Miami Hurricanes defensive tackle Jarquez Carter, who transferred over from Ohio State, spoke with CanesInSight. Here is everything he had to say:
On being back in Florida: It's been great, being close to my family. I'm from Pompano Beach, it's an hour away, so just being back really home.
On moving to Newberry: I moved to Newberry when I was 10, 11. My mom got a job at Shands, so we moved to Gainesville.
On identifying as a South Florida or North Central Florida guy: I say I'm from Pompano, but like I post down from Newberry. I claim I'm from Newberry because that's where I went to middle school and high school. So you could say both, really.
On his athleticism translating to the college level: It's been great. The use of my ability I had in high school and then learning from the strength staff, they boosting my abilities. It's been great. This defense is kind of like what we did in high school, just attacking more vertical, and I full like I put myself in a great position by coming back home.
On transferring from one big program to another: It's really the same thing. It's just different coaches, but everything's really the same thing. Staying out of trouble, just doing whatever you can to be the best version of yourself. So coming from one big program to the next, it's really just the same thing.
On Miami’s aggressive defensive style: It's been great. Everything is about doing your job. Once you do your job, it makes it easier for you and everybody else on the defense. So first, it's all about doing your job to make plays.
On working with Coach Damian Lewis: Just practice. Learning how to play fast, learning how to practice fast. Everything we do is fast, so it can translate into the game. So I think that's the number one thing. Once you learn how to play fast, because as a defensive tackle, most plays are made when you just keep trying, because that first move is not going to work, but when you keep trying, that's when the plays are made.
On competing against Miami’s offensive line: It's good because they always say you play how you practice. So going against one of the best offensive lines in the country and practice every single day, it helps, it translates. Going against tough players, going against people that just don't stop until the whistle blows, it translates to the game. It makes the game easier.
On veterans helping him: Ahmad Moten, Justin Scott, and Damon Wilson, because he came from two different teams, so learning how he adjusted, how he learned from different systems and different styles of plays, that helped me a lot.
On being back in Florida: It's been great, being close to my family. I'm from Pompano Beach, it's an hour away, so just being back really home.
On moving to Newberry: I moved to Newberry when I was 10, 11. My mom got a job at Shands, so we moved to Gainesville.
On identifying as a South Florida or North Central Florida guy: I say I'm from Pompano, but like I post down from Newberry. I claim I'm from Newberry because that's where I went to middle school and high school. So you could say both, really.
On his athleticism translating to the college level: It's been great. The use of my ability I had in high school and then learning from the strength staff, they boosting my abilities. It's been great. This defense is kind of like what we did in high school, just attacking more vertical, and I full like I put myself in a great position by coming back home.
On transferring from one big program to another: It's really the same thing. It's just different coaches, but everything's really the same thing. Staying out of trouble, just doing whatever you can to be the best version of yourself. So coming from one big program to the next, it's really just the same thing.
On Miami’s aggressive defensive style: It's been great. Everything is about doing your job. Once you do your job, it makes it easier for you and everybody else on the defense. So first, it's all about doing your job to make plays.
On working with Coach Damian Lewis: Just practice. Learning how to play fast, learning how to practice fast. Everything we do is fast, so it can translate into the game. So I think that's the number one thing. Once you learn how to play fast, because as a defensive tackle, most plays are made when you just keep trying, because that first move is not going to work, but when you keep trying, that's when the plays are made.
On competing against Miami’s offensive line: It's good because they always say you play how you practice. So going against one of the best offensive lines in the country and practice every single day, it helps, it translates. Going against tough players, going against people that just don't stop until the whistle blows, it translates to the game. It makes the game easier.
On veterans helping him: Ahmad Moten, Justin Scott, and Damon Wilson, because he came from two different teams, so learning how he adjusted, how he learned from different systems and different styles of plays, that helped me a lot.
