ESPN recently named Miami LT Jalen Rivers as one of the Top 100 players in college football. He joined reporters after practice to discuss this honor, his offensive line teammates, and more:
On the offensive line gelling: We've been working on this since the spring and throughout the summer. Now it's just extra preparation with every single body on the offensive line, especially the first five you see. That left guard spot is not set in stone, but it's important for us to work every different lineup we have. We gelled together really good through spring, through now, and we've just got to keep doing that with the next practices.
On being recognized by ESPN as one the Top 100 players in college football: I really don't pay attention to that. I just look forward to just getting better each day. It’s great to be in the top 100. I'm not satisfied or anything. I'm looking forward to getting better each day.
On the battles with the defense: We're not going to win every rep. It’s definitely 50-50, but we're getting each other better. We're going against one of the best, or the best, D-lines we're ever going to face throughout the season. We’re getting that every single day. Me and Tyler Baron, or me and Bain, and Coop and Simeon, or Zach and our linebackers, Kiko, every single one of our D-linemen and CiCi, Matt McCoy and even Samson, we're going at it each day. We're getting each other better. I love going against these guys because it gets us better. It gets them better.
On the running back room: I'm really happy to be blocking for the people behind us in the backfield. We have a lot of depth in that position. They're very, very talented. You can go down the line throughout the whole running back room. I look forward to blocking for them every single day in the season.
On Matt McCoy, Samson Okunlola and others in the mix for the fifth OL spot: They're competing. They're coming to me, so it's great to give advice to them. Of course, they're going to compete every day, so they're not complacent. We don't feel like we have anybody in that spot right now. I look forward to seeing them compete even more.
On Zach Carpenter: He's doing really well. When he first came in, it took him a while, just like anyone going into a new program. He adjusted really well into the spring. And then we really gelled in the summer because we had a lot of time with everybody. He's at a great place with us and we have a great relationship, not just with me and him, but he has a great relationship with everybody on the team.
On the offensive line gelling: We've been working on this since the spring and throughout the summer. Now it's just extra preparation with every single body on the offensive line, especially the first five you see. That left guard spot is not set in stone, but it's important for us to work every different lineup we have. We gelled together really good through spring, through now, and we've just got to keep doing that with the next practices.
On being recognized by ESPN as one the Top 100 players in college football: I really don't pay attention to that. I just look forward to just getting better each day. It’s great to be in the top 100. I'm not satisfied or anything. I'm looking forward to getting better each day.
On the battles with the defense: We're not going to win every rep. It’s definitely 50-50, but we're getting each other better. We're going against one of the best, or the best, D-lines we're ever going to face throughout the season. We’re getting that every single day. Me and Tyler Baron, or me and Bain, and Coop and Simeon, or Zach and our linebackers, Kiko, every single one of our D-linemen and CiCi, Matt McCoy and even Samson, we're going at it each day. We're getting each other better. I love going against these guys because it gets us better. It gets them better.
On the running back room: I'm really happy to be blocking for the people behind us in the backfield. We have a lot of depth in that position. They're very, very talented. You can go down the line throughout the whole running back room. I look forward to blocking for them every single day in the season.
On Matt McCoy, Samson Okunlola and others in the mix for the fifth OL spot: They're competing. They're coming to me, so it's great to give advice to them. Of course, they're going to compete every day, so they're not complacent. We don't feel like we have anybody in that spot right now. I look forward to seeing them compete even more.
On Zach Carpenter: He's doing really well. When he first came in, it took him a while, just like anyone going into a new program. He adjusted really well into the spring. And then we really gelled in the summer because we had a lot of time with everybody. He's at a great place with us and we have a great relationship, not just with me and him, but he has a great relationship with everybody on the team.
