The theft this spring of two 150-page University of Miami playbooks has yet to result in any arrests.

Conspiracy theorists might wonder why the search for a culprit hasn't moved to Blacksburg, Va., Chestnut Hill, Ma., Pittsburgh or Syracuse, N.Y.

After all, knowing the Hurricanes' plays may be the only way the rest of the Big East can catch up to Miami.

Even that might not help.

	Ken Dorsey (11) and Andre Johnson are two big reasons why UM is far ahead of the Big East.

The Hurricanes haven't lost to a Big East opponent since a 43-10 defeat to Virginia Tech on November 13, 1999. Miami followed that loss by ripping off a conference-record 17 consecutive victories.

No Division I-A team is dominating its conference the way the Hurricanes are controlling the Big East. Marshall and Brigham Young enter the 2002 season a distant second in consecutive conference wins with nine apiece.

The 2002 season may not bring any relief for the rest of the Big East. Miami is a unanimous pick to win the league title for the third straight year.

Think the PGA Tour has it tough keeping up with Tiger Woods? The seven Big East teams chasing the defending national champions may have it worse.

"There's always a chance anybody can beat anybody, but realistically, it's going to be hard to catch Miami," said Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni. "It's going to be hard to close the gap on them."

Some think the Hurricanes may be vulnerable because of the personnel losses they suffered. Eleven Miami players were drafted by NFL teams in April, including a record-tying five in the first round.

But the Hurricanes also were depleted of top talent following the 2000 season -- seven NFL draft picks, including four No. 1 selections -- and didn't miss a beat while rolling to the fifth national title in school history.

Miami's revolving door of talent allowed the Hurricanes to replace Santana Moss with Andre Johnson, who tied a school record last season with 10 touchdown catches. All-Big East middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma took over for Butkus Award winner Dan Morgan. James Jackson, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2000, was replaced by Clinton Portis, who ran for 1,200 yards.

"They were probably the best team in the country the last two years, not just last year," said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. "And, they'll be one of the best in the country this year. They're going to keep right on rolling."

So is everybody but Miami and conference doormats Rutgers and Temple playing for second place in the Big East?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Optimists point out how close the Hurricanes' perfect 2001 season came to being derailed by a couple of Big East teams.

	“	There's always a chance anybody can beat anybody, but realistically, it's going to be hard to catch Miami. It's going to be hard to close the gap on them. ”
		— Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni

The first scare came on Nov. 10 at Boston College. The Eagles were trailing 12-7, but had the ball inside Miami's 10-yard line with less than 40 seconds to play. On first-and-goal, quarterback Brian St. Pierre's pass deflected off the knee of Miami cornerback Mike Rumph and was intercepted by defensive tackle Matt Walters. Edward Reed proceeded to take the ball away from Walters and raced 80 yards to clinch the victory.

Three weeks later in the regular-season finale at Blacksburg, Virginia Tech rallied from a 20-3 second-half deficit and was on the verge of tying the game when Hokies receiver Ernest Wilford dropped a two-point conversion pass in the end zone. Miami held on to win, 27-25.

"We had a chance to beat them last year, as great as they were," said Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer.

"Miami's toughest games last season were in the league and they played some pretty good folks non-conference," said Rodriguez, whose Mountaineers were 45-3 victims of the Hurricanes. "I think that shows the teams in the Big East are keeping up with each other."

Which team will challenge the No. 1-ranked Hurricanes is an open question.

Virginia Tech may be the best bet, but the Hokies must replace 11 starters. Boston College has most of its team back from last year's 8-4 campaign, but hasn't beaten Miami since 1984. Pittsburgh just doesn't have the talent to match up with the Hurricanes yet.

Working against those three teams is one more factor -- each must play Miami in the Orange Bowl, where the Hurricanes haven't lost since early in the 1999 season.

Still, no one in the Miami camp is taking another Big East championship for granted.

"We're king of the hill now, but I can see the other side and there's climbers over there that want to dethrone the king of the hill," said Miami coach Larry Coker. ""I know these coaches and they're not playing for second place at all. They know that we can be beaten. I know that we can be beaten."

It just hasn't happened for a while. The Hurricanes' 22-game win streak is the nation's longest.

That makes Miami a target for everyone in the country, not just those teams in the Big East.

"I was at North Alabama when we won three straight (Division II) national championships," said Temple coach Bobby Wallace. "I know what it's like when everybody is shooting for you. There does comes a time when there is a dropoff. When that will be for Miami, I don't know."

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, the Hurricanes' defensive coordinator during the 1999 and 2000 seasons, doesn't think Miami will regress anytime soon. "They're not vulnerable at all," Schiano said. "They have as good or better players as anyone in the country."

Which, to some, makes the Hurricanes an attractive target.

"They have a bulls-eye on their back," said St. Pierre, Boston College's senior quarterback. "They're the national champs. In the Big East, they have a bulls-eye as well because they're No. 1 and they've been No. 1 the last two years.

"The road to the Big East championship goes through Miami. They'll be the hunted, but until somebody beats them, they're still No. 1."

Jorge Milian covers the Big East for the Palm Beach Post.