Out of the Shadows FIU’S Football Team Got Everyone’S Attention Last Season with Its first Championship and Bowl Win
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Ready for more: #97 Tourek Williams, #71 Caylin Hauptmann, #28 Darriet Perry, #7 Jonathan Cyprien, #4 T.Y. Hilton, #13 Wesley Carroll, #27 Jose Cheeseborough Walk into the FIU football of!ces and you are greeted by the sparkling gold 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl Champions trophy and the 2010 Sun Belt Champion trophy. That’s the only taste of glory you’re going to get at FIU Stadium these days. Head downstairs to Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium for a Panthers off-season workout and there are no reminders of the historic 2010 FIU football season. Instead, there’s sweat. On this early, humid, sweltering summer morning, the 2010 Sun Belt Champions are mercilessly running 110-yard sprints. That’s followed by team drills run by junior and senior players. Working even harder – that’s how a team that’s just emerged into the spotlight takes it to the next level. All eyes will be on FIU this season as it looks to solidify its place at the top. The team faces a challenging non-conference schedule and knows every Sun Belt team will be looking to knock them down. The players say they are ready to defend their title starting Sept. 1 with the season and home-opening kickoff against North Texas. Continues next page Out of the Shadows FIU’s football team got everyone’s attention last season with its first championship and bowl win. Now they are hungry for more. Story by Pete Pelegrin ’96 and photos by Josh Ritchie 36 | FALL 2011 FALL 2011 | 37 Home field named after alumnus David F. Alfonso family Alumnus David F. Alfonso ’96 has a prediction for FIU graduates Alfonso is a Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association and a Continued who have never been to an FIU football game: “Come to the !rst member of the FIU Foundation Board of Directors. During the spring game on Sept. 1, and you will come to all the rest.” 2011 College of Business Administration commencement, President “We demand so much more of ourselves against Central Florida (Sept. 17) and Duke (Oct. has been phenomenal for recruiting. Prospects When you do, you’ll be watching FIU’s champion football team Mark B. Rosenberg awarded Alfonso the FIU Medallion honoring him because we know what we’re capable of,” senior 1). ESPN will televise the Panthers’ !rst road all over the country no longer have to worry play on the newly named Alfonso Field at as “one of South Florida’s leading businessmen, FIU Stadium. Alfonso and the FIU Athletic proud and generous FIU alumnus and exemplary quarterback Wesley Carroll said. “You have to game of 2011 when FIU plays at Louisville on about their families being able to watch them Department announced the !ve-year naming role model for our community.” set the bar higher. The standards here at FIU are Sept. 9. And like the Pizza Bowl last Dec. 26, the play, for they will be on national television on rights for the home !eld last spring. In accepting the FIU Medallion, Alfonso told the higher than they ever have been.” games on Oct. 18 (at Arkansas State) and Oct. multiple occasions.” “Although this is incredibly ful!lling for our graduates to “never forget how much this university Although the 2010 season will always be 25 (vs. Troy) will be the only football games being Selected as one of the premier adidas schools family, this is solely about FIU and the path our did for you.” He worked full-time while he !nished athletic program is on to becoming national his degree in international relations and more than special for FIU, the Panthers are only looking played on those respective nights. Both those in the nation, the Panthers will don new seamless contenders,” said Alfonso, the chairman and a decade passed before he returned to campus forward. Tuesday night games will be carried by ESPN2. uniforms made by adidas this season. FIU will chief executive of!cer of Empire Investment in 2008. The university he saw “truly provoked “It’s the !rst time that FIU football has still wear two sets of jerseys and pants: one Holdings. “Support from alumni and friends a feeling that you get when you visit any other keeps the university moving forward. Our nationally respected university that carries strong achieved true success. It has made us midnight blue and the other white. support further inspires student-athletes, traditions and a loyal following.” hungrier,” said Head Coach Mario Cristobal. While the uniforms will be new, the coaches and staff who work so hard to “We all share the same responsibility – that is, “We continually demand more of ourselves. Panthers will !eld a veteran team in 2011. represent FIU with distinction and to engender to recognize how important our role is to provide a great sense of pride and excitement.” ongoing support through time and treasury,” he told The 2010 season is in the history books. FIU has 14 seniors and 27 juniors on this Executive Director of Sports and the graduates. We are completely focused on being an year’s roster. The majority of those 41 Entertainment Pete Garcia praised the support Athletics, Alfonso said, are a key ingredient in improved football team in 2011. We will players have played all 25 games the last the Alfonso family has shown to Athletics. In maintaining that connection between graduates and addition to the naming gift for the !eld, Alfonso the university. Alfonso brings his whole family – wife maintain the attitude of being the ‘hunter.’” two seasons. is a donor to the Living Scholar program, which Linda and two daughters Madison and Victoria – to Since they joined the Sun Belt Conference The offense will feature senior starters helps support scholarships for student-athletes. FIU football games. in 2005, the Panthers have had their target at the skill positions with Carroll, Perry, “This is a perfect example of the commitment “They love coming to the games,” he said. “It needed to build a winning program,” Garcia really is a family environment and a lot of fun. set on perennial conference powers Troy receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight end Jonathan said. “David’s vision is on par with what we are looking to accomplish I encourage our alumni and friends to come out and see it for and Middle Tennessee. FIU had been Faucher. The offensive line, which anchored here at FIU. It only seems !tting that his name be associated with the themselves. There is no reason why this stadium can’t be !lled chasing a Sun Belt title the last !ve years FIU’s most proli!c rushing season in athletic program. Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium continues to be the completely considering most of my fellow alumni reside right here crown jewel of FIU Athletics.” in South Florida.” until the Panthers went into Troy’s home 2010 with 2,438 yards, returns most of its stadium and knocked the crown off the core. Ceedrick Davis replaces Brad Serini 2009 champion Trojans last fall. at center. Both Cedric Mack and Serini Still, last season’s 7-6 record leaves plenty graduated. of room for improvement. Among the team’s On defense, the Panthers will be led by goals is to become a more balanced and new defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, explosive offense and to improve its record who replaces Geoff Collins. He inherits a in and out of conference. burgeoning defensive line led by Tourek “We’re going to build off of last year,” Williams and Josh Forney. FIU will need to Tailgating: The Alumni Association Sept. 17 vs. Central Florida, 6 p.m., offenses in the ACC. FIU and Duke have never met in any of the three major sports (football, senior running back Darriet Perry said. “This replace Toronto Smith at linebacker and Panther Pit Tailgates start two hours ESPN3. This will be the !rst of four scheduled games between the intrastate rivals with two baseball, basketball). year has to be better.” Anthony Gaitor at cornerback, both of before kickoff at every home game. The Tailgate games in Miami and two in Orlando in the next Oct. 25 vs. Troy, 8 p.m., ESPN2. It’s a Finishing atop the Sun Belt and playing an whom graduated. Gaitor was also drafted Village, which debuted last season, is back with four years. FIU and UCF tend to compete for the music, food, activities for kids, games, prizes, same recruits, so the winner of this game could rematch of the two best teams in the Sun Belt exciting brand of athletic, explosive football by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. gain an upper hand in the recruiting battle. The Conference. FIU knocked out Troy 52-35 and bounce houses and the iconic Panther Arch in Panthers and the Knights never played before on took the Sun Belt Championship last season from that was on full display in the rousing Cristobal has told his team to adopt the Lot 6 next to the stadium. Everyone is welcome. the gridiron. the Trojans in Alabama. The spotlight will shine on 34-32 Pizza Bowl win, the Panthers caught the The six national TV games mean a lot for the mantra of being “1-0” every day in practice and FIU Stadium for this Tuesday night as it will be the Here’s the lineup of home games: Sept. 24 vs. Louisiana, time and TV only game played in America on this day. It will attention of national television networks for this university, Cristobal said. The exposure opens in every game. In other words, win each practice are TBA.