DMoney had a chance to speak with a couple of players at yesterday's Miami Hurricanes Media Day, where he caught up with new Hurricanes safety transfer JaKobe Thomas.
Here is the full transcript of the interview:
On his transition to Miami:
It's been smooth. I love it here. It's very fun to be around a lot of guys — we’ve got a very characteristic team, so it's very good. I’ve got a great group of coaches around me — Coach Harris and Coach Etheridge — and I'm happy. I'm just happy.
Transition from Tennessee to Miami:
It's different. I'm a small-town guy. The biggest thing for me is not having my family here. I'm used to being able to drive to my mom and dad, and anyone who needed me. So just being away from my family — it's hard, but it's also a very good way for me to see different parts of the world. Miami is a very cultural place.
What made you make that transition
Coach Cristobal. One thousand percent. The way he pushes us every day and the way he cares about each player — I know what's on his mind every day is to win. And the more we win, the better it is for everyone. So I knew he was going to take me to a new level with my athleticism.
On why Cristobal recruited Thomas so hard
Experience. He needed a guy who could come in and be a leader — someone to look up to, show the right from wrong — and that was his highest priority. I'm a physical guy, and I think he knows that, but he also pointed out everything I needed to fix, and that's why I came to Miami.
On his physical mindset
It's not a physical thing — it's just a mindset. When I get an opportunity to stop a guy from making a first-down play, and that’s winning the game, that's something that's very important to me. Physically, you just have to do it — that type of thing.
What's the overall type of Jakobe Thomas
I'm an energetic guy when I play. I like to bring energy. I definitely like contact — I think everyone knows that. I think there are parts of my game that people haven't been able to see yet, so I'm ready to display them.
Expect big hits. I like to communicate a lot — you see me on the field sometimes, yelling, where you can read my body language, yelling at somebody. But you’ve got to just get excited.
