So this is it. This is the test. This is the week where we learn if BC is all hype or if the Eagles are ready to finally break the Miami curse and take it up to another level. The good news is this: Boston College will be coming off a bye week, after having to play an offensive-minded Stanford Cardinal, and the Eagles' last win against Miami was in the Orange Bowl. The bad news is this: that was 1984, and the last time the Eagles traveled to Miami, the Hurricanes won 52-6.
Heisman favorite and finalist from last year Ken Dorsey leads the Miami offense; he threw for over 2,600 yards last year and had 23 passing touchdowns, with only nine INTs (four against BC at the Heights last year). He is a polished QB with a very intelligent read of defenses, and the Eagles should not expect the same success against him as they had a year ago. His targets include junior Andre Johnson, a potential Balitnikoff winner, as well as two other very talented receivers in senior Ethenic Sands, and junior Kevin Beard.
While RB Clinton Portis left Coral Gables for the NFL, sophomore Frank Gore compiled 562 yards on only 62 carries. That is an incredible mark of 9.1 yards per carry. Gore, however suffered a knee injury in the spring, so the running duties should fall onto untested Willis McGahee, who has shown a lot of promise in practice. Expect Gore to return about mid-season, but do not expect him to be ready to play against the Eagles.
The offensive line took a big hit last year, with the departure of bookends Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez. Despite this, the Canes will be returning one of the best lines in the Big East. Brett Romberg anchors a line that has a lot of talent, but not much experience. Sophomore Carlos Joseph has the tough task of replacing McKinnie.
The Miami defense will be astounding against the run and on the pass rush. The front line will be lead by defensive monster senior William Joseph (6-5, 290). Joseph is considered Miami’s best defensive tackle since 1994 Lombardi Trophy-winner Warren Sapp. He is joined on the interior by senior Matt Walters (6-5, 263), one of the more underrated Hurricanes, a three-time member of the Big East’s All-Academic team. These two anchor probably the most formidable line in the Big East, if not the country.
The UM linebackers will also be talented, led by junior Jonathan Vilma, who is best known for his big hit on Eric Crouch in the Rose Bowl last year. By the way, he also led the Canes with 79 tackles a season ago. Junior D.J. Williams and senior Howard Clark round out the linebackers and all of them started the Rose Bowl last year. The major question mark on the Miami defense is the secondary.
The Hurricanes lost their entire defensive backfield, so it is a safe bet that there will be a significant drop-off in this year’s pass defense. As coach Coker said, "The positive part of that is we played a lot of people because of the scores last year." So the projected starters have seen some game experience, but it is too early in the season to tell how dangerous this group of players will be. Leading the defense should be sophomore free safety Sean Taylor, and junior Al Marshall at cornerback.
Miami will be the toughest team on the Boston College schedule this fall. It will be tough for the Eagles to march into the home of the defending National Champions, where traditionally BC has not had good luck, and engineer an upset. And frankly, this writer doesn’t see it happening. Unless the athletic department allows us to start a certain Flutie at QB. This will be the first game of the year where the Eagles will be true underdogs, but who knows? For indeed stranger things have happened . . .
Bill Ratkus is a staff writer exclusively for eagleinsider.com. He can be reached at EagleCatamount@hotmail.com