As Hurricane Irma churned through the Caribbean and continued making her way toward Florida two weeks ago, 35 members of the Hurricanes football team gathered outside the Hecht Center in Coral Gables.
There, outside the athletic facility where they normally studied film, met with coaches and prepared for games like the Arkansas State matchup that Irma had forced school officials to cancel a day earlier, they boarded several charter buses that would take them away from their school and for some, their homes.
They were joined that Thursday night by thletes from other UM sports, football coach Mark Richt and his wife, Katharyn, and staff members from throughout Miami’s athletic department, including deputy director of athletics Jennifer Strawley, She and athletic director Blake James had spent days working on the decisions they hoped would help the Hurricanes weather Irma safely.