Hill, Blades reflect on season thus far and preparing for FIU

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Stefan Adams

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DE Trevon Hill has had a productive senior season at Miami, racking up 22 tackles, 8.5 TFL, and 4 sacks off the bench for UM. With the Canes set to play Group of 5 opponent FIU tomorrow, Hill is ready to up those numbers.

"We’re just worried about ourselves, what we have to do, take care of these little things and FIU will be there on Saturday,” Hill said. “Once we take care of ourselves, everything will fall into place.”

Hill is set to leave Miami following the season, but what does he see for the future of the Miami program in 2020 and beyond?

“Greatness, I see a lot of greatness,” Hill said. “Three weeks ago, we set the standard of what it is to be a Cane and I feel everybody has jumped on board the train and that’s why we had so much success the last couple of weeks. Just taking care of the little things.”

Although Hill has only been at Miami for a few months since transferring in from Virginia Tech, he has been able to witness the progression of DL teammate Gregory Rousseau, who leads the team in sacks with 12 as a redshirt freshman after beginning the season as a backup.

“It’s a competition between us and he’s leading the competition right now - hats off to that man,” Hill said of Rousseau. “He’s top 10 for the Heisman right now as a freshman, showing his dominance. Now is his time to improve and skyrocket from here.”

Hill is set to play in the Senior Bowl following the conclusion of the season to help raise his NFL draft status, but is more focused on closing out Miami’s last 3 games strong.

“I’m not thinking about it, am thinking about this team,” Hill said of the Senior Bowl.


**Sophomore CB Al Blades has started Miami’s last three games in place of DJ Ivey, contests in which Miami has gone 3-0.

"It’s all a part of the team and the defense, all of us coming together,” Blades said. “And the stats says me, but it’s really about all of us coming together… The team comes together, individual goals will come along.”

Last game, Blades picked off a pass against Louisville, his second of the season, and also has posted 28 tackles and 4 PBU’s; he credits his improvement in 2019 to the receiver group he faces off against in practice every day at UM.

“It is just about competing,” he said. “I’ve got (Dee) Wiggins, (Mark) Pope, and K.J. (Osborn), all type of receivers with different styles… We see the best in practice every day, so when it is game time it’s not a shock.”

This weekend, the Canes will play FIU at the site of the old Orange Bowl, a place that holds a lot of memories for the Blades family.

“I definitely think it is going to be a special moment, not just for us but the players of the past,” Blades said. “That is where the OB was, so that is a big moment. We have to go in there and protect it like it is our home because it is our home. It was always our home, so we have to go out there and play like it.”

As for the game itself, Blades and the rest of the secondary will be up against the Panthers 91st ranked passing offense on Saturday.

“They’re all nameless and faceless,” Blades said of FIU. “We prepare for our opponent no matter who it is, work our butt off.”

Although the Canes are now officially of the ACC Coastal race, Blades was asked about possibly playing in the Orange Bowl if the team wins out.

“It’s a blessing to be in a bowl game, but right now we’re focused on sending the seniors out right,” he said.
 
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