[bigboydan]

this is a big blow for the canes right out of the gate when they have to play FSU in the opener.

4 Hurricanes suspended for Florida State game
August 1, 2006

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Four Miami Hurricane players, including running back Tyrone Moss and receiver Ryan Moore, were suspended for the Sept. 4 season opener against Florida State because they violated team policy.

Linebacker James Bryant and receiver Rashaun Jones also were suspended, coach Larry Coker said Tuesday.


Moore's suspension will include the second game of the season against Florida A&M. He was suspended for the Peach Bowl at the end of last season.

Coker declined to say what prompted the punishment.

"It's all the same incident," he said. "The message is pretty clear -- we have high standards here. We're a program of quality kids. And these kids are good kids. They're not bad kids. But we've got to get this message across."

The suspended players will continue to practice with the team.

"These players are going to come back," Coker said. "They're going to have outstanding years. I believe that. But it won't be the first game."

Moss, a senior, rushed for 701 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games last year before a knee injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. He'll be replaced by junior Charlie Jones, who rushed for 507 yards last year.

Moore, a senior, started nine games last season and caught 28 passes for 464 yards and four touchdowns. Bryant and Jones played mostly on special teams in 2005.

"When you lose good players, obviously it has an effect," Coker said. "But our expectations haven't diminished."

The suspensions are the latest blow this summer for a program accustomed to contending for the national title and trying to rebound from disappointing 9-3 records the past two years.

Former top recruit Willie Williams has been seeking to transfer. Reserve safety Willie Cooper was shot in the buttocks by an unknown assailant but escaped serious injury.

"It has been a tough offseason," Coker said. "There are some things that always go on with a major-college program that you have to deal with. But the key is to deal with them. That's what I want to do."

[pags11]

Is Coker purposely trying to lose his job here?...man, he's got some balls...

[bigboydan]

i think he's just trying to maintain control of his team pags.

[onlooker]

Lets see if the Seminoles can take advantage and win this game. Probably not though, they always seem to choke against the Hurricanes.

[bigboydan]

the canes fans should be happy it's the first game of the year when this happened. just think if it happened when they played VT or BC really late in the season. at least you can recover from a week 1 loss.