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After Tuesday’s practice, head coach Mark Richt talked about readying his team for Miami’s biggest rival that comes to town on Saturday: the Florida State Seminoles.
“We all know what a big game it is, what’s at stake,” Richt said on FSU. “We’re excited about playing, I’m sure they are too.”
Although the Canes won last season’s game in Tallahassee, UM has not beaten the Noles in Miami since 2004.
“It has been since 2004 that Miami has won at home in this series. That’s not very good,” Richt said. “It’s about bad as the seven losses in a row that we were dealing with going into last year’s game. That’s a meaningful bit of history that we need to change the course of.”
Of course, FSU has a brand new coach this season in Willie Taggart and he’ll look to put his own stamp on this series by bringing a new offense with him.
“Offensively, they’re more of a spread system,” Richt said of FSU under Taggart. “Defensively they’re like Pitt, more multiple. The top two things they like to do are things they were running at Michigan State. A different defensive philosophy in the things they do.
“It’s new, it’s different. The kids are learning new stuff, the coaches are learning what the kids can and can’t do. I’m sure it’s a little bit of a process for them, but now that they’re five or six games into the season, gaining confidence, I think they are on the right track. They have great players, the coaching is outstanding. Once they get a feel for what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, they’re going to be outstanding.”
WR Ahmmon Richards (knee) has only played in one game this season and continued to sit out at practice today. Richards is technically still eligible for a redshirt and Richt didn’t rule that out as a possibility down the line.
“I guess if things don’t get better, it could happen,” Richt said on a potential Richards’ redshirt. “It depends on how long this thing goes. But that’s a possibility. He’s not able this week, though.”
Both S Jaquan Johnson (hamstring) and LB Shaq Quarterman (ankle) practiced today and both are expected to be ready for FSU on Saturday.
On having Johnson back: “He’s a great player. He was a preseason All-American for a good reason – mostly because of his production,” Richt said. “Tremendous production as tackler. He has got great ball skills. He’s just a super competitor who lives his team and loves football. He’s just a fun guy to be around. He’s kind of a heart-and-soul type of guy. We have more than [only] him that has that type of attribute, but there aren’t many that are better than him in all those categories.”
Richt officially named N’Kosi Perry the starting QB for the rest of the season yesterday and is trying to put as little of pressure as possible on the young redshirt freshman.
“I think we just teach him what to do and have him focus on his job,” Richt said on how he’s prepping Perry. “That’s the only thing that’s productive, as far as letting your mind go anywhere other than, ‘what do I do this play?’ ‘What do I do in this coverage?’…that’s what he has got to focus on. The better he does his job, the more confidence he’ll have.”
Many times in this rivalry, the outcome has come down to an extra point or a field goal. Is there concern on Miami’s side with a true freshman at kicker in Bubba Baxa?
“You just have to prepare the best you can,” Richt said. “Bubba has been doing well.”
As the offensive coordinator and QB coach for FSU in the 90’s, Richt has participated in some of the rivalries best games, but from the other end. There’s a few classics that he remembers that went in Miami’s favor and stand out more than the others.
“There were a few heart breakers when I was at Florida State going against Miami,” Richt said. “I guess the first ‘Wide Right’, that hurt. Then the year after the Seminole rap, that was painful, got whacked 31-0 or something like that. Those stand out.”
The game is always a big attraction for top recruits near and far and Richt expects a few high-profile players in attendance.
“We’ll have a few official visits, normally like to wait, sometimes do a few in season,” Richt said. “We’ll have a few for this game so that’ll be big. The atmosphere will be exactly what we hope for.”
On DT Gerald Willis: “If he played last year like he’s playing now, he probably wouldn’t be here and that would be a huge hole for us,” Richt said.
On DE Joe Jackson’s play so far this season: “Great, Joe’s doing great,” Richt said. “He’s like the rest of them, his game has grown and advanced.”
On OG Venzell Boulware: “A quick study - pretty easy for him to learn and pick things up,” Richt said. “Really easy enough in that he’s able to play both guard (spots). He’s a smart kid.”
Team captains for FSU week according to Richt: Tyler Gauthier, Jaquan Johnson, Gerald Willis, and Travis Homer.
“We all know what a big game it is, what’s at stake,” Richt said on FSU. “We’re excited about playing, I’m sure they are too.”
Although the Canes won last season’s game in Tallahassee, UM has not beaten the Noles in Miami since 2004.
“It has been since 2004 that Miami has won at home in this series. That’s not very good,” Richt said. “It’s about bad as the seven losses in a row that we were dealing with going into last year’s game. That’s a meaningful bit of history that we need to change the course of.”
Of course, FSU has a brand new coach this season in Willie Taggart and he’ll look to put his own stamp on this series by bringing a new offense with him.
“Offensively, they’re more of a spread system,” Richt said of FSU under Taggart. “Defensively they’re like Pitt, more multiple. The top two things they like to do are things they were running at Michigan State. A different defensive philosophy in the things they do.
“It’s new, it’s different. The kids are learning new stuff, the coaches are learning what the kids can and can’t do. I’m sure it’s a little bit of a process for them, but now that they’re five or six games into the season, gaining confidence, I think they are on the right track. They have great players, the coaching is outstanding. Once they get a feel for what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, they’re going to be outstanding.”
WR Ahmmon Richards (knee) has only played in one game this season and continued to sit out at practice today. Richards is technically still eligible for a redshirt and Richt didn’t rule that out as a possibility down the line.
“I guess if things don’t get better, it could happen,” Richt said on a potential Richards’ redshirt. “It depends on how long this thing goes. But that’s a possibility. He’s not able this week, though.”
Both S Jaquan Johnson (hamstring) and LB Shaq Quarterman (ankle) practiced today and both are expected to be ready for FSU on Saturday.
On having Johnson back: “He’s a great player. He was a preseason All-American for a good reason – mostly because of his production,” Richt said. “Tremendous production as tackler. He has got great ball skills. He’s just a super competitor who lives his team and loves football. He’s just a fun guy to be around. He’s kind of a heart-and-soul type of guy. We have more than [only] him that has that type of attribute, but there aren’t many that are better than him in all those categories.”
Richt officially named N’Kosi Perry the starting QB for the rest of the season yesterday and is trying to put as little of pressure as possible on the young redshirt freshman.
“I think we just teach him what to do and have him focus on his job,” Richt said on how he’s prepping Perry. “That’s the only thing that’s productive, as far as letting your mind go anywhere other than, ‘what do I do this play?’ ‘What do I do in this coverage?’…that’s what he has got to focus on. The better he does his job, the more confidence he’ll have.”
Many times in this rivalry, the outcome has come down to an extra point or a field goal. Is there concern on Miami’s side with a true freshman at kicker in Bubba Baxa?
“You just have to prepare the best you can,” Richt said. “Bubba has been doing well.”
As the offensive coordinator and QB coach for FSU in the 90’s, Richt has participated in some of the rivalries best games, but from the other end. There’s a few classics that he remembers that went in Miami’s favor and stand out more than the others.
“There were a few heart breakers when I was at Florida State going against Miami,” Richt said. “I guess the first ‘Wide Right’, that hurt. Then the year after the Seminole rap, that was painful, got whacked 31-0 or something like that. Those stand out.”
The game is always a big attraction for top recruits near and far and Richt expects a few high-profile players in attendance.
“We’ll have a few official visits, normally like to wait, sometimes do a few in season,” Richt said. “We’ll have a few for this game so that’ll be big. The atmosphere will be exactly what we hope for.”
On DT Gerald Willis: “If he played last year like he’s playing now, he probably wouldn’t be here and that would be a huge hole for us,” Richt said.
On DE Joe Jackson’s play so far this season: “Great, Joe’s doing great,” Richt said. “He’s like the rest of them, his game has grown and advanced.”
On OG Venzell Boulware: “A quick study - pretty easy for him to learn and pick things up,” Richt said. “Really easy enough in that he’s able to play both guard (spots). He’s a smart kid.”
Team captains for FSU week according to Richt: Tyler Gauthier, Jaquan Johnson, Gerald Willis, and Travis Homer.
