Ahmmon Richards: "I love this matchup"

DMoney
DMoney
15 min read
Ahmmon Richards joined the CanesInSight Podcast to discuss the Ole Miss win and the national championship. A transcript of their discussion is below.

DMoney:
Real quick before we go to Indiana and the matchup — your emotions, your impressions watching that Ole Miss game. Instant classic.

Ahmmon Richards:
Instant. I mean, look, when I was watching the game, obviously it has its highs and lows. I think the way we started the game was very good — and then it felt like we were shooting ourselves in the foot. It almost seemed like we were attempting to go backwards in a way. Like we were trying to find a way to lose.

But at the end of the day, those players continued fighting. And when it mattered most — that fourth quarter — that’s when everybody really laced the boots up and was like, “All right, let’s go win this game.” And that’s the part I keep going back to. I can go rewatch the game and almost skip right to the fourth quarter because that’s when it felt like the urgency fully matched the moment.

Then the ending — Carson Beck delivering, him getting his justice almost — it’s three minutes left, and it feels like the whole world is banking on us losing at that moment. And he just goes third down after third down, big play after big play. Watching him walk through and run through that end zone, it felt like something out of a movie. Like one of those high school “greatest game ever” movies — it didn’t even feel real in the moment.

Overall, it was a great game. Nail-biter, classic playoff type of feel, everything on the line.

Peter Ariz:
Are you guys seeing the epidemic of the burner-verse accounts happening right now with Indiana?

Ahmmon Richards:
Yeah. What’s that about?

Peter Ariz:
The burner-verse is these alternate accounts where people will say completely off-the-wall things that shouldn’t be said. It’s a big thing with Indiana right now, and a lot of what Canes fans are interacting with are burner-verse accounts, and they don’t realize it.

People are getting dragged into a lot of stuff. It was happening with the Ole Miss fan base too. But just beware, Canes fans. These are fake accounts. It’s real people running them, but burner accounts made to drag people into the deep end.

Ahmmon Richards:
Yeah. They’re pretty much like — say you own a company, right? You’re not going to use your legit account. You go create some wild fake one, and you’re spamming and trolling people all day, saying outrageous stuff. You’re almost releasing it — like getting it off through trolling.

And that’s what I noticed. A lot of their “fans” I’m seeing, I haven’t really seen like their real fan base. It’s like random “Indiana123567” talking crazy — and it’s probably the CEO of some company up there, just trolling.

DMoney:
Did you ever have a burner when people criticized you? Like Kevin Durant style?

Ahmmon Richards:
I think I’m too vocal. I speak directly from that blue check mark — might be my downfall one day, but I don’t care. It is what it is. I know a lot of people have burners, but no, I don’t have one.

DMoney:
So put us in the mindset of these players: you don’t play your best, but you win. And you know if you play like that against the next opponent, you’ll lose. What’s that like as a player — coming off a win where you know it wasn’t clean?

Ahmmon Richards:
It depends how you look at it. I’ve been in games where you squeak by. But that’s the beauty of football — you get the next week to improve, get better, correct mistakes. And it’s always better to correct your mistakes after a win than after a loss.

When you lose, you’re going home thinking about one block, one play, one rep — you’re living with it. When you win, you still feel the urgency to fix it, but you’re not carrying the weight of losing.

I also think it’s a reality check. At this point, outside of maybe Carson Beck, a lot of these guys haven’t been on this stage — national championship-level stage. So you’re going in with a mindset: it’s 1-0, and it’s the last 1-0. Last game. All your focus. It’s for everything.

Right now it’s cleaning up mistakes and taking the one more opportunity to correct them. I think they’ll be ready for that challenge.

Peter Ariz:
What’s it like playing at Hard Rock, a “home” stadium, but not really a true home game? Like that Orange Bowl game against Wisconsin.

Ahmmon Richards:
Yeah, it was different. They had us in the Dolphins locker room. I don’t know if that makes a difference, but they did. I wasn’t playing — I had the meniscus tear — so I was crutching around enjoying the environment.

It was a little different, but game-day prep wasn’t really different. I think we came out of a different tunnel. We were still on our sideline because we were the home team.

It’s weird having a lot of the other team’s fans there cheering just as loud as yours. But you’re still playing on your home turf, in the stadium you’ve been in all year. That part is an advantage.

If Miami is “away” and ends up on the other sideline, it throws you off for a second. But between the lines, the field doesn’t change. It’s exiting the field that feels different. Same grass, same lights, same everything.

DMoney:
Every week you come in and talk about Keelan Marion — and you keep doing it because he keeps balling. This was the biggest performance of his life. Brag on your boy.

Ahmmon Richards:
Lace your boots, man.

At this point, they need to put me on a staff. How many times do I got to say a player is like that before he proves he’s like that? Why do I have to wait five or six months to get the flowers?

Coming into the year, we went to practice — I’m watching a guy catch a post, catch a screen, score — I’m like, he can play. He’s a receiver. But people were obsessed with saying "bench him," even though he wasn’t dropping passes like that. He was doing his part. He was wide receiver three at the time.

Sometimes people have to look beyond the surface. Everything isn’t black and white.

As the season progressed, CJ Daniels gets banged up, Keelan steps into that WR2 role, targets go up. But he’s been solid all year considering his role. And what I respect is he never got down. He didn’t start pouting like, “I only got two targets.” Fans saying bench him for somebody else — none of that. He kept chopping wood.

Then the biggest stage of his life: over 100 yards, touchdown, big catches on the last drive. Let’s call it what it is — if he doesn’t make those catches, we probably in Cancun. If he drops any of those third downs or that fourth down, different outcome.

So shout out to Keelan Marion. He didn’t even have kick returns this year like we thought he might — he did better. Career-high yardage, catches, he boosted his draft stock, proved he’s more than a gadget guy.

And there’s another big game coming. Stay tuned.

DMoney:
Indiana’s receivers — that’s what worries me. They’ve got three NFL guys. Becker is real. How do you stack up that matchup?

Ahmmon Richards:
The one who threatens you vertically is Becker, number 80. You can tell by the way Mendoza throws him the ball — he’s putting it out there and letting him run under it.

The other receivers — like number 13, Sarratt — Mendoza throws more back shoulder, more 50–50 balls. Those guys aren’t blazers, but they’ve got great hands. He’s putting it on them.

With Becker, you can’t just run in phase and hope. You’ve got to be more physical at the catch point. With Sarratt and the others, you’ve got to be ready for that back shoulder timing — because he’s looking for it constantly.

If I’m in the secondary, I need to know in the back of my mind: “Who am I guarding?” because the throws are different depending on the target. They’re all talented. It’s technique, eyes, awareness.

Peter Ariz:
Is it as simple as “get pressure on Mendoza”? Or is there another way to slow them down?

Ahmmon Richards:
Pressure is huge, but the way you get it matters.

I look at teams similar to us structurally — Penn State comes to mind. Mendoza tends to hold it because their offense goes off what you allow. If you’re in Cover 3, he’s sharp — ball snaps, he knows where to go.

So you have to disguise. Change the picture. Make him hesitate for that extra beat. If you do that and get pressure, you make him hold it, pat it, chop his feet. Then you can get him off-script. And that’s where you want him.

It sounds crazy, but I see similarities to Carson Beck midseason when changing the picture and pressure started affecting his feet. Mendoza will take questionable sacks when the first read isn’t there. He’s mobile, but if you make him feel it, you can disrupt him.

If he sits in a clean pocket like the Oregon game, he’ll tear you apart. He’s got arm strength, zip, IQ. So it’s disguise plus pressure — and our edge guys have to cause ****.

DMoney:
What are some ways Indiana might attack our Cover 3 looks? Seams, flats?

Ahmmon Richards:
Seam routes, those bending posts between safety and corner, right over linebackers. Teams have hit us there throughout the season.

And then the hitches at the sideline — putting two on that nickel corner, making you pick. Inside slot hitch, outside a little deeper, quarterback reads leverage. They want you to choose wrong.

Eventually quarterbacks get impatient and force it — that’s how you get plays like Jakobe Thomas nearly picking it last game. But you’ve got to be disciplined with eyes, especially linebackers. Recognize quick hitches, don’t get too much depth like we saw at times last game — ball is sitting right next to you.

Indiana’s going to run RPO hitches, seams behind boundary safeties when they step up. Mendoza can make those throws. Hetherman's got to change the picture post-snap to buy that second for the rush.

Peter Ariz:
What are your initial thoughts on matchup and confidence?

Ahmmon Richards:
I got some crazy thoughts. I think the Canes win by double digits. I love this matchup. Those trenches aren’t like they say they are. They haven’t been tested in the trenches the way they’re about to get tested.

If we can run the ball on them like we’ve been able to run the ball this playoffs, I love how it sets up. I believe in this team.

Peter Ariz:
And the staff is fired up too. This would end narratives. They’re underdogs again against the “best coach since Saban” storyline — they’re going to want to make a statement.

Ahmmon Richards:
Yeah, and I’ve noticed it: when we’re projected to lose, we play with a different edge. When people are praising us, sometimes it’s different. But in a national championship? That’s the ultimate focus game. Last four quarters. For everything.

And with Indiana, it’s not like you’re staring across at Jeremiah Smith-type talent where you feel outgunned. It’s more like: disciplined, sound, always in the right place — like the Patriots. So you’ve got to be ultra disciplined too.

But we play with control violence. And the national media disrespect — pulling for Indiana — that gives you edge. I think we come locked in.

If you stop Indiana’s run and make them one-dimensional, it gets easier. But if they’re running for six or seven a carry, it’s a long night — because now they’ve got you one-dimensional.

Control the line of scrimmage. We’ve said it every playoff game: it’s won in the trenches. That’s how you end up with Indiana and Miami in the title game.

Peter Ariz:
Ole Miss tight end was open a lot — we didn’t talk about him enough.

Ahmmon Richards:
He was nice. They kept getting us with that high-low read — whip route in the flat, corner route on top with a clear-out. We didn’t have an answer early.

But once it’s on film, you adjust. I was hoping a corner would read it and jump it. O’Connor started to — the ball was high, he paused, thought it was an overthrow, then tackled. And Jaboree Antoine is young — he’s not going to freelance and leave his guy to hunt a pick like that yet. But they started picking up on it.

Peter Ariz:
Portal WR additions — Cam Vaughn and Vandrevius Jacobs. Have you watched them?

Ahmmon Richards:
Yeah. Cam Vaughn — great hands. He plucks the ball. Contested catches, over-the-head catches. Runs a full route tree: hitch, dig, post — all of it. He looks like a looser athlete. NFL prospect to me.

Jacobs — he’s your deep threat. You can tell. Seventeen yards a catch in the SEC — that tells you what he is. He’s got wheels. Big games against good teams too.

And I’m not saying these guys are automatic first-team monsters — I want to see them in person — but I’m not upset about the pickups. You’re losing a ton at receiver. You can’t go into a season relying on a room of young guys only. You need game experience in there.

And it helps the young guys learn how to practice, watch film, take notes. That’s real. I like it so far, and I don’t think we’re done adding.

Peter Ariz:
Look at this photo of a young Malachi Toney at a Mark Richt community event in 2016. Crazy full circle.

Ahmmon Richards:
That picture is insane. I remember Coach Richt telling us how going out to those camps would matter — getting the youth connected to Miami again. And you can’t fathom at the time that one of those kids becomes Malachi Toney — then nine or ten years later he’s leading categories and becoming who he is.

That’s what’s crazy about time. You’re at a camp watching drills, and your mind can’t really place what those kids will become. But Coach Richt’s vision — that paid off.

Peter Ariz:
Richt stabilized the program. Then the Manny era reversed a lot of it, then Mario rebuilt it for real.

Ahmmon Richards:
Coach Richt was definitely trending Miami forward. Then it got weird — former players, access, energy — it felt off. On-field results made it worse. Mario came in and said it himself: everything was jacked up. He had to gut it and rebuild it the right way.

And here we are — year four — national championship.

I remember people joking Mario early, “Pick your kids up” and all that. People tried to say, “SMU beat you,” “Mario this,” “Mario that.” But we’re in the natty. So who was right?

You want to know when I knew we weren’t serious? That Alabama game in Atlanta — watching them come out, watching us come out — and we celebrating after a turnover down 30. I was like, “Bro, what are we doing?” Like the kid who jokes on himself because he wants everyone to laugh with him. That’s what it felt like. I was done after that.

Now it’s different. Mario wasn’t lying — it took time.

Peter Ariz:
Time reveals all. Win or lose, this season’s a marker — and the midseason flip was crazy.

Ahmmon Richards:
Shout out to the fans who stuck with it through the ugly games — Syracuse last year, Georgia Tech, Louisville, SMU. People called us crazy for believing. This is why it’s never over till it’s over.

And one more thing — I saw a comment about Milan Parris. I’ve said it: I think Milan Parris might be the best freshman, most impact day one. Freakish talent.

Peter Ariz:
There you go. We’ll take it to the bank. Ahmmon, appreciate you.

Ahmmon Richards:
I don’t miss. I don’t miss.

 

Comments (2)

OSU may regret letting Parris leave Ohio. I’m interested to see if Wingo or Parris has more catches as a freshman.
 
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