Al Golden Presser Highlights: FAU 'Scores in Bunches'
The Miami Hurricanes travel up the road to Florida Atlantic this Friday for Week 2 of the college football season. Al Golden kicked off today's weekly press conference doling out respect to FAU's offense after the Owls dropped 44 points on Tulsa last weekend.
Opening Statement…
"I appreciate you waiting, and obviously I'm grateful for everybody coming out today. We just finished our second day of preparation for Florida Atlantic. We're excited. We understand the challenge that we face up there and in this team in all three phases. I've been very impressed with them. Certainly on offense, the way they're scoring – they score in bunches. They have a quarterback that can make it go, hard to bring down, very good on the perimeter. Kicking game, I'm very impressed. Kick returner, punt returner – they have two really that can do it – and the kicker and the punter are excellent. On the defensive side, they're aggressive up front, their guys have motors. They have a very good secondary, and at corner they really believe. In general, I'm just impressed with the entire secondary. It's a very fast unit, and one that we have to be ready for. With that, I'll open it up to any questions you have."
On the play of sophomore Trent Harris, who led the defense with five tackles…
"He's a good player. When you start off with our foundation, it really allows you to get your talent in the game, and he does that. He's consistent every day. I've just been really pleased, especially considering he wasn't in a lot of plays - that is a very high factor level in the plays he is in. Number of opportunities divided by plays, his factor level is high. He's a great kid. He's very smart, plays with a great motor and very consistent. You know what you're getting from Trent Harris when you put him in the game.
On the depth of the defensive line and the rotation…
"We like to play guys, and we're excited about our depth and we're excited about some of the competitions. A lot of the [second teamers] that went in there did a really good job and finished. Kendrick [Norton] and [Anthony] Moten and Chad [Thomas] and a lot of those guys are continually fighting for the[second team]. We have to play really good this week; we have to tackle well and get off the field on third down, otherwise we're going to face a great deal of plays – and that's really where college football is going. We have to be ready to sub and get a lot of guys in there."
On what he has seen from junior defensive back Corn Elder…
"He's a great kid. He's a leader - quiet, unassuming…just a great kid. I can't say enough good things about him. He has worked really hard, he's healthy now, he's stronger, has a great vertical, his lateral quickness is good. When we play him in the nickel spot, coming off the edge he's very fast – he had two plays doing that the other day. We're trying to be careful with him, not do too much with him, but obviously he's a playmaker when he's in there. He's practicing that way right now. I'm very pleased with the way he's practicing right now – he's very consistent, which is nice."
On if there are any specific areas he would like to see his team improve in after the opener…
"There are so many things. Anytime you win, it can, if you allow it, mask a lot of things. We're just not going to let it mask anything. We've addressed everything with our players, and certainly among the staff, what we need to fix. We just have to consistently approach each day. I think we've done that so far. We're not done with this day yet, but just a good attitude, good energy. They turn on the tape and they know what they're in for [against FAU] Friday night, and they know what the atmosphere is going to be.
"There are so many things we can do better and that we need to improve on both individually and collectively. That's been the task of the coaches over the last 48 hours: identify those things individually, identify by position group and then identify by them unit, including special teams.
On how he approaches the game with players, as it relates to a "heightened emotion" game for FAU…
"I haven't been in too many games at Miami where the other team wasn't jacked up to play. What we need to do is be consistent. We need to be consistent. We need to be consistent in our approach, regardless of where we play or who we play. What anyone says outside this building is immaterial – our guys respect the opponent, our guys know exactly what they see on tape, and our guys know what they're capable of. Our guys know that if we don't control us, none of it's going to matter. [We did] a good job preparing yesterday, equally as consistent today. Let's keep going. We have a long way to go. I know it's a short week, but we have a long way to go before we can say we're ready to play."
On if the possibility of surgery has been discussed regarding sophomore Braxton Berrios…
"No. I don't know if he's going to quite make it this week. But surgery has not come up in any [talks]. We dodged a bullet. I think Stacy [Coley] has a chance. That's where we're at with that today.
On which players could step up to replace Berrios on return duties…
"We have Mark Walton, Corn [Elder], Artie Burns. Trayone Gray. Joe Yearby. We've had a lot of guys that have worked there. Herb Waters – there's a number of guys. That's something we continually work on during the year just because of depth."
On how much the first-year players (true freshmen & redshirt) impressed in their debuts on Saturday…
"It's exciting. The thing that was exciting for me was that you could talk to Michael Jackson during the game and we were making adjustments with him. Jaquan Johnson, we were making adjustments…it's a very bright group. Sheldrick Redwine is really bright. He could be exhausted, he could have just covered a kick and coming off breathing [heavy], and he looks you right in the eye and you can speak to him. I thought those guys did good. [Tyler] Gauthier went in there and did well. Tyree St. Louis really improved. Mark [Walton] has been like that. Kendrick [Norton], RJ McIntosh, James King, CJ [Perry]. A lot of those guys - I'm forgetting some of those guys who are redshirt freshmen like [David] Njoku - but I thought that group did good. They should make improvement this week, and that's what we're trying to hold them to task right now."
