Feb. 3, 2001

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CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) - University of Miami athletic director Paul Dee today announced that Larry Coker has been named the 19th head coach of the Hurricane football program. Coker, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at UM since 1995.

"Our search for a new head football coach focused on our intent to hire what we consider the complete coach, a person who possesses exceptional ability in leadership, a commitment to academic excellence, has tremendous integrity and is proven to be an outstanding recruiter," said Dee. "Larry Coker meets all of these requirements, in addition to being a man who can keep the Miami football family together and lead our program to continued success."

"I'm elated and excited to be named the head football coach at the University of Miami," said Coker. "I'm excited about the opportunity and about the chance to lead our program to continued success. It's a tremendous honor and responsibility to lead this program. I relish the challenge to live up to the tradition of success that Miami football has established. Now we have to focus on the job at hand and get back to work."

COKER'S COACHING CAREER
Coker, 52, takes the reins of the Miami program after six seasons as offensive coordinator. Coker's highly successful stint at UM is his most recent stop in a 31-year coaching career, including the last 22 seasons as an assistant at the collegiate level.

Prior to that, Coker was offensive coordinator at Tulsa (1980-82), Oklahoma State (1983-89) and the University of Oklahoma (1990-92). Coker also was in charge of quarterbacks at Miami prior to his appointment as head coach. He also has been quarterbacks coach at Tulsa (1979) and Ohio State (1995).

Wherever Coker has gone in his coaching career, success has been sure to follow. The Weleetka, Oklahoma, native has been on college teams that have made 12 bowl appearances and Coker's teams have been victorious in 10 of those 12 games, including a 4-0 mark as an assistant at Miami.

TURNAROUND AT TULSA
His coaching career began in 1979 at Tulsa as the running backs and quarterbacks coach under head coach John Cooper. Coker was named TU's offensive coordinator in 1980, a post he held for three seasons before moving on to Oklahoma State University in 1983.

MOLDING A HEISMAN WINNER
In Coker's first season at Oklahoma State, he was on the staff with former UM head coach Jimmy Johnson (then OSU's head coach) who took the head coaching job at Miami in 1984. Coker remained at Oklahoma State through the 1989 season, working from 1984-89 under head coach Pat Jones as the Cowboys annually produced one of the nation's most potent offenses.

During his seven seasons in Stillwater, Coker developed the talents of several outstanding players, most notably running back Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. At OSU, Coker's offenses became indicative of the unit he has produced at Miami, a balanced attack featuring an explosive passing game combined with a running game that can bruise opponents and take over a contest. The Cowboys finished ranked in the national polls four times during that span, highlighted by a No. 5 final ranking in the United Press International (UPI) poll at the conclusion of the 1984 season.

Coker's most memorable season at Oklahoma State came in 1988 when Sanders, to that point an unheralded backup to Thomas, burst into the national spotlight with an unforgettable season that was just part of an offensive explosion that saw the Cowboys lead the nation in scoring with an average of more than 48 points per game.

While Sanders was rushing for more than 2,000 yards on the way to winning the Heisman Trophy, OSU's deadly passing attack also flourished as quarterback Mike Gundy set several Big 8 Conference passing records, including a conference mark for passing yards in a bowl game. Overall, Coker tutored two running backs at OSU who went on to lead the nation in rushing: Sanders (1988) and Gerald Hudson (1990).

Oklahoma State produced six winning seasons in Coker's seven years directing the Cowboys offense. During that period, the Cowboys averaged more than 350 yards per game of total offense four times including a school-record average of 515.2 yards per game (317.5 rushing, 197.7 passing) in 1988. OSU was 56-26-0 (.783) during Coker's time in Stillwater.

A NEW ATTACK AT OKLAHOMA
In 1990, Coker moved on to the University of Oklahoma as offensive coordinator for the Sooners under head coach Gary Gibbs and constructed the most potent passing offense in OU history to that point. As part of a plan to diversify an attack that had historically been rush-oriented, Coker's unit in 1990 produced 401 points (36.5 points per game) on the way to an 8-3 record.

The 1991 Sooners finished 9-3, including a Gator Bowl victory, and tied a school mark for fewest turnovers in a season with 18. That team finished the season ranked 16th in the final Associated Press rankings. Coker's 1992 unit continued that explosive, yet efficient, trend. That season the Sooners set school records for pass completions (158), passing yards (2,214) and passing yards per game (201.3 ypg). The Sooners went 22-10-2 (.647) during Coker's stay in Norman before a new opportunity beckoned in the Big Ten Conference.

AT OHIO STATE
A defensive back during his playing days at Northeastern Oklahoma State, Coker showed his versatility as a coach when he made the move to become a part of head coach John Cooper's staff at Ohio State prior to the 1993 season. The move not only reunited Coker with Cooper, his former boss during Coker's stint as an assistant at Tulsa, but to showcase his acumen as a football man on both sides of the ball.

Coker coached the Buckeye defensive backs during the 1993 and 1994 seasons as Ohio State fielded one of the nation's toughest defensive units while finishing among the nation's top teams in both seasons. The Buckeyes finished the 1993 season ranked 11th in the Associated press rankings. OSU's 1994 team was 14th in the final AP polls.

MIAMI MAGIC
After an offseason shift to quarterbacks coach at Ohio State, Coker joined Butch Davis at Miami when he was named the Hurricanes' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on February 10, 1995. Since his arrival in Miami, Coker's offenses have produced three of the school's four 1,000-yard rushers (Danyell Ferguson, Edgerrin James and James Jackson), six first-team All-Americans (center K.C. Jones in 1996, tackle Richard Mercier in 1999, tight end Bubba Franks in 1999, receiver/return man Santana Moss in 2000, tackle Joaquin Gonzalez in 2000 and tackle Bryant McKinnie in 2000), and one BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year (Moss, 2000), plus 19 first-team All-BIG EAST honorees.

Miami has won 51 of 71 games since Coker's arrival, including two conference titles, and has averaged 406.2 yards per game while scoring at a clip of 32.9 points per contest. Miami has produced 500 or more yards of total offense in 15 games since 1995, while amassing 600 or more yards four times under Coker's tutelage.

COKER'S MIAMI OFFENSES

1995
His first offense at UM helped lead the Hurricanes to an 8-3 record and a BIG EAST Conference co-championship. Three Miami players (center K.C. Jones, running back Danyell Ferguson and wide receiver Jammi German) earned first-team all-conference honors. Ferguson became only the third Miami running back to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a season. The Hurricanes averaged 365.5 yards per game in 1995, scoring at a pace of 27 points per contest while notching seven consecutive victories to close the regular season.

1996
Coker's 1996 unit averaged 411.6 yards and 33.5 points per game as the Hurricanes completed a 9-3 season with a victory over Virginia in the Carquest Bowl. Center K.C. Jones earned first-team All-America acclaim and Miami finished 6-2 in the BIG EAST. Quarterbacks Ryan Clement and Scott Covington combined to throw for 3,176 yards and 23 touchdowns for the season.

1997
The 1997 Miami offense produced two freshman All-Americans (tight end Bubba Franks and wide receiver Reggie Wayne), the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year (Wayne) and three BIG EAST All-Conference selections (lineman Kerlin Blaise, running back Edgerrin James and cornerback Duane Starks). That offense produced another 1,000-yard rusher in James and the BIG EAST's leading passer (Covington) while the Canes averaged 392.2 yards per contest and scored 28.5 points per game. This offense was the first in UM history to rush for more than 300 yards in three consecutive games.

1998
Coker's 1998 offense ranked 10th nationally in scoring (36.5 points per game), averaged 248.5 yards per game through the air and produced 451.5 yards per game of total offense as the Hurricanes finished the season 9-3 and whipped North Carolina State in the Micron PC Bowl. Running back Edgerrin James spearheaded a rushing game that averaged 202.9 yards per game with 1,416 yards on the ground. The Hurricanes capped the regular season with a memorable upset victory over top-ranked UCLA with Coker's offense outgunning the vaunted Bruin attack in a 49-45 victory at the Orange Bowl. Three Hurricane offensive players earned all-conference honors (James, tackle Richard Mercier and tight end Bubba Franks) and tackle Joaquin Gonzalez was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, the first offensive lineman to earn that honor.

1999
Miami again ranked among the nation's scoring leaders (14th) with an average of 33.7 points per game and the Hurricanes ranked second in total offense (404.4 ypg), passing offense (230.5 ypg) and was third in rushing offense (173.0 ypg). Coker's ability as quarterbacking tutor was proven under fire as the unit overcame the loss of starting quarterback Kenny Kelly to an injury to become the BIG EAST's most balanced offense for the fifth consecutive season. With true freshman Ken Dorsey taking over under center, Miami closed out the season with its most productive three-game scoring stretch ever as UM notched an amazing 155 points over a three-game span. The 9-4 season was capped with an impressive win over Georgia Tech in the Toyota Gator Bowl, allowing UM to finish 15th in the national polls and setting up. Four players earned first-team All-BIG EAST (tight end Bubba Franks, offensive lineman Richard Mercier, receiver Santana Moss, lineman Ty Wise), and two (Franks and Mercier) received All-America recognition.

2000
Miami returned to college football's elite with an impressive 11-1 season in which the Hurricanes knocked off Florida State, Virginia Tech and Florida behind one of the nation's most explosive offensive arsenals. Quarterback Ken Dorsey and receivers Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne teamed with running back James Jackson to produce an explosion of points and yardage. Add to that an offensive line that was virtually impregnable (allowing only eight quarterback sacks) and Coker's troops were almost impossible to contain. The Hurricanes set a BIG EAST record by scoring 469 points during the regular season (a school record) and added 37 more in a Sugar Bowl romp over Florida. Miami's 460.8 yards per game ranked fifth nationally in total offense while UM's 42.6 points per game ranked second in the NCAA. Behind the passing of Dorsey, Miami finished with a team passing efficiency of 152.8 to rank third in the NCAA. Five Hurricanes (Dorsey, Moss, Wayne, offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and tackle Joaquin Gonzalez) earned first-team All-BIG EAST honors. Moss was named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1966-69: Four-year letterman at defensive back, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma

EDUCATION
1973: M.S. in Guidance Counseling and Physical Education, Northeastern State Univ., Tahlequah, Oklahoma
1970: B.S. in History, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma

PERSONAL DATA

What They're Saying . . .

"I would like to express my congratulations and my thanks to Coach Coker for assuming this position. I am pleased that the great 'Canes tradition will continue smoothly into its next era."

"I wish the best to Coach Coker and his coaching associates as well as the Hurricanes."
-Edward T. Foote II
University of Miami President

"Our search for a new head football coach focused on our intent to hire what we consider the complete coach, a person who possesses exceptional ability in leadership, a commitment to academic excellence, has tremendous integrity and is proven to be an outstanding recruiter.

"Larry Coker meets all of these requirements, in addition to being a man who can keep the Miami football family together and lead our program to continued success."

"We wanted a coach who understands what Miami football is about, a man who understands why Hurricane football is so special. Larry Coker has been an integral part of our program for six years and knows better than most the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead."
-Paul Dee
Miami Athletic Director

"It was important in our search, that we identify the individual who would keep our football program amongst the finest in the nation. We wanted to ensure that our new coach had the ability to develop winners both off the field and on. We are confident that Larry Coker is this individual."

"In his six years as offensive coordinator he has shown the leadership skills and coaching knowledge that now allow him to lead our football program. He will make all of us in the University of Miami family proud."
-Dr. Edward Dauer
Trustee - University of Miami Athletic Advisory Committee

"Excellent! He's the man we wanted and he's the man who can keep us on the right track. This is not only great for the guys who are returning, but it sends a great message to any recruits out there. Coach Coker will do great things at UM and I'm excited about being a part of the start of his head coaching career."
-Brett Romberg
junior center

"I'm very happy about Coach Coker taking over the program. This allows us to keep going where we left off with Coach Davis. Also, it allows us to continue with the system we have. That also helps the younger players who are learning our system to make an impact, instead of starting over with something new."
-Bryant McKinnie
junior left tackle

"This is exactly what the players wanted and I know we're all extremely happy about Coach Coker being named the new head coach. It's great to know that we will not have to learn a new system and deal with all that involves. He's the best man for the job, not just for our offense, but for the entire program."
-Ken Dorsey
sophomore quarterback

"It's a great decision by the University. There was a lot of concern on the team about continuing on with what we've been building. With Coach Coker in charge, we will continue what we've started. The entire program will benefit from this, in more ways than anyone can imagine. We have a national championship in our sights and I know Coach Coker is the man who can get us there."
-Matt Walters
sophomore defensive tackle