Spring practice came to a conclusion on Saturday for the University of Miami with quarterback Stephen Morris and tailback Duke Johnson providing the big plays during the Orange and White game at Sun Life Stadium.
For the first time in several years, UM ends spring practice with realistic expectations that the upcoming season can be a breakthrough for a football program that hasn’t won 10 games since 2003.
With most starters returning from last year’s 7-5 team that had its season come a premature finish because of self-imposed bowl sanctions, the Hurricanes will kick off 2013 on Aug. 30 against FAU as serious contenders for their first ACC championship.
“There’s no more excuses for us,” junior defensive end Anthony Chickillo said. “We feel like we can win all our games. We’re going to bust our butt this whole summer and in [fall] camp and we’re going to come out against FAU ready to go.”
The Hurricanes will rely greatly on an offense led by Morris and Johnson, and that dynamic duo gave a hint of things to come during Saturday’s scrimmage.
Morris, who finished his junior campaign by throwing for 11 touchdown passes without an interception in UM’s final four games, took up where he left off last season by completing 13 of 23 passes for 256 yards and four touchdowns.
Johnson, the ACC Rookie of the Year, carried 10 times for 120 yards, including an electrifying 48-yard run that brought the estimated crowd of 8,000 to its feet and set up a UM touchdown.
“There’s no expectations we’ve set for ourselves except to win,” Johnson said.
To do that, UM will have to play far better than it did on defense last season, when the Hurricanes allowed school records in virtually every important statistical category.
The reviews on Saturday were so-so for the defense, which mixed starters and backups on the same units. Outside linebacker Denzel Perryman made the biggest impact, intercepting two passes and adding a pair of the bone-rattling hits he’s become known for.
“I feel like I had a pretty good spring,” said Perryman, who has received some criticism from coaches this month for inconsistency. “That’s a great way to end it.”
Defensive tackle Luther Robinson registered two sacks while Chickillo rang up a third sack.
But it wasn’t all good for the defense, particularly a secondary that on Saturday allowed too many big plays and failed to contribute a turnover. Miami quarterbacks combined for 429 passing yards and five touchdowns.
The Orange team, led by Morris, won the scrimmage 35-20 over a White squad quarterbacked by Ryan Williams and Gray Crow.
Two of the seven touchdowns scored during the scrimmage will have asterisks beside them. Malcolm Lewis, continuing to recover from a dislocated left ankle sustained last season against Georgia Tech, was allowed to run past the secondary and catch a 75-yard touchdown pass from Morris. UM’s entire team, including the defensive players on the field, ran to the end zone to congratulate Lewis.
“He deserves it,” Golden said.
Another tribute came later in the scrimmage when ex-Hurricanes Gino Torretta, Brett Romberg and Andre Johnson, wearing street clothes, ran an offensive play that ended with Torretta hooking up with Johnson on a 45-yard touchdown.
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