More glory for two greats
Hoeppner, Roethlisberger of '03 title squad to be honored
OXFORD - Miami will honor the two driving forces of the team that won the program's most recent Mid-American Conference football championship during pregame and halftime ceremonies at Yager Stadium Saturday, when the RedHawks play Bowling Green for Homecoming.
A commemorative plaque will be hung in the Cradle of Coaches Plaza at halftime in honor of former head coach Terry Hoeppner, who died on June 19 of brain cancer.
A moment of silence in Hoeppner's honor will be observed before the national anthem and after pregame ceremonies, during which the No. 7 jersey of record-setting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be retired.
"This is a chance to honor two very important greats," said Miami coach Shane Montgomery, who was named Hoeppner's replacement after Hoeppner left Miami for Indiana. "It's great to recognize Ben and Terry at the same time, especially since Terry was very important in Ben's life, right up to the day he died.
"It's good to get people like that back here because they meant so much - to each other and to the program."
Hoeppner spent 19 seasons at Miami, the last six - from 1999 through 2004 - as head coach, compiling a 48-25 record. The 2003 team went 13-1, beat Louisville in the GMAC Bowl and finished the season ranked 10th in the Associated Press poll.
Hoeppner's wife, Jane, will be in attendance Saturday.
Roethlisberger, who left Miami after his junior season and was selected 11th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2004 NFL draft, owns almost every Miami single-game, single-season and career passing record and has MAC records for completions and yards in a season.
The fourth-year NFL player, who led Pittsburgh to victory in Super Bowl XL, is available this weekend because the Steelers have a bye.
Montgomery enjoyed the coincidence that Bowling Green is Miami's opponent on Saturday.
"That's the team they beat twice that year," he said of the 2003 RedHawks. The Falcons, then in the MAC West Division, lost to Miami in the regular season and in the MAC championship game.