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Hurricanes at a Glance  Head Coach  Randy Shannon  At Miami  3rd Year / 12-13 Overall  2008 Record  7-6 Overall, 4-4 ACC  Home/Road/Neutral  4-2 / 3-3 / 0-1  Off Starters Ret/Lost  6 / 5  Def Starters Ret/Lost  6 / 5  Lettermen Returning  48  Off/Def/Spec  N/A  Lettermen Lost    21  2008 Team Stats   Stat NCAA ACC  Total Offense 326.00 89 6  Rushing Offense 129.23 78 6  Passing Offense 196.77 77 7  Points/Game 27.08 50 3  Total Defense 317.46 28 7  Rushing Defense 151.85 75 12  Passing Defense 165.62 7 2  Pts Allowed/Game   24.15 56 11  Returning Stat Leaders  Rushing  Graig Cooper (841 yds, 4 TDs)  Passing  Jacory Harris (1,195 yds, 12 TDs)  Receiving  Aldarius Johnson (332 yds, 3 TDs)  Tackles  Sean Spence (65)  Sacks  Allen Bailey (5.0)  INTs    B. Harris, E. Moncur, S. Spence (1)

NORMAN, Okla. -- SoonerSports.com continues its 2009 football season preview with an in-depth look at Oklahoma's Week 4 meeting with the Miami Hurricanes.
 

Game Buildup

Two years after renewing their storied rivalry in Norman, the Sooners and Hurricanes meet again. OU is headed back to Miami for the second time in nine months after playing in the national championship game at Land Shark Stadium in January.
 

Season Outlook

In his third season, head coach Randy Shannon has the Miami program back on the rise.
 
With a roster full of underclassmen, the Hurricanes put together a 7-6 overall record and advanced to the Emerald Bowl last season. Now they are looking to take another step and compete for a conference championship.
 
The Hurricanes will be tested early with four straight Top 25 opponents to begin the season, culminating with the matchup against the Sooners.
 

Player to Watch

Sean Spence | LB | No. 31 | Sophomore
The 2008 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, Sean Spence is in line to be one of Miami's next great defensive studs.
 
He has the ability to change a game's momentum on any given play. Whether it be a crushing hit in space or blowing up the line of scrimmage, Spence can do it all.
 
With a game built around speed and tenacity, the Sooners will need to be aware of Spence's location at all times.
 
Other Key Players

RB Graig Cooper, Jr. QB Jacory Harris, So. TE Dedrick Epps, Sr. DT Marcus Forston, So. KR Travis Benjamin, So.

RB Javarris James, Sr. LB Colin McCarthy, Jr. DB Chavez Grant, Sr. WR Aldarius Johnson, So. DE Allen Bailey, Jr.

 

Scouting Miami's Offense

Miami returns a mix of young talent and experienced players at the skill positions.
 
Jacory Harris, a rangy 6-4 sophomore who can make plays with his feet as well as his arm, takes over as the full-time starter at quarterback after splitting time with Robert Marve last season. His primary targets will be sophomores Aldarius Johnson, Thearon Collier and Travis Benjamin, all who saw significant time as freshman a year ago.
 
The Hurricanes are blessed with a pair of dynamic running backs in Graig Cooper and Javarris James. These two should look familiar to the Sooners, as they were the same starting tailbacks OU faced when the teams last met in 2007.
 
Under the direction of new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, look for the Hurricanes to spread the ball around the field to utilize all of their weapons.
 

Scouting Miami's Defense

When you think Miami defenses of old, naturally you think of speed. That is exactly what the Hurricanes bring to the table in 2009. The linebackers cover a ton of ground, the lineman move like linebackers, and the secondary can simply fly.
 
Much like the offense, Miami's defensive unit is youthful but features several players who made significant contributions as freshmen. Spence, DT Marcus Forston and DE Marcus Robinson each earned Freshman All-America recognition from various publications a year ago.
 
Also returning to the lineup is junior LB Colin McCarthy, a team captain who started the first four games last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Senior CB Chavez Grant is the leader of a young Miami secondary.
 

Game Implications

Given the history between these two tradition-rich programs, this game is a battle for pride. It will be another stiff nonconference test away from home for the Sooners, who look to build some momentum heading into Big 12 play.
 
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Stay tuned throughout the summer as we provide an in-depth look at each of OU's 2009 opponents.