Press On-1987 Miami Hurricanes

[Music] the trees they play the game with a level of exuberance and excellence unmatched in the annals of college football their success has galvanized a city and captivated a nation they are the miami hurricanes 1987 national champions this is their story [Music] a perfect season was but a distant dream on the first saturday of september traditional pomp and pageantry masked question marks in the minds of hurricane partisans accustomed to success a host of departed superstars left gaping holes in coach jimmy johnson's depth chart an undefeated 1986 campaign was overshadowed by a fiesta bowl defeat and the unspoken memories still lingered indeed the challenge was reflected in their team motto press on well i know a lot of people didn't anticipate us having this good football team when you consider the fact that we had seven guys drafted into the nfl and five of those players started their rookie year we felt like we could have a good football team that we felt like if we could have some young guys come to the front and really play a key role and play to the best of their ability then we could be successful miami and florida orange on orange a traditional battle of giants that can make or break a season this will be their last meeting until 1992 hurricane defense will leave indelible memories myra stubb jones shannon and brown soon they will read like a litany of doom to ball carriers from gainesville to greenville from tallahassee to toledo [Applause] there's a new man under center his name is steve walt his debut will be singularly impressive cool under pressure the rifle arms sophomore makes good use of veteran stars melvin bratton and michael urban the hurricane offense has lost none of its glitter [Music] [Applause] mccain's aerial success is duplicated on the ground cleveland gary warren williams share 20 carries between them and their efforts at a potent element to a balanced attack [Music] with his team maintaining a comfortable margin jimmy johnson knows that florida must attack the strength of the miami defense a veteran secondary led by two-time all-american benny blades interceptions by blades and randy shannon seal an impressive 31-4 triumph for the amulet hurricanes it is their 22nd consecutive regular season victory a most auspicious beginning to a memorable campaign [Applause] game number two finds the hurricanes in arkansas for a key test against the 10th rated razorbacks if the season opener was impressive then today's performance is completely off the charts from the opening moments miami is merely awesome irving in a wing right back to split walsh again has to park out the signals at the line overcome the noise waltz williams sweep warren dives touchdown miami as the battle progresses the noise um must contend with diminishes to a whisper by halftime the chains have built an unbelievable 38-nothing lead on the pitch goes to conley behind the gary block to the 10 to the five he scores untouched leonard conley nobody got a hand on him [Music] throw like a free down steve throwing urban is the receiver of the end zone for the touchdown all right johnson and kroll the running back when they are slipped behind erickson who's back look throws end zone andre brown final score 51-7 but there is little time for celebration for a familiar full await [Applause] this is seminole country tallahassee home of powerful florida state in retrospect this clash will become known as college football's game of the year the third ranked hurricanes will face a stiff challenge from the fourth ranked seminoles despite their frustrated efforts jimmy johnson's men trailed by as much as 16 points we really felt like we could come back on florida state we had done it the previous two outings we had been behind against florida state in the fourth quarter the two previous years and so at halftime i said all we've got to do is just settle down and not turn the ball over be patient on offense because we're going to be able to hit some of the passes and then the other thing is we've got to play with more intensity on defense intensity on defense a hurricane specialty the impact is immediate and decisive [Music] [Applause] the dramatic shift in fortunes is underscored by a suddenly rejuvenated offense a 49-yard pass play from walsh to gratton cuts the seminole lead in half [Music] fsu's ensuing drive is short-circuited by daniel stubbs alert interception in the mind of michael irvin one big play deserves another [Applause] supreme confidence supreme ability 26 yards later an eight-point deficit is now two [Applause] [Music] for the second time in the contest um achieves a two-point conversion tied at 19 all florida state's desperate bid to regain the advantage is cut short by a benny blade's fumble recovery setting the stage for the biggest play of michael irvin's career um steve called to play he called the 10 yard out i came out and when i lined up i looked up and it was a man-to-man coverage i looked over to steve i patted my hilt which means he's a man covered and so i looked at him and he looked at me and and we made an adjustment and and he got around the defensive back and he was going up the sidelines and i didn't think it was going to get there i thought it was going to bounce off the guy's shoulder pad but it went over shoulder pad and mike caught it and took it the distance michael irvin's second touchdown reception results in a seven point lead but the finest football team in fsu history refuses to fold with just one minute remaining the seminoles score leading 26-25 miami must stop a two-point conversion attempt a season hangs in the balance i was on the bench at that time when they scored the touchdown and then when i didn't see donny get up i knew i had to go in there and do my job and there was no time to be nervous and i went in there and i did it [Music] when the ball was in the air i mean i i just kind of glanced over and i saw bubba tip it and that was the best thing i think that could ever happen to our team as a whole because that day we we knew that no matter whatever happened to us that if we pull together in the fourth quarter we can beat anybody pride defiance unity watch words of a defense that plays the game with passion and purpose the miami way [Music] [Applause] 1987 all-american daniel stubbs was the heart and soul of a line that played havoc with opposing game plans the school's career sack leader was a big reason why hurricane opponents scored barely 100 points over the course of a 12-game season following their last minute heroics against florida state um defenders would continue to shine in successive victories over maryland cincinnati east carolina miami of ohio virginia tech and toledo the combined scores of those six games 240 to 59. daniel stubbs graduates but sophomore tackle greg mark returns to the trenches next season incredibly quick he was a mainstay of a line that also featured bill hawkins jimmy jones and derwin jones linebacking is a traditional hurricane strength and george meyer jr is a perfect example number 45 leaves miami as the school's all-time leading tackler winning 13 all-america honors in his senior season while mayra patrolled the middle linebacker rod carter was a force outside the team's second leading tackler as a junior carter returns to action as an all-american candidate in 1988 [Music] solid up front strong in the middle miami was impervious to the run the airwaves were exclusive property of benny and the jets college football's finest secondary in the estimation of many consensus all-american penny blades is the ideal free safety jimmy johnson is not inclined to disagree well benny blade is a great football player benny's the best defensive back that i've ever been associated with in 23 years of college coaching he plays with a lot of intensity he is a big strong physical defensive back he tackles like a linebacker and he has the great speed he runs a 4 3 540 so he can outrun most any receiver in addition to many blades the hurricane defensive backfield boasted first-class talent number 18 colbert bain started 46 games in his career a school record selwyn brown donald ellis and daryl fullington all played major roles an extra bonus was special team standout bubba mcdowell cornerback of note and punt blocker extraordinaire [Applause] from the front line to the secondary the hurricane defense had what it takes talent heart and confidence i just think it's an attitude where we know that we can win we've played in i think more big games than any other team and we play everybody being an independent and i think that has a lot to do with it we're used to the big game the ability to win big games nine victories into 1987 that theory will be tested yet again jimmy johnson and lou holtz miami and notre dame national television sellout crowd for the hurricane defense win number 10 rides on a very basic premise we can't lose if they don't score notre dame's highly touted running game disappears under an avalanche of orange jerseys efforts to go airborne are quickly forted by the ever-present mr stubbs [Music] late in the opening quarter miami launches a drive that will result in the game's first score melvin bratton dances his way to first down yardage setting the stage for contributions by backfield mates warren williams and leonard conley three minutes into the second stanza melvin bratton does the honors as twilight gives way to nightfall so must notre dame defer to a clearly superior miami aggregation [Music] rice on the tank hawkins after him hawkins sacks him back at the 43. second sack for bill hawkins they will call it just outside the 41. a 10-nothing halftime lead becomes 17-nothing after three-quarters miami fans are now thinking shut up the fighting irish have not been blank since 1983. the last team to do it the miami hurricanes [Music] when leonard conley bullies his way into the end zone it proves to be the coup de gras in a convincing 24 nothing conquest give credit to an inspired defense and a superb offense the number on his jersey is the most appropriate mantle for young steve walsh in 1987 he firmly established himself as miami's fourth consecutive blue chip quarterback following in the footsteps of jim kelly bernie kozar and vinnie testaverde talented composed and intelligent he employed his receivers with a sense of maturity that belied his youthful status well coming into this year i knew that i'd have to utilize the people around me and that's what i feel i've done this season and i have such great athletes around me just throwing the ball anywhere in the field and they're going to take it the distance for a touchdown perhaps the brightest star among a galaxy of standouts was the magical michael irvin blessed with sure hands and blazing speed he set um career receiving records for receptions yardage and touchdowns [Music] the effervescent urban was complemented by senior white out brian blade the brother of benny the blades pedigree was evident for all to see brian ended his career as the school's number five all-time receivers in 1987 miami developed a devastating mid-range passing game and fullback melvin bratton played a big part the versatile senior punished defenders with his hard charging style 223 pounds of pure power [Music] look behind the statistics and you will find the soul of the miami scoring machine from tackle to tackle few offensive lines can match the hurricanes john o'neill matt patchen scott proven rod holder and mike sullivan allowed just 13 sacks and helped melvin bratton become um's all-time touchdown leader they've paved the way for a host of talented runners including number 24 fleet-footed warren williams the kane's leading rusher averaged five yards per carry augmenting his totals with 30 receptions [Music] williams graduates the powerful cleveland gary returns for another go round he will attempt to duplicate a stellar 87 season that saw him score nine touchdowns second on the team behind melvin bratton next year gary's power will be complemented by a miniature bulldozer named leonard conley as a freshman number 28 set a single season rushing record for first year miami ball carriers he was the fourth dimension of an extremely deep running game that recorded 24 touchdowns while fumbling just seven times to be sure the numbers are impressive but quarterback steve walsh speaks for the entire team my goal was to be 11-0 i didn't care what my stats were i knew if we were loving to know stats would take care of themselves a perfect season requires consistency in every phase of the game and return specialist randall hill ensured that special teams would be a hurricane strength only a freshman the elusive hill finished seventh in the nation in kickoff returns guaranteeing excellent field position for his teammates on those seemingly rare occasions when miami failed to get six they countered with greg cox the school's all-time leading scorer accurate from well beyond 50 yards cox was the ultimate weapon in an arsenal that dominated the collegiate ranks one week after crushing notre dame hurricanes capped a perfect regular season with a 20-16 thriller over highly regarded south carolina for jimmy johnson it was a most satisfying moment when i look back on this football team i will remember this team as one that didn't really stand out on paper as far as individuals without question we have some star players but more than anything else it is a total team they have uh total belief and confidence that they are going to be successful they work very hard and they prepare themselves extremely well that's the reason why they have won a lot of ball games january 1st 1988 a national title is on the line tonight the 54th orangeball classic matches two familiar foes jimmy johnson's miami hurricanes the undefeated oklahoma sooners the pride of the big eight emotion intensity preparation the canes have come too far to turn back now operating behind a patchwork offensive line steve walsh displays the uncanny poise that has become his trademark on its first possession the miami passing game shreds the vaunted sooner secondary melvin bratton's 30-yard touchdown reception gives miami an early advantage and now the sooners come called playing without linebacker george myra the keynes figured to be weak up the middle where the famed oklahoma wishbone is poised to strike however the sooners quickly discover that rhyme and reason is no match for good old-fashioned intensity miami's mission break the bone [Music] fundamental football offense defense and special teams from 56 yards away greg cox attempts to up the margin the eagles will hold pigs will snap down and kick it is up in the air it is high it is long it is good all right 56 yards big hit the field goal and they're going to talk about this one for a while that is as long as 10-7 miami 56-yard greg back field goal the orange bow record field goal gives miami a lead they will never relinquish throughout the second half sooner ball carriers are hurled to the turf like so many rag dolls an ou juggernaut that averages over 500 yards per game will not see half of that tonight bernard clark records 14 tackles typifying the miami work ethic execution exaltation the third quarter sees steve walsh renew the aerial assault almost inexorably the outmann sooners begin to wilt under the constant pressure late in the period miami moves in for the kill when walsh picks his receiver everyone in america knows who it will be [Music] walt's dropping walt's looking walt firing it deep michael urban he got it touchdown miami fight the urban in the corner of the end zone trailing 20-7 late in the game oklahoma suffers the final indignity forced to abandon the wishbone they attempt to employ a seldom used passing game daniel stubbs and his mates tee off with undisguised glee [Applause] and so miami hurricanes are just seconds away from a smashing triumph and the words of september ring with added poignancy press on said the coach press on through a schedule that included six bowl teams press on to perfection to vindication press on to victory for jimmy johnson and his players it simply does not get any better than this a season that began with question marks has ended with exclamation points spread the word far and wide the miami hurricanes are national champions of college football a tradition of excellence has achieved its crowning glory [Music] [Music] i know that you've enjoyed the highlights of the 1987 national championship year we're very proud of the association that we've had with sun bank and we'd like to thank sun bank for the sponsorship of this film

Channel: Grey Beard

Views: 500

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: Miami Hurricanes, Jimmy Johnson, Vinny Testaverde, The U, Orange Bowl, College Football, Michael Irvin

Id: jjgiLjUeyZw

Length: 25min 10sec (1510 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 08 2021