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Top 5 Miami Football Teams of All-Time. Do you agree with this list?

Stats02 said:
Yep. You knew his defenses were going to be solid every game. Hard hitting, great tackling, great effort, minimal mistakes. Loved watching those defenses.
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Exactly, never looking for a hero, a know your assignment, do your job kind of coach. Guys just loved playing for him and he was a great mentor.
 
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Bernie 2-0 said:
The talent on the 86-91 teams was as good as it gets. Take a minute to look at those rosters, all were pretty strong squads. The 2000-2002 teams had AAs, pro bowlers and HOFs, great teams also. A lot to pick from. One year we beat 6 conference champions, too old to remember!
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you talking about 1988. Sec champ LSU, swac champ Arkansas, big ten champ Michigan, big 8 champ Nebraska..... open the season with pre season #1 FSU with 31-0 win then traveled to Michigan.
 
Miami Nights said:
you talking about 1988. Sec champ LSU, swac champ Arkansas, big ten champ Michigan, big 8 champ Nebraska..... open the season with pre season #1 FSU with 31-0 win then traveled to Michigan.
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Thanks Nights, tough to get older and too lazy to look it up. That was another team that could have won it all, horrible call in South Bend. It just proves how hard it is to win a NC, lot has to go right and only one hiccup and your out. Look how great the 2001 team was, yet BC was driving for the winning score and we get a pick. VT dropped 2 pt conversion or that game goes to OT. Have be really good and get a few breaks along the way.
 
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the 89 team is in my top five, that Dline was incredible. Starting Dtackles was a #1 pick in Russell Maryland, future Hall of Famer, Cortez Kennedy, and a guy in Jimmie Jones who had a very good NFL career. Also Greg Mark was a great college player, Willis Pegues played in the league.

That team was loaded for Erickson to take over. A lot of the young talent that Jimmy Johnson recruited was ready to play.
 
Bernie 2-0 said:
Hired by Coach E bypassing Tubberville who was One of the leftovers when Jimmy took most assistants to Dallas. Jack Elway’s recommendation brought Sonny to UM, had little defensive experience to that point. Here’s a good one on Sonny’s defenses: 95% of the defensive calls were Sonny’s famous “Canes 2 play” Canes was the basic. 4-3, 2 was cover 2 and play spoke for itself. Sonny had very few gimmicks, just solid fundamentally sound defenses and guys that were very good at playing assignments. Sonny was great DC and even better person.
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I give Sonny credit, in 89 and 90, he actually ran a lot of the 'Bear 46 defense' and it was an absolute killer, especially as most teams didn't really spread it out. Lubicks defenses always looked so well coached and prepared
 
Bernie 2-0 said:
The Big difference between 91 and 92 was the offensive line and that is from someone that played an important role in those offenses. The Posse was still there, Gino was still the QB, McGuire was dinged but Donnell and Larry were fine. However graduation, especially Leon, along with some injuries during the season on the OL was a recipe for disaster. By years end we had a TE playing LT. The 91 squad was solid, no weaknesses and the staff was superb. Dennis takes a beating here but he could coach and was responsible for bringing Sonny to town because of his friendship with Jack Elway.
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Question for u.... Do you think 91 beats 92 Bama?
 
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Bernie 2-0 said:
The Big difference between 91 and 92 was the offensive line and that is from someone that played an important role in those offenses. The Posse was still there, Gino was still the QB, McGuire was dinged but Donnell and Larry were fine. However graduation, especially Leon, along with some injuries during the season on the OL was a recipe for disaster. By years end we had a TE playing LT. The 91 squad was solid, no weaknesses and the staff was superb. Dennis takes a beating here but he could coach and was responsible for bringing Sonny to town because of his friendship with Jack Elway.
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Alabama had 8 in the box all night long.
 
Canesince85ND587 said:
Question for u.... Do you think 91 beats 92 Bama?
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Not sure it’s possible to accurately predict those types of scenarios. Leon was just so good protecting the blind side and add injuries and the 92 OL was just not good. It showed at Penn State and a few other games that season. 91UM was better than 92UM, can speculate what happens against 92 Bama, but who knows! 91 Canes certainly in our top 3 or 4 teams.
 
k9cane said:
I give Sonny credit, in 89 and 90, he actually ran a lot of the 'Bear 46 defense' and it was an absolute killer, especially as most teams didn't really spread it out. Lubicks defenses always looked so well coached and prepared
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Sonny was a 4-3 cover two guy on 95% of his calls. He didn’t need gimmicks, it was here’s what we are doing, here’s our best 11, bring it.
 
k9cane said:
the 89 team is in my top five, that Dline was incredible. Starting Dtackles was a #1 pick in Russell Maryland, future Hall of Famer, Cortez Kennedy, and a guy in Jimmie Jones who had a very good NFL career. Also Greg Mark was a great college player, Willis Pegues played in the league.

That team was loaded for Erickson to take over. A lot of the young talent that Jimmy Johnson recruited was ready to play.
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My favorite team ever. 89 and 01 are tops but 89 is my fav. We had animals on that DL and we were just nasty. Also had a lot of young nasty talent, too - Armstead, KW, Rudy, et al. (one of the best recruiting classes we ever had were first year guys on that team - JJ's last recruiting class).
 
AUcane said:
My favorite team ever. 89 and 01 are tops but 89 is my fav. We had animals on that DL and we were just nasty. Also had a lot of young nasty talent, too - Armstead, KW, Rudy, et al. (one of the best recruiting classes we ever had were first year guys on that team - JJ's last recruiting class).
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I can honestly say that the 89 defense is the fastest Ive seen to the ball, the front line would literally re-set the line of scrimmage almost every play. I'll say this, Bobby Bowden used that against them with the sprint draw that season with Dexter Carter

And yeah, the special teams unit was incredible, gave up a total of 2 yards total in punt return yardage -- which is incredible.

As for the youngsters there was also Darrin Smith, Darryl Williams ,Ryan McNeil, Micheal Barrow...
 
k9cane said:
I can honestly say that the 89 defense is the fastest Ive seen to the ball, the front line would literally re-set the line of scrimmage almost every play. I'll say this, Bobby Bowden used that against them with the sprint draw that season with Dexter Carter

And yeah, the special teams unit was incredible, gave up a total of 2 yards total in punt return yardage -- which is incredible.

As for the youngsters there was also Darrin Smith, Darryl Williams ,Ryan McNeil, Micheal Barrow...
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DW was one of my favs. Highly ranked sofla kid who was an incredible athlete. I'll never forget the ND game in 90 when Rocket took a KOR back for a TD - DW made up like 20 yards chasing the supposedly fastest guy in college football. Amazing to watch.
 
AUcane said:
DW was one of my favs. Highly ranked sofla kid who was an incredible athlete. I'll never forget the ND game in 90 when Rocket took a KOR back for a TD - DW made up like 20 yards chasing the supposedly fastest guy in college football. Amazing to watch.
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Williams is among my top 10 all-time favorite Canes. I mean, he just looked like what a prototypical UM safety should be. At many other programs he's the best ever at his position (still in my Mt Rushmore of safeties at the U, regardless)

For my money, I thought he, Leon Searcy and Darrin Smith, week in and week out were the best pure football players on that 91 title team.

All hail 31!!!
 
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Bernie 2-0 said:
Not sure it’s possible to accurately predict those types of scenarios. Leon was just so good protecting the blind side and add injuries and the 92 OL was just not good. It showed at Penn State and a few other games that season. 91UM was better than 92UM, can speculate what happens against 92 Bama, but who knows! 91 Canes certainly in our top 3 or 4 teams.
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I agree... Just wanted another opinion.
 
AUcane said:
DW was one of my favs. Highly ranked sofla kid who was an incredible athlete. I'll never forget the ND game in 90 when Rocket took a KOR back for a TD - DW made up like 20 yards chasing the supposedly fastest guy in college football. Amazing to watch.
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k9cane said:
Williams is among my top 10 all-time favorite Canes. I mean, he just looked like what a prototypical UM safety should be. At many other programs he's the best ever at his position (still in my Mt Rushmore of safeties at the U, regardless)

For my money, I thought he, Leon Searcy and Darrin Smith, week in and week out were the best pure football players on that 91 title team.

All hail 31!!!
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So many great players on that defense. Can’t forget Rusty, KP Ryan McNeil and the 2 guys of the
Triangle. So talented and just great coaching. 91 was fun, interesting characters. Sonny was big on trusting your teammates and that was a forte of that squad.
 
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I would vote 1983 #1 because they won the first NC, pulling off a huge upset in one of the greatest CFB games in history. The first team might not be as talented as teams from 1985-1994 or 2000-2003 when comparing players position by position, but what they collectively accomplished was greater than any other team.

The 2001 team clearly had the most skill, but an undefeated NC was almost anti-climatic.
The 1986 and 2002 teams lost the NC game.

Maybe another way to rephrase the question is 'what was the best season'?

1983 first NC, huge upset win in the greatest game in CFB history
2001 5th NC, undefeated, as talented as any team in the modern game
1987 2nd NC, undefeated, payback for losing in 1986
1991 4th NC, undefeated, incredible defense, gritted out tough games vs FSU, Penn State
1989 3rd NC, transition from JJ to DE, only loss at FSU with true freshman QB. Smashed #1 ND at home to avenge loss in 1988.
 
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