Miami Offensive Starters
QB #9 Tyler Van Dyke, RB #21 Henry Parrish, Jr., WR #3 Jacolby George, WR #7 Xavier Restrepo, WR #4 Colbie Young, TE #84 Cam McCormick, LT #64 Jalen Rivers, LG #70 Javion Cohen, #55 C Matt Lee, #73 RG Anez Cooper, #61 RT Francis Mauigoa
Miami Defensive Starters
DE #12 Jahfari Harvey, DT #81 Jared Harrison-Hunte, DT #56 Leonard Taylor III, DE #44 Rueben Bain, LB #51 Francisco Mauigoa, LB #23 K.J. Cloyd, STAR #0 Te’Cory Couch, CB #22 Jaden Davis, S #20 James Williams, S #19 Jaden Harris, CB #2 Daryl Porter, Jr.
Miami Hurricanes Football: Miami HC Mario Cristobal
Postgame Press Conference Transcripts: Bethune-Cookman
Thurs., Sept. 14, 2023
Hard Rock Stadium
Opening Statement…
“Good evening. I appreciate you guys waiting up. I thought…early on we started taking control of the game. Not a ton of explosive plays but we methodically drove the ball down the field. The defense played relatively well. They gave up some yards in the middle early, but tightened up and it wasn’t until the last few drives that they held them to under 100 yards. Overall, a lot of guys played. I felt we had enough in the first half to play a lot of guys on defense in the first half and then had one series with Emory Williams at quarterback with the one offensive line and some of the one wide receivers and tight ends before scoring and pulling those guys and putting in most of the twos and threes on offense. On defense, we probably played more guys than we did on offense. But, overall, some improvements in some areas and you see the drop off at some of the twos and threes and some of the areas that we need to keep getting better to depend on guys and show we can depend on guys to play and not have a drop-off in our performance.”
On the performance of QB Emory Williams…
“I think he looked really good when he had the supporting cast, most of the ones [first string] and some of the twos [second string]. He understands the offense really well. He was protected well. He seemed to operate at a relatively high level and did a good job. And then, as the game went on a bit, we were a little bit sloppy. There were some free hitters in there. We gave up a sack and there really should have been a second one. We didn’t look as sharp as an offense and that’s the part that’s the letdown. That’s what you don’t want to see. You want to see your team get better, even when you put in some of the other guys. Overall, a solid day by him.”
On the depth of the defensive line…
“You know, at times it was really good. You’d like to have those guys back as often and as soon as you can. Overall, a lot of guys stepped up and we probably played 10 or 11 guys and they are going to need to play. As the season goes on, more and more guys get banged up. But I thought overall, up until the last two drives where we started giving up some driving, we had 160 yards, but up until the last drive it was only 60 or so. So, that part was disappointing. We didn’t close out the game like we wanted to.”
On getting off to a hot start…
“Well, Tyler [Van Dyke] operated at a very high level and so did the receivers. Xavier [Restrepo] had another great day. Jacolby George played well. I know Colbie [Young] is kicking himself a little bit but he played hard. It wasn’t his best performance, but he did some good things. All the running backs ran really hard. And the first team offensive line guys blocked really well. I thought they took control of the game early and gave us a lot of time to throw the ball and opened up some holes. When it was money yards, they pushed the pile and gave us some really good down and distance situations. We played a lot of guys. A lot of guys played.”
On the balance of the team…
“I like the way we’re evolving. You know, our offense has played a little bit different each week. The more we can show the ability to run the ball inside and outside, to push the ball down the field but also stretch it horizontally, it’s hard to defend. The way the quarterback is playing, Tyler is playing at such a high level, that makes it difficult. He knows where to go with the ball. He knows if this trouble is coming and you don’t have any way to pick it up that this is your outlet, this is your alert. If so and so fell off and you have the chance for a chunk play, you can take it and I think that’s happening a lot now because your release time is getting shorter and shorter. And then, defensively, a lot of guys got better. I thought our back end is playing really, really well. They’re playing at a high level. They communicate really well and without Kam [Kinchens] today. Regardless, whoever you play, when you’re down a starter, especially one of that magnitude, who communicates the way he does, lines us up like he does, I thought those guys did really well. Credit to Jaden Harris. It was a really good job by him in his first start.”
On the growth of Xavier Restrepo…
“Different system. Certainly, he was a guy who, when he went down, that was a rough one. He has a lot of value in so many different ways, as a person, as a leader, as a teammate. What he does down the field, in terms of finding space, in terms of making the tough, contested catch and yards after catch, physical, blocking, it’s kind of important. He’s playing at a really high level and he is a valued member of the team, a valued member of the leadership council; another great game by him.”
On recruiting locally…
“Miami is working its way to looking what Miami should look like. I think what you’re seeing, in terms in recruiting, is monstrous as it applies to anything that is legal and compliant. That being said, I get to grab one of those PB&Js and hit the road and be at the first school tomorrow morning, bright and early.”
On the first road contest ahead…
“It shouldn’t present any changes in terms of process. We did talk about it. We closed out the month of September 3-0 here at home, which is really important to us. This is the last time we play at Hard Rock for I think three weeks or so. That was a big offseason point, we were going to make Hard Rock our place. We were going to make it a tough place for people to come in and play and we’re off to a good start there. Now, taking this thing on the road, our processes really don’t change. You know, albeit a two-and-a-half-hour plane ride, that’s it. Our guys are going to be really excited to get on the road. They are. We play a really good team. We have a couple of extra days, although we broke down all of our opponents in the offseason. It gives us a chance to now go and see where we’re at by getting on the road.”
Miami Hurricanes Football: Bethune-Cookman HC Raymond Woodie, Jr.
Postgame Press Conference Transcripts
Thurs., Sept. 14, 2023
Hard Rock Stadium
Opening Statement…
“It always comes down to the basics, fundamentals and techniques. We’re going to go back and watch film and see a lot of plays that should’ve been made and could’ve been made. Don’t get me wrong, Miami has a real good football team, and we have a good football team as well. We just have to go in and minimize and maximize our mistakes and things we could’ve done better, in all aspects of the game. I’m proud of them, they fought until the very end and got to score, but that wasn’t good enough. At least we can leave off a good mode because those guys fought. Now we get ready for conference.”
On deciding between quarterbacks…
“As a coach, we want them to develop competition in that spot because you know how important that position is. The quarterback has to lead the team and I see all three of them as leaders and we can win with all three. They all have different skill sets, so it’s a good situation to have. We put guys in positions based on their skill sets and being able to curate an offense. I tell the guys that if you have the job, you have to keep the job. We create competition but obviously coming into this game, Luke [Sprague] was starting and then he got injured. We had to bring in Tylik [Bethea] and he knows that anytime we put him in a pressure situation, he’s shown that he will step up and make plays.”
On playing Miami…
“Obviously Miami is a really good football team. I’m sure they’re going to keep winning a lot of games and they have weapons all over the place. I think our guys going against the talent they were up against tonight and being able to fight and finish means their confidence is going to keep getting stronger. We still have a young team that’s building it together and I’m proud that they finished.”
On Tylik Bethea coming in the game…
“Tylik did well coming in. Obviously, he’s a little banged up but he made some good decisions. I felt comfortable when his name was called to carry the offense.”
