Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal made his weekly appearance on local radio 560 WQAM Monday morning on the Joe Rose Show With Zach Krantz. The Hurricanes prepare for a road game at Clemson this Saturday.

On Quarterback Jacurri Brown and the decision to start the freshman

“We’re down four offensive linemen, right. Protecting the quarterback is always at a premium. Jacurri [Brown], is not only a good player, he also can protect himself sometimes with his feet. The combination of those things, the fact that it also makes the running game very different. It makes the defense defend all eleven guys, right, and extra gap or two. He had a great week. He’s shown a ton of poise ever since he got here in January. The guy when out there and he didn’t flinch and took the first drive right down the field along with the offense and got the momentum going.”

On when they knew that Brown would be able to start at quarterback

“He always flashed that talent. When we put him up there in that game against Virginia Tech, he didn’t flinch. So okay, he’s not going to be affected by all the stuff you know. All the noise and the clutter that comes with it. But the thing is he’s a really good passer and maybe a couple of times he got a little nerved up and the ball got away from him, but I think as he gets more and more repetitions we are going to see how special he is.”

On the play offensive line

“They played well. They protect the quarterback well. I thought Will Mallory played his best game as a blocker. No one mentions his name man, but that guy really got after it in a big-time way and did a good job in the C-gap. And a lot of credit to Jaylan Knighton. Bouncing back throughout the year with injuries and a couple issues here and there. But played really, cause he ran really hard. Just ran hard. Broke tackles, made the first guy miss. Really proud of him. Honestly proud of how this team bounced back and showed up and got after it.”

On freshman Offensive Lineman Anez Cooper

“He’s about 350 in moon pounds. You know what a mean. But he’s a, [Anez] Coop[er] is an exceptional human being, an exceptional competitor. The guy’s going to be a great player and he’s playing really well for us. He understands the game. He’s a one-correction guy. Once you make a, you fix something, he doesn’t have to get it explained to him two or three times. He just get’s it. Very instinctive. Heavy-handed, light-footed. Plays with great leverage. Guy’s going to be a special player.”

On freshmen defenders Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly

“Wesley [Bissainthe] started this game and he’s a starter for us now. He is, he is [a starter] and he played extremely well. Just different. You call those guys erasers. The ball bounces and all of a sudden, bam, splat, 2nd and 8, right. He’s that kind of guy. His weight’s up. He bounces between 15 and 20 and he’s going to be a 230-pounder within a year a so so he’s done a great great job. And again can’t say enough about Nyjalik [Kelly]. He hasn’t started but he starts on certain packages. Both those guys, it’s what it looks like. It’s what it’s suppose to look like. And those guys are going to grow and get more repetitions and get better and better. A bunch of freshmen on the field on Saturday that did a really nice job, and the older guys have done a great job helping those guys learn the system.”

On Sophomore Safety Kamren Kinchens

“Well it’s crazy to think he’s only a sophomore. That’s gets lost in all this stuff. He’s on his way to being elite and it starts with the fact that he has elite habits. The way he approaches practice and preparation, his film study sessions are already legendary. He’s always in there with that clicker man. Just finding a way to gain a step, gain some leverage. Gain a tip here and there. He practices hard. He’s a great leader. He’s done the right things on and off the field. He’s what you want. You want a ton of guys like that. That’s what makes it happen and he’s a blessing to have here at the University of Miami.”

On Kinchens stepping up as a leader

“You always got a choice right. You fold it up and you pack it in or you come out swinging and get right back to work. That’s ball man. The guy’s a ball player. He epitomizes South Florida football in my opinion. Guys like him and several other guys we have on the team. He is that guy. Again, special dude.”

On causing turnovers

“Ball security is job security. Really proud of Rooster. Georgia Tech I believe was second in the country in forcing turnovers. He secured the football and ran hard. It wasn’t like he was protecting the ball and running tentatively. It was a four-to-nothing turnover margin for us in this game. It was something that was a huge point of emphasis and it showed up. When you emphasize something and it shows up and it makes you really proud of the guys.

On evaluating the roster

“When you coach football you never give up on anybody because you never know when someone’s going to get it. You know what I mean. Now you make sure you absolutely load the place up with elite talent cause that’s the name of the game. It’s personnel. Come on man, look at the plays that are being run out there in college and pro football. Personnel makes it go go go. What you do is pour into each and everyone and let it ride, because as always in competition the cream rises. And everyone gets better. You just keep coaching your butt off. I like to look at it that way. Keep that perspective but make sure you raise the standard. You don’t lower your standards for anyone or anything. Never. Raise the standards. Put it on ‘em. Bring ‘em. Challenge them. Groom ‘em. Love ‘em up, but keep bringing it at ‘em, because at the end of the day there is no kind and cuddly way to prepare for what we have to do.”

On keeping guys from transferring

“I’ll speak in generalities. Around the country, you always see the end result you probably don’t see the conversations had behind closed doors. The portal’s a two-way street. I think teams and coaches and players got to do what’s best for them and the portal’s good for both sides. Roster turnover is more critical for some programs as opposed to others depending on what state of the program they’re in, and depending on what type of talent level they’re at what they're trying to acquire, type of culture they’re trying to acquire. It’s a mentality, right? You want to surround guys with like-minded guys. So I think, I’m answering it in a general way, you got to shape your roster as it relates to the big picture you know what I mean? To do that you go to be very honest with players. I say hey man, you’re doing awesome, but we got to do this, this, and that to take that next step or got to be also like, hey brother, if this doesn’t change, this ain’t for you. And we got to find guys that this is for so it’s like this around the entire country, everyone’s trying to get better using it. I don’t think the true story is ever told out there. It’s kind of a splash on social media.”

On the injury status to Henry Parrish and Leonard Taylor

“Not sure man. Not sure. Evaluating day-to-day to see how those guys are doing. I think they’re going to be okay. I do. Let me see who else. Obviously, we’re down a few guys, especially up front. But eh, you got to go with what you got and proud of those guys. They went out and they battled and if you are willing to battle for four quarters and take it deep into the ball game, you know what you always got a chance and that’s what we want.”

On Tyler Van Dyke’s injury status

“We’re close. We’re getting there. We’re getting better and better. Anybody that does have an injury unless it’s definitely season-ending. We work our tails off, medical does, to get them where they can play safely. They’re always going to do everything humanly possible to get a guy ready to play without putting him at risk. And he’s one of those guys. and he wants to play. And he’s working his butt off to try to get there. Day-to-day man we’ll see.”

On the effort against Georgia Tech

“It’s progress. I told the players that Miami Hurricanes around the country were proud of the fact that we showed up and got after it because that’s what Hurricane football should look like. Defensively, offensively, stopping the run, running the football. Throwing the ball well. Finding a way to win. Just finding a damn way. That’s what it’s about. Our guys, we’re learning, we’re growing, we’re developing, we have some areas that are talented, some that need a ton of talent acquisition and you know what everyone is learning more and more all the time so any day you go out and compete, it’s progress. So we felt like we had progress. Extremely happy for the players, for them to come out, you know what Joe, they had a lot of fun man. They really had a lot of fun playing ball, playing together. After that first drive, I look over to the sideline, that thing was on fire. I’m like, probably going to be a good day.”

On the message to the team facing Clemson this week

“That roster is what it’s suppose to look like. They’ve been at it for a long time. Coach Dabo Swinney’s done an unbelievable job. They’re elite across the board. Played them when I was an assistant coach at the University of Alabama and it hasn’t changed. They’re coached extremely well. They’re disciplined. They play hard and I tell you what man they’re impressive. They are as impressive as it gets.”

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