Former Auburn Tigers DB Keionte Scott was one of the heroes of the Miami Hurricanes' 24-14 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Wednesday night. Scott's pick-six of a Julian Sayin checkdown in the first half extended the lead to 13, shifting the momentum in The U's favor for the entirety of the CFP quarterfinal matchup.
After the game, Scott praised Canes defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, who he's helped make a name to watch when the NFL's hiring cycle begins in the next few weeks. He also made a notable comment on the team's culture.
"I mean, me just getting here is something that I could just tell, when I first got here, the program was just very serious about what they were trying to get done. You could tell everybody in the room had their eyes on one goal, and that was something I was super excited to buy into. I feel like Coach Cristobal does a good job of keeping us focused and keeping us on task. We'll take 24 hours to focus on this one and continue to keep it going. But it's definitely something that we don't look past at all. We're very grateful to be in this situation but we're never satisfied," Scott said postgame.
Keionte Scott's only other Division I team is Auburn
Scott's comments didn't necessarily mean he's never been in a program that is serious about getting things done before Miami. It's hard not to connect what he said to recent rumors about a dysfunctional locker room under Hugh Freeze, though.
There were unserious actions several highly-compensated Tigers allegedly displayed throughout the season. Scott only saw losing seasons on the Plains, and now he's starring for a defense that's CFP semifinals-bound.
Undoubtedly, Scott has benefitted from escaping Auburn and making a name for himself, and his defensive coordinator, in Coral Gables. Perhaps he was acknowledging that juxtaposition last night after the biggest win of his career.