After falling in OT to Georgia Tech this weekend, Miami head coach Manny Diaz addressed the mindset of the team in his Monday afternoon presser.
“Obviously still disappointed in the result on Saturday,” Diaz said. “The team came in yesterday, we had a good practice last night. We had a good meeting where we kind of assessed where we were, and what’s going on, and the things that we believe in. I think we feel confident that we’ll be able to put that performance behind us and play much better this weekend against an outstanding Pitt team.”
In their 28-21 victory over UM, Georgia Tech was able to find ways to scrape out a win, while Miami seemed to do whatever necessary to lose. Now at 3-4 and 1-3 in the ACC, the Canes are likely out of the Coastal race and are simply playing for bowl eligibility at this point.
“Here’s what our football team knows: We’re four plays away from being 7-0, and we believe that,” Diaz said. “But we’re not. We understand the mistakes that have got us to where we are. Regardless of what our record says, it’s about what we do today. We have an opportunity to win today. We have an opportunity to win on Saturday.
“We need to learn what it takes to win a football game. Sometimes, that comes down to learning what it takes to lose a football game. Giving up a strip-sack on the first drive of the game. Giving up a fake punt and then giving up a long pass. Those are ways that, in a game that – otherwise, play-by-play – you’re showing off to be the more dominant team… missing three chip shot field goals. That’s how these upsets occur. There’s no hidden formula to that.”
What will it take to turn these close losses into wins for Miami?
“Number one, we have to have the will to persist regardless of the short-term outcomes,” Diaz said. “Number two, as a coaching staff we have to continue to get the execution to win the games. And then, Number three, we have to continue to recruit at a high level to add depth, add players that we need.”
With both Bubba Baxa and Turner Davidson combining to go 0-3 on FG attempts vs. GT, Diaz didn’t rule out using walk-on Camden Price to kick for the Pitt game this weekend.
“We for sure don’t know who will kick against Pitt, but Camden Price is going to be in the mix this week,” Diaz said. “It has been good to have him back and getting more practice, where we feel like he’ll be game-ready to go in.”
While Diaz said it isn’t ideal numbers-wise, he said he would be willing to have two scholarship kickers on the roster and take a 2020 kicker in this class.
“We’ll address our issues,” Diaz said. “Look what it did in the punting game. You play the season out and then address your issues… From my standpoint, you have to understand what your issues are and be working to solve your issues. We’re working as hard as we can to solve our issues… We're aware our kicking issues have cost us. To me, you have numbers you want, but you have to address critical issues."
UM suffered a rash of injuries this weekend, as DeeJay Dallas, Michael Pinckney, and Trajan Bandy all left the game at various points on Saturday. However, Diaz said he did not yet know if the trio would be ready to play for Miami’s upcoming matchup against Pitt, adding that Zach McCloud could possibly see time if Pinckney is not available despite McCloud’s desire to redshirt this season.
“All of that’s coming in throughout the course of the day,” Diaz said. “All of those guys are coming in based off their class schedules on treatments. We’ll meet this afternoon at 3:30 and I may know a little bit more, but probably more tomorrow after practice.”
Diaz also noted he did not have a status update on Jeff Thomas, who missed the GT game with a suspension.
On the OL, John Campbell notably split time with Navaughn Donaldson at LG against Georgia Tech.
“We think John Campbell is getting better, is a guy that can function as a tackle, as a guard,” Diaz said.
Against Georgia Tech, Miami’s run defense collapsed in the second half, allowing the Yellow Jackets to shorten the game and control the clock. A big culprit? Missed tackles and third down deficiencies according to Diaz.
"What we're trying to address is the inconsistent nature," Diaz said. "There are guys lacking attention to detail. That comes back to me, and I have to get it fixed.
“We were so high in the way we target our tackles, that’s usually why we miss our tackles. Defensively we pride ourselves in our ability to tackle… Our tackling was very poor.”
“Obviously still disappointed in the result on Saturday,” Diaz said. “The team came in yesterday, we had a good practice last night. We had a good meeting where we kind of assessed where we were, and what’s going on, and the things that we believe in. I think we feel confident that we’ll be able to put that performance behind us and play much better this weekend against an outstanding Pitt team.”
In their 28-21 victory over UM, Georgia Tech was able to find ways to scrape out a win, while Miami seemed to do whatever necessary to lose. Now at 3-4 and 1-3 in the ACC, the Canes are likely out of the Coastal race and are simply playing for bowl eligibility at this point.
“Here’s what our football team knows: We’re four plays away from being 7-0, and we believe that,” Diaz said. “But we’re not. We understand the mistakes that have got us to where we are. Regardless of what our record says, it’s about what we do today. We have an opportunity to win today. We have an opportunity to win on Saturday.
“We need to learn what it takes to win a football game. Sometimes, that comes down to learning what it takes to lose a football game. Giving up a strip-sack on the first drive of the game. Giving up a fake punt and then giving up a long pass. Those are ways that, in a game that – otherwise, play-by-play – you’re showing off to be the more dominant team… missing three chip shot field goals. That’s how these upsets occur. There’s no hidden formula to that.”
What will it take to turn these close losses into wins for Miami?
“Number one, we have to have the will to persist regardless of the short-term outcomes,” Diaz said. “Number two, as a coaching staff we have to continue to get the execution to win the games. And then, Number three, we have to continue to recruit at a high level to add depth, add players that we need.”
With both Bubba Baxa and Turner Davidson combining to go 0-3 on FG attempts vs. GT, Diaz didn’t rule out using walk-on Camden Price to kick for the Pitt game this weekend.
“We for sure don’t know who will kick against Pitt, but Camden Price is going to be in the mix this week,” Diaz said. “It has been good to have him back and getting more practice, where we feel like he’ll be game-ready to go in.”
While Diaz said it isn’t ideal numbers-wise, he said he would be willing to have two scholarship kickers on the roster and take a 2020 kicker in this class.
“We’ll address our issues,” Diaz said. “Look what it did in the punting game. You play the season out and then address your issues… From my standpoint, you have to understand what your issues are and be working to solve your issues. We’re working as hard as we can to solve our issues… We're aware our kicking issues have cost us. To me, you have numbers you want, but you have to address critical issues."
UM suffered a rash of injuries this weekend, as DeeJay Dallas, Michael Pinckney, and Trajan Bandy all left the game at various points on Saturday. However, Diaz said he did not yet know if the trio would be ready to play for Miami’s upcoming matchup against Pitt, adding that Zach McCloud could possibly see time if Pinckney is not available despite McCloud’s desire to redshirt this season.
“All of that’s coming in throughout the course of the day,” Diaz said. “All of those guys are coming in based off their class schedules on treatments. We’ll meet this afternoon at 3:30 and I may know a little bit more, but probably more tomorrow after practice.”
Diaz also noted he did not have a status update on Jeff Thomas, who missed the GT game with a suspension.
On the OL, John Campbell notably split time with Navaughn Donaldson at LG against Georgia Tech.
“We think John Campbell is getting better, is a guy that can function as a tackle, as a guard,” Diaz said.
Against Georgia Tech, Miami’s run defense collapsed in the second half, allowing the Yellow Jackets to shorten the game and control the clock. A big culprit? Missed tackles and third down deficiencies according to Diaz.
"What we're trying to address is the inconsistent nature," Diaz said. "There are guys lacking attention to detail. That comes back to me, and I have to get it fixed.
“We were so high in the way we target our tackles, that’s usually why we miss our tackles. Defensively we pride ourselves in our ability to tackle… Our tackling was very poor.”
