CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The way the Miami Hurricanes finished last season defensively was no laughing matter. Yet, inside the locker room, safety Bubba Bolden didn’t think last year’s team took things seriously enough.
“It’s very different,” the All-ACC preseason selection said of UM’s locker room since Manny Diaz announced in February he was adding the responsibility of defensive coordinator to his role with the team once Blake Baker left to become LSU’s linebackers coach.
“There’s no laughing, no giggling, no, none of that. And I feel like last year there was a lot of that. He’s the head coach. I think every time you’re around him, you’re gonna be serious, no matter what. With the defense coordinator, you can actually be somewhat chill and yourself. When you’re around the head coach, who is the defensive coordinator, it’s a different ballgame. Everything is serious. Everything is on point. You see how he is. You see how he holds himself (accountable with the media). He holds himself 10 times more (accountable) than that when he’s actually (involved with the team). So, with him doing that, it has everybody else locked in. I think it’s going to be very different this year.”
The Canes open fall practices Friday night, and coach Manny Diaz has taken most of the responsibility for getting the defense back on point.
theathletic.com
