In media availability after Monday’s practice, Miami Hurricanes LT Jalen Rivers shed light on the substantial progress the team has made over the last two weeks. The excitement in his voice was evident as he discussed the remarkable strides taken by not just the offensive line, but the running backs as well.
"I would definitely say the O-Line has (taken the next step), but I want to just talk about the running backs. They all have taken huge steps," Rivers shared. He shouted out the likes of Henry Parrish, transfer Ajay Allen, freshman Mark Fletcher, and veteran Don Chaney, Jr. The versatility each brings with powerful runs and unique style is what stands out for Rivers, "They cater to their strengths, and we just block it. I'm just proud to block for these guys."
Rivers expressed immense pride for Mark Fletcher, who scored twice in Saturday’s scrimmage, highlighting the synergy of the team. He elaborated, "It's not his first college game but his first college-type of game in Hard Rock. It's really exciting to see him score his first touchdown in that stadium."
For Rivers, building a strong connection with fellow players, especially on the line, is crucial. He spoke about taking knowledge from Alabama transfer Javion Cohen. "With Javion, we made sure to build that chemistry together. It's good to learn from him," he remarked.
On the topic of Ryan Rodriguez, Rivers was full of praise, lauding his commitment and attitude. "It's good to see him out there... he's asking me questions, I'm giving him advice. It's good to see him out and just get in those reps that he deserves."
Addressing the challenges of practicing in Miami's heat, Rivers laughed it off, "That should be our advantage. We're in Miami. We practice in it every day, so it was hot, but it's expected at this point."
Rivers provided insights into the different styles that Ajay Allen and Mark Fletcher bring to the table. "Ajay is very twitchy... Mark is very powerful," he said, emphasizing how their varied skills bring stress to the defense.
While the team still needs to address certain mistakes, like tackles for loss, Rivers believes they are moving in the right direction. "We learn in the film about what happened and we just move forward and not let those mistakes happen again."
The palpable anticipation was evident as Rivers spoke of the upcoming season. "I'm very excited. We've been building this lineup, building this chemistry with the whole offense. We're excited to see what is coming on that first day on September 1st against Miami of Ohio."
He further emphasized the team's approach to handling adversity, "We've been trying to go through adversity throughout the spring, summer. That's our biggest challenge, just seeing how we handle all that."
"I would definitely say the O-Line has (taken the next step), but I want to just talk about the running backs. They all have taken huge steps," Rivers shared. He shouted out the likes of Henry Parrish, transfer Ajay Allen, freshman Mark Fletcher, and veteran Don Chaney, Jr. The versatility each brings with powerful runs and unique style is what stands out for Rivers, "They cater to their strengths, and we just block it. I'm just proud to block for these guys."
Rivers expressed immense pride for Mark Fletcher, who scored twice in Saturday’s scrimmage, highlighting the synergy of the team. He elaborated, "It's not his first college game but his first college-type of game in Hard Rock. It's really exciting to see him score his first touchdown in that stadium."
For Rivers, building a strong connection with fellow players, especially on the line, is crucial. He spoke about taking knowledge from Alabama transfer Javion Cohen. "With Javion, we made sure to build that chemistry together. It's good to learn from him," he remarked.
On the topic of Ryan Rodriguez, Rivers was full of praise, lauding his commitment and attitude. "It's good to see him out there... he's asking me questions, I'm giving him advice. It's good to see him out and just get in those reps that he deserves."
Addressing the challenges of practicing in Miami's heat, Rivers laughed it off, "That should be our advantage. We're in Miami. We practice in it every day, so it was hot, but it's expected at this point."
Rivers provided insights into the different styles that Ajay Allen and Mark Fletcher bring to the table. "Ajay is very twitchy... Mark is very powerful," he said, emphasizing how their varied skills bring stress to the defense.
While the team still needs to address certain mistakes, like tackles for loss, Rivers believes they are moving in the right direction. "We learn in the film about what happened and we just move forward and not let those mistakes happen again."
The palpable anticipation was evident as Rivers spoke of the upcoming season. "I'm very excited. We've been building this lineup, building this chemistry with the whole offense. We're excited to see what is coming on that first day on September 1st against Miami of Ohio."
He further emphasized the team's approach to handling adversity, "We've been trying to go through adversity throughout the spring, summer. That's our biggest challenge, just seeing how we handle all that."
