The Bank (12/19)

DMoney

Yesterday at 2:05 PM 3 min read

Even as they prepare for Iowa State, the Canes are working on numerous fronts in the Portal. Here is the latest:

- My read from the building is that the Canes like their options at QB. It's true that the coaches and players like Emory Williams. Anybody with connections to the team will confirm that. But they were also extremely aggressive in pursuing Washington State transfer QB John Mateer, as reported by various national and Oklahoma sources. So watch the actions. The Canes are actively looking to improve the talent in that room and will continue to do so throughout the Portal period (which extends by five days for playoff teams eliminated from the tournament). Fernando Mendoza is a name that we like (and that I personally feel would be an improvement to the current room) but he is by no means the only target. I get the impression they feel better about their options now than they did last year, when so much rode on Cam Ward.

- Secondary recruiting could pick up quickly. Wisconsin CB Xavier Lucas just entered the Portal and the Canes are the heavy favorite. He is a Broward native and former teammate of OJ Frederique under CIS legend @Coach Macho. That reunion would give Miami perhaps the most talented pair of young corners in the conference. Lucas has three years of eligibility.

- Miami is also pursuing Michigan State CB corner (and Venice, FL native) Charles Brantley, who is one of the most experienced and proven corners in the Portal. There is strong mutual interest there. Arizona CB Emmanuel Karnley is another young, long, fast corner with three years of eligibility who Miami likes a lot. Ole Miss and Michigan are battling there.

- At safety, Miami is thrilled with the addition of Zechariah Poyser from Jacksonville State. He may have been the best safety in the Portal and has three years of eligibility. If we add another name as a boundary safety, watch for Adrian Wilson (Washington State).

- WR Kevin Concepcion is on campus now and having a good visit. He is a high-priority target.

- I expect Miami to add a starting C and will monitor names jumping in the Portal (that is an active market).

- WR CJ Daniels is considered a high-character, proven target with rave reviews from LSU staffers and others who have coached him. His contested-catch ability projects to be an improvement over anybody in our room last year.

- The DT name to know right now is David Blay, a 6'4, 300+pound late bloomer from Pennsylvania. He is visiting through the weekend. Miami would like to add a premium, productive target instead of a volume of low-ceiling players, as the room has improved through recruiting.

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Brit_Cane

Yesterday at 2:38 PM

clg003 said:
Ewers is going to want 2xs what Cam g

clg003 said:
Ewers is going to want 2xs what Cam got.

Then he’ll be going pro as a 2nd/3rd round pick..can’t see anyone paying that. He needs a big year to boost his stock..we sell him on what Cam did this year

Ziggy

Yesterday at 2:38 PM

Great stuff D$!

Would feel really good if we add Lucas, Brantley, Concepcion, and Blay. Still need to figure out quarterback but we are early in the portal season with bowl games just kicking off and CFP teams all in still.

dycane

Yesterday at 2:38 PM

Mr. Dynasty1 said:
Think the feel good there with what’s on the roster already

That seems crazy to me. Even if they recklessly presume some of the young, unproven guys will blossom, we have no depth.

Manfred_Cane

Yesterday at 2:38 PM

@DMoney

At LB, we're about to see a youth movement here?

LuCane

Yesterday at 2:41 PM

supersaiyanshel said:
Could be a quick turnaround with the secondary.

But as I've stated, I was infinitely more disappointed with the D-Line this year. We need another edge (I wouldn't mind going after Payton), another DT, and at least 2 LB's with some speed.

Or, a commitment to playing more speed at DE/Edge. Bryant, Pickett, Lightfoot, and/or Cole need more snaps. More speed everywhere on defense, please.

WeBallinBoyz

Yesterday at 2:41 PM

Angry Ibis

Yesterday at 2:42 PM

klineski96 said:
Thanks for the info @DMoney.

It's amazing what missing out on Mateer has done to my expectations. At this point, I wouldn't hate Mendoza, as he would certainly improve our QB situation, but I'm very encouraged to read that he's not the only QB we're targeting.

A cynical man would say this is the goal of the Mateer noise...

J
Jassid82

Yesterday at 2:43 PM

supersaiyanshel said:
Could be a quick turnaround with the secondary.

But as I've stated, I was infinitely more disappointed with the D-Line this year. We need another edge (I wouldn't mind going after Payton), another DT, and at least 2 LB's with some speed.

If we bring in 2 portal LBs you are going to see some young guys head out. We have to give them a shot before we hit the portal. That room is pretty loaded and crowded right now. If nobody looks the part in the Spring..then we can always jump in the next portal window. But you gotta give Pruitt, BW Jr, Hayes, Popo and Wiley Jr (who will be here in January according his pops) a chance to take a spot assuming Wes has one I guess.

LuCane

Yesterday at 2:43 PM

dycane said:
That seems crazy to me. Even if they recklessly presume some of the young, unproven guys will blossom, we have no depth.

You can’t keep getting guys like AHayes and fail to develop them. Let them play and learn. Lose with speed and range - not perceived dependability from whatever you saw in practice that doesn’t translate to games.

TwentySix

Yesterday at 2:43 PM

Bissainthe (maybe?), Popo, Alderman, Pruitt, Hayes, Washington, Wiley, Marcelin. Make it work imo, unless they can pull a miracle with Daniels.

MikeyCanez

Yesterday at 2:44 PM

Angry Ibis said:
A cynical man would say this is the goal of the Mateer noise...

Miami only chased Mateer so that the message board degens would be happy when we ended up with Mendoza...you heard it here first.

P-Tizzle

Yesterday at 2:47 PM

JayCane20 said:
Gonna keep him here so no one enters the portal and then fire him. That’s the only logic I’ve got for it.

I’m pretty confident he’s gone though.

Too much smoke on other names

So we are keeping a terrible DC long enough so that our terrible players won’t leave too?

ChinstrapCane

Yesterday at 2:47 PM

chris2183l said:
@DMoney Do you get the sense that if miami wants mendoza we could have him or are IU and UGA major players for him? Crazy we haven't heard a peep about him taking visits anywhere. Also is there a real shot to convince a guy like concepcion to come here after we just missed on mateer and there's uncertainty there?

I see Mendoza as a really smart QB who makes good reads and has the arm to get the ball to his receivers. He's also a better runner than people give him credit for. I'm not saying hes a sprinter, but he has good pocket presence and awareness and runs at the right time. As a passer, I see him as a Kosar/Dorsey type. I think he's kind of like Stetson Bennett. He would really help a program that has all of the pieces.

Angry Ibis

Yesterday at 2:50 PM

MikeyCanez said:
Miami only chased Mateer so that the message board degens would be happy when we ended up with Mendoza...you heard it here first.

Well and so when Mendoza signs with Miami after it being read here that he was the choice in September, it would look like both sides looked at other options...

C
CreamCityCane

Yesterday at 2:50 PM

Cane4L said:
Lucas would be a big pickup

Mopes are out in full force. Xavier Lucas is better than any DB on the Miami roster not named Frederique. Probably a multi-year starter at CB for the Canes.

JayCane20

Yesterday at 2:51 PM

P-Tizzle said:
So we are keeping a terrible DC long enough so that our terrible players won’t leave too?

Precisely.

flips

Yesterday at 2:52 PM

LuCane said:
Or, a commitment to playing more speed at DE/Edge. Bryant, Pickett, Lightfoot, and/or Cole need more snaps. More speed everywhere on defense, please.

Yup. My only worry if Mesidor comes back is we end up playing with 2 big DEs like against WF & Cuse. If he's down to rotate with Bain and be an interior pass rusher on 3rd down I'm down, but if he wants to start opposite of Bain I'd rather go with the fast yutes (Rudolph too)

A
ageezy

Yesterday at 2:53 PM

Allabouttheu95 said:
Jesus Christ this might be the most bleak bank to date….

the lucas news could have been a bank by itself

StevoBevo

Yesterday at 2:54 PM

So far we’ve missed on ALOT of our targets thus far

Mateer, Silver, Calhoun, Singleton, Rivers just to name a few and we wasted our time with mateer when we could’ve pursued Mensah or Arnold. I mean to focus on mateer and put all of our eggs in that basket was asinine (I mean we didn’t even convince him to visit ?!) at least last year we had Howard visit as well

This whole “well now we have money to throw at ___” don’t mean **** because all the big fish are swimming away. Either we don’t actually have money to throw around or our portal approach is just as poor as Mario’s game day abilities.

Next thing you know we will be waiting for the “spring portal talent” and be left at the altar once again and then it’ll be “the real talent is in the SFL 2026 class and Mario is trying to get a head start and we feel strongly about the guys we have”

Yes I sound like a mope and yes I’m ****ed that we went all in on mateer and couldn’t even get a visit in and it’s like now what?

Don’t even get me started on the whole “staff changes are coming after the bowl game” because that is absolutely hurting more then helping.

I’m starting to think the whole portal and how it’s currently built hinders Mario more than it helps and as it stands he is not adjusting to the times. The portal is becoming fast paced and Mario is everything but.

“How you do anything is how you do everything” am I right ?

S
SPAMM

Yesterday at 2:54 PM

clg003 said:
Ewers is going to want 2xs what Cam got.

Get him a Dr. Pepper franchise.

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The Bank (12/19)

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