WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT RANDY SHANNON:
COACHES:
“THE NO. 1 THING ABOUT RANDY IS THAT HE KEEPS EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE. HE’S INTELLIGENT, DEDICATED AND EVEN-KEELED. HE DOES NOT HAVE HIGHS AND LOWS. HIS BACKGROUND, WHERE HE CAME FROM, ALLOWS HIM TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN PERSPEC- TIVE. I WAS ECSTATIC WHEN I HEARD HE’D BE THE HEAD COACH. HE’LL BE OUTSTANDING. HE’S EXACTLY WHAT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI NEEDS. HE’S ORGANIZED. HE RECRUITS WELL. HE’S AN OUTSTANDING COACH. HE’S A PERFECT FIT.”
PLAYERS:
- JIMMY JOHNSON, HURRICANES HEAD COACH 1984-88
“RANDY WAS ONE OF THE SMARTEST FOOTBALL PLAYERS I HAVE EVER KNOWN. HE UNDER- STANDS THE GAME AND HE UNDERSTANDS PLAYERS. HE HAS AN INSTINCTIVE FEEL FOR ALL THAT IS INVOLVED IN BEING A WINNER. THE PROGRAM IS IN GOOD HANDS, BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS IN HIS HEART. HE WILL TEACH HIS PLAYERS WHAT THE MIAMI SPIRIT IS ABOUT. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO PLAY AT MIAMI, AND WITH THAT PRIVILEGE COMES A RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD THE SUCCESS AND PRIDE OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE, THOSE WHO ARE THERE NOW, AND THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW.”
- MICHAEL IRVIN, MEMBER OF PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, COLLEGIATE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND SUPER BOWL CHAMPION
“RANDY WAS A COACH ON THE FIELD. HE GOT THE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS IN LINE. I REMEM- BER RANDY AS A LINEBACKER DURING SPRING DRILLS UNDER JIMMY JOHNSON AND I WAS A YOUNG FRESHMAN DOING EVERYTHING FULL SPEED, AND HE SAID, ‘HEY GINO, THERE’S A LOT OF TIME LEFT. MAKE SURE YOU PACE YOURSELF.’ HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO TEACH THE GAME. NOT ONLY IS HE A TEACHER, BUT HE’S ALWAYS TRYING TO LEARN AND IMPROVE HIMSELF.”
- GINO TORRETTA, 1991 HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER AND NATIONAL CHAMPION
“RANDY IS VERY EVEN-MANNERED. BUT HE’S ALWAYS BEEN A SMART, SAVVY PERSON, AND HE BRINGS THOSE ATTRIBUTES TO HIS POSITION AS HEAD COACH. I KNOW THE LOVE HE HAS FOR THE TEAM AND THE UNIVERSITY. HE HAS PAID HIS DUES AND HE WAS READY. I REMEMBER OUR PLAYING DAYS AND GUYS WOULD BE DOWN AND JIMMY JOHNSON WOULD BE BEATING DOWN ON US AND COACH WANNSTEDT WOULD BE GETTING AFTER US, AND RANDY WOULD DO SOMETHING FUNNY. HE SAID IT WAS TO TAKE HIS MIND OFF THE DOG DAYS OF PRACTICE, BUT IT DID SOMETHING FOR US, TOO. THAT’S HOW HE’LL BE AS COACH
- SERIOUS BUT HE ALSO LIKES TO HAVE FUN.”
- RUSSELL MARYLAND, NO. 1 OVERALL NFL DRAFT CHOICE 1991
efficiency defense (83.91 rating), while finishing seventh in the nation in total defense (285.0 ypg), all of which was accomplished with an entirely new starting unit in the defensive secondary.
In 2001, Miami led the nation in turnover margin by forcing a school-record 27 interceptions and 45 turnovers. Miami defenders allowed a national-best 9.4 points per game, led the nation in pass efficiency defense (75.60 rating), ranked second in pass defense (138.2 ypg) and was sixth in total defense (270.9 ypg). The 2001 Hurricanes allowed just 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five passing) and scored seven touchdowns of their own. Shannon’s defenses have been ranked in the top 10 in turnover margin twice and led the nation in 2001.
It’s no wonder Shannon has been successful as a coach. As a linebacker during the late 1980s, he was a film room guru, studying hours and hours of tape to learn the offensive tendencies of the opponents he faced each Saturday on the football field. His commitment to being a student of the game often paid huge dividends, such as on Sept. 5, 1987, in the Orange Bowl, when he returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown in the Hurricanes’ 31-4 romp over the Florida Gators. But his studious approach to game preparation wasn’t limited solely to the gridiron. Shannon was a true student-athlete, graduating with a degree in liberal arts. “It was about more than just the X’s and O’s,” Shannon said. “I wanted to grow intellectual- ly, and I knew that academics were a key to success.”
SHANNON’S DEFENSES 2001-06
BEFORE BEING NAMED HEAD COACH, RANDY SHANNON WAS THE HURRICANES’ DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FROM 2001 TO 2006. HERE’S HOW HIS DEFENSES RANKED STATISTICALLY:
YEAR RUSHING PASSING TOTAL DEFENSE SCORING DEFENSE
2001 40 2 6 1 2002 72 1 7 22 2003 21 1 2 4 2004 67 9 28 13 2005 23 1 4 4 2006 4 40 7 13
STAFF• NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1983 1987 1989 1991 2001
4
COACHES:
“THE NO. 1 THING ABOUT RANDY IS THAT HE KEEPS EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE. HE’S INTELLIGENT, DEDICATED AND EVEN-KEELED. HE DOES NOT HAVE HIGHS AND LOWS. HIS BACKGROUND, WHERE HE CAME FROM, ALLOWS HIM TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN PERSPEC- TIVE. I WAS ECSTATIC WHEN I HEARD HE’D BE THE HEAD COACH. HE’LL BE OUTSTANDING. HE’S EXACTLY WHAT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI NEEDS. HE’S ORGANIZED. HE RECRUITS WELL. HE’S AN OUTSTANDING COACH. HE’S A PERFECT FIT.”
PLAYERS:
- JIMMY JOHNSON, HURRICANES HEAD COACH 1984-88
“RANDY WAS ONE OF THE SMARTEST FOOTBALL PLAYERS I HAVE EVER KNOWN. HE UNDER- STANDS THE GAME AND HE UNDERSTANDS PLAYERS. HE HAS AN INSTINCTIVE FEEL FOR ALL THAT IS INVOLVED IN BEING A WINNER. THE PROGRAM IS IN GOOD HANDS, BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS IN HIS HEART. HE WILL TEACH HIS PLAYERS WHAT THE MIAMI SPIRIT IS ABOUT. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO PLAY AT MIAMI, AND WITH THAT PRIVILEGE COMES A RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD THE SUCCESS AND PRIDE OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE, THOSE WHO ARE THERE NOW, AND THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW.”
- MICHAEL IRVIN, MEMBER OF PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, COLLEGIATE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND SUPER BOWL CHAMPION
“RANDY WAS A COACH ON THE FIELD. HE GOT THE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS IN LINE. I REMEM- BER RANDY AS A LINEBACKER DURING SPRING DRILLS UNDER JIMMY JOHNSON AND I WAS A YOUNG FRESHMAN DOING EVERYTHING FULL SPEED, AND HE SAID, ‘HEY GINO, THERE’S A LOT OF TIME LEFT. MAKE SURE YOU PACE YOURSELF.’ HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO TEACH THE GAME. NOT ONLY IS HE A TEACHER, BUT HE’S ALWAYS TRYING TO LEARN AND IMPROVE HIMSELF.”
- GINO TORRETTA, 1991 HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER AND NATIONAL CHAMPION
“RANDY IS VERY EVEN-MANNERED. BUT HE’S ALWAYS BEEN A SMART, SAVVY PERSON, AND HE BRINGS THOSE ATTRIBUTES TO HIS POSITION AS HEAD COACH. I KNOW THE LOVE HE HAS FOR THE TEAM AND THE UNIVERSITY. HE HAS PAID HIS DUES AND HE WAS READY. I REMEMBER OUR PLAYING DAYS AND GUYS WOULD BE DOWN AND JIMMY JOHNSON WOULD BE BEATING DOWN ON US AND COACH WANNSTEDT WOULD BE GETTING AFTER US, AND RANDY WOULD DO SOMETHING FUNNY. HE SAID IT WAS TO TAKE HIS MIND OFF THE DOG DAYS OF PRACTICE, BUT IT DID SOMETHING FOR US, TOO. THAT’S HOW HE’LL BE AS COACH
- SERIOUS BUT HE ALSO LIKES TO HAVE FUN.”
- RUSSELL MARYLAND, NO. 1 OVERALL NFL DRAFT CHOICE 1991
efficiency defense (83.91 rating), while finishing seventh in the nation in total defense (285.0 ypg), all of which was accomplished with an entirely new starting unit in the defensive secondary.
In 2001, Miami led the nation in turnover margin by forcing a school-record 27 interceptions and 45 turnovers. Miami defenders allowed a national-best 9.4 points per game, led the nation in pass efficiency defense (75.60 rating), ranked second in pass defense (138.2 ypg) and was sixth in total defense (270.9 ypg). The 2001 Hurricanes allowed just 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five passing) and scored seven touchdowns of their own. Shannon’s defenses have been ranked in the top 10 in turnover margin twice and led the nation in 2001.
It’s no wonder Shannon has been successful as a coach. As a linebacker during the late 1980s, he was a film room guru, studying hours and hours of tape to learn the offensive tendencies of the opponents he faced each Saturday on the football field. His commitment to being a student of the game often paid huge dividends, such as on Sept. 5, 1987, in the Orange Bowl, when he returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown in the Hurricanes’ 31-4 romp over the Florida Gators. But his studious approach to game preparation wasn’t limited solely to the gridiron. Shannon was a true student-athlete, graduating with a degree in liberal arts. “It was about more than just the X’s and O’s,” Shannon said. “I wanted to grow intellectual- ly, and I knew that academics were a key to success.”
SHANNON’S DEFENSES 2001-06
BEFORE BEING NAMED HEAD COACH, RANDY SHANNON WAS THE HURRICANES’ DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FROM 2001 TO 2006. HERE’S HOW HIS DEFENSES RANKED STATISTICALLY:
YEAR RUSHING PASSING TOTAL DEFENSE SCORING DEFENSE
2001 40 2 6 1 2002 72 1 7 22 2003 21 1 2 4 2004 67 9 28 13 2005 23 1 4 4 2006 4 40 7 13
STAFF• NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1983 1987 1989 1991 2001
4
