1983 Miami Hurricanes Highlight Film

a vibrant revitalized city and a young emerging football power came together in 1983 to pursue a daring championship vision together they reached the pinnacle of success in college football we're number one I think this time you gotta believe it in September the Miami Hurricanes didn't have a chance of winning the national championship with only four starters returning on offense a freshman starting at quarterback and an untested defense Howard Schnellenberger faced a rebuilding year there was talent on this team but the Canes were at best a year away with their future clouded with question marks the youthful hurricane stepped from the practice field to the heat of an intense rivalry with the Florida Gators their inexperience was painfully apparent as the veteran Gators took advantage of eight Miami turnovers to score 28 points a bright spot was the performance of freshman quarterback Bernie Kosar who erased at least some of the preseason question marks with a record 25 completions for 223 yards although Miami fans found little else to cheer about this long evening the coaching staff did see some promising signs when we came out with a 28 to 3 loss it looked like we were not going to be the type of football team that we hoped we would be but when we studied the film and sold it almost to a man our football team had greeted out as winner that Bernie Kosar had completed 25 passes to tie Jim Kelley's record we've looked at their game as if from a technical standpoint we had won and we tried to build on all those good things that happen in that Florida game that we could use as a springboard for down the season the frustration of the Florida game quickly turned to confidence as the Hurricanes eliminated the mistakes and scored 62 points in impressive victories over Houston and Purdue that success would have little meaning however if the Canes couldn't perform well against the nationally ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame a team they had beaten only twice since 1955 going in a game with intensity knowing that it would be on national TV there was really a time that we all said to ourselves this is a time where we could really show the people what kind of ballclub we have and you know really Chester it was a great club they had it was a great challenge for the city of Miami was getting caught up in the excitement and through a colorful coming our party to celebrate this classic college football matchup it got off to a great start when Jay Brophy intercepted taking full advantage of the turnover fullback speedy Neos score and Miami had its show on the road Notre Dame tried to counter but fails their problems continued as they confronted the growing confidence of cosa this young thoroughbred displayed the leadership and poise of a veteran in shredding the Irish past defense and browns dramatic cats gave the canes a 14 to nothing lead that shocked the national television audience but the hurricane defense proved that it was for real freshman defensive back Reggie Sutton made an indelible impression on Miami fans blocking two field goals and making 13 tackles against one of college football's traditional powers as the city began its celebration of this incredible 20 to nothing victory a very special dream was born from a team standpoint and for myself personally the confidence started really growing after the Notre Dame victory that there was a few doubts going into that game about where we really stand nationally and because we were a young team what type of ballclub we had I think after that game and the way we displayed ourselves on national TV gave us our team a lot of confidence for the rest of the season after four more victories what once was a rebuilding year now had the potential of being the greatest season in Miami history but standing in the way were the West Virginia Mountaineers with an all-star quarterback and a powerful defense this was a showdown of two emerging national powers both now ranked in the top 10 and both with their sights on an Orange Bowl bit but only one could survive with its dreams still intact the hurricane defense was intent on making sure it would be Miami stellar performances by linebacker Jay Brophy and middle guard Tony Fitzpatrick set the tempo for the afternoon with the running game shut down the inside strength of the Hurricanes turned quarterback Jeff Hostetler's trip to Miami into an exercise in futility Co SARS most consistent receiver senior tight end Glenn Dennison frustrated the Mountaineer defense his seven catches this day broke the school record for past receptions in a season his 19-yard touchdown grab but Miami in front to stay to Jeff Davis field goals extended the lead just as Dennison had become Miami's consistent receiver and Brown had become its explosive receiver his 49-yard reception in the fourth quarter set up the final touchdown behind outstanding protection from the young offensive line cosa hit senior Keith Griffin to seal the Mountaineers do more than 63,000 Miami fans exalted in the Arroyo 22 3 triumph the Miami Hurricanes had blown away another nationally ranked opponent it was hard to imagine how far they've come since that painful afternoon in Gainesville less than two months before they were now eight and one the best start in their history they were on a collision course with destiny nobody in the world thought you could come this far oh my and a wildest dream force you could do it except everybody here Howard Schnellenberger and the Hurricanes face perhaps the biggest challenge of the year in preparing to face the unknown unranked and underrated East Carolina pirates Reggie I watch you take this thing I want to take it right up and shoot I want I want to go all the way with total preparation is a Schnellenberger trademark and it's a major reason why the Hurricanes have been one of the nation's winningest football teams the past five years today being prepared for the unexpected could spell the difference between victory and the end of a dream this game was supposed to be a breather before the season finale against archrival Florida State but East Carolina turned out to be the quickest and most aggressive opponent the Canes had faced for the first time since the Florida game they trailed at halftime East Carolina's team speed was disrupting the Miami plan so between the sideline and the press box the coaching staff communicated critical changes in strategy Man Man Man Gary long the artists they went Blue Man three fans in Psalm 130 sold watch all right go ahead they concluded that the Pirates could be outflanked by a carefully executed screen pass all-purpose back halibut Bentley prove them correct once then twice the team's leading Russia was bringing the Hurricanes back on second down those are facing seven-minute brunch fake back absolutely all on a great car just a fabulous car by the offensive coaches of the hurricane a blocked extra point left Miami trailing seven to six with just over four minutes left the stubborn pirates threaten to put the game out of reach but the Canes defense held and a field goal attempt sailed wide right the Hurricanes would have one more opportunity but began 80 yards away fighting the Pirates and the clock now preparation and hard work alone would not be enough it would take character and courage to win this football game 35 yard line Bentley is up and dipping his deep clothes are on the drop for any looking firing long Miami's home run receiver Ed Brown had put the victory within reach so while Steve Schnellenberger celebrated on the sidelines Co saw and the offensive line set their sights on the end zone as a lineman when were in that tight shoe the shoe you can never tell if you scored Bernie had kept the ball and there's a cannon in the Orange Bowl that they fire when we score and so as I sat there i heard the cannon go off and I knew the dream was still alive the miracle finish left Miami fans breathless and convinced all of South Florida that their team was a team of destiny the Hurricanes were only one game away from a bid to the Orange Bowl but that one game was at Florida State in front of a frenzied record crowd emotions were at a fevered pitch on both sides as the Seminoles had bold aspirations of their own when Florida State held a 16 to 7 lead late in the third quarter they threatened to turn Miami's dream into a nightmare a coach Schnellenberger calmly reassured his team and readied them for the fourth quarter challenge that laid ahead when the Hurricanes desperately needed a big play ko saw and Ed Brown made it happen a 37 yard touchdown pass just the field-goal away from victory the defense which had allowed just ten points in the fourth quarter all season tightened its grip pride was at stake for seniors Jay Brophy consiste Fred Robinson Jacinto Fernandez Danny Brown Eddie Williams and Rodney Bellinger they shut the Seminoles down cold giving the ball back to the offense with good field position the Seminoles expected a pass but Keith Griffin caught them flat-footed bounced outside and gained the biggest 20 yards of his career the Canes bled the clock down to three seconds then put their destiny in my hands a placekicker Jeff Davis coach called the timeout and then floored state called another timeout where I proceeded to go back to the sideline and converse with coach Schnellenberger and then when time was ready I went out and told coach this one's for you coach as time ran out the foot of tiny Jeff Davis propelled the Hurricanes to a 1716 victory and a trip to the 1984 Orange Bowl the morning of the orange ball dawned bright and clear this was the fiftieth anniversary game matching Miami's own hurricanes against the big 8 champion Nebraska Cornhuskers with a number1 ranking the Heisman and Outland Trophy winners and a devastating Triple Threat offense the Cornhuskers were already being called the greatest team of all time the Hurricanes came into the game as 15-point underdogs but a flame of optimism burned confidently in the hearts of Miami players with a Canes playing at home equipped with their sophisticated passing offense the Miami coaches were also quietly confident I felt our defense could to match up with him and I didn't think that they had the potential to rush our passer and to cover our receivers because I had not felt very confident about it I think I had to be concerned about going into that game was a football team didn't peek and didn't get too high too early and to try to hold everything in balance as the game came up at the Cotton Bowl Georgia upset number two ranked Texas so just four hours before kickoff the Orange Bowl suddenly became the game for the national championship to win Miami would have to stop Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier our defense had played so many different types of offenses that we were accustomed to their office we knew what they were practically on a run we just had to get down and dirty beat the physical offensive line that they had and just play aggressive football which we did the symbol of Miami's defensive intensity was backup linebacker Jacinto Fernandez who came off the bench to eventually win the most valuable Defensive Player Award when Miami's offense got its hands on the ball it literally exploded the pinpoint precision passing of cosa established a new Orange Bowl passing yardage record while striking for one touchdown and then another Shakespeare is split wide to the right the back so split behind Cozart second in short like a free play down the middle Dennison what's the play in the first quarter would you believe it it is 16 a nothing Miami the nation wondered how Tom Osborne in Nebraska would respond the answer was the devious fumblerooski guard Dean Stein coolers surprise touchdown aggravated coach Schnellenberger and stole momentum away from the Canes but early in the third quarter when a turnover gave Nebraska a chance to take the lead the Hurricanes change the course of the game by turning them away without a touchdown having withstood Nebraska's knock out attempt Miami counter-attacked with renewed strength Burnie cakes give specially five free 44:17 just 15 minutes away from the ultimate goal fighting superior size and depth the Hurricanes found courage in the lessons learned at East Carolina and Florida State they braced themselves as Nebraska made one last classic attempt to come back finally on fourth down with 48 seconds showing on the clock reserve tailback Jeff Smith brought the Huskers to within a point of Miami when Nebraska went 4-2 the outcome of a national championship hung in the balance you're right down on the guts of it right here friends 31 to 34 to Hill takes roll well we felt certain that they were gonna go for the two and in that situation they like to flood the wide side of the field with three receivers in this printout pass or an option player that says so we wanted to kill containment so we were in a man defense thin out I was on earth fry he released inside to pick off the free safety and his man through high back release into the flat and we just combo that coverage and I picked him up and took the ball away with a flex of Khem Calhoun's wrist Miami's impossible incredible unbelievable dreams came true the Miami Hurricanes had defeated number one ranked unbeaten Nebraska to become the national champions of collegiate football it had been one of the greatest college football games ever played and one this team and this community will never forget

Channel: Comrade Dobler

Views: 16,568

Rating: 4.9298244 out of 5

Keywords: Bernie Kosar, Miami Hurricanes

Id: 7G9IlzWhsJE

Length: 21min 44sec (1304 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 25 2016