Hurricanes now turn their attention to Pitt

have struggled early in both their previous games that have started at that time.

It has all the makings of yet another letdown game, but Miami’s players say they learned from their experience against the Cavaliers on Saturday.

“It was difficult,” Hurricanes linebacker Shaquille Quarterman said after the Hurricanes struggled with Virginia. “We had to adapt to a different schedule with two 8 p.m. games in primetime. With it being a noon game, you still have to be able to execute like you would if it was a prime-time game, so it took us a little while. It actually took us too long, actually. But once we got it going, we got it going.

“A lesson was definitely learned. Not that we were, but we can’t become complacent at all in any matter. Going into this short week, we’re just planning to prepare better and better each week.”

That short week is one of the challenges facing the Hurricanes, who will be playing in their 10th game in a row without an off week since Sept. 23. UM’s schedule, impacted by Hurricane Irma, forced the team to make adjustments and that once-vacant Oct. 7 date was filled by a make-up ACC game against rival Florida State that was pushed back because of the storm.

It’s been nothing but a sprint since, with Miami’s coaches adjusting their practice schedule in recent weeks to try and make sure players are rested. Wednesday, for example, Hurricanes coach Mark Richt took advantage of some rainy weather to give his team part of the morning off. And with classes not in session this week at Miami because of the Thanksgiving holiday, there should be more time for rest and preparation.

That’s the hope, anyway. Because Miami knows that even after Pittsburgh, another significant game looms against Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game.

“Noon start on Friday. We don’t have a lot of time. Pitt doesn’t either. These guys know. They know they have to get their rest, take care of their bodies,” Richt said. “This will be, I believe, the 10th game in a row and there will be an 11th in a row and that’s a lot of weeks to go because of the hurricane. We, as coaches, have to be wise and not do things to wear them out but still do enough to be prepared . ... ”

MICHAEL LAUGHLIN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Miami lineman Shaquille Quarterman, here laying out Virginia quarterback Kurt Benkert during Saturday’s game, says the team’s players has learned their lesson about being ready to play.