Where the Canes continue to make strides. And key All American meeting postponed
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Tuesday:
▪ Manny Diaz took a minute Tuesday to remind everyone of the fundamental change he made with the program 22 months ago, and the positive impact it’s having.
“When we made a decision on what we were going to do as a program, when we decided to bring in [offensive coordinator] Rhett Lashlee and push the accelerator on tempo and [implement] Air Raid [principles], that’s a program decision,” Diaz said on WQAM’s Hurricane Hotline with Joe Zagacki and Don Bailey Jr.
“We want to evolve into what is going on in college sports. You’re not winning if you’re not scoring. Now we know we’re in every game because we can throw the football and throw when we want it... Being able to compete on offense gives us a chance to win every football game. If you can’t score in college football right now, you ain’t got a chance.”
Diaz is right.
Two years ago, UM ranked in the bottom third of several key offensive categories.
Now they’re easily in the top third in FBS in total offense (36th), yards per play (41st), passing yards (19th), yards per passing attempt (29th) and points (34th and 32.9).
▪ This two-game winning streak makes it increasingly likely that Diaz will be given the remainder of the season and obviously increases his chance of returning next season in year four of his five-year deal, though that decision must play out.
“He’s getting extra life and needs to take advantage of it,” one UM official said. “Give him credit: The kids have come around.”
UM (4-4) closes against Georgia Tech, at FSU, Virginia Tech and at Duke.
Diaz is guarding against overconfidence from his players.
“We now have the adversity of success,” he told Zagacki and Bailey. “People are patting us on the back. Guys are getting individual accolades.
“My message to the team Sunday was you have to treat criticism and praise the same way. If you hold on to both, both are unhealthy. You cannot lose the feeling of our backs against the wall.... We know we need some help” to win the ACC Coastal.
▪ Former UM All American safety Bennie Blades had planned to meet with athletic director Blake James and president Julio Frenk late last month to discuss the state of the football program, a meeting requested by Blades.
But Blades said the meeting was postponed - and will be rescheduled - because Blades was ill.
Speaking before the Pittsburgh game, Blades said one recent change in the program encouraged him: the move toward players - often younger players - who are giving full effort.
“I look at [the James] Williams kid,” Blades said by phone. “He’s a guy who wants to play the game. He’s going to make mistakes, but he’s going to make mistakes going a 1000 miles an hour. So I can live with that.
“The quarterback’s [Tyler Van Dyke] desire to want to play the game is uplifting; you saw the emotions [against NC State].
“As a coach are you going to allow [someone playing not at max effort]?
“Sometimes you would rather put in a guy who goes 1000 miles an hour. I can deal with the mistakes if he’s doing that. I cannot deal with the person who doesn’t want to come to work with a lunch pale mentality.
“You think when Sean Taylor got in the game, it was half ass? That’s the mentality I want every one of those guys to have.”
Blades said players should be asking themselves: “‘What could I have done better to make us better?’ That’s the only way our program will get back to what it was.”
Blades doesn’t want players who say “my desire to play in the NFL is more than my desire to win.”
Colin McCarthy is the most prominent former Cane who has called for Diaz’s dismissal. Diaz has suggested that former players and fans attacking the program hurts recruiting, while not directly criticizing former players for doing so.
Does it bother Blades if former players are publicly critical?
No, he said. “When you’ve played the game down there, you have that right. You have sat in that locker room, sweated on Greentree. Where I draw the line is if you’ve never stepped on Greentree Field and you’re bashing the players. If you sweated on that field, your opinion matters.”
Blades said he wants to discuss the program’s future with Diaz and Frenk but declined to say what changes need to be made, preferring to keep some of his thoughts confidential.
▪ Blades said his nephew, UM junior cornerback Al Blades Jr., will miss the remainder of the season with an injury (as expected) but believes he intends to return next season for a final season of eligibility.
Blades, who has four career interceptions, has played in just one game this season.
▪ There has been some speculation about James’ status on social media, but a Board of Trustee member said he has received no indication that James is in jeopardy. He remains highly regarded internally for his fund-raising and other reasons.
James has support on the Board of Trustees. But a UM official said Frenk - not the Trustees - makes the decision on the athletic director’s job status.
▪ Quick stuff: UM defensive linemen Quentin Williams said he entered the transfer portal...
Four-star Monsignor Pace linebacker Shemar Stewart - a top UM priority in the 2022 class - has narrowed his choices to UM, Texas A&M, Georgia and Ohio State and is expected to wait until Feb. 2 to sign, according to Canesport, citing a source. Rivals rates him the 38th best player in the country….
Freshman safety Kamren Kinchens still hasn’t missed a tackle all season...
Diaz said the Pittsburgh game was Zach McCloud’s best performance since moving to defensive end...
Bally Sports Florida will carry Saturday’s UM-Georgia Tech game at 12:30 p.m.
This story was originally published November 2, 2021 at 7:25 PM.
