The Canes have switched up their starting O-Line this week, with Hayden Mahoney and Venzell Boulware back with the ones and Navaughn Donaldson and Jahair Jones to the bench, and senior LT Tyree St. Louis gave an update on how the line was performing.
“Each week we just evaluate and whoever does the best and whoever we feel deserves the starting spot… just trying to work as many guys in as we can and keep as many guys fresh,” St. Louis said. “They have been progressing the entire season and they are definitely fixing all of those little errors, as we all are. We are ready for this week.”
The Canes have been struggling to score points the past few weeks and St. Louis was asked how the offense can be more productive.
“It just comes back to getting everything right in practice and just being a more cohesive unit,” St. Louis said. “Going into the Virginia game, we definitely had a couple bad practices out here, a bad walkthrough and everything and that definitely translates on the field. And we definitely the last few games we kind of had a some bad practices or may not be everyone on the same page and we’re just trying to get back to where we used to be. We know what we can do. We have done it before. We’re trying to get back to the same rhythm.”
With most of the same problems occurring week after week, St. Louis said the team is at their wits end with losing.
“Well mainly we are all getting fed up with the same thing,” St. Louis said. “No one is ever happy after one loss, let alone two, three or four. So now we’re just saying enough is enough. We are taking full responsibility for everything, players, coaches, everyone on this team and we are installing things, we’re fixing up our playbook and we’re getting all the errors corrected.”
Malik Rosier and N’Kosi Perry are locked in a battle yet again (EDIT: Perry was named the starter shortly afterwards) to see who will start next week against GT and St. Louis said it won’t make a difference which one steps out on the field.
“It’s not difficult for us because we practice with both of them throughout the entire practice, we did it all through spring and all through camp,” St. Louis. Said. “And they both command leadership, they’re both very strong in what they say and what they do. They both can run and they both can pass, so it’s not the same as having a pocket passer and a runner. They’re both runners, so we are very used to them.”
Georgia Tech leads the nation in rushing yards per game with 377 and their offense holds the ball so much that it makes it difficult on the opponent to gain many possessions in the game.
“We are taking that as the main emphasis of this week, we know they can get in there and hold the ball for eight or nine minutes and just burn off the quarter and they might not even score, and if they do score then it adds even more pressure,” St. Louis said. “So now we are taking it into every single play could be a touchdown for us, it was before but now just take it with a little more emphasis. We are not going to have as many opportunities, so we have to be good at it.”
What has been the difference in ACC wins like UNC and FSU compared to ACC losses like UVA, BC, and Duke?
“Well mainly the other games we definitely stepped up more, not saying we fell to the environment of where we were playing or who we were playing against but just the games before we were more cohesive,” St. Louis said. “We were a better unit, we had less pressures, less sacks, we worked for more yards, and the offense all clicked together and when we click the offense clicks. So the offensive line is taking responsibility we need to be better the next couple of games.”
**WR Darrell Langham knows Georgia Tech well: the senior had a career game against the Yellow Jackets last season, catching 5 balls for 100 yards, including a juggling catch on 4th and long during UM’s game-winning drive. Langham shared his perspective on GT’s defense after practice.
“I think their defense is really good. They stay mostly in cloud personnel,” Langham said. “They hover over the receivers. I feel like we are going to have to attack them as a unit. For the receivers, I know we are going to have to attack them fast. And get the game started.”
What will it take from the offense to beat GT?
“For offense right now, it is just, make every play count,” Langham said. “Get down there and score. Do our jobs and be 100-percent at everything we do… Just play to the next whistle, just keep fighting… Some plays are going to mess up, but we just got to fight through it. Play until the next play.”
Langham feels that the entire team has stepped up this week in practice.
“I’m seeing everyone push themselves, not just the O-line,” Langham said. “D-line, receivers, running backs. They are all pushing themselves to be better. Even the tight ends are working harder too.”
**Senior fullback Trayone Gray has been with the team for 5 years now and tries to share his experience and wisdom with the younger players, especially in tough times.
“My message is that we have to keep pushing,” Gray said. “We have to execute and keep working hard, keep practicing. If we're sluggish all week, we're going to play sluggish. So we just have to practice hard, execute and it will lead to the game."
Practice has been noticeable more quiet out on Greentree since the losing streak begun, but Gray says that has more to do with the team trying even harder to focus and execute than a lack of energy.
“I don’t think that it was quiet, we were just trying to focus,” Gray said. “Sometimes we’re rowdy and sometimes we’re not. I don’t think we were quiet, I just think we were trying to execute what coach tells us to do.”
“It’s been decent. I still had some errors, some plays I’ve missed. Nobody’s perfect, but I just have to keep pushing. Can’t look at the past now, just have to look at the future and keep pushing to try and get better every day.”
What has he seen from the QB’s this week in practice?
“Malik has been a leader, vocal. He’s been telling us to keep it up and we have to keep fighting,” Gray said. “He’s going on his fifth year, so he’s being that vocal leader, completing all his passes like the coach is telling him to do. He’s looking good.”
“They both motivate each other. N’Kosi and Malik both hype and cheer them on. Malik and N’Kosi do the same, so does Jarren [Williams] and Cade [Weldon]. They’ve been competing. It’s better, when you compete, you play better and you’re not complacent. They compete and helping each other out each and every day. Whoever gets in, we’re just going to ride with them.”
This will likely be Gray’s last season playing competitive football, and he says he does reflect back on his time at UM every so often.
“Yeah, I look back. I think about it because it came fast,” Gray said. “I’ve been able to bond with these guys and they’ve become my family, my brothers. So I’m going to miss them when it comes to the end. I just have to finish strong, play hard for them, practice and try to do everything I can.”
**Senior guard Jahair Jones has started the majority of Miami’s games this season at left guard, but was demoted to the second team in practice this week.
"Everyone has been fighting, fighting hard for spots and now we just have to rev it up,” Jones said. “We know that we have a bigger goal. We have to turn the ship around really fast."
How important is reaching a bowl game for the team this season?
"It's important, but we're going to do it,” Jones said. “I'm 100 percent behind the team and I have faith we're going to fight in the ACC. It's not over yet."
Although Jones has never played against Georgia Tech before, he is very aware of how little UM’s offense will see the field on Saturday.
"It's a high sense of urgency because I saw them last year,” Jones said. “Last year and the year before that, the most snaps we had seen was like 40-60 and normally we have like 70-80 snaps… It's pretty frustrating, but it's just their offense. You can't knock it. It's just what they do."
“Each week we just evaluate and whoever does the best and whoever we feel deserves the starting spot… just trying to work as many guys in as we can and keep as many guys fresh,” St. Louis said. “They have been progressing the entire season and they are definitely fixing all of those little errors, as we all are. We are ready for this week.”
The Canes have been struggling to score points the past few weeks and St. Louis was asked how the offense can be more productive.
“It just comes back to getting everything right in practice and just being a more cohesive unit,” St. Louis said. “Going into the Virginia game, we definitely had a couple bad practices out here, a bad walkthrough and everything and that definitely translates on the field. And we definitely the last few games we kind of had a some bad practices or may not be everyone on the same page and we’re just trying to get back to where we used to be. We know what we can do. We have done it before. We’re trying to get back to the same rhythm.”
With most of the same problems occurring week after week, St. Louis said the team is at their wits end with losing.
“Well mainly we are all getting fed up with the same thing,” St. Louis said. “No one is ever happy after one loss, let alone two, three or four. So now we’re just saying enough is enough. We are taking full responsibility for everything, players, coaches, everyone on this team and we are installing things, we’re fixing up our playbook and we’re getting all the errors corrected.”
Malik Rosier and N’Kosi Perry are locked in a battle yet again (EDIT: Perry was named the starter shortly afterwards) to see who will start next week against GT and St. Louis said it won’t make a difference which one steps out on the field.
“It’s not difficult for us because we practice with both of them throughout the entire practice, we did it all through spring and all through camp,” St. Louis. Said. “And they both command leadership, they’re both very strong in what they say and what they do. They both can run and they both can pass, so it’s not the same as having a pocket passer and a runner. They’re both runners, so we are very used to them.”
Georgia Tech leads the nation in rushing yards per game with 377 and their offense holds the ball so much that it makes it difficult on the opponent to gain many possessions in the game.
“We are taking that as the main emphasis of this week, we know they can get in there and hold the ball for eight or nine minutes and just burn off the quarter and they might not even score, and if they do score then it adds even more pressure,” St. Louis said. “So now we are taking it into every single play could be a touchdown for us, it was before but now just take it with a little more emphasis. We are not going to have as many opportunities, so we have to be good at it.”
What has been the difference in ACC wins like UNC and FSU compared to ACC losses like UVA, BC, and Duke?
“Well mainly the other games we definitely stepped up more, not saying we fell to the environment of where we were playing or who we were playing against but just the games before we were more cohesive,” St. Louis said. “We were a better unit, we had less pressures, less sacks, we worked for more yards, and the offense all clicked together and when we click the offense clicks. So the offensive line is taking responsibility we need to be better the next couple of games.”
**WR Darrell Langham knows Georgia Tech well: the senior had a career game against the Yellow Jackets last season, catching 5 balls for 100 yards, including a juggling catch on 4th and long during UM’s game-winning drive. Langham shared his perspective on GT’s defense after practice.
“I think their defense is really good. They stay mostly in cloud personnel,” Langham said. “They hover over the receivers. I feel like we are going to have to attack them as a unit. For the receivers, I know we are going to have to attack them fast. And get the game started.”
What will it take from the offense to beat GT?
“For offense right now, it is just, make every play count,” Langham said. “Get down there and score. Do our jobs and be 100-percent at everything we do… Just play to the next whistle, just keep fighting… Some plays are going to mess up, but we just got to fight through it. Play until the next play.”
Langham feels that the entire team has stepped up this week in practice.
“I’m seeing everyone push themselves, not just the O-line,” Langham said. “D-line, receivers, running backs. They are all pushing themselves to be better. Even the tight ends are working harder too.”
**Senior fullback Trayone Gray has been with the team for 5 years now and tries to share his experience and wisdom with the younger players, especially in tough times.
“My message is that we have to keep pushing,” Gray said. “We have to execute and keep working hard, keep practicing. If we're sluggish all week, we're going to play sluggish. So we just have to practice hard, execute and it will lead to the game."
Practice has been noticeable more quiet out on Greentree since the losing streak begun, but Gray says that has more to do with the team trying even harder to focus and execute than a lack of energy.
“I don’t think that it was quiet, we were just trying to focus,” Gray said. “Sometimes we’re rowdy and sometimes we’re not. I don’t think we were quiet, I just think we were trying to execute what coach tells us to do.”
“It’s been decent. I still had some errors, some plays I’ve missed. Nobody’s perfect, but I just have to keep pushing. Can’t look at the past now, just have to look at the future and keep pushing to try and get better every day.”
What has he seen from the QB’s this week in practice?
“Malik has been a leader, vocal. He’s been telling us to keep it up and we have to keep fighting,” Gray said. “He’s going on his fifth year, so he’s being that vocal leader, completing all his passes like the coach is telling him to do. He’s looking good.”
“They both motivate each other. N’Kosi and Malik both hype and cheer them on. Malik and N’Kosi do the same, so does Jarren [Williams] and Cade [Weldon]. They’ve been competing. It’s better, when you compete, you play better and you’re not complacent. They compete and helping each other out each and every day. Whoever gets in, we’re just going to ride with them.”
This will likely be Gray’s last season playing competitive football, and he says he does reflect back on his time at UM every so often.
“Yeah, I look back. I think about it because it came fast,” Gray said. “I’ve been able to bond with these guys and they’ve become my family, my brothers. So I’m going to miss them when it comes to the end. I just have to finish strong, play hard for them, practice and try to do everything I can.”
**Senior guard Jahair Jones has started the majority of Miami’s games this season at left guard, but was demoted to the second team in practice this week.
"Everyone has been fighting, fighting hard for spots and now we just have to rev it up,” Jones said. “We know that we have a bigger goal. We have to turn the ship around really fast."
How important is reaching a bowl game for the team this season?
"It's important, but we're going to do it,” Jones said. “I'm 100 percent behind the team and I have faith we're going to fight in the ACC. It's not over yet."
Although Jones has never played against Georgia Tech before, he is very aware of how little UM’s offense will see the field on Saturday.
"It's a high sense of urgency because I saw them last year,” Jones said. “Last year and the year before that, the most snaps we had seen was like 40-60 and normally we have like 70-80 snaps… It's pretty frustrating, but it's just their offense. You can't knock it. It's just what they do."
