No unit improved more in Year 2 of the Cristobal era than the offensive line. The architect of that group, Coach Alex Mirabal, met with reporters after practice to discuss the group’s progress:
On Zach Carpenter: His communication and chemistry with Cam has been good since he got here. We go to our meetings, and typically their meetings don't start till 3:15. You'll pass by the O-line room and it'll be Cam and Zach and Jalen Rivers and they'll be in there watching film. And they're not watching film to say, “Hey, look how cool it is we’re watching film.” It’s [Cam saying] “Hey, why'd you guys make that line of scrimmage call?” and they'll say, “Well, Cam, because they were in this front so this is a line of scrimmage call that fits with that.” They're both very cerebral. Zach is a more quiet demeanor guy. Cam's a lot more vocal, but they mesh well together.
On the depth: Honestly, from a depth standpoint, as an offensive line coach you're looking to get eight or nine guys that you feel that you feel can go out there and play for you. When it comes to game day, it really becomes like the NFL. In the NFL, those guys go with seven or eight offensive linemen who they feel can win with on Sunday.
You've got a practice organizational chart and then you've got a game organizational chart. Your practice organizational chart has got to be enough where you can get the reps with the ones, the twos, the threes and sometimes the fours. It ain't that in a game. If some guy goes down, who's the next best guy? If you have eight or nine of those, that's a luxury. That’s what you're looking for. We had it last year, we already have it now this year, in my opinion. We want to continue to grow that.
On the full pads practice: There's no difference for an offensive line when you're in spiders or you're in shells or you're in full pads. We don't cut [block]. We don't tackle. You can only tackle to the ground, NCAA-wise, three or four times during camp. Today wasn't one of those days. It was still “thud,” which means you run through contact but you stay off the ground. It really doesn't change anything. All they're doing is they're getting used to wearing the bottoms. When we scrimmage on Saturday, that's a different beast. If we get a stunt in pass pro now, we're coming back and bumping but we're not trying to decleat the guy and knock him down. That's kind of the difference.
On the battle with the defense: They got after our tail yesterday. I thought we responded a lot better today than we did yesterday. Our defense and our defensive line is salty. If your mind’s going somewhere else, they’ll get after you. It’s the old adage, iron sharpens iron. We get it every day.
Mesidor is having a phenomenal camp. I know you're not asking about him, but I think he's having as as good a camp of anybody in any position in our program. Well, as an offensive lineman, you better come wanting to block him because if not that joker's going to embarrass you.
On Matt McCoy: He's been doing excellent. He's one of the guys competing for the left guard spot. Today with the first group, he went with the ones at left guard, Ryan Rodriguez went with the ones at left guard, Francis Mauigoa went with the ones at left guard. We’re trying to get who are the best five and then who are the next best five and and and so on down the line.
What we don't know [with McCoy] is he's never been in the game as a starter. He's working right now in practice to try to get himself into game shape.
On Samson Okunlola: When Mauigoa goes to left guard, you slide Samson in right there [at right tackle]. They all fit in the puzzle. He's doing really good, too. He's progressing tremendously as well. We’ve got eight nine guys that we feel right now can go compete on a Saturday against whoever is on our schedule.
On Francis Mauigoa: Sometimes it's a blessing [to miss spring as a starter] because you get less less wear and tear on your body. He had to get some stuff cleaned up. He’s been awesome. His leadership is tremendous. Even though he didn't practice in the spring, it hasn't slowed him down one bit.
We’re all just looking for him to continue to progress. Do a better job using his hands in pass protection, bringing his hips in the run game. Those are two little subtle things that we work on with him on a daily. “Hey Cici, I thought your stance last year was too wide. Let's tighten your stance.” It’s those little things that'll help him become a better player. One thing about him, off the top of my head, I think he had like four holding calls, which was the most on the offensive line. So we got to work on getting our hands tighter. There's different ways that you can use your hands and get your hands into into a defender's body without going outside. That's just stuff that he's got to learn. It’s growing pains as a young player and as a young offensive lineman that he's working to fix.
On Markel Bell: Tremendous development. You're talking about a guy who came from Holmes Community College and he's a guy that was well coached. His offensive line coach at Holmes and I are good friends. He's got a good foundation.
It's about him getting used to working and training in in the heat outside and working on his body. He's another one, just like Matt, we're trying to get them to practice to get themselves into game shape. But he’s an unbelievable kid with an unbelievable work ethic.
I would say the number one thing that I tell him is that whoever he's going against is nameless and faceless. Whether it's Cole McConathy or whether it's [Tyler] Baron or whether it's [Rueben] Bain, you’ve got to treat those guys the same. Often times, when you get a younger offensive lineman, they're salty when they get a younger player on them but then when they get an older vet a guy who's crafty with his hands you see they're a little bit more hesitant. So it's just building that. Like I tell him, if you can swim, you can swim. If you can swim in five feet of water, you can swim in 200 feet of water.
On Ryan Rodriguez: Oh man, he's been awesome. He's a guy I can tell you that in any of the 12 games that we play this year, he's ready to go. Here’s what I’ll say about him: he could start here and he could start at any of the other ACC programs at center. He can start at any of those programs at guard.
Honestly, man, I’m so happy about it for him and and proud of him. He's come a heck of a long way from 2 ½ years ago to now. Not only the buying into how we do things here at Miami, but reshaping his body. He’s about 313 pounds, so he's a lot stouter. And then using the techniques and the fundamentals that we demand of our guys. I couldn't be happier with what he's doing and how he's doing it.
He's a really tough kid. He’s a sneaky really good athlete. He told me he could dunk a basketball, so I had to go back and and Google it and archive it. His future here at Miami is extremely bright.
On Zach Carpenter: His communication and chemistry with Cam has been good since he got here. We go to our meetings, and typically their meetings don't start till 3:15. You'll pass by the O-line room and it'll be Cam and Zach and Jalen Rivers and they'll be in there watching film. And they're not watching film to say, “Hey, look how cool it is we’re watching film.” It’s [Cam saying] “Hey, why'd you guys make that line of scrimmage call?” and they'll say, “Well, Cam, because they were in this front so this is a line of scrimmage call that fits with that.” They're both very cerebral. Zach is a more quiet demeanor guy. Cam's a lot more vocal, but they mesh well together.
On the depth: Honestly, from a depth standpoint, as an offensive line coach you're looking to get eight or nine guys that you feel that you feel can go out there and play for you. When it comes to game day, it really becomes like the NFL. In the NFL, those guys go with seven or eight offensive linemen who they feel can win with on Sunday.
You've got a practice organizational chart and then you've got a game organizational chart. Your practice organizational chart has got to be enough where you can get the reps with the ones, the twos, the threes and sometimes the fours. It ain't that in a game. If some guy goes down, who's the next best guy? If you have eight or nine of those, that's a luxury. That’s what you're looking for. We had it last year, we already have it now this year, in my opinion. We want to continue to grow that.
On the full pads practice: There's no difference for an offensive line when you're in spiders or you're in shells or you're in full pads. We don't cut [block]. We don't tackle. You can only tackle to the ground, NCAA-wise, three or four times during camp. Today wasn't one of those days. It was still “thud,” which means you run through contact but you stay off the ground. It really doesn't change anything. All they're doing is they're getting used to wearing the bottoms. When we scrimmage on Saturday, that's a different beast. If we get a stunt in pass pro now, we're coming back and bumping but we're not trying to decleat the guy and knock him down. That's kind of the difference.
On the battle with the defense: They got after our tail yesterday. I thought we responded a lot better today than we did yesterday. Our defense and our defensive line is salty. If your mind’s going somewhere else, they’ll get after you. It’s the old adage, iron sharpens iron. We get it every day.
Mesidor is having a phenomenal camp. I know you're not asking about him, but I think he's having as as good a camp of anybody in any position in our program. Well, as an offensive lineman, you better come wanting to block him because if not that joker's going to embarrass you.
On Matt McCoy: He's been doing excellent. He's one of the guys competing for the left guard spot. Today with the first group, he went with the ones at left guard, Ryan Rodriguez went with the ones at left guard, Francis Mauigoa went with the ones at left guard. We’re trying to get who are the best five and then who are the next best five and and and so on down the line.
What we don't know [with McCoy] is he's never been in the game as a starter. He's working right now in practice to try to get himself into game shape.
On Samson Okunlola: When Mauigoa goes to left guard, you slide Samson in right there [at right tackle]. They all fit in the puzzle. He's doing really good, too. He's progressing tremendously as well. We’ve got eight nine guys that we feel right now can go compete on a Saturday against whoever is on our schedule.
On Francis Mauigoa: Sometimes it's a blessing [to miss spring as a starter] because you get less less wear and tear on your body. He had to get some stuff cleaned up. He’s been awesome. His leadership is tremendous. Even though he didn't practice in the spring, it hasn't slowed him down one bit.
We’re all just looking for him to continue to progress. Do a better job using his hands in pass protection, bringing his hips in the run game. Those are two little subtle things that we work on with him on a daily. “Hey Cici, I thought your stance last year was too wide. Let's tighten your stance.” It’s those little things that'll help him become a better player. One thing about him, off the top of my head, I think he had like four holding calls, which was the most on the offensive line. So we got to work on getting our hands tighter. There's different ways that you can use your hands and get your hands into into a defender's body without going outside. That's just stuff that he's got to learn. It’s growing pains as a young player and as a young offensive lineman that he's working to fix.
On Markel Bell: Tremendous development. You're talking about a guy who came from Holmes Community College and he's a guy that was well coached. His offensive line coach at Holmes and I are good friends. He's got a good foundation.
It's about him getting used to working and training in in the heat outside and working on his body. He's another one, just like Matt, we're trying to get them to practice to get themselves into game shape. But he’s an unbelievable kid with an unbelievable work ethic.
I would say the number one thing that I tell him is that whoever he's going against is nameless and faceless. Whether it's Cole McConathy or whether it's [Tyler] Baron or whether it's [Rueben] Bain, you’ve got to treat those guys the same. Often times, when you get a younger offensive lineman, they're salty when they get a younger player on them but then when they get an older vet a guy who's crafty with his hands you see they're a little bit more hesitant. So it's just building that. Like I tell him, if you can swim, you can swim. If you can swim in five feet of water, you can swim in 200 feet of water.
On Ryan Rodriguez: Oh man, he's been awesome. He's a guy I can tell you that in any of the 12 games that we play this year, he's ready to go. Here’s what I’ll say about him: he could start here and he could start at any of the other ACC programs at center. He can start at any of those programs at guard.
Honestly, man, I’m so happy about it for him and and proud of him. He's come a heck of a long way from 2 ½ years ago to now. Not only the buying into how we do things here at Miami, but reshaping his body. He’s about 313 pounds, so he's a lot stouter. And then using the techniques and the fundamentals that we demand of our guys. I couldn't be happier with what he's doing and how he's doing it.
He's a really tough kid. He’s a sneaky really good athlete. He told me he could dunk a basketball, so I had to go back and and Google it and archive it. His future here at Miami is extremely bright.
