Miami Hurricanes College Football Pregame Quote, 09/09/2019

Just to start off, we’re obviously very disappointed and upset at the result on Saturday. But after reviewing the film and being with our team yesterday, we think it is possible to be angry and optimistic at the same time. We’re certainly angry, again, at the result and the things that we did that led to the result, but from what we see in our performance, there are a lot of reasons to still be optimistic – not just optimistic in terms of what’s available for us this season, but also optimistic for what we think, where this program is going beyond [2019].

The way that we started the game was probably the biggest sense of disappointment ‚Äì certainly the way that we started and the way that we finished it – but the way that we started it. We had an excellent week of preparation. Our guys were extremely focused and dialed in at the hotel on game day. We obviously started very slowly. Part of the credit goes to them, which is to be expected ‚Äì that’s probably the best atmosphere they’ve had in Kenan Stadium in who knows how long. You have to give them some credit. However, after we got it righted, I thought we were by far the better team and, at times, bordering on dominant. Our issue was that our dominance ‚Äì especially at the line of scrimmage on both sides, our ability to run the football, and our ability to shut their running game, which we had a lot of respect for ‚Äì was not being shown on the scoreboard because of either issues in terms of red zone offense or kicking game. As we were the better team, it’s almost like an NBA game, where teams went on runs. They went on their run, and when we went on our run, we don’t feel like we got the separation on the scoreboard that really the play dictated. In essence, the way it looked.

Then, the finish … certainly the ways that we finished our last two drives defensively were disappointing. Part of that had to do with the run game and some of the loosening up of our run fits to deal with some of the issues they were causing us in the passing game. But to be able to finish the way we did, to get that last drive, including the long fourth down, was extraordinarily disappointing and a breakdown on multiple levels.

With that being said, for the second straight week, Jarren Williams took our offense down the field and gave us a chance to win or tie the game. We had a chance to do both. We put Bubba Baxa out there at the end, with almost the identical kick he made to begin the game. He did not make the kick. That’s certainly not why we lost the game. Bubba is our kicker. We have great faith in him. We know he is as talented as anybody out there. We see it every day in practice. Bubba can’t let one miss turn into two misses. If you think even back to the Florida game, the first drive of the game, he made a field goal that we had to retake because of a delay of game [penalty]. That’s hard on a guy. He made it again. He made another one again. But then we had a miss, one thing begets the other. We had issues in field goal protection. The first short kick was actually deflected at the line of scrimmage. It was low, however. Then the same thing with the [missed extra point]. On the PAT, we had a breach of protection, however the kick was also low. Those are things that we can work on this week. But we have to support Bubba. He’s our guy and we do believe in him.

All that being said, we’re very excited to come home. I think that’s just what this team needs at this team. We need to get back into familiar surroundings, get in our stadium and get around our fans and get ourselves going. I think the season, the way that our schedule breaks, that we have that exact opportunity do that. Like I mentioned, I think this team’s goals are all still ahead of it. To get around our fans, our people and to play‚Ķwe have probably put, especially when you look at the youth we have on offense, if you look at the way our schedule breaks down, we have probably gone into the two most difficult environments we will play in all year. And the way those guys have performed and the improvement [from] our freshmen who played from Week 1 to Week 2 was really extraordinary. Now it will be nice to get back home, where we’re not the ones facing adversity all the time and to put out a performance that gets everybody excited about Hurricanes Football.

On if he has addressed the team about how to handle ‚Äòoutside noise’:

We can’t control what they look at. We can certainly talk about it. But we have said that all along, even before we started playing a game. The change is going to come from the inside out. We can’t stick our head out the window and wonder what everybody thinks about us. What we think about us is the most important thing. That’s why, when you look at a game like this, you have to look at the total performance and say, ‚ÄòWhat about this gives us reason for optimism? What about this do we like? What about this do we not like?’ Because there are so many plays ‚Äì and we know, this is usually what happens when you lose a game ‚Äì that if one thing goes another way, you win the game. And you could argue that, if one things goes another way the last two weeks, we’re 2-0 and ranked who knows what. But here’s the thing ‚Äì even if that were true, it wouldn’t change our performance. Let’s say the fumble, if [Scott] Patchan gets on the last drive, we win and we all high-five ‚Äì the performance is still the same. So you still have to come inside, and you still have to say, ‚ÄòHere’s where we are. Here’s what we like. Here’s what we don’t like. And here’s how we have to improve.’ The fact that you’re labeled with a record, it is what it is. That doesn’t absolve us from being a team that has to find a way to get better, week in and week out. That’s really what our main goal is.

On the defense and how different the set-up is from a coaching standpoint than it was a year ago:

Blake Baker is our play caller. He’s our defensive coordinator. I’m involved in all the game-planning meetings, all the meetings watching practice every day. I can’t have a better defensive staff than Blake, Ephraim Banda, Jonathan Patke, Mike Rumph, Todd Stroud ‚Äì these are all individuals who know the ins and outs of defense. We all know exactly how everything works. We know the fixes when something doesn’t go right.

On if Diaz relinquishing his role as defensive coordinator has affected the team:

It certainly has not had an effect on our play. We probably miss Jaquan Johnson as much as they miss me running around on that field, and Sheldrick Redwine, and those type guys. Part of that is part of the deal. We were watching Bethune-Cookman film today from our game in 2017, where I thought we played very poorly on defense that day. I’m watching sophomore Shaquille Quarterman not being able to get their running back on the ground. I’m watching Jaquan Johnson and younger guys like Mike Jack [Michael Jackson, Sr.] struggle to cover their players, and those guys moving the ball down the field on us, because we have some sophomores in some important positions. That’s all part of the growth and development. That’s what creates the excitement of college football, is that your roster is always turning over, and guys have to step up and got to be ready to replace some really important guys that left your team.