Boulder – Miami (Ohio) is 1-2 and hardly a traditional power, but the RedHawks are no stranger to defeating bigger-name programs. They get their next shot Saturday at Colorado.
Called “The Cradle of Coaches” for producing many of the biggest names in the sport, Miami has posted what it terms 31 “major upset victories” during the past six decades. Victims include Louisville (2003), Virginia Tech (1997), Louisiana State (1986), Georgia (1974) and Florida in the 1973 Tangerine Bowl, the season the erstwhile Redskins went 11-0 under Bill Mallory, who succeeded Eddie Crowder at CU the next year.
“When you’re coaching, you know about (their tradition),” CU coach Dan Hawkins said Tuesday during his weekly media luncheon. “Those guys will come with their horns out.”
From Army’s Red Blaik to Ohio State’s Woody Hayes to Notre Dame’s Ara Parseghian to Michigan’s Bo Schembechler, the list of legends spending time in Oxford, Ohio, as either a player or coach is almost mind-boggling.
“It’s like anything else. It starts feeding off itself,” Hawkins said. “When you have a great program, you generate a lot of great coaches.
“There’s a certain standard and expectation (of excellence). That continuity breeds such a familiarity that players and coach believe: ‘That’s who are. We win. That’s what we do.”‘
Sipili to start
Middle linebacker Michael Sipili, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound sophomore coming off a three-game suspension for an offseason fight, is listed as a starter for Saturday’s game against Miami. R.J. Brown, Sipili’s replacement for the first three games, suffered a concussion against Florida State and is listed as doubtful for Saturday.
Footnotes
Junior Chris Perri, who also served a three-game suspension for fighting, is listed as the second-team nose tackle behind Brandon Nicolas. … With a new program called “Legacy Buffs,” CU will honor the 2,065 ongoing season-ticket holders of 30 years or longer at a reception before the Saturday’s game. The 168 accounts holding season tickets for 50 years or longer will be introduced at halftime. … Miami’s Cradle of Coaches Association includes University of Denver hockey coach George Gwozdecky and DU athletic director Peggy Bradley-Doppes (for volleyball). … Beer no longer will be sold to the general public at the Coors Events Center during men’s and women’s basketball games, CU athletic director Mike Bohn said. Beer sales to the general public were stopped at Folsom Field in 1996, although beer is available in private suites and club-level seating areas. Beer will remain available for private groups at basketball games. “Our commitment is to create an environment that is conducive to one that everybody can be proud of and enjoy,” Bohn said.
Miami connection
A sample of “Cradle of Coaches” produced by Miami (Ohio) football:
Bill Arnsparger: Devised Dolphins’ 1972 defense.
Red Blaik: National coach of year at Army (1946).
Paul Brown: Won 1942 national title at Ohio State; legendary pro football innovator.
Paul Dietzel: Won 1958 national championship at LSU.
Weeb Ewbank: Joe Namath’s coach in Super Bowl III win.
Sid Gillman: Pro passing game guru.
Woody Hayes: Went from Miami to Ohio State 1951.
Bill Mallory: Went from Miami to Colorado in 1974.
Ara Parseghian: Coached Notre Dame to national titles in 1966, ’73.
Bo Schembechler: Went from Miami to Michigan in 1969.
Jim Tressel: Ohio State boss was Miami assistant.
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
