Canes Camp Report: Aug. 12
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – With their first scrimmage of preseason camp now behind them, the Hurricanes returned to the Greentree Practice Fields on Tuesday to continue the work of preparing for the season ahead.
After practice, defensive linemen David Blay, Jr.., Armondo Blount, Ahmad Moten Sr., Daylen Russell, Justin Scott and Donta Simpson shared their thoughts on the day’s workout, how their group is progressing and more.
Here are some of their best quotes from Tuesday as Miami moves one step closer to its Aug. 31 season opener against Notre Dame.
Defensive lineman David Blay, Jr.
On the defensive tackles, and their potential this season:
“We have a lot of potential, but at the same time, I don’t like to use the word ‘potential’ because potential is something that somebody could say about us, and that can be very good and very bad, determining off what we do with it. So, I feel like we have a lot of talent. … Everybody here is working. We’re working hard, I’m not going to lie. And as long as we stay working, we should be more than good.”
On the progress of the younger defensive linemen:
“They’re all coming along. It’s just a matter of everybody starting to buy in. At a program like Miami, it’s a big – what’s the word I’m looking for? – I’m going to use the word family. Everybody’s just coming together. We have a lot of camaraderie … everybody’s coming together, and everything’s coming together well, coming together good.”
On adapting to the level of play at Miami after transferring from Louisiana Tech:
“I wouldn’t say it’s a big jump up. At the end of the day, football’s football. It’s just a matter of technique. That’s one thing I can say we harp on at this level: technique. If you’re not on your technique, it will be shown. And if you’re on your technique, also it will be shown. You’ve got to be on your P’s and Q’s every single play. That’s the biggest difference, in my opinion. Just the technique and how important it is to do it over and over again every single play.”
Defensive lineman Armondo Blount
On what he’s learned from Miami’s veteran linemen:
“You learn something new every day. Like technique-wise, they help me clean up my technique with dipping my shoulder to striking. You learn every day when you’re in a room with guys like that, that are veterans. They’ve been teaching me a lot. I’ve been learning a lot, just becoming a student of the game.”
On freshman defensive lineman Hayden Lowe:
“He’s an aggressive guy. I like him. It’s like the whole d-line room is in competition every day, so we’ve got guys working and everybody’s aggressive and that’s what I like.”
Defensive lineman Ahmad Moten, Sr.
On the progress of the defensive line
“I feel like we’re on a good path. It’s week two [of camp], we did spring. I’m coming in with the guys and showing them what I can bring to the table, too and we’re all just molding together as a D-line group, especially as a D-tackle group. [Defensive tackles coach Damione Lewis] is getting us right.”
On what it’s like to face Miami’s offensive line in practice:
“This is definitely going to be the best O-line we play. So, if we go 100 percent every play with them, Saturday and Sundays will come easy. … We definitely are getting each other better. [Francis Mauigoa, Anez Cooper, James Brockermeyer, Matt McCoy, Markel Bell] and then you got us, you got [Rueben Bain Jr., Akheem Mesidor, David Blay, Justin Scott, Daylen Russell], we’re all getting each other better and I really like the fact the coaches are getting into it, too; helping us out, making sure we compete with each other, too.”
Defensive lineman Daylen Russell
On the defensive tackle group:
“We bond really good. We get to individual drills, we correct each other. We watch each other’s reps and learn from there. And we all just come together as one.”
On defensive tackles coach Damione Lewis:
“He’s very hard on us. He wants us – the D-tackle group – to become one and just help each other get better each and every day.”
Defensive lineman Justin Scott
On the progress of the defensive line so far in camp:
“One thing I definitely like is we, as a unit, challenge the o-line and make them better every day. And the same thing with them. We just battle and go at it every day, no matter if it’s spiders, shells, full pads, we’re always going at it. So, just keep sharpening the offensive line, just keeping them boys great.”
On playing alongside Ahmad Moten, Sr.
“I definitely thing we bring a lot of versatility, definitely. We both can play nose, both can play tackle, so really, just when we’re in together, just that chemistry and bond that we’ve got, to where we can kind of freestyle in the sense where we don’t have one designated nose or one designated tackle. We kind of flow … always communicating. So, yeah, I definitely think it’s a lot of fun just being able to display that versatility and show that chemistry.”
Defensive lineman Donta Simpson
On the progress he’s made since arriving on campus:
“I’ve gotten stronger since my first day here. Stronger, faster, bigger and more explosive. And that’s because Damione Lewis is my D-line coach.”
On what he’s learned from some of the veteran defensive linemen:
“Just to have energy and just to play explosive, just like them. I look up to them every day, how they play, how they work on their moves, and it just gets me better.”
