By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

Miami coach Terry Hoeppner wasn't surprised to see his RedHawks crank out a "spirited" practice Sunday in their first session since their discouraging loss at Marshall five days earlier.

Even more than expecting it, he and the members of his staff were counting on it.

"They have tremendous resolve and resiliency," Hoeppner said of his players Tuesday, a week after Miami's last-minute, 36-34 loss at Marshall Nov.12 that left the RedHawks' Mid-American Conference title hopes fading. "As a coach, you always have your antennae up, regardless of the situation. ... You're always trying to read your team. I have to give credit to our seniors. They came up with the motto for this year - `Strictly Business' - and they've made sure everybody stuck to it.

"We were anxious to get back with the team, to see how they were and because we as coaches draw our strength from their resiliency."

Said senior linebacker Matt Robillard: "Coach (Hoeppner) gave us a couple of days off. Some of the guys took that as an opportunity to get away and go home. We really hadn't had any time off since (summer) mini-camp. It was nice to have a weekend to ourselves, but I think everybody was ready to get back to playing football."

Hoeppner is hoping to see some of that resiliency on the field. The RedHawks (7-4, 5-2 MAC) are hoping to bounce back from their crucial loss - a win over the Thundering Herd would have left them one win short of capturing their first MAC East Division championship and home-field advantage for the conference championship game - with a win over conference-newcomer Central Florida (5-5, 4-2) in Saturday's 1 p.m. finale at Yager Stadium.

Miami is missing defensive coordinator Jon Wauford and linebackers coach Taver Johnson. Both were suspended with pay by the school - Wauford for shoving a fan who was on the field at Marshall Stadium after the game, Johnson for causing damage to the visiting coaches' observation booth.

Hoeppner, whose coaching background is in defense, including four years as Miami's defensive coordinator before being named head coach, gave defensive line coach Brian George responsibility for devising the RedHawks' strategy against the Golden Knights' rushing attack, and defensive backs coach Joe Palcic the duty of planning their game plan against the Central Florida passing attack.

"They've already done a good job," Hoeppner said. "They've been an integral part of laying the groundwork. When we came in Sunday, they already had 90 percent of the game plan ready.

"I will actually be the one giving the signals Saturday. It wouldn't be fair to ask them to do that."

The RedHawks say the coaching changes shouldn't affect their ability to execute.

"Coach Palcic coached the linebackers here before moving to the (defensive backs), so some of us have had him as a coach. Plus, we have the luxury of having another great former defensive coordinator in our head coach," Robillard said. "Sure, we're playing two men down, but we're in the position of having a former defensive coordinator as our head coach."