The history of Miami Hurricanes football is littered with some great players. Guys like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Warren Sapp and Andre Johnson have all donned the uniform. Recently, the program hasn’t lived up to those standards. Al Golden is trying to change that. He is going into his third season with the ‘Canes. The first two haven’t gone too well. Six- and seven-win seasons aren’t going to cut it, not at a football power like Miami. But it takes time to build something sustainable and Golden is hoping for even more progress this season.
Al Golden joined WQAM in Miami with Big Dog to talk about the excitement surrounding quarterback Stephen Morris, whether Seantrel Henderson is starting to figure things out, how nice it was to have former Hurricanes at the spring game and what is next for him now that the spring game is over.
On the excitement surrounding quarterback Stephen Morris:
“I think the first thing is Stephen made some great throws, especially the back pad throws. If you can do that I think you have a chance to be a great quarterback. I temper everything. I take everything for what it is. There were five or six sacks that would have been if the defense wasn’t laying off him, so we have to be careful there because we had some breakdowns in protection and obviously the umpire let the play go. You give Stephen time and he’s going to carve you up. He did that and had some fun doing it, which was good.”
If he thinks Seantrel Henderson has started to figure it out:
“I think so. I think he has matured. He’s starting to do the little things right every day. As I said to you a number of time on this show, when you have your house in order, now the coaches are talking to you about your technique and the finite things that are going to improve your game. That’s where our conversations have gone. It’s not, ‘Hey, why were you late getting back from spring break? Why did you miss this class? What’s going on here?’ — that type of thing. It’s been about all technique; it’s been about football. It’s really been a football school for him over the last three months. He brings energy and Seantrel has always loved football. Now he understands the discipline and the habits that have to go along with being a really good player. I think the other guys at that position have helped him. I think he’s starting to understand the camaraderie and unity that is important at that position and he has bought into it. I’m excited about his development for sure.”
How nice it was to have former Hurricanes, Andre Johnson and Ray Lewis, at the spring game:
“Ray’s son is going to be on the team and he was at our pregame function, Ray Sr. was, but we tried to treat him like a dad in those situations. Don’t really want people taking pictures with him and things. We had some people protecting him there or whatever, but it was great to talk to Ray. I had a chance to visit with him. He’s healthy and excited about the next stage, watching his son play on Saturdays and then doing the TV on Mondays. And Andre Johnson and Brett Romberg, all those guys that came back Friday and Saturday over at the facility, and Don Solinger gave an incredible address to the team on Friday night, and all the alums that were there and that was awesome. It was called ‘attitude of a champion.’ It was fantastic. The one thing I shared with the guys after the game was when Romberg was in there with Gino Torretta, right off the bat he starts making calls. I’m like, ‘This guy,’ you talk about talent is not enough. Not only is he talented and tough but he’s smart and knows the game inside and out. He was calling who they were going to block and he didn’t even know the play.”
What is next for him now that the spring game is done:
“Everyone is going to get their evaluations here. Our coaches are on the road starting tomorrow. I’m not allowed out so I meet with everybody that is on the current team on Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday. I meet with each one of them and make sure they have a chance to communicate with me any issues on their end — just check in on them. Make sure they are doing everything they need to do academically, make sure that their family or socially, if there is anything troublesome there, make sure they have a chance and a voice to communicate that. We start on the first four or five opponents and couple that with the recruiting and the camp season. It’s going to be a busy next eight weeks before we get a break in July.”
