Sunday, April 04, 1999
Talent greets Miami's new football coach
Hoeppner likes the look of his first team
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Terry Hoeppner is an enthusiastic and optimistic man. So it's not surprising that when he talks about his Miami University football team he goes on 10 minutes or so before he gets to a negative point.
“I'm concerned with special teams,” he says finally.
Offense? No worries.
Defense? Talented, deep and ready to roll.
The transition to new coaching staff? Smoother than expected.
So if Miami can find a kicker, you get the feeling the RedHawks might roll right to their first Mid-American Conference title since 1986.
Miami is only halfway through spring practice, but there was reason for optimism before drills ever started.
The RedHawks return a lot of talent from last year's 10-1 team. Ten starters are back on offense, including All-America candidate Travis Prentice. Six starters return on defense, including All-America candidate Dustin Cohen.
With that kind of talent returning, the biggest concern was the transition from Randy Walker and his staff to Hoeppner and his staff. Walker left to take the Northwestern job and took eight assistants with him.
On defense, that wasn't so much of a concern because Hoeppner was Walker's defensive coordinator and the RedHawks will run the same defense.
On offense, there will be changes. But Prentice, who rushed for a school-record 1,787 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, will still be the focus.
That's helped the transition.
“It's gone really smooth,” Hoeppner said. “Coach (Bill) Mallory was out for the start of drills, and he said that we didn't look like a team going through a coaching transition. That's a credit to the seniors.
“We've challenged them and they've responded.”
The RedHawks took a five-day break for Easter. They'll practice six more times before the Red and White Spring Game on April 17.
Hoeppner has been pleasantly surprised with several developments:
• Competition at quarterback. John Schacke, who was No. 1 last spring before injurying his knee, is pressing Mike Bath. Bath completed 108 of 209 passes for 1,500 yards and 12 TDs and finished the season playing his best football. “Mike has raised the level of his game,” Hoeppner said. “But (Schacke) was the man before he got hurt, and the Schack of the MAC is back. He's right in there.”
• Matt Edwards' return. Edwards, a sophomore inside linebacker from Moeller, was playing as a true freshman before breaking his leg. “He's a special player,” Hoeppner said. “He played on the fifth play of his first game here. That doesn't happen to often.
• The defensive line. There's a lot of experience and depth back. Hoeppner points to Ryan Terry, a 6-foot-2, 307-pound tackle, as a type of player Miami hasn't had in a long time. “I've been impressed,” Hoeppner said. “We're bigger and faster than we've been.”
• The receiving corps: Trevor Gaylor caught 38 balls for 653 yards and five TDs last year. Sly Johnson (11 catches, 131 yards) was the fastest player on the team in testing, breaking 4.3 in the 40. Hoeppner also said Nate Sexton, a junior from LaSalle, could emerge as reliable possession receiver.
Still, there's that kicking game concern.
John Scott, a three-year starter, graduated. He didn't have great range, but he was automatic on from 40 in.
Andy Brumbergs, a 6-foot-4 freshman from Solon, Ohio, and Kevin Tymitz, a 5-8 senior from Mason, are battling for placekicker John Scott's job.
“There's strength and weakness there,” Hoeppner said. “Mostly weakness before (Thursday). So that's a concern. We've been kicking extra points and field goals every chance we get.”
Miami also lost long-snapper Chad O'Reilly, and the Re dHawks are still holding open auditions for that spot. Scott and O'Reilly had converted on 112 straight extra points, the best streak in the nation.
Safety is another concern. Bryan McCullough returns at free safety and Versellias Ham mond returns at strong safety. Both are experienced seniors.
“But safety's been a special position here,” Hoeppner said. “We've had an all-league safety eight of last nine years. We need someone to step up there.”
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