Miami Football Scandal a Reminder of Intertwined Fate with Virginia Tech

Well "The U" is finally "The U" again, at least in one aspect. They aren’t dominating college football the way they used to but they are sure dominating the headlines. I wish I could say that this recent scandal surprised me, but I’d be lying.

The University of Miami football program has been willing to do whatever it took to win since the 1980s. Back then it was more about letting the students do whatever they so desired. It eventually led to the program's original fall from grace in 1995. At that point in time the NCAA placed sanctions on the Hurricanes that took scholarships away from the national powerhouse.

The NCAA sanctions led directly to two things. First, Miami suffered until the program was revived under Butch Davis, and second, it led to Virginia Tech’s rise to power. 1995 doesn’t seem like that long ago, but it was. Three years prior to these sanctions (in 1992) the Hokies didn’t even make a bowl game. That is the last time this was the case.

In 1993 Virginia Tech went to the Independence Bowl, where it beat Indiana. It followed with an appearance in the Gator Bowl in 1994. The Hokies hadn’t gone to back-to-back bowl games in their history before ’93 and ’94. At this point The U was still the big name in the Big East.

Miami coach Dennis Erickson left following the ’94 season and was replaced by Davis. This is where the switch between the programs originally occurred. In 1995 the University of Miami football team was hit with loss of scholarships and a one-year bowl ban from the NCAA. During that same season Virginia Tech went to Sugar Bowl and beat Texas.

Virginia Tech was the Big East dominator for the rest of the '90s. Davis left after the 2000 season, handing the reins over to Larry Coker.  The Hurricanes were about to come back in full force. Miami won the national title in 2001 and had a 39 regular-season game-winning streak (snapped by VT).

It took Miami five years to recover from the NCAA sanctions it dealt with in the mid-'90s. In the entire scheme of things that is nothing. It came through it without as much as a scratch, it seems. The Canes are facing a lot worse right now. The “death penalty” is a phrase being thrown around—by NCAA president Mark Emmert, no less. It has only been used once (on SMU), and the Mustangs still haven’t fully recovered.

If Miami gets hit with worse sanctions this time around it will be a long road to recovery. When the original sanctions came down in ’95 it opened the recruiting doors to Florida, specifically the city of Miami. Two of Virginia Tech’s best players of the past decade (Brandon Flowers and Jayron Hosley) are from Miami. Before 1995 Virginia Tech couldn’t have dreamed of getting top prospects from behind enemy lines.

If this mess with Miami gets as ugly as it could, the recruits in Florida will be ripe for the picking. Schools around the country will be able to get top recruits. There are three schools that will benefit the most from any sanctions thrown Miami’s way. Both Florida and Florida State will be among the first in line to pick off those top recruits that would have gone to Miami. I also think that Virginia Tech would receive a similar boost to the one it received in 1995.

Miami hasn’t won the ACC since it joined but the program seems to win the recruiting battle every year. That is about to change. The death of Miami football would have terrible ramifications on the rest of the ACC, but those teams likely (secretly) hope for similar sanctions to those in 1995. Miami’s football program hangs in the balance, and there are no doubt three schools licking their chops because of it.