Diaz updates UM opt outs for Cheez-It Bowl as Miami begins practice for Oklahoma State
The morning after University of Miami accepted an invitation to play Oklahoma State at next week’s Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando, coach Manny Diaz said during his weekly interview on WQAM that “at this point’’ he didn’t expect anyone but starting defensive ends Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche to opt out of the bowl game.
“But like I said,’’ Diaz pointed out to WQAM host Joe Rose, “it’s 2020. We’ll adjust to anything we have to adjust to. But I feel like the rest of the guys are set to play.’’
That means that players such as tight end Brevin Jordan, who posted on Twitter after the bowl announcement that he was ready to get ‘back to work tomorrow,’ appear to be ready to compete in the bowl game — even if they should make announcements on their futures after the bowl. Jordan, for example, is the fourth tight end projected to go in the upcoming NFL Draft, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., if he should forgo his senior year to turn pro.
The Hurricanes (8-2, 7-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) will meet the Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-3, 6-3 Big 12) on Tuesday, Dec. 29, at Camping World Stadium for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff (ESPN).
The Cowboys finished third in the Big 12 behind Iowa State and Oklahoma and ended the regular season unranked in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 21 in both the Amway Coaches Poll and College Football Playoff rankings.
The Canes moved up one spot to No. 18 in the AP and Coaches polls and also finished the regular season 18th in the final College Football Playoff rankings.
Others contemplating future
Others contemplating decisions on their future, although with different circumstances, include fifth-year senior quarterback D’Eriq King, expected to play in the bowl game, Diaz said Sunday. In light of the NCAA making it possible for players to return next season and keep the same eligibility status as this season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, players such as King could return to compete again.
King has repeatedly said that he loves Miami and the Hurricanes but he’s also had a lifelong dream of playing in the NFL. A substantial talent, King is nonetheless not considered a sure draft pick come April, mostly because he is undersized. Diaz believes the extra year would give him more opportunity to help develop his skills.
“I don’t think D’Eriq has ever been in the same offensive system two years in a row,’’ Diaz said recently. “Just to be able to come back and have the continuity of staff and the players around him would be an immense benefit.’’
Fans also must be wondering about redshirt junior safety Bubba Bolden, who leads the team in tackles with 65, has four tackles for loss, a sack, one interception, four forced fumbles and two blocked kicks, but has intermittently struggled in games after being a star in others and could use one more year to boost his game and draft status. He is not mentioned in Kiper’s top 10 projected safeties in this year’s draft.
When asked by Rose if he were surprised about Roche and Phillips leaving, Diaz basically said he “had conversations with both’’ before they made their announcements.
“Jaelan has done absolutely everything right for us this year,’’ Diaz said. “He has just been a model for our defense and for our program in terms of the effort he’s played with. We talked at the beginning of the year, said, ‘Guys, listen, if you’re going to make the jump, let’s go play great and make the jump by great platform and setting yourself up for a great draft day.’ And Jaelan has done that and Quincy has done the same thing.
“And obviously, Quincy being a senior is a different situation. That’s where we are at now with bowl games. It’s the new normal. We have seen this every year. But I’m excited about the guys we do have playing because that’s one of the side benefits now of what’s going on. You do have a little bit of the next man up and I think some guys get very excited about their opportunity to go shine.”
Redshirt freshmen Jahfari Harvey and Cam Williams, and freshmen Chantz Williams and Quentin Williams and redshirt sophomore Patrick Joyner are all defensive ends who could use the extra playing time.
Shorter bowl wait
Diaz said Monday that he gave players the weekend off and will “get back to work today.’’ He said the players will have “a little bit of time for Christmas’’ on Thursday and then will be already close to the game. He said he understands how so many teams have opted out of bowl games because of the way the pandemic has stretched the season and “drained’’ everyone.
“What helps us is we have so many of our players here locally, the coach said. “Imagine if you’re from far away. School has been out in most of these places since December so you’ve got a group of kids sitting in their dorms or apartments or some foreign place that they really would rather not be in the winter time, and that stinks also. Sometimes they’ve been sitting around waiting three or four extra weeks for a bowl game, so you can see where that becomes very difficult.
“...As we know, South Florida is not the worst place to be in December. Our guys will be more excited to get the bowl game played sooner rather than later so they can get a break. They need some time off, because nothing has been easy.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2020 at 10:28 AM.
