Miami(OH) @ North Carolina !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Something to certainly play for....but it starts in North Carolina

Miami prepares to run with the Herd


By Bob Ratterman

OXFORD PRESS

Optimism is always a fixture of any preseason sports camp. Everybody starts 0-0, and a positive outlook is a staple in preparing for the season.


Miami's football team is certainly no exception this year even though the RedHawks open against what is probably their toughest stretch of three opponents ? ever. Miami opens the season at North Carolina and travels to LSU in the third game. In between, they come home to host Iowa, the first Big Ten school ever to bring a football team to Oxford.


"We always play a tough schedule. This is a high-profile schedule," coach Terry Hoeppner said at the team's recent media day. "The first three are the biggest name opponents we've ever played in a row."


And, he said, the RedHawks are going into the schedule with the idea they can win all three. They will not back down in the face of big-name opponents.


"We can't stick our toe in the water," he said. "We have to dive right in."


For the second year in a row, Miami's schedule has 12 games on it, but Hoeppner said his team wants to play into the postseason, getting into the Mid-American Conference Championship game and earning a bowl bid.


"We play 12 and would like to play 14," he said. "We want to make a statement with this team."

Last year's squad finished 7-5, with disappointing losses in the final two games - 52-51 at Hawaii and 24-20 at Kent, a game moved to the end of the season in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.


After his defense seemed to have misfired in those two games, many people around the program feared for this season, but Hoeppner said his squad was not as bad as it appeared in those games and is better this year.


"I am not as pessimistic about the defense as some people were, and now I'm optimistic," he said.

Earlier, Hoeppner said, "Take out the Hawaii game and it was really a pretty good season. We gave up too many third-and-longs. We forced teams into third down and then gave up the first down."


The coach is also optimistic about the offensive side of the football. There are starters back from all over the offense of last year, but the guy in the middle - quarterback Ben Roethlisberger - will be the one who makes it go. Roethlisberger set several records in his freshman season last year.

His output last year earned him MAC Freshman of the Year honors and Miami single-season records for passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, completion percentage and total offense. His totals for passing yards and touchdown passes were both MAC freshman records.


"Ben had a good freshman year. We asked him to do a lot last year," Hoeppner said. "He'll improve physically, but his biggest improvement will be through experience, his knowledge of what defenses are doing."


Roethlisberger said he put on some weight in the off-season and worked hard in the weight room to make himself stronger for this season.


"The whole offensive side of the ball worked this summer," he said. "We have a great corps of receivers back. I look forward to this group of receivers."


One of those receivers is senior Eddie Tillitz, who said he wants to continue where they left off last year. Tillitz said he looks forward to the challenge of the first three opponents but the real focus for this season will some later, when the RedHawks play at Marshall on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The Thundering Herd has been a thorn in the side of Miami for several years, blocking hopes of the MAC championship game and a bowl bid.


"We want to get some wins and beat Marshall," Tillitz said. "We know we can stack up against any team, but Marshall is the hump we have to get over."


He said the offense is confident in Roethlisberger, because they all know now how good he is. Tillitz said the offensive players are in sync and working well together.


He said he is anxious to open the season.


"I like the schedule," he said. "I'm happy. I think we're ready for anybody."


Linebacker Matt Robillard was another of the RedHawks who has been hard at work in the heat this summer preparing for the coming season. Players ran, lifted weights and worked out on their own, building camaraderie among players from both sides of the ball.


With the opener in North Carolina, players will face heat and humidity, but feel that their work this summer will prepare them for that trip, as well as LSU two weeks later.


"We ran all summer. We ran in the heat of the day," Robillard said. "We got used to heat. I don't think it will make that much difference. We get plenty of fluids. The heat will not be a factor at all."


The RedHawks finished two-a-days last weekend and got started on their school-year routine this week with the start of classes. They will make that trip to North Carolina next week with their season opener against the Tarheels on Saturday. Aug. 31. The home opener will be the following Saturday, Sept. 7, at Yager Stadium against Iowa.

 

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THE GAME
Miami kicks off its 114th season of football in Chapel Hill, N.C., taking on the University of North Carolina, the defending Peach Bowl champion, Saturday, August 31 at 1:30 p.m. EST. It will be the seventh meeting between the two schools, who both started their programs in 1888. The Tar Heels are looking to continue their success under second-year head coach John Bunting, but they will have to replace eight starters on defense as well as five offensive starters from a year ago. Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Terry Hoeppner, Miami faces, as the coach tabbed it, one of its "highest profile" schedules ever in search of its ninth straight winning season. This weekend's season opener marks the second time in the last five years that the RedHawks have opened in Chapel Hill. The RedHawks are 5-1 in their last six season openers, including a 13-10 upset of the Tar Heels in 1998.

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 seasons as Miami head coaches. A 1969 graduate of Franklin (Ind.) College, Hoeppner owns a 20-14 (.588) overall record in his fourth year as a head coach. Last season vs. Bowling Green on Nov. 3, Hoeppner reached the 20-win plateau in just his 31st game, faster than such former Miami coaching standouts as Bo Schembechler (32) and Randy Walker (43). 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. Hoeppner was 1-1 vs. North Carolina as an assistant coach. This will be his first meeting versus the Tar Heels as the head coach.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the seventh meeting between Miami and North Carolina and the third head-to-head matchup since 1990. The Tar Heels own a 4-2 edge in the series, but the RedHawks took the last meeting, 13-10, to open up the 1998 season in Chapel Hill. Miami's only other win versus UNC was in 1978 when Tom Reed won his Miami debut versus former Red and White head coach Dick Crum, who left Oxford for Chapel Hill the summer before. For a complete look at the rivalry, see page 81 in the Miami media guide.

TIME WARP
In their 112 years of football, Miami's quarterbacks recorded a total of seven games in which they have passed for 300 or more yards in a game. Last season, freshman quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tossed three 300-yard plus games of his own, highlighted by his school-record 452 yards at Hawai'i. To put it in perspective, if one combines Roethlisberger's yardage totals from just his last six games of 2001 he would still have had one of the top ten passing seasons of any quarterback in Miami history with 1,742 yards.

GUNNING FOR A NINTH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON
Coming off a 7-5 record in 2001, Miami shoots for its ninth straight winning season this fall. The RedHawks are 58-29-2 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).

600 AND COUNTING
Miami, which ranks 13th nationally among long-running Division I-A football programs for overall winning percentage, joined an elite club on Oct. 6, 2001, versus Buffalo. The 31-14 win was the Red and White's 600th all-time victory, making Miami the 22nd school to accomplish the feat. Prior to Miami, North Carolina was the last team to join the club and ranks 20th with 609 victories. Miami is the first MAC program to reach this milestone.

SPREADING IT AROUND
Freshman quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tried to keep all of his receivers happy last year, spreading the ball around to 12 different receivers. Of that group, seven caught an average of one pass per game, led by Roethlisberger's favorite target, Jason Branch, with 46 receptions. Roethlisberger spread his touchdown passes around as well, completing scoring strikes to nine different receivers, including five players with two or more.

HURRY-UP HAWKS
With the spread offense that is being employed, one thing is for certain: Miami can score quickly from anywhere. Last season, the RedHawks scored 43 touchdowns, covering an average of 64 yards per drive in just over 3:06 per drive. Of those 43 scoring drives, 12 occurred in less than 2:00. The RedHawks' longest drive last year came vs. Marshall as the RedHawks drove 95 yards for a touchdown on 18 plays in 7:29. In comparison, Miami's quickest drive of the season was a nine-second, 84-yard drive to beat Akron on the last play.

THE THREE AMIGOS
Since the start of the modern history of Miami football, which began in 1948, 15 receivers have gone over the 500-yard mark for a season. Only twice during the 53-year stretch have two players gone for over 500 yards in the same season (1987 - Andy Schillinger and John Stofa; 2000 - Ty Buxton and Sly Johnson). Last season, three RedHawks - Jason Branch, Michael Larkin and Eddie Tillitz - eclipsed the 500-yard plateau for the first time in program history. All three return for this season.

IT AIN't OVER, TILLITZ OVER
Senior wide receiver Eddie Tillitz (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) has become one of the big play makers for Miami over his career, making key plays for the RedHawks vs. Buffalo, Akron and Ohio just last year. After returning his third career punt for a touchdown, an 80-yarder versus Buffalo, Tillitz capped one of the most memorable moments in Miami football history as he pulled in Ben Roethlisberger's game-winning touchdown pass as time expired vs. Akron on Oct. 13. One week later with Miami down 21-7 just before the end of the first half at Ohio, Tillitz pulled in an important 11-yard touchdown to pull the RedHawks within seven points heading to the break. He later grabbed the game-winning score with 8:36 left in the game. Last year, Tillitz touched the ball 68 times as a receiver (43 receptions) and punt returner (25 punt returns), moving the ball an average of 12.4 yards per touch, including a team-high 13 plays of over 20 yards. Of those 13 plays, four went for touchdowns In 2000, after not returning a punt for a touchdown in 283 consecutive games-the longest such streak in Division I-A football- Tillitz stopped Miami's drought 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, the RedHawks went 1,628 punt returns without a score.

FAMILIAR NAME - Part I
As people read down Miami's roster, one quick question comes to mind as they come to sophomore place-kicker Jared Parseghian (Sylvania, Ohio/St. John's): Any relation to Ara Parseghian? The answer: yes. Jared is the great nephew of college coaching legend and Miami alumnus Ara Parseghian. Last season, Parseghian converted on 26-of-28 extra-point attempts and 6-of-10 field goals.

FAMILIAR NAME - Part II
Freshman wide receiver Michael Larkin (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) is another name on the Miami roster that garners a great deal of attention. Larkin is the second cousin to the Larkin family that includes Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin, Xavier University's all-time leading basketball scorer Byron Larkin, minor-league baseball player Stephan Larkin and another Michael Larkin that played football at Notre Dame. Against Iowa, 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. He emerged as the RedHawks' long-ball threat in 2001, averaging 18.2 yards per catch (37 receptions for 672 yards). His 81-yard touchdown reception at Bowling Green is the longest catch of his career and was the 12th longest pass play in college football last year.

GETTING OUT OF THE BLOCKS EARLY
When camp opened on August 8, 104 players took part in the annual fitness test, administered by head strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple. According to Dalrymple, an impressive 69 players tallied perfect scores on the test, which consists of a series of sprints, weight lifts and agility tests. "Nothing was mandatory this summer," Dalrymple said, "but the vast majority of the guys really answered the bell. A lot of our key guys are in the best condition of their lives." Dalrymple noted that perhaps the biggest surprise of the day came from the freshman class, as 25 of the 27 newcomers passed the conditioning test, where 50 percent typically fail.

 

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MURRAY SET TO TAKE OVER THE REIGNS
Carrying on a fine tradition of Miami University running backs, junior Cal Murray (Dublin, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) has been honored as one of 42 preseason candidates for the prestigious Doak Walker Award, which is awarded annually to the nation's top college running back. Murray who enters the 2002 campaign as the RedHawks' starting running back, averaged an impressive 7.3 yards per carry a year ago and has totaled 706 yards rushing and eight touchdowns in part-time action during his first two seasons. Last season, Murray enjoyed a career day at Ball State, rushing for 183 yards and three touchdowns. As a freshman, Murray tied a Miami record with four rushing touchdowns in a defeat of Kent State. The front-runner in a deep stable of Miami running backs that also includes junior Luke Clemens (Dayton, Ohio/Bellbrook) and sophomores Mike Smith (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg) and Jay Wallace (Martins Ferry, Ohio), Murray, who has added 30 pounds since his freshman season, exploded on the scene during the off-season to earn the starting role. The Doak Walker Award, which was awarded for the first time in 1990, is named after a legendary SMU running back and defensive back that was a three-time all-American in the late 1940's. Awarded by the SMU Athletic Forum, the recipient is selected on the basis of excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

BIG BEN UP FOR O'BRIEN
The Davey O'Brien Foundation recently announced the preseason watch list for the 2002 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, given annually to the nation's top college quarterback. Miami sophomore quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (Findlay, OH/Findlay) was one of 32 named to the list. Roethlisberger, the nation's top freshman quarterback in passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense from a year ago, put together the best season by a Miami quarterback in 2001, breaking school records for passing yards (3,105), completions (241), touchdowns (25), completion percentage (63.3 percent) and total offense (3,294). All of those totals rank among the top 10 in Mid-American Conference history, and his yardage and touchdown totals were both MAC freshmen records. Last season, Roethlisberger earned MAC Freshman of the Year and was Football Writer's Association of America first-team all-America and named second-team all-MAC honors. The winner of the 2002 O'Brien Award will be announced Dec. 12 on the ESPN College Football Awards Show from Orlando, Fla. The O'Brien Award is named in honor of the late Davey O'Brien, the all-American and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback for Texas Christian University who led the Horned Frogs to the 1938 national championship.

Robillard Named to Butkus Award Watch List
Miami University senior linebacker Matt Robillard (Milford, Conn./Milford Academy) has been identified on the preliminary watch list of 67 Division I football players that meet the criteria for the 18th Butkus Award, presented annually to the nation's best collegiate linebacker. Robillard, also a first-team all-Mid-American Conference honoree in 2001, is a converted defensive back that totaled 109 total tackles and a team-leading 74 solo stops a year ago. The senior also led the RedHawks with 13 tackles-for-loss, including five quarterback sacks. Robillard ranked 19th in the MAC with 9.0 tackles per game in 2001. Robillard earned a spot on the squad in 1998 after walking on. He received a scholarship the following year. Robillard is one of just four MAC players to earn a spot on the Butkus preliminary list. The list will be cut down to three finalists, who will be announced via a national teleconference with players, coaches, media members and Butkus Award officials on Thursday, November 14.

MIAMI PICKED SECOND IN MAC EAST DIVISION
Garnering three first-place votes and 257 total points, Miami was picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference East Division in a preseason poll by the MAC News Media Association. Marshall earned 43 first-place votes and was predicted to finish atop the East Division and win the MAC Championship Game, while new MAC member UCF was picked third, garnering one first-place vote. Bowling Green, which shifted to the West Division beginning this season, was selected to finish first in the West Division. Toledo and Western Michigan, who, between the two, have won every West Division title since 1997, were selected to finish second and third, respectively. The RedHawks travel to both defending Division champions, Marshall (Nov. 2) and Toledo (Oct. 26) this season.

OLD MIAMI ... NEW MIAMI, SAME TRADITION ... NEW LOOK!
Miami University head football coach Terry Hoeppner unveiled three new uniform designs this past summer. The RedHawks will be debuting the white away uniform at North Carolina this week before returning home the next week to host the University of Iowa in their new red uniforms. The third alternate uniform will be used in coordination with special home events. The uniforms are a break from the Miami uniforms of the last thirty years, going away from the traditional red jersey and white pants combinations that the team has sported the past several years. "As you look around college football you see a lot of teams making a switch from the traditional uniforms they have worn for years to something new," said Hoeppner. "It was time to buy new uniforms and we put the idea out to our kids and they were excited about a change. This year's marketing theme is 'Old Miami ... New Miami, Same Tradition ... New Look' and the uniforms embody just that. We were able to combine elements of the traditional Miami Red and White with a progressive design. They make us look fast, even standing still."

RedHawk Linebacking Duo Named to Lombardi Award Watch List
Miami University linebackers Terrell Jones (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) and Matt Robillard (Milford, Conn./Milford Academy) have each been identified on the preliminary watch list of 49 Division I football players that meet the criteria for the 33rd Rotary Lombardi Award. Jones, a first-team all-MAC selection a year ago, ranked 12th in the MAC in tackles per game (10.0 tpg) during the 2001 season, amassing a Miami team-best 124 total tackles. A selection to The Sporting News Freshmen all-America team and runner-up for MAC Freshman of the Year in 2001, Jones recorded double-digits in tackles seven times in 12 games last season and six times as a freshman. Robillard, also a first-team all-MAC honoree in 2001, led the RedHawks with 13 tackles-for-loss, including five quarterback sacks. Robillard ranked 19th in the MAC with 9.0 tackles per game in 2001. Last season, Jones and Robillard were the first Miami linebacking tandem to each earn first-team all-MAC plaudits since current National Football League products JoJuan Armour and Dustin Cohen achieved the feat in 1998. Jones and Robillard are two of just five MAC players to earn spots on the preliminary list. Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen and those players who line up within five yards of the football.

RedHawk Linebacker Named to Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Miami University linebacker Terrell Jones (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) has been identified on the preliminary watch list of 64 Division I football players selected by the Football Writers Association of America for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The award has been presented annually since 1993 to the nation's top defensive player. Jones, a first-team all-MAC selection a year ago, ranked 12th in the MAC in tackles per game (10.0 tpg) during the 2001 season, amassing a Miami team-best 124 total tackles. A selection to The Sporting News Freshmen all-America team and runner-up for MAC Freshman of the Year in 2001, Jones recorded double-digits in tackles seven times in 12 games last season and six times as a freshman. The winner of the Nagurski Trophy will receive the honor on Dec. 9 in Charlotte, N.C. Now in its 10th year of honoring the defensive player in Division I football, the award is named after Hall of Famer and University of Minnesota and Chicago Bears star Bronko Nagurski.

NEW LOOK MAC
The Mid-American Conference and University of Central Florida officially announced this summer that the Orlando based institution will become a football only member of the MAC effective this year. The move increases the MAC membership in football to 14 with two divisions of seven teams. UCF will compete in the East Division along with Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Marshall, Miami and Ohio. Bowling Green, which had been in the East, will move to the West Division and join Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan. The MAC, headquartered in Cleveland, is one of only three conferences to hold a championship game with the divisional winners meeting each year for the league title. This year's championship game, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 30 on ESPN, will be at the site of the West Division winner.

 

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Here is a link for the PDF files....or as I call them....the money makers...make sure you got Adobe Reader installed

For Miami ~~> http://www.fansonly.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/mioh/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/082602_UNC

For UNC ~~> http://www.fansonly.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/mioh/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/082602_UNC

 

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FAMILIAR NAME - Part I
As people read down Miami's roster, one quick question comes to mind as they come to sophomore place-kicker Jared Parseghian (Sylvania, Ohio/St. John's): Any relation to Ara Parseghian? The answer: yes. Jared is the great nephew of college coaching legend and Miami alumnus Ara Parseghian. Last season, Parseghian converted on 26-of-28 extra-point attempts and 6-of-10 field goals.

This guy BLOWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....he thought he was some shit in high school! Well fawk you! Now your sucking down in Oxford :lol: he better not miss any on Saturday like he missed the game winner against Toledo St. Francis to put them in the high school playoffs...:lol:

 

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Miami a painful memory for Heels
By BARRY SVRLUGA, Staff Writer


CHAPEL HILL - On the night his players reported back to campus, John Bunting showed North Carolina's football team a summer horror flick.
The scene: Kenan Stadium, Sept. 5, 1998. The ending: Miami (Ohio) 13, UNC 10.

"They need to remember what can happen," Bunting said.

The players at Miami certainly understand. Four years later, they won't arrive in Chapel Hill awed by their surroundings. In the weeks after their game 1:30 p.m. Saturday at UNC, the RedHawks will face Iowa and Louisiana State.

In tiny Oxford, Ohio, folks realize the best way to become a big-time football program is to play big-time football programs.

"We don't want to sneak up on people," Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said. "We want to make the statement to our alumni and our fans and our team that we aspire to be the best Division I football program we can be. We'll play anyone at any time."

And occasionally win. After finishing 7-5 last year, the RedHawks would like to put themselves in position to oust Marshall, a preseason top-25 team, as the Mid-American Conference's heavyweight.

"We have the same goals as any team: to win every game," Miami quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "We know North Carolina, Iowa and LSU is a tough way to open. But if our goal is to win all of our games, then we have to believe we can win those ones."

Roethlisberger gives the RedHawks more than just a wisp of hope. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound sophomore runs a wide-open, spread offense efficiently. As a redshirt freshman in 2001, he set Miami records for passing yards (3,105), completions (241), touchdown passes (25), accuracy (66.3 percent) and total offense (3,294).

And a year after starting his first game in front of 100,000 fans at Michigan, where he threw three interceptions,he is even more comfortable.

"If I said I wasn't nervous back then, I'd be lying," Roethlisberger said. "But I think the more years you get under an offense and with a team, the more comfortable you are. This is my second year, and I'm starting to get a feel for everything -- receivers, the offense, reading defenses. And we're all pretty talented on this offense."

Roethlisberger's top three receivers -- seniors Jason Branch and Eddie Tillitz and sophomore Michael Larkin --combined for 126 catches and 1,814 yards last year, helping Miami average 399.5 yards of total offense per game.

"We have a lot of different schemes in the passing game, and we're not afraid to use them," said Miami offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery, a former quarterback at N.C. State. "And a quarterback like Ben makes it all go. He's the total package. He has the ability to make all the throws. He throws really well on the run. He can run the ball in the option. It allows us to do so many things."

If things had been different, Roethlisberger might have faced the Tar Heels every year. He seriously considered going to Duke after graduating from high school in Findlay, Ohio, where he was the state's offensive player of the year in 1999. He played quarterback only his senior year in high school, but after throwing for a state-record 4,041 yards and 54 touchdowns, he got what practically every kid who grows up in Ohio wants -- an offer to play at Ohio State.

"But I looked at the situations, and I knew I would get an opportunity to play for four years at Miami," Roethlisberger said. "And the offense wasn't one where you just hand it off and run it up the middle. I like to spread them out and throw the ball, so this is fun. I have absolutely no regrets."

In some ways, Bunting said, this opener will be good for the Heels, who are inexperienced on the defensive front but have solid defensive backs, led by seniors Dexter Reid and Michael Waddell. Miami's spread-it-out philosophy will frequently allow the Heels to put five or even six defensive backs on the field, thus covering up their most significant weakness, linebacker.

 

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Off-season turmoil shows UNC still adjusting to coach
By BARRY SVRLUGA, Staff Writer


CHAPEL HILL - John Bunting already has a winning season behind him. He has a bowl victory behind him. He has a $100,000 raise.
With all that after only one year, North Carolina's turnaround appears complete.

"And we know it's not," Bunting said.

Bunting's second season at his alma mater will begin Saturday, when the Tar Heels meet Miami (Ohio) at Kenan Stadium. The kickoff will also mark the end of a turbulent off-season that served as proof of Bunting's point.

Players left the program, both voluntarily and at Bunting's behest, a manifestation of the new coach's stricter approach. In addition, two assistant coaches went elsewhere; UNC lost several key recruits; and the annual turnover in personnel will make this year particularly challenging.

Yet, Bunting hasn't wavered in his approach. As he often says, he is still "changing the culture" of Carolina football.

"He does things differently, and it takes getting used to," offensive lineman Jeb Terry said. "It was a shock at first, and some guys didn't adjust very well.

"But it helps that we won in his first year. We believe in him now. We know why the guys who aren't here anymore aren't here. We have to do things his way -- or we won't be around."

A harder line

Ten players with collegiate eligibility remaining who were on the roster when Bunting replaced Carl Torbush in December 2000 are no longer at UNC. Bunting's policy is simple, firm: Screw up three times, and you're gone.

"I was under Torbush for a while, and it was different," said former UNC receiver Bosley Allen, who was thrown off the team in May after his third strike. "Bunting is more about football and getting things accomplished. I had some trouble adjusting. Every coach is not going to be the same.

"But it's on me. He's just doing what he has to do."

Allen, a potential star, was first suspended for UNC's Peach Bowl victory over Auburn for violating a team rule, then charged with speeding and lying to police in January. When he violated team rules again in May, he became the most prominent casualty of the new standard.

"Bosley's not a bad guy," former UNC quarterback Luke Huard said. "The thing is, some of the things he did, he wouldn't have been punished for under Torbush. Torbush was more about making you a man, rebuilding you. Bunting wants results."

Huard quit the team in August 2001 after he wasn't invited to training camp because of his weight. He and Allen are now teammates at Division I-AA Sam Houston State, by-products of a program in transition.

The decision involving Allen, Bunting said, was particularly painful.

"But at the same time, I think in the long run it will help our program substantially because the players know that talent alone is not what it's all about," he said. "It does not win football games. Bosley couldn't be part of a team."

Greg Woofter, the starting left tackle a year ago, quit football in January with two years of eligibility left. Woofter said at the time that he wanted to pursue a career in accounting, noting that "the NFL's not for everyone. Not everyone realizes that."

Woofter could not be reached.

His old position coach, Robbie Caldwell, had departed earlier in January for Vanderbilt, where his old buddy, Bobby Johnson, had become the head coach. He understands how transitions from coach to coach can affect players' decisions and how Woofter was affected.

"Sometimes young people feel left out and don't see a face on the staff that recruited them or something like that," said Caldwell, who encouraged Woofter to stay on the team. "For young people, it's only natural sometimes to think somebody's out to get you."

The players who remain at UNC say they don't think anybody's out to get them, least of all their head coach.

"He gave everyone a fair shot, including me," said quarterback Darian Durant, who decided to transfer in February only to return five weeks later. "[Some players] messed up. He gave them another try. They messed up again. He gave them another shot. I think those guys brought those things upon themselves."

Recruiting overhaul

What's left is a roster lacking depth and littered with holes on defense. Bunting, the longtime NFL player and coach, must quickly replenish the talent without free agents or a waiver wire. He must recruit.

His first round didn't go so well. On national signing day in February, the Tar Heels failed to land any of their top prospects. Foremost among them was A.J. Davis, a prep All-America cornerback from Durham who picked N.C. State after first saying he'd go to UNC.

Publicly, Bunting defended his class. But behind the scenes, he worked to overhaul UNC's recruiting process.

"The day after national signing day, we all looked at one another, and I certainly looked at myself, and said, 'We weren't good enough,' " Bunting said.

He devised a new formula for evaluating players. The program bought new computer software to help coaches sort out players. The coaches examined every aspect of recruiting, from where they took kids to eat to how they handled visits to players' homes.

And Bunting stressed that each assistant would be held more accountable for bringing in top recruits.

"I don't think it makes any difference what your system [for recruiting] is," said Ken Browning, UNC's recruiting coordinator. "It still comes down to each coach being productive."

That may have been a factor in the departure of Jon Tenuta, who coordinated the ACC's top defense last year. He left for the same job at Georgia Tech six days after national signing day. Though neither he nor Bunting is eager to discuss the circumstances, Tenuta clearly didn't share Bunting's passion for the UNC program.

Last week, Tenuta said only, "It just ended up the way it ended up."

So far, the recruiting overhaul seems to be working. UNC already has nine commitments for next fall, ahead of the pace at this time last year.

On-field issues

There's still the matter of this season, though. On the field, Bunting's second year could be more difficult than his first.

He still has to decide whether Durant or C.J. Stephens, a transfer from Florida, will start at quarterback.

More important, he'll have to finish assembling a defense with duct tape and glue. He knew going into training camp that he had lost eight defensive starters. He didn't know that a number of potential replacements would be hit by nagging injuries in August.

"If we're going to defend, then somebody's going to have to jump up and play, and play consistently, and play all the time," Bunting said after a recent practice. "This is a tough, physical football game, and people get nicks and pains, and they've got to get through it. When you miss time and you're a rookie player, that concerns the heck out of me because you cannot [learn to play] just off tape. You got to play."

When he has succeeded in completely changing the culture, Bunting believes, he will have scores of players who fight through minor injuries with the toughness the coach showed during his playing days.

Meanwhile, the evolution continues.

"The transition will be close to complete when the personality of this football team reflects the personality of the head coach," said assistant head coach James Webster, an old teammate of Bunting's. "I played with John, and I've been around him long enough to have a pretty good idea of his personality. Right now, I don't think the personality of this football team completely reflects his personality. But it's coming."

 

[GOAT]

What the hell can i say after that writeup Maybe i should of stayed in school and not hang Iron, nice Hellah keep it coming!!

 

[hellah10]

thx Goat.....lets take that mans fawking money!!!! :toast:

 

[hellah10]

Miami kicking game improved
By Pete Conrad
e-mail address: pconrad@coxohio.com
Cox News Service

OXFORD | Miami University football coach Terry Hoeppner made the recent comment that "we're counting on our special teams to be a bonus for us."

That means one of two things:

? Hoeppner doesn't realize that there is more to special teams than Eddie Tillitz returning punts for touchdowns.

? Hoeppner was talking in some sort of code.

? The RedHawk placekickers have gotten a lot better.

The correct answer is No. 2.

The Miami coach announced that sophomore Jared Parseghian will be Miami's kicker on extra points and field goals when the RedHawks open their season Saturday at North Carolina.

Parseghian earned the job after a summer competition between he and true freshman Todd Soderquist, who will handle the kickoff duties. "They both have good range," Hoeppner said.

"One area we've improved a lot is our field-goal and extra-point kicking," Hoeppner noted. "Jared was solid in the spring and showed he was much improved over last fall. He's mentally tougher now. We put him in some game-like conditions (during practice) and he responded."

Parseghian, the great nephew of Hall of Fame coach Ara Parseghian, converted only 6 of 10 field-goal attempts last season and missed two of his 30 extra-point tries.

"He's a year older, stronger, more mature, and he's more skilled than he was," Hoeppner said of Parseghian. "Once he's out 45 yards, he doesn't have to over-kick. He uses his strength." Parseghian and Soderquist work out in the same weight-training program that is required for all Miami football players, Hoeppner said.

Last year, the RedHawks didn't have much confidence in their field-goal kicking ability. Overall, the team missed 10 kicks in 18 attempts. That confidence appears to be back.

"Once we cross the 40-, 35-yard line, we still want to score touchdowns, but we think ?right now we're a threat to put points on the board? once we get into that area," Hoeppner said. "Last year we had to hold our breath, and on the first kick (Saturday) I'll probably hold my breath until we can prove we can do it this year."

David McClain will get the first shot at replacing the injured Scott Sagehorn as the team's long snapper.

 

[PUHD]

With all of the info you provide, you have time to go to school when? Thanks for everything.

 

[hellah10]

My classes start at 5:30

 

[hellah10]

What someone ELSE Thinks

DATE & TIME: Saturday, August 31st, 1:30 p.m. (et)


FACTS & STATS: Site: Kenan Stadium (60,000) -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Television: None. Home Record: Miami-OH 0-0, UNC 0-0. Away Record: Miami-OH 0-0, UNC 0-0. Neutral Record: Miami-OH 0-0, UNC 0-0. Conference Record: Miami- OH 0-0, UNC 0-0. Series Record: North Carolina leads, 4-2.


GAME NOTES: Two teams with bowl aspirations begin their 2002 seasons as the Miami-Ohio RedHawks take on the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium. Midway through the 2001 season, the RedHawks appeared destined for their first post-season appearance since 1986, as Miami stood at 7-2 after a seven-game winning streak and the club was a perfect 6-0 in the Mid-American Conference. However, the RedHawks saw their streak come to an end with a six-point loss to Marshall, then fell in a 52-51 heartbreaker at Hawaii, before ending the season with a 24-20 loss to Kent State. Overall, a 7-5 record and a second place finish in the MAC East would have been deemed a success, but the three- game skid left the RedHawks with a sour taste in their mouths and ready to make amends in 2002. The '01 Tar Heel campaign had similarities to Miami's, as head coach John Bunting began his tenure in Chapel Hill with three straight losses to the likes of defending national champion Oklahoma, eventual ACC- champion Maryland and Big 12 power Texas, before beginning a five-game winning streak with a 41-9 thrashing of Florida State. Consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Wake Forest would erase any dreams of a league crown, but Bunting's squad rebounded nicely to earn a spot in the Peach Bowl against Auburn, following a two-year absence from the postseason. A 16-10 victory over Auburn gave Bunting eight wins on the year, more than any first-year coach in UNC history. North Carolina leads the all-time series with Miami-Ohio, 4-2, but the RedHawks took the most recent meeting with a 13-10 upset of the nationally ranked Tar Heels in 1998.

The most significant development of last season at Miami was easily the blossoming of Ben Roethlisberger into one of the top young quarterbacks in the nation. As a freshman, Roethlisberger had more passing yards, total offense and touchdowns than anyone in the MAC other than Marshall's Byron Leftwich. The freshman also broke several single-season passing records at Miami along the way and was an easy choice as the conference's Freshman of the Year. Roethlisberger will again have the services of Jason Branch and Eddie Tillitz at wide receiver. Branch is back after a 46-catch, 565-yard season, while Tillitz registered 43 receptions for 577 yards last year. Sophomore Michael Larkin may emerge as the best of the bunch after recording 37 catches for 672 yards a a freshman. Cal Murray will start at tailback after a promising season in which he rushed for 354 yards and a whopping 7.3 ypc. The offensive line is buoyed by the return of starters Justin Smith, Frank Smith and Ben Herrell and the RedHawks will also welcome back guard Jacob Bell, who was a starter at the beginning of last season before missing 10 games with a shoulder injury.

While the offense will be counted on to put up big numbers, the RedHawk defense should be solid enough to keep Miami in every game. Seven starters return from last season's unit and the RedHawks are most potent at the linebacker position, where they return two All-MAC performers in Terrell Jones and Matt Robillard. Jones will orchestrate the action from his middle linebacker spot, while Robillard mans the outside. Nathan Clayton is back at the other outside linebacker position. The defensive line is less of a certainty, as the club returns just two starters from last year's group. The unquestioned leader of the bunch is left end Phil Smith, while Ryan Terry returns as the only other starter at tackle. Matt Edwards gets the nod at the other end slot, while Kurt Mester will start along the interior line. The secondary, which also returns two starters from last year, presents the largest area of concern. Milt Bowen makes the move this season from corner to safety, and is joined by Matt Pusateri, who had a fine season. Freshmen Ryan Sprague and Alphonso Hodge are expected to start at the two cornerback positions.

The off-season was nothing if not eventful for the Tar Heels, as quarterback Darian Durant announced in February he was transferring out of the program, only to change his mind five weeks later and rejoin the team during spring drills. Durant is in a dead heat in the race for the starting position with Florida transfer C.J. Stephens. Bunting will not name a starter until just before the game as both have had their moments in practice. At wide receiver, Sam Aiken is back after an 862-yard season, while Chesley Borders will take over at the other wideout position. The ground game is more of a concern, as the team has had just one 1,000-yard rusher in the last eight seasons. Willie Parker gets the starting assignment in the opener, after leading the team with 531 rushing yards in 2001, while Jacque Lewis and Andre Williams will also get their share of carries. The offensive line returns three starters from last year, but will be very young as the Tar Heels will have three sophomores in the trenches.

The key to last season's success for UNC was clearly the defense. North Carolina's attacking unit led the ACC in total defense and pass defense, while ranking third in scoring defense and rush defense. The team will be hard pressed to match those numbers again, as eight starters are gone from last year. A depleted defensive line will need end Issac Mooring to step up. The 6-3, 275-pound end recorded 22 tackles in 2001, with two sacks and will be joined by Will Chapman at the other end position, who is making the transition from tackle. The linebacking corps will need a complete overhaul, where Devllen Bullard, Doug Justice and Malcolm Stewart will step in as starters. The secondary will be a strength of the UNC defense with two starters returning to the fold. Free safety Dexter Reid could be the best in the nation at his position and is coming off a stellar season in which he tallied 107 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions. Cornerback Michael Waddell also returns after posting 61 tackles and a team-high 15 PBUs. Kevin Knight will also start at cornerback, while Chris Curry will get the nod at strong safety.

This should be an interesting game, as North Carolina enters the contest off an excellent year, but is clearly a team in transition this season. The revamped Tar Heel defense will be put to the test early on by Roethlisberger and company, but Bunting will have UNC primed to avoid a repeat of last year's slow start. Miami is a surprising 6-7-1 against ACC competition, and the RedHawks have just enough to pull off the upset in this one.

 

[hellah10]

RedHawks hope to nip at Tar Heels


By Joe Gliemmo

FOR THE OXFORD PRESS

Miami football coach Terry Hoeppner was only half joking when he offered a sample of what the RedHawks have been listening to in preparation for the team's trip to Chapel Hill.


As the fourth-year 'Hawk mentor pressed the play button on the stereo in the Cradle of Coaches room inside Yager Stadium - instantaneously a James Taylor song filled the room.


The quiet, easy listening tune came as a surprise since it's one you'd expect to hear sitting around a campfire - not exactly the kind of music that gets your blood flowing or is often associated with football and its players. The title, however, couldn't fit the situation better: "Carolina on My Mind."

Saturday, Miami opens its 2002 campaign at Kenan Memorial Stadium against a Tar Heel team that's fresh off an 8-5 season, including a 16-10 victory over Auburn in last year's Peach Bowl. Certainly, for the past nine months Miami has had "Carolina on its mind."


"This is game week, finally," Hoeppner said. "We've been counting it down for quite a while. We've had the sign in the weight room and now we're literally hours away from our first game, and I think there's an air of excitement and confidence - especially for the coaches."


Miami's last trip to UNC was the opening game of the 1998 season when the 'Hawks, then under the direction of Randy Walker, connected on a last second field goal to win, 13-10. Hoeppner, who was Miami's defensive coordinator at the time, says the teams' last meeting will serve as inspiration for both schools.


"I know for a fact that when (second year) coach (John) Bunting got the team together, according to the release that I saw, that he showed them the end of the game from '98 and that was the motivation or incentive for camp this year.


"But I did the same thing," Hoeppner added, "I showed our team the same ending. For a while I think it will serve a purpose for both of us - to give us some confidence and to give them some motivation. But once the game starts all of that is just so much rhetoric. It'll boil down then to what football team is best prepared."


Like the RedHawks, UNC was blessed by a sensational first season from its rookie signal caller, Darian Durant, who set freshman school records for passing yards (1,843) and touchdowns (17) in the 2001 season. Carolina also returns its leading receiver, Sam Aiken, who paced the Tar Heels with 789 yards on 46 catches, and leading rusher Andre? Williams who racked up 520 yards and four touchdowns.


Unlike last year's Carolina squad that boasted the nation's 15th best total defense and five eventual NFL draftees, including defensive end Julius Peppers and defensive tackle Ryan Sims, this year's team will rely heavily on its offense to put points on the board to make up for the inexperience on defense that losing eight starters creates.


While Miami's defense is left more intact from last year than UNC's with seven starters returning, the 'Hawks. too, will rely on its offense, led by sophomore quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who owns nearly every single-season Miami record after an unprecedented 2001 season as a redshirt freshman. Like the other sophomores who saw healthy amounts of playing time as freshmen - specifically freshman all-America safety Matt Pusateri and tailback Luke Clemens - Hoeppner expects significant mental improvement after spending a year in the system.


Perhaps the biggest improvement though for Miami and something that could prove beneficial right out of the chute in North Carolina is the improved RedHawk kicking game that disappointed throughout all of last season.


"It's been really solid," Hoeppner said of the job Jared Parseghian has done throughout the spring and summer as the 'Hawks go-to kicker. "Jared is much improved over last fall and has established himself as our extra point and field goal kicker. He came back this year stronger and probably mentally tougher. We tried to put him in some game-like situations and he's responded."


Hoeppner expressed a great deal of confidence in Miami's kicking game, especially considering Miami kickers connected for a dismal eight field goals in 18 chances last season.


"We have this narrow goal post on one of our practice fields and last year we had to quit using it because it was too depressing - we couldn't make it," Hoeppner said. "This year we're surprised if we miss one. We'll have to see how it goes in game situations but so far so good."


Miami opens its 114th season at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

 

[saint]

a UNC fan's view

a UNC fan's view

Well, I can preface this by saying that I haven't missed a Tar Heel home football game in my 5 years here in chapel hill. With that said, in anticipating the season opener all summer long, and thinking in terms of a line, I expected anywhere from a straight pick-em to maybe the heels giving up 1-3 points strickly because of "home field advantage". So, when the lines opened up a few weeks ago, I saw carolina -6.5, which surprised me. And I expected that with time the line would move down because most good bettors who do their homework early would be all over it. Well, it has moved up even further, which for the life of my i can't figure out.

For all of the reasons hellah listed, I can't see this being a tar heel blowout. I figure if unc wins it will be close, and if they lose it might be by a good bit. I figure they are SOLELY favored so heavily from their surprising bowl season last year. And that's it. You have to understand, our QB durant left our team high and dry and tried to transfer to SC, but when he realized he didn't have a spot he grovelled his way back. Nothing like having your starting QB sell out your teammates. Now throw in an inexperienced defensive line with a very very weak secondary, and there is a possibility of getting lit up through the air and on the ground. If i didn't bleed tar heel blue, I think i'd be dumping a boatload on this game. Even still, I will take the + points and run w/ it. Only x factor, might be shitty weather. Other than that, I just think this is a line that is very very wrong.

good luck everyone

 

[hellah10]

I greatly appreciate your point of view...and it always helps to have someone "there" and knows whats going on.

Again...Thank You

 

[ppabart]

Honestly..I'd be careful with this game. Tarheels aren't expected to do much...but they've been coming around in the past week or so in practice. Bunting made the right choice with Durant. If anything....this looks like a leave alone game to me. Should be a good game to watch.

 

[saint]

ppabart-

is bunting going durant full reign or are they alternating him w/ cj stephens 2 series each like they did w/ curry last year. from what i've seen cj looks pretty good

 

[hellah10]

They can have John Elway for all I care....if this ends up a shootout...no way in hell does UNC win. Miami plays in shootouts and they have been there many times....UNC has to prove to me that the defense can hold its own without Peppers - Sims - or Thorton to say the least.