Miami took the stage Tuesday morning at Charlotte for the ACC Media Days, where Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal and players Carson Beck, Akheem Mesidor, Francis Mauigoa, and Wesley Bissainthe took the podium at the event.
Here is everything Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa had to say at the Media Days:
Full Transcript provided by ASAP Sports.
You have come in from day one and been an absolute stalwart at the right tackle position. Traditionally, when we see somebody dominate there, there's normally a move to left tackle. What's going on with your decision to stay at right tackle, or is that what the team needs and is best for the team?
Yeah, Coach Mirabal has done a great job with us practicing at all five positions, and I feel like for me, it's just whatever you need me to play. I'm more of a team player than anything. I'll play whatever position you want me to play just for the team to succeed.
The O-line has been special throughout the years, but what makes the O-line so special this year?
Like Coach Cristobal touched on, we're a team that likes to hard work, and for the O-line, we like to set the tone for the whole team. We like to set the standard, as Coach Mirabal always pounds on us every day to set the standard for the team, and we're the type of guys that go out there and try to dominate everybody, even on our D-line side. That's how -- iron sharpens iron.
It's been evident that your family has played a major role in your football career and had a major impact, including your brother transferring to Miami to suit up with you guys. How important has that aspect been to you on and off the field?
It's very special because my brother and I have been together for the rest of my childhood. We've been together since back home, coming from home to my freshman year in high school to San Bernardino, California. We've been together basically my whole career.
To be able to get that time to play again, it's very special because we live together, and having that bond on the field, we push each other to be the best that we can. Him playing on the defensive side, me playing on the offensive side, I see some stuff that he needs to work on, he sees some stuff that I need to work on, and that's what we talk about every day when we get back to the house.
So yeah, it's very special to me.
Have you had a chance to get Carson kind of up to date with the big-time rivalry between Miami and Florida State?
I think he already knew. I think he already knew. He comes ready to every practice that we have. He's very open-minded. He's very out there. He's a very special guy, just like Cam Ward last year. I feel the same energy with Carson Beck.
With Carson now at the helm, what differences do you expect there to be between him and Cam Ward, and what kind of adjustment to his play style will look like for you, if any?
Shoot, there's no difference to me. I do my job to the best that I can. If I've got to block this guy for 10 seconds for him to make a play, I'll do that, just like the same as last year. I'll do whatever it takes for us to succeed. That's the mentality, not for me but the whole O-lineman group.
Total offense last year, top in the country. How does this offense of Miami get even better in your opinion for the season?
We strive to get better every year. Every season -- every off-season we work to get better at something. We practice hard every time that we get a chance to. We're just trying to be the best that we can be. The stats don't even matter to us. It's being able to be out there and being able to be the best you can be, not only as a player but as a character as well. So yeah.
Your name doesn't give us the indication that your nickname would be Sisi, so where does Sisi come from?
Sisi is my Samoan name, so my full Samoan name is Falangisisi, which shortens to Sisi. Most of my family and friends call my Sisi, but at school teachers call me Francis. I feel at home, so I try to make everybody call me Sisi.
Here is everything Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa had to say at the Media Days:
Full Transcript provided by ASAP Sports.
You have come in from day one and been an absolute stalwart at the right tackle position. Traditionally, when we see somebody dominate there, there's normally a move to left tackle. What's going on with your decision to stay at right tackle, or is that what the team needs and is best for the team?
Yeah, Coach Mirabal has done a great job with us practicing at all five positions, and I feel like for me, it's just whatever you need me to play. I'm more of a team player than anything. I'll play whatever position you want me to play just for the team to succeed.
The O-line has been special throughout the years, but what makes the O-line so special this year?
Like Coach Cristobal touched on, we're a team that likes to hard work, and for the O-line, we like to set the tone for the whole team. We like to set the standard, as Coach Mirabal always pounds on us every day to set the standard for the team, and we're the type of guys that go out there and try to dominate everybody, even on our D-line side. That's how -- iron sharpens iron.
It's been evident that your family has played a major role in your football career and had a major impact, including your brother transferring to Miami to suit up with you guys. How important has that aspect been to you on and off the field?
It's very special because my brother and I have been together for the rest of my childhood. We've been together since back home, coming from home to my freshman year in high school to San Bernardino, California. We've been together basically my whole career.
To be able to get that time to play again, it's very special because we live together, and having that bond on the field, we push each other to be the best that we can. Him playing on the defensive side, me playing on the offensive side, I see some stuff that he needs to work on, he sees some stuff that I need to work on, and that's what we talk about every day when we get back to the house.
So yeah, it's very special to me.
Have you had a chance to get Carson kind of up to date with the big-time rivalry between Miami and Florida State?
I think he already knew. I think he already knew. He comes ready to every practice that we have. He's very open-minded. He's very out there. He's a very special guy, just like Cam Ward last year. I feel the same energy with Carson Beck.
With Carson now at the helm, what differences do you expect there to be between him and Cam Ward, and what kind of adjustment to his play style will look like for you, if any?
Shoot, there's no difference to me. I do my job to the best that I can. If I've got to block this guy for 10 seconds for him to make a play, I'll do that, just like the same as last year. I'll do whatever it takes for us to succeed. That's the mentality, not for me but the whole O-lineman group.
Total offense last year, top in the country. How does this offense of Miami get even better in your opinion for the season?
We strive to get better every year. Every season -- every off-season we work to get better at something. We practice hard every time that we get a chance to. We're just trying to be the best that we can be. The stats don't even matter to us. It's being able to be out there and being able to be the best you can be, not only as a player but as a character as well. So yeah.
Your name doesn't give us the indication that your nickname would be Sisi, so where does Sisi come from?
Sisi is my Samoan name, so my full Samoan name is Falangisisi, which shortens to Sisi. Most of my family and friends call my Sisi, but at school teachers call me Francis. I feel at home, so I try to make everybody call me Sisi.
