FIU Football 2010: The Season’s Best


By Pete Pelegrin ’96

MAYBE THEY KNEW

A boisterous, energetic, record crowd of 19,872 filled FIU Stadium for the season opener against Rutgers. The Panthers led the Scarlet Knights 14-13 in the fourth quarter before falling, but as nearly 20,000 would see, this was a different FIU team this season.

GAITOR LOOSE ON THE FIELD

Facing a then-Heisman Trophy candidate, FIU defensive back Anthony Gaitor made his own early case for a postseason honor. Against Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson on Sept. 18, Gaitor returned a 54-yard interception for a touchdown, forced a fumble and sacked the 6-5, 245-pound quarterback to lead the Panthers defense. FIU would go on to sack Johnson six times and record four interceptions ruining his chances at college football’s most prestigious award.

ROLL CALL!

Throughout practice during the season whenever a Panthers’ defensive player would make a standout play, senior linebacker Toronto Smith would yell out: “Roll Call!” and the rest of the defense would yell: “Ahoooooh!.” It was the defense’s rallying chant. Well, there was plenty of roll calling in 2010 as the Panthers, under defensive coordinator Geoff Collins, became the No. 1 defense in the Sun Belt and No. 57 nationally. FIU made a leap of 62 spots after finishing No. 119 in the nation in 2009.

SENIOR MOMENTS

FIU’s road to this championship season began with a win against Western Kentucky on Oct. 9. However, the game was in doubt until a pair of defensive seniors stepped forward. With FIU holding a tenuous 28-21 lead in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, defensive backs Anthony Gaitor and Dez Johnson made a pair of game-saving plays. Gaitor clamped down a reverse at the FIU 22 and on the final play of the game, Johnson deflected a pass in the end zone.

DON’T BLINK

FIU veteran defensive backs like to tell the freshmen to get up on receiver Greg Ellingson during practice, because if you don’t, he will run right by you with his deceptive speed.

North Texas learned that lesson the hard way. On the fifth play of the game between FIU and North Texas on Oct. 16, Ellingson caught a short pass from quarterback Wesley Carroll and zipped past the Mean Green defense 50 yards for the first touchdown in FIU’s 34-10 rout.

REALLY ALL-PURPOSE

Throughout his career at FIU, T.Y. Hilton has accumulated plenty of all-purpose yardage, but against ULM on Nov. 6, he would need to be a true all-purpose player. Hilton scored four touchdowns in the game three different ways: returning a kick, receiving and rushing. Yet, Hilton would save his best all-purpose act for defense. With the score tied 28-28 late in the fourth quarter, ULM linebacker Ken Dorsey appeared to have a clear path to the end zone on an interception return, but Hilton chased him down and made the tackle to keep FIU in the game. The Panthers would eventually win 42-35 in overtime.

TROJAN HORSES

Perennial and defending Sun Belt Champion Troy did not know what hit them on Nov. 13 after FIU ran all over the Trojans in a 52-35 win. Three different Panther backs each rushed for more than 100 yards to spark a program record 448-yard rushing effort for FIU. Darriet Perry (186 yards, TD), T.Y. Hilton (158 yards, 2 TDs) and Darian Mallary (118 yards, TD) were the horses on the ground for FIU in what, at that moment, was the program-defining win.

NO WAY, GAUTIER

One game from a possible Sun Belt title showdown with Arkansas State, the Panthers were off to a slow start at Louisiana. FIU led just 7-3 before the Ragin’ Cajuns blocked a punt and recovered at the FIU 2. The Cajuns needed just 72 inches to take the lead and momentum from the Panthers. But the FIU defense did not buckle, stopping UL quarterback Blaine Gautier on four consecutive runs to take the ball back from the Cajuns. The monumental goal line stand fueled the Panthers as they would go on to win 38-17.

TOUCHDOWN MAKER

After an injury-riddled 2009, running back Darriet Perry was back in stride this season and had a nose for the end zone. Perry shattered the FIU single-season record for touchdowns as he crossed the goal line 16 times en route to leading the Panthers in rushing with 839 yards.

SUPER MARIO

Two years after winning the Sporting News’ Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, FIU coach Mario Cristobal received the honor from again, but this time from the Sun Belt. After the Panthers historic season, Cristobal was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year in a vote determined by the conference.

WHAT BROWN CAN DO FOR YOU

Walk-on safety Kreg Brown sparked the Panthers defense with two interceptions in the Pizza Bowl. The first interception set up an FIU touchdown that closed the deficit against Toledo to 24-21. Brown’s second pick put FIU in position to score the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

SACKMASTER

The biggest pass rushing threat on the FIU defensive line this season was a man without a position since arriving at FIU. Considered by some not big enough to play defensive line, Jarvis Wilson played both linebacker and defensive end during his four years at FIU, but did not settle into one position until this season. Wilson was plenty big enough for the Panthers this season leading the team with 9.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. Wilson earned the Pizza Bowl’s Defensive MVP Award for sacking Toledo quarterback Terrance Owens twice.

FIRST THE HILTON HEAVE, NOW THE HILTON WEAVE

In Jonesboro, Ark., they are counting down the days until T.Y. Hilton graduates from FIU. For the second time in three games, Hilton beat the Red Wolves on a dramatic late-game play. In 2008, Hilton threw an improbable game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to defeat ASU 22-21, a play that would become known as the “Hilton Heave.” This season with FIU down 24-23 and less than two minutes left in the game, Hilton caught a short pass from quarterback Wesley Carroll and weaved 42 yards for a touchdown through the ASU defense in what is now known as the “Hilton Weave.” FIU won 31-24 and captured its first Sun Belt Conference championship.

HOT -N- READY

Who would have thought it could ever be hot in Detroit on the night of December 26? The Panthers won the first bowl game they ever played defeating Toledo 34-32 in a come-from-behind thriller. At 7-6, FIU achieved the first winning season in the program’s nine-year history and won its first Sun Belt Conference title. The Panthers would celebrate on the 50-yard line of Ford Field by dancing and chanting the Little Caesars Pizza slogan: “Hot-n-Ready! Hot-n-Ready!”

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