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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 12, 2018

Mark Richt

Greensboro, North Carolina

THE MODERATOR: We're now joined by Miami head coach Mark Richt. Coach, if you could please give us an opening statement, then we'll take questions.

MARK RICHT: We've finished our Wednesday practice this morning. It was actually a very good one. Probably one of our better days of preparation all season long, so that was good.

Got a really great challenge against a team that's used to being a champion, a team that's used to winning, very well-coached bunch of people. Teams like that are very difficult to beat for a lot of reasons.

Going to their house, playing at noon, probably won't bother us too much because we do practice in the morning. We're looking forward to a challenge. We know it's going to be a very, very hostile environment, so we got to get ready for it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. To take a look at this past game with Rosier and Perry, what can you say about both of them, what they've done up to this point, what Perry has shown you?
MARK RICHT: Well, Malik had a good day. Everybody had a pretty good day. N'Kosi did throw one ball right in the belly of a defender. A little bit deceiving. He had somebody in man-to-man coverage. Usually if one guy is in man coverage, everybody is. They did have a zone behind some man coverage, and he kind of threw it across the field thinking everything was good, hit somebody right in the gut. Learning experience for N'Kosi.

Other than that, I thought he played well. There were a couple throws he missed on real early where I think he just was a little bit hyped up, maybe dropping his feet just a little bit quicker, throwing the ball a little bit hotter, a little bit harder. When he settled in, made some really nice throws.

Malik did a really nice job himself. Threw one of his better passes to Jeff on a touchdown that was very impressive finish by Jeff at the pylon there to get it in.

I thought just to add to it, Cade Weldon did a very good job. Played well. Looks like he's very much under control. Jarren Williams did a good job, too. As far as N'Kosi, it's a matter of finally getting some playing time. That was his first shot at playing college ball, Weldon's first shot. If that redshirt rule was in effect last year, we would have seen Cade and N'Kosi play by now. It was the first for them. A true freshman got the benefit from the rule and got in the game, too. I just wish this rule was in place a year ago because it's think it's a great one.

Q. Being a coach that's utilizing that rule, what do you think it does for your team, what it does for you to obviously see what you have and get some game experience out of these guys, not have to burn a year for them?
MARK RICHT: We had a game where it was in control as far as the score was. We could begin to substitute freely without wondering should we or shouldn't play them. It was play as many guys as you can, here is our chance, let's do it, knowing it would not affect the guy one way or another when it came to redshirting him.

It's not just true freshmen that are being affected by the rule. If a guy played as a true freshman a year ago, never been redshirted in his career, he can actually play in four ballgames and still end up with a redshirt. I think it's just great all the way around. I think the morale of the team was at an all-time high because just about everybody got a chance to play.

Q. As you can imagine, everyone is pretty excited, biggest opponent ever to come to the stadium. I think your game was scheduled 10 years ago, it's totally out of your control. Are you surprised that you guys are playing a game like this? I know how much you respect Toledo. When you first saw that a couple years ago...
MARK RICHT: I didn't think much of it, to be honest with you. We weren't starting the program by scratch. When you come as a head coach, you're worried about a lot more things than that.

The one thing I will say, we had a similar situation playing Appalachian State at Appalachian State. That was very eye opening for us because the environment was very hostile. You could feel the sense of excitement of the fans. Whether they're cheering for you or against you, that creates energy.

I thought our guys fed off of that. So I think we got to do the same thing. It certainly is going to be us against everybody in that stadium. There will be a few Miami fans there, but probably not a whole lot. It's going to be loud as it can be. We got to be able to do the things that you have to do to win a game not only period but at an away game, at a place you can't hear yourself think. It's going to be an experience that I think will be a good one for us, but it's one that thankfully we had a little taste of it at App State so we can get a feel for it here.

Q. This is hard to say, but is this the kind of 'lose, lose' game against a mid-major that you'd prefer not to play?
MARK RICHT: Well, I've always been a guy that says, Tell me who we play and we'll play. I don't get into all that.

Q. What is your sentiment about the state of your secondary as you get ready for the Toledo passing attack?
MARK RICHT: Yeah, great passing attack. Three receivers that are really outstanding, have just been proven guys. I was saying earlier, you know, I enjoy watching the art of passing and running routes, catching the ball, all that kind of stuff. I mean, if we weren't playing those guys, I would just be sitting there kind of enjoying watching them and learning because they do a really good job schematically and technically. You got really good athletes that are making plays.

But we got to play against them, so it's not all that exciting to think about. Our DBs will be prepared. Coach Rumph and Coach Banda, Coach Diaz will do a good job. Teams like Toledo are going to make their share of plays. They're very good. They're a team that is a championship team, a team that is used to winning. They're going to do the types of things that teams do to win. We just got to do it better.

Q. After your first two games, what is the one thing that still concerns you about your football team?
MARK RICHT: I feel like we're in a good place. I feel like we're excited about trying to get better every single day and every single week, get back into the winning column. We got finally a win. We had lost four in a row. We needed a victory and got it. We want to remember how that feels, how that tastes, and keep doing it.

So I don't have any major concerns right now. I know row so, or defensive end, a young kid that was promising, just had some surgery. Not sure how long he'll be out. That always concerns a coach when you start to lose a little bit of depth at any position. But as far as the state of mind of the team, I feel really good.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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