Coral Gables, Fla. ? Cast your mind back to March.

Two months after winning the national championship, Hurricanes coach Larry Coker is looking at his squad go through spring practice and he’s talking about how this team “has some deficits.” He’s talking about how it’s “been depleted.”

Looking across the field that afternoon, one could understand Coker’s concern. In five months he would defend the championship without – everyone take a deep breath -Jeremy Shockey, Clinton Portis, three starters from the offensive line and his entire starting secondary.

“This is a new team,” said Coker that afternoon. “And today really puts that into perspective.”

Yet, as the Hurricanes prepare for Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech at the Orange Bowl – a game that could give them their 34th consecutive win and a shot at defending their national title – it’s amazing how much this team hasn’t changed.

The losses Miami suffered after the Rose Bowl – including five All-Americans -would have forced nearly every other Division I-A program to have diminished goals. But the Hurricanes have chugged along without a hiccup.

Have you ever missed Portis these past few months with Willis McGahee in the backfield? Has there been a severe dropoff at tight end with Kellen Winslow in place of Shockey? Is anyone still wishing Edward Reed or Phil Buchanon had another year of eligibility?

Think about it: Despite losing its starting secondary, Miami is No. 1 in the country in pass defense. And despite losing three offensive linemen, including All-Americans Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez, the ‘Canes have already rushed for more yards than they did last season. Offensively, this year’s team is averaging more yards per game than last year’s national champs.

Deficits? What deficits?

Coker and the Hurricanes will tell you they believed back in March this was all possible. In fact, Dorsey said Monday morning the biggest surprise this season hasn’t been the program’s ability to fill the holes left by those who graduated.

“The biggest surprise has been the amount of criticism we’ve received for winning games,” Dorsey said.

And maybe that’s why there still persists a feeling by some that the Hurricanes are beatable. They had trouble for three quarters against lowly Rutgers. They allowed Pittsburgh to hang around until the final few seconds of the game. And they could have lost to Florida State.

But doesn’t every team experience a little luck and a few lows during the course of the season? Can’t the Hurricanes be excused for a few off weeks when they carry the weight of their winning streak, not to mention defending a national championship as well as countless end-of-the-year honors for its players?

The only place the Hurricanes have shown a weakness is on defense against the run. While their pass defense ranks the best in the land, the rush defense is ranked 70th in the country. And exploiting this weakness is the only way Virginia Tech wins.

It’s also the only reasonable argument one could make for giving the Hokies a shot Saturday afternoon. And it’s the only way Miami could leave its invitation to the Fiesta Bowl in doubt.