Shannon helped the Hurricanes win three national championships as a linebacker and has overseen the defence since 2001. Miami fired Coker two weeks ago after the team finished the regular season 6-6, its worst record since 1997.

``Randy has the discipline and heart of a champion,'' university president Donna Shalala said in a statement. ``He has been preparing himself for a head coaching position his whole life, and I am very happy that the opportunity came at the University of Miami, his alma mater. We are extremely lucky to have him.''

The 40-year-old Shannon will become the sixth black head coach currently at one of the 119 Division I-A schools, joining Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom, UCLA's Karl Dorrell, Buffalo's Turner Gill, Kansas State's Ron Prince and Washington's Tyrone Willingham.