I’m gonna go 2006. Even in 2005, we were preseason Top 10. So we, foolishly, were still convinced we were a national powerhouse.
We went 9-3, so OK, we’re still not totally off the cliff. Let’s right this thing. Headed into 2006 I was still puffing my chest out that Miami was at the upper echelon of the sport. We were preseason #11, but we dropped a really ugly opener at home to FSU. Beat FAMU the next week but then I think a real turning point came for the program. We went to Louisville, stomped on their logo before the game, pretty much started a fight……and got blown out of the ******* building, 31-7. I won’t lie and say I was totally despondent at that point, sometimes when you’re in it, you can’t see the forest for the trees. But I specifically remember thinking, uh, this isn’t supposed to happen? What in the absolute **** is going on?
We went 7-6 that year, Coker got fired, Bryan Pata got killed and we basically swam in mediocrity for the next 20 years. Every single year after that I was optimistic, as always, but never really felt we belonged. Until now. 20 years later.