Bandy on what it means to be a Hurricane, Willis receives advice to save himself for NFL

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Despite a three game losing streak, sophomore CB Trajan Bandy says the team’s mentality is still the same.

“Our mentality is to just go out there and keep playing,” Bandy said. “Obviously, things are not going our way, but all we can do is keep working hard, keep having fun and keep practicing hard. That's all we can do.”

With the offense struggling, does the defense feel any extra pressure to carry the team?

"Well, not really. Those guys know what they need to do,” Bandy said. “They're just going to keep getting better. I feel like they're getting better, I feel like we're getting better and hopefully we can get a W this weekend."

This week, the Canes will head on the road to face the tricky Georgia Tech triple option offense that is ranked first in the country in rushing yards per game at 377.

“We just have to be disciplined, go down there and make those tackles,” Bandy said of stopping the Yellow Jackets. “Those guys are going to be cutting this week. We know that, so we just have to get our hands on them and then make a tackle.

"They do a lot of option. They do a lot of cutting and everything happens so fast. You have to keep your eye on your man because you never know when they might do a trick play, he might spit it out or he might have the ball. You never know, so we just have to have eye discipline on everything."

Every year, Miami spends their week of practice a little differently to prepare for GT’s specialized offense, but Bandy said it’s not just a one week deal.

"Well we work on them in the off season, too. We do a lot of bag drills where they throw the bags at us and we push it back down to the ground,” Bandy said. “We've been preparing for them throughout the season, but it's definitely unique. It's an option team. They run with their quarterback, they give the ball to the fullback, sometimes they pitch it to the wingman and he might go out there and throw the ball, so it's just so much that can happen. So we have to adjust everything, be on discipline and just play fast."

A true Hurricane at heart, Bandy grew up rooting for and loving the Canes, and it was his dream school. That’s why wearing the U is a just a little bit more special to him.

"Well I'm from here, I'm from Miami. This has always been a dream come true for me to play here, no matter what,” Bandy said. “If we're winning or losing; I love Miami, I love the place, I love the coaches, I love the atmosphere, I love everything about it."


**With the team in a funk, senior DT Gerald Willis
said he’s begun receiving advice from some to quit playing in games and save himself for the NFL. Even so, Willis has already taken time away from the field in the past and doesn’t want to lose the passion he’s rediscovered this season.

"I've been hearing that a lot, even from some guys that I know in the NFL, saying I shouldn't play in the bowl game, or shouldn't being doing this or that, but I'm playing for my brothers,” Willis said. “I'm playing for them. I'm going to chase every opportunity I have to put on a Miami uniform and I'm going to go hard."

UM will match up with a Georgia Tech team in Atlanta this week that is 5-4 and coming in on a 2 game winning streak and Willis feels the team is up to the task of stopping the Yellow Jackets triple option.

"We're up for the challenge like every other week,” Willis said. “We just have to get ready for the cut blocks and these double teams, but we're ready."

What will it take to shut down GT?

“Just knowing your assignment, just knowing what you have to do each and every play,” Willis said. “If you do not know your assignment the ball could break for a touchdown. So just really knowing your assignment and just playing fast.

"In the summer time and we had a bye week and we practiced on Georgia Tech,” Willis said. “Coach Diaz, he's always on Georgia Tech. Every little break we get, he's takes advantage of it and we're running plays."

On the recent decommitments: “At the end of the day, it is their own choice,” Willis said. “They have to deal with their family and stuff like that. Miami is a great program. Miami changed my life in many ways that I will always be thankful for. Miami is the "U". If you want to be great, come the The U. Things are not going the way we wanted it to this year, but things can change around in a year. It is a great place, if you want to come, you come, if you don’t, you don’t. If you want to be great and coached by the best coaches, come.

"I was a recruit at one time, too. When I saw top players leave and do their own thing, I wanted to leave too and see what the problem is. I understand it that the guys are going to be guys. We're not living up to the expectation that Miami speaks of, but like I said, if you want to come, come. If you want to be coached by a top defensive coach and you're a defensive recruit, come. Coach Diaz will change your life and make you a great player."


**The team has been holding player-only meetings to figure out what it will take to get the season back on track but sophomore DE Jon Garvin said he is still striving to do more than just talk about being better.

“There is more we have to do, because we still have to bring everybody together and be together as a collective,” Garvin said. “So, more of that has to go on, more of that is going on. So, we are taking a step into the right direction.”

In terms of continuing to bring in more talent to the program, Garvin feels the greatness being shown by the defense speaks for itself.

“It’s just what you are willing to do and what you are looking to achieve, because for us, you have seen it happen,” Garvin said. “We are achieving greatness in some aspects, we are dominating in some aspects, and we are trying to do better. If you are coming here to look and be around great people and become great, that is what you have to do; be around other great people.”

UM has lost some commitments the past few days, and many believe the current losing streak has played a big role in that. Back when Garvin was in high school, how a team fared on the field wasn’t really a factor to land his commitment.

“Wins and losses didn’t determine my decision as a recruit, so I don’t understand,” Garvin said. “Maybe they didn’t like the win-loss record, but that’s their deal. Last year we won 10 games in a row.”


**At 5-4, the Canes have still not secured a bowl berth, but senior CB Michael Jackson says he hasn’t even thought about possibly missing the postseason.

“Oh no, we aren’t even thinking about that,” Jackson said.

What does he tell the offense when he sees players start to get down on their play?

“Just have fun, like what they are doing right now, stay after practice and catch passes, just have fun,” Jackson said. “Don’t get so caught up in ‘oh this is happening, we aren’t putting points up, playing bad’, no that doesn’t matter, it was three games. This is a 12-game season, so out of those three games, they played bad. This Saturday we have another opportunity to go out there and put as much points on the board as we possibly can and have fun.”

As a senior, Jackson is well-versed in facing the triple option offense that GT brings to the field and knows physicality is one way to slow the Yellow Jackets down.

“Just the mentality that you have to be physical, especially at corner,” Jackson said. “Us corners have to be physical and tackle. It’s not a cute game. You’re going to be dirty. You’re going to be sore after the game. You’re going to be banging all game and look up and it’s only the third quarter and you have to keep banging. It’s just a physical mindset.

“I’m a football player. They’re going to test and see if you tackle. They’re going to see if you’re scared to get cut. You can get cut 10 plays in a row and you still have to come back and be as physical as possible on that 11th play because that one could change the game.”

On the recent decommits: “If you want to come, come. If you don’t, don’t,” Jackson said. “What people don’t realize is you come to Miami, fine, cool. You have to be built different. If you’re mad we took a couple of losses then that lets me know you’re trying to ride the wave of other teams. Because when we were winning everyone wanted to be part of us, now that we’re losing people want to decommit. So to be honest it’s like you weren’t built for that. Because you can decommit and go to another team and they’re losing. So then what are you going to do? Transfer when your team loses two or three games? It doesn’t work like that.”
 
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"Well we work on them in the off season, too. We do a lot of bag drills where they throw the bags at us and we push it back down to the ground,” Bandy said. “We've been preparing for them throughout the season, but it's definitely unique. It's an option team. They run with their quarterback, they give the ball to the fullback, sometimes they pitch it to the wingman and he might go out there and throw the ball, so it's just so much that can happen. So we have to adjust everything, be on discipline and just play fast."

@Coach Macho please help explain this in the context of stopping the triple option. For us plebes.
 
I respect It Willis! However Richt doesn’t. He keeps putting you guys in awful positions and leaving you and your teammates out to dry. I truly Hope your rewarded for your continued play. Nobody could blame you for shutting it down
 
A true Hurricane at heart, Bandy grew up rooting for and loving the Canes, and it was his dream school. That’s why wearing the U is a just a little bit more special to him.

"Well I'm from here, I'm from Miami. This has always been a dream come true for me to play here, no matter what,” Bandy said. “If we're winning or losing; I love Miami, I love the place, I love the coaches, I love the atmosphere, I love everything about it.

Certified cane
 
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"Well I'm from here, I'm from Miami. This has always been a dream come true for me to play here, no matter what,” Bandy said. “If we're winning or losing; I love Miami, I love the place, I love the coaches, I love the atmosphere, I love everything about it."
Love me some Bandy!
 
I cant help but think that many of the issues are caused by a total lack of leadership at the most important position on the field. One is low energy and incapable of inspiring his teammates. And the other, if the reports are true, appears uninterested in the sacrifices it takes to succeed at this level. Love him or hate him, but Kaaya brought leadership to that position and I'm hoping Jarren is the one that steps up. I think Brevin is going to be a great leader in the locker room, but he's not the one talking in the huddle. And Jaquan, Trajan, and Gerald can only do so much from the sideline.
 
A true Hurricane at heart, Bandy grew up rooting for and loving the Canes, and it was his dream school. That’s why wearing the U is a just a little bit more special to him.

"Well I'm from here, I'm from Miami. This has always been a dream come true for me to play here, no matter what,” Bandy said. “If we're winning or losing; I love Miami, I love the place, I love the coaches, I love the atmosphere, I love everything about it.

Certified cane
And that’s why you can tell he:
1. Cares about the team regardless who the coaches are
2. Got on the field early
3. Was considered a leader even before he got on campus
 
@Coach Macho please help explain this in the context of stopping the triple option. For us plebes.


Played some option teams in HS. They go for your legs, it's not really feasible to shed a block like you do when a blocker is coming at you straight up. When they are down low going for your knees, you use their momentum to shove them into the ground and step over them (or onto them just for fun). Once they are face down they are basically out of the play as they can only leg whip or try to pull you down from that position, so there isn't anything between you and the ball carrier (as opposed to a normal blocker who can still try to turn a shoulder or impede you in some way). I think the bag drills is just practicing shoving their faces into the ground.
 
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Played some option teams in HS. They go for your legs, it's not really feasible to shed a block like you do when a blocker is coming at you straight up. When they are down low going for your knees, you use their momentum to shove them into the ground and step over them (or onto them just for fun). Once they are down, they can only leg whip or grab you, so there isn't anything between you and the ball carrier (as opposed to a blocker who can still try to turn a shoulder or impede you in some way). I think the bag drills is just practicing shoving their faces into the ground.

So it's basically an anti-chop-block type thing.

Makes sense.
 
Willis needs to play. He has undeniable raw ability but a lot of scouts are going to use his lack of game film against him. He needs to play in every game that he can and he needs to dominate. Also needs to demonstrate that he can play an entire season, which he has never done before. NFL season is 16 games + playoffs potentially. He needs to show he can handle that kind of load.
 
"The team has been holding player-only meetings to figure out what it will take to get the season back on track but sophomore DE Jon Garvin said he is still striving to do more than just talk about being better. "
 
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**At 5-4, the Canes have still not secured a bowl berth, but senior CB Michael Jackson says he hasn’t even thought about possibly missing the postseason.

He is focusing on his pro career despite what he says
 
Willis is my favorite cane and best DT we've had in the past 15 years. Thank god Golden brought him in but didn't fatten him up and 2-gapped his career to death.
 
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I respect It Willis! However Richt doesn’t. He keeps putting you guys in awful positions and leaving you and your teammates out to dry. I truly Hope your rewarded for your continued play. Nobody could blame you for shutting it down

Except me.

I respect how shtty it is playing right now and I know it's all a "business" these days, but I'm old fashioned. I expect guys on a team to play like they're on a team. You have a responsibility, and without that the team doesn't work. Put it this way: what if we were 8-1 and he was talking about not playing in a bowl if we didn't beat Clemson, would you respect that? Where do we draw the line? Everybody with NFL potential could have just packed it in after LSU. That may sound silly, but it's where this is all heading. First it's bowl games, but why not the last game of the season? Second to last maybe?

I'll understand if he packs it in, but I won't respect it and I won't call him a great Cane.
 
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