RedHawks will take to air against UH

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The football gods must have gone crazy.

For more than a century, beginning with its first game in 1888, Miami (Ohio) was linked to the running offense the way Starbucks is attached to caffeine.

Decades ago, former Miami coach Woody Hayes crafted the rusher's mantra of, "Three yards and a cloud of dust." Another believer in the run, Bo Schembechler, also coached at Miami.

While interviewing for the head coaching job two years ago, in an office known as the "Cradle of Coaches," Terry Hoeppner spoke of his vision of implementing a pass-oriented offense at Miami, if he were hired, of course.

Hoeppner was named the coach, and kept his word. He opened up the offense — it will be on display in tomorrow's game against host Hawai'i — and a new chapter in RedHawk football.

Miami officials note that in the program's first 112 years, a Miami quarterback threw for at least 300 yards in seven games. In the past five weeks, redshirt freshman Ben Roethlisberger has three 300-yard games.

"Today, Woody would probably throw the ball, and Bo would, too, if you want to win," Hoeppner said. "It's a different era."

Actually, it could be back to the future. Glenn "Tiger" Ellison wrote the book on the passing offense — "Run and Shoot Football: the Now Attack" — in 1965. Red Faught, Hoeppner's mentor, also preached the virtues of what is now the four-receiver, run-and-shoot offense — a scheme embraced by Hawai'i coach June Jones.

Hoeppner said Jones' offense is the standard and, "I've never met him, but after the game I'd like to shake his hand."

As for playing UH, Hoeppner said: "I don't know if we're ready for prime time. I don't know if we're ready for this venue, this setting, this team."

He said Miami uses "40 to 50 percent" of the offense's capability. He said he is offering the offense piecemeal to Roethlisberger.

"We couldn't throw the whole book at him," Hoeppner said. "I was on his butt (yesterday). He was getting confused on the check. I said, 'Hey, nobody said it would be easy.' We haven't thrown everything at him. But he's done a great job and found a way to win."

Hoeppner said Roethlisberger was the first convert to Miami's new offensive scheme. As a record-setting high school quarterback in Ohio, Roethlisberger narrowed his choices to Ohio State, Duke and Miami.

Hoeppner gave the "A" pitch. "I told him he had an opportunity to play early, get a great education and hang around the best-looking coeds in the Midwest," he said. "They are the best-looking coeds. My two daughters went to Miami so I can say that without getting in trouble."

Did Ohio State or Duke have a chance? "I think not," Hoeppner said.

The RedHawk fans also were easily swayed. "They love the offense," Hoeppner said. "I hear it more and more all of the time. I'm sure behind the scenes there's some old fogey going, 'Ah, this isn't Miami.' But when you win, they love you. We beat (Cincinnati), our big rival, so for another year they love me."