Watch Today's Football Press Conference
Sept. 23, 2008
Coral Gables, FLA (www.hurricanesports.com) — – Click here to watch the press conference.
Miami Press Conference Transcript
Head Coach Randy Shannon
Opening Statement…
This week, we have our first conference game against North Carolina. We’re playing against a guy that I really respect as a head coach and as a person, Butch Davis. I have coached with him for years here at Miami we were here together when we got Miami turned around. He is doing a wonderful job at North Carolina in getting that program going. I cannot say enough about him. He has always been good to me and he’s always had high standards wherever he’s been coaching.
On North Carolina defensively…
North Carolina has a very good team defensively. Their defensive line is very big and very physical, and that’s going to be a challenge for our offensive line to make sure they compete at the next level with those guys.
On the North Carolina wide receivers…
They have great receivers. They have two receivers that are pretty good guys who make a lot of things happen and try to go deep on you. The older guys have been there before. [Brandon] Tate has done a tremendous job on special teams as a good kickoff return guy and a good punt return guy. He makes their special teams go the way they want it to go and win field position.
On Butch Davis’ expected offensive game plan…
Offensively, we’re not sure who is going to be the quarterback, but no matter who the quarterback is, knowing Coach Davis, he will have a quarterback ready to play. He’s going to coach the same way. It’s not going to affect him and what they are doing offensively.
On the ACC opener…
We have a big challenge in front of us. It is another step in the process of what we are trying to do here at the University of Miami. I am looking forward to the challenge as a team and we will see where we are at in our first conference game.
On coaching against familiar faces …
In the off season, there are about four or five guys on their staff that I know at Carolina that I associate with and two guys that I have worked with. During the off season, you talk, you communicate, you joke around, but during the season it’s really hard to talk to other coaches because you are worrying about recruiting, football, film work and trying to win games. So it is kind of hard during the season to talk to anyone.
On North Carolina game this year versus last year…
I think with this team, the young guys don’t know [about last year’s game]. They just go out there and play football. For the older guys, it would probably be more of – we had an opportunity last year and we didn’t do what we were supposed to do finish the game. We went into it thinking we could beat North Carolina without coming out to play like we could play. I think for the older guys they will take this game more seriously and know more of what’s on the line.
On the noon start time…
Once you have played a few games you get into a rhythm. Everyone is going to hydrate two to three days before. The strength and athletic training room staffs will make sure that both teams are doing it, so they will be hydrated. It really won’t make a difference.
On importance of knowing who will start at quarterback for North Carolina…
Last week, we didn’t know who was going to start. Both of them were in warm-ups. They did some things different here and there – maybe one or two plays – but for the most part, they stuck to their normal game plan.
