[1] The Hurricanes scored 512 (42.6 points per game) points while yielding only 117 (9.75 points allowed per game). I'll never forget the speed and tempo and competitiveness. / The Hurricanes were led by first-year head coach Larry Coker and played their home games at the Orange Bowl. I'm talking about the energy, the heat. The Hurricanes began the season with a nationally televised primetime win over Penn State in Beaver Stadium. That off-season, the team resolved to take the matter entirely out of the discretion of the computers by going a perfect 120. And to stand up at the podium with guys like Andre Johnson, who was my suite mate since my freshman year, and hold up that trophy -- that was special. McGahee also was a consensus All-American in 2002. (From 1937 to 2001, bowl games did not count towards season statistics). That truly goes to show how much trust we had, for him to hear my voice and give me the ball. Gore was a true freshman that got Hurricanes fans excited for the future as he averaged 9.1 yards per carry with 5 touchdowns in his first year on-campus. 1 defense. Coker Former Heisman Trophy Award winner Eric Crouch led the Nebraska Cornhuskers into the Rose Bowl to face the Miami Hurricanes in the 2001 national championship game.. Coker We blocked a kick and a punt and blocked a field goal that day. Fundraiser : The UM Sports Hall of Fame Needs U! "It was literally, you're doing the same thing that I'm doing. Gonzalez I remember thinking that it was going to be such a difficult game, and we over prepared ourselves so much that the game came easy. The leadership. Romberg The motivation of being upset and disappointed, that played a huge role in going to the Sugar Bowl and what we did against Florida to make a statement that we probably should've been the champs. We were exhausted. Everyone knew [Clinton] Portis, but you had Willis McGahee and Frank Gore. That served as motivation. 3 back. / A lot of people don't realize the rivalry between Miami and Virginia Tech. We wanted to beat them for two reasons, right? Miami (2001) Michigan (1947) Notre Dame (1947) Oklahoma (1956) How many NFL players came from Miami? However, in the final minute of the fourth quarter, with Miami clinging to a 127 lead, BC quarterback Brian St. Pierre led the Eagles from their own 30-yard line all the way down to the Hurricanes' 9-yard line. Syracuse and Washington were not exactly nobodies. .mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}. Despite Miami beating Florida State head-to-head that season and being higher ranked in both human polls, it was Florida State, and not Miami, that BCS computers selected to challenge the Oklahoma Sooners for the national championship (Oklahoma would win, 132). Gonzalez And if you're not on board with this, you got to go. In all, 17 players from the team became first-round draft picks, and 38 players would be drafted, with stars like Vilma, Reed, Shockey, Wilfork and Portis earning multiple Pro Bowl bids. Yea I've been hurt. After building up a 40 record, Miami won over Florida State in Doak Campbell Stadium, 4927,[8] ending the Seminoles' 47-game home unbeaten streak. I'll never forget, he said he really liked our team. That openness allowed us to truly get to know the players and coaches, and develop a rapport with them, so we could tell their stories in a deeper way -- and share a fair narrative as the season unfolded. And we went into the Hall of Fame together this past year. I just remember on that play that the offensive lineman tried to cut my knees, and I remember finally getting it right. He didn't want it to be close at all. I knew this. In an article I wrote in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that October, quarterback Ken Dorsey said, "People around the country don't really respect our talent or our capabilities as a team. If I slacked off at all, I wasn't going to play as much because Vince Wilfork is my backup. At that point, it was like, all right, the last game then we're going to ship. It was unreal, just to see the trophy come out. That game solidified our quest to dominate. But I remember a few days before the game we did a two-minute drill, our No. Mission Statement But I feel like if you look at the history, every team that's won a national title has had a game like that, where it comes down to the last minute and if you lose, your season's over. Joaquin said dominate, and we're not doing it! Three trades in a chaotic top five, The new law changing service academy football, and the coaches pushing back, Realignment chatter: How the Pac-12 holds the key to it all. I think it was kind of a weight off everybody's shoulders at the end. The dominance of the team during its 2001 campaign combined with the legacy those players left -- both in college and the pros -- makes a strong argument that this is the best college football team ever assembled. Open Menu. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Starters are marked with an asterisk (*). As I remember, the fans are standing right over the bench and they were yelling at our coaches, and they were throwing Skittles at us. I'll never forget the year before, we beat Florida State and guys were celebrating, and Ed Reed told Dorsey to stand up and told everyone to start cheering for Ken Dorsey. This team, who kept us out of the national championship, beat us our freshman year slammed the quarterback in the goal post that's what that was all about. You had Sean Taylor behind him. It was one of those games. Miami had zero touchdowns. We weren't trying to sit here and showcase how fast and athletic we were. Gore has been named to five Pro Bowl rosters and has ran for 14,028 yards over his career. McGahee ran for 4.7 yards per carry and three touchdowns in reserve duty behind Clinton Portis in 2001. The fourth quarter was fun for us, because at that point, the game was kind of in hand, and everybody got to enjoy and be part of it: first, second, third string guys, everybody was getting in and getting to play. It seems like that every year. Rumph In interviews with more than two dozen players, coaches and opposing coaches, here is the story of the 2001 season, told in their own words. But I did have the feeling that we were going to win the national championship and we were going to do whatever it took to make it happen. February 26, 2023 11:32 AM. You grow up with the Rose Bowl and watching the parade and those games. I was like, "Coach, call whatever you want, we're gonna win." Walters That's how it goes in those games. Clinton Portis was one of the many future NFL stars who led the Hurricanes to the 2001 title -- and a place in football lore. 2001 Miami Hurricanes footballconsensus national champions, 2001 Big East Conference football standings, 2001 Penn State Nittany Lions football team, 2001 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team, 2001 Florida State Seminoles football team, 2001 West Virginia Mountaineers football team, would cost nearly $120 million as an NFL team, "CFB 150: Top 10 teams in college football history - Sporting News", "The 150 greatest teams in college football's 150-year history - ESPN", "The 2001 Miami Hurricanes Would Beat Any Team, Any Time - FanBuzz", "Hurricanes Roll Past Penn State, 33-7:: Ken Dorsey throws three touchdown passes to lead Miami", University of Miami (FL) Athletic Department, "No. As did what happened in October, when Miami -- ranked No. I'd been at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State for years and we'd never beaten [Nebraska]. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The atmosphere was too much for them. Some of our most beloved Canes shared a meeting room in 2001. The Canes became arguably the greatest team in CFB history 20 years ago, finishing 12-0, winning the national title and producing 38 NFL draft picks. We were really dialed in on character, on personality traits, do they love football? We were mentally driven. Shockey had been there and done that, but we had new guys stepping in who weren't first-round draft picks yet. Rankings from AP poll. Romberg Sure enough, they run a slant, I go in to pick it off, and I spread my fingertips, and had my hands below my knee. We've got one goal in mind. Privacy Policy Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Thursday, March 2, 12:48AM. Ed was somebody that would really talk to players. And they had a great defense. Roster includes most starters and key reserves. We just hope that this train just doesn't go off the track. After an interception, Ed Reed strips the ball from his teammate and takes it for a touchdown to seal Miami's win vs. Boston College during the 2001 season. Walters Our freshman year, we redshirted, but we would go on road trips and have our jerseys on with sweatpants on the sideline. 1 offense against the No. We have the recipe, we have the tools, we have everything to be successful. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? [17] The offense set the school scoring record, while the defense led the nation in scoring defense (fewest points allowed), pass defense, and turnover margin. I think the next year, we had the mindset that, no matter what happens, we have to take care of business. Kenny didn't have the strongest arm in football, but he was just a tremendous leader and just a playmaker. BC was certainly a good team, and it looked like we weren't supposed to win it, but somehow we did. Nebraska proved to be no competition for Miami, which opened up a 340 halftime lead en route to a 3714 final score. It wasn't like we were living at the top of the AP poll. Imagine that, a team with 38 future NFL picks feeling disrespected. Its game at Florida State on Oct. 13 took on even greater meaning after what happened in 2000. Overall, 38 members of the team would be selected in the NFL Draft. I was tired. I was thinking in my mind, "There's not a lot of time left in this game. McGahee didnt have the most prolific career, but the two years he suited up in his orange and green gear were exciting. Chudzinski And I'll never forget seeing the wave of red of Nebraska fans pulling up that seemed like it went for miles. Williams They finished the season 120 overall and 70 in the Big East to finish as conference champion. You're gonna communicate and you're gonna stay together, or you've got to go. Guess what: He's still not finished . After a Virginia Tech touchdown and two-point conversion cut Miami's lead to 2618, the Hokies blocked a Miami punt and returned it for another score, cutting Miami's lead to just two points. Portis ran for 9.923 career yards and 75 touchdowns for Washington and the Denver Broncos while making two Pro Bowl rosters. He had the respect of those players. The same standings that kept Miami out of the 2000 national championship game. The Pro Football Hall of Fame class will be inducted during NFL Honors, which airs on ABC at 9 p.m. The 2001 Miami Hurricanes were the only team picked by fans to defeat the '05 Trojan squad, reflecting the esteem with which the 2001 Hurricanes are held in the college football world.[18]. Romberg 2 behind Florida -- the team they dismantled in the Sugar Bowl to close out the 2000 season. Our communication wasn't good. But I wasn't leaving these guys. Their roster was loaded with future first-round picks -- from Andre Johnson to Jeremy Shockey to Vince Wilfork and at least one NFL Hall of Famer in Ed Reed. 2. Like it was a fairy tale.". I think they added extra bleachers so now they had the biggest stadium in college football. "I just think our mental toughness was just as impressive as our physical and athletic ability. They listened to us. 1 in both polls -- was sitting at No. It was one of those things where it was kind of like inevitable for us, you know what I mean? And he comes to me when we're in Pasadena, he's like, "Look, don't worry, it's gonna be easier in the game. Jump inside of it. I said, "Coach, they're slow as hell.". Buy Now. It was always tough. OT Joaquin Gonzalez Former coach Butch Davis But the defense came through, as Mike Rumph, Matt Walters and Reed combined to save the day with one of the most iconic plays in Miami history -- a Walters interception, deflected off Rumph's knee, that ended up in Reed's hands for the defensive score. CB Markese Fitzgerald Oh, absolutely I was scared. I think they might have called us Michelin men because some of the guys when they first put clothes on, they literally look like the Michelin tire guy because they were loading up like they were going into a frickin' blizzard. 1 in both polls -- was sitting at No. Davenport went on to a seven year NFL career with the Packers, Steelers, and Colts, while averaging 4.6 yards per rush and scoring 13 touchdowns as a pro. . When I caught it, I wasn't thinking about running it back for a touchdown. Schumann returning to Georgia, Adelson: 2001 Canes make case for college football's GOATs, Miami's turnover chain set a celebratory standard across the college football landscape. The consensus among college football analysts is that the 2001 Hurricanes had the most talented roster in history. A lot of us came back just for this game. It was the Hurricanes' 76th season of football and 11th as a member of the Big East Conference. On Sept. 27, Miami returned to play at Pitt with a determination to press forward, resulting in a 43-21 win. And then on the practice field, he had that voice. Miami has two games remaining before the postseason begins and winning out has big implications for their place in the programs best all-time regular seasons. Reed is seen shouting at his teammates, "I'm hurt dog! It is through the support of Hurricane fans and alumni that we are able to make a difference. Then in 2002, with Frank Gore out, exploded on the scene with 1,753 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on 6.2 yard per carry. Download Our App, Achong, Harden & Hedley Earn ACC Postgraduate Scholarships, Newport News, Virginia/Hampton Roads Academy, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada/Vanier Academy, Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Belle River District. Because that whole season, our mind was set on one goal, and you really don't understand how exhausting something can be when you're in pursuit of it. Chudzinski The Canes became arguably the greatest team in CFB history 20 years ago, finishing 12-0, winning the national title and producing 38 NFL draft picks. They kept telling us don't listen to our coaches, because we're getting our butts kicked. Barry Jackson. They would challenge each other to sprints, or whatever it was, and they held each other accountable and would not accept mediocrity. Do you have a blog? People were literally afraid to let the person next to them down. I had so many friends from high school who were there to support me, guys I grew up with and loved and had always been there for me. The intelligence he had. We were just too big, strong and fast, and way too physical. The 2001 team featured six All-Americans, and Dorsey was a Heisman Trophy finalist. The year before, Miami lost at Washington 34-29 -- and that loss ultimately kept the Hurricanes out of the national title game they felt they deserved. The knee injuries couldnt hold Gore back as hes still running the rock in the NFL today. And we're in the buses going right through this wave of red, and it seemed like they all flipped us off in unison. Football. Miami also holds a number of NFL Draft records, including most first-round selections in a single draft and most consecutive drafts with at least one first-round selection. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. As one of the younger players on the team, that competition only made me better. What I remember most, though, is the sheer dominance. It was a competitive culture and accountability was huge and he built a family environment. Davis Truly perfected that.". Frank Gore was also on the 2001 national title Hurricanes roster. And I did that, and I was like, "Oh, man, that felt good." Chudzinski Everybody's fired up. Miami clinched a spot in the national title game against Nebraska at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., and felt confident this game would be its crowning achievement. There are currently 44 players in the NFL who were brought up at the "U." One NFL team has quite a collection of Miami alumni. After the close win over Boston College, Miami went on to win over #14 Syracuse, 590,[12] and #12 Washington, 657,[13] in consecutive weeks in the Orange Bowl. Where . Read more about our data coverage. You're sweating, you're bleeding, you're laying everything on the line for the guy next to you, and there was no envy." It was a bunch of these things that made us feel disrespected. I put my heart in this (expletive) dog. Brown, who played for the Hurricanes' baseball team from 1998-2001, is the No . I wanted to be there. Davis What players and coaches insist set this team apart was their camaraderie, accountability and willingness to do whatever it took to win a championship -- especially those afternoon workouts. Still, the resilient Hokies had one more chance to win the game late, taking possession of the ball at midfield and needing only a field goal to take the lead. They're wearing hoodies and sweatshirts and jackets all up underneath their shoulder pads and the coaches were like, "How are you going to function and play football?" If Greg Schiano had not left and gone to Rutgers it would've been a potential for him to get the job, but I was glad for the staff and players that there wouldn't be a blow-up. I never experienced that, just to sit there and say, "I'm the best, and that was a product of all our work." Less than 24 hours to renew your football tickets! While the 2001 squad only won a single national championship; they had NFL legends, All-Americans and Pro Bowlers in their film sessions. Of course, Miami players are going to take up for their own team and scream from the rooftops that 2001 Miami is the GOAT. If you don't drive them, you're going to be in trouble. The way Miami broke the will of Syracuse and Washington in back-to-back games, outscoring them by a combined 124-7. We knew when I was there, but in 2001, it became reality. Shockey was diving for balls, Ed Reed was coming up full-speed, full-tackle. In the classes that followed, they signed other players who constantly felt the need to prove they belonged, including Vilma. Miami beat opponents by an average of 32.9 points per game, the largest margin in the school's history, and set the NCAA record for largest margin of victory over consecutive ranked teams (1247). Prior to the 2006 Rose Bowl, ESPN's SportsCenter ran a special in which the 2005 USC Trojans, led by stars Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and LenDale White, were compared with the greatest college teams of the past 50 years, as picked by sports fans voting on ESPN.com, to determine their place in history. This was because Miami had lost to No. It was my first game ever to be a head coach and it was against Joe Paterno. Women's Basketball. The players and coaches, first and foremost, were accessible. / Johnson was a member of the Hurricanes' most recent national championship team in 2001. We're intense, pulling up on the buses. We knew that was going to be a tough game. Davis Meanwhile, the stifling Miami defense shut down Heisman-winner Eric Crouch and the Huskers vaunted option offense, holding Nebraska 200 yards below its season average. 14, proved to be a formidable opponent. The season began on the road against Penn State, a matchup Miami viewed as a "statement game.". He was right. 1 Hurricanes Stomp West Virginia, 45-3", "No. They were big boys, all positions, not just the offensive line. And so much more. Kenny was the perfect guy. The way we were able to play, come out firing on all cylinders, was huge. And I felt like I was a chess piece to that. Clinton Portis was the main ball carrier during the 2001 national championship run of the Miami Hurricanes. Strength coach Andreu Swasey I'd feel good about our team against anybody. Single Game Season Group. Like, literally none. Adversity hit shortly after the calendar turned to 2001, when coach Butch Davis left to become head coach with the Cleveland Browns. You go into the locker room and everybody is just elated. The intangibles he had. Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer As much as the 2001 team has been glorified in the years since it won the national title, the Hurricanes opened the year ranked No. I had to challenge them, because if not, they're looking at you like, "What is this?" Head coach Larry Coker And I am a firm believer in that team, too. The older guys took us under their wings and helped us. Matt! I was chasing Ed, and Ed did some little backyard football by running zig zags in order not to get caught, and then he spikes the ball to put the emphasis on that play. As did what happened in October, when Miami -- ranked No. From there, this iconic team started its journey toward greatness. Not only that, they were honoring one of their past players who got paralyzed, he was able to walk again so they were going to have him run out. I started running at an angle toward the sideline. Walters My knee went between my hands, and hit the tip of the ball and it flipped to Matt Walters. The thing that was most impressive about that team is that, at any point in time, a younger player could take your position. They beat us 59-0 and we finished that season with 10 wins. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Rumph All rights reserved On the field in front of me, Alabama beat down Ohio State to close a 13-0 season with three Heisman Trophy finalists on offense -- including winner DeVonta Smith. The Hurricanes were led by first-year head coach Larry Coker and played their home games at the Orange Bowl. The ladies win their home finale, prep for their conference tournament matchup on Thursday. RBs coach Don Soldinger It never seemed like Davenport recovered all of his speed after the knee injury, but he did run for 5.3 yards per carry and 13 touchdowns in his Miami career. The heart and soul of that team was our strength coach, Andreu Swasey. And obviously you can point out all the talented guys on the team, but at the time, they weren't the biggest recruits and the five-star guys. But that goes to the larger point: The focus was not on their talent, but on gaining the respect those players felt had been denied to them going back to high school. They made sure their offseason workouts were the most intense of their lives. He was that father figure we were all afraid to disappoint. Romberg The Hokies, ranked No. And I'll never forget, everybody's fired up, and Larry gets up in front of the bus, and said, "Men, don't worry about that. There's something about a night game in the Orange Bowl, there's something about that mystique. Every one of those games was a physical, physical affair. As did what happened in October, when Miami -- ranked No. But a diving, game-saving interception by Ed Reed sealed the Miami victory, 2624. #14. Six players were drafted in the. QB Ken Dorsey They were invited to the Rose Bowl, which served as the BCS National Championship Game, and defeated Nebraska, 3714, to win the school's 5th national championship. 4 in the Bowl Championship Series standings. This 2001 Miami team crushed Nebraska for the title in the Rose Bowl. Dorsey So the following year was definitely a salt-in-the-wound, chip-on-the-shoulder type of season where we wanted to obviously take no prisoners and rectify what happened the year before. I'm gonna run out of bounds." Last edited by a moderator: Jan 7, 2009. It happened twice in the Coliseum. Williams; and defensive backs Ed Reed, Mike Rumph, and Phillip Buchanon. It was a program that was meant to sink or swim guys. The scholarship recipient is chosen each year by the football coaches . We knew, we got them out here, with the weather, the physicality, they weren't going to be ready for that. Then there was the first half against Nebraska in the BCS national championship game, in which Miami made the Cornhuskers look like a slow backyard team with no business being on the big stage. Their closest test came on road against the Boston College Eagles in an 18-7 victory, that included a late Ed Reed-Matt Walters pick-six. We sucked on offense. "They were the hardest workouts we ever did," cornerback Mike Rumph said. But there was never any pressure on anybody because they always thought they were going to get it done. We could see with our own eyes what made that team go. As a true freshman coming in, I'm all smiles. "They were really good, but I told Reggie, 'Yeah, you guys were fast and athletic, and we were equally fast and athletic," Vilma recalled recently. Some felt that Miami got snubbed in a chance to compete for the BCS Championship game. University of Miami 2023. You can make the argument it's the most talented team to ever play. In the years since Miami's 2001 championship, the team's reputation has only grown. Odds & lines subject to change. Instead, they played their backups and won 37-14, a score that does not reflect the sheer dominance of that game. Was against Joe Paterno talking about the energy, the team 's reputation only. 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