CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - The unofficial start to a new season of college football has arrived in Coral Gables.
Monday saw the start of media day for the Miami Hurricanes, who expressed overwhelming excitement to get back to work and begin the long journey to return to the national championship game after their crushing defeat to the Indiana Hoosiers led by last season’s Heisman-winner Fernando Mendoza.
Just shy of seven months since then, the team is prepared to show off the hard work they’ve put in during their time off.
“I’m excited to be back to playing football. There’s been a lot of training this summer, and a lot of conditioning, lifting, and I feel most myself when I’m playing football so I’m glad to be back to that,” said Canes wide receiver Cooper Barkate.
“I’m excited just to get into the building, work with my teammates,” said Canes defensive lineman Damon Wilson II, who just transferred to Miami from Missouri.
One of the biggest changes for the Canes is new quarterback Darian Mensah, who is expected to take over under center after former Canes QB Carson Beck declared for the NFL draft.
Mensah is currently the preseason favorite to win this season’s Heisman Trophy.
“It’s a blessing to be named preseason player of the year, but it’s just an accolade, it doesn’t – I haven’t done anything this year and, you know, I’m just – I saw that and I thought, ‘OK, I got to go and prove it to myself this year,'” said Mensah.
Following their Cinderella run to last season’s title game, the expectations for this season have soared, with early projections showing the Canes to win the ACC title, return to the College Football Playoff and make a second consecutive deep run for the national championship.
Inside the team’s training facility, players said none of the preseason hype surrounding the football program matters.
“Last year’s team was last year’s team; this is a whole new team and I feel like we got a great, talented team,” said Canes wide receiver Malachi Toney.
Several players echoed the importance of just letting their play do the talking, rather than allow outside chatter to define how far they can go.
“A lot of people are loving the U, and honestly, I just feel like that’s rat poison, and I’m just being extremely honest, that’s rat poison for this team and we have to just stay true to ourselves, believe in the work that we put in every day and just keep on holding each other accountable. We’re the only people that truly matter,” said Canes running back Mark Fletcher Jr.
As they prepare to enter training camp, the Canes’ message has been to continue blocking out outside noise, attack each day and earn every opportunity presented to them.
“When you hunt to kill, you know, it’s like every play, every snap, as soon as that ball gets set, it’s like you just, something’s got to click, you feel me? Once you pass the white lines, something’s got to click like they’re trying to take money away from you. I got to go feed my side, you feel me?,” said Canes defensive lineman Ahmad Moten. “I love football, I just missed this feeling. I missed all of this.”
The team returns to practice at 9 a.m., Tuesday.
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