Coach Speak: Brown and Searels talk team after Toledo

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Stefan Adams

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Offensive coordinator and RB coach Thomas Brown echoed his head coach from earlier in the day, saying the goal is to split carries evenly between Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas.

“This (past) game, those guys basically split carries. I think DeeJay had 17, Travis had 16,” Brown said. “Carries about the same; it all depends on the game.”

Today, freshman RB Lorenzo Lingard continued to work as the third string running back for the second straight week.

“Lorenzo is still coming on strong, have to find a way to get a package of pays for him,” Brown said. “Also Cam Davis, he got here late, really impressed the last couple of days. And (Robert) Burns also.

TE Brian Polendey was ruled out for the season, leaving Miami with only two healthy TE’s. However, there are no plans to move another player to the tight end position.

As Miami’s main blocking tight end, Polendey was “playing six or seven snaps per game, mostly on short yardage and goal line,” according to Brown.

Will the team move to more three and four wide receiver sets without Polendey?

“It’s possible,” Brown said.

The Canes have shown improvement in short yardage situations, and Brown credits Trayone Gray for a lot of that success.

“He’s definitely helped us out, embraced that role,” Brown said on Gray. “Last year, we didn’t have a fullback.”

On Mark Pope seeing more reps: “We have some very talented guys in front of him, are trying to find ways to get him involved in the game,” Brown said. “He’s progressing along well.”

Obviously, the level of competition has gone down, but the offense has run much more smooth since the opening week matchup against LSU.

“We’re not beating ourselves,” Brown said. “(Last week was) the first game I’ve been a part of where we didn’t turn the ball over, didn’t have any sacks, penalties. If we can play that way every game, we’ll have a shot to be in every game if not win every game.”

Jeff Thomas had another big game this past week. What area has he improved on the most to take his game to the next level?

“Practice,” Brown said. “It’s a direct (correlation) between what he does every day in practice and what he does on game day. He’s matured a lot, has been taking coaching from (Ron Dugans) on how to be a better practice player. He’s become a much more mature player.”

The defensive strength of upcoming opponent FIU has been the defensive line.

“They do a really good job rotating guys to keep them fresh, are very disruptive,” Brown said. “They’re vertical penetrating guys up the field. (You) have to account for how aggressive they are up front, have to get some backs involved to try and help out up front as well.”


**Offensive line coach Stacy Searels talked after Tuesday’s practice about the competition at left guard between Jahair Jones and Venzell Boulware.

“Venzell is definitely challenging Jahair (for the starting job),” Searels said. “If you look, I think Venzell got 39 reps, Jahair got like 37 reps this past game. They’re playing about the same amount of reps. It’s always a competition, we’re going to play the best player.”

DJ Scaife saw an increase in snaps last week and Searels said it was no accident, as the freshman continues to impress.

“He played about 11 snaps, really well the other day, well the game before,” Searels said on Scaife. “Trying to work him in more and more. DJ has shown that he deserves playing time. I wouldn’t be afraid, if the game is on the line, for him to be out there.”

Other young backups that have made impressions? That’s Zalon’tae Hillery, Cleveland Reed and John Campbell.

“I’m pleased with those guys,” Searels said. “We have guys ahead of them right now, they just have to keep working, show in Tuesday’s practice that they deserve reps on Saturdays.”

First year starting right guard Hayden Mahoney has consistently graded out among the highest linemen on the team.

“Consistency has been good, communication skills have been good,” Searels said on Mahoney. “He has graded well.”

On right tackle Navaughn Donaldson: “He’s done a pretty good job at times. It’s just consistency,” Searels said. “If he has a lapse in focus, we’re going to get hit.”

Playing a tough FIU defensive line next week, Searels believes it will be his group’s biggest challenge since LSU.

“They have some guys there that can play for anybody,” Searels said. “They have size, quickness, are twitchy. They’re a well-coached defensive line.”
 
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LoL, im looking forward to this game and so is coach davis. The man just knows how to put a team together point Blank. He has proven that he has the best eye for talent in college football, guys develop under him, not only does he have an eye for elite players, but apparently he has an eye for talented coaches. I wanted davis back, but once coach richt came available, in fact it damyum near seems like the s.e.c. got together and said, "if we dont release coach richt, it's a strong possibility Miami might get butch back, and we know what happened last time, so we cant have that, release coach richt".

F.i.u. will start producing nfl talent, people forget how close unc was to winning the whole thing, had all those players not gotten suspended, that unc squad was gone be ****. Coach richt understands trench warfare as well, just not like davis, who already has that team playing with a balanced attack, plus they're one of the top teams in the nation in redzone scoring already, got a qb completing 63% of his passes, we got work to d
 
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people forget how close unc was to winning the whole thing, had all those players not gotten suspended

I am a Butch Davis fan, and fully recognize the incredible contributions he made while at Miami. I also lived in NC when he coached at UNC and followed his time there closely. I think you may want to recheck your history/recollection. He coached 4 seasons at UNC, and only the last season were there any suspensions.

In 2007 he went 4-8 (3-5 in the ACC)
In 2008 he went 8-5 (4-4 in the ACC) all of those wins were eventually vacated, but noted here to make my point
In 2009 he went 8-5 (4-4 in the ACC) all of those wins were eventually vacated, but noted here to make my point
In 2010 he went 8-5 (4-4 in the ACC) 13 players suspended for season opener against LSU, 3 of those players ended up suspended for the entire season

We may never know how good the 2010 team would have been without those 3 suspensions, but they lost to a 7-6 Randy Shannon coached Miami (the same Miami team who lost to a 4-8/1-7 UVA), 6-7 GTech, NCSt at home, and needed double overtime to beat 6-7 Tennessee in the Music City Bowl. In the three seasons leading up to 2010 they were nowhere near to “winning the whole thing” and there is nothing to indicate they were going to magically transform from an 8-4 team that went 4-4 in the ACC Coastal and lost to Pitt in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in 2009, to a National Champion the very next year, with or without suspensions.

And the reason the wins were vacated the prior two years is because the 3 ineligible players from 2010 played in 2008 and 2009. So UNC had those same suspended players on the field in those prior 8-5/4-4 seasons, with mid-tier bowl losses in each of those seasons. They were a team with some very good, key talented players, but even full strength they couldn’t win 10 games, win the conference or win a mid-tier bowl game. They came in 4th place in the Coastal in 2009, and that’s WITH the 3 players that ended up suspended. It’s a stretch to think they would go from 4th in the Coastal to 1st in the nation in one season.

He definitely had begun to raise the talent level at UNC, and they had quite a few of his players get drafted. But I respectfully beg to differ that they ever demonstrated that they were close to “winning the whole thing.”
 
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I am a Butch Davis fan, and fully recognize the incredible contributions he made while at Miami. I also lived in NC when he coached at UNC and followed his time there closely. I think you may want to recheck your history/recollection. He coached 4 seasons at UNC, and only the last season were there any suspensions.

In 2007 he went 4-8 (3-5 in the ACC)
In 2008 he went 8-5 (4-4 in the ACC) all of those wins were eventually vacated, but noted here to make my point
In 2009 he went 8-5 (4-4 in the ACC) all of those wins were eventually vacated, but noted here to make my point
In 2010 he went 8-5 (4-4 in the ACC) 13 players suspended for season opener against LSU, 3 of those players ended up suspended for the entire season

We may never know how good the 2010 team would have been without those 3 suspensions, but they lost to a 7-6 Randy Shannon coached Miami (the same Miami team who lost to a 4-8/1-7 UVA), 6-7 GTech, NCSt at home, and needed double overtime to beat 6-7 Tennessee in the Music City Bowl. In the three seasons leading up to 2010 they were nowhere near to “winning the whole thing” and there is nothing to indicate they were going to magically transform from an 8-4 team that went 4-4 in the ACC Coastal and lost to Pitt in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in 2009, to a National Champion the very next year, with or without suspensions.

And the reason the wins were vacated the prior two years is because the 3 ineligible players from 2010 played in 2008 and 2009. So UNC had those same suspended players on the field in those prior 8-5/4-4 seasons, with mid-tier bowl losses in each of those seasons. They were a team with some very good, key talented players, but even full strength they couldn’t win 10 games, win the conference or win a mid-tier bowl game. They came in 4th place in the Coastal in 2009, and that’s WITH the 3 players that ended up suspended. It’s a stretch to think they would go from 4th in the Coastal to 1st in the nation in one season.

He definitely had begun to raise the talent level at UNC, and they had quite a few of his players get drafted. But I respectfully beg to differ that they ever demonstrated that they were close to “winning the whole thing.”
I think you might want to go and recheck that 2010 season, or did you not understand how talented that team was, lol. If im not mistaken, they opened the season at Lsu, went toe to toe with them, with that many players suspended. In fact, that's the same year lsu won it all i think. Of course the team went 8 & 5, no morale, and than everything went downhill from there, good luck with fedora, he looked good playing with davis boys, now the real larry is showing similar to the one who took over after davis left Miami. I know a championship team when i see one, that Unc team would've won it all that year, cause that had to be the lsu team that won it all with 2 loses.
 
I think you might want to go and recheck that 2010 season, or did you not understand how talented that team was, lol. If im not mistaken, they opened the season at Lsu, went toe to toe with them, with that many players suspended. In fact, that's the same year lsu won it all i think. Of course the team went 8 & 5, no morale, and than everything went downhill from there, good luck with fedora, he looked good playing with davis boys, now the real larry is showing similar to the one who took over after davis left Miami. I know a championship team when i see one, that Unc team would've won it all that year, cause that had to be the lsu team that won it all with 2 loses.

LMAO. Mother of god.
 
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I think you might want to go and recheck that 2010 season, or did you not understand how talented that team was, lol. If im not mistaken, they opened the season at Lsu, went toe to toe with them, with that many players suspended. In fact, that's the same year lsu won it all i think. Of course the team went 8 & 5, no morale, and than everything went downhill from there, good luck with fedora, he looked good playing with davis boys, now the real larry is showing similar to the one who took over after davis left Miami. I know a championship team when i see one, that Unc team would've won it all that year, cause that had to be the lsu team that won it all with 2 loses.

Take a look at my user name and avatar. I am NOT a UNC fan. So there is no need to wish me luck with Fedora. I am a Miami fan, a Miami alumnus, and was a student, sitting in the OB student section during our first four championship seasons (undergrad and med school). As I said, I was living in NC when Butch was hired, so as a Miami fan, I watched his tenure closely.

Yes, they opened the season with LSU, but were down 30-10 until scoring two TDs in the 4th, to lose 30-24. That year LSU finished 3rd in the SEC West, so they didn’t win their division, much less a national championship.

And if like you say, you “know a championship team when you see one” then you may want to check your history. That LSU team you say won it all, didn’t even win their division. And that UNC team, if it was championship caliber, should have easily beaten a very mediocre Miami or GT, even down 3 players. They barely beat FCS William and Mary 21-17! Let that sink in. A championship caliber team doesn’t just give up the season like that, or struggle against an FCS team at home. A championship caliber FBS team should easily beat William and Mary with their practice squad.

And as I said before, essentially the same UNC personnel went 8-5 the year before, came in 4th in the very mediocre ACC Coastal, and lost a mid-tier bowl game. There is absolutely no way you can assume they would have won anything the following year.

I think Butch is (was?) an amazing talent evaluator, but I watched his teams at UNC closely, and saw an improvement, but no evidence that they would have won it all. I love Butch as much as any Miami fan, but the blind devotion to him, despite the actual evidence is just a bit too much at times.
 
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Searles is trash. Very simple fix on the o-line & I guess he’s too dumb to realize it. Donaldson is a guard all the way. Scaife at RT. Easy as pie. Not for this staff.
 
Take a look at my user name and avatar. I am NOT a UNC fan. So there is no need to wish me luck with Fedora. I am a Miami fan, a Miami alumnus, and was a student, sitting in the OB student section during our first four championship seasons (undergrad and med school). As I said, I was living in NC when Butch was hired, so as a Miami fan, I watched his tenure closely.

Yes, they opened the season with LSU, but were down 30-10 until scoring two TDs in the 4th, to lose 30-24. That year LSU finished 3rd in the SEC West, so they didn’t win their division, much less a national championship.

And if like you say, you “know a championship team when you see one” then you may want to check your history. That LSU team you say won it all, didn’t even win their division. And that UNC team, if it was championship caliber, should have easily beaten a very mediocre Miami or GT, even down 3 players. They barely beat FCS William and Mary 21-17! Let that sink in. A championship caliber team doesn’t just give up the season like that, or struggle against an FCS team at home. A championship caliber FBS team should easily beat William and Mary with their practice squad.

And as I said before, essentially the same UNC personnel went 8-5 the year before, came in 4th in the very mediocre ACC Coastal, and lost a mid-tier bowl game. There is absolutely no way you can assume they would have won anything the following year.

I think Butch is (was?) an amazing talent evaluator, but I watched his teams at UNC closely, and saw an improvement, but no evidence that they would have won it all. I love Butch as much as any Miami fan, but the blind devotion to him, despite the actual evidence is just a bit too much at times.
He did it at a Hoops Factory....
How well was UNC doing in FB pre Butch??.....How well did UM do against UNC (With alot more talent) when Butch was there??....
 
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He did it at a Hoops Factory....
How well was UNC doing in FB pre Butch??.....How well did UM do against UNC (With alot more talent) when Butch was there??....

I’m not arguing against your point. I clearly said he accumulated some very good talent, with quite a few players taken in the draft. I clearly said they were improved. I was simply arguing Calvin’s point that UNC would have won a national title in 2010.

UNC also beat Miami in 2004, with much less talent and a hapless coach (Bunting). Butch had a good record at UNC vs Miami, but let’s not forget how bad Miami football was during that time. He also lost plenty of games to mediocre and even a few really bad teams in his 4 years there.

Yes, he took UNC from a regularly bad team to a reliable 8 win team. And who knows, he may have accomplished a lot more. I was simply saying that there is no objective evidence to defend Calvin’s original assertion that they were close to winning it all.
 
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He did it at a Hoops Factory....
How well was UNC doing in FB pre Butch??.....How well did UM do against UNC (With alot more talent) when Butch was there??....
How did Mack Brown do at UNC? Fedora even won the coastal.......once
 
Butch owes nobody/ especially UM, not one F-ing thing....You throw an Enormous clump of **** in his lap...for a ridiculous salary...after turning a blind eye to Ericksons culture for 6yrs...and through perseverance, evaluate & develop the Greatest collection of talent in NCAA History within a 4-5 yr time period is Mind Numbing....I know...I know....he ran for more $$$$....Well guess what??...So did Howard & JJ, but it's Butch who recieves the most scorn....
 
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