Miami’s Cristobal on injury updates, CFP expansion. And Gattis on QBs, harmless gaffe in box

No way Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal was taking off Labor Day.

Cristobal addressed reporters Monday in his weekly news conference on campus, eager to review what he saw last weekend in UM’s 70-13 opening-day victory against Bethune-Cookman, but ready to dive into Game 2 against Southern Miss (0-1) at noon Saturday (ACC Network) at Hard Rock Stadium.

The No. 16 Hurricanes began the week as a 27-point favorite, and should have most, if not all, of their players available.

Cristobal said that “from an injury standpoint” UM “came out relatively clean, the guys that got dinged up.”

“Both Jakai and Leonard Taylor, we feel really good about,’’ the coach said about starting center Jakai Clark and starting defensive tackle Taylor. Clark went down with an apparent ankle injury in the first half, later returned but didn’t play in the second half. Taylor had a shoulder stinger late in the third quarter, Cristobal said after the game.

“We don’t feel like they have anything significant,’’ Cristobal said Monday. He added that third-year sophomore running back Jaylan Knighton (hamstring), who missed the opener, “is on his way back to being able to play this weekend.” He said he felt the same about standout left tackle Zion Nelson, who has been recuperating from arthroscopic knee surgery, and lineman Logan Sagapolu, who sat out the game with a “soft tissue” injury. “They both practiced some [Sunday].’’

Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis also spoke about Knighton and Nelson, saying “it was very important to take a process that will allow them to be comfortable with themselves. Obviously, we’ll never take anyone getting thrust back into a lineup and just throw them out there for a signficiant amount of snaps.

“You saw this past week with [starting tight end] Will Mallory. We had a very detailed plan on how many snaps we wanted Will to play. We’re always going to do what’s best for them from a health and safety protocol.’’

Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Josh Gattis runs drills with his team at the University of Miami’s Greentree Practice Fields on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Coral Gables, Fla.

Canes QBs

Gattis said he was pleased with all three quarterbacks who played Saturday.

On starter Tyler Van Dyke (13 of 16 for 193 yards and two touchdowns): “Tyler went through his reads the right way. He really managed the game the right way. He did a great job finding some checkdowns early, which I thought was very important… You saw the poise and his leadership, but also rallying guys, keeping them in the game and focused. Made some big-time throws…

“Everyone always puts that number out there, that he threw for 300-plus for so many games, but Tyler is not focused on any of that. Tyler is not focused on any of that. Tyler is focused on winning and leading his team to be as successful as we can be. When you’ve got a leader like that, you’ve got truly a special player.”

On backup Jake Garcia, who was 8 of 8 for 107 yards and a touchdown: “Really proud of Jake and his performance. One of the things Jake displayed to us was his pocket movement was phenomenal — stepping up in the pocket and moving around. Two or three of his throws he had someone in his face and made some tough throws. To see Jake execute, it goes really far for helping build confidence not only in himself but in the players around him.”

On third-string freshman Jaccuri Brown, who didn’t attempt a pass but got in late in the game and for one play before that following a penalty: “He did a great job. Just the growth of that room and what Coach [Frank] Ponce has done with those guys, really making those guys play collectively, has been really fun to see. Each one of those guys has a role on our team. Obviously, we’ve got a star quarterback in Tyler but our backup quarterbacks in Jake and Jacurri, they’re preparing to be starters.. and we have the utmost confidence they can go out and lead us to wins.’’

Meat on bone

Despite scoring 70 points, Gattis and Cristobal said the Hurricanes “left a lot of meat on the bone.’’

“We started our unit meeting off yesterday watching those plays that we felt could have been better,’’ Gattis said. “The difference between an 8-yard gain and a 25 or potential touchdown, so there’s still a ton of room to grow — technique, fundamentals, footwork, hat placement, finishing, intent of plays. We gotta show up hungry and more eager to learn this week. That’s going to be the challenge: handling that success but still keeping ourselves in a humble mindset.’’

Cristobal praised his offensive line, including several of the young backups, such as freshman right tackle Anez Cooper, freshman left tackle Matthew McCoy, third-year redshirt freshman tackle Chris Washington and redshirt freshman guard Laurance Seymore.

“Cooper is going to be a great one,’’ Cristobal said. “And Cooper is going to contribute a lot this year. At 355 pounds he moves like he’s about 300. He was a priority guy from the moment we arrived here back in December. He’s everything they said he would be and more — tremendous pride, toughness, great hips and hands, athletic, finishes blocks. The same could be said about Matthew McCoy. He got in there and did a fantastic job.”

Cristobal on Playoff

Cristobal was asked about the future expansion of the College Football Playoff from four to 12 teams, which could happen as early as 2024 and definitely by 2026.

“I think it’s awesome,’’ he said. “No. 1: I love the bowl system. I do. I’ve always been a fan. I always will be. The more you incentivize the postseason it’s always good for college football. I believe some of these games will be played at home sites as well — that’s what the NFL does, right? Now this part is catching up as well.

“It’s all good. I mean, we don’t talk about it or what not. You know how we roll. Our entire focus is getting ready for this practice and making our team play really well.’’

Press box surprise

Gattis coached from the press box at Michigan the past two seasons and announced last week that he’d be doing it again. “It’s amazing what you see up top,’’ he said. “It allows you to see what the opposing defense is doing to you.”

He was asked Monday what it was like coaching from the box.

“Actually, as I talk about the process of preparation and how you practice, I actually fell into a rhythm Saturday that has never happened to me in the box before,’’ Gattis said. “I was actually signaling the personnel like I do in practice. I kept putting my hand up and I had to realize, ‘I’m not on the field anymore. I’m in the box.’

“So, that was realization. “I told that to our players because that’s your mind reflecting back to whatever process you go through each and every week. But when I’m in the booth, it allows me to gain an advantage by seeing things. I’ll be able to see what an opponent is trying to do to us offensively. Schematically, I can understand how that defensive coordinator is trying to attack us. But it also allows me to collect my thoughts and remove emotion from decision-making, which I think is so valuable.

“It’s a totally different view when you’re upstairs, just the peace and calmness you have to think and make wise decisions.’’