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		Randy Shannon at the “U” By Jeremy Kahn December 24, 2008

	Miami Hurricanes head coach Randy Shannon is a lifer in the city of Miami, and at the University of Miami Hurricanes for that matter. Shannon played his high school at Beth Am Day School and at Norland High School. After graduating high school, Shannon would head to the University of Miami, where he would play linebacker for the Hurricanes from 1984-1988, including playing on the 1987 National Championship team. Some of Shannon’s more notable teammates included the likes of future Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, who played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys, Bennie Blades, Cleveland Gary and Jeff Feagles. Shannon’s coach at Miami was none other than Jimmy Johnson, who would go on to the Dallas Cowboys from 1989-1993, where he would win back-to-back Super Bowls. In 1988, Shannon’s only season in the NFL, Shannon would play for the Cowboys, in what turned out to be Tom Landry’s final season. Shannon would return to the “U” in 1991 as a Graduate Assistant coach under Dennis Erickson ,and the Hurricanes won their second National Championship in three years. The next season, Shannon would be promoted to defensive line coach, a position he would hold for one year before taking over as linebacker coach from 1993-1997. After the 1997 season, Shannon would head across town and become an assistant coach for the Miami Hurricanes, reuniting with his old college coach in Johnson. Before the 2001 season, Shannon would return to his alma mater as the defensive coordinator of his alma mater. What a first year back on the staff, as the Hurricanes would win their fifth National Championship with a resounding 37-14 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Rose Bowl. Shannon would be the defensive coordinator for six years, and also took on responsibilities as linebackers coach in 2006. Larry Coker was let go after the 2006 season, and Shannon became the head coach of his alma mater. In his first season on the sidelines, the Hurricanes season ended with a record of 5-7, which included an embarrassing 48-0 loss at the hands of Virginia Tech, in what was the final home game at the Orange Bowl. This season would be a different story, as the Hurricanes would turn it around and finish the season with a record of 7-5.