90 Days to Miami football: DE Kenny Holmes sack machine

Defensive end Kenny Holmes was a sack machine for the Miami football team from 1993-96. Holmes 30 sacks are third all-time in Hurricanes history.

Kenny Holmes was a part of the history of greats on the Miami defensive line from 1993-96. Holmes 30 career sacks are third all-time in Hurricanes history. Holmes recorded 11 sacks as a senior in 1996 which ranked fifth in Miami football history at the time and is currently tied for the eighth-most in Miami history.

Holmes played for Miami under Dennis Erickson and Butch Davis. In Erickson’s last game coaching for Miami. Holmes played in the 1995 Orange Bowl as a sophomore. The Hurricanes lost 24-17 to Nebraska which resulted in Cornhuskers’ head coach Tom Osborne earning his first national championship.

In Holmes’ four seasons playing for the Miami football program, the Hurricanes went 36-11. That was a sharp decline from the 88-8 record Miami had the eight years prior to Holmes signing with the Hurricanes. In addition to his 30 career sacks, Holmes recorded 207 career tackles. Holmes was also named All-Big East twice.

In Miami Football history, Kenny Holmes is the best player to ever wear number 90. Holmes was part of a great era of Miami defensive linemen. Some of the defensive linemen Holmes played with at Miami are defensive tackle, Warren Sapp and defensive ends Kennard Lang, Bill Hawkins, Rusty Medearis and Kevin Patrick.

All of the above except for Sapp rank in the top 10 in career sacks for the Miami football program. Following his Miami career, Holmes was the 18th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Oilers, the forerunner of the Tennessee Titans. Holmes played seven years in the NFL.

The first four years of Holmes’ career was spent in Tennessee and he finished his career, his final three seasons with the New York Giants. Holmes played in 98 career NFL games, starting 76. Holmes finished his NFL career with 273 tackles, 38.5 sacks, 42 tackles for loss and nine fumble recoveries.