While Miami’s defense improved statistically last year, there was a noticeable drop in one key category- sacks. The team dropped from 9th to 31st in sacks per game and from 6th to 40th in sack percentage. Lance Guidry reached out to a familiar name to help fix the problem- Marshall DE Elijah Alston. After putting up a 6-sack season and 91.2 PFF grade (6th in FBS) in 2023, Alston transferred to the University of Miami. He spoke with reporters about his transition:
On his former Marshall coach, Miami DC Lance Guidry: I feel like it will be a good experience, knowing that I had two years on his defense. We built a great connection. He's a good guy. He's a good coach. Outside of football, he's an even better person. So it was fun coming out here to reconnect with him all over again.
On what he learned from Guidry: Learning schemes and learning offenses. He did a good job of teaching me the game of football instead of just coaching me in a way that didn't make me grow. He helped me grow as a person and a player.
On Guidry at Marshall v. Guidry at Miami: Guidry's always going to be the same. It's the same coach. He's always fired up. He's always ready to go. He's always going to coach hard. It's Guidry.
On the other reasons he chose Miami: I enjoyed my time at Marshall, but it wanted to come out here and see if I could get a better opportunity. I took advantage of it.
On the competition on Greentree: Everybody's good. Jalen Rivers is going to be my iron versus iron. That's going to help me get to where I'm trying to go.
On Cam Ward: I like him. He's very mobile. He’ll talk a little junk, too. He’s not a boring quarterback in the pocket. He’s elusive. He can throw the ball, too. So he's very dynamic.
On Reese Poffenbarger: I played against Reese. Reese was my first game versus Albany last season. I like Reese. Reese can run the ball. He’s got a little twist on him, a little speed. I ain't getting no sacks that game.
On Jason Taylor: I like the way he coaches. He actually breaks it down so you can understand it. He's a one-on-one player. He thinks like us. He knows how we think. He knows how we react. So he’s on the same level as us when it comes down to coaching.
On his fellow defensive lineman: Everybody has their own vibes. We’re just building chemistry right now. We’ve got Marley Cook, we’ve got CJ Clark, we’ve got Bain, we’ve got me, we’ve got Harrison-Hunte, and we’ve got other young kids under us. The chemistry is there.
On the fit in Miami: I feel like I fit in pretty good here. Day one, it felt like I was already home. They greeted me well. No funny faces. Everybody said, “Welcome.”
On his former Marshall coach, Miami DC Lance Guidry: I feel like it will be a good experience, knowing that I had two years on his defense. We built a great connection. He's a good guy. He's a good coach. Outside of football, he's an even better person. So it was fun coming out here to reconnect with him all over again.
On what he learned from Guidry: Learning schemes and learning offenses. He did a good job of teaching me the game of football instead of just coaching me in a way that didn't make me grow. He helped me grow as a person and a player.
On Guidry at Marshall v. Guidry at Miami: Guidry's always going to be the same. It's the same coach. He's always fired up. He's always ready to go. He's always going to coach hard. It's Guidry.
On the other reasons he chose Miami: I enjoyed my time at Marshall, but it wanted to come out here and see if I could get a better opportunity. I took advantage of it.
On the competition on Greentree: Everybody's good. Jalen Rivers is going to be my iron versus iron. That's going to help me get to where I'm trying to go.
On Cam Ward: I like him. He's very mobile. He’ll talk a little junk, too. He’s not a boring quarterback in the pocket. He’s elusive. He can throw the ball, too. So he's very dynamic.
On Reese Poffenbarger: I played against Reese. Reese was my first game versus Albany last season. I like Reese. Reese can run the ball. He’s got a little twist on him, a little speed. I ain't getting no sacks that game.
On Jason Taylor: I like the way he coaches. He actually breaks it down so you can understand it. He's a one-on-one player. He thinks like us. He knows how we think. He knows how we react. So he’s on the same level as us when it comes down to coaching.
On his fellow defensive lineman: Everybody has their own vibes. We’re just building chemistry right now. We’ve got Marley Cook, we’ve got CJ Clark, we’ve got Bain, we’ve got me, we’ve got Harrison-Hunte, and we’ve got other young kids under us. The chemistry is there.
On the fit in Miami: I feel like I fit in pretty good here. Day one, it felt like I was already home. They greeted me well. No funny faces. Everybody said, “Welcome.”
