CANE4LIFE
Im a Political Refugee...
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2011
- Messages
- 10,938
People need to get a little perspective here and take a step back from the hysteria and really analyze where this program is and has been.
There is no question we have some big issues. And Golden has not been perfect as a coach, and has made some big mistakes. There is also the issue of the defense, where some serious criticism and discussion is warranted.
But people need to take a step back and realize what this guy has had to deal with since he got here.
First off, he walked into a total monkey f*ck of a program. Shannon had finished running this program totally into the ground. There was no discipline, no structure, no work ethic or culture of leadership, accontability, or responsibility. Recruiting relationships were in shambles accross the board.
The man walks into a dumpster fire, and inherits FOUR commitments to work with, as Shannon had pretty much given up doing anything here. He is forced to slap together a last minute class of JAGS and rejects just to fill out the roster.
THEN, he's hit with the NCAA Shapiro mess. The program suffers from a massive embarassment, which significantly hurts recruiting, and more immidiately, leads to a SLEW of critical suspensions in his first season. He has to begin his first season here, with EIGHT of his key players and upper classmen starters suspended, including his starting QB, on what was already a thin and unbalanced roster.
THEN, that is followed by a bunch of guys we desperately needed, on a very thin roster, leaving early. Brandon Washington, Forston, Streeter, Lamar Miller, all key guys Golden was depending on to be the leadership and key starters on this team, all decide to bolt early to the NFL. This left us with thin depth, and short of "playmakers" on both sides of the ball. That was made even worse with Porter's injury that kept him out all year, and Cookie Buchanon being out with injury. The team's senior leadership and experience, already thin and lack luster, was further decimated. (That doesnt even factor in losing guys like Ray Ray).
THEN he's having to recruit with the NCAA cloud over his head, which was no joke. Everyone acts like it was a big joke now, but it wasnt. It certainly hurt us. And what happens the next off season? He has his Linebacking corps decimated when we lost EJ, Paul and Terry, leaving only DP as the only LB with any experience or ability on the whole team. An already weak and thin roster, got weaker and thinner.
And now here we are. No question the defense was a disaster this year. The Donofrio situation is a mess and really needs to be dealt with. Golden has some tough choices he has to make. But the guy still managed to win 9 games. He's steadily improved his record here, despite what really is a TRAINWRECK on this roster. He had ONE real playmaker on offense, who broke his ankle. A Freshman sensation with a world of talent and potential who is starting to come into his own, and 1 solid WR. His QB was a mess. And many, if not most of his defensive starters would probably struggle to start at USF for the most part. But with the NCAA mess now gone, he's put together a MONSTER recruiting class. One that REALLY has addressed our critical needs. IF we can hold this class together, and get these guys qualified, the talent is starting to come together.
I dont know if AG is going to become the next JJ here. He may succeed, and he may fail. But what I do know, is that the guy has been dealt some pretty sh*tty hands since he's been here. He's made the best of them, and has still managed to get a little bit better every year. Yes there are HUGE problems on this team, and they need to get fixed, and Im not sure if he can get it done or not. But I do know that UM cannot afford a Nick Saban type coach, and that one of the things that has really hurt this program, has been a total lack of consistency and massive turnover in the staff every year. I dont see how having our 5th HC in 13 years is going to magically solve anything, unless its a superstar type coach, the kind we cannot afford.
So maybe people need to take a step back, and look at the big picture, and see just how bad things have been in this program the last few years. Its not like this man was handed the keys to a Ferrarri as Coker was in 2001. The guy inherited a big pile of chicken sh*t, and I think he's done a fairly decent job overall with it. The young talent on this team, and the guys he is bringing in in the next class, give me hope that when this guy does get the players he wants and needs into the program, THEN, we may just see him be able to realize the vision he has for this team. Because all he's done the last 3 years is basically put out fires and move from one sh8tty situation to another.
The bottom line is, I dont think we have seen the best AG has to offer, and most of it has not been his fault. Yes, he's made mistakes, and he needs to get some major things fixed, but I think maybe a little patience, may pay off big here in another year or two. Something we as fans of this program have NOT had for a long time, and maybe its time we did.
There is no question we have some big issues. And Golden has not been perfect as a coach, and has made some big mistakes. There is also the issue of the defense, where some serious criticism and discussion is warranted.
But people need to take a step back and realize what this guy has had to deal with since he got here.
First off, he walked into a total monkey f*ck of a program. Shannon had finished running this program totally into the ground. There was no discipline, no structure, no work ethic or culture of leadership, accontability, or responsibility. Recruiting relationships were in shambles accross the board.
The man walks into a dumpster fire, and inherits FOUR commitments to work with, as Shannon had pretty much given up doing anything here. He is forced to slap together a last minute class of JAGS and rejects just to fill out the roster.
THEN, he's hit with the NCAA Shapiro mess. The program suffers from a massive embarassment, which significantly hurts recruiting, and more immidiately, leads to a SLEW of critical suspensions in his first season. He has to begin his first season here, with EIGHT of his key players and upper classmen starters suspended, including his starting QB, on what was already a thin and unbalanced roster.
THEN, that is followed by a bunch of guys we desperately needed, on a very thin roster, leaving early. Brandon Washington, Forston, Streeter, Lamar Miller, all key guys Golden was depending on to be the leadership and key starters on this team, all decide to bolt early to the NFL. This left us with thin depth, and short of "playmakers" on both sides of the ball. That was made even worse with Porter's injury that kept him out all year, and Cookie Buchanon being out with injury. The team's senior leadership and experience, already thin and lack luster, was further decimated. (That doesnt even factor in losing guys like Ray Ray).
THEN he's having to recruit with the NCAA cloud over his head, which was no joke. Everyone acts like it was a big joke now, but it wasnt. It certainly hurt us. And what happens the next off season? He has his Linebacking corps decimated when we lost EJ, Paul and Terry, leaving only DP as the only LB with any experience or ability on the whole team. An already weak and thin roster, got weaker and thinner.
And now here we are. No question the defense was a disaster this year. The Donofrio situation is a mess and really needs to be dealt with. Golden has some tough choices he has to make. But the guy still managed to win 9 games. He's steadily improved his record here, despite what really is a TRAINWRECK on this roster. He had ONE real playmaker on offense, who broke his ankle. A Freshman sensation with a world of talent and potential who is starting to come into his own, and 1 solid WR. His QB was a mess. And many, if not most of his defensive starters would probably struggle to start at USF for the most part. But with the NCAA mess now gone, he's put together a MONSTER recruiting class. One that REALLY has addressed our critical needs. IF we can hold this class together, and get these guys qualified, the talent is starting to come together.
I dont know if AG is going to become the next JJ here. He may succeed, and he may fail. But what I do know, is that the guy has been dealt some pretty sh*tty hands since he's been here. He's made the best of them, and has still managed to get a little bit better every year. Yes there are HUGE problems on this team, and they need to get fixed, and Im not sure if he can get it done or not. But I do know that UM cannot afford a Nick Saban type coach, and that one of the things that has really hurt this program, has been a total lack of consistency and massive turnover in the staff every year. I dont see how having our 5th HC in 13 years is going to magically solve anything, unless its a superstar type coach, the kind we cannot afford.
So maybe people need to take a step back, and look at the big picture, and see just how bad things have been in this program the last few years. Its not like this man was handed the keys to a Ferrarri as Coker was in 2001. The guy inherited a big pile of chicken sh*t, and I think he's done a fairly decent job overall with it. The young talent on this team, and the guys he is bringing in in the next class, give me hope that when this guy does get the players he wants and needs into the program, THEN, we may just see him be able to realize the vision he has for this team. Because all he's done the last 3 years is basically put out fires and move from one sh8tty situation to another.
The bottom line is, I dont think we have seen the best AG has to offer, and most of it has not been his fault. Yes, he's made mistakes, and he needs to get some major things fixed, but I think maybe a little patience, may pay off big here in another year or two. Something we as fans of this program have NOT had for a long time, and maybe its time we did.
