#CanesCamp Comes to a Close Saturday on Greentree
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes’ 2016 fall training came to an end Saturday morning with two weeks to go before the team’s season opener against Florida A&M on Sept. 3 at Hard Rock Stadium.
“It is the last day of camp, I guess,” head coach Mark Richt said. “It just seems like another day to me. School is going to start Monday, and they have to start managing more than just football, with their academics and all the things that go along with it. There’s more things to be distracted from practice and meetings and things like that, so they just have to learn to focus when it’s time to focus and take care of business outside of football.”
Richt came away with positive impressions from his first camp at the helm of the Hurricanes.
“I thought overall it was a very good camp. I thought the guys worked really hard, I thought we got better,” he said.
Richt said that though there is a concern of practice becoming “stale” with 14 days to go until the opener, the shift into game-planning mode will help energize the Hurricanes.
“Hopefully game plan mode will help them get excited,” Richt said. “Yesterday we didn’t meet in the afternoon with the players. We just met at night and the coaches were working on finalizing a game plan for Florida A&M. Same thing today.”
Senior defensive back Adrian Colbert, who finished his first camp as a member of the Hurricanes and last camp as a collegiate player, isn’t worried about any chance of staleness.
“We’re just going to keep competing and making each other better every day,” Colbert said. “Especially since we’re going into game week, it’s just going to keep going up and keep going up – the intensity and the competitiveness.”
Miami’s final scrimmage of the fall will be held Wednesday on the Greentree Practice Fields, and it will be a practice game in preparation for Florida A&M. The offense and defense will be lining up on the same sideline for the first time, as the scout ream replicates what Richt and the staff expects to see from the Rattlers. The team will also have what Richt calls a “situational scrimmage” Friday.
“It’s got to be here [on Greentree]. I would love to have it at the stadium, but we’re not allowed to get there yet,” Richt said. “ It’s not a scrimmage Friday. I call it a ‘situational scrimmage.’ Stuations that don’t come naturally on Wednesday, we’ll orchestrate. In other words, we’re just going to play a half of football. It’s going to be the second half on Wednesday. We’ll be down maybe by 24 points or something, and we have to crawl back in the game and find a way back in the game. Whatever happens, happens. Just play it like it happens. If there’s certain situations that we haven’t hit that didn’t happen in the scrimmage, then Friday we’ll orchestrate that.”
Redshirt sophomore David Njoku is one Hurricane expected to play a big role in 2016.
“During camp, our goal was just to compete. Now we are focused on FAMU. We’re still going to compete during practice, but our focus now will be on our first game.”
Read on for more reaction from student-athletes and coaches after the final practice of #CanesCamp 2016:
Head Coach Mark Richt
Opening Statement…
“It is the last day of camp, I guess. It just seems like another day to me. School is going to start Monday, and they have to start managing more than just football, with their academics and all the things that go along with it. There’s more things to be distracted from practice and meetings and things like that, so they just have to learn to focus when it’s time to focus and take care of business outside of football. I thought overall it was a very good camp. I thought the guys worked really hard, I thought we got better. The only problem now is we have two more weeks before we play a game, and you can get stale. But we are going to begin to work some scout teams and we’re going to start getting ready for Wednesday’s scrimmage, which will be a practice game against Florida A&M. We’ll have offense and defense on the same sideline for the first time. We’ll be substituting for kicking for the first time. We’ll be bench control for the first time. We’ll probably simulate coaches up in the box during the scrimmage, and all of that.”
On the importance of avoiding “staleness” at practice with two weeks to go before the season opener…
“Hopefully gameplan mode will help them get excited. Yesterday we didn’t meet in the afternoon with the players. We just met at night and the coaches were working on finalizing a game plan for Florida A&M. Same thing today. Sunday, depending on how far along we are as coaches, we may come in and continue with that, so by Monday we’ll be ready to present at least bits and pieces of the game plan, as it’s going to happen and as we’re going to call it in a game.”
On the status of freshman wide receiver Ahmmon Richards, who was not seen at practice Saturday…
“Ahmmon had a personal issue to take care of today. He’ll be here Monday.”
On the location of the scrimmage Wednesday and the details of Friday’s scrimmage…
“It’s got to be here. I would love to have it at the stadium, but we’re not allowed to get there yet. It’s not a scrimmage Friday. I call it a situational scrimmage. Situations that don’t come naturally on Wednesday, we’ll orchestrate. In other words, we’re just going to play a half of football. It’s going to be the second half on Wednesday. We’ll be down maybe by 24 points or something, and we have to crawl back in the game and find a way back in the game. Whatever happens, happens. Just play it like it happens. If there’s certain situations that we haven’t hit that didn’t happen in the scrimmage, then Friday we’ll orchestrate that.”
On the status of freshman Michael Pinckney and timetable…
“He’s not quite ready. He showed us a lot in the spring. If he was a true freshman without spring ball, I doubt we’d be thinking a whole lot about trying to get him ready. But he showed enough in the spring that we think he can play at this level. He’s a pretty sharp kid. We just have to get him healthy.”
Assistant Coach Ephraim Banda
On which safeties have been working in the nickel packages…
“I’ve had [Rayshawn] Jenkins there, I’ve had Jaquan [Johnson] there, Jamal [Carter]. Nickel, dime, all those are different spots, so, what’s great is they’ve all logged games, they’ve all ran across the white line with a bunch of people yelling. That’s important when you’re playing nickel and dime. They’ve all had game experience there.”
On Jaquan Johnson being the best option in the nickel…
“We’re going to put our best players on the field, as I’ve said before, Jaquan is a starter. Jamaal Carter and Rayshawn Jenkins might run out there if its base, but Jaquan Johnson is a starter. And if that game calls for nickel it may be Jenks it may be Jaquan, but we’re going to work them. Corn [Elder] is working at the area too. In our book, we’re going to put the best players that we have on the field.”
Defensive Back Adrian Colbert
On having Ephraim Banda on staff at Texas and now Miami…
“It makes everything so much easier. It made the transition so much easier for me, just having that person – not only is he my coach, but he’s just a really good friend for me. He’s more like a family member, like a big brother that I can look up to, if I need some advice outside of football or I need to feel at home.”
On how practice shifts into game-planning mode…
“Honestly, the game plan hasn’t change. We’re just going to keep competing and making each other better every day. Especially since we’re going into game week, it’s just going to keep going up and keep going up – the intensity and the competitiveness.”
Defensive Back Corn Elder
On the depth chart situation at the return positions…
“I’m not sure what the depth chart is, but there have been different guys working at returner – me, Stacy [Coley], Malcolm [Lewis], Braxton [Berrios], Sam Bruce and Ahmmon [Richards] – all of us, we’re just working on catching punts and catching kicks. I’m not sure who’s going to be the starting returner, but I know whoever is out there will make plays.”
On the potential impact of the freshmen in the mix to return – Sam Bruce, Ahmmon Richards and Malek Young…
“Definitely. They’re all explosive, fast. On the defensive side of the ball and offense and special teams, I think all three can make an immediate impact.”
On the younger receivers and his overall impressions of them…
“I’ve definitely covered a lot of them in one-on-ones or in team periods. They all show different looks. They’re getting better throughout camp. Sam [Bruce] has gotten a lot better from when he first got here. Ahmmon [Richards], Dayall [Harris]…they’re all just doing a great job.”
On his impressions on the receiving group as a whole…
“One of the best in the country, definitely. They all bring a different look to the table. They’re all fast, can catch, good in space, once they get the ball in their hands, they’re deadly to stop. I’m excited to watch them play this year. I think we have a great receiving corps.”
Running Back Joe Yearby
On the injury to Trayone Gray and the importance of his teammates keeping his spirits high…
“Right now he’s in good spirits. We just tell him to keep his head up. Everything happens for a reason. This is a time to get better at everything that he needs to work on.”
On his comfort level in the offense after spring and fall camp…
“I feel very comfortable with the offense – it’s more of a running game. The run game leads to the pass game, opening it up. I feel very comfortable with it.”
Tight End David Njoku
On this week’s practice…
“It’s very important that we never take a play off because that could lead to an injury, so we just work hard every day.”
On wrapping up camp…
“During camp, our goal was just to compete. Now we are focused on FAMU. We’re still going to compete during practice , but our focus now will be on our first game.”
On his goals heading into this season…
“I’m just focused on taking it one game at a time and giving it my all. If I feel like we – as a tight end group – did a good job then I am happy, whatever the stats may be.”
On the tight end unit as a group…
“It’s hard to have a group like us – you have Standish Dobard, Chris Herndon and myself. Stan is our senior leader, we have Chris, who is our do-it-all guy, you are going to see him everywhere and then me, and I have a little speed on me. To have all of us on one team is going to be fun.”
