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With the Hurricanes coming out of their second bye week of the season, senior LB Michael Pinckney has made it his mission to make sure Miami does not come out flat on Saturday against Virginia Tech, something that happened after the first off week when UM played UNC.
“Just coming off a bye week, I think we came out slow vs. North Carolina, went down 10 and just the intensity has to be up, the want to has to be there,” Pinckney said. “We’re doing a great job getting after it. (Tuesday) was one of the best practices we had in a long time and (Wednesday) wasn’t too far off.
“I think we’re where we need to be.”
A common theme in practice this week? That’d be finishing in all aspects, including drives, tackling, and more.
“Just coming out and we’re preaching finishing, there’s things we haven’t finished on in a long time and I think this week we’ve been doing that,” Pinckney said.
Fellow senior LB Zach McCloud announced last week that he would take a redshirt and sit out the rest of the season so as to potentially get more playing time in 2020. Pinckney’s reaction to the news was more shocked at first, but gradually turned into respect and admiration for the sacrifice.
“We were at practice going through warm-ups, he’s like `I’m going to redshirt,’” Pinckney said. “I thought he was playing with me. He said `No, I’m serious, I’m redshirting’.
“That’s a grown man’s decision. That’s tough for any player to do, he’s been a three-year starter. You have to take it for what it’s worth and be strong enough mentally to take that and do what’s the best thing for the team and yourself. Hats off to him for the way he’s worked. … How he’s going about it is great.”
**With his unit arguably struggling the most on the team, sophomore offensive lineman Corey Gaynor made clear that the OL is continuing to work hard to improve.
“Of course, some criticism is fair for us, as is every position,” Gaynor said. “It’s football. You play the next play and ultimately mistakes happen. It’s how you react to those mistakes that ultimately make you the player that you are. So we’re going to keep fighting, keep working hard.”
On LT Zion Nelson: “He’s a true freshman and things will happen. All we can do is keep working and clean up his mistakes and my mistakes and everyone’s mistakes.”
Going up against Coastal division rival Virginia Tech this week, many expect Hokies DC Bud Foster to devise a gameplan centered on attacking the Miami OL in various manners.
“In prep, the guys have reacted the way you’d want them to react competition-wise,” Gaynor said of looking towards VT. “I’m comfortable with any five guys we decide to put out there.”
The Canes’ OL had a rough go vs. Central Michigan in their last outing, ceding 4 sacks and 9 TFL to a MAC opponent. What makes Gaynor confident things will change this weekend vs. the Hokies?
“I have a lot of respect for Central Michigan’s defensive line, they played really hard, and ultimately, they made more plays than we did,” Gaynor said. “We’re just going to play to our standard, play 100 percent, give our heart out on the field every Saturday, do what we can… We won’t fold on one another, not one person will take the blame. And it’s a great group of guys to be around. I love being a part of this offensive line.”
**In his first year starting, sophomore CB DJ Ivey is a key part of a young secondary trying to find it’s footing so far in 2019. So far, the Canes are 49th in the country in passing yards per game (209.8 ypg), a steep decline from the lofty top spot in the nation they held to end 2018.
“We’re very young,” Ivey said. “It’s my first year actually being out on the field actually playing. It’s a big step for me personally. The younger dudes playing on third down defense, they just have to grow and grow.”
Miscommunications have been cited as something that has plagued the UM secondary to start the season, but Ivey feels the DB corps is becoming more comfortable with each other.
“These past two weeks we actually have been communicating pretty well, better than previous times,” Ivey said. “We’re just trying to be the best we can be.”
Ivey won the #2 job over fellow sophomore Al Blades, but says the pair have continued the competition in practice throughout the season.
“We just keep each other going. I’m just trying to be the best I can be. We keep going in practice every day,” Ivey said of Blades.
With VT on tap this weekend, the Hokies bring a QB making his first career start and a passing game that has been one of the worst in the country at 86th (214.8 ypg).
“I expect them to come and play,” Ivey said. “They just lost a game, want a big win in Miami. I’m not going to underestimate them… We just go prepare and play for the team, are not worried about who is at quarterback.”
“Just coming off a bye week, I think we came out slow vs. North Carolina, went down 10 and just the intensity has to be up, the want to has to be there,” Pinckney said. “We’re doing a great job getting after it. (Tuesday) was one of the best practices we had in a long time and (Wednesday) wasn’t too far off.
“I think we’re where we need to be.”
A common theme in practice this week? That’d be finishing in all aspects, including drives, tackling, and more.
“Just coming out and we’re preaching finishing, there’s things we haven’t finished on in a long time and I think this week we’ve been doing that,” Pinckney said.
Fellow senior LB Zach McCloud announced last week that he would take a redshirt and sit out the rest of the season so as to potentially get more playing time in 2020. Pinckney’s reaction to the news was more shocked at first, but gradually turned into respect and admiration for the sacrifice.
“We were at practice going through warm-ups, he’s like `I’m going to redshirt,’” Pinckney said. “I thought he was playing with me. He said `No, I’m serious, I’m redshirting’.
“That’s a grown man’s decision. That’s tough for any player to do, he’s been a three-year starter. You have to take it for what it’s worth and be strong enough mentally to take that and do what’s the best thing for the team and yourself. Hats off to him for the way he’s worked. … How he’s going about it is great.”
**With his unit arguably struggling the most on the team, sophomore offensive lineman Corey Gaynor made clear that the OL is continuing to work hard to improve.
“Of course, some criticism is fair for us, as is every position,” Gaynor said. “It’s football. You play the next play and ultimately mistakes happen. It’s how you react to those mistakes that ultimately make you the player that you are. So we’re going to keep fighting, keep working hard.”
On LT Zion Nelson: “He’s a true freshman and things will happen. All we can do is keep working and clean up his mistakes and my mistakes and everyone’s mistakes.”
Going up against Coastal division rival Virginia Tech this week, many expect Hokies DC Bud Foster to devise a gameplan centered on attacking the Miami OL in various manners.
“In prep, the guys have reacted the way you’d want them to react competition-wise,” Gaynor said of looking towards VT. “I’m comfortable with any five guys we decide to put out there.”
The Canes’ OL had a rough go vs. Central Michigan in their last outing, ceding 4 sacks and 9 TFL to a MAC opponent. What makes Gaynor confident things will change this weekend vs. the Hokies?
“I have a lot of respect for Central Michigan’s defensive line, they played really hard, and ultimately, they made more plays than we did,” Gaynor said. “We’re just going to play to our standard, play 100 percent, give our heart out on the field every Saturday, do what we can… We won’t fold on one another, not one person will take the blame. And it’s a great group of guys to be around. I love being a part of this offensive line.”
**In his first year starting, sophomore CB DJ Ivey is a key part of a young secondary trying to find it’s footing so far in 2019. So far, the Canes are 49th in the country in passing yards per game (209.8 ypg), a steep decline from the lofty top spot in the nation they held to end 2018.
“We’re very young,” Ivey said. “It’s my first year actually being out on the field actually playing. It’s a big step for me personally. The younger dudes playing on third down defense, they just have to grow and grow.”
Miscommunications have been cited as something that has plagued the UM secondary to start the season, but Ivey feels the DB corps is becoming more comfortable with each other.
“These past two weeks we actually have been communicating pretty well, better than previous times,” Ivey said. “We’re just trying to be the best we can be.”
Ivey won the #2 job over fellow sophomore Al Blades, but says the pair have continued the competition in practice throughout the season.
“We just keep each other going. I’m just trying to be the best I can be. We keep going in practice every day,” Ivey said of Blades.
With VT on tap this weekend, the Hokies bring a QB making his first career start and a passing game that has been one of the worst in the country at 86th (214.8 ypg).
“I expect them to come and play,” Ivey said. “They just lost a game, want a big win in Miami. I’m not going to underestimate them… We just go prepare and play for the team, are not worried about who is at quarterback.”
