UM opens ACC baseball slate at home vs. Va. Tech
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team was roaring toward a terrific season last year when the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the season after only 16 games, with the Canes ranked as high as No. 5 (12-4, 3-0 Atlantic Coast
Conference).
The Hurricanes are also expected to be one of the nation’s top teams in 2021. On Thursday, UM announced its 36-game ACC schedule, which begins
Feb. 26-28 against Virginia Tech at Mark Light Field.
But the series everyone awaits will open the season in Gainesville at the Florida Gators, as UM coach Gino DiMare revealed recently on WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline. No. 1 UF finished 16-1 last season and swept Miami in a three-game series.
Miami, ranked as high as No. 6 in the preseason, will follow Virginia Tech with ACC home series against Wake Forest (March 12-14), Florida State (March 19-21), Duke (April 2-4), Clemson (April 16-18) and Georgia Tech (May 14-16).
The Canes bring back numerous nationally touted hitters, including Adrian Del Castillo, one of the top prospects in the 2021 MLB Draft. They also bring back Alex Toral, the ACC home run leader in 2019 with 24.
Miami will be playing with the recruiting class that was ranked No. 1 by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball.
“Every game is going to be huge this year and we’ve got to be ready to play,” DiMare said in a statement. “But if we’re going to be the program I expect us to be and if we’re going to be the top team at the end of the year. we need to be able to play well and win these games ... and put ourselves in a good position to get to Omaha.”
— SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN
JAGUARS HIRE MEYER
Urban Meyer agreed to become head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, leaving the broadcast booth and returning to the sidelines after a two-year absence that followed another health scare. Meyer,
56, was team owner Shad Khan’s top target, and Khan waited nearly a week to get it done. They met last Friday on Khan’s yacht in Miami, again Wednesday and one final time at the facility Thursday. Hiring
the longtime college coach with three national championships would signify a new direction for a franchise that has lost 105 of 144 games since Khan took over in 2012.
“This is a great day for Jacksonville and Jaguars fans everywhere,” Khan said in a statement. “Urban Meyer is who we want and need, a leader, winner and champion who demands excellence and produces results.”
Meyer went 187-32 — a staggering winning percentage of 85.3 — in stops at Bowling Green (2001-02), Utah
(2003-04), Florida (2005-10) and Ohio State (2012-18).
More NFL: Browns
● coach Kevin Stefanski is back with his playoff team after having COVID-19. Stefanski will make his playoff debut on the sideline this week when the Browns play the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. … Jared Goff will start at quarterback for the Rams in the NFC divisional-round playoff game Saturday against the Packers. John Wolford, who started last week’s wildcard victory over Seattle, is out because of a neck injury. … The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with Brad Holmes to be their general manager. He led the Rams’ college scouting department for eight years.
ETC.
Golf: Jim Herman
● made it to Hawaii a week later than he had hoped and was happier than ever. He recovered from the coronavirus and had his lowest score in his 10th appearance at the Sony Open to get his year off to a good start. Peter Malnati had the early lead on a windy morning at Waialae with nine birdies for an 8-under 62, two shots better than anyone in his half of the field. Herman and
Vaughn Taylor were each at 64.
Olympics: Two-time
●
Olympic gold medalist Klete Keller was arrested in Colorado, a day after being charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol. Keller, a former swimmer who won gold medals in the 800-meter freestyle relay at the 2004 and
2008 Games, was identified through a video taken during the chaos in the Capitol rotunda Jan. 6, standing out in the wild scene because of his distinctive U.S. Olympic team jacket and 6-6 height.