**Although Sam Bruce still has two games remaining on his suspensions and Dionte Mullins is still getting acquainted with the playbook, Mark Richt said they are both still in the plans for this season.
Richt on Mullins: "He's still learning. He does not know all the plays, to the point where I can just call a game and not worry about him. If he's in the game, I have to know and take care of him a little bit. And that's last Saturday. He'll get better this Saturday. Somewhere along the line, when we feel comfortable that he knows what to do, he'll play. Because he has got the ability."
Richt on Bruce: "Great. Great practice player. Works hard. Brings a lot of energy. He's not getting as many reps as the other guys, so he's fresher. But when he gets his reps, he's going full-speed. He looks like a player. I would hope, by the time he gets in position to be in the game, that he'll know enough to play. I would think we'll be integrating him into the plan. Hopefully, where we'd feel comfortable, is he knows it all. But if not, we'll pick and choose some spots for him. He'll play."
**Richt assessed the team’s practice on Wednesday morning, which was an absolute scorcher in Coral Gables
"I thought about like yesterday, in that we did start very well towards the second half, our execution level went down. I'm talking offensively. More dropped balls, things that happen when you get fatigued, things that happen when you get really hot. We're pushing them,” Richt said.
“They're definitely not comfortable, but I don't really want them to be comfortable on Tuesday and Wednesday, for sure. Tomorrow we'll back off of them a little bit, Friday there won't be any running at all, and we'll be fine. You feel it now, but when you're feeling it for two hours and you're running full speed, and coaches are all over your rear end, it's tough. But like I told them, it's hot in Boca Raton. Everyone in America is doing it, so don't feel sorry for yourselves."
**The biggest takeaway from Miami’s blowout win over FAMU? According to Richt, it was the execution of the game plan.
"It was a good start. The numbers were big obviously, but when you look at the tape, we executed pretty good,” said Richt.
“The whole thing is, can you get your hat on the right guy and can you fit up? We talk about hat placement - is your hat inside, is your hat outside? Do you drive your feet on contact? Are people blocking downfield? Are the backs reading their keys? Is the quarterback getting us in the right play? Because he does have some options in the run game to try to get us in the best possible play. The execution wasn't perfect, by any means, but there was a lot of really good images of everybody doing what they're supposed to do. That's what I care about the most."
**With the Canes going well over 300 yards on the ground against FAMU, Coach Richt was more than pleased with the play of his running backs. He had a lot of praise for the job that offensive coordinator/running backs coach Thomas Brown has done with the group. He said that Brown’s coaching tactics have especially helped Gus Edwards’ conditioning.
“Thomas Brown does a great job with these backs - learning how to practice. They practice full-speed,” Richt said.
“Every time they run the ball in practice, they are sprinting 20 yards down the field or whatever he designates that day, and then they hustle right back and do it again. They get in condition during practice, then in the game, it should be easier.”
Richt on Mullins: "He's still learning. He does not know all the plays, to the point where I can just call a game and not worry about him. If he's in the game, I have to know and take care of him a little bit. And that's last Saturday. He'll get better this Saturday. Somewhere along the line, when we feel comfortable that he knows what to do, he'll play. Because he has got the ability."
Richt on Bruce: "Great. Great practice player. Works hard. Brings a lot of energy. He's not getting as many reps as the other guys, so he's fresher. But when he gets his reps, he's going full-speed. He looks like a player. I would hope, by the time he gets in position to be in the game, that he'll know enough to play. I would think we'll be integrating him into the plan. Hopefully, where we'd feel comfortable, is he knows it all. But if not, we'll pick and choose some spots for him. He'll play."
**Richt assessed the team’s practice on Wednesday morning, which was an absolute scorcher in Coral Gables
"I thought about like yesterday, in that we did start very well towards the second half, our execution level went down. I'm talking offensively. More dropped balls, things that happen when you get fatigued, things that happen when you get really hot. We're pushing them,” Richt said.
“They're definitely not comfortable, but I don't really want them to be comfortable on Tuesday and Wednesday, for sure. Tomorrow we'll back off of them a little bit, Friday there won't be any running at all, and we'll be fine. You feel it now, but when you're feeling it for two hours and you're running full speed, and coaches are all over your rear end, it's tough. But like I told them, it's hot in Boca Raton. Everyone in America is doing it, so don't feel sorry for yourselves."
**The biggest takeaway from Miami’s blowout win over FAMU? According to Richt, it was the execution of the game plan.
"It was a good start. The numbers were big obviously, but when you look at the tape, we executed pretty good,” said Richt.
“The whole thing is, can you get your hat on the right guy and can you fit up? We talk about hat placement - is your hat inside, is your hat outside? Do you drive your feet on contact? Are people blocking downfield? Are the backs reading their keys? Is the quarterback getting us in the right play? Because he does have some options in the run game to try to get us in the best possible play. The execution wasn't perfect, by any means, but there was a lot of really good images of everybody doing what they're supposed to do. That's what I care about the most."
**With the Canes going well over 300 yards on the ground against FAMU, Coach Richt was more than pleased with the play of his running backs. He had a lot of praise for the job that offensive coordinator/running backs coach Thomas Brown has done with the group. He said that Brown’s coaching tactics have especially helped Gus Edwards’ conditioning.
“Thomas Brown does a great job with these backs - learning how to practice. They practice full-speed,” Richt said.
“Every time they run the ball in practice, they are sprinting 20 yards down the field or whatever he designates that day, and then they hustle right back and do it again. They get in condition during practice, then in the game, it should be easier.”
