Last season, little-used WR Darrell Langham put himself in Miami Hurricanes lore by catching the game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds against FSU to end UM’s seven game losing streak against their rival.
“It meant a lot just to end the streak,” Langham said. “We have a new beginning now. It’s a fresh start, pretty much.”
Much has been made of Langham only seeing two snaps in the entire game and he says people still bring up that play to him all the time.
“A lot of people bring it up a lot, but I kind of push it aside and try to worry about what’s next on my list of things I have to get done with the team,” Langham said.
Could the game come down to another last second play this season?
“Knowing the (series), I’m not sure how the game will go, I just know we are going to have to fight the whole game,” Langham said. “If it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter if it’s me or anybody else on the team, I know someone is going to step up and perform the way I did. I have faith in my team.”
Last week, Langham showed a good rapport with new starting QB N’Kosi Perry, as the redshirt senior receiver hauled in 3 catches for 33 yards and his first touchdown of the season against UNC in Perry’s first career start.
“I think he has performed well,” Langham said on Perry. “He is doing his job, getting his calls in, he is not afraid to run the ball when he has to. He is tough when he runs it too–he stays up, no one knocks him down–so I feel like he has kind of taken over this whole offense, it fits his role.”
“He tells everyone to get their minds together, be ready for the play, let’s get it done, let’s get this first down and get a touchdown.”
**Senior offensive lineman Tyler Gauthier was the starting center for last season’s defeat of the Seminoles and he talked about what it was like being a part of the team that finally ended their seven game winning streak over UM.
“It was a weight lifted off of our shoulders,” Gauthier said. “When we came here, that was a big emphasis. And then when [head] coach [Mark] Richt and [offensive line] coach [Stacy] Searels came in here, that was all we talked about…and when we finally did it, it was a weight lifted off our shoulders and we felt like we could move forward.”
What was his view of Langham’s game-winner at the buzzer last season?
“Words can’t describe it. You’re blocking, you look up and you see the ref throw his arms up,” Gauthier said. “I mean, we lost our minds. You can see it on TV. That was a heck of a way to win that game. That is just another Florida State-Miami game, win in the last second. It is just awesome to be a part of it.”
Although Miami got the seven-game losing streak stigma off their backs, a new stat going around this week is that UM has not won in this series at home since 2004.
“I mean, there is nothing I’d rather have than for us to win at home,” Gauthier said. “I mean, it’s my senior year. You have got to beat Florida State your senior year, that is just the way it is. And I mean, to do it at home is going to be awesome.
“As long as we win, it doesn’t matter to me (how it happens). We’re going to go out there and give it everything we got. Florida State, it’s Florida State. When we play each other, it’s a good game. We’re going to go out there and give it everything we got, and whatever the turnout is, it is.”
The Canes are expecting a raucous atmosphere to welcome the Noles to town on Saturday and Gauthier loves the environment.
“Yeah, it’s crazy when that chain comes out, it’s like the fans get a new level of loud. Because they get loud when we make a big play, but that chain brings something else out in them… We have to go silent (counts), but it makes us want to go out there even more. When you are going out there to a screaming crowd, it is a different feeling.”
Because N’Kosi Perry has been seeing reps with the first team for a while now, snapping to the new starting QB has not been a big adjustment for Gauthier.
“We work together every day no matter what,” Gauthier said on Perry. “I mean, starting camp in the spring, I was working with him too. So, I mean, it wasn’t much of a change when he came in. He prepared every day like a starter. So, when he came out, he talked like a starter and he did everything we needed him to.
“He wants full attention. He walks in there, he wants eyes on him. And [we] respect him, we want to go out there and we want to play for him.”
How much has Perry grown up in the past year?
“A lot. Now he’s trying to take more of a leadership role,” Gauthier said. “Even in weight lifting when we call each other up, he is the first one who wants to be in the middle to say something and break us down. He’s definitely grown up in that aspect, that he knows his role and he is applying it really well.”
The Canes have been using a variety of different combinations with the offensive line in the past few weeks, and Gauthier said that’s only helped the O-Line to finish games.
“[When] we are rotating a lot more players, it gives some other kids some breaks,” Gauthier said. “And I mean, offensive lineman, sometimes we’re playing 70 snaps per game, where sometimes we don’t come out. When you are able to get out for a series, you get your breath back, you get your feet back, you get your legs back, it makes you play that much better. And that’s a lot to the young kids stepping up and us trusting them to go out there on the field.”
**Offensive guard Venzell Boulware is a redshirt junior, but as a grad transfer, this will be his first experience participating in the Miami-FSU battle royale. However Boulware, who is originally from Georgia, is aware of the significance and history of the rivalry and is excited to finally be part of it.
“I already know about it,” Boulware said. “Everybody knows about Florida State and Miami, their rivalry. To be here and finally be a part of it is going to be special.”
Miami captured the attention of the college football world last season with the Turnover Chain and, not long after, many programs around the nation (including FSU) began introducing their own turnover props. This year, the Noles have the Turnover Backpack, but Boulware doesn’t quite see it as that.
“They got the purse,” Boulware said. “It’s not shocking (that) everybody around the country is doing it. It’s fun to see, seeing it happen, you know you’re doing something good when that happens.”
So is he a fan of the backpack?
“No, not of the purse,” Boulware said. “The Turnover Chain.”
Boulware has been part of the starting offensive line at left guard for the past 2 weeks and has had a hand in protecting new starting QB N’Kosi Perry. Boulware gave his thoughts on how the young redshirt freshman has been progressing so far and said he sees Perry beginning to get comfortable.
“He’s done amazing, he is continuing to grow, he’s been comfortable back there,” Boulware said. “It has been a lot of weight on our shoulders to make sure he is comfortable back there and protect our quarterback.”
As a 2018 summer enrollee, Boulware hasn’t had much time to observe Perry, but says he’s already made strides in the short time Boulware has known him.
“I’ve been here since the summer, so I have been around for a little while, especially going through camp and seeing how he’s grown,” Boulware said. “It’s been a big step forward for him… He’s commanding, just trying to take control and make sure everybody is on the same page.”
“It meant a lot just to end the streak,” Langham said. “We have a new beginning now. It’s a fresh start, pretty much.”
Much has been made of Langham only seeing two snaps in the entire game and he says people still bring up that play to him all the time.
“A lot of people bring it up a lot, but I kind of push it aside and try to worry about what’s next on my list of things I have to get done with the team,” Langham said.
Could the game come down to another last second play this season?
“Knowing the (series), I’m not sure how the game will go, I just know we are going to have to fight the whole game,” Langham said. “If it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter if it’s me or anybody else on the team, I know someone is going to step up and perform the way I did. I have faith in my team.”
Last week, Langham showed a good rapport with new starting QB N’Kosi Perry, as the redshirt senior receiver hauled in 3 catches for 33 yards and his first touchdown of the season against UNC in Perry’s first career start.
“I think he has performed well,” Langham said on Perry. “He is doing his job, getting his calls in, he is not afraid to run the ball when he has to. He is tough when he runs it too–he stays up, no one knocks him down–so I feel like he has kind of taken over this whole offense, it fits his role.”
“He tells everyone to get their minds together, be ready for the play, let’s get it done, let’s get this first down and get a touchdown.”
**Senior offensive lineman Tyler Gauthier was the starting center for last season’s defeat of the Seminoles and he talked about what it was like being a part of the team that finally ended their seven game winning streak over UM.
“It was a weight lifted off of our shoulders,” Gauthier said. “When we came here, that was a big emphasis. And then when [head] coach [Mark] Richt and [offensive line] coach [Stacy] Searels came in here, that was all we talked about…and when we finally did it, it was a weight lifted off our shoulders and we felt like we could move forward.”
What was his view of Langham’s game-winner at the buzzer last season?
“Words can’t describe it. You’re blocking, you look up and you see the ref throw his arms up,” Gauthier said. “I mean, we lost our minds. You can see it on TV. That was a heck of a way to win that game. That is just another Florida State-Miami game, win in the last second. It is just awesome to be a part of it.”
Although Miami got the seven-game losing streak stigma off their backs, a new stat going around this week is that UM has not won in this series at home since 2004.
“I mean, there is nothing I’d rather have than for us to win at home,” Gauthier said. “I mean, it’s my senior year. You have got to beat Florida State your senior year, that is just the way it is. And I mean, to do it at home is going to be awesome.
“As long as we win, it doesn’t matter to me (how it happens). We’re going to go out there and give it everything we got. Florida State, it’s Florida State. When we play each other, it’s a good game. We’re going to go out there and give it everything we got, and whatever the turnout is, it is.”
The Canes are expecting a raucous atmosphere to welcome the Noles to town on Saturday and Gauthier loves the environment.
“Yeah, it’s crazy when that chain comes out, it’s like the fans get a new level of loud. Because they get loud when we make a big play, but that chain brings something else out in them… We have to go silent (counts), but it makes us want to go out there even more. When you are going out there to a screaming crowd, it is a different feeling.”
Because N’Kosi Perry has been seeing reps with the first team for a while now, snapping to the new starting QB has not been a big adjustment for Gauthier.
“We work together every day no matter what,” Gauthier said on Perry. “I mean, starting camp in the spring, I was working with him too. So, I mean, it wasn’t much of a change when he came in. He prepared every day like a starter. So, when he came out, he talked like a starter and he did everything we needed him to.
“He wants full attention. He walks in there, he wants eyes on him. And [we] respect him, we want to go out there and we want to play for him.”
How much has Perry grown up in the past year?
“A lot. Now he’s trying to take more of a leadership role,” Gauthier said. “Even in weight lifting when we call each other up, he is the first one who wants to be in the middle to say something and break us down. He’s definitely grown up in that aspect, that he knows his role and he is applying it really well.”
The Canes have been using a variety of different combinations with the offensive line in the past few weeks, and Gauthier said that’s only helped the O-Line to finish games.
“[When] we are rotating a lot more players, it gives some other kids some breaks,” Gauthier said. “And I mean, offensive lineman, sometimes we’re playing 70 snaps per game, where sometimes we don’t come out. When you are able to get out for a series, you get your breath back, you get your feet back, you get your legs back, it makes you play that much better. And that’s a lot to the young kids stepping up and us trusting them to go out there on the field.”
**Offensive guard Venzell Boulware is a redshirt junior, but as a grad transfer, this will be his first experience participating in the Miami-FSU battle royale. However Boulware, who is originally from Georgia, is aware of the significance and history of the rivalry and is excited to finally be part of it.
“I already know about it,” Boulware said. “Everybody knows about Florida State and Miami, their rivalry. To be here and finally be a part of it is going to be special.”
Miami captured the attention of the college football world last season with the Turnover Chain and, not long after, many programs around the nation (including FSU) began introducing their own turnover props. This year, the Noles have the Turnover Backpack, but Boulware doesn’t quite see it as that.
“They got the purse,” Boulware said. “It’s not shocking (that) everybody around the country is doing it. It’s fun to see, seeing it happen, you know you’re doing something good when that happens.”
So is he a fan of the backpack?
“No, not of the purse,” Boulware said. “The Turnover Chain.”
Boulware has been part of the starting offensive line at left guard for the past 2 weeks and has had a hand in protecting new starting QB N’Kosi Perry. Boulware gave his thoughts on how the young redshirt freshman has been progressing so far and said he sees Perry beginning to get comfortable.
“He’s done amazing, he is continuing to grow, he’s been comfortable back there,” Boulware said. “It has been a lot of weight on our shoulders to make sure he is comfortable back there and protect our quarterback.”
As a 2018 summer enrollee, Boulware hasn’t had much time to observe Perry, but says he’s already made strides in the short time Boulware has known him.
“I’ve been here since the summer, so I have been around for a little while, especially going through camp and seeing how he’s grown,” Boulware said. “It’s been a big step forward for him… He’s commanding, just trying to take control and make sure everybody is on the same page.”
