Canes Camp Report: Aug. 13

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Hurricanes were back in action Thursday on the Greentree Practice Fields as the second week of preseason camp continues at Miami.

After practice, defensive backs Bryce Fitzgerald and Omar Thornton, along with wide receivers Vandrevius Jacobs, Joshua Moore  and Daylyn Upshaw spoke with reporters to share their thoughts on the day’s session and more.

Here are some of their best quotes from Thursday’s practice as Miami moves one step closer to its Sept. 4 opener at Stanford.

Defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald

On growing as a leader in the secondary now that he has a year’s experience:

“It’s great. [Defensive coordinator Corey] Hetherman just telling me he just needs me to be vocal, communicating with the guys. If you’re out there with freshmen, just communicate and let everybody know [to] do their one-on-one and we’re going to be alright.”

On fellow defensive back Omar Thornton:

“He’s not scared of [anybody]. He’s going to go through anybody. He’s going to guard anybody. Whatever the coaches need him to do, he’s going to do it with no problems, no questions asked.”

On what he’s doing differently in camp this year after playing as a freshman last season:

“Just being around the ball more. [It’s] not just only about ball hawking. Tackling, being physical around blocks, everything.”

On what it’s like to compete against wide receiver Malachi Toney in practice:

“It’s great. Every one-on-one rep, we go first. It’s just a battle, the best of the best. It’s iron [sharpening] iron. He gets me, I get him. It’s great going against Mali. I’ve said it – I feel like he’s the greatest receiver in the country. So, going against him in practice every day, it’s going to make it easy for me in the game.”

Wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs:

On what makes quarterback Darian Mensah different:

“I’d say with Darian, it’s just his mindset. He has the mindset that he can make any throw, and I don’t doubt it. He’s an all-around leader. He knows what he wants done and he’s hard on the receivers about getting that done. So, I can say it’s just his mindset and just his trust in his ability and his arm to make any throw that he can.”

On the depth in Miami’s receiving corps:

“Yeah, I feel like our receivers room is pretty deep. It doesn’t matter what receiver it is, I feel like we all can go in there and make plays. So, I just feel like we leave that into the hands of the coaches to put whoever they believe can make the best plays to go out there because we’re all capable of it.”

On the importance of physicality in the receiving corps:

“I feel like we’re being asked to be way more physical. We’re all up for the challenge. We all know what we came here [for] and [what] we signed up for. So, we just go to every practice, every meeting with that mindset, of just getting better [and] being more physical in the run game. And even in the pass game, quick screens or bubbles, or whatever, just open up space for our guys around us.”

On what it’s like to compete against Miami’s defensive backs in practice:

“I can say all the DBs are fun to go against and they’re all challenging to go against. … I can tell you it’s like a war out there during one-on-ones for sure. It’s like World War II, World War III, actually. So, we’re all out there just competing and getting better. Every day is competition. … it’s chaotic every time we line up and do ones-[on ones].”

Wide receiver Joshua Moore

On competing against Miami’s defensive backs on a daily basis:

“Really, iron sharpens iron. The receiver group, the DB group, we’ve been attacking it, literally getting better every day, going at it with each other, making sure each player comes out with their best. And if you don’t come out with the best, it’s going to show. So, we’ve been attacking, just trying to get better and better.”

On stands out about quarterback Darian Mensah:

“His playmaking abilities, his ability to extend the play. And when the play looks dead, he’ll roll out of that pocket and make the play open, make it a deep play.”

On how quarterbacks Luke Nickel, Judd Anderson and Dereon Coleman have looked in camp:

“They’ve been with [offensive coordinator Shannon] Dawson and Coach Dawson has been getting into it. Honestly, I see growth in each and every one of them every day, from the reads to the accuracy of the ball [and] how far the ball is thrown. They’ve been going at it, getting better and better every day.”

Defensive back Omar Thornton

On his comfort level playing at multiple spots on the defense:

“[I’m] real comfortable playing wherever they choose me to fit in at, wherever, I feel great. All the positions, going over all the plays, knowing what to call at safety, what to call when they switch me, things like that. It’s been fun switching around a lot. It’s been cool.”

On defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman:

“I could say a lot about him. … he just likes to go after teams and that’s what I like, and I think I fit well in his scheme.”

Wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw

On how he thinks preseason camp has gone so far and the differences he’s felt now, compared to his freshman season last year:

“Fall camp is going real good right now for the whole team. Every day, we’re getting better with the defense winning some days, the offense winning some days. And I feel like this year, I’ve put on a lot more weight and I feel [more] comfortable now with the offense. When I got hurt, it gave me time to just sink [into] everything, get to know the offense a little more and now I just feel more comfortable.”

On what it’s like to compete against Miami’s defensive backs:

“Well, Omar [Thornton] is very physical. He’s a very physical defensive back. And the thing I can say about our DBs is [that] they’re very versatile. One play, you might be getting guarded by Ethan [O’Connor] and he might play a different technique. Then  “OJ” [Frederique Jr.] will come, then Damari [Brown] will come, then Xavier Lucas will come. We’re just so versatile in the back end, so you just never know what you’re going to get.”