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- Nov 11, 2019
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On March 16, we had nothing to do. Quarantined from work (and most things) and facing the longest stretch without distractions from football season we could remember, we decided to start our planned countdown to Hurricanes football a little (74 days) early. Already expecting to feature 99 different players for the second part of the countdown, we went searching for stats that could fill up the vacant spots from 173 down to 100, and in the process took a journey that walked us through just about every major era and story of Hurricanes football over the last half century (and more in some cases).
We know some followed along each day, but for any people that might have missed some things who lack the time to go back and watch a couple hundred short videos on twitter, we figured we’d give you all a Sparknotes version.
Stuff we learned:
There are a TON of old Hurricane games in full on Youtube. Really, you should go watch some of them. Even like a 56-3 whooping of Temple back in 99 or something like that. Most teams don’t have their old games so easily accessible, so take advantage.
Brock changed the play on the game winner over FSU in 2004. According to Sinorice Moss, the receiver on the play, Brock changed it before the snap and went to that tunnel screen that Sino took to the house. The corner covering Moss had been struggling with an injury and had no shot once the big OL got out there in front.
Stephen McGuire was good. Really **** good. It’s so easy for fans to rank their top 5 or so Canes backs and stack it full of the names that have always been tossed around among the program greats (especially recently), but there is no way you could watch a game of McGuire running the ball and not want him in that top 5. Calling his style of running “violent” may not do it the justice it deserves; just look at the defenders in the 3rd and 4th quarters basically begging him to stop smashing them and that’s all you really need to know about the way 30 played the game. Also, Warren Williams was a bad man, too. Just throwing that out there.
The Miami DT tradition is unparalleled, but the Ends were just about as good. The one thing that the 80s/90s/00s ends don’t have is the standout pro success that the best DTs did (from the HOFers like Tez and Sapp to the #1 pick in Russ and the dominance of Jerome and Vince), but as college players, there wasn’t much those guys didn’t do. The end spot showcased multiple first team All Americans and elite playmakers like Danny Stubbs, who was as good of a passrusher that the U has ever seen, Bill Hawkins, who was one of the longest tenured starters during one of CFB’s greatest stretches of dominance (he had a 34-2 record as a starter), and Rusty Medearis, who was basically “The Natural” in a football uniform.
Ray Bellamy’s importance to the program. It’s one thing to know the name of a person as important as Ray Bellamy, the first black scholarship football player at UM (and in the Southeast), but to actually hear from the man himself and to read his story takes it to a whole new level. I’m glad to have learned more about great Hurricane like Ray.
Glenn Dennison and Willie Smith need more love for starting the Tight End legacy. Those guys really set the table as the go to guys for their offenses as Miami made the push for their first few titles. Dennison was the leading receiver on a team with the great Eddie Brown, and Willie set the catch record. Chud came in right on their heels and kept it going before Bubba in the late 90s started the incredible run of TEs into the mid/late 00s.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1271236996573339648?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1271778251086745600?s=20
Stuff we had forgotten:
Every one of those “other” guys from the early 00s teams had a huge game in there somewhere. As the years go on and the game by game successes of that early 00s team slip from the memory, it’s easy to lose exactly why the guys like Ethenic Sands, Al Marshall, Matt Walters, Chris Campbell, Markese Fitzgerald, and Najeh Davenport were so crucial to our success. These guys were excellent supporting players when the future first round picks and pro bowlers were showing out, but they also had no pause when asked to step into the spotlight themselves. Whether it was Najeh slicing people up out of the backfield or Marshall making Larry Fitzgerald look like a JV wideout, these guys always came to play.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1269060907851812865?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1252068381018259456?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1294250817323765760?s=20
Yatil Green was the total package. I don’t know where most fans would rank him among the Miami receivers through the years, but I do believe that the opinions of many would be affected by the teams he played for and his quick, injury-caused burnout in the league. In terms of being built to play the position, there’s not much more you could ask for than what Yatil had.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1270702860368519170?s=20
FSU may have had a great run against us recently, but they are still so far behind after what we did to them over the past 40 years. Sure, they beat up on Al Golden, but we were straight taking championship opportunities out of their hands year in, year out in the 80s/90s/00s. If it wasn’t FSU, and it wasn’t Bobby Bowden, and it wasn’t Danny Kanell, and Chris Rix, and… nah. Nevermind. I’d never feel bad about that. Enjoy this montage of whoopings.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1259105629475672070?s=20
Just how many Canes were taken too soon. It’s really stunning when you go back through and start listing the names. Maybe it’s normal and other programs that I don’t pay attention to have the same types of numbers, but the losses suffered by UM just weigh so heavy. RIP.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1284982264686882816?s=20
Stuff we remembered clearly, but we just wanted to talk about more:
Sean Taylor was the best defensive player to play for Miami. I’m sorry, that’s purely my opinion and I know people will disagree, but ****. I don’t mean to overstate this, but I can firmly say that no human being was ever, or will ever be built like him. I watched some absurd number of Miami games over these last three months (like 250 unique games), and while we’ve had some GREAT players, none were Sean. There were games he in was in with future sure fire Hall of Famers, yet he was so easily the best player on the field that it was almost unfair. Look at how dominant he was doing things OTHER than playing defense.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1247965959987564544?s=20
Sean Taylor had the best defensive game by a Hurricane ever. Or by a CFB defensive player ever. I really don’t care how you qualify it, but what he did vs FSU in 2003 should be in a museum. Just look at this game. He could have had 8 interceptions.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1294631960199995392?s=20
Santana Moss is as dynamic an athlete that’s ever played for Miami. Devin Hester was fast as **** and could do things few other players could, but I don’t think even he could keep up with Santana with the way that he moved on the field. With the way he moved laterally and how great his body control was, there really wasn’t much defenses could do if the QB was putting the ball near where it needed to be.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1302068967398412288?s=20
The Miami defense beat the doors off of Notre Dame in 1989. They held he Irish and Tony Rice to 120 yards less than their season average on the ground and only three offensive points. It was an absolutely embarrassing effort by Holtz’s squad, who had no answers for Clark, Tez, and the rest of the Canes D.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1256199577125953539?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1194826558948679680?s=20
The Miami defense beat the doors off of Notre Dame in 2017. The Cane DL took up residence in the Irish backfield as Notre Dame struggled to even get back to the LOS on most runs. It was an absolutely embarrassing effort by Kelly’s squad, who had no answers for R.J., Trajan, and the rest of the Canes D.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1273338178490044419?s=20
No team in America has as many great moments or sayings as the Canes. Whether it’s Zo informing OU about UM’s lack of fear, Jerome telling them who the boss is, Al serenading the squad in the tunnel, or Santana talking about big time players, that Miami swag was often very quotable. And of course, those guys always practiced what they preached, like the great Ed Reed making sure everyone knew what time it was.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1295067513185808385?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1301627818607087621?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1296928025473363968?s=20
Hopefully you all enjoyed the trip down memory lane. If you’re looking for other posts from the countdown, just check out the past six months of our TL on twitter, or search up the #CanesCountdown.
Extra shout out to JD08 and all the other guys who have been posting in the countdown thread on the main board each day, too!
We know some followed along each day, but for any people that might have missed some things who lack the time to go back and watch a couple hundred short videos on twitter, we figured we’d give you all a Sparknotes version.
Stuff we learned:
There are a TON of old Hurricane games in full on Youtube. Really, you should go watch some of them. Even like a 56-3 whooping of Temple back in 99 or something like that. Most teams don’t have their old games so easily accessible, so take advantage.
Brock changed the play on the game winner over FSU in 2004. According to Sinorice Moss, the receiver on the play, Brock changed it before the snap and went to that tunnel screen that Sino took to the house. The corner covering Moss had been struggling with an injury and had no shot once the big OL got out there in front.
Stephen McGuire was good. Really **** good. It’s so easy for fans to rank their top 5 or so Canes backs and stack it full of the names that have always been tossed around among the program greats (especially recently), but there is no way you could watch a game of McGuire running the ball and not want him in that top 5. Calling his style of running “violent” may not do it the justice it deserves; just look at the defenders in the 3rd and 4th quarters basically begging him to stop smashing them and that’s all you really need to know about the way 30 played the game. Also, Warren Williams was a bad man, too. Just throwing that out there.
The Miami DT tradition is unparalleled, but the Ends were just about as good. The one thing that the 80s/90s/00s ends don’t have is the standout pro success that the best DTs did (from the HOFers like Tez and Sapp to the #1 pick in Russ and the dominance of Jerome and Vince), but as college players, there wasn’t much those guys didn’t do. The end spot showcased multiple first team All Americans and elite playmakers like Danny Stubbs, who was as good of a passrusher that the U has ever seen, Bill Hawkins, who was one of the longest tenured starters during one of CFB’s greatest stretches of dominance (he had a 34-2 record as a starter), and Rusty Medearis, who was basically “The Natural” in a football uniform.
Ray Bellamy’s importance to the program. It’s one thing to know the name of a person as important as Ray Bellamy, the first black scholarship football player at UM (and in the Southeast), but to actually hear from the man himself and to read his story takes it to a whole new level. I’m glad to have learned more about great Hurricane like Ray.
Glenn Dennison and Willie Smith need more love for starting the Tight End legacy. Those guys really set the table as the go to guys for their offenses as Miami made the push for their first few titles. Dennison was the leading receiver on a team with the great Eddie Brown, and Willie set the catch record. Chud came in right on their heels and kept it going before Bubba in the late 90s started the incredible run of TEs into the mid/late 00s.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1271236996573339648?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1271778251086745600?s=20
Stuff we had forgotten:
Every one of those “other” guys from the early 00s teams had a huge game in there somewhere. As the years go on and the game by game successes of that early 00s team slip from the memory, it’s easy to lose exactly why the guys like Ethenic Sands, Al Marshall, Matt Walters, Chris Campbell, Markese Fitzgerald, and Najeh Davenport were so crucial to our success. These guys were excellent supporting players when the future first round picks and pro bowlers were showing out, but they also had no pause when asked to step into the spotlight themselves. Whether it was Najeh slicing people up out of the backfield or Marshall making Larry Fitzgerald look like a JV wideout, these guys always came to play.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1269060907851812865?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1252068381018259456?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1294250817323765760?s=20
Yatil Green was the total package. I don’t know where most fans would rank him among the Miami receivers through the years, but I do believe that the opinions of many would be affected by the teams he played for and his quick, injury-caused burnout in the league. In terms of being built to play the position, there’s not much more you could ask for than what Yatil had.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1270702860368519170?s=20
FSU may have had a great run against us recently, but they are still so far behind after what we did to them over the past 40 years. Sure, they beat up on Al Golden, but we were straight taking championship opportunities out of their hands year in, year out in the 80s/90s/00s. If it wasn’t FSU, and it wasn’t Bobby Bowden, and it wasn’t Danny Kanell, and Chris Rix, and… nah. Nevermind. I’d never feel bad about that. Enjoy this montage of whoopings.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1259105629475672070?s=20
Just how many Canes were taken too soon. It’s really stunning when you go back through and start listing the names. Maybe it’s normal and other programs that I don’t pay attention to have the same types of numbers, but the losses suffered by UM just weigh so heavy. RIP.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1284982264686882816?s=20
Stuff we remembered clearly, but we just wanted to talk about more:
Sean Taylor was the best defensive player to play for Miami. I’m sorry, that’s purely my opinion and I know people will disagree, but ****. I don’t mean to overstate this, but I can firmly say that no human being was ever, or will ever be built like him. I watched some absurd number of Miami games over these last three months (like 250 unique games), and while we’ve had some GREAT players, none were Sean. There were games he in was in with future sure fire Hall of Famers, yet he was so easily the best player on the field that it was almost unfair. Look at how dominant he was doing things OTHER than playing defense.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1247965959987564544?s=20
Sean Taylor had the best defensive game by a Hurricane ever. Or by a CFB defensive player ever. I really don’t care how you qualify it, but what he did vs FSU in 2003 should be in a museum. Just look at this game. He could have had 8 interceptions.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1294631960199995392?s=20
Santana Moss is as dynamic an athlete that’s ever played for Miami. Devin Hester was fast as **** and could do things few other players could, but I don’t think even he could keep up with Santana with the way that he moved on the field. With the way he moved laterally and how great his body control was, there really wasn’t much defenses could do if the QB was putting the ball near where it needed to be.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1302068967398412288?s=20
The Miami defense beat the doors off of Notre Dame in 1989. They held he Irish and Tony Rice to 120 yards less than their season average on the ground and only three offensive points. It was an absolutely embarrassing effort by Holtz’s squad, who had no answers for Clark, Tez, and the rest of the Canes D.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1256199577125953539?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1194826558948679680?s=20
The Miami defense beat the doors off of Notre Dame in 2017. The Cane DL took up residence in the Irish backfield as Notre Dame struggled to even get back to the LOS on most runs. It was an absolutely embarrassing effort by Kelly’s squad, who had no answers for R.J., Trajan, and the rest of the Canes D.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1273338178490044419?s=20
No team in America has as many great moments or sayings as the Canes. Whether it’s Zo informing OU about UM’s lack of fear, Jerome telling them who the boss is, Al serenading the squad in the tunnel, or Santana talking about big time players, that Miami swag was often very quotable. And of course, those guys always practiced what they preached, like the great Ed Reed making sure everyone knew what time it was.
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1295067513185808385?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1301627818607087621?s=20
https://twitter.com/CanesLegacy/status/1296928025473363968?s=20
Hopefully you all enjoyed the trip down memory lane. If you’re looking for other posts from the countdown, just check out the past six months of our TL on twitter, or search up the #CanesCountdown.
Extra shout out to JD08 and all the other guys who have been posting in the countdown thread on the main board each day, too!
