Richt says Sunday's Hurricanes practice would have made alums proud

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – So far, so good at Hurricanes camp.

University of Miami head coach Mark Richt had high praise for his team after Sunday's practice.

"I love the way we practice," Richt said. "We practiced with the right focus and the right intensity and the right competition level. It's really good. Defense pretty much stormed the offense yesterday and the offense got their feelings hurt, I think, a little bit. They came back and had a much better day. That's what makes a great team, is that competition I was talking about for your position but also offense versus defense. I think all the former players would have been proud of today's practice."

Richt is not concerned with expectations for the 'Canes.

Miami enters the season ranked No. 8 in the coaches poll.

"It's about working hard," Richt said. "It's about battling each other. What I told them was it's not important where we were preseason ranked. I said what matters is what happens in these next 24 practices. That's really what matters, and that's all we're trying to focus on."

Miami opens the season Sept. 2 against LSU. The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.