After another crushing loss for the Miami Hurricanes last week, this time to Georgia Tech, you could say the season hasn’t quite gone as Jaquan Johnson planned it. The senior safety had a chance to go pro after a breakout junior season, but stayed at UM because he felt Miami had a chance to win championships in 2018.
“It meant everything to me, it still means everything to me even though we are not going to be able to do that,” Johnson said. “Just finishing out these last games and playing for The U. A lot of people want to come here and play. I had the opportunity to play for this University. And I am able to do that.”
Has he felt the season has been a disappointment?
“It’s just a wakeup call. Every year is a new year,” Johnson said. “You have to reestablish yourself, that is one of the main things I took from it; even myself as a player. You have to reestablish yourself, re-focus, because nothing will be handed to you. Games are hard to win. Getting better is hard to win every day.”
With the Coastal division now out of reach, Johnson says the team is now focusing on simply reaching a bowl game.
“It means a lot, we want to win a bowl game. We do not want to miss out on a bowl game,” Johnson said. “We are working hard to get a win, those guys we worked with in the summer and the spring, we developed that bond. They know it is our last year and they do not want to leave us behind, so we are working hard to get one.”
After the GT loss, Johnson posted a “We are not going to quit” tweet on his Twitter account, to let everyone know that the team isn’t ready to fold these last two games.
“After that loss, I already knew what was coming. A lot of fan talk, a lot of media talk, and I just wanted the team, plenty of the players follow me on twitter, to see that the leader, he is not quitting,” Johnson said. “He is not relenting at all. He is still going to go out and do everything he has to do, to try and get us a W and get us to a bowl game.”
UM hopes the fifth time is the charm, as they again go for their sixth win of the season against Virginia Tech this weekend.
“Well, both teams are going to come out and we both want that win,” Johnson said. “I mean, it is going to be a battle. All four quarters. Looking forward to it… That’s a physical team. Nice receivers on the outside. Playmakers. A quarterback orchestrating. We have our hands full, but I think we are ready.”
**According to sophomore DE Jon Garvin, the mindset of the team is simple going into VT: do your job.
“Do your assignments, because the things that really cost us in past games was not doing your assignments, that allowed big explosive plays that hurt us,” Garvin said. “We played hard but it wasn’t enough, so we’ve got to make sure to do our assignments.”
Has he tried to convince junior DE Joe Jackson to stay for his senior season?
“That’s a time for after the season, right now we have to focus on this season,” Garvin said.
Playing for the seniors and reaching a bowl game has become the most important thing for Garvin and the rest of his teammates.
“That’s really the number one thing right now, above personal goals because it’s our senior’s last chance, they came back to give us a chance to win, things didn’t go as planned so we owe it to them to get into a bowl game,” Garvin said. “It’s difficult right now for us to sit there and see them going through what they are going through. You know, things didn’t go out as planned so we are going to bust our behinds and try and get them to a bowl. Do the best we can.”
**Getting to a bowl and winning for the seniors has become the main goal for senior DT Gerald Willis.
“That is our main goal, just getting to a bowl game. Just finishing out strong,” Willis said. “Especially getting the seniors to a bowl game… It means that [the team] cares and they still willing to work hard on the practice field and keep giving their all.”
Last week, Willis had admitted that some had advised him to shut his season down and save himself for the NFL, and nothing has changed despite another loss for the Canes.
“My goal is to still play as many snaps as I can in a Miami Hurricane uniform; keep finishing out strong,” Willis said. “I am not going to lay back and just not play. I am just going to keep playing with my teammates, man, and just keep giving them my all.”
Even though VT is struggling with a 3 game losing streak of their own, Willis is certain the Hokies will be up for this game and that UM will never be overlooked.
“We are Miami, you know everybody we play, they play as hard as they can,” Willis said. “Like I said, each and every other week we are up for the challenge and we are ready to try and win out and get a bowl game.”
**Senior LB Mike Smith is playing in his final games as a Miami Hurricane, but he said he is worried about finishing the season strong as to help the team going into 2019.
“We need to go get a win. That is all we need,” Smith said. “Getting a win would cure a lot of things around here. That’s how you get the spring rolling for the streak to start out next year, too.”
How has practice been the past few days?
“We just know that every day is another day to get better,” Smith said. “That’s the only thing we can focus on right now, just try to make ourselves better individually, and as a team. That’s about it.”
“It meant everything to me, it still means everything to me even though we are not going to be able to do that,” Johnson said. “Just finishing out these last games and playing for The U. A lot of people want to come here and play. I had the opportunity to play for this University. And I am able to do that.”
Has he felt the season has been a disappointment?
“It’s just a wakeup call. Every year is a new year,” Johnson said. “You have to reestablish yourself, that is one of the main things I took from it; even myself as a player. You have to reestablish yourself, re-focus, because nothing will be handed to you. Games are hard to win. Getting better is hard to win every day.”
With the Coastal division now out of reach, Johnson says the team is now focusing on simply reaching a bowl game.
“It means a lot, we want to win a bowl game. We do not want to miss out on a bowl game,” Johnson said. “We are working hard to get a win, those guys we worked with in the summer and the spring, we developed that bond. They know it is our last year and they do not want to leave us behind, so we are working hard to get one.”
After the GT loss, Johnson posted a “We are not going to quit” tweet on his Twitter account, to let everyone know that the team isn’t ready to fold these last two games.
“After that loss, I already knew what was coming. A lot of fan talk, a lot of media talk, and I just wanted the team, plenty of the players follow me on twitter, to see that the leader, he is not quitting,” Johnson said. “He is not relenting at all. He is still going to go out and do everything he has to do, to try and get us a W and get us to a bowl game.”
UM hopes the fifth time is the charm, as they again go for their sixth win of the season against Virginia Tech this weekend.
“Well, both teams are going to come out and we both want that win,” Johnson said. “I mean, it is going to be a battle. All four quarters. Looking forward to it… That’s a physical team. Nice receivers on the outside. Playmakers. A quarterback orchestrating. We have our hands full, but I think we are ready.”
**According to sophomore DE Jon Garvin, the mindset of the team is simple going into VT: do your job.
“Do your assignments, because the things that really cost us in past games was not doing your assignments, that allowed big explosive plays that hurt us,” Garvin said. “We played hard but it wasn’t enough, so we’ve got to make sure to do our assignments.”
Has he tried to convince junior DE Joe Jackson to stay for his senior season?
“That’s a time for after the season, right now we have to focus on this season,” Garvin said.
Playing for the seniors and reaching a bowl game has become the most important thing for Garvin and the rest of his teammates.
“That’s really the number one thing right now, above personal goals because it’s our senior’s last chance, they came back to give us a chance to win, things didn’t go as planned so we owe it to them to get into a bowl game,” Garvin said. “It’s difficult right now for us to sit there and see them going through what they are going through. You know, things didn’t go out as planned so we are going to bust our behinds and try and get them to a bowl. Do the best we can.”
**Getting to a bowl and winning for the seniors has become the main goal for senior DT Gerald Willis.
“That is our main goal, just getting to a bowl game. Just finishing out strong,” Willis said. “Especially getting the seniors to a bowl game… It means that [the team] cares and they still willing to work hard on the practice field and keep giving their all.”
Last week, Willis had admitted that some had advised him to shut his season down and save himself for the NFL, and nothing has changed despite another loss for the Canes.
“My goal is to still play as many snaps as I can in a Miami Hurricane uniform; keep finishing out strong,” Willis said. “I am not going to lay back and just not play. I am just going to keep playing with my teammates, man, and just keep giving them my all.”
Even though VT is struggling with a 3 game losing streak of their own, Willis is certain the Hokies will be up for this game and that UM will never be overlooked.
“We are Miami, you know everybody we play, they play as hard as they can,” Willis said. “Like I said, each and every other week we are up for the challenge and we are ready to try and win out and get a bowl game.”
**Senior LB Mike Smith is playing in his final games as a Miami Hurricane, but he said he is worried about finishing the season strong as to help the team going into 2019.
“We need to go get a win. That is all we need,” Smith said. “Getting a win would cure a lot of things around here. That’s how you get the spring rolling for the streak to start out next year, too.”
How has practice been the past few days?
“We just know that every day is another day to get better,” Smith said. “That’s the only thing we can focus on right now, just try to make ourselves better individually, and as a team. That’s about it.”
