Miami brings back 2001 title team

Jarrett Payton got invited to talk to the Miami Hurricanes this week, and spent a good portion of his time telling them about the mindset the school's 2001 team possessed.

Payton explained it as simply as he could.

''We never thought we were going to lose,'' he said.

Which makes sense, because the 2001 Hurricanes were never beaten. A decade has passed since that perfect season and fifth national championship, and some of the players from that team returned Thursday night to be recognized during the Miami-Virginia game. Payton, Mike Rumph and Brett Romberg were among the football players who returned on a night where Miami also paid homage to past track, tennis, diving and baseball champions.

Many of them got together for the first time in years at a pregame reception, snapping photos on their phones of one another and catching up on things.

''Little biased,'' Rumph said, ''but we were the best team ever.''

It's an argument that will continue raging, but the numbers say Miami belongs in the conversation.

''I always tell people, we could have beaten the Cincinnati Bengals that year,'' Rumph said. ''Just a great team, a lot of great characters that came together. Some guys on that team are Hall of Fame players in the NFL. A lot of guys are Pro Bowlers. We have to be one of the best teams ever.''

The Hurricanes went 12-0 that season, outscoring seven Big East teams 290-55. For the season, Miami outscored clubs 512-117, and scored 27 points in the second quarter of the Rose Bowl alone - no team scored more than 27 against the Hurricanes in an entire game that season.

''When you look back at it, I can actually say that 2001 team was the greatest team ever,'' Payton said. ''And if anybody wants to argue with me, just look at the stat sheet and all the names on there.''

Nearly 40 players from that team played in the NFL, and some of them are still there, a list that includes Jon Vilma, Ed Reed, Jeremy Shockey, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Kellen Winslow, Willis McGahee, Antrel Rolle, Vince Wilfork and D.J. Williams, among others.

The Hurricanes played for the national title again the following season, losing to Ohio State, and haven't been at that level since. This year's Miami team came into Thursday with a 4-3 record, and the Hurricanes have yet to win even their first Atlantic Coast Conference title.

Many from the 2001 team see that changing soon under new coach Al Golden.

''There's a lot of history here,'' Payton said. ''Learn about the guy who used to play your position back in the day to really understand. There's a lot of tradition here in Miami. It's a brotherhood. And I love what coach Golden's doing. No nonsense type of guy who works hard and he's committed to this. I love his ability not to look back in the past but look at the future. He gets it. He understands.''

Rumph said it's hard to believe a decade has already passed.

''Ten years later, they're still talking about us and considering us as one of the best teams ever,'' he said. ''It's great.''