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Post-Presser Q & A

CANEMC

CANEMC

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What went wrong this past season?

“Let’s talk about the most obvious answers first - we did everything losing football teams do,” Diaz said. “Turnovers, we did not take care of the football. Field position, we got destroyed in terms of field position, were bottom five in the country for average field position for the opposing team. Wisconsin was a microcosm of the entire year, you can’t win when the other team plays on a 58-yard field. So the way we turned the ball over, where we turned the ball over is not going to give you a chance to win. Now why are those things happening? Why are we turning it over, unable to sustain drives, what is happening in special teams? The 800-pound gorilla in the room is you have to play better at quarterback. If you watch the New Year’s Day 6 games, the guys under center, there’s not a lot of guys playing Jan. 1 that don’t have a (great) quarterback playing for them. We have to have our guys on campus playing better, have to put them in the best position to succeed as possible. Or we have to find another guy.”
 
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* Diaz said he expects to announce offensive staff hires by next Thursday when recruiting starts back up.

“It’ll happen by next Thursday for sure,” Diaz said. ‘There could be an offensive coach or two hired (before the coordinator hiring).
“You have to get the right people that fit, and fit us. We have to have a staff that’s like family - if they don’t (fit) the players know. … Teams play better when there’s great staff chemistry.”
With Larry Fedora rumors abounding, Diaz confirmed he’s one of three offensive coordinator finalists. Is it important to Diaz that the coordinator be a former head coach (as Fedora is) to help him in that regard as well?
“If that came along with the package that would be a bonus, but that’s not criteria No. 1,” Diaz said. “Criteria No. 1 is what gets us up and running as soon as possible.”
 
What does he want in his strength staff?

“The best way I can say it is the old strength staff did an outstanding job and improved us in the three years they were here,” Diaz said. “But that coach in that room is your program. … The kids work out with the strength staff a lot more than they practice the way it’s set up (in the NCAA system).”
He added, “There was the notion we didn’t work quite as hard as we needed to work this past year, that was expressed to me. And that’s why I said everything matters, there’s never any one smoking gun but if the players sense it then it’s an issue.”
 
Why are top recruits still getting away?

“Sometimes it takes that one guy `I’m staying,’” Diaz said. “Sometimes there’s more skill guys than we can take. Look, the world has changed - kids want to go where the winning is. So that’s hard, because you have to create the winning.
“We have to continue to pound on it where 8th and 9th graders are like `Look at the Miami Hurricanes, and my friends are there, I want to go play where (they) play. Setting that tone will be the key to recruiting.”
 
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The magnitude of his first game being vs. Florida?

“I don’t know if we’d want it any other way,” Diaz sad. “Those are the games at Miami you have to prove yourself about. … You come to Miami to win those games, and if you’re not winning those games you can’t look around and say it’s someone else’s fault. That has been the consistent theme from all the former players that have come back to speak to our team - `This thing takes off when you guys decide it takes off.’
“This place was built by player accountability, that’s why the former players are so involved, because that’s the way it was when they were there. We’re not going to beat Florida because of some magical offense. We’ll beat Florida because guys on our team will make plays to help win the football game. … We have to create that identity.
“Whatever has been on the outside to give us a reason not to be our best, that reason has been revoked. We’re either good enough or not good enough, and if we’re not good enough we have to recruit better.”
 
CANEMC said:
What does he want in his strength staff?

“The best way I can say it is the old strength staff did an outstanding job and improved us in the three years they were here,” Diaz said. “But that coach in that room is your program. … The kids work out with the strength staff a lot more than they practice the way it’s set up (in the NCAA system).”
He added, “There was the notion we didn’t work quite as hard as we needed to work this past year, that was expressed to me. And that’s why I said everything matters, there’s never any one smoking gun but if the players sense it then it’s an issue.”
Click to expand...

Manny.... Gulp..... Gets it?

Saban put a premium on Cochran for this reason.... That dude spends more time than any with the team. Extension of the coaching staff.
 
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CANEMC said:
The magnitude of his first game being vs. Florida?

“I don’t know if we’d want it any other way,” Diaz sad. “Those are the games at Miami you have to prove yourself about. … You come to Miami to win those games, and if you’re not winning those games you can’t look around and say it’s someone else’s fault. That has been the consistent theme from all the former players that have come back to speak to our team - `This thing takes off when you guys decide it takes off.’
“This place was built by player accountability, that’s why the former players are so involved, because that’s the way it was when they were there. We’re not going to beat Florida because of some magical offense. We’ll beat Florida because guys on our team will make plays to help win the football game. … We have to create that identity.
“Whatever has been on the outside to give us a reason not to be our best, that reason has been revoked. We’re either good enough or not good enough, and if we’re not good enough we have to recruit better.”
Click to expand...
This answer got me pumped.
 
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I think Manny is taking a detailed approach to the program similar to what Saban does at Alabama. He wants the best coaches that fit the vision of his system.
The fact that he's replacing Gus Felder was suprising, but it just goes to show you that he has a vision for every detail that affects the program. Every "t" will be crossed and every "i" will be dotted.
 
Welllllllll......he just said all the right things.

The proof will be in the puddin' pops based on the offensive hires BUT at least Manny knows what the problems are AND was willing to spell them out publicly. That VERY EASILY could've just been a standard coachspeak answer of "executing", etc.
 
CANEMC said:
What went wrong this past season?

“Let’s talk about the most obvious answers first - we did everything losing football teams do,” Diaz said. “Turnovers, we did not take care of the football. Field position, we got destroyed in terms of field position, were bottom five in the country for average field position for the opposing team. Wisconsin was a microcosm of the entire year, you can’t win when the other team plays on a 58-yard field.”
Click to expand...

I said during and after the LSU game, field position is the hot chicks fat friend; she isn't **** but she'll **** you all the same. Glad to see MD call it like it is. Not saying we would have beaten LSU, but with a semi-competent Offense and ST's unit, we don't lose all 4 to UVA, BC, Duke and GT.
 
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CANEMC said:
What does he want in his strength staff?

“The best way I can say it is the old strength staff did an outstanding job and improved us in the three years they were here,” Diaz said. “But that coach in that room is your program. … The kids work out with the strength staff a lot more than they practice the way it’s set up (in the NCAA system).”
He added, “There was the notion we didn’t work quite as hard as we needed to work this past year, that was expressed to me. And that’s why I said everything matters, there’s never any one smoking gun but if the players sense it then it’s an issue.”
Click to expand...
Well that’s some **** right there. ****.
 
Tad Footeball said:
Welllllllll......he just said all the right things.

The proof will be in the puddin' pops based on the offensive hires BUT at least Manny knows what the problems are AND was willing to spell them out publicly. That VERY EASILY could've just been a standard coachspeak answer of "executing", etc.
Click to expand...
Problem with our last two coaches has been a tremendous ego. Giving the middle finger in the face of such obvious evidence.

Manny just doesn’t strike me as that type of guy. And yes it would definitely be nice to have an HC on the staff to help with some of the situational stuff on gameday that can be critical, where Manny will obviously be lacking.
 
JHallCanes said:
Problem with our last two coaches has been a tremendous ego. Giving the middle finger in the face of such obvious evidence.

Manny just doesn’t strike me as that type of guy. And yes it would definitely be nice to have an HC on the staff to help with some of the situational stuff on gameday that can be critical, where Manny will obviously be lacking.
Click to expand...

Agree. Manny seems like a guy who has pretty good self awareness and isn't afraid to make changes. Both good qualities for a head football coach.
 
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