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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aelmiami

Nov 30, 2024

SCarolina Ibis said:
Next year we'll have a defense with no offense. We get the can opener OR the can. Not both.

The problem is, the OL will be too good to let the wheels fall off completely. As bad as this defense was, losing a lot of experience. Honestly, I could see the defense being worse.

T
Torocane

Nov 30, 2024

The U is back to work said:
I really don’t know what answer at QB there is out there to make this team even close offensively to what it was this year. OL will be good RBs good but that’s not enough.

"don’t know what answer at QB there is out there"

I'm sure at this time last year someone was saying the same exact thing.

Someone will be out there....now if we get him or not we shall see.

Calinative

Nov 30, 2024

Memnon said:
If he's our starting QB next year, we'll be lucky to win 7 games.

You cannot bet the house on SF players in critical moments, they will always come up short.

If we put the hopes of our season next year in the hands of a mediocre QB, we'll deserve everything that comes with it.

This cannot be the plan. It just can't be.

Well rumors are right now that Mateer is going to OU, so can probably cross him off the list.

G
gordonsolie

Nov 30, 2024

"We had four NFL players in the 2022 secondary, and it looked just as lost as it did this year."

YES, YES YES

Manfred_Cane

Nov 30, 2024

JayCane20 said:
CJ Bailey is going to be the QB.

8-4 is probably about right unless that decision includes Jeremiah Smith as a package deal. (And it doesn’t)

How sure are you of this?

Manfred_Cane

Nov 30, 2024

@DMoney has there been traction with any potential DC replacements

Memnon

Nov 30, 2024

I think you guys might be overestimating exactly how "good" the OL will be next year.

Especially, if Bell is supposed to be the starting LT.

NosniknoT

Nov 30, 2024

hcanes100 said:
Guidry is walking dead. Zero chance he survives this. He almost didn't make it through last season.

Yes but will he be fired or will Mario keep him around until February while he looks for other opportunities

Calinative

Nov 30, 2024

Memnon said:
I think you guys might be overestimating exactly how "good" the OL will be next year.

Especially, if Bell is supposed to be the starting LT.

We lose 2 players. One is the guy everyone here hated all offseason. The other is Rivers. I doubt Cooper leaves early.
Lot of possibilities with the OLine. Unlikely to be a big regression from this year - where Bell was already playing a lot...

Santana Sosa

Nov 30, 2024

Odysseus said:
Boys giving 2025 season predictions without even knowing our roster. Got to love it lol

The same players on this year's roster, minus a few players. What are they missing? I don't get the counter argument here.

Hurracanes

Nov 30, 2024

DMoney said:
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 ultimately 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 it looked just as lost as it 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.

Spend $ and get more blue chippers and difference makers in portal.

Fire Dennis.

Get real coordinators.

TOcane

Nov 30, 2024

TheU1984 said:
Both bad, one a lot more controllable than the other.

Either way though, I don’t think either of those would’ve stopped Syracuse from rolling down to win 49-42 (or an eventual first down to ice it) had they had to.

Unfortunately, the true game changer here was X’s fumble.

I knew we were going to lose when Meesh dropped the pic 6.

Memnon

Nov 30, 2024

Calinative said:
We lose 2 players. One is the guy everyone here hated all offseason. The other is Rivers. I doubt Cooper leaves early.
Lot of possibilities with the OLine. Unlikely to be a big regression from this year - where Bell was already playing a lot...

If Bell is the full time starting LT next year, the line will be less good than it was this year.

Take that to the bank.

J
JorgieU

Nov 30, 2024

Forgot about the offense, we just had the best one and it got us nowhere. What happened to the DLine this year? What an underperformance. You eventually need to stop someone. I swear I told my buddy (brother is a grad asst) that after it being 21-14, I wouldve onsided every kick just because it wouldve given us a better shot to get the ball back and thats just sad

TriStarCane

Nov 30, 2024

Memnon said:
If Bell is the full time starting LT next year, the line will be less good than it was this year.

Take that to the bank.

They don’t want to hear it. He “looks like a first rounder” has seeped into our soul.

I do think we can upgrade at C though. Carpenter was mid and not super athletic.

Regardless, we are taking two steps back on offense next year

Manfred_Cane

Nov 30, 2024

I've seen 0 solutions in this thread lol

DMoney

Nov 30, 2024

TriStarCane said:
They don’t want to hear it. He “looks like a first rounder” has seeped into our soul.

I do think we can upgrade at C though. Carpenter was mid and not super athletic.

Regardless, we are taking two steps back on offense next year

I predict Bell will be in the NFL. Could be wrong, it’s happened before plenty. But unlike guys like DJ Ivey, who himself is in the NFL, Bell will have the college coaching to maximize his tools.

Calinative

Nov 30, 2024

Memnon said:
If Bell is the full time starting LT next year, the line will be less good than it was this year.

Take that to the bank.

Eh Bell has his weaknesses to speed for sure, but I'd still expect improvement. I mean I don't think anyone except Pete actually thought Bell should be really getting reps this season. Besides my real point was just that Rivers already missed like 3 games and basically was starting at LG it felt like most of this last half of the season. Like I'm sure you can look at PFF and tell us how many snaps Rivers had at LT THIS season. If it's like <300 snaps idk man, it'd be pretty far down the least of top concerns. I just don't think we are going to get BAD LT play. I think it'll be average at worst.

There are Lots of possibilities though. Obviously portal, but it'll heavily depend on Okunlola of course. And we will see with McCoy. I'd probably be more worried about Ryan Rodriguez at Center probably.

I mean maybe you're just saying Cam Ward was hiding a lot of issues with our OLine in pass protection... I'd just say the way he plays and because of that how we run this offense, he is responsible for a lot of it himself too...

TriStarCane

Nov 30, 2024

DMoney said:
I predict Bell will be in the NFL. Could be wrong, it’s happened before plenty. But unlike guys like DJ Ivey, who himself is in the NFL, Bell will have a good college position coach to maximize his tools.

He is too slow and lumbering. He blocks out the sun, but he can’t move and he doesn’t anchor well. He might be an NFL guy on profile, but he’s not going to lock down that edge. Remember - we won’t have Ward next year, who saved us from multiple sacks with his elusiveness and pocket movement.