Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz opened his Wednesday presser by naming Jarren Williams the starting QB for FSU on Saturday, ending any doubts after Williams came in in relief of N’Kosi Perry to lead UM to a win over Pitt last weekend.
“Quite simply, Jarren Williams has been our starting quarterback. At any starting position on the team, there is still a standard of preparation, and Jarren was beat out last week, that’s why N’Kosi was our starter vs. Pitt,” Diaz said. “I think it’s important for the University of Miami to have a guy at quarterback. Jarren has been our guy, but we also reserve the right to make sure everyone is competing on Greentree practice field, in meeting rooms, in everything that we do to the standard of the University of Miami.”
Diaz reiterated that Williams has always been the guy at QB for Miami, but outlined his policy that things can change on a week-to-week basis if another player has a stronger week of practice.
“I’ve said all along and never wavered on the fact that Jarren Williams is our starting quarterback. No different than Shaq Quarterman being our starting middle linebacker,” Diaz said. “However, there are things that can happen if another guy outworks you or outexceeds you. If you don’t do that, then you lose all credibility. That’s simply what the lesson of last week was about.
“One thing that Dan Enos has been in charge of is not just getting the offense right, but also changing the culture of how our quarterbacks prepare 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’re excited to have Jarren lead us out there against Florida State this Saturday.”
Did Williams have a better week of preparation this week?
“Outstanding week,” Diaz said of Williams.
Diaz also updated the status of LB Michael Pinckney and RB DeeJay Dallas, who both missed last week’s game vs. Pitt; however, Diaz expects both of them to play this week vs. FSU.
“They both look great, excited to have both those guys on Saturday,” Diaz said.
Tate Martell has been back with the team this week after missing last week’s games vs. Pitt for what the team termed a “medical leave of absence”. Martell is primarily working with the QB’s again after spending a few weeks mainly working with the receivers.
“He has the flexibility to go in there (at receiver) if we want him to, but he’s primarily spending his time with the quarterbacks,” Diaz said. “Where he felt he could help the team best was actually still having his feet in the QB room… He’s doing much better this week (since returning to the team). When he’s around us, he’s really positive, a very hard worker.”
When asked about a possible 2-QB system, Diaz didn’t rule it out if he felt it was necessary at some point down the line, but he feels it is most important to have one QB for the team to rally around.
“I’d like to see us get going and establish an identity,” Diaz said. “There’s been a gap in what we felt like coming out of training camp that would be the identity of our offense. It comes back to the importance of getting behind one guy. That’s why we’ve said, Jarren’s been our guy, and let’s get rolling.”
Redshirt freshman DE Gregory Rousseau continued his breakout season against Pitt last week, recording a career-high 3 sacks vs. the Panthers. Diaz relayed that, as Rousseau didn’t have much experience as a defensive end coming into Miami last season, the staff started Rousseau out watching film from some of the former DE’s that played in this system at Miami that are now in the NFL.
“You’re always going to show the guys that have come before him in this defense. We’ve had some really good guys that have come through here – Joe Jackson, Chad Thomas,” Diaz said. “We’ve now built a 4-year cut-up library of defensive end play, so there’s been some examples of how to get after the quarterback.
“As his confidence has grown, he has some things naturally where you don’t have to watch a video. His length, his movement skills are all elite… Young players think, older players go. Younger players are counting their dance steps, older players just let it rip... Once Greg realized he was so much stronger, and that ‘If I just cut it loose and let it rip, I’m really hard to block.’ So it’s been exciting to see him find his confidence in the games.”
Diaz also stated the recruitment of Rousseau reminded him of when he was back at NC State and the Wolfpack’s defensive staff went after and signed DE Manny Lawson, a long and athletic guy who also played a variety of positions in high school including WR; Lawson went on to become a first round draft pick in the NFL.
As for his first year of being a head coach, Diaz reflected on how things have gone for him in his rookie season thus far.
“It’s been a season of things that have been hard to predict. We’ve had a few years of adversity packed into a couple months. Some of that self-inflicted for sure,” Diaz said. “But what I have seen is a team that’s come together, I’ve seen a team that is starting to forge an identity. The way that we never quit, continue to fight, the way that we believe - I’m talking about offense, defense, special teams always trying to find a way to win the game, is something I’m proud of.”
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