Miami Hurricanes ‘put in the work’ during fall camp. Now, the focus shifts to the Gators
Fall camp has come to an end.
Game prep has begun.
And just like that, the 2024 Miami Hurricanes season is right around the corner.
“Now,” linebacker Francisco Mauigoa said, “it’s time to shift our focus to our opponent.”
That first opponent for the No. 19 Hurricanes: The Florida Gators, with kickoff on Aug. 31 set for 3:30 p.m. at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville.
It will be a litmus test for what’s to come this season — and one the Hurricanes are eagerly waiting to face.
Hype and expectations have followed the Hurricanes all preseason. They’re no strangers to that.
But they know they need to turn those expectations and that potential into results after falling flat in the first two seasons under coach Mario Cristobal.
After a month of practice, the time has almost come.
“I feel like we put in the work,” linebacker Wesley Bissainthe said. “I feel like we’re ready.”
Added tight end Cam McCormick: “We’ve been going against each other for a long time now, and we get to play an actual game coming up. We’re excited for that opportunity to go into Gainesville to play the Gators. We’re super excited to just get back into playing football.”
Competitive camp
With fall camp in the rearview mirror, what stood out the most to the Hurricanes about their preparation over the past month?
“The competition,” tight end Elijah Arroyo said. “Just the way we go out there and work every day on the field. The offense going at the defense. The defense coming back at us. Just the intensity of practice and how hard we play.”
Mauigoa, a fifth-year senior and one of the veterans on Miami’s defense, said the high intensity at practice has prepared the Hurricanes “mentally and physically.”
“Not only that,” Mauigoa said, “it created a lot of good chemistry and good relationships with us. Everybody has the same mindset to compete at every play and compete at a high level. I think everybody is at the right place to prepare and practice for the upcoming game and put on a performance.”
Rare visit to UF
The Hurricanes’ season opener will be their first trip to UF since Sept. 6, 2008, and just the third time Miami has gone to Gainesville since the turn of the century (the other was in 2002).
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium has an official seating capacity of 88,548 but can pack more than 90,000 fans on game day.
The Hurricanes have been preparing for that at practice, with the team at time practicing with the speakers “turned up to the max,” Arroyo said.
“We’re just getting used to that,” Arroyo said, “because it’s going to be a hostile environment.”
To McCormick, who is entering his ninth season of college football, while it’s “hard to replicate 90,00 people,” the Hurricanes’ real focus is on “honing into the quarterback, to the offense, and being on the same page.”
“We’re just trying to put ourselves in situations to where we can succeed when we get there,” McCormick said. “The crowd noise isn’t going to be a factor to us. That’s what we try to replicate at practice to try and get the most game-like atmosphere at practice.”
Soon enough, practice will give way to the real thing. The season opener is almost here.
“We’ve been working really hard,” Bissainthe said, “and I’m very excited to go out there and leave it all on the line.”
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