his fourth season as Miami's starting punter and ranks fourth in the Miami career annals with his 40.5 yard average per punt. He has been solid in 2004, sending his first 41 punts an average of 41.5 yards and pinning the opposition inside the 20 nine times.
After a remarkable true freshman campaign in which he ranked second nationally behind LSU's Skyler Green in punt return average (17.2 ypr), sophomore Ryne Robinson is out to prove that his 2003 numbers were no fluke. Robinson got off to a remarkable start, returning a punt for at least 70 yards in three of his first four games. Versus Indiana State, the sophomore broke the Miami and MAC career record with his fourth punt return for a touchdown--a 70-yarder--early in the second quarter. Versus Michigan, Robinson almost single-handedly rallied the RedHawks, returning fourth quarter punts 70 yards to the Wolverine one-yard line and 46 yards to the Michigan 39-yard line. After not getting a return opportunity versus Cincinnati, Robinson returned a key third-quarter punt 74 yards for a touchdown versus Ohio.
ROBINSON'S RECORD CHASE: With a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown on Sept. 18 versus Ohio, Ryne Robinson became Miami's all-time leader in career punt return yardage, surpassing Eddie Tillitz (1999-2002). Prior to Tillitz, who broke the record in 2002, Dick Adams (1968-70) had held the record for 32 years. While Tillitz took 90 returns to amass his 925 yards, Robinson blew past the mark in only 52 returns. On Sept. 29, Robinson blew past the MAC punt return record on his 54th return, surpassing Central Michigan's Ted Hollern (1981-84), who returned a MAC record 117 punts for 1,001 yards. Robinson has 1,114 punt return yards.
A LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE: With the Miami and MAC career punt return yardage records already in the bag, Ryne Robinson, only 24 games into his collegiate career, is on pace to eclipse the NCAA record by the end of his career. Vanderbilt's Lee Nailey (1947-49) presently owns the NCAA record of 1,696 yards, but it is coming under fire from Oklahoma's Antonio Perkins, who has climbed to 1,431 career yards and already shares the NCAA record of eight punt returns for touchdowns. Presently, Robinson, who ranks fourth among the NCAA's active punt return yardage leaders, is the only non-senior ranked in the top eight. Robinson is averaging more than two yards per return more than Perkins for his career and only Northern Illinois' Dan Sheldon has a better career average (18.6).
A GOLDEN AGE OF PUNT RETURNS: From 1974 to 2000, Miami went 283 straight games without returning a punt--the longest drought in college football at the time. Beginning with Eddie Tillitz' two punt returns for touchdowns in Miami's 2000 game at Eastern Michigan, the RedHawks already have returned eight punts for touchdowns in the new millennium.
