Hurricanes ready for ’emotional’ game
Miami coach Mark Richt expects an “emotional” game when his No. 21 Hurricanes (2-1) host Florida International Saturday, but he doesn’t expect the game to turn into the kind of brawl the first matchup between the two neighbors clashed back in 2006.
In that game, which Miami won 35-0, a bench-clearing melee erupted in the third quarter that resulted in immediate ejections of 13 players — five from Miami, eight from FIU — and eventual suspensions of 31 overall — 13 from Miami, 18 from FIU — deemed to have been involved in everything from one-on-one fights to foot-stompings to taking wild swings with their helmet.
“It’ll be an emotional game for sure,” Richt said, nothing the closeness of the two schools (nine miles) and how many players have grown up competing against each other not only in high school but earlier in youth programs. “But that’s where everybody’s got to be disciplined and do a good job.”
Richt said he sees both teams as disciplined. The Panthers had two penalties last week, the Hurricanes none.
“There will be guys getting their blood pumping, which should happen in the game of football,” Rich said. “It’s a game of adrenalin and a game of guys physically getting after each other.
“But everybody knows you do something stupid then you don’t get to play. That’s the way football is and the way it ought to be. I don’t really anticipate anything foolish.”
It helps that that 2006 game, which played at least a small part in the eventual firing of both coaches — Larry Coker at Miami, Don Strock at FIU after the season — was 12 years ago when today’s players were preteens.
“I’ve not mentioned one thing to our guys about it,” Richt said. “I remember watching it on TV, but that was a long time ago.”
Both teams go into the games having won their last two outings after losing their openers. Miami has rebounded from a 31-17 loss to LSU to post wins over Savannah State 77-0 and at Toledo 49-24.
FIU lost its opener to Indiana at home 38-28 but got by Old Dominion 28-20 on the road and routed Massachusetts 63-14 last week, tying a school record for points in a game.
Butch Davis, who laid the foundation for Miami’s 2001 national championship team during his five years in Coral Gables, is in his second year as the Panthers’ coach.
“He certainly did a great job here at Miami while he was here,” Richt said. “He had a great record. The last season he was here, I think they were 11-1, and probably accumulated the most talent in the history of the school.
“That team, the next couple of years, was one of the most talented ever in college football. He’s doing a great job at FIU.”
Last season Davis got the Panthers into their first bowl in six years.
