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Thursday, November 14
 
'Canes and Vols ready to dance

By Bill Curry
Special to ESPN.com

Every male I know recalls the girl that took his breath away, the one that he just had to take to the prom. Remember the anticipation? The very thought of walking in the door with the rented tuxedo, the bad corsage and the most beautiful woman in the school? Roy Orbison built a legend with one song about that glorious moment. ("Pretty Woman" for all you youngsters).

Remember what happened when you finally dredged up the nerve to call her? It dang sure wasn't the Orbison result, was it?

"I might go with you," she said politely, while you gagged and thanked God you were on the phone so she couldn't see your face.

"You might? Oh, thank you so very much," you gasped as you hung up.

"I might" from a gorgeous creature is real bad news. Literal translation: "I wouldn't be caught dead at a dogfight with you. You are short, fat and have pimples."

We didn't want to hear it, did we boys?

Game Plan: No. 1 Miami
Offense:
  • Think big plays early because 24% of your offensive plays are 10-plus yards!
  • Balance is your offense. First-down passing is important.
  • Tennessee's defensive speed will be the best you have seen.
    Defense:
  • Gap-control run defense must improve now!
  • You are the No. 1 pass defense in the nation. Shut down big plays.
  • Cedric Houston is the real deal. Tackle him.
    Special Teams:
  • Punt protection must improve. These guys will come after you.
  • K Todd Sievers, your focus will have a major impact on this game.
  • Coverage, UT will have a 7 yard-per-kick advantage unless you improve.
    Players:
  • Romberg's "humility pill" should be prescribed for all.
  • 88 yards per game in penalties is absurd. Eliminate them.
  • It will require great force of will to regain your competitive edge.
    Coaches:
  • Third consecutive road game. Monitor fatigue.
  • Coach the penalties out of the team!
  • Your focus must be heightened to regain the fine edge required here.
  • Since last spring we have all pointed to the Nov. 9, 2002, dance in Knoxville featuring the Miami Hurricanes and the Tennessee Volunteers. "The Game of the Century, No Kidding!" we trumpeted.

    All along Phillip Fulmer kept saying "We might." We didn't listen.

    The fans just wanted the extravaganza. "Remember, we lost our entire front four, three of whom are on NFL rosters," Fulmer said. We didn't want to hear it.

    "Remember, we lost Donte' Stallworth, a number one draft choice, in a highly-charged, bizarre way," he added. We didn't want to hear it.

    What Fulmer did not say is that there has been ongoing controversy over UT's eight percent graduation rate for football players, the Tee Martin fiasco and the Eric Locke self-imposed recruiting penalty, all serious distractions. Also, the Vols' coach must wake up every morning wondering what gifted wide receiver Kelley Washington will have to say that day in the interest of team unity.

    Miami is arriving for the gala event in a stretch limo, 30-game winning streak intact, ready to dance, and the pretty woman is sitting at home waiting for a better offer? Has the Junior-Senior prom deteriorated into a sock hop? The game of the century has become the ho-hum game of the week in the state of Tennessee. Or has it?

    Events of the last week have reconstituted this football game into a Cinderella-meets-Godzilla affair that is almost as appealing as our original notion. If it is not the cotillion we had anticipated, at least it has the earmarks of a rock'em-sock'em hoedown with BCS implications.

    While Tennessee appears to be sucking up its collective gut to meet the challenge head-on, Miami has been dissed by the national media and the BCS process to the point that players and coaches on both teams are ready to get it on with a vengeance. That is very good news for all who love head-knocking, butt-kicking football. The combination of a Volunteer revival and the Hurricanes' pique over the voters' slight have made for a volatile mix. Both teams will be ready to play.

    A win by the battered Vols and the glass slipper will glisten as they run the table yet again in November -- they are 65-3 in that month over the last 18 years. A Miami victory will confirm the beast of the Big East as the dynasty it is.

    Reviewing the actual football for this game is the most fascinating study thus far this season. Miami has won 30 consecutive games. Head Coach Larry Coker is 20-0, the most successful first-time Division I-A coach since Walter Camp won 28 in a row at Yale in 1888-89.

    Game Plan: Tennessee
    Offense:
  • C Scott Wells, keep up the leadership. They look to you.
  • Your game winning drive at S. Carolina is what you are capable of.
  • You must produce on first down. 3rd-and-long is deadly against UM.
    Defense:
  • McGahee averages 6.8 yards per carry. Wrap him up!
  • Zone variety, zone-blitz, and well-timed pressure can rattle Dorsey.
  • Winslow, Johnson, Parrish make a living with yards after catches. Gang tackle.
    Special Teams:
  • Tennessee never has a punt blocked!
  • Extra-point and field-goal mechanics must be clockwork-perfect.
  • Net punt and kickoff return advantage is huge. Continue to perform.
    Players:
  • This is your chance to step back toward the top.
  • You do not lose in November.
  • TE Jason Witten, your leadership will be key.
    Coaches:
  • This can be your object lesson for recovering from adversity.
  • Ignore the injuries. Make the backups play like starters.
  • Intelligent risks on big plays early will pay off.
  • His team is so dominant that it outscores opponents 43-17 on an average day. Obvious statistical measures include the following: a 480.9-to-282.6 yards-per-game edge in total offense, 5.6-to-3.9 in yards per rush, 8.2-to-4.1 in yards per pass attempt and 15.2-to-9.2 in yards per completion. Miami has 23 touchdown passes to just four allowed.

    The more subtle numbers are as follows: A breakdown of scoring by quarters only increases the sense of dominance as Miami ranges from a 28-point advantage in the first quarter to 66 points in the fourth; on third down the Hurricane offense converts 43 percent, opponents a remarkable 23 percent.

    The last stat is the most impressive of all. The combination of an offense that converts consistently with a defense that gets off the field almost 80 percent of the time is deadly for opponents.

    Even with all this amazing achievement the polls, computers, and schedule evaluators moved the team down.

    The 2002 Tennessee team does not compare favorably with its recent predecessors, but it does carry some of the hallmarks of good Vols teams. The quarterbacks complete 65.6 percent of their passes and have thrown only six interceptions. The defense holds opponents to 3.2 yards per rush, which is good enough to win. The return and punting aspects are solid.

    Each team has exploitable weaknesses. Miami has had trouble stopping the run, which taken alone can cost them the game against UT. Fulmer will have his troops aroused to reinvigorate their traditional advantage by ramming the ball down Miami's throats. The emergence of tailback Cedric Houston is timely for the Vols. Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon cannot be happy with the fact that his talented front seven has allowed 78 rushing first downs to only 67 by the Canes' offense.

    Hidden yardage will favor Tennessee. Kickoff returns average a heady 27.1 yards per attempt, net punting is an excellent 39.2 yards per kick and opponents' net punting is only 33 yards per. Both teams are a disappointing zero in turnover margin and both have struggled with placekicking. Todd Sievers has been superb through his career and could rally down the stretch for Miami.

    The Hurricanes give up a lot of field position to Tennessee with only 20.1 yards per kickoff return and a paltry 32.6-yard net punting figure. Finally, the bane of many Miami teams, foolish penalties, continues to be a problem to the tune of 87.6 yards per game. A couple of stupid penalties helped dethrone at least one undefeated team last weekend, and could do the same for this one.

    The game within the game is really fascinating. Vince Lombardi harped on a few truths virtually every day. One of his favorites was "Winning is not a sometime thing. You don't do things right some of the time. You do things right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing."

    Miami has not lost in recent memory, but the team has relaxed and played below its lofty standard for long stretches during the last three weeks. Can they return to full-time excellence at Neyland Stadium for the Big Dance, with Rocky Top blaring incessantly at ear-splitting volume? Can they move those feet 'till the end of the last number? They will need to.

    Stay tuned. This will be great to watch!

    ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry coached for 17 years in the college ranks. His Game Plans for marquee matchups appear each week during the college football season.





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