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My thoughts of the program after a tough week

IbzRlz said:
Apparently #s are really HARD for you as Manny was 21-15 at UM and Mario is 22-15...not sure where you got your #s from but they are WRONG. If you think 1 more win in 3 years is worth $8 million a year plus all the recruiting $$ Mario got over Manny, then that says everything
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You know you’re toast when you’re nitpicking numbers that are are off by one and that’s all you have to rebut with


Congrats on your boyfriend winning 9 games, I’m sure once Elkos players leave he’ll have Duke back at 5 wins in no time

TrumpyCane thinks this was a waste

Still have Danny Miaz slurpers in 2024

Move on, he’s gone
 
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JCL73 said:
Like many of you – it has been a rough week to be a Canes fan. I needed to step away from this site and all podcasts for the 48 hours after the Cuse game and am still gathering my thoughts as NSD passed without the hoped for success. While many of my thoughts have been stated on the site already, I felt the need to write this to organize my own thoughts. I apologize in advance for length, but writing this down is cheaper than therapy:
  • I went to my first Canes game as a 5 year old in 1978. I was able to attend every home game from 1982 until I graduated from high school in 1991 – so I was lucky enough to have a front row seat to the greatest and most fun dynasty in college football history. I was there in 84 when Kenny Calhoun deflects the 2-point conversion and was also in Arizona celebrating a National Championship for 15 seconds before Terry Porter threw his flag. I say this as a first-time poster so no one questions my bona fides as a true life-long Canes fan.
  • The last two decades have been tough. Having spent the first 30 years of my life expecting Miami to compete for National Championships, watching the team lose almost as much as they won was painful. Even more painful during that time was watching the team roll over and get blown out a few times each season. Where was the pride? What happened? Each new coaching hire brougth hope – but limited success. With the exception of 2017 and any win against FSU, there has been very little to be positive about during this period.
  • When Mario was hired, I felt that this was truly the last chance for Miami to ever be relevant again. Not so much that Mario was a great game coach, but he has shown he was a program builder, understood what Canes football at its best was and had the resources for the first time to put together a competitive team. My thoughts were the best case scenario was he would be like Butch in amassing so much talent that it would not matter how average an X’s ad O’s coach he was. As you know, year 1 could not have gone worse. Embarrassing blow-out losses to MSTU, Duke, FSU, Clemson and Pitt. Changing the culture and the talent would take time – and while concerned, still believed Mario could be the one to lead the program back to relevance.
  • Interesting fact – do you know the last game Miami played in which the other team outgained them in yards? It was North Carolina (by 26 yards). 19 games ago. It was the only game in the last 2 seasons where we were outgained. I look at the last 2 seasons and see a team that has been competitive in every game they played. Even when they fell behind – they fought till the end. That they have lost 6 of those games (5 by 1 score) does show some of the limitations of Mario as a game day coach, but can you think of a 2-year period in the last 20 years where Miami played hard and competitive every game of the season? That is a huge change in culture and one of the most important changes that needed to be made to make this program relevant again. I remember back in the 80s after an FSU game – one of their players said something along the line that by the 4th quarter, both teams knew FSU was the better team and both teams knew Miami was going to win. When we get back to having that killer instinct to win close games, even against superior teams, only then can we say the “The U is back”
  • I get the concern that with Cam Ward and this schedule – we should have been in the ACCGC. But no one expected Duke, Syracuse or GTech to be as good as they were this year. We can’t argue on one hand that close road losses to GTech and Cuse better position us for the last CFP spot vs the SEC teams and at the same time argue that these losses were inexcusable. Should we have won both games? Yes. But they were close games to good football teams.
  • I can’t remember a season where the top 40 teams were as balanced and competitive and those at the top of the rankings are there because of how few of those top 40 teams they need to play (I am talking about you Indiana, Penn State, Oregon, Texas). As an ACC school, as we saw this week, we have a smaller room for error.
  • The TVD to Cam improvement was huge – but I could argue that every other position group (other than TE) was about the same or worse this year vs last year. In particular – the drop off in safety play almost outweighed that improvement in QB play. I say this to highlight if we can fix the defensive backfield this off season and have a QB that that does not throw 2-3 red zone interceptions each game, we should be competing for CFP again next year.
  • Yesterday, I would have loved to have had more success on the defensive side of the ball. Yes – that does put more pressure on us needing the portal. But even if we signed Pickens and Hanks – for next year we would still need 2 top end safeties and a CB#1. We do need to stack classes, particularly at DT and DB, but our immediate needs for next year are unchanged.
  • As I get to the end of my missive, this turned out more optimistic than I have felt for the last week. I got to watch a full season of relevant, competitive UM football – something I have only been able to say 1 time in the last 2 decades. I believe that as long as we can be competitive in the NIL game (I know – a big if), we are going to have more seasons like this one. Most will end in tears – but they will be fun to watch.
GO CANES!!!
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Thank you for this post. It’s heartfelt and real. As a Canes alum for 50+ years I salute you and appreciate you and thank you for being there for us. Looking forward to next season and the new crop of gifted and talented kids. It’s exciting at the prospect of these players flexing their muscles and talent. Go Canes🙌🏽
 
mavericksouth said:
Well, you got the first part right...
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Enough dude. I and the rest of the board have seen this and the 347 other anti-Mario comments you’ve made since the Syracuse game. We got it. You don’t like him and you think he sucks. Got it. You are 100% completely entitled to your opinion and I’m not telling you you’re wrong nor am I looking for an argument. You are also stuck with him for at least a couple more years, like it or not. Leaving excessive comments like this add nothing of value to the posts and quite honestly, reflect poorly on you…and I am oftentimes a clown commenter, so let that sink in.

Go Canes
 
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
Enough dude. I and the rest of the board have seen this and the 347 other anti-Mario comments you’ve made since the Syracuse game. We got it. You don’t like him and you think he sucks. Got it. You are 100% completely entitled to your opinion and I’m not telling you you’re wrong nor am I looking for an argument. You are also stuck with him for at least a couple more years, like it or not. Leaving excessive comments like this add nothing of value to the posts and quite honestly, reflect poorly on you…and I am oftentimes a clown commenter, so let that sink in.
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Then mind your own business and ignore me then. No one was talking to you.
 
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Angry Ibis said:
Mario had the Broyle's Award winning come in to take his place as OC.
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So you are saying Josh Gattis is a good coach and it is Mario's fault then? I mean if you are going to have your mind made up, at least try to do better than cherry picking random awards to make your point.
 
MikeyCanez said:
So you are saying Josh Gattis is a good coach and it is Mario's fault then? I mean if you are going to have your mind made up, at least try to do better than cherry picking random awards to make your point.
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It was in response to Manny having Lashlee as his OC. Mario went out and brought in the previous year's Broyles Award winner. Gattis and the QB Coach couldn't even get along. Who's fault is it if not Mario's?

Mind made up? -- That season already happened - we were 5-7 on the season and got run out of the stadium multiple times.
 
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Angry Ibis said:
It was in response to Manny having Lashlee as his OC. Mario went out and brought in the previous year's Broyles Award winner. Gattis and the QB Coach couldn't even get along. Who's fault is it if not Mario's?

Mind made up? -- That season already happened - we were 5-7 on the season and got run out of the stadium multiple times.
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And the point was that Lashlee is a much better coach, so I am not sure what point you are trying to make. As for coaches not getting along, if you want to blame the head coach for that, then I cannot help you.
 
MikeyCanez said:
And the point was that Lashlee is a much better coach, so I am not sure what point you are trying to make. As for coaches not getting along, if you want to blame the head coach for that, then I cannot help you.
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I am not sure you are going to help me hold Mario accountable for anything. Clearly here he is not responsible for the quality of his OC, nor that he hired the OC and QB coach separately, nor that it created a toxic environment.

And the point was Manny won 5 of the last 6 games, started 1-2, then had 3 losses by a total of 8 points and the team kept fighting -- so the "culture" was not one in which the teams mailed it in... until 2022, when they did -- under Mario.
 
I know I said way too much in my original post - but am surprised no one commented on the 19 straight games that we have outgained our opponents. Is that well known and I had not seen that mentioned in the past?

I know that angry folks will highlight that this stat only shows how bad a game coach Mario is - but I think it speaks more to us needing to win the turnover battle in close games. TVD was an interception machine last season and the 2 games this season we lost had soul crushing fumbles. If an Olineman falls on the ball against GTech - I like our chances of still winning that game. Same for the X fumble against Cuse.
 
Angry Ibis said:
I am not sure you are going to help me hold Mario accountable for anything. Clearly here he is not responsible for the quality of his OC, nor that he hired the OC and QB coach separately, nor that it created a toxic environment.

And the point was Manny won 5 of the last 6 games, started 1-2, then had 3 losses by a total of 8 points and the team kept fighting -- so the "culture" was not one in which the teams mailed it in... until 2022, when they did -- under Mario.
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He hired a "Broyles Award Winner", it didn't work. I am fine giving Mario some blame for that. He then fired that coach and the offense got better. So he deserves some credit for that. The 2022 season was awful. I am fine giving Mario some blame for that too. They've gotten better every season since then. So he deserves some credit for that.

My point isn't that Mario is perfect. He definitely isn't. But if you can't give him any credit for our best season in 7 years, then maybe just step away from the keyboard and take a few deep breaths.
 
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JCL73 said:
I know I said way too much in my original post - but am surprised no one commented on the 19 straight games that we have outgained our opponents. Is that well known and I had not seen that mentioned in the past?

I know that angry folks will highlight that this stat only shows how bad a game coach Mario is - but I think it speaks more to us needing to win the turnover battle in close games. TVD was an interception machine last season and the 2 games this season we lost had soul crushing fumbles. If an Olineman falls on the ball against GTech - I like our chances of still winning that game. Same for the X fumble against Cuse.
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Our defense did not generate enough turnovers across the 2024 season. The turnovers you mentioned were crushing because 1 was at the end of the game and the other because we had no margin for error because our defense was so poor. Sad to waste a top offense like we did. More frustrating in that it was completely predictable in terms of roster management on that side of the ball. We needed ballers and we got bullied.
 
MikeyCanez said:
He hired a "Broyles Award Winner", it didn't work. I am fine giving Mario some blame for that. He then fired that coach and the offense got better. So he deserves some credit for that. The 2022 season was awful. I am fine giving Mario some blame for that too. They've gotten better every season since then. So he deserves some credit for that.

My point isn't that Mario is perfect. He definitely isn't. But if you can't give him any credit for our best season in 7 years, then maybe just step away from the keyboard and take a few deep breaths.
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I am fine giving him credit for wins and then blame for choking and getting outcoached. It is his thing. We were the more talented team against both GT and Cuse and lost with everything on the line. The season is over. Recruiting time - his bag -- we have a top 15 class for a coach and staff that needs consistent top 5 classes.

People that are being critical are not being overly unreasonable given the last month.
 
Angry Ibis said:
I am not sure you are going to help me hold Mario accountable for anything. Clearly here he is not responsible for the quality of his OC, nor that he hired the OC and QB coach separately, nor that it created a toxic environment.

And the point was Manny won 5 of the last 6 games, started 1-2, then had 3 losses by a total of 8 points and the team kept fighting -- so the "culture" was not one in which the teams mailed it in... until 2022, when they did -- under Mario.
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That team quit early in the game against Bama and in the 4th quarter against Michigan State. They did revitalized when TVD stepped in - but those are examples of the 2-3 games we had each season for last 20 years where team just quit. Will not disagree the 2022 season was worse - but was saying we haven’t had one of those games in 2 seasons. Name me last time we went 2 seasons without a game with an embarrassing lack of effort.
 
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Great post. 10-2 being a disappointment is a refreshing disappointment once I get away from the emotions of Saturday.
 
Angry Ibis said:
I am fine giving him credit for wins and then blame for choking and getting outcoached. It is his thing. We were the more talented team against both GT and Cuse and lost with everything on the line. The season is over. Recruiting time - his bag -- we have a top 15 class for a coach and staff that needs consistent top 5 classes.

People that are being critical are not being overly unreasonable given the last month.
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If Haynes King doesn't fumble while getting targeted, Georgia also loses to GT...at home...despite being the more talented team. So this means that Kirby Smart must also be a choker.

You are over here in the same post saying the demise of Dabo and Clemson is greatly exaggerated, despite the fact that his team lost more games and his recruiting class is objectively worse.

The consistency is nowhere to be found.
 
JCL73 said:
That team quit early in the game against Bama and in the 4th quarter against Michigan State. They did revitalized when TVD stepped in - but those are examples of the 2-3 games we had each season for last 20 years where team just quit. Will not disagree the 2022 season was worse - but was saying we haven’t had one of those games in 2 seasons. Name me last time we went 2 seasons without a game with an embarrassing lack of effort.
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Those were games 1 and 3 and the team rebounded from close disappointing losses to close the season. We had multiple games last season where the culture of the team was to not pick your QB off the turf -- that is not a strong culture. We lost games in 2023 with dumb penalties late. Rose up again when the pressure mounted against Syracuse.

So we replaced 2-3 games the team mailed it in with games completely being outcoached and unable to adapt -- not sure there is a massive trade off there.

The program is in an arguably better spot because of the NIL and investment -- arguably because if that is only for 1 coach and not others - that is incompetence.
 
MikeyCanez said:
If Haynes King doesn't fumble while getting targeted, Georgia also loses to GT...at home...despite being the more talented team. So this means that Kirby Smart must also be a choker.

You are over here in the same post saying the demise of Dabo and Clemson is greatly exaggerated, despite the fact that his team lost more games and his recruiting class is objectively worse.

The consistency is nowhere to be found.
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Georgia and Clemson have nothing to do with the discussion in this thread as you move the goalposts.

But - Georgia won the game, and Clemson for multiple years now has been said to be imploding -- yet they are sitting at 9 wins now with a chance for more, 9 last year, 11, 10, 10, 14. -- So yes, the grand demise is at least slightly overstated
 
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