Samson Okunlola: My focus is on getting better, not whether I start or not

DMoney

Aug 14, 2024 2 min read

After missing part of his freshman season to knee injury, Samson Okunlola has been working with both the first and second-team at right tackle and left guard. He met with reporters to discuss his progress:

On his mindset so far in camp: Every day I'm looking to get better. Because I'm really getting better, my focus is not on starting or nothing like that. My focus is to get better today and better tomorrow and better the next day.

On the depth in the room: We’ve definitely got a lot of talent. Even last year, we had a lot of talent. We’ll be more talented this year, more dudes ready, more dudes who know how to hold the scheme, more dudes who are ready to get in and compete.

On what he showcased in spring: Just that I'm ready to compete, I'm ready to get better, I'm ready to showcase that I know the system, I know our playbook, and I know how to operate in our playbook, I know the techniques to use, I know how wide to be, and just how to do it. That's the thing I want to showcase, and I'm going to showcase that even more this fall.

On what he’s learned from the older guys: They helped me grow in the sense of technique, using my hands better in the pass game, being better [in the run game]. Knowing the whole technique, the whole scheme, so I can use my techniques multiple ways. Showing me different ways how to attack this, attack that. Letting me know when blitzes are coming in the running game, so I can better choose a technique to use for that play.

On the importance of earning the trust of Coach Mirabal: Trust is the big thing. The five O-linemen who play have to be trusted and trusted among themselves. It’s knowing your playbook. The film never lies. So what you do on the film, that’s the truth.

Click to expand...

Facebook X Bluesky LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp Email Link

Comments (156)

View article View as thread

N.M.B. Cane

Yesterday at 3:03 PM

Bender said:
Bell stopped playing LT once Rivers returned from injury. I'm not sure this is the hill to die on.

You don't move good players on the O-Line away from positions where they play well, unless it's a complete emergency.

Not true

S
San Amaro Dr

Yesterday at 3:31 PM

The bad OL takes in here are making me physically ill.

Bender

Yesterday at 5:28 PM

Cookie917 said:
You were wrong about snaps increasing at LT...

Alright, last response, before this topic is being ignored. I'm done with this BS, so I'll end it once and for all. This above is BS, the snap counts were posted in here. Rivers snap counts at LT gradually increased after his injury from week to week: Post in thread 'Samson Okunlola: My focus is on getting better, not whether I start or not' https://www.canesinsight.com/thread...ot-whether-i-start-or-not.192288/post-7629321

Cookie917 said:
So no, that is not indicative of him working back slowly and even if it did, you dont give a guy a breather by putting him inside where he will have more strain on his knee going up against usually stronger DT that the DE.

Okay, don't read anything about the "mobility" part, just ignore that then.

Cookie917 said:
If you need me to mash up clips of how often we pull our guards I can but once again you are wrong.

Pull up the clips then. I'll gladly wait. Or we ask @DTP. Because he'll tell you the same exact thing I said. We run IZ as the entire offenses staple. It's almost our only run play.

Cookie917 said:
Show me where "they" said McCoy was not in game shape. Mario would never say that or let anyone else say that.

Offensive line appears to be taking shape for No. 19 Miami football

247sports-com.cdn.ampproject.org

"McCoy, who was originally scheduled to speak with reporters after Tuesday's practice but was not made available, is looking for a larger role in his third season with the Hurricanes after appearing in all 13 games last season as a reserve.

"He's doing fantastic," Mirabal said. "What we don't know is he's never been in a game in terms of starting. He's been out there in mop-up duty and that's all great, but we're trying to get--he's working right now in practice to get himself into game shape.""

I guess Mirabal doesn't count?

You want the evidence, there you go. Back to my bed and toilet duty.

Last edited: Yesterday at 5:33 PM

Yesterday at 5:33 PM

Bender said:
Alright, last response, before this topic is being ignored. I'm done with this BS, so I'll end it once and for all. This above is BS, the snap counts were posted in here. Rivers snap counts at LT gradually increased after his injury from week to week.

Okay, don't read anything about the "mobility" part, just ignore that then.

Pull up the clips then. I'll gladly wait. Or we ask @DTP. Because he'll tell you the same exact thing I said. We run IZ as the entire offenses staple. It's almost our only run play.

Offensive line appears to be taking shape for No. 19 Miami football

247sports-com.cdn.ampproject.org

"McCoy, who was originally scheduled to speak with reporters after Tuesday's practice but was not made available, is looking for a larger role in his third season with the Hurricanes after appearing in all 13 games last season as a reserve.

"He's doing fantastic," Mirabal said. "What we don't know is he's never been in a game in terms of starting. He's been out there in mop-up duty and that's all great, but we're trying to get--he's working right now in practice to get himself into game shape.""

I guess Mirabal doesn't count?

You want the evidence, there you go. Back to my bed and toilet duty.

Ehhh…yes we do run IZ. It’s a staple of pretty much every run game in football today but we run a ton of gap scheme stuff too. Most Air Raid teams run zone almost exclusively but we do a lot of old school stuff in our run game.

Bender

Yesterday at 5:35 PM

DTP said:
Ehhh…yes we do run IZ. It’s a staple of pretty much every run game in football today but we run a ton of gap scheme stuff too. Most Air Raid teams run zone almost exclusively but we do a lot of old school stuff in our run game.

He said we pull guards all the time. There was a chart on Twitter with the run types of every college team and Miami was deep in IZ territory, which is what we've said all season long.

Yesterday at 6:00 PM

Bender said:
He said we pull guards all the time. There was a chart on Twitter with the run types of every college team and Miami was deep in IZ territory, which is what we've said all season long.

Damien Martinez almost exclusively got zone carries. He was so patient he could wait for the hole to develop. We ran power quite a bit with Fletcher. His vision improved significantly but he was still a “play is designed to hit the c gap” kind of player.

Bender

Yesterday at 6:03 PM

DTP said:
Damien Martinez almost exclusively got zone carries. He was so patient he could wait for the hole to develop. We ran power quite a bit with Fletcher. His vision improved significantly but he was still a “play is designed to hit the c gap” kind of player.

Fletcher got more duo carries, but we didn't pull any guards. We kept everyone in the gap.

It was a rarity to see us pull someone.

Yesterday at 6:55 PM

Bender said:
What is this boards fascination with taking players who are really good at their respective positions and then just move them somewhere else just to have someone else with no experience play?

Same with Jalen Rivers back then. It's absurd.

You take the best 5 and put them on the field. If that means one gets pushed inside to get the best 5 then so be it.

caneforlifeforreal

Yesterday at 6:56 PM

Bender said:
Fletcher got more duo carries, but we didn't pull any guards. We kept everyone in the gap.

It was a rarity to see us pull someone.

This is spot on

caneforlifeforreal

Yesterday at 7:13 PM

Francis Cici has always looked more like an NFL guard. It's even offered by some that could be his profession for the next 10+ years. He is an All American elite tackle. He's so gifted that in my humble opinion he could move and be just as strong inside. His quick feet make him equally deadly for pulling, screens(god he'd be a beast if we saw a rb screen) and NFL edge rushers as a tackle

I'm if it ain't broke don't fix it so I'm not arguing for this move. The man imo is the best in the ACC at this point and could be in the country. Getting drafted at tackle is gonna pay him more. I say keep that right side locked down.

That being said labeling this as a straight up board fascination, which stupid people do, is a liitle disingenuous. this is a fair observation. Best 5 for us may not be best for him money wise. I honestly think he's a rare human being gifted not only physically but his go to work mentality. Me thinks he will excel and match any expectations of him.

But I don't think you can say that Mirabal and Mario 100% ruled this out. Maybe they do at some point. But it floated in their heads. So it's not entirely without merit

C
CANESCANES

Yesterday at 7:15 PM

MizCane said:
We will see but Honcho is built like a first ballot HOFr and doesn’t get meaningful PT so..

He hasn’t been mentally ready

Yesterday at 7:17 PM

It smells like ***** in this thread

caneforlifeforreal

Yesterday at 8:52 PM

ben said:
It smells like ***** in this thread

Do you have the video to your avatar? I stopped looking and I'm not going back to the WEZ to dig around. I don't wanna post it. I respect Pete. I do crack up everytime at the end when he says delete it, delete that. I feel like I should show my teenagers to reinforce stuff on the internet lives forever without showing em something crazy brutal

Just pm me. If not just laugh and keep it moving

C
Caneofcanes

Yesterday at 8:59 PM

Hstokes1447 said:
Kid has really transformed physically

HE’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT. He has the will and drive to get better. Hasn’t ran to another school looking for greener pastures. Mario not only recruited some physically imposing players. They seem to have the right ATTITUDE.

canes732

Yesterday at 9:08 PM

Cookie917 said:
I agree sometimes it is absurd and people think they are playing NCAA but with OL I dont think as much.

Right now, Francis is our best RT and going to get drafted. A lot of scouts however think while Francis is fine at T, he could be elite at G and that is where he may play in the NFL. Same with your rivers example which is funny you brought him up because that scenario is exactly what happened to him. He was good at his position and then we moved him to G so someone else (bell) could play even though he had no experience. Rivers is a good tackle, could be an even better G.

So IF samson is close to Francis levels at T and there isnt a huge drop off, you want the best 5 on the field, francis moves to G, we all know he already cross trains there based on the way Mirabel coaches, and Francis will beat out anyone on the OL IMO.

There is a difference Rivers had played G. Francis has not. He’s locked down RT why tf would u move a 1st rounder. I know Mirabol cross trains everyone but he’s been day 1 RT you would be stupid to move him. Also scouts don’t know **** all those draft analysts are clowns

Yesterday at 9:16 PM

caneforlifeforreal said:
Do you have the video to your avatar? I stopped looking and I'm not going back to the WEZ to dig around. I don't wanna post it. I respect Pete. I do crack up everytime at the end when he says delete it, delete that. I feel like I should show my teenagers to reinforce stuff on the internet lives forever without showing em something crazy brutal

Just pm me. If not just laugh and keep it moving

Done

canes732

Yesterday at 9:19 PM

caneforlifeforreal said:
Francis Cici has always looked more like an NFL guard. It's even offered by some that could be his profession for the next 10+ years. He is an All American elite tackle. He's so gifted that in my humble opinion he could move and be just as strong inside. His quick feet make him equally deadly for pulling, screens(god he'd be a beast if we saw a rb screen) and NFL edge rushers as a tackle

I'm if it ain't broke don't fix it so I'm not arguing for this move. The man imo is the best in the ACC at this point and could be in the country. Getting drafted at tackle is gonna pay him more. I say keep that right side locked down.

That being said labeling this as a straight up board fascination, which stupid people do, is a liitle disingenuous. this is a fair observation. Best 5 for us may not be best for him money wise. I honestly think he's a rare human being gifted not only physically but his go to work mentality. Me thinks he will excel and match any expectations of him.

But I don't think you can say that Mirabal and Mario 100% ruled this out. Maybe they do at some point. But it floated in their heads. So it's not entirely without merit

Cici is a NFL RT he’s a freak I really don’t get the fascination with sliding him inside. I get he can pull more but u can easily just pull the tackle. He’s been so solid at RT why risk moving him