It’s easy to see what the new Miami Northwestern football is trying to teach their players. Leadership, responsibility, accountability and most important adversity. After breaking a streak of nineteen playoff appearances in a row last year, Miami Northwestern changed things up by hiring new head coach Stephen Field. Recently I caught up with Miami Northwestern Head of Football Operations Mike Love for his take on the upcoming season.
Nash Williams: “What goes into making a successful season at Northwestern?”
Mike Love: “First thing is hard work and dedication. That’s the first ingredient that we preach out here. When you come to work and come to check into football, hard work and dedication are first. Then we add responsibility and accountability. That’s our winning ingredient to making a champion at Northwestern.”
NW: “How do you think new head coach Stephen Field will change things?”
ML: “Coach Field comes with a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge for the game. He is a great head coach. Very quickly everyone will see how knowledgeable and skillful he is of the game. The kids, administration, and staff love him. He is doing a heck of a job right now with the school and the kids. It’s not just football. He showed the kids he cares about them. It’s not just fluff. It was real. The first thing he did was go to every player’s mom or dad or guardian to let them know what he will do with their children.”
NW: “Who do you see as your toughest opponent?”
ML: ” Wow. As you know we play in that district, (16-6A), It’s almost like SEC football. It’s tough. Right out of the gate we got Booker T. Washington. A nationally ranked football team. They’re well coached with Coach Ice and all of those guys do a great job over there at Booker T. So we get them first and then we get Central. That’s a district game so that might be the toughest game. Not taking away from Booker T. Washington or anybody else. But I think between Central and Belen Jesuit because those are district games and those are two very good football teams and they’re going to play us down to the end. So much on the line.”
NW: ” Who do you see as a breakout player?”
ML: “The obvious is going to be Artie Burns. He’s a kid that’s very talented. Coach Campbell has taken him to the next level, as far as how great he can be. He is showing flashes of greatness this year. So he is going to definitely be a kid to watch out for. Then also on defense we have Darius Redmond (LB), Yonell Henri (DT), and Jaquintin Victrum (LB). We have some kids that can get it done on defense. Anyone of those guys I named; they could be in somebody’s college program. On offense Darius Tice (RB) and Fabian Johnson (RB) we’re going to make sure we get them the ball. Also Joseph Robinson (ATH) a Florida State commit. We’re going to have him play a little RB, a little QB, and a little WR in an effort to get him the football. Another special kid. This year they’re going to be very special.”
NW: “Did you guys have any particular goals in off-season workouts?”
ML: “Our number one goal, and what we preach is adversity. What do you do when your faced with adversity? It’s preached and preached because our number one goal is a state championship. At Northwestern you play for state championships. Not just quarterfinals, not just regionals, and not just districts. No! No! No! You play for state championships when you play for Northwestern. If we can fight through adversity that is going to happen, in the season, with the teams were facing, we can very well be in the driver’s seat to be in Orlando taking on another great team from up north. Adversity is the thing we are working on right now as far as what do we do when we get hit with adversity. How do we react and how do we stick together to get to our ultimate goal; a state championship.”
NW: “What makes Northwestern a standout program?”
ML: “Last season was the first time Northwestern wasn’t in the playoffs in 20 years. We have a lot of kids that have brothers and family members that have all played at Northwestern. So for a whole year they had to hear that. Like you guys were the first team in 20 years that didn’t make the playoffs. So they are very hungry right now. They’re playing with a chip on their shoulder because a lot of people said because we didn’t make the playoffs Northwestern isn’t what it used to be anymore. They say we fell off. Our kids said we’re going to show you how far we’ve fallen. It’s about bouncing back and winning games and competing at a high level that Northwestern High School is used to. We going to show everybody we never left. We’re always going to be here. We’re always going to be in the thick of things with playoff runs and state championships.”
NW: “With only three returning starters on offense, what challenges are you facing?”
ML: “Just repetition and experience. Those three guys that we have that played last year, they lead our offense. They are pretty much the heartbeat of the offense. Everyone else gets in line with them and what they’re doing. With that being said just experience and going through it. Like I said earlier, adversity. What are you going to do when we’re down seven points going into the fourth quarter. That’s why Coach Field and the rest of our coaches preach adversity. What do we do? Do we stick together or do we fall to pieces? It’s key that they understand keep going and fighting until the end. Also Gerald Wright is a vocal leader we have on offense. He is coming off the offensive line. We have a special mixture.”
Thanks to Mr. Love for taking the time to speak with us.
