Meesh Powell brings a unique perspective to the Canes. He turned down Ivy League offers to walk on at Washington, became a starter, was a key part of a CFP finalist and then transferred to Miami. Powell spoke to reporters about a range of topics after practice:
On his position in camp: I played safety. I played some nickel today, too. I still play both. It just depends on what the offense gives us. I'm not locked on a spot. If Coach Guidry says play defensive end, I'll play defensive end. But just speaking on safety, I think my strength is being able to see everything. I'm smart, I'm able to see things before they happen.
I talk to guys like Kam Kinchens to ask for advice. He has like [11] total career INTS. His name’s up there (with an All-American banner in the IPF). I'm trying to have my name up there as well.
On his versatility: The game is evolving where you've got to be able to play both sides. You can't just be a corner. You can't just be a safety. Being able to slide in the slot a little bit, being able to go into the box, then being able to slide back in the post, that just shows your availability. If a guy goes down and you only play one spot, you might have never played that other spot before.
It’s just giving yourself versatility. I don't want to come off the field, basically. If Coach Guidry has a D-line package, I'm going to learn that package, too, so I don't have to come off the field.
On Zaquan Patterson: I tell him every day, “That’s a freshman All-American." I tell him every day he's going to be one of the greatest safeties to ever come out of Miami. He’s going to have his name up here. He's super talented, super smart. He's a great tackler. That's something you need at safety. And then he can cover. The safety position, being able to do all those things, and just being so intelligent on the field right now. He’s probably 17, 18 years old. That's something that I wish I had.
I make sure I hammer him and just make sure he knows that, “Hey, you can be really good here. You can play this year. You just got to be consistent.” I think that's the biggest thing of being an elite player. You’ve got to be able to make the same plays every single day, not just once every other practice. So that's just really it. But he's been doing a **** of a job. He's a **** of a player.
On what he learned from playing on a CFP finalist: It feels like looking into a mirror, honestly. We're really deep. You need to have a great team, on all cylinders. We've got a great O-line, the best quarterback in the country, great on the outside, great D-line, linebackers, back end.
Our discipline is the biggest thing. That’s what gets guys to the [playoff] stage. It’s the discipline they have. And then also being healthy. That's a big importance. But overall, I think this team is going to be great. I think it's going to be elite. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think we had a shot to win it all. I'm very confident in that.
On the defensive backfield gelling: We were really gelling in the springtime, but the summer off-season was great. And not just during workouts. We hang out outside the facility.
We were finding each other's strengths and weaknesses. We’re able to come on the field and communicate and be comfortable with calling each other out because we're all brothers off the field. We all want each other to be great.
The young guys are coming along. You’ve got Damari [Brown], Jay Rich [Jadais Richard], Jay Harris, an older guy, and Daryl Porter. They're doing a **** of a job. And all the other DBs, Markeith [Williams], Myles Mooyoung, OJ [Frederique], these are guys that we're all just bringing along more and more.
We’re all best friends. I can go out and hang out with the freshmen right now, and it'll feel normal like it is hanging out with the older guys. That’s the most important thing.
On the team’s first few practices: I think we look pretty good. I’ve got to go back and watch the tape. It's never as good as it seems, never as bad as it seems. But it was competitive. It was back and forth.
I love going against a quarterback like Cam. He's going to make it challenging every single time. An offensive coordinator like Coach Dawson, as well as a defensive coordinator like Coach Guidry, they’re going to make it feel like a Super Bowl every time you're out there. I've been enjoying it.
On competing with Cam Ward: It’s mental value. He's the quarterback of the offense. I see myself as the quarterback of the defense, being able to see everything. So just giving him different looks and picking his brain.
After practice, I'll say, “Hey, on this play, how did you feel out here? Did this work? Did this kind of throw you off?” He'll be like, “No,” or like, “Oh, no, that really got me.” He'll ask me vice versa. He'll be like, “Hey, did I pull you away from this guy?” Or if I'm at the nickel spot, like, “Hey, did I fake the run enough?” So me and him going back and forth, just making each other better.
He's a **** of a competitor. He's a trash talker, too. So I make sure I’ve got to jaw back a little bit. But it's been a **** of a competition.
On whether he’s gotten into the flow of things: I'll say I've got a really good flow, but this coaching staff, these players, the strength staff, they did an amazing job of making sure I was dialed in, as well as all the other transfers. Cam Ward, Damien [Martinez], Sam Brown, these guys are dialed in and locked in. They just got here. I've been here since January. They got here about four weeks ago. Tyler Barron, these guys are all dialed and locked in for a great season.
On his favorite restaurant spots: I know a few little spots. Like, I know this spot called Shadow. Joe's Pizza is really good, but I don't go around. I don't leave Coral Gables too much.
On his position in camp: I played safety. I played some nickel today, too. I still play both. It just depends on what the offense gives us. I'm not locked on a spot. If Coach Guidry says play defensive end, I'll play defensive end. But just speaking on safety, I think my strength is being able to see everything. I'm smart, I'm able to see things before they happen.
I talk to guys like Kam Kinchens to ask for advice. He has like [11] total career INTS. His name’s up there (with an All-American banner in the IPF). I'm trying to have my name up there as well.
On his versatility: The game is evolving where you've got to be able to play both sides. You can't just be a corner. You can't just be a safety. Being able to slide in the slot a little bit, being able to go into the box, then being able to slide back in the post, that just shows your availability. If a guy goes down and you only play one spot, you might have never played that other spot before.
It’s just giving yourself versatility. I don't want to come off the field, basically. If Coach Guidry has a D-line package, I'm going to learn that package, too, so I don't have to come off the field.
On Zaquan Patterson: I tell him every day, “That’s a freshman All-American." I tell him every day he's going to be one of the greatest safeties to ever come out of Miami. He’s going to have his name up here. He's super talented, super smart. He's a great tackler. That's something you need at safety. And then he can cover. The safety position, being able to do all those things, and just being so intelligent on the field right now. He’s probably 17, 18 years old. That's something that I wish I had.
I make sure I hammer him and just make sure he knows that, “Hey, you can be really good here. You can play this year. You just got to be consistent.” I think that's the biggest thing of being an elite player. You’ve got to be able to make the same plays every single day, not just once every other practice. So that's just really it. But he's been doing a **** of a job. He's a **** of a player.
On what he learned from playing on a CFP finalist: It feels like looking into a mirror, honestly. We're really deep. You need to have a great team, on all cylinders. We've got a great O-line, the best quarterback in the country, great on the outside, great D-line, linebackers, back end.
Our discipline is the biggest thing. That’s what gets guys to the [playoff] stage. It’s the discipline they have. And then also being healthy. That's a big importance. But overall, I think this team is going to be great. I think it's going to be elite. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think we had a shot to win it all. I'm very confident in that.
On the defensive backfield gelling: We were really gelling in the springtime, but the summer off-season was great. And not just during workouts. We hang out outside the facility.
We were finding each other's strengths and weaknesses. We’re able to come on the field and communicate and be comfortable with calling each other out because we're all brothers off the field. We all want each other to be great.
The young guys are coming along. You’ve got Damari [Brown], Jay Rich [Jadais Richard], Jay Harris, an older guy, and Daryl Porter. They're doing a **** of a job. And all the other DBs, Markeith [Williams], Myles Mooyoung, OJ [Frederique], these are guys that we're all just bringing along more and more.
We’re all best friends. I can go out and hang out with the freshmen right now, and it'll feel normal like it is hanging out with the older guys. That’s the most important thing.
On the team’s first few practices: I think we look pretty good. I’ve got to go back and watch the tape. It's never as good as it seems, never as bad as it seems. But it was competitive. It was back and forth.
I love going against a quarterback like Cam. He's going to make it challenging every single time. An offensive coordinator like Coach Dawson, as well as a defensive coordinator like Coach Guidry, they’re going to make it feel like a Super Bowl every time you're out there. I've been enjoying it.
On competing with Cam Ward: It’s mental value. He's the quarterback of the offense. I see myself as the quarterback of the defense, being able to see everything. So just giving him different looks and picking his brain.
After practice, I'll say, “Hey, on this play, how did you feel out here? Did this work? Did this kind of throw you off?” He'll be like, “No,” or like, “Oh, no, that really got me.” He'll ask me vice versa. He'll be like, “Hey, did I pull you away from this guy?” Or if I'm at the nickel spot, like, “Hey, did I fake the run enough?” So me and him going back and forth, just making each other better.
He's a **** of a competitor. He's a trash talker, too. So I make sure I’ve got to jaw back a little bit. But it's been a **** of a competition.
On whether he’s gotten into the flow of things: I'll say I've got a really good flow, but this coaching staff, these players, the strength staff, they did an amazing job of making sure I was dialed in, as well as all the other transfers. Cam Ward, Damien [Martinez], Sam Brown, these guys are dialed in and locked in. They just got here. I've been here since January. They got here about four weeks ago. Tyler Barron, these guys are all dialed and locked in for a great season.
On his favorite restaurant spots: I know a few little spots. Like, I know this spot called Shadow. Joe's Pizza is really good, but I don't go around. I don't leave Coral Gables too much.
