Thoughts on Miami-FIU Brawl

The U. of Miami has a team which has been in the top-25 for almost the last two decades, but not this year.

I was an adjunct professor for a while at FIU. I followed the Golden Panthers only marginally. I followed the Hurricanes this year until this game. I think that when Miami plays a game with a local rival---although this was hardly a rivalry, as the two teams never played a game before---attention must be paid to local feelings, which may have some people supporting FIU who at the end of the season will be rooting for Miami if it makes it to a major bowl.

Miami supposedly started the chain of events with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after an end scoring a touchdown dissed the FIU bench by bowing ceremoniously.

This is hardly cause for a complete meltdown, but feelings must have run high on the FIU bench, as it emptied onto the field after the extra point.

Coach Cofer has obviously lost control of elements of his team if recent performances and this brawl are any indication. It might be time to start a search for a successor. Losing to Louisville was almost unforgiveable [as local FAU coach Howard Schellenberger started up the Louisville program back in the '70s before he headed south]. Losing to FSU is always unforgiveable!

Sad that U.Miami has to see its national reputation sink so far so fast. Maybe Schellenberger could be persuaded to be Cofer's successor.