Throughout the 1980s, Miami, Florida, was at the center of a racial and cultural shift taking place throughout the country. Overwhelmed by riots and tensions, Miami was a city in flux, and the University of Miami football team served as a microcosm for this evolution. The image of the predominantly white university was forever changed when coach Howard Schnellenberger scoured some of the toughest ghettos in Florida to recruit mostly black players for his team. With a newly branded swagger, inspired and fueled by the quickly growing local Miami hip hop culture, these Hurricanes took on larger-than-life personalities and won four national titles between 1983 and 1991. Filmmaker Billy Corben, a Miami native and University of Miami alum, will tell the story of how these “Bad Boys” of football changed the attitude of the game they played, and how this serene campus was transformed into “The U.”
Direction
Corben's cocaine-paced editing mirrors the team's energy.
Production
Uncensored access to players the NCAA tried to bury.
Editing
2 Live Crew cuts that should be illegal.
Director
Billy Corben
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 1987 Fiesta Bowl 'fatigues' entrance was a direct response to Penn State's all-white uniforms—and the racial tension was deliberate.
This doc essentially created the modern ESPN 30 for 30 formula: archival chaos, unapologetic regional voice, and zero interest in 'both sides' journalism.
US
