Coach Manny Diaz said on Monday afternoon that Game 1 opponent Florida “is an outstanding opponent, a top 10 team and for good reason. … I know the energy and toughness they’ll play with.”

Diaz also addressed the backup QB situation.

“Right now Tate (Martell) and N’Kosi (Perry) are battling out to be our No. 2 quarterback,” Diaz said. “As we really get into the game plan stuff for the opener, see who can grasp that.”

With word that Martell is also working at WR, Diaz said “it’s hard for (Martell) to play another position” when he could be the next guy in at QB.

If Perry is the backup could Martell move to receiver?

“That would be up to Tate,” Diaz said.

With his first game as head coach at UM on such a big stage, what will Diaz’s emotions be like?

“Well I can’t wait to see my emotions, because at the scrimmage I’m really excited every time something good happens,” Diaz said. “We discussed this as a coaching staff - the importance of our poise. Both teams are really good. There’s going to be some give or take in this game. They’ll be watching us, because if they see we’ve lost confidence in them they’ll get in panic mode. That’s not just important for me but for our entire staff to keep our poise in the game.”

Diaz also weighed in on several other subjects:

* Diaz said of freshman LT starter Zion Nelson, a true freshman, “does not look like a (freshman) out there - even if he makes a mistake he has the quickness to make up for it.”

Diaz added “He’s a highly motivated young man, mature beyond his years. “

* Diaz says UF “is not just a big game, it is a rivalry game where the fans will be split 50-50.

He also stressed that his players have to “be able to handle the emotions.”

* Of starters contributing on special teams, Diaz said, “There’ll be starters all over our special teams unit.”

* Of John Campbell winning a starting job at RT, Diaz said, “Second scrimmage, took a step up. … (We put him with the ones) and John never looked out of place. We always thought John was talented, we have a young offensive line, guys we know are going to be really, really good, and John has earned a spot.”

* Diaz said freshman LB Sam Brooks “has done really well. Sam was a terror at Miami Northwestern coming off the edge, but you have to be able to project. Sam is a guy we know can run. When he gets fully developed he’ll be really, really impressive to see.”

* How does Diaz see his roster in terms of it being balanced in classes and numbers? The team has nine juniors/seniors starting on D and five on offense.

“Generally in Year 1 your roster will be out of balance and if you asked Dan Mullen today he’d say (that still),” Diaz said. “And we’re all in a different era with transfers. For lack of a better turn keeping the middle class of your football team around for the long haul is the trick - guys that aren’t quite starters, get in the third or fourth year have a lot of incentive to leave. We’re not where we need to be. That will be, when that will occur - it’s different now too - can you get transfers, get older at some spots? Signing day we can look and they’re talking about changing the rules on oversigning, which I think everyone in college football would be for.”

* Diaz said he doesn’t expect anyone not to make the trip to Orlando (ie no suspension issues).

Coach Manny Diaz was asked Monday on WQAM about the situation with QB Tate Martell, who reportedly is also getting a look at wide receiver.

Diaz's official word on that?

“Right now we are trying to figure out who our second string quarterback is,” Diaz said.

With game week here, Diaz touched on several other topics.

Another subject he addressed: The team's reaction to naming Jarren Williams the starting QB.

"It's had almost a calming effect on the entire team,” Diaz said. "Now we know who our guy is and everybody understands that they can rally around a guy. It's not a one man show. ... We have an identity now and we can get going moving forward.”

With Williams at the helm, new coordinator Dan Enos' offense will be unveiled this weekend.

And Diaz agreed it's important to get Williams going early.

“What Dan Enos does a great job of is creating offensive friendly for the quarterback,” Diaz said. “Their guys play, but in a game like this, when you go 0-to-100 in terms of intensity with it being such a big rivalry game, I think both offenses are going to try and get simple things going and catch a rhythm.”

Diaz added that "(our players) can see the plays that are available and the problems that it causes for the offense. You really have to defend two plays. You have to make sure your pre-snap communication is on point because you might just cut somebody loose. You know, there are two ways to go about beating somebody: you can out-execute someone or you can let the other guys screw it up themselves. It is fun to win with honor and valor, and sometimes the other guys just mess it up enough to give away some free offense and that is a big part of it.”

More thoughts from Diaz:

* Diaz said he expects "a very, very emotional event" and that the crowd noise will be disruptive.

"It'll be something that takes some getting used to," Diaz said.

* Of true freshman Zion Nelson being slotted to start at LT, Diaz said his advice to Nelson is "Just go play. All of that (game buzz) creates external pressure and really it is just about the bus leaves on Friday and the game is 7 on Saturday and be there ... If you can do it on Greentree you can do it at any stadium you play on."

* Of his veteran linebackers leading the way, Diaz said “They are so important. On game day, take a Shaq Quarterman - he can spread his influence on the entire football team. In any big game or any big season, you need your seniors to play their best and we have three guys like that at linebacker.”

* With Derrick Smith and Nigel Bethel making the decision to transfer and how he handles it, Diaz said, "Well, every situation is different. But we said this going in, that we are going to make competition king again on Greentree Practice Field and by nature if it is a competition, not everybody can win. Some guys wanted to leave for different reasons and we wish them well, but we move on with who we got."

Diaz added "You're going to try to make sure you have the young man's best decision at heart. With that being said, this is the Miami Hurricanes and we don’t have to beg anybody to play for Miami. And we are going to get this going with guys who value what it means to be a Hurricane and want to be here and will do whatever it takes to get this place back on top.”

* Asked what he sees as UF's strength, Diaz said "Their skill. They bring all their receivers back and they have some guys in the secondary that are very talented. They have a deep stable of running backs that run really hard. They have some outstanding skill, which you would expect. They have the experience at quarterback."

What does Diaz want to see from his team in this game?

“Saturday night, I just want to see a team that competes. I want to see 11 guys on the field competing. There are going to be execution mistakes, but they are going to make execution mistakes as well. To me it comes down to who can channel the emotions of the night and how can stay competitive with their fight for the longest period of time? That is going to be the key and to me that is something we need to prove that we can do because that is something we have been lacking.”

* Of his front 4 setting the tone, Diaz said, “That's who we are always going forward, it has defined us defensively for the last three years. Those guys have got to set the tone and that can’t be a draw. It has to be a win for us match-up wise.”

Diaz also said he sees the keys to the game as "tackling, turnovers and special teams."

* Diaz also addressed trash talking in this matchup and what he's told his players about that.

"We've really been focused on working," Diaz said. “Yeah, there are going to be guys on the field that know each other and some of these guys are life-long friends that are going to be different uniforms playing against each other, but they aren’t awarding any points for social media snarky-ness, right?

“Our guys have been good. They understand you know, look - on what platform would we have any ability to talk anyway? Look at our last appearance nationally. We have nothing to say other than we better be focused on our work and who we are and then let that show Saturday night.”

* Diaz said UM invited recruits to the game but that recruits cannot go on the sidelines. Per NCAA rules the recruits also can't talk with coaches there in person given it's a neutral site stadium.

"Both schools get a split of tickets that can go to recruits," Diaz said.