Miami Press Conference Notes
Sept. 2, 2008
Head Coach Randy Shannon Quotes
Opening Statement…
We’ve got the University of Florida Gators this week, and it should be an exciting game. It’s on ESPN, and it’s the first time we’ve played them in the last couple of years. This is a tremendous opportunity for this university to see where we are as a program.
We’re a bunch of young guys that did a great job last week, but now we’re going to an opponent that’s ranked in the top five nationally with a Heisman Trophy winner [Tim Tebow] from last year and another Heisman Trophy candidate probably for this year in Percy Harvin.
This is a great opportunity for us to go out there and play such a great caliber team that has done a great job recruiting the last four or five years. We’re inexperienced, but I feel like we’re a team that’s better than we were last year.
On Bulletin Board Comments/Clippings Helping or Hurting Teams…
It can hurt you anytime you can add fuel to a fire. Bulletin board stuff, players and coaches make statements, and that’s how they feel. A lot of times players make statements on how they feel, and it can come back and haunt them. And coaches do the same thing. You just have to make sure you’re doing all the right things and what you believe in … some people talk about it, some people don’t.
On how big it would be to beat Florida…
I think it’d be a tremendous boost for us, and also the Atlantic Coast Conference. We’re [ACC] always looked at as not a strong conference, but this win would give us some lift and the conference some growth to it.
On going against Tim Tebow and trying to stop him…
I don’t think you control him. I think you have to understand what they’re trying to do on offense, and they do a great job of running the football with him. If they’re able to establish the running game, then the big plays come off play-action. He’ll stick his nose in there, and then back out to throw the ball deep. You have to make sure you control him as far as controlling them running the football with guys like Percy [Harvin] and [Jeff ] Demps. It’s guys like that whom are able to be electrifying.
On his comfort level with this team…
This is probably the first time that we’ve been healthy since I’ve been the head football coach at the University of Miami. Last year, we were trying to dress 50 guys. Now, we are able to dress and pick-and-choose who we need to travel. [Eric] Moncur and [Allen] Bailey are back, and they’ll be ready to go. [Reggie] Youngblood will be back and ready to go this week.
We got a lot out of the young guys last week, and we’re going to do the same thing this week. We feel like with the older guys as the nucleus, and the younger guys as our foundation-if all of them contribute, then we think we have a good shot.
On team being motivated more for this game…
I don’t think it’s motivation to play against a Heisman Trophy winner. I think it’s more of you’re playing against teammates. It’s guys that you’ve played with and against, more than anything else. You’ve got guys that can play against guys that grew up together and played against growing up, as well as in high school.
This is tremendous for the state of Florida because you have the opportunity to see three quarterbacks play in the same game, where all of them won Florida state championships … and were named Mr. Football in the state of Florida. That’s special.
What Robert Marve should remember for his first game…
Just be himself. We told Jacory [Harris] last week to get the ball to the guys that make plays. You don’t have to be the guy to make all the plays. If he does that, then he’ll do a fine job for us.
On playing with Florida’s speed all-around the field…
I don’t know how we match-up with their speed. Urban [Meyer] said it, they have the fastest 4×100 in the country. You think about it, they have a guy that went to the Olympic Trials, they have Chris Rainey, Percy Harvin and another guy. They have guys that won state championships in track & field in the 100 meter, but like I said, we have to control them and keep them inside and press them not to use their speed so much.
Whether or not Javarris James and Graig Cooper have to control the tempo of the game…
No, not really. Everyone knows part of our strength is the offensive line, running backs and tight ends. Javarris [James] and [Graig] Cooper just have to do what they do. Don’t try to make the home run off-tackle. They have to take what they give you.
Robert Marve Quotes
On making his first career start…
“I’m very excited. It didn’t matter who the opponent was this week, I’m very excited to be back on the field and able to play. I can’t wait until Saturday comes.”
On starting against Florida after sitting out the season-opener…
“It’s a little strange but you kind of have to go with the role. It’s not that big of a deal. I believe in the coaches and they thought it was the right thing to do. I am down for whatever they ask [of me]. I’m just trying to get ready. I’m focused on Saturday and I’m not worried about the past.”
On his relationship with Florida QB Tim Tebow…
“We talked a couple of times when I was in high school and he was already at Florida. I really look up to him, he’s a great player. He has done great things in college; I can’t take anything away from him. He was a great high school player and now he is doing the same things at Florida.”
On influence rebuilding had in decision to attend Miami…
“It played a really big part. My high school team had to start off on the bottom and go up. It was a big thing. I know how great it can be to be on upside of a program that has been down for a second. I’m just trying to, as much as I can, prepare and help us get to where we need to be.”
On playing Florida in Gainesville…
“It is just a game. We are going to go out there and have fun and I am going to go out there and make the reads as best I can. I haven’t played football in a while so it will be nice to be out there under center.”
On his readiness for playing in “The Swamp”…
“I need to keep watching film and keep my head on straight … just go out there and have fun. You’ve got to realize you are playing a game and you’ve been doing this since you were real little. Yeah, the crowd is going to be bigger, the stadium is going to be bigger … everything is going to be a little bit nicer. My goal is to stay focused, stay as a leader and do whatever is best for the University of Miami to win the game.”
On Miami’s current six-game winning streak over Florida…
“It’s something we definitely pride ourselves on but at the same time we are worried about this game coming up Saturday. The past is the past. You can’t change much about the past obviously. We are looking to the future and focusing on this game coming up Saturday.”
On confidence in his wide receiving corps after watching the opener…
“It’s nice when your running back can run for 10 yards on 2nd and 10 too and pick up the first for you. Yeah, the receivers are great. I knew that in camp. I have seen this for a long time. I’ve tried to tell you guys as much as possible, but you obviously don’t know until you see it in the game. We have great guys here. We have guys that you can just throw the ball up to and they will take it from there. My goal is to make my reads and get the ball as quickly as I can out of my hands and into their hands.”
Quarterback Jacory Harris Quotes
On preparing to come off the bench…
“It’s not very difficult. All I have to do is go into practice knowing I’m not going to get all of the snaps. I have to prepare myself mentally and physically to be ready to go in whenever the coaches call on me.”
On needing to know exactly when he will enter the game…
“Not really because then it could make you nervous at the same time. If you tell me I’m about to get in, it makes me happy. I will go out there ready to go and say, ‘I’ve just got to do this for the team.'”
On comparing himself to Robert Marve and Tim Tebow in high school…
“My goal was to beat [Tim] Tebow’s passing touchdown record even though Robert Marve had it. Once I had accomplished that, my next goal was to beat Robert’s and then when I beat Robert’s, another kid from Tampa Plant beat mine. It was something I strived for in high school, but it wasn’t something I depended on because I am a team player. Individual things come as you get better as a team.”
On advice given to Robert Marve about playing in a college football game…
“Just be ready for whatever. They are going to throw different looks at you every time. Robert was on the sideline [vs. Charleston Southern] helping me throughout everything that was going on. We were helping each other. If he saw something, he would tell me or I would tell him whatever I have seen so he can have mental reps to know what is going to happen next week.”
On playing against Charleston Southern…
“We really didn’t have a game plan on what they were going to run. Whatever they came out with, we basically schemed as we went on. There really wasn’t too much different. We went over all of the defenses they could possibly give us.”
On having offensive coordinator Patrick Nix on the sidelines against Charleston Southern…
“It helped a lot. I’m the type of person that likes to be face to face with my quarterback coach. It ensures me that I’m doing the right things. You can see it in his facial expressions whether you are doing the right things or if you need to work on something. Just look at him and you can tell.”
On importance of being a part of Miami’s improvement…
“I think I can make an impact on the team, but I can’t do it by myself. As long as I go out there and listen to everybody, whatever my coaches and teammates say, I think I’ll be alright.”
