Miami Hurricanes OL Jalen Rivers made smooth adjustment to tackle, with game 1 upcoming “all of us are really excited”

When the Miami Hurricanes take the field on Friday night for the season-opener against Miami (Ohio), only one offensive lineman will be on the field that also started in Game 1 a year ago: Jalen Rivers.

Rivers, who was a guard last year, is expected to start at left tackle this season.

“I came in as a tackle when I first came in,” Rivers said. “Playing really all the positions on the field, the offensive line, but last couple of years at guard. Since then at tackle. I’ve been perfecting my craft, just getting used to tackle. I’ve worked on that since spring, I’m good at that now. The hardest thing was just going from guard back to tackle, but since I’m versatile – I’m doing fine and I’m a workaholic, too.”

As for the anticipated rest of the starting group? LG Javion Cohen (Alabama transfer), center Matt Lee (UCF transfer), RG Anez Cooper (spot starter as a true freshman last year) and RT Francis Mauigoa (a 5-star freshman signee).

Depth should come from Matthew McCoy and 5-star signee Samson Okunlola.

Mauigoa, of course, will be in his first college game.

“Put in that position, not only the coaches trust him but players trust him,” Rivers said of Mauigoa. “He’s been working at it, comes to older guys asking questions. He’s very smart, a freak … starting as a true freshman is really hard. We put him in a position that when he faces adversity, hasn’t faced it at a college level yet, we’ve put him in that position since spring when he got here and he’s been doing really good at it.”

Last year’s Miami line, of course, fared poorly – No. 95 in the nation in rushing offense, No. 108 in sacks allowed.

The team hopes to open a lot of big run lanes this year and protect the passer a heck of a lot better.

“I’ve been here since forever but was the only returning starter from last year (game 1),” Rivers said. “Getting adjusted to the new guys, building that brotherhood, chemistry. You adjust, coaches change (Shannon Dawson as the new coordinator), it’s good to go on to the new year, relearn everything, set the standard of our culture again and bring new guys in and elevate our level of play. We’re bigger and all that, but building that chemistry and excited to play our first game.”

A final takeaway from Rivers as the Canes continue to gear up for the RedHawks?

“All of us are really excited,” Rivers said. “Our biggest thing is to not let the excitement get to us and really dial into the task at hand and winning this game. Excited, but know with the outcome at the end we need to go through this game with intent and focus on our goal while having that excitement.”

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