One of Mario Cristobal’s best evaluations since coming to Miami was OG Anez Cooper. The former three-star is now a bona fide NFL prospect and leader on Miami’s offensive line. He spoke to reporters after the Canes' second practice:
On the depth at DL: It’s awesome. We'll be in there, do one play, go in the huddle, turn around, and there's a whole ‘nother set of D-linemen out there. We go back to the huddle, turn around, and there's a whole ‘nother set. It’s hard for us because O-linemen don't rotate. It’s exhausting. It's awesome for us.
It’s making us better because [with] all the new linemen, nobody is really the same. Everybody’s got their own way. They can get past somebody. They can fit in a run. We shouldn't face nobody in the season that we really haven't seen yet. That’s good for us.
On how his game has grown: I lost weight. I feel like I got faster. I move better. I’ve been good in the run [game] in the past. But being faster and losing weight, I get lower and can run. So I feel like I’ve elevated from the past two years.
On the continuity with Rivers and Mauigoa: We’ve already got chemistry because we played with each other before. Us three, we lean on the guys that just came like Zach [Carpenter], Matt McCoy, and Sam [Okunlola]. We already know what it's going to be. With us having that connection that we already got, we just pass it on to the young guys or the guys that's going to be rotating with us.
On Francis Mauigoa: He grew fast. Right now, there's nothing that he don't know or can't do. He’s playing center. He's playing left guard. Francis needs to just keep doing what he's doing. He's going to be special.
On cross-training at other OL spots: You'll never know when somebody will go down and somebody's got to go replace somebody's spot. Plus, cross-training helps us know what the other side has got to do. It helps us know what the center's got to do. It's just building a big old connection.
On the positions he plays: Right tackle and left guard. That's about it. I don't really mess with center. That's not my strong suit. But right guard, right tackle, left guard, that's what I've been working at.
On exceeding his recruiting rankings: It's a mindset thing. At the beginning of 12th grade, I didn’t really have any offers because people thought I was too big and couldn't move. I had the mindset that people really didn't believe in me. When I got here, all that changed. I appreciate Cristobal and Mirabal for believing in me. When I met those guys, they changed my mindset to know I'm capable of doing my job. That really helped me out a lot, those guys believing in me.
On his mindset coming into his junior year: I just want to go in and compete with the top guys. I feel like I can compete. I’ve got a mindset that I’ve got to win. Any of those top guys, they’re just in my way. They're just stop me from getting what I want. If I go in there with that mindset, I should be good.
On his skills at the NCAA Football video game: I think I might have beat everybody. People say Popo, Shemar Kirk and Cam are supposed to be good. They don't make it past the third quarter with me. So I should be the best on the team, if I say so myself.
On the depth at DL: It’s awesome. We'll be in there, do one play, go in the huddle, turn around, and there's a whole ‘nother set of D-linemen out there. We go back to the huddle, turn around, and there's a whole ‘nother set. It’s hard for us because O-linemen don't rotate. It’s exhausting. It's awesome for us.
It’s making us better because [with] all the new linemen, nobody is really the same. Everybody’s got their own way. They can get past somebody. They can fit in a run. We shouldn't face nobody in the season that we really haven't seen yet. That’s good for us.
On how his game has grown: I lost weight. I feel like I got faster. I move better. I’ve been good in the run [game] in the past. But being faster and losing weight, I get lower and can run. So I feel like I’ve elevated from the past two years.
On the continuity with Rivers and Mauigoa: We’ve already got chemistry because we played with each other before. Us three, we lean on the guys that just came like Zach [Carpenter], Matt McCoy, and Sam [Okunlola]. We already know what it's going to be. With us having that connection that we already got, we just pass it on to the young guys or the guys that's going to be rotating with us.
On Francis Mauigoa: He grew fast. Right now, there's nothing that he don't know or can't do. He’s playing center. He's playing left guard. Francis needs to just keep doing what he's doing. He's going to be special.
On cross-training at other OL spots: You'll never know when somebody will go down and somebody's got to go replace somebody's spot. Plus, cross-training helps us know what the other side has got to do. It helps us know what the center's got to do. It's just building a big old connection.
On the positions he plays: Right tackle and left guard. That's about it. I don't really mess with center. That's not my strong suit. But right guard, right tackle, left guard, that's what I've been working at.
On exceeding his recruiting rankings: It's a mindset thing. At the beginning of 12th grade, I didn’t really have any offers because people thought I was too big and couldn't move. I had the mindset that people really didn't believe in me. When I got here, all that changed. I appreciate Cristobal and Mirabal for believing in me. When I met those guys, they changed my mindset to know I'm capable of doing my job. That really helped me out a lot, those guys believing in me.
On his mindset coming into his junior year: I just want to go in and compete with the top guys. I feel like I can compete. I’ve got a mindset that I’ve got to win. Any of those top guys, they’re just in my way. They're just stop me from getting what I want. If I go in there with that mindset, I should be good.
On his skills at the NCAA Football video game: I think I might have beat everybody. People say Popo, Shemar Kirk and Cam are supposed to be good. They don't make it past the third quarter with me. So I should be the best on the team, if I say so myself.
