Miami football tickets are always hard to find, and that’s because the Hurricanes have been one of the most dominant college football programs in the country over the past 20 - 25 years. Few teams can match the sizzling style of play, intensity and pure intimidation that the ‘Canes bring to the field every time out. Many an opponent has in effect lost the game before it started due to the aura of Miami.
However, that aura is in a downward cycle, and the piranhas are starting to turn their appetite towards their embattled coach. Larry Coker has done almost nothing but win since he took over for Butch Davis, and fans, students, alumni and boosters are starting to call for his ouster now that the team has gotten off to a bad start and finds itself out of the Top 25 for the first time in years.
There are several reasons, therefore, that of all the “big-time” college football jobs out there, Miami’s is the worst of the lot. No one goes to Miami and is set for life, as is the case for programs like Notre Dame, USC and Nebraska if a winning tradition is established. There are several reasons for this reality, and we’ll examine them below.
Expectations
No school, not even Notre Dame, puts the same level of expectations into their football team that they do at Miami. The Hurricanes have won five national championships, and basically, any year that doesn’t conclude with another national championship trophy is considered a failure. Although the team has always been very good, this all started with Howard Schnellenberger’s teams of the 1980’s and the tradition they established. This tradition was continued with the likes of Jimmy Johnson, who brought home his share of hardware as well.
Fans
Although Miami football tickets are always snapped up, the program is in some ways a victim of its own fervent fans, as this group is always ready to create a loud and intimidating environment, but they’re also quick to turn when things go bad. Simply put, the fans have become spoiled with winning, and any coach who doesn’t meet their expectations is run out of town on a rail. No one cried when Dennis Erickson left for the NFL, and all he did was win a national championship and post the highest winning percentage by a Miami coach in history.
National Disdain
Given all the winning Miami has done and the program’s “bad boy” image, college football fans around the country generally like to watch Miami lose. The team is disliked for its reputation of being brash and over-the-top with its confidence, and the Hurricanes are known to dance on an opposing team’s logo before the start of a road game.
This reputation generally rubs off on the coach, which is why Johnson, Davis, Erickson and now Coker are generally not seen as popular figures. It’s always been an “us against the world” mentality in Coral Gables, so when the Hurricane’s own fan base turns on the coach, he has nowhere to turn for support.
This is why Johnson, Erickson and Davis all left after establishing a winning tradition, and no coach has stayed at Miami for more than six seasons. The coaches burn out, and that’s also an unspoken tradition at Miami. They all know that they have to continue to help pump up demand for Miami football tickets and merchandise, and even a loss or two can drive them to the edge. This is why Miami’s job is the worst in college football, and Larry Coker may be the latest coach to realize just that.
Written By: Jay Nault
