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After last week’s 49-24 victory over Toledo, Miami head coach Mark Richt is preparing the team for their next game against FIU, coached by former UM head coach Butch Davis.
“We’re getting ready to play Florida International,” Richt said. “The Panthers are coached by coach Butch Davis. We all know what a great coach he is, what a great person he is. He certainly did a great job here at Miami, while he was here. He had a great record. The last season he was here, I think they were 11-1, and probably accumulated the most talent in the history of the school. That team, the next couple of years, was one of the most talented ever in college football. He’s doing a great job at FIU.”
Richt broke out some stats when praising the 2-1 Panthers.
“Last week, they beat UMass 63-24,” Richt said. “It was a school record for the most points in a game, and also a school record for most points in the first half. On offense (they are) real balanced, 450 yards a game - 230 rushing, 221 passing. They have 79 first downs which is tied for 14th in America. The quarterback is hitting 63 percent of his passes.
“Red zone scoring they’re outstanding, 20 of 24 touchdowns. They were No. 1 in the country last year touchdowns in the red zone ratio. Defensively, giving up 27 points, no more than 400 yards a game, only two rushing touchdowns (allowed) all year long.”
On FIU’s team speed: “They’re fast. There’s no doubt they’re fast,” Richt said. “When you’re recruiting south Florida, you’re going to get fast guys. They absolutely have great team speed. They’ll match up well.”
“Just like we tell our receivers – speed doesn’t get you open. How you release gets you open, and speed will keep you open, but you can’t just start running fast down the field and expect these guys not to cut you off and be running with you stride for stride and making things tough on you. Just total team speed, too, not just on the edges – but both teams got it. Both teams play with an aggressive nature.”
As you would expect in a cross-town matchup, many UM players played with or against FIU players growing up in Miami.
“A lot of pride in the city, a lot of pride at the parks where these kids grow up and play football at,” Richt said. “Not only do the kids know each other, but the parents know each other. Everybody knows everybody. They’ve had a lot of experience either playing high school ball, park ball, maybe seven-on-seven stuff in the summer. There are so many ways where they could cross paths, either be teammates or go against one another.”
The first and only time the Hurricanes and Panthers played was in 2006 when the Canes won 35-0. However, the game was best remembered for a benches clearing brawl in the third quarter.
“I have not mentioned one thing to our guys about it,” Richt said on the past brawl. “I remember watching it on TV years ago, but that was a long time ago. It was sad it happened, I just don’t see that happening again.
“It’ll be an emotional game, for sure. But that’s where everybody has to be disciplined and do a good job. If you look at their team, and the number of penalties they’ve had all year long, it shows discipline, to me. Even us, a week ago, had no penalties. That’s important. There will be guys getting their blood pumping, which should happen in the game of football. It’s a game of adrenaline and a game of guys physically getting after each other. But everybody knows that if you do something stupid, then you don’t get to play. That’s the way football is and the way it should be. I don’t anticipate anything foolish.”
Both WR Ahmmon Richards (who has missed the past two weeks with a knee injury) and S Jaquan Johnson (who left the Toledo game with a hamstring injury) didn't practice today.
"Day-to-day with Ahmmon and pretty much same with Jaquan," Richt said.
The team also announced today that TE Brian Polendey will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. With only two healthy tight ends left on the roster, Richt said they still don’t plan on moving anybody to TE and will simply play more one-TE sets.
“(Will) Mallory will spend more time at the `F' where Brevin (Jordan) is,” Richt said. “Brevin, you can’t let him play 60, 70, 80 snaps. Have to give him help there.”
Through three weeks, UM has done a much better job of cutting down penalties and stringing together long drives than in previous years.
“I think we’re getting better, improving fundamentally every week,” Richt said. “This last game offensively especially, you don’t get a 13 to 14 play drive, don’t get those unless everyone is doing the right thing. Defensively, we had our moments, good and bad. Dominated ‘till the last drive of the half, then the quarterback run game (got going for Toledo). We have to do better at stopping that.”
The Canes have also made vast improvements from last season in the short yardage game.
"We worked really hard on that,” Richt said. “We wanted to make a point of it, get as many reps as possible (in those situations). We’re gaining confidence in those areas. We have a fullback again, that's helpful. We're using it in short yard situations, that's what keep drives going. When you get to third and one, third and two and make it, hallelujah!"
Jeff Thomas had another big game last week against Toledo and the team is trying to find more ways to get the ball in his hands.
"He's returning punts, kicks, playing snaps," Richt said. "Some plays you know he's going to get it, like the reverse. Some plays he's first progression, you hope he's going to get it, but coverage dictates it goes somewhere else. I don't think you can play a game `this is going to him (regardless).' So far, he's been very productive. If we keep that up for a whole season, that's a lot of receiving yards."
On LSU continuing to play well: "It's good. If you lose to somebody, you hope they play good," Richt said. "We'll be cheering for LSU the rest of the year. They're a very quality team."
Richt added that he aims for an even split in carries every week between Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas.
Richt also listed out this week’s captains: DeeJay Dallas, Gerald Willis, Michael Pinckney, and Amari Carter.
“We’re getting ready to play Florida International,” Richt said. “The Panthers are coached by coach Butch Davis. We all know what a great coach he is, what a great person he is. He certainly did a great job here at Miami, while he was here. He had a great record. The last season he was here, I think they were 11-1, and probably accumulated the most talent in the history of the school. That team, the next couple of years, was one of the most talented ever in college football. He’s doing a great job at FIU.”
Richt broke out some stats when praising the 2-1 Panthers.
“Last week, they beat UMass 63-24,” Richt said. “It was a school record for the most points in a game, and also a school record for most points in the first half. On offense (they are) real balanced, 450 yards a game - 230 rushing, 221 passing. They have 79 first downs which is tied for 14th in America. The quarterback is hitting 63 percent of his passes.
“Red zone scoring they’re outstanding, 20 of 24 touchdowns. They were No. 1 in the country last year touchdowns in the red zone ratio. Defensively, giving up 27 points, no more than 400 yards a game, only two rushing touchdowns (allowed) all year long.”
On FIU’s team speed: “They’re fast. There’s no doubt they’re fast,” Richt said. “When you’re recruiting south Florida, you’re going to get fast guys. They absolutely have great team speed. They’ll match up well.”
“Just like we tell our receivers – speed doesn’t get you open. How you release gets you open, and speed will keep you open, but you can’t just start running fast down the field and expect these guys not to cut you off and be running with you stride for stride and making things tough on you. Just total team speed, too, not just on the edges – but both teams got it. Both teams play with an aggressive nature.”
As you would expect in a cross-town matchup, many UM players played with or against FIU players growing up in Miami.
“A lot of pride in the city, a lot of pride at the parks where these kids grow up and play football at,” Richt said. “Not only do the kids know each other, but the parents know each other. Everybody knows everybody. They’ve had a lot of experience either playing high school ball, park ball, maybe seven-on-seven stuff in the summer. There are so many ways where they could cross paths, either be teammates or go against one another.”
The first and only time the Hurricanes and Panthers played was in 2006 when the Canes won 35-0. However, the game was best remembered for a benches clearing brawl in the third quarter.
“I have not mentioned one thing to our guys about it,” Richt said on the past brawl. “I remember watching it on TV years ago, but that was a long time ago. It was sad it happened, I just don’t see that happening again.
“It’ll be an emotional game, for sure. But that’s where everybody has to be disciplined and do a good job. If you look at their team, and the number of penalties they’ve had all year long, it shows discipline, to me. Even us, a week ago, had no penalties. That’s important. There will be guys getting their blood pumping, which should happen in the game of football. It’s a game of adrenaline and a game of guys physically getting after each other. But everybody knows that if you do something stupid, then you don’t get to play. That’s the way football is and the way it should be. I don’t anticipate anything foolish.”
Both WR Ahmmon Richards (who has missed the past two weeks with a knee injury) and S Jaquan Johnson (who left the Toledo game with a hamstring injury) didn't practice today.
"Day-to-day with Ahmmon and pretty much same with Jaquan," Richt said.
The team also announced today that TE Brian Polendey will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. With only two healthy tight ends left on the roster, Richt said they still don’t plan on moving anybody to TE and will simply play more one-TE sets.
“(Will) Mallory will spend more time at the `F' where Brevin (Jordan) is,” Richt said. “Brevin, you can’t let him play 60, 70, 80 snaps. Have to give him help there.”
Through three weeks, UM has done a much better job of cutting down penalties and stringing together long drives than in previous years.
“I think we’re getting better, improving fundamentally every week,” Richt said. “This last game offensively especially, you don’t get a 13 to 14 play drive, don’t get those unless everyone is doing the right thing. Defensively, we had our moments, good and bad. Dominated ‘till the last drive of the half, then the quarterback run game (got going for Toledo). We have to do better at stopping that.”
The Canes have also made vast improvements from last season in the short yardage game.
"We worked really hard on that,” Richt said. “We wanted to make a point of it, get as many reps as possible (in those situations). We’re gaining confidence in those areas. We have a fullback again, that's helpful. We're using it in short yard situations, that's what keep drives going. When you get to third and one, third and two and make it, hallelujah!"
Jeff Thomas had another big game last week against Toledo and the team is trying to find more ways to get the ball in his hands.
"He's returning punts, kicks, playing snaps," Richt said. "Some plays you know he's going to get it, like the reverse. Some plays he's first progression, you hope he's going to get it, but coverage dictates it goes somewhere else. I don't think you can play a game `this is going to him (regardless).' So far, he's been very productive. If we keep that up for a whole season, that's a lot of receiving yards."
On LSU continuing to play well: "It's good. If you lose to somebody, you hope they play good," Richt said. "We'll be cheering for LSU the rest of the year. They're a very quality team."
Richt added that he aims for an even split in carries every week between Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas.
Richt also listed out this week’s captains: DeeJay Dallas, Gerald Willis, Michael Pinckney, and Amari Carter.
