At noon on Saturday, Miami will look to stop Georgia Tech’s triple option offense and the Hurricanes will count on three true freshmen linebackers to lead the way against the Yellow Jackets’ running game.
Shaq Quarterman, Mike Pinckney and Zach McCloud will face the biggest challenge of their young careers when they take the field in Atlanta, but the trio is confident they are up to the task.
“We’re very confident,” Pinckney said of facing Georgia Tech. “The extra bye week gave us a chance to really learn their scheme and what they’re doing and what our jobs got to be. It’s an advantage. The challenges are getting harder and we’re getting smarter.”
Miami is 3-0 and heads to Georgia Tech fresh off a bye week. Quarterman, who has 12 tackles through three games, believes he and his fellow defenders benefitted from the extra time to prepare.
“Any time you have an extra week to prepare for any team it’s a good thing,” Quarterman said. “We had an extra week to prepare a little bit slower. It’s kind of like a math problem, you can go through it piece by piece.”
In addition to learning the intricacies of defending the triple option, McCloud believes the Canes benefitted from the rest and recovery that came with a week off.
“It helped us, not only with preparation mentally, but we were able to heal our bodies and get back in shape to be ready to perform,” McCloud said.
The trio of linebackers has worked extensively with Miami defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Manny Diaz to learn their keys for the week and each player knows that discipline will be essential to success.
“It all starts with eye discipline,” Quarterman said. “That’s actually their whole goal in their offense. If you don’t follow your keys and your eye progressions, things can escalate quickly.”
McCloud knows the temptation to leave assignments will come up on Saturday, but the Lantana, Fla., native understands that he and his teammates need to overcome the urge to freelance and stay on their key.
“You can’t try to make plays that are not meant for you,” McCloud said. “Everybody has their man and their assignment and you’ve just got to follow yours.”
For Pinckney, the biggest key is mental focus against a repetitive offense.
“They don’t do too many different things, so you have to do things over and over,” Pinckney said. “Just a lot of repetition. When you do something that’s the same a lot, you might mess up. We just have to stay focused. If you stop four or five plays, you took half their playbook out. We just have to swarm to the ball.”
While the Canes are set to match up against Georgia Tech’s highly deceptive offense, that does not mean they are going to change their approach too much. They have every intention of continuing their aggressive pursuit of the ball.
“It’s a bit of an adjustment, but you defeat this offense by playing fast,” Quarterman said. “They’re not really good with movement up front. Any time we have the opportunity to play fast and we do so, we’re going to create havoc.”
Miami’s defense is statistically ranked among the best in the country. The Hurricanes have the top scoring defense in the NCAA (7.7 points per game), and are first in team sacks (4.33 per game) and team tackles for loss (13.3 per game).
GAMEDAY!! Go Canes!
#beattech
Posted by: 30CINCO | October 01, 2016 at 01:58 AM
Sloppy Joe Seconds...
Da CANES 1,000
Da Jackets.....0
Posted by: DallasTX Cane | October 01, 2016 at 01:59 AM
Good article 86. Discipline is the key for our D his week. Play smart and it's no contest. A couple of early scores would be huge. PJ's offense is not one to enjoy playing from behind.
Posted by: DallasTX Cane | October 01, 2016 at 02:06 AM
Woohoo Gameday. 6.5 hours to kickoff. Time to breakout the half gallons and start pouring.
Posted by: Old Skool | October 01, 2016 at 05:36 AM
Almost time for my first cocktail.
It's game day!!!
Posted by: Go,GoCanes! | October 01, 2016 at 05:38 AM
Up and at it
We got a beat down to deliver!!!
Posted by: KYcane | October 01, 2016 at 05:39 AM
Canespace @86Cane 2h2 hours ago
Nick Saban bashing a transfer and says "I was taught not to quit", yet quit in Toledo, MSU, Miami Dolphins, AND LSU? I'm choking on irony.
Good article and excellent tweet 86. Saban speak with forked tongue and fat wallet. I look forward to his next corporate speech about dedication, loyalty and honoring contracts.
Posted by: Old Skool | October 01, 2016 at 05:43 AM
Best thing about the morning, the ice melts slower.
Posted by: Old Skool | October 01, 2016 at 05:44 AM
Posted by: Old Skool | October 01, 2016 at 05:44 AM
That's a great saying!
Posted by: Go,GoCanes! | October 01, 2016 at 05:48 AM
Posted by: KYcane | October 01, 2016 at 05:39 AM
You fellas have a great one. Very jealous!
Posted by: Go,GoCanes! | October 01, 2016 at 05:49 AM
Game Day! Wreck Tech!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | October 01, 2016 at 06:10 AM
GAME DAY!!! At least win by 7, thanks!!! Lol
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | October 01, 2016 at 07:18 AM
Canespace present and accounted for. Breakfast is starting on the top deck.
Posted by: KYcane | October 01, 2016 at 07:24 AM
GAMEDAY ROLL CALL.....
HawaiiCane present.
Let's Go 'Canes!!!!
Posted by: HawaiiCane | October 01, 2016 at 08:16 AM
38, 24 Canes.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 08:31 AM
31-21 Canes but we'll be up 17 at some point of the 4th quarter.
Posted by: Go,GoCanes! | October 01, 2016 at 08:34 AM
41-10 da u
Posted by: 1mg of Epi | October 01, 2016 at 08:56 AM
Happy belated Bday Epi! Been really busy appraising, very ill dog, lots of rain, roads closed etc. Sorry for missing ya!
We need to be ready today; big game for us! Each one is!
Posted by: VA Cane | October 01, 2016 at 09:00 AM
Epi and VA, happy birthday.
Mel Kiper Jr says dont expect a lot of defense in GT v. Miami...
I change my score.
38, 20 Canes.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 10:21 AM
And Lurk...
What did I tell you about UW & Stanford?
Chris Petersen is a top 5 coach in CF.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 10:23 AM
58 Straight PRESENT!
Posted by: 58 Straight | October 01, 2016 at 10:27 AM
I spoke to SOUP and 86Cane.
They are PRESENT too!
Posted by: 58 Straight | October 01, 2016 at 10:28 AM
UM 41 - GT 20
Posted by: 58 Straight | October 01, 2016 at 10:29 AM
Still not sure if we r going to beat them. I pray we do.
Posted by: AfriCane | October 01, 2016 at 10:32 AM
One day you're going to hit that prediction, 58. I can feel it.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | October 01, 2016 at 10:35 AM
^^^ today might be it.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 10:36 AM
Posted by: The Dude | October 01, 2016 at 10:23 AM
Very true.
UW looked dominant last night against what is usually a very physical Stanford team.
Potentially something very interesting could happen today. Louisville and Wisconsin once again matched up against Top 10 teams.
If both win, each will have a much stronger case for the top spot in the polls than Bama does. Will be watching to see how much love they get or will they keep the status quo.
Posted by: Go,GoCanes! | October 01, 2016 at 10:44 AM
Top 5 coach? That's just dumb
How about letting CP actually win something first. That Stanford win and the time he beat Oklahoma in a bowl game are his 2 biggest wins.
You don't get to be a top-five coach by beating soft ass West Coast teams.
Congratulations though, on all those victories against San Jose State, Fresno State, and Wyoming. Good job.
Posted by: Lur-ker | October 01, 2016 at 11:03 AM
Beat VT and UGA on the road too. If you actually watched CP coach a game, you'd know he's top 5. Its not even a question. That year against Oklahoma was his rookie year, with a rookie OC & rookie DC. He's put dozens of players in the NFL and his coaches always get bigger jobs. You should really listen to what I am teaching you. You might learn something. Dont be wrong and then double down on your uninformed opinions.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 11:11 AM
I hate yellow jackets...when i moved up to SC. I was working around a their nest. One of the yellow jackets would fly and land on me. They were very hard to see and you could not feel them when they landed on you...then you would get the bee sting...really sneaky...in the 80s we used to shut the option down with push up the middle , great corner and linebacker play...there is no reason why we cannot dominate them....
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | October 01, 2016 at 11:20 AM
Also beat TCU when they were good. Beat Chip Kelly at Oregon twice. Nothing soft about CP teams.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 11:23 AM
Posted by: The Dude | October 01, 2016 at 11:11 AM
You know nothing.
Guy's career has been based on feasting on weak ass west coast teams. Vast majority of his wins have been against D-2 level teams when he was at Boise.
You get challenged and you bring up one win at TCU and a couple against historically soft soft Oregon.
Ain't nothing in his record that says top 5 coach. Nothing. It's not what you think, it's what his record says.
Now, you need to focus on being a better part-time canes fan.
You can go pimp CP on the USC message boards, lets focus on the canes, even if your heart isn't in it
Posted by: Lur-ker | October 01, 2016 at 11:35 AM
^^^ Ive posted here longer than you troll. You showed up with AG, surprise surprise. Theres no helping those that refuse to learn. Ive tried teaching you over and over about football but you refuse to learn. Im afraid Im going to have to flunk you.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 11:45 AM
I think UNC beats fsu!!
Posted by: AfriCane | October 01, 2016 at 11:50 AM
^^^ Whoa! Bold prediction AfriCane.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 11:54 AM
Time to get the game on.
Posted by: Dude on a Pale Horse | October 01, 2016 at 11:55 AM
beat dat ass
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | October 01, 2016 at 11:57 AM
CP does nothing but win.
He's a hell of a coach, that is irrefutable.
Posted by: Go,GoCanes! | October 01, 2016 at 12:01 PM
Here we go.
Posted by: AfriCane | October 01, 2016 at 12:01 PM
Mark Richt is knows what Cane toughness is
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | October 01, 2016 at 12:02 PM
we are flying around
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | October 01, 2016 at 12:05 PM
a lot of different looks on d
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | October 01, 2016 at 12:09 PM
Dude, about this, Syracuse beats Norte dame.
Posted by: AfriCane | October 01, 2016 at 12:10 PM
what a move nice
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | October 01, 2016 at 12:18 PM
Yearby looks a lot faster!
Posted by: NicKane | October 01, 2016 at 12:19 PM
Miami doesnt need to be great recruiting...miami players can step it up..the rating system is rigged period...we can be as good as we want...
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | October 01, 2016 at 12:20 PM
Nice
Posted by: AfriCane | October 01, 2016 at 12:20 PM
^^ Yearby shat out the bowling ball AG put in him
Posted by: 1mg of Epi | October 01, 2016 at 12:20 PM
Canes 7-0
CP is NOT a top 5 coach (lifetime weak SOS)
Posted by: Lur-ker | October 01, 2016 at 12:21 PM
Cheap KELLY falling apart.
Posted by: AfriCane | October 01, 2016 at 12:22 PM