Herald: Richt mulls lineup change+ notes on state of program

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UM's Richt mulls lineup change, evaluates state of program; Canes notes | Miami Herald
Credit to Barry Jackson


A 12-pack of UM nuggets on a Tuesday:

• There’s one potential lineup change Saturday. Mark Richt said on WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline on Monday night that Hayden Mahoney graded out slightly better than Corey Gaynor at right guard against Georgia Tech, and Mahoney would be the starter Saturday against Syracuse if the decision had to be made now.

Gaynor started against Georgia Tech; Mahoney played later.

Both are filling in for Navaughn Donaldson, who is out indefinitely.

• I asked Richt that when he took the job, when did he think this could be a top 10 program and whether UM is ahead of schedule in his mind?

“You are not a top 10 program until the end of the year,” he said. “We were 10th [last year] and then lost four in a row. [At the end of the year,] we were top 20, a little bit relevant.”

But this, Richt said, is important to keep in mind:

“We’re not at the point where we can line up and impose our will on people,” he said. “Florida State was a battle royale to the tend. Georgia Tech was battle royale to the end. We are not lining up and whipping people. We have to battle people every week. We know it.

“We’re excited about winning and trying to establish that mindset. We’re not a dominant football team. We’re a very solid football team that is fighting like mad to win the close battles. That’s where we are right now

“I do think we’re moving in the right direction. We are getting where we need to get. But we need to recruit well. Without getting great players year in and year out, it’s going to be a battle. Last year, we had three close games and lost them all.”

• Several coaches, like Urban Meyer, have had great success their second seasons. Richt is experiencing that.

“Year one you establish your standards, you establish your way of doing things,” Richt said. “Even if you have seniors totally bought in, they still don’t know what you want yet. By year two, the next group of leaders knows the standard. The whole team knows it. It’s guys truly understanding what coach wants and not only doing it but getting players around them to do it.

“The good news is when they look around, they see guys doing it right. They say, do it like [Darrell] Langham, Shaq [Quarterman]... Travis Homer.”

• Richt, on how to get Malik Rosier to play better in games: “My goal is to create more adversity in practice. Practice more like a game. Give me tempo of a game. Don’t give me practice tempo. Give me game tempo. That’s what I need and that’s what I think will help.”

• Richt said some who didn’t play last Saturday likely would play this Saturday. The sense is that’s Ahmmon Richards and Sheldrick Redwine; both practiced Tuesday.

Dee Delaney and Donaldson did not practice.

• Syracuse’s 27-24 win over Clemson certainly caught UM’s attention. “What happened last Friday was pretty remarkable,” Richt said. “It was so impressive to have that kind of a turnaround in that short of a time” - from losing 54-0 to Clemson in 2016 and beating them last Friday.

Besides having two of the nation’s three leading receivers, “their defense has improved by 14 points per game, which is a monster change,” Richt said. “They’re super fast and physical and bring it to you. They don’t sit back. They pressure the quarterback.”

• UM - in the last couple of weeks - wanted to get freshman receiver Jeff Thomas more involved because of his speed and explosiveness, and quarterbacks coach Jon Richt reminded Mark Richt that the Hurricanes got just the defensive matchup they wanted before the play in which Thomas caught a 70-yard pass against Georgia Tech.

“That’s been the thought process since Day 1 - try to find ways, not just him, but anybody that can help us make plays and progress as an offense, we’re trying to find ways to involve them in the offense,” offensive coordinator Thomas Brown said. “We tried to get the ball in his hands with the reverse” earlier against Georgia Tech.

• As far as freshman receiver Mike Harley goes, “other than a couple of mishaps, he’s pretty consistent,” Brown said. “He’ll continue to get better.”

• Deejay Dallas, moved from wide receiver to running back at least for now, continues to compete with Crispian Atkins for the No. 3 running back job behind Travis Homer and Trayone Gray.

Is Dallas ready to get carries? Brown hedged.

“The biggest thing about tailback is playing on third down and pass protection on first and second down,” Brown said. “I get nervous about putting a guy in the game and not knowing how the call is going to go. I don’t want to put him in a bad spot or the offense in a bad spot before he knows exactly what to do. He’s making great progress.”

• It’s time for everyone to stop underestimating Trent Harris, who can be overlooked because he plays on a line with more heralded players/recruits, including Chad Thomas.

He has been very good, both against the run and as a pass-rusher (4.5 sacks). “There’s no doubt the competition has risen since I’ve been here,” he said. “We push each other so everyone has gotten better.”

Coach Craig Kuligowski has helped Harris with “the way he teaches us to attack and get upfield,”Harris said. “If you attack and get upfield, the majority of the time you’re going to make a play and not be wrong.”

• Pat Bethel has added 35 pounds in 20 months, since enrolling, and is thriving at defensive tackle. The decision to move him from defensive end is another example of how this staff uses its personnel intelligently.

• ESPN assigned New York Jets radio announcer Bob Wischusen and former Washington and ex-NFL quarterback Brock Huard to Saturday’s UM-Syracuse game.
 
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Gaynor is a mean SOB but he's small. Looks more like a center than a guard.
 
Gaynor is a mean SOB but he's small. Looks more like a center than a guard.

I think that was his projected position when he got here anyways. I believe we're using him as guard as a make-shift plan....but in the future, he will be our C.
 
Watching the Dolphins game, I saw one play that I thought was tailor made for Thomas if Syracuse plays man.

Cutler and Landry connect on easy TD - ESPN Video

Play starts at 15 second mark. Landry looks like he is going to run an end around, then turns back and runs what kinda looks like a wheel route. Beautiful play design.
 
UM's Richt mulls lineup change, evaluates state of program; Canes notes | Miami Herald
Credit to Barry Jackson


A 12-pack of UM nuggets on a Tuesday:

• There’s one potential lineup change Saturday. Mark Richt said on WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline on Monday night that Hayden Mahoney graded out slightly better than Corey Gaynor at right guard against Georgia Tech, and Mahoney would be the starter Saturday against Syracuse if the decision had to be made now.

Gaynor started against Georgia Tech; Mahoney played later.

Both are filling in for Navaughn Donaldson, who is out indefinitely.

• I asked Richt that when he took the job, when did he think this could be a top 10 program and whether UM is ahead of schedule in his mind?

“You are not a top 10 program until the end of the year,” he said. “We were 10th [last year] and then lost four in a row. [At the end of the year,] we were top 20, a little bit relevant.”

But this, Richt said, is important to keep in mind:

“We’re not at the point where we can line up and impose our will on people,” he said. “Florida State was a battle royale to the tend. Georgia Tech was battle royale to the end. We are not lining up and whipping people. We have to battle people every week. We know it.

“We’re excited about winning and trying to establish that mindset. We’re not a dominant football team. We’re a very solid football team that is fighting like mad to win the close battles. That’s where we are right now

“I do think we’re moving in the right direction. We are getting where we need to get. But we need to recruit well. Without getting great players year in and year out, it’s going to be a battle. Last year, we had three close games and lost them all.”

• Several coaches, like Urban Meyer, have had great success their second seasons. Richt is experiencing that.

“Year one you establish your standards, you establish your way of doing things,” Richt said. “Even if you have seniors totally bought in, they still don’t know what you want yet. By year two, the next group of leaders knows the standard. The whole team knows it. It’s guys truly understanding what coach wants and not only doing it but getting players around them to do it.

“The good news is when they look around, they see guys doing it right. They say, do it like [Darrell] Langham, Shaq [Quarterman]... Travis Homer.”

• Richt, on how to get Malik Rosier to play better in games: “My goal is to create more adversity in practice. Practice more like a game. Give me tempo of a game. Don’t give me practice tempo. Give me game tempo. That’s what I need and that’s what I think will help.”

• Richt said some who didn’t play last Saturday likely would play this Saturday. The sense is that’s Ahmmon Richards and Sheldrick Redwine; both practiced Tuesday.

Dee Delaney and Donaldson did not practice.

• Syracuse’s 27-24 win over Clemson certainly caught UM’s attention. “What happened last Friday was pretty remarkable,” Richt said. “It was so impressive to have that kind of a turnaround in that short of a time” - from losing 54-0 to Clemson in 2016 and beating them last Friday.

Besides having two of the nation’s three leading receivers, “their defense has improved by 14 points per game, which is a monster change,” Richt said. “They’re super fast and physical and bring it to you. They don’t sit back. They pressure the quarterback.”

• UM - in the last couple of weeks - wanted to get freshman receiver Jeff Thomas more involved because of his speed and explosiveness, and quarterbacks coach Jon Richt reminded Mark Richt that the Hurricanes got just the defensive matchup they wanted before the play in which Thomas caught a 70-yard pass against Georgia Tech.

“That’s been the thought process since Day 1 - try to find ways, not just him, but anybody that can help us make plays and progress as an offense, we’re trying to find ways to involve them in the offense,” offensive coordinator Thomas Brown said. “We tried to get the ball in his hands with the reverse” earlier against Georgia Tech.

• As far as freshman receiver Mike Harley goes, “other than a couple of mishaps, he’s pretty consistent,” Brown said. “He’ll continue to get better.”

• Deejay Dallas, moved from wide receiver to running back at least for now, continues to compete with Crispian Atkins for the No. 3 running back job behind Travis Homer and Trayone Gray.

Is Dallas ready to get carries? Brown hedged.

“The biggest thing about tailback is playing on third down and pass protection on first and second down,” Brown said. “I get nervous about putting a guy in the game and not knowing how the call is going to go. I don’t want to put him in a bad spot or the offense in a bad spot before he knows exactly what to do. He’s making great progress.”

• It’s time for everyone to stop underestimating Trent Harris, who can be overlooked because he plays on a line with more heralded players/recruits, including Chad Thomas.

He has been very good, both against the run and as a pass-rusher (4.5 sacks). “There’s no doubt the competition has risen since I’ve been here,” he said. “We push each other so everyone has gotten better.”

Coach Craig Kuligowski has helped Harris with “the way he teaches us to attack and get upfield,”Harris said. “If you attack and get upfield, the majority of the time you’re going to make a play and not be wrong.”

• Pat Bethel has added 35 pounds in 20 months, since enrolling, and is thriving at defensive tackle. The decision to move him from defensive end is another example of how this staff uses its personnel intelligently.

• ESPN assigned New York Jets radio announcer Bob Wischusen and former Washington and ex-NFL quarterback Brock Huard to Saturday’s UM-Syracuse game.

****. I was looking forward to McElroy and my main man Dave Pasch to announce the game. Oh well. U can't always get want U want. hUh.
 
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Like I said in another thread.. Maybe these "jag" O linemen are not really jags at all. Every thought-to-be jag we've put out there has been better then Linder (Gauthier, St Louis, Gall, and now Mahoney). Said it before Linder only started, ****, is only a Hurricane because of his brother. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if Milo is a solid O-linemen as well. I'll be so mad if some of our backup O-line are better knowing guys like Linder was touting out there getting throw like a rag doll on our 4 game losing streak last year because it sure as **** starting to feel that way.

Phew.................................................... Redwine is back. Knowles sucks.
 
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It's refreshing to read an interview by a coach that's honest.

Richt isn't bull****ting us here, he's spot on - we're not a dominant team yet, but we're fighting for every win.
 
Richt is a Coach that understands and knows what it takes to be a contender, this man played in the same conference as the coach that has owned CFB for the last 7 or 8 years (Nick Saban)!! Trust me CMR will have these Miami Hurricanes ready for prime time, just give them a few years of recruiting and I guarantee Miami will be the school every kid wants to play for!!!
 
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It's refreshing to read an interview by a coach that's honest.

Richt isn't bull****ting us here, he's spot on - we're not a dominant team yet, but we're fighting for every win.

Agreed. A nice departure from the occasional clown that believes their own hype (see Mike Leach) or the reverse and the Saban-wannabes that have to approach every assessment of their team from a transparently phony stance of "We're garbage and I hate all of you for hyping us up!". Not that Rick is taking any risks here by being honest but at least he's accurate too.
 
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Wish he would have addressed stopping runs around the end and tackling better. If we can stop end runs and get a push up the middle into the QB face we'll be 14 points better on defense. Not to mention LB and safety mistakes. Hope they have figured out that Robert Knowles was a bad decision like eating a street *****'s ****.
 
UM's Richt mulls lineup change, evaluates state of program; Canes notes | Miami Herald
Credit to Barry Jackson


A 12-pack of UM nuggets on a Tuesday:

• There’s one potential lineup change Saturday. Mark Richt said on WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline on Monday night that Hayden Mahoney graded out slightly better than Corey Gaynor at right guard against Georgia Tech, and Mahoney would be the starter Saturday against Syracuse if the decision had to be made now.

Gaynor started against Georgia Tech; Mahoney played later.

Both are filling in for Navaughn Donaldson, who is out indefinitely.

• I asked Richt that when he took the job, when did he think this could be a top 10 program and whether UM is ahead of schedule in his mind?

“You are not a top 10 program until the end of the year,” he said. “We were 10th [last year] and then lost four in a row. [At the end of the year,] we were top 20, a little bit relevant.”

But this, Richt said, is important to keep in mind:

“We’re not at the point where we can line up and impose our will on people,” he said. “Florida State was a battle royale to the tend. Georgia Tech was battle royale to the end. We are not lining up and whipping people. We have to battle people every week. We know it.

“We’re excited about winning and trying to establish that mindset. We’re not a dominant football team. We’re a very solid football team that is fighting like mad to win the close battles. That’s where we are right now

“I do think we’re moving in the right direction. We are getting where we need to get. But we need to recruit well. Without getting great players year in and year out, it’s going to be a battle. Last year, we had three close games and lost them all.”

• Several coaches, like Urban Meyer, have had great success their second seasons. Richt is experiencing that.

“Year one you establish your standards, you establish your way of doing things,” Richt said. “Even if you have seniors totally bought in, they still don’t know what you want yet. By year two, the next group of leaders knows the standard. The whole team knows it. It’s guys truly understanding what coach wants and not only doing it but getting players around them to do it.

“The good news is when they look around, they see guys doing it right. They say, do it like [Darrell] Langham, Shaq [Quarterman]... Travis Homer.”

• Richt, on how to get Malik Rosier to play better in games: “My goal is to create more adversity in practice. Practice more like a game. Give me tempo of a game. Don’t give me practice tempo. Give me game tempo. That’s what I need and that’s what I think will help.”

• Richt said some who didn’t play last Saturday likely would play this Saturday. The sense is that’s Ahmmon Richards and Sheldrick Redwine; both practiced Tuesday.

Dee Delaney and Donaldson did not practice.

• Syracuse’s 27-24 win over Clemson certainly caught UM’s attention. “What happened last Friday was pretty remarkable,” Richt said. “It was so impressive to have that kind of a turnaround in that short of a time” - from losing 54-0 to Clemson in 2016 and beating them last Friday.

Besides having two of the nation’s three leading receivers, “their defense has improved by 14 points per game, which is a monster change,” Richt said. “They’re super fast and physical and bring it to you. They don’t sit back. They pressure the quarterback.”

• UM - in the last couple of weeks - wanted to get freshman receiver Jeff Thomas more involved because of his speed and explosiveness, and quarterbacks coach Jon Richt reminded Mark Richt that the Hurricanes got just the defensive matchup they wanted before the play in which Thomas caught a 70-yard pass against Georgia Tech.

“That’s been the thought process since Day 1 - try to find ways, not just him, but anybody that can help us make plays and progress as an offense, we’re trying to find ways to involve them in the offense,” offensive coordinator Thomas Brown said. “We tried to get the ball in his hands with the reverse” earlier against Georgia Tech.

• As far as freshman receiver Mike Harley goes, “other than a couple of mishaps, he’s pretty consistent,” Brown said. “He’ll continue to get better.”

• Deejay Dallas, moved from wide receiver to running back at least for now, continues to compete with Crispian Atkins for the No. 3 running back job behind Travis Homer and Trayone Gray.

Is Dallas ready to get carries? Brown hedged.

“The biggest thing about tailback is playing on third down and pass protection on first and second down,” Brown said. “I get nervous about putting a guy in the game and not knowing how the call is going to go. I don’t want to put him in a bad spot or the offense in a bad spot before he knows exactly what to do. He’s making great progress.”

• It’s time for everyone to stop underestimating Trent Harris, who can be overlooked because he plays on a line with more heralded players/recruits, including Chad Thomas.

He has been very good, both against the run and as a pass-rusher (4.5 sacks). “There’s no doubt the competition has risen since I’ve been here,” he said. “We push each other so everyone has gotten better.”

Coach Craig Kuligowski has helped Harris with “the way he teaches us to attack and get upfield,”Harris said. “If you attack and get upfield, the majority of the time you’re going to make a play and not be wrong.”

• Pat Bethel has added 35 pounds in 20 months, since enrolling, and is thriving at defensive tackle. The decision to move him from defensive end is another example of how this staff uses its personnel intelligently.

• ESPN assigned New York Jets radio announcer Bob Wischusen and former Washington and ex-NFL quarterback Brock Huard to Saturday’s UM-Syracuse game.

****. I was looking forward to McElroy and my main man Dave Pasch to announce the game. Oh well. U can't always get want U want. hUh.

I love me some Huard, also James Bates but he's on fox.

But yeah McElroy sucks
 
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"We are not lining up and whipping people. We have to battle people every week. We know it."

The offensive line continues to lose battles in the redzone. It's going to take a couple more cycles for Richt to get the OL he wants to impose his will offensively.
 
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I don't think Mark has completely gotten his Cane back. He is still looking at this team through nole and dog glasses and remembering the great teams we had. I seen a little more of that first NC team. No dominating but learned how to win the close ones.
 
Richt's honesty has been refreshing.

Its funny what he says about Malik and making practice more like a game. He knows **** well that's never going to happen. **** even the first half or 3 quarters isn't enough "game atmosphere" for Malik. I bet he was bored as **** during that Duke game.
 
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Wish he would have addressed stopping runs around the end and tackling better. If we can stop end runs and get a push up the middle into the QB face we'll be 14 points better on defense. Not to mention LB and safety mistakes. Hope they have figured out that Robert Knowles was a bad decision like eating a street *****'s ****.

I think he addressed that by saying, we are not a dominant football team yet.
 
Well, there's only been ONE dominant team this year in college football. So keep competing & lets see how far we can go.
 
Do the rest of us a favor and refrain from quoting the entire original post to make a comment. It really makes it inefficient to read, especially on a phone.
 
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