Honor and a blessing for 2018 Miami Hurricanes HoF inductees

Even for superstar athletes and coaches who have accomplished a lot in their sports, it was an “honor” and a “blessing” to be inducted as part of the Miami Hurricanes Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

At a school fueled by its football program, it’s not a surprise that the quotes that came out of Thursday night’s induction ceremony focused on the thoughts of Miami Hurricanes Football alums Frank Gore and Devin Hester and the last Miami Head Coach to win a National Championship, Larry Coker.

The other two well-known inductees were former Basketball stars John Salmons and current Cleveland Indians first basemen Yonder Alonso. Women’s athletes in basketball, golf, soccer and track and field were also inducted.

Coker getting inducted into the Miami Athletic Hall of Fame was an important milestone for a Head Coach often maligned by some of the Miami Hurricanes Fan Base. He’s maligned despite winning his first 24 games as a Head Coach.

In six seasons leading the Hurricanes Coker was 60-15. He was 9-3 or better in all but his final season leading the Hurricanes.

If not for an awful call at the end of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl Coker would have started his Career as a Head Coach with 32 consecutive victories and two National Championship. Coker spoke to the Palm Beach Post’s Matt Porter about never getting over the Fiesta Bowl loss.