Business-like trip for Hurricanes

Miami ready to build on last season’s success

CORAL GABLES — Off the field, Jaquan Johnson is, generally, pretty happy-golucky.

This summer, the Hurricanes’ pres ea son AllAmerican safety was practically giddy when he enrolled his cousins in one of Mark Richt’s youth football camps. At the ACC’s annual kickoff event in July, Johnson answered question after question with a broad smile, the same smile most of America saw when he donned Miami’s famed Turnover Chain a teamhigh six times last season. And during camp, more than once, Johnson was seen laughing with teammates as the Hurricanes wrapped up workout after workout in the scorching South Florida sunshine.

But this week, things were different.

Johnson — like many of his teammates — was all business, especially during interview sessions in front of the cameras.

With a new season finally upon them, he and the rest of the eighth-ranked Hurricanes — who will take on No. 25 LSU at 7:30 p.m. in Arlington, Texas — are determined to start the year off on the right foot and prove their accomplishments of a year ago weren’t flukes.

The 10-game win streak to start 2017 was, according to UM players, more indicative of who they are than the three-game losing streak they endured at the end of the year. And against an SEC power in LSU, the Hurricanes know they’ll have a chance to continue proving they are making progress on their journey to rejoin college football’s championship-caliber programs.

“You go back to your habits and all the training that you did in the offseason. Go in with confidence because you know that you’re ready and that the coaches are putting you in a position to do well,” Johnson said. “That ’s how we’re approaching it … We’re not thinking about how big the game is or the hype around it. We’re just thinking about doing our job.”

While the Hurricanes are trying to keep their emotions in check ahead of tonight’s, there’s no denying there is reason for them — and their fans — to be ex- cited about Miami’s potential this season.

The Hurricanes are coming off their first 10-win season in more than a decade. They return 14 starters from a team that won the program’s first Coastal Division title and made its first appearance in the ACC Championship Game.

There were big wins over rivals Florida State, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, and a thrilling come-frombehind victory over ACC foe Georgia Tech.

Individual accomplishments came, too. Though there were times starting quarterback Malik Rosier struggled late in the year, he set a single-season record for touchdowns at Miami, accounting for 31 scores with either his arm or his feet. In his third year at Miami, Richt was named both the ACC Coach of the Year and the Walter Camp Coach of the Year.

Johnson was among the players that had a breakout season, his 96 tackles leading a Hurricanes defense that forced 31 turnovers and averaged 3.38 sacks per game, which ranked No. 1 in the nation.

As thrilling as all of that was, it’s in the past. The challenge now is building on that success, something the Hurricanes can start doing against an LSU team that, like Miami, is looking to make a statement in its opener.

The Tigers were 9-4 last season and 6-2 in SEC play. Several of their offensive playmakers are unproven, with Joe Burrow, a former backup at Ohio State who appeared in just three games, taking over at quarterback. At running back, Nick Brossette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire are looking to fill the huge voids left by the departures of Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams, who combined to rush for more than 2,000 yards last season.

But while there are questions on offense, LSU has two presason All-Americans on defense in linebacker Devin White and cornerback Greedy Williams.

They’ll do their best to contain Rosier, Hurricanes running back Travis Homer and receiver Ahmmon Richards.

GERALD HERBERT/AP The Hurricanes defense will look to frustrate unproven LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, a former backup at Ohio State who appeared in just three games.