The strength of the Miami athletic program was one of the driving forces behind the controversial ACC expansion that sent shock waves through the college sports world. Twenty-five years ago, however, no established conference wouldhave wanted to touch Miami with a 10-foot pole, let alone wage a public battle for its affiliation.
In 1978, the Hurricanes had tallied a miserable 36-60 record in football over the decade and didn't even have a basketball program.
Miami went through five football coaches from 1970-78, none staying for more than two years at a time, as the program struggled to finish a season over .500. Meanwhile, on the hardwood, sagging attendance figures and serious financial losses caused the University of Miami Board of Trustees to drop basketball in 1971.
The school began its rise out of athletic mediocrity in 1983. Under coach Howard Schnellenberger, the Hurricanes won their first national championship, defeating Nebraska 1-30 in the Orange Bowl to finish the season 11-1. In that same year, new athletic director Sam Jankovich announced that the resurrection of the men's basketball program would be his primary priority in the early months of his tenure.
Over the next two decades, Miami established itself as a titan in the college football world and a respectable contender in basketball.
In 1985, the basketball program was officially resurrected. Five years later, Miami joined the Big East, giving the team a chance to compete against top competition. In 1998, it received its first NCAA tournament birth since 1960. Next season, the Hurricanes were ranked in the top 10 and won the regular season Big East title.
On the gridiron, the Hurricanes won four more national football championships, including perfect seasons in 1987, 1991 and 2001. Miami also held a NCAA record 58 game home win streak in the late 80s and early 90s.
The Hurricanes hit a roadblock in 1995 when the football program was banned from bowl play for one year and a reduction in scholarships for the next three seasons after the school awarded $412,000 in excessive financial aid to 141 football players.
It did not take too long for the program to get back on its feet, however, as the squad was on top of the football world again at the turn of the century. The Hurricanes won 34 straight games, starting with the third game of the 2000 season, going all the way up to this year's national championship loss to Ohio State.
University of Virginia president John T. Casteen was naturally thrilled with the addition of Miami and Virginia Tech, saying in a release that "the addition of these institutions solidifies the ACC's position as a preeminent conference in the South and one of the leading conferences in the nation."
In addition to benefits on the gridiron, the addition will also give the ACC another strong baseball program. The Hurricanes won the national championship in 1999 and 2001 and finished this season ranked fifth in the country.
In many other sports, however, Miami does not seem to be a good fit for the ACC. Miami does not participate in men's soccer, men's lacrosse or women's lacrosse, all sports where the conference is one of the best in the country. The women's soccer program at Miami, less than 10 years old, finished 11-11 last season against mediocre competition and will likely struggle against strong ACC competition.
The ACC is traditionally strongest in basketball and Miami has never achieved consistent success over a long-term period in the sport, having finished the 2002-03 season 11-17 overall and only 4-12 in the Big East. But Miami's recent accomplishments may be an indication that they will be a force to be reckoned with on the court.
"The ACC has the strongest tradition of any of the conferences in basketball," Miami assistant athletic director Mark Pray said. "I believe our program is stronger than it is commonly perceived to be. We had a rough year last season but we've made the NCAA tournament four out of the past six seasons."
Football is the one sport where the Hurricanes will almost certainly dominate for years to come. Even the basketball team shouldn't be counted out of competing for an ACC title. After all, the school has come a long way since 1978.
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