Head coach Manny Diaz stated the Miami Hurricanes are being built by design with a nod to the culture the Heat have developed.
During an appearance on the Joe Rose Show last week, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz stated they are being built like the Heat by design. Diaz is a huge fan and admirer of the culture that the Heat have developed. Diaz likes their unselfishness and the chemistry throughout the roster.
Diaz has spoken during the offseason about the need for the Miami Hurricanes to change the culture throughout the football program. Some unnamed Miami football players did not have the desire to contribute as part of a team and were concerned more with their own future as alluded to by Diaz during the offseason.
During the Hurricanes 3-0 start to this season, a few players have put up big stats offensively and defensively. Winning is said to cure all ills and so far that has been true with Miami this season. The Hurricanes will get a huge test on Saturday when they play at Clemson. How Miami handles the spotlight will test their culture.
Having the mindset to win at Clemson is similar to what Diaz mentions about the Heat being tough-minded to close out series. Miami has had a few go-to players on offense a handful making the big plays on defense. They have remained selfless this year in not being satisfied after a 3-0 start.
"“You see how connected they are….And if you listen to (Heat Hed coach Eric) Spo(elstra), and it’s been a great inspiration to us, they have a great respect for how hard it is to win. And they talk about it all the time. It is hard to win a game. It is hard to win any game in the playoffs.It’s certainly hard to win the fourth game in the playoffs and finish somebody off. Now to win three consecutive series and earn the right to go to the NBA Finals, selflessness. One guy will go off for 30…whether it’s Bam [Adebayo].…or [Tyler] Herro…or [Jimmy] Butler…and not caring who gets the credit.That is the pureness of a team. I don’t know how you can be a sports fan and not root for the Heat.”"
The win by the Heat in game three without Adebayo and Goran Dragic showed a team believing in their culture, each other and themselves. Diaz has built that on the Miami defense. Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is beginning to build culture. The Hurricanes now have an identity of playing fast.
Miami has dictated what they want to do offensively in their first three games of 2020. The Hurricanes ran for 337 yards in the opener against UAB, had 75-yard touchdowns on the first two plays of the second half against Lousiville and scored TDs on the first five drives of the game to blowout Florida State.
Miami is becoming a team that is establishing an identity of aggressiveness throughout their football program. If the Hurricanes can continue to play with purpose, success will follow. Saturday night at Clemson could go a long way towards how the identity of the 2020 team develops.