CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- He is the fastest player in Miami football history, and some say the strongest. And to think: Willis McGahee had a difficult time getting onto the field.

It's hard to believe when you see the speedy moves, the bulging biceps and the eye-popping numbers UM's sophomore tailback has put up this season for the No. 1-ranked Hurricanes, who play at Tennessee on Saturday.

UM quarterback Ken Dorsey might be a Heisman Trophy candidate, but most agree that McGahee is the best player in the huddle, the most feared by opponents.

	Miami RB Willis McGahee has rushed for 1,034 yards and 16 TDs this season.

But if it weren't for an injury in spring practice to Frank Gore, who is sitting out the season, McGahee might be an unheard of backup.

"I wondered if my chance was ever coming,'' said McGahee, who has rushed for 1,034 yards this season, a total that ranks sixth in UM history for single-season rushing yardage.

"I had to stay humble and focused and waiting for it to come. When it came, I capitalized. I've tried to be consistent every week. Thank God I've been consistent. I don't always get the big runs, but if I don't, I try to make a big catch and keep the drive going downfield and be happy with that.''

McGahee averages 7.6 yards every time he carries the ball while catching 16 passes for 301 yards. He has recorded 38 plays of 10 or more yards, including 11 of 20 or more yards and nine of 30 or more.

He had 204 rushing yards against Florida, 135 against Boston College and 187 against Rutgers last Saturday.

And none of this is a surprise to those in and around the UM program.

Center Brett Romberg, who called Willis a "genetic freak,'' remembered when McGahee came to UM two years ago (he redshirted) out of Miami Central High. Romberg, now a senior, couldn't believe the physical skills, the size, the strength, the speed. He remembered thinking McGahee could be better than Edgerrin James, who now plays for the Indianapolis Colts and is prominent in the UM record book.

McGahee is 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.28, making him the fastest Hurricane ever. He bench presses 375 pounds and squats 500.

But looks don't always translate to greatness. "There was a time when people were doubting him,'' Romberg said. "He wouldn't finish. He was an immature football player. His attitude changed. He became a man.''

	“	(McGahee) brings so much speed to the table. He's 225 or 230 pounds. If you're human, you're not supposed to move that fast if you're that big. ”
		— Miami OL Brett Romberg

In the spring of 2001, McGahee was so impressive that UM's new head coach Larry Coker marveled. After all, there was Clinton Portis, who led the team in rushing as a freshman in 1999 and was was the starter in the second half of the 2000 season. It seemed obvious to everyone that 2001 was the year for Portis to shine.

Only the coaches couldn't stop talking about McGahee.

"We talked about the best back we had, and it wasn't Clinton Portis,'' Coker said.

But Portis' experience and moves won out. McGahee took the backup job, and was impressive in last season's opener against Penn State, rushing for 77 yards. He added 74 in a game against Pitt a few weeks later. Then he injured his knee, Gore took over and McGahee sulked. When he returned, he couldn't get back on the field.

Part of it had to do with Portis.

"Yeah, he got in my head a little bit,'' McGahee said. "Portis was Portis. It was how he talked, his attitude. He'd be like, 'You'll never be better than me.' or such and such. It was just talk. (But) there was just so much you could take. He'd say it over and over. I wouldn't pay attention to it. But, when you do it everyday, it gets on your nerves. I'd just turn my head and walked away.''

Don Soldinger, UM's running backs coach, said the digs got to McGahee and slowed his development.

"Portis played with his head, to be honest," Soldinger said. "Portis screwed around with everybody because he thought he was the best. I think McGahee made a big mistake because he could have picked up a lot from Clinton and he didn't. He let it rub him the wrong way."

Said McGahee: "I probably didn't handle it well. I was young and I didn't want to listen.''

That's why it took an injury for McGahee to win the starting job this year. Frank Gore shined as Portis' backup last year and was slated to be the starter this season, but then suffered a knee injury. McGahee's been too good to get the job back. In fact, Gore was ready to come back last month, but due to McGahee's progress and the play of backup Jason Geathers, decided to redshirt.

Meanwhile, McGahee has been so impressive that there has been Heisman talk about him.

"He's a freak of nature,'' said UM offensive guard Sherko Haji-Rasouli. "He's a lot bigger than Portis was. He's fast like (former UM fullback) Najeh (Davenport). It's amazing watching him do the things he does physically.''

"McGahee is all of them put together in one,'' Romberg said. "He brings so much speed to the table. He's 225 or 230 pounds. If you're human, you're not supposed to move that fast if you're that big. He was always in the shadow. Portis had the biggest mouth on the team, he got under everybody's skin. We took it personally. I think that's what WM is doing. He's taking it personally."

And taking it out on opponents.

"Willis came into the season from the outside being somewhat of an unknown,'' Coker said. "He wasn't unknown to us. Now he's getting a national name, and deservedly so.''

Bob Harig covers college football for the St. Petersburg Times.