CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The interpretation of Miami (Fla.)’s 2017 season will differ depending on whom you ask.
The good? The Hurricanes won 10 games in Mark Richt’s second year at the helm. The bad? Those 10 wins came in their first 10 games, and then The U fizzled at the end to finish 10-3.
Back when it was undefeated, Miami was No. 2 in the College Football Playoff committee's rankings for Week 13. A stunning 24-14 loss at Pittsburgh preceded a 38-3 whooping at the hands of Clemson in the ACC title game, followed by a 34-24 defeat to Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl where the Badgers were clearly the more physical team.
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Richt, the only current ACC head coach who leads his alma mater, has recorded nine and 10 wins in his two seasons at Miami. The national consensus among media in 2017 was that the Hurricanes were too far ahead of schedule and their rapid success caught up to them.
Those within the program still sense positive momentum despite last year's finish.
"I definitely think teams have learned to respect us," senior safety Jaquan Johnson said at the ACC Kickoff on Wednesday. "I read something, I'm not sure what coach said it, but it was something about how Miami, if you get them in a close game, they're not going to finish. This was, like, two years ago.”
Johnson said that finishing strong was a point of emphasis all year long despite the three losses. He's hopeful the team takes that sentiment more seriously this season.
"We used those three games that we lost. We try to not lose them. We talk about finishing," Johnson said. “That's one of the main things. We've got to start fast and finish strong. We started fast last year, but we didn't finish strong.
"We have to have an attack mindset the entire season. That's the only way you can win it all."
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An undeniable harbinger of Miami’s early success in 2017 was the turnover chain, which turned into a part of The U's national brand. Johnson became the movement's poster child last season as he put up a team-high 96 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
On Wednesday, Johnson confirmed that the turnover chain is making a "definite" comeback this season.
"It's the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's really the greatest thing since the 10-bite sandwich, actually,” Richt joked. “People ask me about that. First of all, I didn't know about the turnover chain until the first game. … I don't even think I touched it until the season was over.
"That thing is about six pounds. I mean, it is a thick, Cuban link chain with that big U. It is gaudy and it's beautiful."
But Richt also acknowledged that it could have backfired on the team if it didn't force enough turnovers, and in fact it did at the end of the season. ESPN’s camera’s caught Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst commenting on the chain after the Orange Bowl.
Paul Chryst. “Turnover chain my F’ing a**” Love it. On Wisconsin.#Wisconsin #Badgers #OrangeBowl pic.twitter.com/tnsNQgw8De
— Matthew Young (@Matthew_Aaron19) December 31, 2017
“It did create an awful lot of excitement for our team,” Richt said. “It created an awful lot of excitement for our fans, not just at the games but around the country. It was a special thing.”
As the Hurricanes work to become more consistent, they have a tough test right off the bat vs. LSU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sept. 2. Johnson will lead the efforts again, returning for his senior season even though he would have been a surefire NFL Draft pick last spring. The Miami native is determined to maintain the upward trajectory of the Richt era at his hometown school.
“You know, you learn that when you're committed to the University of Miami, you are committing to the University of Miami. Unfortunately, this game, coaches have to get fired and things of that nature, but I'm happy that we did get Coach Richt to come in (to replace Al Golden)," Johnson said. "You believe, you buy in right away. Some guys resist, but for me, I bought in right away.
“I was looking forward to the change, and I trusted the process, and I believed in everything that Coach Richt said, and I'm sitting up here now.”