Speed utilized for a change on offense and defense
FAU cornerback Shelton Lewis (3) returns a blocked punt in the second half against Southern Illinois University.
Other games FAU defeats Southern Illinois, 38-30. UF handles UMass, 24-7. UCF beats South Carolina State, 38-0.
MIAMIGARDENS— Hewas among the last to run on the field, safely off to the side, jogging like a 55-year-old man too smart to join his players’ careening excitement that made roadkill of a trampled Sebastian the Ibis mascot.
Because thiswasMark Richt’s first entrance for Miami, and because thiswas his first Saturday, the temptationwas to enlarge any first glimpse into something larger than a much-needed, new-car-smell for this program.
Saturday’s 70-3 win against outmanned FloridaA&Mgave the kind of scoreboard start rejuvenated fanswanted. But it only dropped bread crumbs to see toward what Richt hopes to build here.
So what did you see? You sawspeed on defense used again. You sawspeed on offense change the night. You sawa respectable crowd inHard Rock Stadium (announced at 60,703) show that fans have returned fromthe cold of recent years.
“Just driving in, seeing the traffic, thatwas great,” Richt said. “Therewere a lot of people tailgaiting in the parking lot— more than I can ever remember as a player here.”
You sawa team prepared to make this the advertised mis-