Miami Hurricanes linebacker Kiko Mauigoa sits down with host Alex Donno to break down the upcoming football season and why he decided to stay at Miami rather than go pro early.
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00:00We got Kiko Maui-Noah with us here on Locked on Canes.
00:04Kiko, first of all, the honor you have to be able to represent Miami out here at the
00:08ACC kickoff in Charlotte, what does that mean?
00:10It means a lot to me.
00:12I never thought that I would be here at this position where I'm at today, but I'm thankful
00:17for every opportunity that God has given me to be myself.
00:22I'm thankful that he gave me people like Coach Chris Ball and the guys around me to be myself
00:28and encouraging me to be a vocal leader.
00:32I work a lot, I work hard, and being able to do the things that are not being seen has
00:41been very important to me.
00:43I think part of that has put me in the position I am today, so I'm excited.
00:47We're excited to have you here.
00:49You missed spring football, had to shoulder.
00:53How's your health doing now?
00:54I'm 100% back.
00:55I'll be participating in the fall camp, and I'm just excited to be around the team because
01:00I've been isolated from the team, and that's kind of sad, not being able to be around the
01:06team doing practices.
01:07I don't know, I don't like that feeling, so I'm excited to be back with the team.
01:12You had such a good year last year.
01:15Was it any kind of a decision?
01:17Was it hard for you to decide whether to go pro or come back for your final year?
01:23It took me three weeks to really think about it, talking with my family, talking with a
01:27bunch of people, but I think the best decision for me was to come back.
01:33For me, I wanted to come back because of the way I see this team developing and the strides
01:38that they've been making.
01:39I just want to be part of that.
01:42I kind of left some things out last year, too, so I kind of want to get it back.
01:47For me, this offseason is just emphasizing that, just being able to get a step closer
01:53to my goal as being the best player I could be.
01:56Well, I just hope the next time you tackle a quarterback in the end zone, the safety
02:00counts.
02:01I'll say that so you don't have to, Kiko.
02:04Thank you for noticing.
02:07What do you think you can improve personally in your next year?
02:12My goals is just being able to, obviously, I want to get into my pass drops, and that's
02:18some of the things that I kind of struggle with, and I wanted to improve that.
02:23I think this offseason, I've been emphasizing that, just being able to get my drops, getting
02:26off my breaks faster, just being an overall great athlete, and I think being able to be
02:34around the ball all the time, too, is important to me.
02:37I take passion into being around the ball, because that's who I want to be, is just the
02:43person that's all around the ball.
02:46How much pressure does it take off of you to be able to play right behind such a strong
02:50defensive line?
02:51I think with the guys that are bringing in right now, it really is a lot of pressure.
02:57Those guys have been, have shown me how much they are willing to put on for this team.
03:02These guys are willing to watch film, do the extra work, just to get a step ahead.
03:09Just being able to see that, and experience that, it's a very heartwarming feeling.
03:14Those guys are working hard every day to elevate this team, and I'm super excited to be participating
03:23in fall camp with those guys.
03:25You guys have continuity with the coaching staff, with Guidry, his second year, of course
03:31your second year in the defense, Coach D. Nick, how do you guys really, do you feel
03:37like you have more of a flow now that you've had that history together?
03:40Yes, for sure.
03:41I think those guys coming back has been a really good impact for this team.
03:46Those guys have been great leaders, and great people off the field, too.
03:51I think our relationship with Coach Guidry and Coach D. Nick has made a lot of strides.
03:59I think that's important, too.
04:00Being able to have a relationship with your coach, and the people that you're surrounding
04:04yourself with, it just builds trust between each other.
04:08I think those guys coming back has been a really good addition for the Miami Bird Kings.
04:14Miami's got some linebacker depth.
04:17Talk to me about your teammates, and who do you think can break out this year?
04:20I'm telling you, Wesley Bessaint is going to have a breakout year.
04:24He's not being talked about enough, and I think he's one of the top guys that you're
04:29going to be looking for this year.
04:31Wesley Bessaint has shown a lot of people in spring game that he can do a lot.
04:36He can pass rush, he's always around the ball, and that guy has a passion to get better every
04:43single day.
04:44I think he's going to have a really good year this year.
04:47I'm also really impressed with the young guy, Bobby Pruitt.
04:51I had a chance to interview him a couple months back, and you would think he's a senior
04:55with the way he talks.
04:56He's very mature.
04:57Yes, Bobby Pruitt, I've told a lot of people that he's probably one of the smartest freshmen
05:02I've ever been around.
05:05He's just picking up information very quickly and very fast, and it's outrageous.
05:11You wouldn't expect that from a freshman.
05:13Him coming in, being a mature guy, and being able to pick up on information very quick
05:17is unique.
05:18You can't find that anywhere.
05:21Him being on the Miami Hurricanes has been a really good addition.
05:24He's been working hard every single day, even in the summer, he's been putting on a lot
05:30of good weight.
05:31You'll expect to see Bobby Pruitt this year.
05:34How special is it for you to be able to play with your brother, CeCe?
05:38I'm sure the family loves that they only have to go to one set of games on Saturday.
05:43Family is everything to me.
05:44I love being around my family, and being able to play with my brother for one more year
05:49is a blessing.
05:50I think we've been together throughout my whole football career, and being able to be
05:57at this level of football and being able to play together is a blessing.
06:01I would never have thought that that would be possible, but being able to be with my
06:07family and my brother has been amazing.
06:09I think for us too, being able to compete against each other and just critiquing each
06:13other has been amazing, because that's what we do.
06:17That's been our natural being, is just being able to critique each other and getting each
06:23other better before and after practice.
06:26Miami's got a talented group of players, and a lot of new faces.
06:30Do you feel like everyone is gelling together and that the chemistry is going to be there
06:35come August 31st?
06:36Yes, I think people have been buying into the culture.
06:41The guys just being around each other, and I think that has been building up a lot of
06:46good team chemistry, and I think it's just a natural.
06:52Just being able to come in and being accepted by and welcomed by the other guys has been
06:56amazing.
06:57All the new guys coming in, I think they've been adjusting really quick and really good
07:05because of the way this culture is, and just being able to accept others in and competing
07:11against each other.
07:12What are your team goals heading into the 2024 season?
07:17For me right now, I haven't looked forward ahead as that much, but I think the team goals
07:22for this year is just end fall camp at a high note.
07:26I think we've got to start at the right pace, and we've got to end it at the right pace
07:30too, heading into the first game of the season.
07:34All I'm focusing on is just being able to take it day by day and not look beyond, I
07:42guess, but that's the main thing right now, just being able to complete fall camp at a
07:48high note.
07:49Kiko, thank you so much for taking the time, and best of luck to you this upcoming season.
07:52I appreciate it.