'Chemistry' Grows Deeper With Miami's Offensive Line Ahead of Final Days of Fall Practice
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The biggest question mark, but the least amount of concern from the Miami Hurricanes, has been its offensive line entering this season.
Moreover, the group has been bonding and gelling together as most do during Fall Camp, but this team has seen some of the best out of the defensive line this season.
It has strengthened a bond between the players, and now they are starting to see that progress on and off the field.
“We always hang out with each other," Matthew McCoy said. "We watch film together, so it’s always a bond, every day. It’s not like we get done with practice, we go home, and we wake up the next day. It’s just always like we’re always together. We’re watching film together. We’re communicating with each other.
"So, we’re really close as a whole line. And of course, before camp, we always hung out together. … Even though we have young guys that haven’t been here as long as me, Ryan and Samson [Okunlola], it’s like we’ve been together for years. It’s a great group of guys.”
Furthermore, ahead of their Sept. 4 matchup against Stanford, the offensive line has some new star talent growing and performing.
“[They] are continuing to grow," Veteran offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez said about the two projected starting freshmen. "[Ben Congdon] and Jackson [Cantwell] are continuing to grow. They’re learning our system.
"They’re learning how we do things, our standard, and they’re just falling right into place. They’re always excited to learn. They’re eager to learn. They’re great students of the game and I’m excited to see them develop.”
Defensively, star players love the challenge that is being brought to them from the o-line. It has helped them grow while also seeing what the Canes can be on the other side of the ball.
“We’ve got a little competition going on right now, and [those] guys are very physical," linebacker Chase Smith said. "We’ve definitely been forcing each other to get better each and every day. And iron sharpens iron, man. Our o-linemen, they’re playing physical; they’re playing fast and that’s exactly what we need on the defense to make us extremely better as well.”
Miami's battles with each other have become legendary and have prepared the team for many successful games and clashes. The offensive line still has some veterans on the roster who are leading the charge.
Miami has shifted into an NFL offensive line pipeline, and with some new faces and opportunities, the group will be one of the best in the country by the end of the season.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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