It's certainly no shock that the Miami Hurricanes don an outlaw image.

All they have to do to win a national championship is cock their rifles.

Spit.

And fire out some speedy, talented monster that's been sitting on the bench patiently waiting his turn.

You know, some unknown guy who can run a 4.2 40-yard dash, throw an 85-yard sling-shot and sack a quarterback like a mafia hitman.

Two weeks ago, Coach Dennis Erickson's machine gun fired out a 6-foot-4, 255-pound sub named Kevin Patrick after Rusty Medearis, Miami's All-America defensive end blew out his left knee.

Talk about instant impact. Three Patrick sacks against the scrambling Charlie Ward led to an exasperating 19-16 spearing of the 'Noles -- Patrick won the Big East Player-of-the-Week honors for is performance.

Simply put, the 'Canes don't rebuild, they cock and reload. Year after year after year. Even when they don't plan on it.

"One player goes down, the next has to step right in and grab the position," Jesse Armstead said of Patrick's situation.

Call it the 'Cane creed.

That's not to say that Miami won't miss Medearis' bonecrushing sacks (ask the Phoenix Cardinals' Tony Sacca) or his big game experience this weekend against Penn State's explosive offense Saturday.

The Canes' attitude is if they can beat Florida State without Medearis, they can beat Penn State too.

"One guy doesn't make our defense," said fellow defensive end Darren Krein, alluding to Miami's linebacking corps of Michael Barrow, Darrin Smith, Armstead, its "super" secondary featuring Ryan McNeil and its fierce pass rush.

Barrow said he has 100 percent faith in Patrick.

"There is no question about his (Patrick's) ability to play," Barrow said. "For him to have a game like he did (against Florida State) was a big factor to him personally.

"Our defense is going to do the job and we believe that for every game -- at home or on the road," said Krien who had 5.5 sacks last year. "They are going to try and run the ball down our throats. We're going to open it up and sack their quarterback. That's our attitude."

That attitude is obviously the mark of an outstanding football program -- a dynasty that builds itself on recruiting tremendous depth at all positions.

That attitude is one reason why the 'Canes have won four national titles in the past nine years.

That attitude is why they've been the number one team to beat in college football for the past decade.

And it's also why they spit out NFL players as often as the Phillies' John Kruk spits out a wad of tobacco --frequently and efficiently.

The monstrous defensive stars like Jerome Brown. Bennie Blades. Cortez Kennedy. Russell Maryland. Daniel Stubbs. And Bill Hawkins to accompany the slew of pro-style quarterbacks and wideouts that Miami concocts every season.

But on Saturday keep an eye on the 'Canes young defensive line, whom Erickson said will one day "be the best."

The line of senior Mark Caesar, Kenny Lopez, Damen Bethel, Patrick and Krien will try to stuff Richie Anderson and Co. and knock the stuffing out of another quarterback named Sacca.

See, at Miami, if a guy gets hurt, it's no big deal.

You just cock your gun and re-load. And fire yourself into the national championship hunt year after year after year.