Four. Just four. That's the exact number of times QB Ken Dorsey found himself on his back last season. Behind a virtual brick wall of a line, Dorsey threw for 2,652 yards and 23 TDs as Miami won the national championship and set a Big East scoring record with 43.2 points per game.

But with OTs Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez and G Martin Bibla off to the NFL, Miami's biggest comfort in 2001 is its biggest concern for 2002. "Gino Torretta told me he would have won two Heismans with that kind of protection," says Larry Coker, the first rookie coach since 1948 to win a national title. "Last year Ken lived in fantasyland. He's gonna get hit some, but he's got to be mentally tough."

Dorsey, spindly at 6'5" and 200 pounds, had better be physically tough as well. The Heisman frontrunner has thrown a school-record 58 TD passes; his five backups have one among them. WR Andre Johnson looks to build on his co-MVP performance in the Rose Bowl (7 catches, 199 yards, 2 TDs), and despite RB Frank Gore's ACL tear -- he could return by midseason -- the backfield remains deep with Willis McGahee and Jason Geathers.

If Dorsey takes some hits, Miami's defense will definitely return the favor. All-Big East performers DE Jerome McDougle, DT William Joseph and MLB Jonathan Vilma return from a D that allowed only 9.4 points per game, best in the nation.

HOT WIRE

There's a reason they call Miami a football factory. With All-America TE Jeremy Shockey running over NFL DBs for the Giants, the Canes have plugged in Kellen Winslow II, son of the Hall of Fame tight end. Winslow (don't call him Junior) has gained 25 pounds since last fall and now goes 6'5", 233. He was going to be a wide receiver, but Dorsey says the true soph could become an even better tight end than Shockey.

TRIP WIRE

The Canes secondary lost four starters, including Big East co-Defensive Player of the Year Ed Reed. Their replacements had better be quick studies. If not, three of last year's 11 top passers -- Florida's Rex Grossman, FSU's Chris Rix and Tennessee's Casey Clausen -- will take them to school.

WIRE TAP

"I've never seen a back with Gore's burst. McGahee runs 4.3 but plays 4.5. Gore plays 4.1. I make McGahee beat me and load up on zone blitzing. Follow BC's example -- throw a bunch of zones at them. Force Dorsey to chuck it downfield; that's not his strength. Also, never, ever single Andre Johnson. He's way too strong to jam and nobody catches him from behind."

BRISTOL WIRE

Kirk Herbstreit: "They face the challenge of repeating, finding the same fire and intensity they had a year ago and playing a difficult schedule -- at Florida, at Tennessee and Florida State at home."

The ESPN Power 16
1	Oklahoma	9	Colorado
2	Florida State	10	Washington State
3	Miami	11	Washington
4	Texas	12	Oregon
5	Tennessee	13	Nebraska
6	Florida	14	Michigan State
7	Georgia	15	Virginia Tech
8	Ohio State	16	LSU

This article appears in the September 2 issue of ESPN The Magazine.