Chris Fowler: Outcome vs. Florida doesn’t determine Miami Hurricanes season

A lot will be made of the outcome Miami Hurricanes season opener against the Florida Gators win or lose. ESPN’s Chris Fowler who will call the game said that too much will be made of the outcome by both fanbases.

In an interview on the Hochman and Crowder Show on WQAM on Friday, Fowler discussed his expectations and the danger of overhyping the Miami Hurricanes season opener on Saturday night against the Florida Gators. It is the second year in a row that Miami has a big season opener against an SEC school.

Fowler stated that Florida is confident and they are not feeling pressure playing Miami. The Gators feel “are feeling good about themselves” playing Miami coming from the SEC. It is hard to know without speaking to the Florida players directly if that is a sign they could be overlooking Miami. If that is the case, it’s a good sign for Miami.

One of the criticisms for the Miami Hurricanes entering the game against Florida is that Manny Diaz will be calling his first game as a head coach. Florida’s Dan Mullen is entering his 11th season as a collegiate head coach. Mullen spent nine seasons at Mississippi State and is at the onset of his second season with the Gators.

Fowler told Hochman and Crowder that Diaz has been running the Miami Hurricanes practices as if they were an actual game. Diaz has allowed the flow of practice to happen like a game according to Fowler. The Hurricanes first-year head coach wants to get in practice for Florida just like he is preparing his team to face the Gators.

The decision by Diaz and new Miami offensive coordinator Dan Enos to start

Jarren Williams

at quarterback is done with the totality of the season and not just Saturday’s game against Florida. Fowler discussed what went into Diaz and Enos’ decision.

"“(It’s a) long play…they don’t expect him to set the house on fire (vs. Florida)…against a defense that’s salty…(Diaz and Enos will) not have a quick hook, let him develop and made the choice for the whole season…could have gone with N’Kosi Perry (who would) not completely getting baptized. like Williams is…(it is) about the whole year, not this game.”“WQAM co-host Mark Hochman asked Fowler is “sometimes team with no pressure, which is the unranked team, Miami…against a top ten team plays better off…(Fowler answered) of course. it’s like a bowl game, its that kind of matchup… (in a bowl game…the) hungrier team, wins. (In the) opener both teams have something to play for.”"

Due to the nature of the hostilities between the Miami and Florida fanbases, a lot will be made on the outcome. It’s one game and the first of a three-month regular season. No matter what happens Diaz has reiterated that the Hurricanes hope to get better with each game. The fans are going to overreact no matter what happens.

Fowler expects the postgame to exaggerate expectations based on what happens on Saturday night in Orlando. Miami was embarrassed in last season’s opener against LSU. That began an up and down season. The Hurricanes won five in a row after the loss to the Tigers before dropping four in a row and then winning two.

A lot can happen with 11 games remaining after Miami plays Florida. Fowler outlined what he expects to happen on the postgame show on WQAM and the Florida postgame show on Saturday night.

"“You’re switchboard will blow up after the game…people are going to get too caught up in what it means. If the Canes get thumped it doesnt mean it’s going to be a terrible year or Jarren Williams is a bad choice or Manny Diaz is a bad coach.If the canes go on to win doesnt mean they are going on to the playoff..there is more at stake for Florida, more pressure, miami more in the building process…fans down there and everywhere are going to overreact.”"

How Miami plays against Florida is more important than the outcome. Diaz has stated throughout the offseason that there were several times in 2018 that he was not happy with the effort that the Hurricanes gave. He followed that up by saying he wants players that love to play football, not like and who wants to be in Miami.

If the players do want to be there, they will not beg players who want to transfer or recruits who are not interested in playing for the Hurricanes. Diaz understands the culture at Miami. He knows the history and that the Hurricanes should never have to be desperate to sign to sign a recruit or keep current players.