As game week has arrived, Miami coach Manny Diaz offered a detailed preview of what he expects out of Florida ahead of their meeting on Saturday in Orlando.

Tradition

“It’s Miami and Florida, two of the big three schools in the state of Florida … when you think about the history of college football, the sport may not have been invented in this state, but it was certainly revolutionized in this state. … and to have two of the marquee programs in this state open up the 2019 season is a pretty cool thing that we are excited to be a part of.”

Skill players

“I think their skill players are as good as we will see all season. Starting with their running backs, I don’t know if we will play a stable of backs that will run as hard and try to run through tackles and contact like their backs will. Their top six receivers are back from last season, so they have a bunch of guys that can make plays down the field.”

Feleipe Franks

“Then you have quarterback Feleipe Franks who with the two things that jump off on film are his size and the way he can fall forward as a runner and then his arm strength—he can zip throws across the field at a rate that really catches your attention.”

A tale of two finishes from 2018

He noted how Florida coach Dan Mullen inherited a four-win team two years ago and changed the culture of the Florida program.

“Both of us are 5-1 on the same weekend in October,” Diaz said. “Florida was down 21-3 to Vanderbilt and finds a way to come back and win that game and then that night we go and play Virginia and we find a way to not win that game.”

Florida then faced another deficit against South Carolina, and that comeback gave them the confidence to do it again.

“Our season went the opposite direction losing four out of our last six and sort of limping across the finish line.”

Modeling his program after Florida

“One of our main objectives has been to find that competitive spirit and that backbone that benefited Florida a year ago and we know they will provide that test. I know coach Mullen well and I know coach Savage, their strength coach, and I know the energy and toughness that they will play with.”