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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 13, 2010

Randy Shannon

COACH SHANNON: This week's opponent is Duke. Our first Coastal Conference opponent. We're now in our Coastal Conference division. It's going to be a challenge to go up there and play such a team like Duke because their offense moves a lot and throws the football.
Our guys have been practicing well this week, coming off a loss against Florida State. I think it's great to see the enthusiasm is back, the tempo's back where we need it at. Also the guys understand you have to work every day to get better as a football team, and not to dwell on things of the past.
We're looking for an exciting time to go up there and play Duke, and have a great time for our first coastal challenge.

Q. I want to ask you about the series with Duke. The last two years have pretty much followed a similar pattern that they've hung with you and actually had the lead well into the second half. But you guys have kind of buried them in the fourth quarter. Can you talk about that? Is that a function of depth or what is it?
COACH SHANNON: You look at Duke playing at home -- and I've said this at the press conference, too -- that Duke does a great job at home. I've looked over the years at guys, not just Miami, but other schools that have played Duke at home. They really play tough and play well at home against opponents. I think our guys know those things.
Also the last two times we've played at Duke it's been tough. I think our guys really focus, and this is not going to be a team that you can go out there and take anything for granted.
Don't look at the record, but you've got to understand, they're like football players like you guys. They're going to compete. They're going to bring their A-game, and have a chance to have a Coastal win. We need this Coastal win as bad as Duke does. So I think it's going to be a challenge for both teams.

Q. You've faced Florida kids, because obviously you can't recruit with a small number of kids that come out of your region all the time. Their top two receivers, actually the top two in catches in the whole ACC, are Miami kids that you didn't recruit. I know you're used to it, but is that something that you have to focus on that those guys are going to be pumped up to play you?
COACH SHANNON: No, any time that you play anybody that's from Miami, they're always going to be excited about playing a hometown team. Just like we have guys that go play in other areas of the country, those guys get excited about going home and playing those opponents. We know those guys are going to be excited.
They're two really good football players and they do a great job for them. It's going to be a challenge for our secondary to do a phenomenal job of hanging with those guys and covering those guys throughout this game.

Q. I read a story in the Miami Herald about some of the alumni being a little bit disgruntled about a lack of leadership and sense of urgency. As an alum, do you sense that too? Does it bother you?
COACH SHANNON: I don't read the newspaper, so I couldn't tell you what alumnus or whatever. I don't even get involved in those things. My total focus is on Duke, and playing football this weekend and getting our guys ready for Duke.

Q. Do you sense a lack of leadership and a sense of urgency?
COACH SHANNON: No, not at all.

Q. How much did Jacory's groin injury bother him last week? Is there any improvement? Where does he stand physically this week?
COACH SHANNON: He's fine. He's ready to go for this game against Duke. He's excited about getting another opportunity to play. He's been running around without any problem. So he'll go out there and play and do a great job for us this week.

Q. Did it bother him at all physically last week?
COACH SHANNON: Any time you have an injury, it always bothers you. I'm not going to say he was 100%, no. But he did what we have to do to give us a chance to play in a game like we did last week.

Q. Playing Georgia Tech every year and its option offense, did you ever see anything they do on film later and thought we should incorporate that play or that element into what we do?
COACH SHANNON: I haven't watched any Georgia Tech film. We've totally been focused on Duke and next week's opponent. I couldn't tell you anything about Georgia Tech and what they're doing now.

Q. What about last year? Anything that they did?
COACH SHANNON: That was last year. I can't go that far back. I have to concentrate on this team now.

Q. Even though the level of opponent is not the same as Florida State this week. I assume there are certain things you want your own team to do better this week. What would those be?
COACH SHANNON: Just go out there and play football. We've got to tackle better and score points. Like you have to go out there and play the game, with a lot of excitement and have fun with it.

Q. Anything besides tackling that you're focusing on this week?
COACH SHANNON: No, scoring points and tackling better. That is the one thing you have to get done. We'll do that, and those guys have been working hard to get those things corrected and changed for this week's game.

Q. Do you find that it's historically easier when you guys are coming off a loss to sort of rally them by -- when you go on the road and it's just you guys in the hotel? I know you're in the hotel at home too, but do you find there are less distractions and more of a level of focus when you're sequestered in our own hotel and on the road?
COACH SHANNON: It's always that way. On the road you have more focus and guys understand that you're not going to have your fans and family and friends there. You're going to have your little support crowd that really follows the University of Miami.
There is going to be a time which you have to stay focused and get prepared mentally to play the game. Any time you play on the road, those things play to your advantage as a visiting team.

Q. It seemed like you took some of the blame if not a lot of it for that loss to Florida State. I'm wondering what you think can you do better as a coach in the next game in the second half of the season?
COACH SHANNON: All we have to do is concentrate on what we're trying to get done against Duke this weekend. Like anything, I think any coach that's always competitive like I am, like every coach in the country and in this conference, they're going to do what they can to get better as a football coach and as a team.
We've been working this week concentrating and doing a lot of things that's going to make us better. Just excited about having an opportunity to play this game this week at 1:00 o'clock.

End of FastScripts

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