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It's Week 3 and Miami faces their stiffest challenge to date at App State.
'Can the young 'Canes D continue their stellar play?
Will Brad Kaaya bounce back from his worst ever showing?
And does UM have what it takes to go on the road and beat a tough program in their biggest home game ever?
We'll see Hurricanes fans.
Join in on the convo below will fellow 'Canes Fam before, during, and after today's contest.
Game Notes (Courtesy UM):
CANES HEAD TO BOONE, N.C. FOR FIRST ROAD GAME
• The Miami Hurricanes travel to Boone, N.C. for their first road contest of the year and will take on Appalachian State on Saturday under the direction of first-year head coach Mark Richt. Kickoff is set for noon on ESPN.
• Miami will meet Appalachian State for the first time in program history on Saturday.
BACK IN THE TOP 25
• The Hurricanes earned a No. 25 ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll this past Sunday.
• The Hurricanes also maintained their No. 25 ranking in the Associated Press Poll, marking the first time Miami has been ranked in both polls since Nov. 16, 2013.
A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK: CANES GROUND GAME SHINES
• Miami did not allow a third down conversion and held FAU to just one rushing yard in the first half. FAU finished the first half 0-for-11 on third downs. The Owls finished the game 4-for-20 in third downs and posted 47 rushing yards for the game.
• Miami outgained FAU, 470-214, for the game.
• Sophomore Mark Walton led the Hurricanes with 155 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
• Walton is the first Miami running back to total four-or-more rushing touchdowns since Tyrone Moss did so against North Carolina (10/29/15).
• Miami held FAU without a touchdown in the first half. FAU did find the endzone until the third quarter. The Hurricanes had not allowed a touchdown in eight straight quarters, dating back to 2015 prior to the third quarter score.
• The Hurricanes defenisve line finished the game with 13.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks.
MEET THE NEW GUY IN TOWN - MARK RICHT
• University of Miami Director of Athletics Blake James announced on Dec. 4, 2015 the hiring of Hurricane alumnus Mark Richt as the 24th head football coach at The U.
• Richt was officially introduced to the public at a news conference at the Shalala Student Center.
• Richt, born in Omaha, Neb., and raised in Boca Raton, Fla., returned to his alma mater after leading the University of Georgia football program for the past 15 years. During that time he compiled a 145-51 overall record and an 85-40 mark in Southeastern Conference play.
• Richt won two SEC championships, six SEC East titles and nine bowl games and finished the season in the Associated Press Top 10 rankings seven times.
Career Victories - Active Coaches
1. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame 227
2. Bill Snyder, Kansas State 193
3. Nick Saban, Alabama 193
4. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 180
5. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech 170
6. Terry Bowden, Akron 160
7. Tommy Tuberville, Cincinnati 157
8. Urban Meyer, Ohio State 156
9. Rich Rodriguez, Arizona 154
10. Mark Richt, Miami 147
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• Mark Richt will look to become the fifth Hurricane head coach to win his first three games. Howard Buck, Eddie Dunn, Dennis Erickson and Larry Coker are the only other Hurricane coaches to win their first three games.
• Miami will look to move to 3-0 for the 20th time since 1950. The Hurricanes have only started 3-0 six times since 2000: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2013 and 2015.
• Running backs Mark Walton and Joseph Yearby will look to surpass the century mark for the third consecutive game. Duke Johnson is the last Miami running back to rush for over 100 yards in three straight games.
• Both Walton and Yearby have rushed for 100 yards-or-more in back-to-back games. Miami has not had two running backs rush for 100 yards-or-more in three straight games during the modern era of Hurricane football (since 1980).
• Quarterback Brad Kaaya currently has 46 career touchdown passes. He needs just one touchdown pass to tie former Cane and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Gino Torretta (1994-97) for sixth all-time.
• Kaaya will look to throw for 200-or-more yards for the 20th time his career. In 19 of his 27 career games, Kaaya has thrown for over 200 yards. He also has at least one touchdown in 24 career outings.
• Senior wide receiver Stacy Coley needs just 28 yards to move into second place on the all-time kickoff return list.
• If running back Yearby surpasses 100 yards rushing, it would mark the eighth time in his career in which he has passed the century mark and would tie him for eighth all-time with Frank Gore.
• Senior offensive lineman Danny Isidora will look to make his 29th consecutive start. Isidora’s current consecutive start streak of 28 games is the team’s longest.
YIPPEE KAAYA
• QB Brad Kaaya is in the midst of his junior season at Miami, during which he has already posted career numbers that already rank among the most prolific in program history.
• Kaaya was on the preseason watch lists for eight major honors: the Lombardi Award, the Manning Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, College Football Performance, the Davey O’Brien Award, American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team, the Wuerffel Trophy and the Maxwell Award.
• Kaaya’s 6,762 career passing yards are already the fifth-most in Miami history. His 3,238 passing yards as a sophomore in 2015 are tied for the sixth-most in a single season, while his 3,198 yards in 2014 are the eighth-most. He is the only QB with two individual seasons ranking in the top 10.
• Kaaya’s 46 career touchdown passes are tied for seventh-most in Miami history.
• Kaaya has thrown for 200 or more yards in 19 of his 27 career games and has seven career 300-yard performances. His career high of 405 yards came at Florida State on October 10, 2015.
• Kaaya was one of just three players nationally to throw for 3,000-or-more yards, 10-or-more touchdowns and five-or-fewer interceptions in 2015.
• As a freshman in 2014, Kaaya was named the ACC Offensive and ACC Overall Rookie of the Year after a stellar first campaign with the Hurricanes.
MAKING HIS MARK
• Running back Mark Walton rushed for a career-high 155 yards last week against FAU. He also scored a career-high four touchdown against the Owls. In two career games against FAU, Walton has totaled seven rushing touchdowns.
• Walton currently ranks eight nationally in rushing yards per game, averaging 135.5 yards per game. He also ranks sixth nationally in scoring with 15.0 points per game.
• Walton’s 8.47 yards per carry ranks sixth nationally.
• Walton got off to an impressive start to the 2016 season as he rushed for a then-career-high 116 yards and had one touchdown against FAMU.
• Walton delivered an impressive first season with the Hurricanes as a freshman in 2015, ranking second with 1,054 all-purpose yards and first with 10 total touchdowns.
• Walton’s 10 touchdowns - nine rushing and one receiving - were tied with Stacy Coley (2013) for second-most by a Miami freshman since 2000.
• Walton, who had 461 rushing yards and 293 receiving yards, was one of just 11 freshman running backs nationally with eight-or-more rushing touchdowns in 2015.
THE SPECIALIST NAMED PRESEASON ALL-ACC
• Senior punter Justin Vogel earned Preseason All-ACC honors after a stellar junior season in which he was recognized with All-ACC third-team honors by media and All-ACC honorable mention from the league’s coaches.
• Vogel averaged 42.5 yards per punt in 2015, while his 73-yarder against Clemson on Oct. 24 was the longest of any ACC punter in 2015. He totaled 13 punts of 50 yards or more last season.
• Vogel was one of 28 punters to be named to the watch list for the 2016 Ray Guy Award. Vogel is a three-time Ray Guy Award nominee, and was a semifinalist for the award in 2014.
• After spending the 2013 season at Florida, Vogel averaged 42.8 yards per punt & 62.1 yards on kickoffs in 2014. He was named third-team All-ACC by Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
RETURN TO FORM
• Wide receiver Stacy Coley had a dominant freshman season in 2013, earning Freshman All-America honors and All-ACC recognition after leading the team with 1,461 all-purpose yards.
• After a quiet 2014, Coley had a return to form in 2015. Despite missing two games with a hamstring injury, Coley finished second on the team in catches (47) and receiving yards (689).
• Coley’s 79.2 yards-per-game average in conference play ranked second in the ACC.
• Coley caught at last three passes in each of his final nine games, and had 678 yards over that span. The junior recorded a touchdown catch in back-to-back games for the first time since November 2013 when he hauled in scores against both Duke (Oct. 31) and Virginia (Nov. 7).
• This past weekend against FAU, Coley led the Hurricanes with four receptions. Coley has caught a pass in 11 straight games.
BADG-O-MATIC
• Junior Michael Badgley enjoyed a prolific season in 2015, setting the single-season record for made field goals (25) and besting the previous school record held by Jon Peattie (22, 2003).
• Badgley has connected on 15 extra points this season. He has now made 60 straight PAT kicks and 89 for his career.
• Badgley tied a UM record when he hit a 57-yard field goal against Georgia Tech in 2015.
• The Summit, N.J., native set a school record when he hit five field goals against Nebraska in 2015, and would tie that mark later in the season with five field goals against Pittsburgh.
• Badgley’s 2.08 field goals per game average ranked first in Division I, while his 25 made field goals were tied for fourth-most in the nation. He ranked 16th in scoring (9.6 points per game).
THE SOUTH FLORIDA DUO
• For the second straight week, the Miami Hurricanes had two running backs rush for over 100 yards as sophomore Mark Walton posted a career-high 155 yards and junior Joseph Yearby dashed for 121 yards.
• The last time Miami had two running backs rush for over 100 yards in back-to-back weeks was in 2014.
• Walton (271) and Yearby (226) have accounted for 76 percent of the Hurricanes rushing output this year.
• In addtion, Walton (30) and Yearby (18) have combined for 48 points.
• Both Walton (Booker T. Washington) and Yearby (Miami Central) attended Miami-area high schools before joining the Hurricanes.
A THREE-HEADED MONSTER
• From 2001-2015, Miami had three players run for 100 yards in openers. In 2016, Miami had three players run for 100 yards in the 2016 opener alone (courtesy of the AP).
• Miami running backs Mark Walton, Gus Edwards and Joseph Yearby all surpassed the century mark on the ground in the Hurricanes’ opener against FAMU as they rushed for 116, 106 and 105 yards, respectively.
• The Miami running back trio combined to rush for 327 of the Hurricanes’ 373 yards.
EDWARDS SHINES IN RETURN TO THE GRIDIRON
• Redshirt junior running back Gus Edwards returned to the lineup against FAMU. Edwards missed the entire 2015 season with a foot injury suffered during preseason training camp.
• In his first action since 2014, Edwards rushed for 106 yards on seven carries and one touchdown.
• Edwards rushed for 349 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore in 2014 after posting 337 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman in 2014. He has a career rushing average of 5.4 yards.
Consistent canes
• Offensive lineman Danny Isidora, leads all Hurricanes with 28 straight starts.
• Fellow offensive linemen Nick Linder and Trevor Darling also have proven to be mainstays on the Hurricanes’ offensive line as they have both started 20 straight games.
• Isidora, Linder, Darling and running back Joseph Yearby were the only Hurricanes to start in every game last season.
• Miami’s active all-time start leaders include quarterback Brad Kaaya (27), defensive back Rayshawn Jenkins (24), wide receiver Stacy Coley (22) and Yearby (13).
• Defensive back Corn Elder (12), tight end Standish Dobard (11), receiver Malcolm Lewis (11), offensive lineman Sunny Odogwu (11) and defensive lineman Trent Harris (10) also have double-digit starts.
TAKE THREE• The Hurricanes are 16-1 since 2011 when forcing three-or-more turnovers, plus the Canes have won 61 of their last 66 games when recording at least three takeaways.
The list of three-takeaway games since 2011:
Oct. 22, 2011: Miami 24, Georgia Tech 7, 3 turnovers forced.
Sept. 1, 2012: Miami 41, Boston College 32, 3 turnovers forced.
Sept. 29, 2012: Miami 44, N.C. State 37, 6 turnovers forced.
Nov. 1, 2012: Miami 30, Virginia Tech 12, 3 turnovers forced.
Nov. 17, 2012: Miami 40, USF 9, 3 turnovers forced.
Sept. 7, 2013: Miami 21, Florida 16, 5 turnovers forced.
Sept. 21, 2013: Miami 77, Savannah State 7, 4 turnovers forced.
Sept. 28, 2013: Miami 49, USF 21, 3 turnovers forced.
Oct. 5, 2013: Miami 45, Georgia Tech 30, 3 turnovers forced.
Nov. 23, 2013: Miami 45, Virginia 26, 4 turnovers forced.
Sept. 27, 2014: Miami 22, Duke 10, 3 turnovers forced.
Oct. 11, 2014: Miami 55, Cincinnati 34, 3 turnovers forced.
Oct. 23, 2014: Miami 30, Virginia Tech 6, 3 turnovers forced.
Nov. 15, 2014: Florida State 30, Miami 26, 3 turnovers forced.
Sept. 11, 2015: Miami 44, Florida Atlantic 20, 5 turnovers forced.
Sept. 19, 2015: Miami 36, Nebraska 33 (OT), 3 turnovers forced.
Oct. 17, 2015: Miami 30, Virginia Tech 20, 4 turnovers forced
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
• Miami has scored a school record 108 points through two games this season.
• The Hurricanes are averaging 54.0 points per game, which ranks eighth in the NCAA.
• The Hurricanes have outgained their opponents 993-411 through two games this season.
• Miami scored 70-or-more points for just the third time in school history on Sept. 3 as the Hurricanes hung 70 points on FAMU in their home opener.
• Miami’s offense over the past two seasons has been among the most explosive in program history, ranking second in 2014 (5,594) and ninth in 2015 (5,161).
• UM compiled 5,536 total yards in 2013, which ranks as the third-best total in history.
ALMOST PERFECT 10
• Teams do not beat Miami when scoring 10-or-fewer points.
• The Hurricanes are now 160-2 in their last 162 games when holding opponents to 10 points or less, after winning 38-10 against FAU. That run goes back to Oct. 1, 1977, ironically, a season that began with Miami holding its first two opponents to exactly 10 points apiece and still losing both of those games.
• The only 10 points allowed-or-less losses since: Nov. 8, 2003 to Tennessee (10-6) and Sept. 5, 2005 to Florida State (10-7).
KOOL CANES
• Craig Kuligowski, who is widely regarded as one of the top defensive line coaches in the country, has already made an immediate impact in his first season at Miami. The Hurricanes currently lead the nation in tackles for loss per game (14.0) and rank second in the NCAA in sacks per per game (5.0).
• Prior to arriving at Miami, Kuligowski spent 15 years at Missouri where his defensive line units frequently ranked among the nation’s best in tackles for loss and sacks.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
• Under first year defensive coordinator and Miami native Manny Diaz, the Hurricanes lead the nation in rushing defense, holding opponents to just 34.5 yards per game.
• Miami currently ranks fourth in the NCAA in total defense (205.5 yards per game).
• Miami has limited its foes to just 13 points this season (6.5 points per game), which ranks third in the nation.
• The Hurricanes have allowed just one touchdown this season. In addition, Miami opponents have just three touchdowns in 12 quarters, dating back to last season.
• Miami’s defense has started and finished games strong as it has not allowed a single point in the first and fourth quarters.
• Miami dominated FAU in the first half as it held the Owls to just one yard rushing on 17 attempts. The Hurricanes also did not allow the Owls to convert one third-down conversion as they went 0-for-11. FAU finished the game with just 46 yards.
• The Hurricanes opened the year on a high note as they held FAMU to just 43 second half yards.
PAVING THE WAY
• The Hurricanes’ offensive line has paved the way for 652 rushing yards this season. Miami’s ground attack is averaging 326.0 yards per game, which ranks sixth in the country.
• Through two games, the Hurricanes have totaled 127 plays and have allowed just 5.0 tackles for loss and one sack. Miami’s 2.5 tackles for loss allowed per game ranks fifth in the country.
• Center Nick Linder was named to the Lombardi Award, Outland Award and Rimington Trophy preseason watch lists. Fellow offensive lineman Danny Isidora also was named to the Outland Award watch list.
• UM entered the 2015 season with one of the youngest offensive lines in the ACC, totaling 23 starts. Miami offensive linemen now have 95 career starts.
• In 13 games last season, Miami’s youthful offensive line, which consisted of a combination of one redshirt freshman, three sophomores and two juniors, allowed the Hurricanes to average 401.4 yards per game in total offense.
A SPECIAL TEAM
• Miami special teams have played a major factor in the Hurricanes’ two wins this season.
• Sophomore RJ McIntosh blocked his first career punt. It marked the second straight week in which a Miami player had blocked a punt. Pat Bethel blocked a punt against in the Hurricanes’ season opener against FAMU.
• Junior Braxton Berrios’ 41-yard punt return for touchdown in Miami’s season opener against FAMU was the first of his career. It also marked the first time a Hurricane had scored on a punt return since Corn Elder did so against Bethune-Cookman in 2015.
• Junior kicker Michael Badgley has connected on 15 extra points this season.
CAN OF CORN
• Cornerback Corn Elder has continued to build off of his strong junior campaign as he picked off a pass and tallied a pair of tackles in the Hurricanes’ home opener against FAMU.
• This past week against FAU, Elder tallied 3.0 solo tackles and had one pass breakup.
• Elder emerged as one of Miami’s top playmakers in 2015.
• Elder took the final lateral of "The Return" 91 yards to give Miami a 30-27 win over Duke in 2015.
• Elder tied for fifth in the ACC with 13 passes defended (1.0 per game).
• Elder led all UM cornerbacks in sacks with 2.0 in 2015.
THE CAPTAINS
• This season Miami will select its captains on a game-by-game basis.
• In week three, junior wide receiver Braxton Berrios, freshman linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, sophomore cornerback Sheldrick Redwine and senior fullback Marquez Williams will represent the Hurricanes during the coin toss.
PREVIOUS CAPTAINS
Week 1: Jamal Carter, Danny Isidora, Brad Kaaya and Justin Vogel
Week 2: Braxton Berrios, Corn Elder, Nick Linder, Rayshawn Jenkins
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
• Miami had 13 freshmen make their debuts this past on Sept. 3 against FAMU in the form of DL Pat Bethel, DB Romeo Finley, RB Travis Homer, DL Joe Jackson, DB Jeff James Jr., TE Michael Irvin II, LB Zach McCloud, WR Dionte Mullins, LB Michael Pinckney, LB Shaquille Quarterman, WR Ahmmon Richards, DB Cedrick Wright and DB Malek Young.
• McCloud, Pinckney, Quarterman and Richards also started for the Hurricanes.
#PROCANES CONTINUING TRADITION
• Miami currently has 43 #ProCanes on NFL rosters; 22 of 32 NFL teams had at least one former Cane on their roster, while the Indianapolis Colts lead all teams with four.
• Miami had two players selected in the 2016 NFL Draft this past year.
• DB Artie Burns (1st round, PIT) and DB Deon Bush (4th, CHI) were selected.
• Miami had eight former student-athletes sign free agent contracts following the 2015 season: Rashawn Scott (MIA), Tracy Howard (CLE), Ufomba Kamalu (DEN), Calvin Heurtelou (DEN), Calvin Heurtelou (HOU), Herb Waters (GB), Tyriq McCord (PIT) and Raphael Kirby (DET).
• The Hurricanes have had five or more players taken in the NFL Draft on 24 separate occasions since 1980.
• Ninety five Hurricanes have been picked in the NFL Draft since the start of the 2000 season, a figure that is tied for second-most among all NCAA programs.
• Miami’s 29 NFL first-round draft picks since 2000, including Artie Burns (No. 25 overall) in 2016, are the most among all NCAA programs.
ZAGACKI AND BAILEY RETURN TO THE BOOTH FOR YEAR 15
• "Voice of the Hurricanes" Joe Zagacki and color commentator Don Bailey, Jr. return to the booth for their 15th year of Miami football on the radio.
• The radio team has broadcast 216 straight games together.
2016 Miami Hurricane Football Affiliates
Miami’s Sports Radio 560 WQAM: Miami- Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
WKWF AM Sports Radio1600: Key West- Marathon-Key Largo
ESPN West Palm 106.3FM: West Palm Beach
WPSL 1590 The Talk of the Treasure Coast: Stuart-Ft Pierce-Port St Lucie
WSTU AM 1450 Martin County’s Heritage Station: Stuart-Jupiter
WFWN 97.3 The Fan: FT Myers-Naples
WHOO 1080 SPORTS TALK 1080 Orlando-Kissimmee
WHBO 1040 Sports Talk 1040: Tampa-St Petersburg
WXIC 1060 AM: Melbourne-Titusville
1010XL-92.5FM: Jacksonville Sports Radio - Jacksonville - St. Augustine
1490 WTKE: Fox Sports Radio Northwest Florida’s New Home for Sports-Pensacola
UP NEXT
• The University of Miami football team returns to action on Oct. 1 when it travels to Georgia Tech.