Jalen Rivers is one of the few holdovers from the Manny Diaz era, but he has become a model of what Mario Cristobal wants as a Miami Hurricane. The Academic All-ACC tackle with NFL aspirations met with reporters after the second practice:
On getting back to Greentree: It was great. It was fun. It was competitive, of course. Coach Mirabal, he's the same coach. He's going to place us in different spots. We don't have a depth chart. We don't have a starting lineup, nothing. We're competing every day to get the starting job. Everybody.
On the biggest priority for the offensive line: Just competing. We can't be complacent. We’ve got to compete every day because nobody has a starting spot. You might think me, Zach [Carpenter], Coop, but we’ve got to earn that spot, too. It's a new year. We’ve got to compete every day and not let up.
On Matthew McCoy: He's a great addition to this team. When he first came in, you had to stay on him a lot. You still do, but you don't have to stay on him as much. He’s shown signs of maturity and improvement in his game as well, of not letting the coach or the older guys have to stay on him. He's gotten to the point where he's like, “OK, I understand. I've been here for a few years. I know what it takes to be an offensive lineman here at Miami.”
I came in my second year and third year starting at guard. Last year, [I played] left tackle and this year is probably tackle. I'm that guy right there for him [to say] “Hey, I did this.” You can't come in thinking, you’re just a tackle. You're just a guard. You're an offensive lineman. I give him tips every day. Of course, you also see him moving from guard to tackle. I'm doing the same thing. I'm right here for him and we're going in that same path.
On his relationship with Cam Ward: That's very important. You’ve got to know who you're blocking for. You’ve got to know the guy that you're playing with. The camaraderie that we had throughout the spring and the summer, it hasn't stopped. It's going to continue because you’ve got to keep building that relationship with your quarterback, and with anybody on the team.
I'm appreciative of Cam and I want to continue that relationship with him past this year and for the rest of my life.
On the new additions to the defensive line: They're going to make us better. They're one of the top defensive lines. This is probably the best defensive line I’ve faced during my time here. You know the phrase, iron sharpens iron. We're one of the best offensive lines. And we're going against the best D-line, I feel like, in the nation. That's going to get each other better.
On Tyler Baron: I’m very impressed. He's a big body. He's strong. He's quick and I feel like he's going to get us better. He’s a great addition to the defense line.
On Zach Carpenter’s transition: When he came in, it was harder. He came in January. He didn't really know anybody, but I feel like we do a good job as a team welcoming in the new guys. He’s very comfortable now. And I couldn't ask for a better center.
On getting back to Greentree: It was great. It was fun. It was competitive, of course. Coach Mirabal, he's the same coach. He's going to place us in different spots. We don't have a depth chart. We don't have a starting lineup, nothing. We're competing every day to get the starting job. Everybody.
On the biggest priority for the offensive line: Just competing. We can't be complacent. We’ve got to compete every day because nobody has a starting spot. You might think me, Zach [Carpenter], Coop, but we’ve got to earn that spot, too. It's a new year. We’ve got to compete every day and not let up.
On Matthew McCoy: He's a great addition to this team. When he first came in, you had to stay on him a lot. You still do, but you don't have to stay on him as much. He’s shown signs of maturity and improvement in his game as well, of not letting the coach or the older guys have to stay on him. He's gotten to the point where he's like, “OK, I understand. I've been here for a few years. I know what it takes to be an offensive lineman here at Miami.”
I came in my second year and third year starting at guard. Last year, [I played] left tackle and this year is probably tackle. I'm that guy right there for him [to say] “Hey, I did this.” You can't come in thinking, you’re just a tackle. You're just a guard. You're an offensive lineman. I give him tips every day. Of course, you also see him moving from guard to tackle. I'm doing the same thing. I'm right here for him and we're going in that same path.
On his relationship with Cam Ward: That's very important. You’ve got to know who you're blocking for. You’ve got to know the guy that you're playing with. The camaraderie that we had throughout the spring and the summer, it hasn't stopped. It's going to continue because you’ve got to keep building that relationship with your quarterback, and with anybody on the team.
I'm appreciative of Cam and I want to continue that relationship with him past this year and for the rest of my life.
On the new additions to the defensive line: They're going to make us better. They're one of the top defensive lines. This is probably the best defensive line I’ve faced during my time here. You know the phrase, iron sharpens iron. We're one of the best offensive lines. And we're going against the best D-line, I feel like, in the nation. That's going to get each other better.
On Tyler Baron: I’m very impressed. He's a big body. He's strong. He's quick and I feel like he's going to get us better. He’s a great addition to the defense line.
On Zach Carpenter’s transition: When he came in, it was harder. He came in January. He didn't really know anybody, but I feel like we do a good job as a team welcoming in the new guys. He’s very comfortable now. And I couldn't ask for a better center.
