@CanesFootball Holds Final Spring Practice at Greentree
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami football team held its final workout of spring ball at the Greentree Practice Fields Thursday morning under head coach Mark Richt.
The Hurricanes began practice at 9 a.m. on a sunny day in South Florida. The 14th practice moved Miami out of full pads as the team made final preparations for Saturday afternoon’s spring game.
Following practice, Richt, defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski, offensive line coach Stacy Searels, linebacker Demetrius Jackson, tight end David Njoku, cornerback Sheldrick Redwine, defensive lineman Chad Thomas and defensive lineman Gerald Willis spoke to members of the media.
The Miami football spring schedule will conclude on Saturday with its spring game (2 p.m.) at Lockhart Stadium and will be aired live on ESPN3. The Hurricanes’ spring game also will be open to the public and will be free for all fans.
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Spring Camp – Day 14
Mark Richt, Head Coach
Opening statement…
“Today was a good day, in that we got to teach our one-minute offense and one-minute defense, how to try to play a drive before the half, how to try to play a drive at the end of a game. Lot’s of learning going on. I was rusty myself, but we got everything taught that we needed to get taught. We got a lot of things on film that we needed to get on film to help us build on that throughout the summer. If I didn’t introduce it until the fall it would have been too late, so it was good we got this done today and I thought they did a nice job.”
On how happy he is with the 14 practices…
“I’m pleased. I know offensively, we installed a lot and we got to see enough execution where a lot of our cutups, our teaching tapes, will be Miami. That’s what I want. I want all the teaching tapes to be Miami, but there are some teaching tapes that are from Georgia, there are some teaching tapes that are still from Florida State. The more times that we execute certain concepts, the more the Miami plays knock out the other plays. So, my goal is to have enough execution where I can teach installation of our plays and of our system with just Miami tape. Obviously, by the end of next season, I’m hoping every single one of them is from Miami.”
On if the spring game has any more weight towards a depth chart…
“It does, it does to me. I think it does to the coaches. It’s the closest thing to a real game, and it is a game, but it is not real in that we’re not kicking off and we’re punting without a rush and we’re doing some things that are not normal in that regard. We play 12-minute quarters. So, it’s not exactly a game, but it’s close and there’s going to be a good many fans there to add a little pressure to it. When everybody is watching, you tend to feel it. So, I thought even last Saturday [when we scrimmaged at Oxbridge Academy] was healthy for us.”
On the wide receivers, specifically Lawrence Cager…
“Cager has gotten better. Cager and [Darrell] Langham are playing a little closer to 6-4 now, 6-3, maybe 6-2-and-a-half. When I said they played like 6-footers when they were 6-4, they’re growing on me. They’re up to about 6-2-and-a-half, maybe 6-3. They have improved and we’re trying to see, can they play the X? Can they play the split end, or is a young guy going to take it? Or, am I going to have to take somebody who is on the Z side and move him to the X side who’s already here? I do think I saw improvement.”
On if he would prefer to have a returning QB as the backup to avoid burning Jack Allison’s redshirt…
“Well, that’s a good question. We’re going to play who we think is the next best. Whoever we think is the next-best quarterback will be second team and whether or not Jack’s that guy or not, whether he redshirts or not, I don’t know. I’ve coached so long. I had a string at Florida State wherever everybody I ever coached redshirted. It was just kind of the way it was because there was somebody always ready with two or three years of experience, sometimes four. They’re fourth year, they were a redshirt junior, they started two years, Charlie Ward being one of those and we all know what happened with him [won the Heisman Trophy]. So, whether we redshirt or not, I don’t know, but if he’s the number two quarterback, he won’t redshirt. If he’s number three, we’ll probably try not to play him unless we have to.”
On if a QB has emerged behind Brad Kaaya…
“I’ve got a little idea. I’m not going to say yet, but it’s more of a lead rather than somebody winning the job because the summer is big. I’ve seen guys go through the summer and learn their ball handling better, learn their routes better, learn to execute everything better, have more confidence in the system. Then, all of a sudden you start practice in the fall, and you’re like, ‘Whoa, look at that guy. He’s really learned, he’s really gotten better.’ So, I’m not going to sit here and try to name number two right now.”
On what he has seen from David Njoku…
“He’s a very athletic guy. As a tight end who is attached to the line of scrimmage or right next to the tackle and blocking the two-back running game, the sweep, the power, the sprint draw, the leads and all that stuff, he’s really proved that he’ll stick his face on somebody and really fight it and get after it. He’s definitely athletic enough to block, but you’ve got to be strong, you’ve to go be really willing and I see some of that, too. So, he’s a pretty versatile guy.”
On if Trayone Gray can be moved around or if he is strictly a running back…
“I see him as strictly a tailback, right now. I never ever thought to put him anywhere else, quite frankly. You’re trying to learn one spot. If you try to learn two spots it’s just too confusing, especially this very first spring [in our system]. Over time, if he really knows what to do there, you can start teaching him some others and see what he can do, we might do that.”
On if Trayone Gray or what other players have been considered for the return game…
“I’ll be real honest with you, I’m not even sure. I know I’ve watched, but I haven’t gotten down to the real nitty gritty of who we think can do what at that spot. I’ve been so busy coaching offense, but I do see [Stacy] Coley back there. I see [Mark] Walton back there, I see [Braxton] Berrios back there, I see Corn [Elder] back there. There are a few others, I’m sure, who’ve been back there, I just don’t remember.”
On Gerald Willis…
“I like what he’s doing. I like the kid. I think he cares. I think wants to be great. We’ll see, we’ll see how much he’s progressed, but there’s no doubt in my mind if he stays healthy and does what he’s supposed to do in the summer, he’ll play a bunch of snaps for us.”
On Standish Dobard and the tight end position beyond David Njoku…
“He’s done alright, but the top two have been [Christopher] Herndon and [David] Njoku.”
On if that is the order of the tight ends…
“Well, they play so much at the same time, sometimes one is a tight end, one is a receiver, one time a guy is a fullback. We move them around a lot.”
Craig Kuligowski, Defensive Line Coach
On Chad Thomas…
“He’s got to get better, no question about it, but that’s what we’re focused on, where he was and how he can get better. I really don’t like to say, ‘This is the level that we want to get you to.’ Because, what happens when we get to that level? Then we stop, right? We’re going to focus on being better today than yesterday, every day.”
On Demetrius Jackson…
“Well, I think he’s done a good job, too. The thing that he’s shown is he has the ability, he’s reliable and he has some really good talents as a pass rusher. So, at this point, if we were playing a game tomorrow, I’d feel good about him [and also] putting almost every one of these guys in the game. We may have to do that, where we use everybody, because if we play 80 plays in a game and one guy plays 40 and the other guy plays 40 and they play as hard as they can play, we’re going to be pretty good.”
Stacy Searels, Offensive Line Coach
On the best player he’s ever coached…
“The one who’s probably had the most notoriety and the most success is Andrew Whitworth. He’s the left tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals right now. There’s Cordy Glenn, the left tackle for the Buffalo Bills, who’s a franchise guy this year. There’s a few guys out there that I’ve been fortunate to coach. Whit’s a guy who’s been All-Pro a couple years.”
On who the best lineman has been this spring …
“The most consistent lineman this spring has been Danny Isidora. I really like the way the whole group has grown as a unit. I think Danny’s sort of taken a leadership role. He has graded as the most consistent in all the scrimmages. He’s been the most consistent in practice, he’s the most consistent in drills, so I’m really pleased with the way Danny is working.”
On Nick Linder coming back and if the interior of the line can be a strength…
“Well, I hope all five of them [are good]. You can have a strong interior and if you don’t have tackles, we’re going to stink, but I like adding depth with Nick. I like adding more depth with Sunny Odogwu. They are guys who are season veterans, who have played the game, who you expect to go out there and play well. The competition is going to make us better. You’re going to go through a season, someone is going to twist their ankle. Something is going to happen and the next guy has got to step up. That just makes us better, having more players. Competition, knowing that if you don’t perform, somebody else is going to take your job, that’s going to help.”
On the sacks…
“We’re going to take credit for the sacks, always, because I’m the o-line coach, but it all works together. We’ve got to protect, the backs got to protect, sometimes the tight ends are protecting. Sometimes the quarterback’s got to read hot. So, it all fits together, but we’re ultimately responsible for taking care of the quarterback.”
Demetrius Jackson, Redshirt Sophomore, Defensive Line
On where he has seen the most progress this spring from the defensive line…
“On the line, I’d say it’s the relentlessness. Don’t give up on the rush. Last year we used to give up a lot. If we couldn’t beat our man we would just stop. We just keep going [now]. ‘Coach Kool’ is teaching us new things, second pass rush moves to do if we can’t get there to the man. In my opinion, our defense is the most improved thing. So, I like us. I like us a lot this year.”
On what he is looking forward to showing fans at the spring game and if he thinks about proving people wrong…
“We don’t think about proving people wrong because no matter what you do, you’re still going to have to prove them wrong. You win 30 championships, you still got to prove them wrong, but I think the main thing that our defensive unit is going to show is consistency, being consistent. We come here and work every single day, hard, no matter what. If our body isn’t feeling right, we’re still working. So, that’s what I think we’re going to show the fans and people around, is how consistent this defense is.”
David Njoku, Redshirt Sophomore, Tight End
On the hit he took from Shaq Quarterman…
“It’s football. It is what it is. You get hit, shake it off and go back for the next play and that’s what I did. Shaq is a great player and I’m excited he is with us.”
On his role in the offense and his touchdown in last week’s scrimmage…
“It all starts in the tight end room. We are all studying the plays, watching film and working very hard. Brad [Kaaya] is great and he put that ball in a perfect spot and I went up and got it.”
Chad Thomas, Junior, Defensive Line
On the spring game as the final practice…
“I don’t think that’s one more practice. That’s a game, for real. There’s going to be a lot of people watching. Our last scrimmage was good, but we could have made more plays, so we’ve just got to come out there ready to go.”
On how close he is to living up to his potential…
“I don’t really live up to the hype. I live up to what I know I can do. I know I can go out there and get the job done, and listen to my coaches and learn what I’ve got to do.”
On the biggest sign of progress he has seen this spring from the defensive line…
“From the line, we are getting a more relentless attitude, trying to get to the quarterback. They are setting us free, so we are getting the job done. We’re trying to get to him.”
Gerald Willis, Redshirt Sophomore, Defensive Lineman
On how important the Spring Game is for the defensive line…
“The Spring Game is important for the D-line as a group. Just looking at what we’ve been doing for all these practices. For me, it’s very important. I’ve been out for a long time, so it will be fun to be in a game environment again.”
Are you a starter at defensive tackle?
“We’ve been rotating. Two could start one day and two others the next. Coach Kool is telling us the lineup tomorrow.”
