Veritas, Vol. 44, No. 05, February 2002

              A category 5 victory: ’Canes win fifth National Championship
David Wilson awarded McLamore Outstanding Service Award
Case closed. This time, it didn’t matter what the BCS computer said. One year after being denied a chance to play for the undisputed crown of college football, the Hurricane football team earned a little “sweet” revenge, hammering the Nebraska Cornhuskers 37-14 in the Rose Bowl to capture their fifth National Championship and first crown in ten years.
With its convincing win, the top-ranked Hurricanes completed a perfect season, 12-0, leaving no doubt as to who is No. 1. While Nebraska’s Eric Crouch won the Heisman Trophy, the Hurricane football team claimed the one that counts most: the Sears Trophy, awarded by the USAToday/ESPN coaches’ poll.
“We talked about talent all along, but the thing that sets this team apart is character,” said UM head coach Larry Coker. “They refuse to give in, refuse to flinch. They’ve done what they’ve had to do, week in and week out.” Coker became the first head coach since 1948 to lead a team to the National Championship in his first year at the helm.
The Hurricanes used a quick-
David L. Wilson, a professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the University’s new undergraduate program in the neurosciences, is the recipient of the Faculty Senate’s 2001 James W. McLamore Outstanding Service Award. Established in 1987, the award recognizes a member of the University community for service “above and beyond the call of duty.”
Wilson has been known as a dedicated leader in teaching, research, and governance during a 30-year UM career in which he has held several key positions, including chair of the Faculty Senate and associate provost for research and dean of the graduate school.
“He’s someone who has extraordinary talent and has accomplished many things for the best interests not of himself, but of this institution,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Luis Glaser at the awards ceremony.
“He is ambitious, but his ambition is not focused on himself but on the University,” said Jane Connolly, an associate professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures who was recruited to the UM 16 years ago by Wilson when he was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “He often works silently behind the scenes to support the University’s mission.”
Connolly noted Wilson’s work with a student organization called Solutions, which was formed last year to foster intellectual exchange between faculty members and students. “Although he gladly speaks of the students participating in this program as shining examples of what UM is about,
I have never heard him mention his own role as advisor to this group,” said Connolly.
Wilson’s UM career began in 1972 at the School of Medicine. “When I first arrived at the medical school, it was only the exceptional undergraduate from the University of Miami that we wanted to have as a medical student,” said Wilson. “But today we are producing many of the finest medical students not only for UM but for medical schools in the state and throughout the nation. Now that I’m on the Coral Gables campus as a teacher, I have the privilege of teaching bright students whose careers will distribute across the spectrum and will become the leaders of tomorrow.”
Wilson is director of a new neuroscience program aimed at creating an undergraduate neuroscience major with a research-based curriculum that incorporates a modern neuroscience laboratory course, a new major track in neurobiology, and the teaching participation of faculty from various units of the University.
With his mother and father, several colleagues, and two of his former students in attendance at his awards ceremony, Wilson said he believes it is
to be involved in choosing some of them when I served as dean. Now I reap the rewards by working with them as colleagues. We can become even
Present at the McLamore Award ceremony were, from left to right, Steven Green, chair of the Faculty Senate; Jane Connolly, associate professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures; David L. Wilson; Nancy McLamore, widow of the late James W McLamore; and Luis Glaser, executive vice president and provost.
important to serve the University and applauded the work of the institution’s faculty.
“I’ve watched our faculty become more talented. We’ve become a place where many very good and some great scholars have joined our efforts at advancing and disseminating knowledge,” said Wilson. “It was a pleasure
greater and do even more, and I hope to keep contributing to those efforts.” Wilson is the 14th recipient of the McLamore Award. Past winners have included President Emeritus and Chancellor Edward T. Foote II, Athletic Director Paul Dee, and Dean Emeritus of the School of Medicine Bernard Fogel.
strike, big-play offense in overpowering the Cornhuskers. Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey, who shared Rose Bowl most valuable player honors with
receiver Andre Johnson, opened the scoring with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Johnson. The two also hooked up on an eight-yard TD reception before half-
time. Dorsey threw for 362 yards, breaking George Mira’s 40-year-old UM bowl record, while Johnson caught seven passes for 199 yards.
Receiver Andre Johnson, left, celebrates his eight-yard touchdown reception with tight end Jeremy Shockey. Above: Johnson breaks free from a Nebraska defender for a long gain.
Other Miami scores included a 39-yard touchdown run by running back Clinton Portis, who finished with 104 rushing yards on 20 carries; a
47-yard interception returned for a touchdown by safety James Lewis; and a 21-yard TD reception by tight end Jeremy Shockey.
The Hurricanes piled up 472 yards of total offense against a Nebraska squad that was ranked eighth nationally in defense. The offensive line, anchored by Outland Trophy winner Bryant McKinnie, did not give up a sack. Meanwhile, the Miami defense was just as dominating, holding the Cornhusker rushing offense, whose 314-yards-per-game average ranked first in the nation, to just 197 ground yards.
“This is the best Miami team ever,” Portis said after the game. “I know it for sure.”
Last year, the Hurricanes were edged out of the Bowl Championship Series title game in the Orange Bowl by cross-state rival Florida State. But this season, Miami players vowed to not only make it to Pasadena, but win. Their drive for five is over. Mission accomplished.
"We talked about talent all along,
but the thing that sets this team apart is character."
Veritas
February 2002
Volume 44 • Number 5
For the Faculty and Staff of the University of Miami