Cool.
The picture of him lining up against UNC brings back happier memories. And the uniform and helmet were so simple and clear. You could even read the numbers and didn’t wear grey.
Fastest Miami player ever? Darrell Hunter maybe, others…? Sly is certainly in consideration.
Christian Alexander. Hands down.
Pretty sure that picture has Sly lined up against Dre Bly, who was a damn good DB
Ty King. Bearkittens couldn’t catch him when he ran back the kickoff for the win. That was awesome.
I thought Sly ran a 4.18 one time in practice or something absolutely crazy
I think deland did the same
Ryne Robinson is on hold…
Nice snook! They are great fighters.
Quick…but no Darrell Hunter!
[Senior Darrell Hunter (6-1, 213) is a three-year starter who has developed into an NFL prospect because of his size, speed and skills.
“He’s a big corner that can really run (4.25 40-yard dash),” Montgomery said. “He’s the fastest kid ever to play at Miami.”]
I vaguely rememder Darrell running down an Iowa RB maybe to save/stop a TD in our infamous flop at Iowa…the speed was really world class.
Sheldon White…
I remember the play vs Iowa, too. He caught the Iowa RB gave him a look of “How ya doing?” then brought him down
Darrell Hunter, so often not in position, yet so fast that he could make up for it
To bring a track and field perspective to this discussion…
Ty King holds the Miami school record in the 100 m at 10.40 (the all-time MAC record is 10.06, set by Bobby Cruse [Kent State] in 1999). Milt Stegall is third on the all-time Miami list at 10.44. Steve Fitzhugh, a safety on the 1986 MAC championship team, is sixth at 10.53, and Chris Alexander is eighth at 10.58. Former Miami WR/DB Cedric Asseh is not in the top 10, but ran a 10.86 at the 2019 MAC championship meet. To note, current Miami RB Kevin Davis ran a 10.61 in high school, winning the small school division I state title in Tennessee.
Three of the top 4 fastest Miami 4 x 100 m relay teams in school history included Ron Carpenter, Milt Stegall, and Sly Johnson (40.64 in 1993), and Carpenter, Stegall, and Alexander (40.73 in 1992), and Cedric Asseh (40.80 in 2019). The all-time MAC record is 39.73 (Kent State in 2005).
I had a conversation years ago with one of Miami’s T&F assistant coaches about Darrel Hunter running track. He said that with a little work once spring football ended Hunter could probably win the 100 m at the MAC championship meet (which in a typical year would take about a 10.30 +/- to win), but that Hunter was never interested in running for Miami. Hunter’s high school career is highlighted by anchoring the Middies’ 4 x 100 m relay team to a state title in 2001 (41.75).
Another name to talk about is George Swarn. I know he ran track his freshmen and sophomore years, though his name doesn’t appear on Miami’s top 10 list of 100 m, 200 m, or 4 x 100 m performances. In high school (Mansfield Malabar [Class AAA]), Swarn ran a 48.63 at the state meet in 1982, which was good for 2nd place in the 400 m. He also anchored Malabar’s 4 x 100 m relay team to a 2nd place finish at the state meet in 1981 (42.31).
Finally, there was a quartet of Haywood recruits - Willie Culpepper, Allen Veazie, Trey Payne, and Brison Burris - out of Texas who were all 10.6 to 10.7 guys in high school. I often thought with a little work they might have been able to put together a 4 x 100 m team that would challenge the Miami school record of 40.64, and possibly win a MAC title.
Both Sheldon White and George Swarn were burners, but, if pressed, I’d pick Sheldon. Jaws dropped on pro day when he ran the 40.
Very interesting! Appreciate the knowledge.
Of note, Hunter’s Middletown team did win the State Meet in 41.75, but they also they broke the All Time OHSAA 4x1 record at 40.79. (Their fastest time wasn’t in the State finals.). That record still stands more than 20 years later.
That’s more impressive than Middie Todd Bell’s all-time OHSAA long jump record of 24’ 6.75", which stood for 19 years. Yes Bears fans, it’s the same Todd Bell.