1984 Miami Hurricanes football team

The 1984 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Hurricanes' 59th season of football. The Hurricanes were led by first-year head coach Jimmy Johnson and played their home games at the Orange Bowl. They finished the season 8–5 overall. They were invited to the Fiesta Bowl where they lost to UCLA, 39-37.

1984 Miami Hurricanes football
Fiesta Bowl, L 37–39 vs. UCLA
Conference	Independent
Ranking
AP	No. 18
1984 record	8–5
Head coach	Jimmy Johnson (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Gary Stevens (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Bill Trout (1st season)
Home stadium	Miami Orange Bowl (Capacity: 75,500)

1984 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 5 Boston College		–		–				10	–	2	–	0
No. 11 South Carolina		–		–				10	–	2	–	0
Army		–		–				8	–	3	–	1
Rutgers		–		–				7	–	3	–	0
No. 17 Florida State		–		–				7	–	3	–	2
Virginia Tech		–		–				8	–	4	–	0
West Virginia		–		–				8	–	4	–	0
No. 18 Miami (FL)		–		–				8	–	5	–	0
Notre Dame		–		–				7	–	5	–	0
Southwestern Louisiana		–		–				6	–	5	–	0
Penn State		–		–				6	–	5	–	0
Syracuse		–		–				6	–	5	–	0
Temple		–		–				6	–	5	–	0
Memphis State		–		–				5	–	5	–	1
Navy		–		–				4	–	6	–	1
Southern Miss		–		–				4	–	7	–	0
Pittsburgh		–		–				3	–	7	–	1
Tulane		–		–				3	–	8	–	0
Cincinnati		–		–				2	–	9	–	0
East Carolina		–		–				2	–	9	–	0
Louisville		–		–				2	–	9	–	0
Rankings from AP Poll

Overview

The Hurricanes were the defending national champions from the 1983 college football season. Having defeated number one ranked Auburn, and then Florida, they rose to be ranked number one before their game at Michigan. They remained in the top ten after that loss. They lost again to Florida State. They beat a ranked Notre Dame team in South Bend to return to the top 10. The Hurricanes earned three more wins, but then suffered two of the most notable losses in college football history.

On November 10, 1984 at the Orange Bowl Stadium, The Maryland Terrapins defeated the Hurricanes with the largest (at that time) comeback in college football.[1] Down 31-0 at halftime, Frank Reich, who had been injured, came off the bench and led the comeback. At the start of the third quarter, Reich led the Terrapins on multiple scoring drives. Three touchdowns in the third quarter and a fourth at the start of the final quarter turned what was a blowout into a close game. Maryland completed a 42–9 second half, and won 42–40.[2]

Two weeks later at the Orange Bowl stadium, the Hurricanes faced the Boston College Eagles in a nationally televised game that has become known as "Hail Flutie". It has been regarded by FOX Sports writer Kevin Hench as among the most memorable moments in sports.[3] The game is most notable for a last-second Hail Mary pass from quarterback Doug Flutie to wide receiver Gerard Phelan to give Boston College the win.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 27	9:00 pm	vs. No. 1 Auburn	No. 10	Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ (Kickoff Classic)	KATZ	W 20–18	51,131
September 1	7:30 pm	vs. No. 17 Florida	No. 10	Tampa Stadium Tampa, FL (rivalry)	ESPN	W 32–20	72,831
September 8	1:00 pm	at No. 14 Michigan	No. 1	Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI	KATZ	L 14–22	105,403
September 15	2:30 pm	at Purdue	No. 5	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN		W 28–17	56,716
September 22	3:30 pm	No. 15 Florida State	No. 4	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (rivalry)	CBS	L 3–38	60,210
September 29	7:00 pm	Rice	No. 16	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL		W 38–3	20,084
October 6	7:30 pm	at No. 16 Notre Dame	No. 14	Notre Dame Stadium South Bend, IN	ESPN	W 31–13	59,075
October 13		at Cincinnati	No. 10	Riverfront Stadium Cincinnati, OH	KATZ	W 49–25	25,642
October 20	12:00 pm	Pittsburgh	No. 9	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL		W 27–7	32,872
November 3	12:30 pm	at Louisville	No. 6	Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY		W 38–23	20,113
November 10	12:00 pm	Maryland	No. 6	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL	JP	L 40–42	31,548
November 23	2:30 pm	No. 10 Boston College	No. 12	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL	CBS	L 45–47	30,325
January 1	1:30 pm	vs. No. 14 UCLA	No. 13	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ (Fiesta Bowl)	NBC	L 37–39	60,310
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Roster

Player	Class	Pos	Summary
Bernie Kosar*		QB	262 Cmp, 416 Att, 3642 Yds, 25 TD
Vinny Testaverde		QB	17 Cmp, 34 Att, 184 Yds, 0 TD
Alonzo Highsmith*		RB	146 Att, 906 Yds, 6.2 Avg
Darryl Oliver*		RB	92 Att, 407 Yds, 4.4 Avg
Melvin Bratton		RB	49 Att, 279 Yds, 5.7 Avg
Warren Williams		RB	29 Att, 140 Yds, 4.8 Avg
Steve Staffier		RB	9 Att, 48 Yds, 5.3 Avg
Todd Stanish		RB	9 Att, 28 Yds, 3.1 Avg
Eric Ham		RB	8 Att, 11 Yds, 1.4 Avg
Eddie Brown*		WR	59 Rec, 1114 Yds, 18.9 Avg
Stanley Shakespeare*		WR	38 Rec, 621 Yds, 16.3 Avg
David Kintigh		WR	4 Rec, 62 Yds, 15.5 Avg
Brian Blades		WR	3 Rec, 50 Yds, 16.7 Avg
Kenny Oliver		WR	1 Rec, 17 Yds, 17.0 Avg
Willie Smith*		TE	66 Rec, 852 Yds, 12.9 Avg
Alfredo Roberts		TE	5 Rec, 50 Yds, 10.0 Avg
Charles Henry		TE	1 Rec, 1 Yds, 1.0 Avg
Paul Bertucelli*		OL
Juan Comendeiro*		OL
Dave Heffernan*		OL
Ian Sinclair*		OL
Alvin Ward*		OL
Mike Moore		OL
Willie Lee Broughton*		DL
Dallas Cameron*		DL
Julio Cortes*		DL
Kevin Fagan*		DL
Joe Kohlbrand*		DL
Paul O'Connor		DL
John McVeigh*		LB
Winston Moss*		LB
Bruce Fleming		LB
Ken Calhoun*		DB
Darrell Fullington*		DB
Greg Jones*		DB
Willie Martinez*		DB
Lucious Delegal		DB
Reggie Sutton		DB
Rick Tuten		P
Steve Minie		P
J.C. Penny		KR

[4]

Other: LB #45 George Mira Jr. (FR)

Game summaries

Auburn

#1 Auburn vs. #10 Miami (FL)

1 2 3 4 Total Tigers 0 12 3 3 18 • Hurricanes 7 7 0 6 20 Date: August 27 Location: Giants Stadium Game attendance: 51,131 TV announcers (KATZ): Curt Gowdy and Len Dawson

Scoring summary Q1 10:19 MIA Shakespeare 17 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 7–0 Q2 AUB Beauford 31 yard pass from Washington (McGinty kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 MIA Shakespeare 8 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 14–7 Q2 AUB McGinty 42 yard field goal MIA 14–10 Q2 0:56 AUB Safety, Tuten tackled in end zone by Powell MIA 14–12 Q3 AUB McGinty 36 yard field goal AUB 15–14 Q4 14:09 MIA Cox 45 yard field goal MIA 17–15 Q4 10:17 AUB McGinty 45 yard field goal AUB 18–17 Q4 6:08 MIA Cox 25 yard field goal MIA 20–18

• Bernie Kosar 21/38, 329 Yds, 2 TD
• Alonzo Highsmith 21 Rush, 140 Yds
• Eddie Brown 8, Rec 157 Yds

[5] [6][7]

Florida

#10 Miami (FL) vs. #17 Florida

1 2 3 4 Total • Hurricanes 3 13 3 13 32 Gators 3 7 3 7 20 Date: September 1 Location: Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FL Television network: ESPN

Scoring summary Q1 MIA Cox 29 yard field goal MIA 3–0 Q1 FLA Raymond 44 yard field goal Tie 3–3 Q2 FLA Hampton 64 yard run (Raymond kick) FLA 10–3 Q2 MIA Cox 20 yard field goal FLA 10–6 Q2 MIA Oliver 21 yard run (Cox kick) MIA 13–10 Q2 MIA Cox 27 yard field goal MIA 16–10 Q3 MIA Cox 25 yard field goal MIA 19–10 Q3 FLA Raymond 30 yard field goal MIA 19–13 Q4 :41 FLA Neal 5 yard pass from Bell (Raymond kick) FLA 20–19 Q4 :07 MIA Brown 12 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 26–20 Q4 :00 MIA Bain 59 yard interception return MIA 32–20

• Bernie Kosar 25/33, 300 Yds
• Willie Smith 11 Rec, 152 Yds

[8]

Michigan

#1 Miami (FL) at #14 Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total Hurricanes 0 0 7 7 14 • Wolverines 6 0 6 10 22 Date: September 8 Location: Michigan Stadium Game attendance: 105,403

Scoring summary Q1 MICH Perryman 6 yard run (kick failed) MICH 6–0 Q3 MIA E. Brown 32 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 7–6 Q3 MICH Perryman 3 yard run (run failed) MICH 12–7 Q4 MICH Perryman 1 yard run (Bergeron kick) MICH 19–7 Q4 MIA Shakespeare 44 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MICH 19–14 Q4 MICH Bergeron 27 yard field goal MICH 22–14

[9]

Purdue

#5 Miami (FL) at Purdue

1 2 3 4 Total • Hurricanes 7 7 14 0 28 Boilermakers 10 7 0 0 17 Date: September 14 Location: Ross–Ade Stadium

Scoring summary Q1 MIA Highsmith 47 yard run (Cox kick) MIA 7–0 Q1 PUR Rendina 32 yard field goal MIA 7–3 Q1 PUR Wallace 4 yard run (Rendina kick) PUR 10–3 Q2 MIA Oliver 2 yard run (Cox kick) Tie 10–10 Q2 PUR Wallace 2 yard run (Rendina kick) PUR 13–10 Q3 MIA Kosar 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIA 17–13 Q3 MIA Highsmith 6 yard run (Cox kick) MIA 24–13

[10]

Florida State

Rice

Notre Dame

#14 Miami (FL) at #16 Notre Dame

1 2 3 4 Total • Hurricanes 0 7 14 10 31 Fighting Irish 0 10 3 0 13 Date: October 6 Location: Notre Dame Stadium Game attendance: 59,075

Scoring summary Q2 MIA Highsmith 3 yard pass from Kosar (Seelig kick) MIA 7–0 Q2 ND Safety, Tuten ran out of end zone MIA 7–2 Q2 ND Jackson 4 yard pass from Beuerlein (Jefferson run) ND 10–7 Q3 ND Carney 39 yard field goal ND 13–7 Q3 MIA Highsmith 1 yard run (Seelig kick) MIA 14–13 Q3 MIA Highsmith 2 yard run (Seelig kick) MIA 21–13 Q4 MIA Seelig 27 yard field goal MIA 24–13 Q4 MIA Highsmith 1 yard pass from Kosar (Seelig kick) MIA 31–13

[11]

at Cincinnati

Louisville

#6 Miami (FL) at Louisville

1 2 3 4 Total • Hurricanes 0 24 7 7 38 Cardinals 0 3 7 13 23 Date: November 3 Location: Cardinal Stadium Game attendance: 20,113

Scoring summary Q2 MIA Highsmith 8 yard run (Cox kick) MIA 7–0 Q2 MIA Brown 32 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 14–0 Q2 LOU Ellis 33 yard field goal MIA 14–3 Q2 MIA Kosar 1 yard run (Cox kick) MIA 21–3 Q2 MIA Cox 37 yard field goal MIA 24–3 Q3 LOU Davenport 4 yard run (Ellis kick) MIA 24–10 Q3 MIA Brown 10 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 31–10 Q4 MIA Bratton 59 yard pass from Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 38–10 Q4 LOU Gray 6 yard pass from Rubbert (Ellis kick) MIA 38–17 Q4 LOU Knighton 2 yard run (pass failed) MIA 38–23

• Kosar 22/36, 330 Yds
• Highsmith 18 Rush, 100 Yds
• Smith 10 Rec, 124 Yds
• Brown 5 Rec, 113 Yds

[12]

Maryland

Maryland at #6 Miami (FL)

1 2 3 4 Total • Terrapins 0 0 21 21 42 Hurricanes 7 24 3 6 40 Date: November 16 Location: Orange Bowl Game attendance: 31,548 Game weather: 80° F, Partly sunny, Wind NE 9 mph TV announcers (JP): Mike Patrick, Kevin Kiley, and Chris Clackum

Scoring summary Q1 3:51 MIA Bernie Kosar 1-yard run (Cox kick) MIA 7–0 Q2 MIA Willie Smith 7-yard pass from Bernie Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 14–0 Q2 MIA Willie Smith 11-yard pass from Bernie Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 21–0 Q2 1:03 MIA Greg Cox 48-yard field goal MIA 24–0 Q2 0:12 MIA Charles Henry 1-yard pass from Bernie Kosar (Cox kick) MIA 31–0 Q3 12:35 MD Greg Hill 39-yard pass from Frank Reich (Atkinson kick) MIA 31–7 Q3 6:53 MD Frank Reich 1-yard run (Atkinson kick) MIA 31–14 Q3 5:08 MIA Greg Cox 19-yard field goal MIA 34–14 Q3 MD Alvin Blount 1-yard pass from Frank Reich (Atkinson kick) MIA 34–21 Q4 9:20 MD Tommy Neal 20-yard run (Atkinson kick) MIA 34–28 Q4 5:29 MD Greg Hill 68-yard pass from Frank Reich (Atkinson kick) MD 35–34 Q4 9:20 MD Rick Badanjek 4-yard run (Atkinson kick) MD 42–34 Q2 1:00 MIA Eddie Brown 5-yard pass from Bernie Kosar (pass failed) MD 42–40

[13]

Boston College

#10 Boston College at #12 Miami (FL)

1 2 3 4 Total • Eagles 14 14 3 16 47 Hurricanes 7 14 10 14 45 Date: November 23 Location: Orange Bowl TV announcers (CBS): Brent Musburger, Ara Parseghian, and Pat Haden

[14]

vs. UCLA (Fiesta Bowl)

#14 UCLA vs. #13 Miami (FL)

1 2 3 4 Total • Bruins 7 15 7 10 39 Hurricanes 14 7 3 13 37 Date: January 1 Location: Sun Devil Stadium Game attendance: 60,310 TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Bob Griese

[15]

References

1. Brown, Matt Biggest College Football Comebacks Archived 2017-09-05 at the Wayback Machine Sports on Earth through MSN.com, September 4, 2017
2. This comeback from 31 points down has since been exceeded by the Michigan State Spartans' 41–38 comeback win in 2006 over the Northwestern Wildcats during which Michigan State trailed 38–3 in the third quarter.
3. FOX Sports: Ten Best Damn unforgettable sports moments
4. "1984 Miami (FL) Hurricanes Roster | College Football at Sports-Reference.com". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
5. Ocala Star-Banner. "Miami Charge Drops Auburn." 1984 Aug 28. Retrieved 2018-Sep-19.
6. Eugene Register-Guard. 1984 Aug 28. Retrieved 2018-Sep-19.
7. "Miami Beats No. 1 Auburn In Season's Opener, 20-18". The Washington Post. August 28, 1984. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
8. College Football Belt Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-Dec-24.
9. Gainesville Sun. 1984 Sep 9. Retrieved 2018-Sep-23.
10. Gainesville Sun. 1984 Sep 16. Retrieved 2018-Sep-29.
11. Gainesville Sun. 1984 Oct 7.
12. Gainesville Sun. 1984 Nov 04. Retrieved 2018-Nov-16.
13. Wilbon, Michael (November 11, 1984). "Down by 31, Md. Stuns Miami, 42-40". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
14. "Flutie's Desperation Pass Beats Miami, 47-45". The Washington Post. November 24, 1984. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
15. Reilly, Rick (January 2, 1985). "When the Dust Settles, UCLA Is on Top : Bruins Win Fiesta Bowl Shoot-Out Against Kosar and Hurricanes, 39-37". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 29, 2018.