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Pop-Tarts Bowl: Canes vs Iowa State 12/28/24 - 3;30 PM

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A big question in the bowl game is who is opting out. Speculation is that WRs Xavier Restrepo and Sam Brown won’t play, and QB Cam Ward is playing.

Asked why he thinks Ward is playing instead of opting out as a top draft pick, Cristobal said the QB understands the importance of trying to get a win against a very good team.

“I think modern day conventional wisdom sometimes clashes with principles and values of what is right,” Cristobal said. “Nowadays we are compensated at all levels to do a job. And you must finish the job. Cam’s DNA, his upbringing is the right kind of stuff.”
 
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Cristobal also spoke more about what he sees in the Iowa State challenge.

On offense the team is fairly run heavy (485 rush attempts, 437 pass attempts). Redshirt sophomore dual-threat QB Rocco Becht finished hitting on 59.3 percent of his throws for 3,235 yards (249 per game) with 22 TDs and nine INTs. He also ran for 295 yards and seven scores. The top two receiving threats both had 1,000-yard seasons – Jayden Higgins (87 catches, 1,183 yards, nine TDs) and Jaylin Noel (72-1,077-7). At RB sophomore starter Carson Hansen has 670 yards and 11 TDs (5.0 YPC) while sophomore Abu Sama III has 574 yards and two scores (4.7 YPC), and senior Jaylon Jackson 388 yards and two TDs (4.2 YPC). The line is a strength, only allowing 15 sacks on the season. Miami will have to be ready for a multiple offensive looks that will range from four-wide to two tight ends to under center in a jumbo package.

On the flip side, Iowa State isn’t a team that gets a lot of QB pressure with 17 sacks in the 13 games. The team runs a 3-high defense (3 high 3 safety look) with three down linemen. So Miami will need to adjust to a style of defense is hasn’t seen all season. The top sack guy is senior DT J.R. Singleton with four (plus a team-high six QB hurries). Up front others heavily involved are junior DE Tyler Onyedim (33 tackles, 2.5 TFL), senior DE Joey Petersen (6 TFL, 2 sacks) and junior DT Domonique Orange (4.5 TFL, 1 sack). At the linebacker level sophomores Jack Sadowsky (29 tackles 4 TFL, 1 sack) and Kooper Ebel (63 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 sack) are solid. The secondary is the strength of the team led by Beau Freyler (team high 82 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 INTs, 5 PBU), Malik Verdon (76 tackles, INT, 5 PBU), Jontez Williams (team high 4 INTs), Jeremiah Cooper (44 tackles, 2 INTs), Darien Porter (3 INTs), and Ta’Shawn James (33 tackles). Opposing QBs have thrown just 15 TDs and been intercepted 14 times.

“It’s a team that benefits from tremendous coaching – you see strong senior classes, junior classes due to development, retainment,” Cristobal said. “They play great as a team, know where their help is. They are very, very physical and play extremely hard. You can tell that it means at on to them.”
 
Hoyacane1620 said:
A big question in the bowl game is who is opting out. Speculation is that WRs Xavier Restrepo and Sam Brown won’t play, and QB Cam Ward is playing.

Asked why he thinks Ward is playing instead of opting out as a top draft pick, Cristobal said the QB understands the importance of trying to get a win against a very good team.

“I think modern day conventional wisdom sometimes clashes with principles and values of what is right,” Cristobal said. “Nowadays we are compensated at all levels to do a job. And you must finish the job. Cam’s DNA, his upbringing is the right kind of stuff.”
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No chance it's tied to an NIL check? Also he's 1 TD away from some record at Miami right?
 
As for Larranga saying NIL and the new era affected him, Cristobal said, “We come across a few things that are not likeable, borderline detestable. But we love football more than we love the issues that have arisen just to changes in the game. One thing that has stood the test of time: You either adapt or you die. So we’re in adapt mode.
 
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