CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes are on a bye week after starting the season 5-0 and 3-0 in conference play. Miami is on pace for another electric season, and head coach Mario Cristobal knows it.
However, there are still that Cristobal wants to clean up in the bye week while also having some eyes on the next team, Florida State. That game is now set for 7:00 p.m. ET for another primetime matchup on ESPN.
However, there is time for the Canes not to play on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Cristobal has time to think about his team dealing with injuries and continue to learn week after week.
Florida State on Deck
The Hurricanes have won the previous two matchups against their most heated rivals, and it’s not slowing down. Cristobal knows this week marks the start of scouting time for the Seminoles over the next two weeks. Moreover, they are getting hot at the right time.
“It will be a normal week where we work both on ourselves and on Florida State, and they play this Friday as well,” Cristobal said. “They’re coming off a big time win where they completely dominated their opponent, and I mean did in every way possible. 10 sacks, ran the ball well, threw the ball really well, just very, very impressive. So certainly a team that we’re going to have to be at our best to play our best football.”
Injuries Hurt, But Miami Are Expecting Some Players Back
Injuries are the story of the year for UM, but their depth continues to place them in spots that keep the foundation from being shaky. Moreover, the Canes are expecting key players back for the Noles.
“We’ve got to wait till the week gets going or whatnot,” Cristobal said. “But I do feel, you know, last week we felt good about Xavier Lucas being there. We feel even better. I know he didn’t make it there, but and then [Ezekiel] Marcelin. We didn’t use Marcelin last game, but he was ready to go, and now we feel, with another couple weeks, he’s gonna be in a good spot.
“But I want to commend our players for just continuing to just fight through some of the issues that we had physically and whatnot because the game meant a lot to them and a conference road game, any conference game is really, really important to them, and they just want to find a way to get to 1-0 and get it done.”
Offensive Line Adjustments starting with a Freshman
The Hurricanes have been building themselves in the right spot at the right time,moving with key players. It starts with the offensive line and the addition of four-star freshman Ben Congdon at right guard, helping the Canes dominate in the run and passing game against the Tigers.
One of the biggest takeaways after the Clemson matchup was how the Hurricanes adjusted the offensive line with the first start of the season for the freshman lineman. Many expect Jackson Cantwell to be a starter, but his true position is tackle, and with both starters playing at an elite level, he will have to wait his turn. Congdon, however, unlocks a new level for the Canes.
“Strong performance. Colossal human being. Really, really big. But he plays that way,” Cristobal said. “The moment was not too big for him.”
Old Man Linebackers
Many will say things about the Canes and the age of their linebackers, but they are one of the hardest-hitting duos in the country. They are knocking players’ heads off anytime they come across the middle, making quarterbacks second-guess whether they want to throw between the two.
It also helps that Miami’s defense is the No. 2-ranked group in the country. It starts with them in the middle and how physical they are.
“The physicality of Chase [Smith] and Mo [Toure],” Cristobal raved. “Those guys, they made a massive impact on the game. You know, you mentioned Chase. Well, how about Chase’s first third down tackle? And then the fourth down one, right? bBeing able to understand, man, all those. You’ve seen Coach Heatherman practice and how hard he goes, and man, there’s a lot going through my head right now. But this goes back to one of the questions: ss the buy-in to the way that we practice and how hard we go, and how hard Coach Heatherman is on them.”
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