Mario on Monday afternoon: Some depth chart spots still being decided, Zion Nelson returned to practice

Game week is finally here. After arriving in December, putting his staff together, instilling his culture, going through a grueling spring and summer, weeks of grinding in fall camp, Game 1 is just six days away. Which means Mario Cristobal’s efforts will be unveiled to the world on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against Bethune-Cookman.

Today?

First, some injury news.  LT Zion Nelson, per Cristobal, “has practiced. His actual rep count on Saturday is yet to be determined.”

Well, Cristobal reflected on what he’s seen from this team, and looked ahead to the game.

“Game week, grateful for our team, our players, from Day 1 their commitment, effort instilling and really practicing a culture of doing things that’s very demanding,” Cristobal said.

Cristobal said there are several position battles on both sides of the ball, mainly on defense.

What positions?

“On defense we still have a couple of more day so assessing,” Cristobal said. “We’re more thick at defensive line, those positions have been going back and forth. There’s a couple at the offensive line position. In the secondary we feel we have multiple guys that can play winning football. Competitive battles.

“All in all what we feel is by midweek we should have some more clarity, when you have position (battles). Where multiple guys are going to play you let it ride. Our guys know who is going to play. That practice tape never tells a lie.”

On the offensive side, Cristobal said Tyler Van Dyke has impressed overall and “is continuing to grow and grow as a great player.”

Cristobal also said he’s pleased with the last four days of play at wide receiver.

“We’ve seen more reliability,” he said. “Felt good leaving practice Saturday, yesterday also.”

On the offensive line, Cristobal said there are 8 guys the team will use and close to 10 “that can play winning football”

At RB, UM added UAB RB Lucious Stanley as a senior transfer walkon. He’ll help with depth given that TreVonte’ Citizen is out for the year and Don Chaney is out right now.

“I feel confident enough (in that spot),” Cristobal said.

Cristobal added that at tight end Will Mallory could be on a snap count because coming off injury a lot will hinge on conditioning.

“Will is the epitome of a student-athlete and a team leader,” Cristobal said. “He’ll tell you he’s in condition to take 120 plays. He is cleared and we’re looking forward to seeing him on Saturday.”

The leadership level on this team? Is this to the level of player-led team that Cristobal wants?

“I don’t think you find out till you play games, games that have a lot of adversity,” Cristobal said. “This week we want to see maturity, urgency. We want to see a team that takes practice as seriously as a game.

“We want to see a team that portions of pregame should look just like a game. The offensive line and defensive line when they rip off the ball it should like a live rep.  We want to see urgency. … compete fast and free on Saturday because I have practiced in a disciplined manner, created elite habits and now they have to show. We want to see that.

“Player-led is all bout ownership, and that is the next step for our team, accountability, players holding other players accountable. … When a team takes that step its different.” 

The bottom line off Cristobal’s interview with the media on Monday?

“We are very process oriented, it keeps us where our feet are,” Cristobal said. “You think `all these people are going to be there,’ what does that have to do with winning the game? Really nothing. It’s important our team is able to block out any and all exterior noise, distractions. That’s how we’ll become a really good football team.

“Our guys are excited to go out and play their best football.”

*Cristobal said that Xavier Restrepo, Tyrique Stevenson and Malik Curtis are main guys that can handle punt returns. Cristobal added that Curtis “is a guy that’s really popped” as a returner.

*Cristobal singled out CB DJ Ivey as “a great performer, team leader. … He has commanded the respect of his teammates.” He also praised the other members of the secondary.

*Cristobal said this team is getting closer to what he wants in terms or practices being as hard or harder than games, and guys really getting after it.

MONDAY MORNING WITH MARIO

The Miami Hurricanes will finally get to work tackling someone other than themselves on Saturday vs. Bethune-Cookman. On Monday morning coach Mario Cristobal shared his thoughts on several key areas.

One of those: How the offense has progressed, with the defense winning the two fall scrimmages fairly handily.

“These last four days have definitely by a wide margin been our best days offensively where it’s all coming together,” Cristobal said on 560 AM. “After our installs, you start paring it down those reps add up and it starts to show.”

Cristobal then added that there’s better quality depth on defense than on offense.

“There are more guys that can go in as co-starters (on D),” Cristobal said.

A key offensive position: Left tackle. John Campbell spent the fall as the main first-teamer there with returning starter Zion Nelson coming off cleanup surgery.

“All these guys are rotating, we played every single offensive lineman at every position so we can have a lot of versatility,” Cristobal said. “Zion is coming back, looking strong. John has had a great camp, is one of our best players. We’ll put our best five on the field, but we have seven or eight we feel can play winning football.”

As for a banged up running backs room?

“Well, a few guys are not going to play, TreVonte’ Citizen is done for the season, (Don) Chaney it’ll be a little while before he’s back,” Cristobal said. “We have some other guys. They’ve done a really good job. I think (Jaylan) Knighton is good to go [after being banged up in recent practices]. He looked great yesterday. We’re rotating them in ways we feel they can be efficient, maximize their ability to help the team and we’ll roll from there.”

Now on Saturday this team will get to finally show fans what it has.

“We want to play as many guys that have shown they can play,” Cristobal said. That includes true freshmen.

“You have to earn this stuff,” he said.

The bottom line heading into Saturday’s season opener?

“Play our best football,” Cristobal said. “At 3:30 on Saturday, Miami has to show up, Miami has to show up at its very best.

“We’ve had a great camp. The progress has been steady. This is the most important part: That we have urgency in what we do, maturity in our approach and that we take ownership of things that have hurt the football team – penalties, missed tackles. These guys have worked really hard to correct  that. Now it has to show. Let’s just go find out where we are as a team and we’ll go from there.”

*Cristobal was asked about DT Leonard Taylor and said he wants to see consistency.

“He’s improved,” Cristobal said. “The flashes are absolutely incredible. The inconsistencies we’re working on.”

Of the South Florida talent level in recruiting, Cristobal said, “Guys for the most part at some of the programs are doing so well. These guys leave more college ready than most because of the competition, the philosophy and mentality and because they are regimented. These guys are running schemes, having weight room (workouts) that mirror what they hare having in college. The speed, explosiveness, flat out confidence and physicality that you see in football down here is different.”