Diaz gives team rundown after Tues. drills

Stefan Adams
3 min read
After Tuesday’s drills, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz talked about the demeanor his team has shown thus far this fall.

“I’m just encouraged at the overall attitude of our team,” Diaz said. “Even out there today, we finished practice with some sprints to make sure everyone is holding everyone else accountable. It’s a little more connected team than we were a year ago. I think guys have done a good job of battling through. Still a lot of work to do.

“The way we work - in this offense and the way we’re practicing now - fatigue is going to find you because there’s nowhere to hide. There’s no choice but to find out who is really for their teammates and who is maybe a little more for themselves. It is something everyone in the program senses.”

Under new OC Rhett Lashlee’s offense, there is more emphasis on getting the ball out quicker, something that has aided the improvement of the offensive line in Diaz’s view.

“They are coming along, I don’t think there’s any doubt that schematically what we do helps them,” Diaz said of the OL. “We do bring back experience, the guys are better because of that.”

The battle at left guard has been an area that has received a lot of attention, and Diaz spoke on what redshirt sophomore OL Ousman Traore has brought to the first team lineup when he’s been in there.

“[Traore] is a steady presence at guard, tough," Diaz said. "He’s done a nice job establishing a role for himself on this year’s team.”

The Canes return to the field next Thursday against UAB, and Diaz said the staff will settle the depth chart following Friday’s situational scrimmage.

“There’ll be a lot of emotion, the feeling of gratitude we get to get back out there and play,” Diaz said. “Once we line up for kickoff, it’s all about ball. We have a lot of respect for the team we line up to play on Thursday."

With the coronavirus still looming in the backdrop of the season, there has been a question of how many players would have to test positive on one team to justify cancelling a game.

“It’s something that has been discussed in our league, and I don’t think there’s a broad exact number,” Diaz said. “A lot has to do with what position. You can have 100 guys, but if none of the 100 play offensive line, it’s difficult to play a game. We have discussed some of those measures as a league. As a league, we are committed to play unless it comes to a point you can’t play.”

Redshirt junior RB Robert Burns returned to practice today after missing some time due to injury.

“It was good to see him, we’ll increase his load day in and day out,” Diaz said.

Diaz mentioned redshirt sophomore LB Patrick Joyner has been permanently moved to DE.
 

Comments (61)

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I thought Joyner had the talent to get some good clock. Guess talent at LB too good for him to see the field. That's a good thing when you think about it, we have some good players and competition at the position
 
Look, I’m not the guy to **** in anybody’s cornflakes, and like a lot of you, I try to remain positive. And I am positive for this year unless proven otherwise.

But for fūcks sake, it bothers me that this guy is never angry.

All the best coaches, all of them, you can find at least one interview usually at least once a year, where they rip in to their team.

No I’m not talking about somebody that is constantly negative or constantly ripping their team and creates bad attitudes and dissension.

But the big guns that we all know that are good coaches, will get angry with their teams once in a while and make no bones about it, and at least say they are extremely dissatisfied, and rip their team a new one.

That’s just the way it works in competitive football. complacency is the enemy of greatness. Sometimes you have to push those angry buttons.

Hey, I hope I am just nitpicking here, I’m not saying this is the end of the world or that he totally sucks, although last year‘s record certainly did. But it’s just a thought I had.

Hopefully behind the scenes he’s ripping into people.

You cannot be a good football coach without ripping into people every once in a while. I don’t care how modern and progressive your philosophy is. Sometimes people need to be knocked out of their comfort zone in a drastic way to get the best out of them
 
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Look, I’m not the guy to **** in anybody’s cornflakes, and like a lot of you, I try to remain positive. And I am positive for this year unless proven otherwise.

But for fūcks sake, it bothers me that this guy is never angry.

All the best coaches, all of them, you can find at least one interview usually at least once a year, where they rip in to their team.

No I’m not talking about somebody that is constantly negative or constantly ripping their team and creates bad attitudes and dissension.

But the big guns that we all know that are good coaches, will get angry with their teams once in a while and make no bones about it, and at least say they are extremely dissatisfied, and rip their team a new one.

That’s just the way it works in competitive football. complacency is the enemy of greatness. Sometimes you have to push those angry buttons.

Hey, I hope I am just nitpicking here, I’m not saying this is the end of the world or that he totally sucks, although last year‘s record certainly did. But it’s just a thought I had.

Hopefully behind the scenes he’s ripping into people.

You cannot be a good football coach without ripping into people every once in a while. I don’t care how modern and progressive your philosophy is. Sometimes people need to be knocked out of their comfort zone in a drastic way to get the best out of them
I never see him angry. Even during games. Idk why but it bothers me. Kids just don’t fear him and I am not sure if he gets the most out of his guys because he’s too soft. Hence, when I heard the JJ comparisons they would infuriate me. JJ was a savage behind the scenes. Butch was too.
 
He wants to win their hearts, not their football souls.
 
I thought Joyner had the talent to get some good clock. Guess talent at LB too good for him to see the field. That's a good thing when you think about it, we have some good players and competition at the position
It is a good thing and these situations with kids who have a good amount of talent but just can't see the field will become more and more common. It's a byproduct of increasing talent level and competition.

Anyone remember the Weaver twins from the 99 class? They were highly recruited kids out of Northwestern. I'm just using them as a quick example but those 2 kids were fast, quick and athletic but on those 2000-2003 teams they were a complete non factor. Same with guys like Carl Walker(Could have been later on), Delvin Brown, Robert Williams, and many others I can't remember right now. You just keep recruiting at a high level and let Greentree sort it out.
 
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He wants to win their hearts, not their football souls.
Perfectly said, he's worried about if the players like him, on one hand I'm glad he's being himself, would be worst, I will say this, he did get guys to play strong on the defensive of the ball, so we'll see.
 
Ask ole Clappy how that approach worked out for him other than getting a rather handsome some of money to get tf out and stay out.
 
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