Miami Hurricanes Work on Conditioning While Preparing for Toledo
While preparing for Saturday’s game against Toledo, the Miami Hurricanes will also be working on conditioning. Head Coach Mark Richt said that some players had a lack of conditioning and nutrition while off the last two weeks because of Hurricane Irma.
The majority of the Miami Hurricanes roster was on their own during the week plus off. Miami will prepare for Toledo in Orlando this week, while also working on conditioning. The Hurricanes held their first practice on Saturday since the team got back together post Irma.
They spent Saturday’s practice working on conditioning. Sunday was a more traditional practice. Over the weekend, Mark Richt and his staff were more focused on getting his team back into football condition after the layoff.
The Hurricanes will be in Orlando until Wednesday. The Miami Hurricanes will continue to work on both conditioning and the game plan for Toledo. The Rockets have started 3-0 while the Hurricanes have been idle.
Richt discussed the difficulties of getting back into playing shape after the long layoff:
"“If you think about it, we had mat drills, we had spring ball, we had all the summer workouts, we had fall camp, we had Game 1 and you’re building up to getting your team in condition, mentally and physically to play football and do it at a high level.All of those things were happening and then all of a sudden, you spend, I don’t know how many days away. Nobody’s running, no one’s lifting, no one’s eating right. I say no one, but some guys were not even able to eat right. Now we’ve got to start up all over again. …You’ve got to get your mind used to contact. Contact is not necessarily a natural thing. We have to get used to tackling again, blocking again, being in the kind of condition to play in the heat and humidity we’re going to play in. That’s kind of where we’re at.”"
Richt also discussed the importance of getting his team back to practice on Saturday. It gave the team a chance to return to normalcy and a routine. It’s a restart to the season.
The Miami Hurricanes will face a much tougher challenge in the second game than they did week one against Bethune-Cookman. Richt stressed the importance of getting back on the practice field. He was encouraged about getting returning to conditioning on Saturday and then more of a true practice on Sunday.
It’s clear that they are going to allow the team to gradually work back to getting in playing shape as the week goes on.
"“We went a shortened, fundamental practice, about half the time we’d normally be on the field for a true, fundamental practice. Then afterward, we ran. And they ran better than I thought they would. …The night everybody got here, Friday night, we came here, when everybody finally got in, had a nice meal, had a team meeting, we just got on buses and came here and ran. Didn’t run them super hard, just ran to get the blood flowing and be together and do something as a unit. Ran that night…I’m going to keep them off their feet Monday, but they’ll all get a good lift in. We’ll still meet and look at our opponent. Then hopefully, Tuesday will be a normal Tuesday. … I just hope we’re in good enough condition to practice full speed the way we normally practice by Tuesday.”"
Postponing the Florida State game should mostly be beneficial. Toledo will pose some challenges, but Florida State will pose more and it’s clearly a bigger game.
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Getting the week back to normal should allow the players to concentrate more on the week ahead. It will give Richt and his staff a chance to concentrate on the Rockets and get the players prepared. This could be the best offense Miami will face this season.