’Canes regroup after Clemson
CLEMSON, S.C. — Not every Miami Hurricanes game can be a prime-time Saturday night showdown like the past three have been.
To rebound off Saturday night’s devastating 42-17 loss at No. 1Clemson, Miami will have to get up for a noon kickoff against Pittsburgh this coming Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. The following week, it’s Virginia in another home game.
It will be quite the pivot from havinggames atNo.1Clemson, vs. rival Florida State and at thenranked Louisville in an ACC opener all as top matchups in a Saturday college football slate of games, featured on ESPN’s College GameDay.
It didn’t appear the Hurricanes, dominated thoroughly in virtually every aspect of the game against the top-ranked Tigers, were lacking effort or worn out from the constant playing of big games, even coming off an idle
week. UM coach Manny Diaz now has to keep his team playing high-intensity football against the Pitts and Virginias of the ACC as the Hurricanes (3-1, 2-1) dive deeper into the 10-game conference slate of the 2020 season.
“Pitt gave us all we can handle a year ago and Virginia won our side [the Coastal Division] last year, despite the results [Saturday as both lost],” Diaz said. “We play in the ACC where we should expect to play in a lot of close, competitive games. We just have to play better. We have to present a better version of ourselves thanwe did [Saturday] night.”
For the first time this season, Miami will have to flip the switch coming off a loss instead of trying to ride momentum. Players were in the right frame of mind shortly after Saturday’s final.
“It’s easy to lead when everything’s going good,” said quarterback D’Eriq King, who threw his first two interceptions as a Hurricane on Saturday and was 12 of 28 for 121 yards. “I think the real leaders come out when things are hard.”
Diaz said, while the team was hurt by the loss, he didn’t witness the negativity on the sideline or postgame in the locker room that sometimes plagued the Hurricanes last year. Players, while emotional in defeat, immediately shifted their attention to the week ahead in playing the Panthers, motivated to get back in the win column.
“We’re focused on Pitt,” said safety Bubba Bolden, who had a team-high 10 tackles, blocked two field goals and forced a fumble. “A lot of emotions. No one likes to lose, especially not me. I’m not a loser. So, just got tomove on, move forward and just get back towork.”
Tight end Brevin Jordan added: “The brand of football coach Diaz has taught us, it’s like, we’re hungry. We’re like, ‘Okay, we lost. Let’s go focus on Pitt now. Let’s go beat Pitt. Let’s work ourway back.’”
Jordan left Saturday’s game with an apparent shoulder injury. He said he should be fine for next week while Diaz said initial exams indicated the ailment was “not too bad.” UM also had left tackle John Campbell leave early with an apparent knee injury. Linebacker Zach McCloud also went down pointing at his knee but returned.
Miami feels it controls its own fate the rest of the way. Despite being outplayed by Clemson, players feel their performance dictates the result.
“It’s always dependent on us and what we got to do to get better, regardless of who’s in front of us,” striker Gilbert Frierson said. “Every game is a big game. The next game is a big game.”
While a humbling experience to get beat the way Miami did at Clemson, the Hurricanes can seek a potential rematch with the Tigers in the ACC Championship Game if they’re able to win out in the rest of the regular-season slate.
They can’t get there all at once, though, so that journey begins by putting their best performance on the field against Pitt.