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DR PEPPER ACC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: CLEMSON VS MIAMI


November 28, 2017


Shaquille Quarterman


Charlotte, North Carolina

THE MODERATOR: We have Shaq Quarterman, linebacker from Miami. Questions for Shaq.

Q. I saw you back in July and talked to you about this season. What do you have to do to make things keep going against Clemson, with a very good offense?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: You really just have to keep up to the standard that we've been working to, the standard that was set us before, all the alumni, tradition here. When we focus on keeping up to that standard, there's no way we can't prepare the way we should, not watch the film that we should. When you're trying to compete at that level, when you're trying to compete as those that competed before you, everything just falls into place.

Q. Talk about Kelly Bryant. Is he better on film than what you might see on Saturday?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: He's the heart and soul of that offense. He really dictates what is going to go on for the offense. He does a great job throwing deep balls, deep fade balls, long throws to the outside of the field. He can run very well. So he's just a dual threat. He also makes the people around him better, so...

We saw all those things.

Q. I know the criticism that came about after the loss to Pitt. A lot of fans were bashing some of the players, just Miami in general, on social media. That's fans for you. In regards to that specifically, what do you do about social media? Do you pay attention to it, or cast it aside?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: I mean, personally, social media can and usually is a distraction for a football team. Especially having the season that you're having, everybody wants you to keep winning. When you fall short a little bit, they will rag on you.

But you can't let that get you down. I mean, instead I use it as motivation. I'm not going to say I don't look at social media at all, because I like to see what people say. I like to see people maybe turn and say things, whatever they like to say.

As you said, fans will be fans, but I just use it as motivation. I don't take it too personal because they don't really know what's going on in these walls, how much time you put in, how it hurts us to fall short.

I just don't take it personally, and keep working.

Q. Last year wasn't bad at all. When you have time to look back at the season, what are your thoughts about it as far as the expectations being met this year?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: I mean, from the outside looking in, I know a lot of fans have a lot of expectations for us. We had a 9-4 season last year, which was pretty good for Coach Brooks first time being here.

Going into this season, a lot of people didn't have us picked to win our conference, whatever. The expectations from myself is that we were going to win at all, we were going to win every game. That's what I always expect to do. I know how much our team loves to win, how much we love each other. I expect nothing less than for us to play for each other and to keep things going as far as the win/loss ratio.

Q. Kelly Bryant, when you look at film, what is it that really sticks out to you that is so tough to defend?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: I feel as though the toughest thing to defend about them is just the way in which they run their plays. They're not really trying to hit the home run, deep ball all the time. They're very efficient in what they do.

They're a very patient offense. They will run the same plays that gets them four yards every time. They're okay with that. They're not going to take a shot on second down. They're very efficient. That's why they have the numbers they have. They work down the field quite well.

That's one thing that really sticks out to me, is their poise, their patience, as far as their playing calling is concerned.

Q. What kind of strain does a patient offense put on the defense?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: It really puts the strain on us to execute. Patience is a virtue as long as the defense doesn't shut it down. If we execute, then the patience wouldn't matter ultimately. We'll be off the field.

Q. Manny Diaz, what does he bring to practice and all that stuff, during the game?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: He brings a fire out of all of us. He knows what to say to get everybody going. It's not always a speech. Sometimes it takes him really challenging you to better yourself as a player, look within yourself, deny your bad habits, really fight to be a better player overall. He does a great job at it.

As far as putting us in the right position to make plays, he does that to a T. Whenever we execute, they don't really understand that he really does a great job, him and the defensive staff, of crafting these schemes together for us to go out and really execute and do our jobs.

He does it all. I mean, the X's and O's to digging into a player when he has to, but also loving the player up, pushing them, to encourage them to go farther, he does it all.

Q. I know nobody wants to lose, but is it good to lose last week to get you more hungry for this week?
SHAQUILLE QUARTERMAN: I wouldn't have liked the loss. I think it has put the chip back on our shoulders that we really needed for this week, I really do.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for being with us today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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