Despite having one the worst outputs of the season in a 38-31 loss to Louisville last Saturday, Miami Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidry has led one of the best defenses in college football. The 38 points was the second most the Hurricanes allowed this season, and Guidry, at Monday's press conference, said it felt like more:
"When I was going home from the game, it felt like I gave up 50-something points, you know? You look back; you gave up 38 points, but you didn't play as well as you're supposed to. But It felt like we gave up 50-60 just as a defensive coordinator."
It was only the third time Miami gave up more than 28 points this season. Guidry was nominated for the Broyles Award, which goes to the nation's best assistant coach. Going into the Louisville game, the Miami defense ranked in the top 20 in total defense (19th), team tackles for loss (10th), sacks (7th), 4th down conversions (4th), first down defense (17th), and rushing defense (6th).
Guidry, a Louisiana native, is in his first year as DC for Miami and has been rumored to be interested in the defensive coordinator positions at USC and LSU.
"My agent hasn't told me anything about that, so it's just people chirping and talking," Guidry said. "As the season's finished, Coach [Mario] Cristobal I'm sure, will sit down with me, and we'll talk about next year's plan and what we'll do here at Miami. This is the job I have. I love it here. I think that we're building something special, so, I'm not looking to go anywhere. I said it when I came here that this was a place that I was always intrigued in coming to, to try and get this thing back to what it was, you know? So, to me, it's just talk until someone picks up the phone and calls me; it's not real. I got a job here at Miami. I love Miami. I love our players, and we're recruiting some really good players and I want to be here at Miami because it's the job that I do have. There's always going to be speculation. Cause anytime anybody does anything good, people are going to want them. It's just a part of it, you know. The grass ain't always greener somewhere else."
As of now, Guidry is committed to changing the culture in Miami. The Hurricanes have lost three games this season by one score, including two against top ten teams in Florida State and Louisville. The Miami DC feels Miami is better than what its record indicates.
"When you are trying to change a culture, and you come into a place that isn't the standard of what it's been, sometimes it gets worse before better," Guidry said. "I think we're on track for that; we're close. We battled some good teams this year. Took Florida State down to the wire and took Louisville down to the wire, and that's the two teams that's going to be playing for the conference championship. I think we've closed the gap. The record really doesn't reflect how close we are. I don't think."
Miami has one more regular season game to prove it is better than its record indicates. Their final opponent Boston College, has the same record that Miami has at 6-5.
"So hopefully, next year, we'll win a lot more by a little bit and maybe even some bigger margins. What the guys have done this year for us as coaches has been great this year. I'm pleased with it. We just got to go out and get this last one for sure."
Miami and Boston College will kick off at noon on Black Friday.
Talk with Miami fans on Canes Talk, Inside Canes Hoops, and Canes on the Diamond
• Subscribe to the Storm Tracker Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, and Spotify
• Subscribe to the Canes County YouTube Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @Canes_County, @BenjaminRivals, @TheCribSouthFLA, @AnthonyYero1, and @MichaelYero
• Follow us on Instagram: @Canes.County
Follow us on Facebook
