Canes Camp Report: Aug. 7

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Hurricanes continue making their way through preseason camp, and after Wednesday’s practice – Miami’s first in full pads this camp – assistant head coach and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, kicker Andy Borregales, defensive back Jaden Harris, punter Dylan Joyce and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa all spoke with reporters.

Here are some of their best quotes after Wednesday’s practice, along with some team notes, as Miami moves one step closer to its Aug. 31 season opener at Florida.

Assistant head coach/offensive line coach Alex Mirabal

On the progress of the offensive line:

“They’ve made tremendous growth from the end of spring ‘til now. We didn’t start when fall camp started. It wasn’t the 16th practice. We’ve continued to grow, and we haven’t had to go back and do a lot of the foundational stuff, so we were able to be more aggressive with our installation, be able to be more aggressive with our line of scrimmage calls and what we can and cannot do. And you have to do that when you have a veteran at quarterback, right? When you have a veteran at quarterback, like Cam Ward, there’s only so many things you put in on day one, right? … But Cam Ward, if he sees something that might be going in on day eight, he might check to it. He might audible to it. So, we have to make sure that we, as an offensive line, are ready for that, ‘cause we don’t want to stunt his growth. Like I told the offensive line, ‘This isn’t pre-algebra, okay? This is calculus right now.’ …

“It’s a little bit different dynamic when you have a veteran at quarterback who can check to something that [isn’t] going to be in until day three or four, right? So, it’s been awesome, and they’ve been swimming along. I mean, they’re going to rise. They’re going to rise to the level of your expectations. And we just keep going.”

On how center Zach Carpenter and quarterback Cam Ward continue building their chemistry:

“I mean, his communication and chemistry with Cam has been good since he was here in the spring. … His communication has always been awesome. There’s no issue on that. So, now, you know, I’ll go shower, [coaches will] go to meetings and typically, when we get out of those meetings … you’ll pass by the o-line room and it’ll be Cam and Zach and Jalen Rivers, they’ll be in there watching film. And they’re not watching film to say, ‘Hey, look, how cool is that.’ They’re watching film and it’s ‘Hey, why’d you guys make that line of scrimmage call?’ and they’ll say, ‘Well, Cam, because we were in this front, so this is a line of scrimmage call that fits with that.’ They’re both very cerebral. Zach is a more quiet demeanor guy. Cam’s a lot more vocal. But they fit, they mesh well together.”

On the depth of the offensive line:

“I would say that anybody in the country, any offensive line coach in the country, you’re looking to have eight or nine guys that you feel can go out there and on game one or game two, game three, and that they can play for you. That’s it. You’re not looking for 15. That’s la la land, right? If you get 10, that’s great, right? But when it comes to game day, it really then becomes like in the NFL and in the NFL, those guys go with seven or eight offensive linemen who they feel can win on Sunday. It’s very much like that with college.

“You’ve got a practice organizational chart and then you’ve got a game organizational chart, right? And you practice organizational chart has got to be deep enough where you can get the reps with the ones, the twos, the threes and sometimes, the fours. In a game, it isn’t that. In a game, it’s, your top five guys. Some guy goes down, who’s the next best guy? If you have eight or nine of those, that’s a luxury. So that’s what you’re looking for. We had it last year. We already have it now this year, in my opinion. What you’re looking for as a coach is you’re looking to continue to grow that.”

On how the offensive line looked during Wednesday’s practice:

“What I saw from them is … the defense got after our tail yesterday and I thought we responded a lot better today than we did yesterday. Our defensive line is salty now, right? Those guys are salty. So, if you even think ‘hey, my mind’s going to be somewhere else,’ they’re going to get after you. So, it’s awesome. The old adage ‘iron sharpens iron,’ well, we get it every day. I get to see [defensive lineman Akheem] Mesidor against those guys and I think Mesidor is having a phenomenal camp. … I think he’s having as good a camp of anybody at any position in our program. Well, you better, as an offensive lineman, you better come wanting to block him, because if not, that joker’s going to embarrass you.”

On the development of sophomore offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa, who missed the spring with an injury:

“He’s been awesome. His leadership is tremendous. Even though he didn’t practice in the spring, it hasn’t slowed him down one bit at all. We’re just looking for him to continue to progress, do a better job using his hands in pass protection, bringing his hips in the run game. So, there are two little, subtle things that we work on with him on a daily basis, with all of them. … to me, it’s those little things that will help him become a better player.”

Kicker Andy Borregales

On the possibility of winning the Lou Groza Award in his final season as a collegiate kicker:

“I feel like awards and stuff, obviously, they mean a lot. But I think [the best way] to just cap my career would be winning the ACC, winning a [national championship] with this team. I honestly, firmly believe we can. But, yeah, definitely winning that Lou Groza [Award] would cap off that brotherly competition, you know? It’d be like ‘Now, we both have the same trophy.’”

On his growth since his freshman year:

“It’s [been] an amazing transformation. I look back at my freshman year and how I carried myself on the field. I feel like I was a little bit timid at times, just because I was in new waters, new territory, I guess. But I was always confident in myself and what I can do. But obviously, the last three offseasons have been a lot of grinding and I’ve improved mentally [and] physically. I’ve gotten bigger. So, that’s helped a lot, too. But you know, just from freshman year to now, I feel like two different people.”

On freshman kicker Abram Murray:

“Honestly, comparing my freshman year, how I was as a freshman to how he is, he’s a lot better. I’ve got to say it how it is. He has great potential. His confidence is through the roof and I’m helping him maintain that confidence and just helping him deal with time management and all that, so he doesn’t make the same mistakes that I made. Overall, he’s been really good, listening to what I tell him. And then he also helps me out. For example, today, I had to tweak a little something and he helped me with that. We’re helping each other.”

On competition at the kicker spot:

“It’s been fun. [Murray] is a great kicker, same as Will Rocha. All three of us just compete day in and day out. I told my coaches, and they’ve told me too, even though I’ve been a starter since my freshman year, my spot isn’t secured. I’m going to have to compete for it every single day and that’s the mentality that we have going into camp and that’s how it’s going to be.”

Defensive back Jaden Harris

On the first week of practice:

“It’s been great vibes, great competition. I think that’s the best thing from the spring to now. I think we’re a little more physical as far as offense and defense going against each other. Everybody’s just competing at a high level right now. I like the back and forth, so I feel like the defense will win a day, the offense will win a day. That’s always great for the team.”

On working with Mishael “Meesh” Powell in the secondary:

“It’s been a great experience working with Meesh. He’s got a lot of experience, played in a lot of games. Kind of like that big brother vibe. It’s just a great experience to go out there and play with him and learn from him.”

On stepping up as a leader among the safeties after the departures of Kam Kinchens and James Williams:

“I wouldn’t really call it a burden. I mean, I just feel like as a group, we’re all just getting better. I would say that I’ve taken a step forward as far as being a leader in the spring and in the summertime, just trying to lead these guys with my experience and help out the young guys. So, I just focused on leading the group as best as I can and putting my best days forward to lead the group by example.”

On building chemistry in the new-look secondary:

“It’s very important that you are all together, you all are one and everybody’s just family, man. It’s just a family environment where you could come and talk and … be very open to your guys. That’s the type of environment that we try to build here and that’s the type of environment that Cam and James left. So, we’re just trying to keep that same standard and that same family environment for the safety room, for the DB room in general.”

Punter Dylan Joyce

On his comfort level after punting last season:

“A lot more confident. Obviously, having last year under my belt and just training camp, taking it day by day. It’s really good. Feeling really confident in myself and my abilities this year. So, it’s good. I think we’re going to have a good year.”

On what he learned after last season:

“Just looking after my body. I know people say punters don’t do too much, but you know, just looking after my body. It’s a long season. Just knowing when to ease up a little bit and when to go hard and overcoming adversity as well. Obviously, had a couple blocked punts last year, so just being able to deal with that and still have confidence in myself to go out there and do my job for the team.”

On adjusting to life in Miami and the U.S. after leaving his native Australia:

“Not seeing my family every day, that was pretty hard and just like, I don’t know, just little stuff like the different mannerisms and stuff with Americans driving on the wrong side of the road, that kind of thing. But it’s been a pretty good transition though. Miami has been really good to me in that sense. They really looked after me coming in, all the little stuff, just making sure I was all good there … Miami’s been really good to me. The transition’s been easy, and I don’t want to leave any time soon. It’s been really good.”

Offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa

On how it’s felt to get back on the field after missing spring with an injury:

“I’m back like I never left. The training staff and you know, the [physical therapy] guys worked hard for me, and I appreciate all that they’ve done for me, not only in the weight room but also like getting better on my shoulders and everything. They’ve done a really good job with my shoulders now I’m back like I never left.”

On the rehab process and how tough it was not to be on the field:

“I feel like my mentality was I need to be on the field as quick as possible. … So, what I [did] was, I tried to do as much to catch up with [the team] because they’re grinding every day and me sitting on my butt makes me feel like I’m lazy. So, I tried my best to match up to whatever they’re doing to try to get back on the field with not that big of a gap because they’re grinding, they’re getting better and I’m not. So, that was my whole mentality during this whole rehab process.”

On what he learned after playing as a freshman last year:

“The biggest thing I learned is you either eat or you get eaten. Akheem Mesidor, Rueben Bain, Jr., Elijah Alston and all these great [defensive] ends, they come to hunt and it’s either I match their energy, or I don’t. And that’s what goes on in practice every day. I’m really, really excited for this team about that because they’re headhunters and I’m the protector of my quarterback.”

On what it means to have another season with his brother, linebacker Francisco Mauigoa:

“I try to enjoy as much with him. Out there on the field today, we were kind of going at it, screaming at each other, but I really appreciate what he’s done for me. I mean, making me settle into this place and playing a big role as a big brother, not only on the field, but off the field as well.”