ACC Media Days | Miami QB Carson Beck, OL Francis Mauigoa, DL Akheem Mesidor Notebook

Miami quarterback Carson Beck, offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor spoke on Tuesday morning at ACC Media Days. 

QB CARSON BECK
On what he looked for in the Transfer Portal:
”I think the biggest thing for me, obviously, was the offensive fit. As a quarterback, the OC, the scheme, the talent and guys that you're going to have around you is huge to the success and ultimately the future, A, of a quarterback, but of me. This is my future, and I think that this decision is one of the better decisions I've made, and since I've been here in January, developing the relationships and building the chemistry between me, the wide receivers, the running backs, the tight ends, the O-line, and just trying to develop those relationships and that camaraderie, it's just reinforced my decision in a positive way.

“I'm really excited to continue to keep working with these guys. Obviously, the spring, it was a little slow for me. I tried to take care of a coaching role, a coaching aspect. Being behind every single play, trying to help the other quarterbacks that were in there getting reps, picking out one singular receiver at practice and watching every single one of his reps and then going in and watching the film with him after and teaching him certain things, certain intricacies and routes and concepts and trying to teach everybody the way I see the game so that we're all on the same page.

“Ultimately the decision, I feel like, has really paid off, and this off-season has been really good and full of good work.” 

On if he feels like there is pressure following Cam Ward:
”No, not really. Obviously his success is undeniable. Obviously, I don't really know him very well. I've been able to meet him a couple times. I don't know the kid. But what he was able to do is undeniable.

“The last school I was at I followed up the two-time national champion, so I didn't really feel any pressure there. It's a game; I've played football my whole life. I've played quarterback since I was seven years old, and it's something that I love to do and I've got a lot of good talent around me and really good coaches in position to not only help me not only achieve my goals, but be really successful.

“Again, really just looking forward to the opportunity, and again, have the opportunity to go out and play football again. I haven't done it in a while, so looking forward to it.” 

On having great success against ACC defenses and the difference between the ACC and SEC: 
”Yeah, I mean, football is football, at the end of the day. I think from team to team, you're going to get different defensive coordinators with different philosophies.

“I don't think it's as much of an ACC versus SEC thing. I think it's just a team-to-team thing. South Carolina is going to look different than Duke, as Wake Forest is going to look different than Washington State or Oregon. I'm just naming random teams now. But I think it's more of a defensive coordinator thing, and game to game we will watch that film and ultimately put together a good plan that we think will be successful against that and then go out on the film and hopefully execute that.”

OL FRANCIS MAUIGOA
On the decision to stay at right tackle despite starting there for two seasons: 
”Yeah, Coach Mirabal has done a great job with us practicing at all five positions, and I feel like for me it's just whatever you need me to play. I'm more of a team player more than anything. I'll play whatever position you want me to play in just for the team to succeed.” 

On what makes Miami offensive line special this season:
”Like Coach Cristobal touched on, we're a team that likes to hard work, and for the O-line, we like to set the tone for the whole team. We like to set the standard, as Coach Mirabal always pounds on us every day to set the standard for the team, and we're the type of guys that go out there and try to dominate everybody, even on our D-line side. That's how -- iron sharpens iron.” 

On the importance of family, including his brother transferring to Miami: 
”You know, it's very special because me and my brother has been together for the rest of my whole childhood. We've been together since back home, coming from home to my freshman year in high school to San Bernardino, California. We've been together basically my whole career.

“To be able to get that time to play again, it's very special because we live together, and having that bond on the field, we push each other to be the best that we can. Him playing on the defensive side, me playing on the offensive side, I see some stuff that he needs to work on, he sees some stuff that I need to work on, and that's what we talk about every day when we get back to the house.

“So yeah, it's very special to me.” 

On if he’s had a chance to let Carson Beck know about the rivalry with Florida State: 
”I think he already knew. He comes ready every practice that we have. He's very open-minded. He's very out there. He's a very special guy, just like Cam Ward last year. I feel the same energy with Carson Beck.”

On if there will be an adjustment going from Cam Ward to Beck: 
”Shoot, there's no difference to me. I do my job to the best that I can. If I've got to block this guy 10 seconds for him to make a play, I'll do that, just like the same as last year. I'll do whatever it takes for us to succeed. That's the mentality not for me but the whole O-lineman group.” 

On how Miami builds on offensive after having the top offense (total yards) in the country last season:
”For me, we strive to get better every year. Every season -- every off-season we work to get better at something. We practice hard every time that we get a chance to. We're just trying to be the best that we can be. The stats don't even matter to us. It's being able to be out there and being able to be the best you can be, not only as a player but as a character as well.” 

On where his nickname Sisi comes from: 
”Sisi is my Samoan name, so my full Samoan name is Falangisisi, which shortens to Sisi. Most of my family and friends call my Sisi, but at school teachers call me Francis. I feel at home, so I try to make everybody call me Sisi.” 

DL AKHEEM MESIDOR
On how Miami can eliminate the struggles they had at the end of last year: 
”Well, the biggest thing we've been emphasizing this off-season is communication. If you don't communicate, your defense is going to get just torched, right? Obviously, we have a bunch of new additions, but communication is the biggest thing for us.”

On what he’s seen from new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman so far and how he likes the new defense: 
”I love Coach Hetherman. He's a great teacher. He's just an aggressive guy, as you guys can see in his interviews. But he really just gets it down to the point. He's a technician; anything you have, he'll probably answer your question before you ask it. But he's an amazing person, a great coach, and he just lets us play free, play fast, and I can't wait to play football.”

On why Mario Cristobal’s leadership works in Miami: 
”Well, Coach Cristobal is a powerful leader and he doesn't stop working. He works day and night. The biggest thing for him that he tells us is elite teams are in elite shape, so what we do this off-season is we run, we run like crazy. We're trying to get in -- just having amazing conditioning. After that, you have to play hard. Play fast, play hard, and just dominate every snap of the game.

“Just Coach Cristobal is an amazing coach, best I've been around, and I love being a part of this team.”

On how he sets a tone in a room with several future NFL players: 
”A big step I've been trying to take this off-season is obviously the leadership role. I think I'm the oldest guy in the room, but just I want to lead by example but also I want to be more vocal. This off-season I've been bringing guys along with extra work. I just want to get to know everybody, and I want everybody else to get to know me, know my story, know my why. We have a deep room, and we have a bunch of guys who can play. We need to work together as we've been. We need to get together and just establish our identity in that room and just dominate.” 

On his background: 
”Growing up in Canada, it's difficult to get recruited out here in the States. Nothing is given to you. You have to go out and grab everybody. I grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, in a five-children household, and then my mom took care of all of us on her own. My dad comes from a Haitian background, so I speak English and French, so I grew up in a diverse community, diverse place.

“But football-wise, nothing was given. I had to work for everything. I had to travel back and forth to Ohio, back and forth to Indiana, Michigan, a bunch of different spots in order to gain recognition because just traditionally people looked down against Canadian competition, Canadian talent. I really had to prove myself more than I feel like many or most, and I always carry that mentality even now. Nothing is going to be given to me. I need to go out and take everything. That's why I work as hard as I do, because I really need the game of football to bless me and my family.”

Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD

Under Armour Kelly Green Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2025 Sideline Football Performance T-Shirt