On a cold night, Larry Coker got the warmest possible send-off from his Miami Hurricanes.
Kirby Freeman threw for 272 yards and two long touchdowns, ran for another score and the Hurricanes' defense came through in the final moments to help Miami beat Nevada 21-20 in the MPC Computers Bowl on Sunday night, Coker's final game as Miami's head coach.
Nevada had a first down at the Miami 36 in the final minute, but a diving interception by the Hurricanes' Chavez Grant with 18 seconds left sealed the win and got Coker the perfect send-off that his players wanted.
"I still love these players," Coker said. "And I'm very happy for the win."
Coker was fired Nov. 24 but agreed to stay for the bowl game, largely, he said, because the players wanted him there. He finished his six years with a 60-15 record and one national title.
By the time the team charter was scheduled to land in South Florida yesterday, defensive coordinator Randy Shannon was to have officially taken over as Coker's replacement.
Freeman threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to Sam Shields with 5:59 left in the third quarter to break a 14-14 tie and put the Hurricanes (7-6) ahead for good and ensure the program's ninth straight winning season. Freeman also had a 52-yard scoring pass to Ryan Moore late in the first half.
Down by seven points entering the final quarter against the fifth-ranked defense in the country, Nevada nearly pulled off a comeback.
Nevada may have been denied a great scoring opportunity by a call that didn't go its way. Facing a third-and-10 from the Miami 28, Jeff Rowe dropped back to throw to Anthony Pudewell inside the Miami 10. Pudewell was hit by Kenny Phillips as he tried to catch the ball, which bounced in the air. Replays appeared to show that Pudewell trapped the ball between his knees before it hit the turf, but officials ruled the pass incomplete.
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