You only get so many chances

DMoney

Nov 30, 2024 2 min read

This one hurts deep in the soul. We had a chance for a special season and blew it. Every November feels the same for the past 20 years.

I'll dig deeper on rewatch, but my big picture view is this: Miami fell to its true level. We won games we could've lost, and we lost games we could've won. At the end, we were who we were all year.

We have a national championship offense. We have a bad defense. And we lack discipline overall. We came into this game ranked 120th in penalty yards per game. With the season on the line, we made two of the most immature penalties in team history. That was not a fluke.

Add it all up, and you get 10-2. Do I expect major defensive staff changes? Yes. But that isn't the only area we need to improve.

Mario ultimately owns all of it. He missed a rare opportunity. Now, the ownership cuts both ways- you can't blame him for the defensive misses and then ignore the strength of the offense. We were blessed to have Cam Ward, but he also landed Cam Ward and built his supporting cast. The question now becomes whether we can improve elsewhere enough to compensate for the loss of such a unique and special player.

This season will be remembered one of two ways: the beginning of something sustainable, or a fun, ultimately disappointing fluke like 2017. For true progress, this team needs to remake its defensive identity. You can fire coaches and recruit better DBs. But when you get bowled over by an Arena League running back with the season on the line, that's a cultural issue. When you look confused all year, it's deeper than talent. We had four NFL players in the 2022 secondary, and we looked just as lost as we did this year.

Was there progress? Of course. Should anyone expect us to build on that progress? That's a hard sell. The fanbase has every reason to be cynical. But none of us are going anywhere, so let's hope the build continues and we have enough material to tell lies this summer.

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Comments (511)

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NicKane

Nov 30, 2024

Angry Ibis said:
A well coached progressing team with winning culture does not blow a 21-0 lead with the ACC Championship Game and CFPlayoff on the line.

100%, I couldn’t have said it better myself. This team is not well coached, and that is as clear as day.

G
Golsen82

Nov 30, 2024

gacaneaddict said:
I feel down so I turned on UF-FSU it made me feel little better.

And I was wanting fsu to win sadly. Anything to slow UF recruiting momentum

G
gacaneaddict

Nov 30, 2024

NC_Canes_11 said:
My guess is this roster costs top 6 high end. Maybe as low as top 15

I would say we are 12-14th.

We need to spend more

hcanes100

Nov 30, 2024

DMoney said:
Ahmad Moten.

I wondered if the center did a ball flentch, but didn't matter.

C
canes23

Nov 30, 2024

I’m in the minority but as disappointed as I am over this loss…the season for me was an overall success. I was hoping for a 10 win season (that included the bowl game) and I got it. There were games we had no business winning and others we had no business losing…but this is college football (see Vandy over Bama or Michigan over taint, or GT almost beating UGA at home on Friday).

I believe we build on this and will continue working the portal and recruiting…and keep getting better. Luv u guys! Go Canes!

N
NC_Canes_11

Nov 30, 2024

gacaneaddict said:
I would say we are 12-14th.

We need to spend more

After this year, who’s gonna wanna back a slow horse?

SinisterCane

Nov 30, 2024

It was number 31 Holding penalty on 3rd and 8 that did it for me

TheU1984

Nov 30, 2024

CaneinBroward said:
Disagree on one point. This was not a lost opportunity. Did anyone really see this team going anywhere in the playoff had they made it?

Yes, the coaching on the defensive side of the ball is abysmal and I'm sure there will be major changes in the offseason because of it. But let's not pretend this was the 2001 defense out there talentwise. Perhaps the slowest group of LBs I've seen in the past 40 years. Some guys in the secondary that should not be on a D1 field to begin with (again coaching or the lack thereof has some to do with that).

My point is, the team was quite fortunate to get to 10 wins this year with how much of a liability the defense was. Should they have played some of the younger guys on D? Perhaps, but they probably don't win 10 games this year if they do. Although I will say the additional experience would help next season.

That’s one thing that’s really stopping me from full-on depression. This just speeds up the inevitable. SMU would’ve hung 50 on us. Even if we still got in, we would’ve been out Rd 1 on the road anyway.

With this back-7 talent level on D, the plug was just pulled early, friends.

GojiraCane

Nov 30, 2024

Rickd said:
Unless Mario is able to make a MAJOR upgrade on defensive staff ... 2025 will be lucky to make it to 7-5. Every program has very good coaches and is getting better. Miami had their shot and totally blew it.

Right now I would project Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and SMU to be in the title game for the next five years, or until an SEC school snaps up their coaches.

Nov 30, 2024

The last playoff will be Miami vs USCe vs Bama

FL Cane

Nov 30, 2024

People trying to project the 2025 season at this point are insane. We have no idea how next year's roster will look.

We're probably going portaling for a QB, and Cam Ward is a proof of concept for a guy that ended up playing at a level that'll get him a top ten pick.

On the defensive side of the ball, it's a great thing that we'll be replacing a lot of guys. Most of these guys wouldn't start on other P4 teams.

O
Odin

Nov 30, 2024

Odysseus said:
Yall don't even know who's on our team in 2025

Exactly,we're about to add 35-40 new players to the roster.

IbzRlz

Nov 30, 2024

HurricanesR1 said:
Going into year 4 with an 8 million dollar coach and we’re still talking about discipline and culture problems.

We had a cupcake schedule and still couldn’t make it to the ACC title game. SMU has as many appearances in that game as Miami and they’ve been in the conference 20 fewer seasons…and they’re doing it with several Miami rejects.

Good luck to Mario trying to sell his image for Miami.

And NO ACC money for what 9 years?

Odysseus

Nov 30, 2024

Problem2 said:
It’d be fun to look at threads from last offseason to see the predictions before we got Cam lol

Exactly I bet they were app 6-6 or 7-5 after the seasons we had the previous 2 years lol. This team could be drastically different after signing day and portal December

FL Cane

Nov 30, 2024

GojiraCane said:
Right now I would project Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and SMU to be in the title game for the next five years, or until an SEC school snaps up their coaches.

I think that's a bit premature. All of those teams lose a ton of guys going into next year. GT is basically losing their entire offense, as is Syracuse.

T
TooWise

Nov 30, 2024

What percentage chance is it that Martinez comes back?

Odysseus

Nov 30, 2024

Odin said:
Exactly,we're about to add 35-40 new players to the roster.

At least 25 high school probably 10 to 15 thru portal could be massively different like you said

J
JorgieU

Nov 30, 2024

sorry but when we were up 21-0 and seeing how our defense had no emotion, no life in them...It's as if they expected to lose, to give up play after play after play. They had NO PRIDE and that's what's embarrassing. They could care less getting "mossed" for a ball or anything. Even after the Pruitt fumble there was no life. That whole side needs to be revamped and sucks we just had one of our best offensive units combined with the worst defense this year.

manu64788

Nov 30, 2024

Ghandi said:
Not going anywhere?

Speak for yourself.

I’m done with this **** show.

I’ve given enough to this program, especially over the last 2 years. Enough is enough.

I’m walking away from this **** heap. I sugggest you do the same.

I'll see you in 3 weeks. Miami football is a drug and we are all addicts

Odysseus

Nov 30, 2024

CaneinBroward said:
Disagree on one point. This was not a lost opportunity. Did anyone really see this team going anywhere in the playoff had they made it?

Yes, the coaching on the defensive side of the ball is abysmal and I'm sure there will be major changes in the offseason because of it. But let's not pretend this was the 2001 defense out there talentwise. Perhaps the slowest group of LBs I've seen in the past 40 years. Some guys in the secondary that should not be on a D1 field to begin with (again coaching or the lack thereof has some to do with that).

My point is, the team was quite fortunate to get to 10 wins this year with how much of a liability the defense was. Should they have played some of the younger guys on D? Perhaps, but they probably don't win 10 games this year if they do. Although I will say the additional experience would help next season.

For real man people expectations just jumped mid season when it should have always been 10 maybe 11 wins with a chance of a playoff birth. So many dam flaws, and a ton of 3 star projects om our defense in the back 7 specifically