87 Days to Miami football: Reggie Wayne Canes all-time leading receiver

Reggie Wayne set the Miami football record with 173 receptions from 1997-2000. Wayne teamed with Santana Moss to form the best duo in Hurricanes’ history.

Reggie Wayne is the unquestioned best number 87 in the history of the Miami football program. Wayne holds the Hurricanes record with 173 career receptions, is 37 yards behind Santana Moss with 2,510 yards for the all-time Miami receiving yardage record and tied for fourth with 20 career receiving touchdowns.

Wayne was extremely consistent throughout his four years in the green and orange. As a freshman in 1997, Wayne had his collegiate high with 48 receptions and 640 yards receiving with two touchdowns. In his final three seasons, Wayne had 42, 40 and 43 receptions for 629, 486 and 755 receiving yards.

Wayne doubled his receiving TD output as a sophomore and junior with four in each season. While Wayne remained consistent with his season reception output between 40 and 48, he broke out as a senior setting career highs with 755 receiving yards, 10 TDs and 17.1 yards per reception average.

The development of Wayne and Moss throughout their careers mirrored the progress that the Miami football program had under Butch Davis. Wayne and Moss arrived in Coral Gables in the third year of the Davis regime and their last season coincided with Davis accepting the head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns.

Miami went 5-6 in Moss and Wayne’s freshman season in 1997. Those were followed up by a 9-3 record in their sophomore season in 1998 and 9-4 as juniors in 1999. With Wayne and Moss as seniors being thrown the ball by Miami QB Ken Dorsey in 2000, the Hurricanes went 11-1 and just missed the BCS Championship Game.

After

ending a five-game losing streak to Florida State

earlier in the season,  Miami was snubbed by the BCS computers formula from playing Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. The Seminoles earned the nod and lost 13-2 to the Sooners for the BCS Championship. Miami had the best consolation possible with a Sugar Bowl berth.

The Florida Gators awaited in New Orleans. After an Earnest Graham 36-yard TD gave Florida a 17-13 lead in the third quarter the game was all Hurricanes in the final 28 minutes. Wayne and Moss contributed as Dorsey spread the ball around. Wayne finished with three receptions for 49 yards in his final college game.

Miami outscored Florida 24-3 in the final 28 minutes to win the Sugar Bowl and at the time stake their claim to the National Championship. Oklahoma defeated Florida State to finish off an undefeated season and win the undisputed national championship. That motivated Miami for its 2001 National Championship.

Moss finished six receptions for 89 yards in his last performance. The 40 more receiving yards by Moss was the difference in becoming Miami’s all-time leader in receiving yards. Wayne was a first-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2001 NFL Draft. Returning to Miami, Wayne won Super Bowl XLI with Indianapolis.