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RedHawk win tough on Haywood's phone

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Staff photo by Robert Leifheit Miami head coach Mike Haywood looks on while players run drills prior to a scrimmage game Saturday, August 15, 2009.

By By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 1:59 PM Tuesday, November 3, 2009

OXFORD — Miami University football coach Michael Haywood became a popular man after his RedHawks beat the Toledo Rockets 31-24 last weekend.

It was the first head coaching victory of Haywood’s collegiate career and his former boss at Notre Dame was paying attention.

In the waning moments of that game as the RedHawks were trying to hold off Toledo’s comeback, Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis sent a text message to Haywood, who had been his offensive coordinator at Notre Dame.

“It said, ‘Don’t screw things up,’ ” Haywood said with a smile during his weekly press conference Monday, Nov. 2, at Yager Stadium. “That was (sent) before he went on the field to play Washington State.”

It was a good day for both coaches. Notre Dame mauled Washington State 40-14.

Haywood spent his first minute as a victorious head coach walking calmly across the Yager Stadium turf and shaking hands with Toledo coach Tim Beckman. There was no Gatorade drenching, no pumped fists, no obvious displays of emotion. Not during that public minute, at least.

Afterward, though, the messages began to mount.

“I live by my cell phone,” Haywood said, “and for two days it was being overloaded.”

He added that he received more than 140 text messages.

“That was the support we’ve gotten from Miami and from all over the country,” Haywood said.

Now it’s back to business and as usual the RedHawks face a number of challenges. They’re battered physically and have only a couple more days to prepare for their game Thursday against Temple, a team which has won six in a row.

“We’re pretty beat up right now,” Haywood said, noting that “because of the short week” senior tailback Andre Bratton (turf toe), junior wide receiver Eugene Harris (hamstring), junior safety Jordan Gafford (stinger) and senior defensive tackle Martin Channels (ankle) won’t be ready to play.

Gafford at least will make the trip to Philadelphia because he is a co-captain, Haywood said.

True freshman tailback Roman Lawson, who missed the Toledo game with an unspecified injury, should be back, Haywood said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.