Miami’s coaches spoke to their despondent team following the Hurricanes’ season-ending 42-16 loss to Pittsburgh late Saturday night, and the room fell quiet.
With no one else rising to speak to the team, sophomore safety Kamren Kinchens seized the moment to address his upset teammates before a potentially tumultuous offseason began.
“If you don’t want to be here, farewell, good wishes to you, hope for the best,” Kinchens said. “But if you want to stay, come every day ready to grind because we don’t want this taste in our mouth again.”
Miami coach Mario Cristobal said the sophomore’s statement was the right tone to take as Miami’s season came to a conclusion (barring an unlikely bowl berth).
“He called up everybody and told them how much he loved them and that we are going to get it done and anyone that can’t or doesn’t want to be a part of that, move fast and get out of the way,” Cristobal said. “That’s what it takes. That’s what it’s taken at Miami every single time.”
The Hurricanes likely have a challenging offseason ahead of them. Before Saturday’s loss, six Miami players had already announced they were planning to enter the transfer portal. More are expected to follow them. Kinchens said he won’t try to persuade those set on leaving to stay.
“Want to be a Miami Hurricane? Be a Miami Hurricane,” Kinchens said. “If you feel like you need to go somewhere else to succeed, there’s no bad blood. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to succeed. So if you want to be a Hurricane, be a Hurricane and stay here. There’s no persuading. What am I going to say? Stay? If they want to go, they’re going to go. If they want to stay, they’re going to stay.”
Kinchens said he learned his leadership style in part by being the oldest of six siblings.
“I just lead by example,” he said. “When I’ve got to say something, I say something. When I don’t, I don’t.”
Kinchens was one of the top players on this year’s team, hauling in a team-best six interceptions. He tied with five other players for the most interceptions in college football.
“A guy like him, he stands for a lot for this program,” fifth-year senior cornerback DJ Ivey said. “He put up a crazy effort each and every play. … So coming from Kam, that’s a lot. He’s only a sophomore. He’s got a lot of football ahead. He’s correct: Those who don’t want to be here, they can leave. If not, they’ve got to come work.”
His personal success could not change Miami’s fate this season, and he said the Hurricanes’ offense and defense didn’t always play “complementary football.”
“We know 5-7 ain’t the standard, and nobody wants it to be the standard,” Kinchens said. “Not to speak on anything that happened in the past, but you know what we’re trying to reach. We’re trying to reach the glory days … but we’re trying to make it for ourselves.”
Fifth-year senior tight end Will Mallory, who played in his last college game on Saturday, said players like Kinchens are the type the Hurricanes will need if they want to rebuild the program.
“I think it’s evident of the guys that are bought in and you’ve got to get a guy like Kam, a guy like [wide receiver Xavier Restrepo], a guy like Tyler [Van Dyke],” Mallory said.
“That’s what this team needs. It’s guys like that, and we do have guys like that. Kind of like Kam was saying: If Miami is the right fit for you, you’ll stay and you’ll get to work. But if not, best wishes to the guys who move on and go somewhere else. But the blueprint that coach Cristobal and coach [Aaron] Feld and everyone is building requires the most from you, requires you to be a guy like Kam. I know he’s a great leader already, he’s a great player.”
Ivey said Kinchens was the only player who spoke up after the loss.
“That’s what a leader is supposed to do,” Ivey said. “He’s supposed to lead his team. He’s going to be the captain next year, and I feel like he did the right thing.”
Unless Miami receives a spot in a bowl game based on their Academic Progress Rate (an improbable scenario), the Hurricanes have a long offseason ahead of them. Spring practices are months away, and they won’t take the field at Hard Rock Stadium again for more than nine months. But Kinchens said there is already a plan to move forward.
“Tomorrow we wake up and grind,” Kinchens said. “We want a national championship, so that’s how we’re going to work tomorrow. We lost today. The season’s over with. Time to work for the next one.”
