Rookie TE Smythe recalls rowdy UM crowd

DAVIE — With any luck, Miami Dolphins tight end Durham Smythe will have better fortune playing at Hard Rock Stadium in 2018 than he did in 2017, a time when his team bus had its window shattered and the crowd was perhaps the loudest he heard in his college career.

Last year, Smythe, the Dolphins’ fourth-round pick from Notre Dame, was the enemy, and he felt that way from the moment the Fighting Irish buses arrived at Hard Rock Stadium.

“Coming down here, what an experience it was, honestly,” Smythe said Saturday as the Dolphins had Day 2 of their three-day rookie minicamp.

“Obviously, not a good outcome in any sense of the word. But an incredible atmosphere.”

It was the most hyped game on the University of Miami’s schedule.

UM, ranked No. 7 in the nation and undefeated at 8-0, against No. 3 Notre Dame., also undefeated. The Hurricanes pounded Notre Dame, 41-8, before a raucous sellout crowd of more than 65,000.

Smythe was asked about his recollections from that game, and he showed a sense of humor.

“I’ll start with my junior year,” he began. “We played them and we beat them (30-27). At home. So that was good.”

Then he got down to business.

“We kind of expected a loud atmosphere,” Smythe said, “but nothing close to what it was.”

Hard Rock Stadium, by many accounts, was louder than it had been in years on that night.

“That was one of the loudest stadiums I played in in my five years [at Notre Dame],” Smythe said.

“We had people throwing stuff at the buses driving up. Actually our window was shattered, we had to get a new bus. It was pretty crazy stuff.”

Smythe had good things to say about Hard Rock Stadium, his new home now that he’s a member of the Dolphins.

“I enjoyed playing in the stadium, awesome stadium,” he said. “A lot of guys said the atmosphere was great. Obviously the outcome was terrible. But I did love playing in that stadium.”

Smythe