‘Canes continue on

The East Carolina Pirates own the Miami Hurricanes like no other team in college football.
They are the only team that has beaten Miami in their last two contests in the past twenty-five years. In 1996, ECU came into the Orange Bowl and handed the ‘Canes a 31-6 defeat and then three years later, they scored 24 unanswered points to comeback from a 20 point deficit and stun the ninth-ranked Hurricanes.

So don’t think that just because the Hurricanes are ranked number two in the nation and the Pirates got blown out by a combined score of 88-10 in their first two games that the ‘Canes will take ECU lightly.
“We’ve played them twice since I’ve been here and we haven’t beaten them yet,” Head Coach Larry Coker said. “I think that’s pretty self explanatory how we feel about East Carolina.”

The Pirates have an entirely new coaching staff with ex-Florida defensive coordinator John Thompson at the helm, and despite their early struggles, Coker knows they will not fade effortlessly into the night.
“They’ve had a tough start with a new staff,” Coker said. “But they’ll get the ship corrected.”

The ‘Canes know that they too have some correcting to do if they want to cut down on the bevy of yellow flags that flew around the field last Saturday. In just two games, the team has racked up 26 penalties for 198 yards. Against Florida they had four unsportsmanlike conduct calls mixed in with 12 other penalties that cost them 134 yards and almost cost them the game.

“We addressed it pretty hard,” Coker said. “The perception is that we’re undisciplined and we’re not very smart. That’s the furthest thing from the truth. We really stress discipline and we have intelligent kids but now we’ve got to act that way and we have to play that way.”

After wide receiver Ryan Moore caught a touchdown pass to bring the ‘Canes within two points of the Gators, he bowed to the crowd and the refs called him for a 15-yard excessive celebration penalty, which caused the ‘Canes to go for one point instead of two. If the ‘Canes had failed to score again, Moore’s penalty could have ended up as the difference.

“It was a mistake,” Moore said. “I didn’t think that it was going to be that severe, that they were going to call a [penalty], or I wouldn’t have even did it.”
Senior Kevin Beard, who had the biggest game of his career with seven catches for 164 yards and one touchdown, understands how the younger players can let their emotions get out of hand.

“It was just a matter of getting caught up in the excitement. Devin Hester and Ryan Moore are young receivers and they were excited to be in the game,” Beard said. “The coaches let them know how they felt about it and it won’t happen again.”
Hester, who took his helmet off on the field after taking Saturday’s opening kickoff 97-yards for a touchdown, also injured his ankle on the first kickoff of the second half. He now has a cast up to his knee, which means he will probably not play this weekend.
Although the ‘Canes lost Hester and fullback Quad Hill (separated shoulder), they should get a couple of their previously injured players back.

Wide receiver Jason Geathers and cornerback Glenn Sharpe, who have yet to see action this season due to leg injuries, both look ready to make their 2003 debuts against ECU.

Offensive tackle Carlos Joseph, who missed the UF game with a swollen tendon in his foot, practiced on Tuesday and his return would help bolster an offensive line that got hit hard by injuries.
One good thing that stemmed from Joseph’s injury was the play of his replacement Rashad Butler.
“I’m very, very proud of what Rashad did [last game] and I am not surprised,” Coker said. “He did an outstanding job. We gave up one sack the entire day and it wasn’t Rashad that gave up the sack. He’s ready for playing time.”

Whether Joseph or Butler starts against the Pirates, it probably won’t change the outcome of the game, but then again, no one thought Rutgers would have an inkling of a chance last year and they took a 17-14 lead into the fourth quarter. Not to mention that the Pirates dominated the ‘Canes in the ’90’s. At least they have that going for them as they head into this weekend’s game.

Nate Johnson can be reached at NPJ44@aol.com

On a team with many great players, it is easy for some quality players to slip through the cracks without many people noticing. One of the least heralded but biggest contributors on the Hurricanes is cornerback Kelly Jennings.
The reason for the lack of attention could be that Jennings is not overly flashy. A sophomore from Live Oak, Florida, Jennings simply tries to be one piece of a defense with many accomplished players.
“I just try to play my role because the coach has a great scheme for us and I just feel like I am part of the puzzle,” Jennings said. “I just try to do what I am supposed to do. I try to do things that are right.”
Jennings started at cornerback for the Hurricanes last season after red shirting in 2001. He played a major role from day one and helped the ‘Canes mount a comeback last season against Rutgers with a key interception. This season, Jennings has solidified his starting spot and flourished in that role.
“Kelly has come a long way. He is coming back off his hand injury and he has been more physical, more competitive, and he is starting to play really well now,” Defensive Coordinator Randy Shannon said. “He is starting to get back in the feel of what we wanted him to do last year. He is playing great and we are confident in him.”
On the field, Jennings gets his motivation from different sources. The main influence on his life is his family. As the youngest of four children, Jennings had several people to look up to.
“My family is kind of unique in the simple aspect that my parents were 42 when I was born,” Jennings said. “I have two brothers and one sister; my brothers were 19 and 17, and my sister was 16. It is almost like I had three dads and two moms.”
As a matter of fact, it was Jennings’ family that got him into football in the first place. His older brother was a huge football fan, but it was his mother who got him into the sport.
“I used to go to games with my mother. I saw the guys playing and it was something I wanted to do, so my mother enrolled me into the recreation league,” Jennings said.
Things were not always that easy for Jennings, however. His mother lost her job when he was young, so Jennings learned hard work and dedication from his father.
“I saw my dad, when my mom lost her job, working overtime and having to do the things he needed to do to keep her from going back to work,” Jennings said. “He was providing for me and for her, and that inspires me to do the things I do now.”
Everyone who knows Jennings from the football team or his daily life speaks highly of him. In the classroom, Jennings, a finance major, takes his education very seriously.
“Academics are one of the most important things to me. I’m not relying on football to take me where I need to be,” Jennings said. “I want to get my education and get my degree because football is not going to last forever, and when it ends, I want to have something to fall back on. Even if I do make it to the NFL, I want to have a degree so that I can go work afterwards.”
There is really nothing negative one can say about Kelly Jennings. He excels on the field, in the classroom, and as a person.
“He is a great kid,” Shannon said. “He doesn’t say much, he’s quiet and just does his job. You never have to worry about academics or anything else. He is an A-1 class guy.”

In 2001, a group of freshmen led the rebirth of UM volleyball after a 19-year hiatus. An integral part of that class was junior setter Mallorey James, who all but set the Hurricane program back in motion.
James grew up in Tucson, Arizona, a cultural melting pot a few miles from the Mexican border. She gives her hometown credit for molding her into the person she is today. She began playing volleyball there as an outside hitter, learning to become a setter only after her senior season in high school.
“At first it was hard because I was used to hitting,” James said. “[But] I just put my mind to it and my coaches were determined to make me the best that I could be.”
Her initial focus on volleyball began in sixth grade after her sister and some friends, all one year her senior, sparked her interest.
“At that time I was really big into soccer and they introduced me to volleyball and I started playing…it was a lot more fun [than soccer] to me,” James said.
James began playing on a club volleyball team in the off-season, helping to fine-tune her game and ultimately leading her to the Salpointe Catholic varsity team as a freshman. James points out that her parents pushed her to take advantage of her opportunities.
“My parents are so into volleyball, and they’re very supportive,” James said. “The second I got invited to play varsity my freshman year, they said ‘do it, it’s going to be the best experience.'”
Salpointe held onto a 52-match win streak for the duration of James’ career there. She was captain during her junior and senior years. Throughout high school, James continued to play for the Zona Volleyball Club after the regular season ended, competing in tournaments throughout the west and developing her spirit and character through one of her greatest inspirations: Zona Club Coach A.J. Malis.
“He is like a second dad to me, he was always there for me, pushing me,” James said. “He knew the type of player that I could be and he pushed me all the way there. He was always behind me and helping me out.”
Although now 2,300 miles from her former club team’s base, Malis’ words often serve as a wake-up call for James when she gets down on her game.
“I’m very critical of myself because I’m a perfectionist in a lot of ways, but he always told me that ‘you’re going to make mistakes, you’re not going to be perfect,” she said. “Just do the best job that you can and that’s all you can ask of yourself.”
After arriving in Coral Gables in the fall of 2001, James took with her the spirit of Tucson but never felt uncomfortable with the transition from high school to college. With the help of teammates, she kicked into high gear and became what she calls the “quarterback” of the volleyball team.
“My job is to make the best play possible out of the pass, just run the offense and get good balls up for my attackers,” James said. “I’m basically out there to help my teammates score.”
Off the court, James is an entrepreneurship major, hoping to break into sports marketing. It was a natural choice for her to combine business with all she’s ever known.
“I’ve been involved in sports my entire life, and it’s one thing that just really excites me and motivates me,” she said.
One of James’ greatest achievements came at the end of the 2002 season, when she was honored with Big East Setter of the Year.
“I was in complete shock because I never expected something like that,” James said. “I would not have gotten that award without my hitters and my passers. It felt so good…it was a motivator to get back into the game and try to do it again.”
In the season ahead, James hopes to lead her team back to the NCAA Tournament and make even more progress there than they did last season. Letting each other down, James contends, is not an option.
Given her love of the sport and the emphasis she places on supportive teammates and coaches, James has truly found her niche as a Hurricane.
“It was a dream of mine to play at a big-name school, and here I am,” she said. “I am the luckiest person, being able to play for Nicole [Lantagne Welch] and have teammates like I do…it’s a dream come true.”
Melissa Teich can be reached at melissateich@hotmail.com

This year’s Cane Craze is an all-nighter again after 2 years! The event will begin at Noon Saturday, September 27 and continue playing events throughout the Wellness Center all night until Noon Sunday, September 28. For more information on the event, go to our website at www.miami.edu/wellness/intramurals.

This space in the Hurricane will be used for Intramural scores, updates, articles on games, champions, and of course Top 10 teams in each sport! To be included in these updates, you need to sign up for any of the various events that are offered. Be sure to read the Hurricane every Tuesday and Friday to get all your information about Intramurals as well as to find out everything going on here at UM. For more information contact Jason Carroll at 284-8518.

It’s that time for the NCAA football rulebook to undergo some serious changes.
And no, I’m not talking about the inevitable termination of the BCS, although anyone carrying a University of Miami ID certainly wouldn’t be opposed to such a thing.
What I am talking about is Rule 9, Section 2, Article 2 of the NCAA Football Rules, or in simpler terms, the two inches dealing with “excessive celebrations.”
After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead ball spot. This prohibits kicking, throwing or carrying the ball any distance that requires an official to retrieve it, spiking the ball to the ground, throwing a ball high into the air, or any other unsportsmanlike action that delays the game.
Three delay of game penalties were called during Saturday’s Miami-Florida game. The first one, an infraction against UM’s Devin Hester for taking his helmet off in the end zone after housing a 97-yard kickoff return, is covered in another section of the rulebook.
The other two, against Miami’s Ryan Moore for bowing in the end zone and Florida’s DeShawn Wynn after the running back high stepped in the end zone and quickly pointed in the direction of Brock Berlin, are not explicitly covered here.
On Tuesday, coach Larry Coker said he would have thrown the yellow hankie on two of the three situations, leaving out the Moore bow.
“Personally, I don’t think that it should be called,” Coker said. “But is the high-stepping in the end zone a penalty? If you call one, you have to call the other.”
Or, how about this? If you don’t call one, you don’t have to call the other.
The officials in the NCAA office, as well as the SEC ones at the game Saturday, clearly do not comprehend the effect of a football game on one’s emotions, especially one involving a rivalry. Football games thrive on adrenaline. When making a big play, especially in a game against a bitter rival, it is natural to get excited and show a little bit of emotion.
A “little bit” is my exact words to describe the alleged excessive celebrations Saturday. Considering that quotes before the game included threats to “make Berlin’s mouth bleed,” I would consider high-stepping and bowing for a split second examples of pretty good sportsmanship.
Apparently the NCAA doesn’t think so, and has instructed their officials to penalize teams 15 yards for making such an action, even if, as in Moore’s case, it would negate an opportunity to go for a game-tying two-point conversion. Somehow, I can guarantee you that had Miami lost the game, the Hurricanes would be FedEx-ing the tape to the NCAA office first thing Monday morning.
In addition, I don’t understand how a bow in the end zone breaks the NCAA rules. We aren’t talking about Sebastian the Ibis running on to the field and off it five minutes later. We are talking about a bow that took no longer than two seconds. I don’t care whether the Flash or Eric Gregg is wearing the zebra outfit, two seconds isn’t going to make a difference.
So, am I against any type of excessive celebration penalty? Of course not. However, just because a player takes off their helmet, spikes a football, or bows in the end zone doesn’t mean they exhibit bad sportsmanship.
The NCAA needs to open up their eyes and realize the nature of football, especially rivalry games that go down to the wire, and act accordingly to the situation. Coker can certainly tell you why.
“You don’t want to take enthusiasm out of the game,” Coker said. “Enthusiasm is very important.”
Jeremy Marks-Peltz is the sports director of WVUM. The opinions of him and the rest of the WVUM staff can be heard on Ibis Sports Weekly, every Friday at 6 PM.