Behind The U

Josh Darrow sits down with legendary Canes defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, who talks about his parents’ influence and early love of football, why he chose to play for the Canes, the battles on Greentree, his appreciation for Miami’s history and tradition, why football games are won and lost in the trenches, and his thoughts on UM’s current staff and players.

Josh Darrow catches up with former Canes defensive tackle and 1983 national champion Tony Fitzpatrick, who talks about getting recruited by Miami, how Howard Schnellenberger built the program from the ground up, how the Canes built momentum during that magical season, what made the difference in UM’s upset win over Nebraska and how much fun the team had during their 40th anniversary celebration.

Josh Darrow checks in with former Canes All-American offensive lineman and NFL veteran Eric Winston, who talks about growing up under the Friday Nights Lights of West Texas, why he chose Miami, why he switched from tight end to offensive line, who were the toughest defensive linemen he faced on Greentree, and his thoughts on the future of college football on and off the field.

Josh Darrow sits down with UM’s Director of Sports Science Eric Renaghan, who talks about transitioning from strength and conditioning into sports science, working for three NHL teams, how he got connected with the Canes, how his staff leverages data to help student-athletes achieve peak performance and how he sees his field growing across college athletics. 

Josh Darrow checks in with former Canes wide receiver and current San Francisco 49ers wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson, who talks about growing up a Canes fan in South Florida, his record-breaking 2010 season at UM, the relationships he built with his teammates, his NFL playing days, and what inspired him to get into coaching. 

As the 2023 season fast approaches, Josh Darrow catches up with ESPN college football reporter David Hale, who talks about the latest conference realignment news, his ACC predictions, why Miami is Tight End U, what his Saturdays look like from a coverage perspective and how he handles the occasional “mean tweets” from fans. 

Josh Darrow checks in with former Canes and Dolphins offensive lineman Vernon Carey, who talks about who convinced him to stay home coming out of high school, the camaraderie of UM’s offensive line room, why the Canes were so dominant from 2000-02, the best play he witnessed from a teammate, how it felt to spend his NFL career in his hometown and the success of his recent restaurant venture.

Josh Darrow catches up with Canes offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, who talks about why he pursued coaching, his origins with the Air Raid offense, how he approaches working with quarterbacks, why he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to coach at Miami and what fans can expect to see from UM’s offense this season.

Josh Darrow checks in with Canes defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, who talks about his upbringing in Louisiana, how he gravitated to football, how his defensive philosophy evolved over time, why he chose to work for Mario Cristobal at Miami, what to expect from his defense this season and the keys to a good a pot of gumbo.

Josh Darrow catches up with Canes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who talks about his love of football, who inspires him, what he draws his confidence from, why he chose to stay close to home at UM, rooming with Tyler Van Dyke, how playing Madden has helped his football IQ and who has the best golf game on the team.