#CanesCamp Report - Day 11
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes closed out the weekend with a Sunday morning practice, the 11th practice of 2015 #CanesCamp.
The Canes returned to the Greentree Practice Fields for the second consecutive day and the sixth time since last Sunday. Miami head coach Al Golden has put an emphasis on working hard and smart, while balancing rest and recovery, as the team prepares for the 2015 season.
“It’s a fine line,” Golden said. “We have the GPS to monitor them now and again, this is our second day back since the scrimmage. During that stretch of Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, they only had 30 to 40 reps. So, that’s a lot of healing time there and we got this next little push – a little break before we get to the next scrimmage. So, you got to balance it, but when it’s time to go, we got to go.”
Defensive lineman Chad Thomas credited the Hurricane coaching staff and sports medicine staff for helping keep the players healthy as they venture deeper into #CanesCamp.
“There’s knicks and knacks,” Thomas said. “Obviously, we play football and we’re deep into camp so we’re going to have body aches and stuff. Coach is taking care of us. A lot of us are going to see [Head Athletic Trainer] Vinny [Scavo]. We’re staying in the training room, trying to get our body right for the next practice – we can’t give up. So, you just got to keep a good mindset and ignore the knicks and knacks right now.”
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2015 Miami Hurricanes Fall Camp Quotes – Aug. 16
Head Coach Al Golden
What’s the balance between protecting guys from getting too sore and hurt and letting them go at it?
“It’s a fine line. We have the GPS to monitor them now and again, this is our second day back since the scrimmage. During that stretch of Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, they only had 30 to 40 reps. So, that’s a lot of healing time there and we got this next little push – a little break before we get to the next scrimmage. So, you got to balance it, but when it’s time to go, we got to go.”
What the approach when you’re dealing with kids that are coming back from a season-ending injury?
“The transition back happens a long time ago, whether it’s May, June, July, whatever. This is just the next phase of it. So, again, those guys are fully integrated right now and we don’t treat them any different than anybody else. If somebody has something that we have to be careful with, then we’ll do that. But right now, we’re in pretty good shape.”
How is Brad Kaaya’s August going?
“Good. He’s doing a good job leading. His completion percentage has been good. He’s doing a good job of protecting the football right now and he’s quicker. He’s getting more depth on his naked game right now than he had last year, which is giving him more time and he’s able to get outside of the defense. He’s just quicker in the pocket with stepping up and everything. So, again, we got a long way to go. It’s practice ten. Certainly, this week, we have a long way to go to perform the way we want to perform on Saturday night. But, he’s doing a good job.”
Defensive Lineman Chad Thomas
How are you guys managing to stay fresh as we go deeper and deeper into [training] camp?
“Oh, there’s knicks and knacks. Obviously, we play football and we’re deep into camp. So, we’re going to have body aches and stuff. Coach is taking care of us. A lot of us are going to see [Head Athletic Trainer] Vinny [Scavo]. We’re staying in the training room, trying to get our body right for the next practice – we can’t give up. So, you just got to keep a good mindset and ignore the knicks and knacks right now.”
What are your expectations for yourself this year?
“The same expectations that I get from my team and my coaches. Just play [to a] high standard, be a great leader and a great teammate at the same time.”
How do you see the offensive line progressing over the first nine/ten days of camp?
“They are progressing very well. They had to come together and they came together right now, and they’re giving us some work. They’re giving the D Line a lot of work.”
Wide Receiver Herb Waters
What were you most pleased with how you and the receiver group performed in the scrimmage?
“I was just being there, just helping the younger guys out, just staying right around the whole receiver corps. I don’t really like to bring out personal stats and stuff. I feel like if I do something, then that’s for the whole receiver corps. That’s not just for me – even for the whole offense too. I’m just grateful for what we got going on right now.”
How do you think you did in the first scrimmage and what are your goals for the next scrimmage?
“There’s always room for improvement – There’s assignments, blocking techniques. I really want to improve as a receiver corps because weren’t how I wanted them to be.”
Running Back Walter Tucker
What have you seen from the running back group?
“I feel like we’re tighter than last year. I feel like we’re more of a family – we have good bonding.”
What do the running backs bring, competition-wise, to the table?
“Competition-wise, [Running Backs] Coach [Tim] Ice [Harris] always wants us to compete and that’s what we always do. Even though, we’re competing, we always tell each other that we have to step it up in this drill and that drill. But, we also have competition in that room.”
You guys are already pretty deep into camp. There’s not really the same excitement as those first couple of days, guys are dealing with injuries. How do you guys keep going forward right now?
“Well, we keep going because we want to push each other to the limit we’ve never reached before and each day is a new limit. Coach Ice goes over that every day, so it’s really just on us. It’s our turn.”
Wide Receiver Rashawn Scott
What was the overall feeling from the scrimmage?
“It was a great feeling. We still did the little things here and there, but it felt a lot better than what we did in the spring. So, it was a great scrimmage.”
Are you sensing a sense of urgency with the wide receiver group?
“A group that’s looking to do well. That’s all we want to do. With [Wide Receivers Coach Kevin Beard], that’s all he makes you want to do. He gives you the picture and even though we’re tired, he just keeps pushing us. That’s all we want. That’s what we want to see a coach doing for us.”
What does your last preseason scrimmage mean to you and what are you looking to do in that?
“As a team goal – doing better than last scrimmage…Our percentage – just getting higher than we got before. That’s it.”
Defensive Lineman Gerald Willis
On coming to Miami
“The U has been my favorite school since I was a child.”
How has the transition been in coming to Miami?
“There were just some things I needed to get used to – it was another team with new players. I’m just lucky that I had a former teammate, who played for The U in Standish Dobard and he’s one of the main reasons why I came to Miami. He really made me feel at home, he introduced me to all the guys and now it (Miami) feels like another home.”
How much does it mean to you to have the team open its arms to you?
“It means a lot. Coming from Florida, I didn’t have this type of relationship with those guys (his former teammates) like I do here. It just means a lot that the guys are looking over my back and looking out for me.”
On what he is focused on
“I’m just focused on next and helping the team with the Coastal this year.”
What’s the biggest difference between Florida and Miami?
“The difference is that I feel like this team is more like a family. I just feel like something special is going to happen. I wish I could be apart of it this year, but I’ll wait for my turn next year.”
