PODCAST: Early Signing Day Reaction ft. Kyle Liburd and Tommy Kennedy

[User-4525]

Top Targets Left

Akeem Dent
Khris Bogle
Tyrique Stevenson
Mark Anthony-Richards
Darius Washigton
Octavius Brothers/Eugene Asante

Dent, Stevenson, and Bogle would all have an opportunity to start next year.

Landing 3+ of these guys would be ideal.

 

[orange&green84]

I think starting lineup against UF will be

LT Kennedy
LG Boulware
C Mahoney
RG Donaldson
RT Scaife

Depending on his development and Kennedy’s transition.. I could see Kennedy and Scaife switching. Gaynor will be the 6th man rotating in at G and C. The reserve at Tackle will be a competition between Campbell, Hillery, and Herbert.

Starting Mahoney over Gaynor (whom the staff red-shirted this year) would be one of the most maddening things they've done. Mahoney better not be in the rotation next year (even though we know he is).

 

[JayCane20]

Starting Mahoney over Gaynor (whom the staff red-shirted this year) would be one of the most maddening things they've done. Mahoney better not be in the rotation next year (even though we know he is).

It’ll be the experienced guy that knows the cadences and can call out the blitz and re-align the protection. That’s why I went with Mahoney. Either he plays Center and Gaynor rotates or he plays Guard and Boulware rotates. I guarantee you he starts... like it or not. I’d rather Boulware see the field and meet Mahoney away from Guard

 

[orange&green84]

It’ll be the experienced guy that knows the cadences and can call out the blitz and re-align the protection. That’s why I went with Mahoney. Either he plays Center and Gaynor rotates or he plays Guard and Boulware rotates. I guarantee you he starts... like it or not. I’d rather Boulware see the field and meet Mahoney away from Guard

I'd rather keep Mahoney off the field.

 

[JayCane20]

I'd rather keep Mahoney off the field.

I’m not saying I want him to play. But you know he’s going to.

 

[01Canes]

You guys are so hung up on recruiting rankings. This class is not ****, but we got guys we need to build depth.

There are two types of fans who dismiss the undeniable importance of blue-chip ratio and modern rankings:

- Those who would be overjoyed by any Miami class, even one that ranks in the 100s, because of the stubbornly ignorant "we only want kids who want to Canes" nonsense. Ed Reed was a 2*, South Florida recruits are all divas, "don't be a fan later", etc.

- Fans of programs who aren't landing anywhere near enough four- and five-star players. When we landed a great class a year ago, there wasn't a single person downplaying the importance of landing so many blue-chip targets. Those in denial are like flat-earthers who aren't paying attention to programs that are dominating annually on the backs of their elite recruiting. Clemson, the program that was our litmus test in last year's ACC title game and proved we didn't belong on the same field as them, has been to the playoffs 4 straight years virtually unchallenged in our conference.

Actual depth is stacking your roster so that there's four-star or higher competition across the board. When there's a bust, a poor evaluation, or a drug suspension, there's another stud at the same position kicking their *** day in and day out to take their job. You don't build depth by having to resort to Plan D, low three-star options because our staff's misguided arrogance, lethargic complacency, and embarrassing incompetence resulted in us frisbee-ing out more last-minute offers than retail chains before Christmas after whiffing on so many top targets and neglecting quality fallback options.

Which leads me to this...

Even with the 2019 class we have, we will finish #1 in the Coastal and probably #3 overall in the ACC. There is no excuse for not dominating the Coastal. Period!!!

No one gives a dam about the Coastal. If the focus of the program is on simply winning the most embarrassingly pathetic subdivision within the Power 5, then we'll just be a poorer version of McElwain's Gators with Clemson annually doing to us what Bama did to them.

 

[g8rh8rMD]

I agree with that on O-Line. I think we're saying the same thing in different ways. I was saying we shouldn't have to be relying on freshmen to come in and start for us, but we've been in that position the past two years (Donaldson, Scaife) with guys that really weren't all that ready. We just had no other options/depth. I was saying we need to get to a point where a freshman walks in and starts because he's just that good that he blows everyone else away, not because we have literally nobody else.

At this rate, that's not happening. Not with this staff and recruiting at this level. You are dead right, of course.

Stef, you do a great job. It kills me listening to the pod when you talk about the issues with recruiting and how they could so simply be fixed with just a little bit more effort... and then you stop yourself and say, "I don't want to say there's a lack of effort, it's just we need to...". What's wrong with just saying what you see, man? I know you're trying to be an objective reporter, but what other reason is there than a lack of putting in the time and the effort to recruit more than just the very few top targets on your board? As I see it, there's two things going on here, a lack of effort in recruiting, and a lack of proper staffing. And in this case, I'm not even criticizing the coaches. I'm saying we are competing with programs that have entire back offices staffed with 100 people who do nothing more than keep contact up with recruits. We don't appear to have that.

I guess my point is, there is so much you leave unsaid. Part of covering a team is criticizing when it is fair to do so. The false hope is also extremely tiresome. You did make a great point about a couple of guys like Dent, and how if Alabama doesn't have room for him, we are in a great spot, except that programs like Clemson and UGA, etc, will swoop in now that they get to consolidate and review their boards for remaining needs. We all know it's a slim chance we end up winning these battles, especially right now after a 7-5 season.

 

[Umbra]

We all knew that Tai wanted to come here, but **** it hurts having it confirmed that Miami knew that and didn't offer

 

[Number1CanesFan]

There are two types of fans who dismiss the undeniable importance of blue-chip ratio and modern rankings:

- Those who would be overjoyed by any Miami class, even one that ranks in the 100s, because of the stubbornly ignorant "we only want kids who want to Canes" nonsense. Ed Reed was a 2*, South Florida recruits are all divas, "don't be a fan later", etc.

- Fans of programs who aren't landing anywhere near enough four- and five-star players. When we landed a great class a year ago, there wasn't a single person downplaying the importance of landing so many blue-chip targets. Those in denial are like flat-earthers who aren't paying attention to programs that are dominating annually on the backs of their elite recruiting. Clemson, the program that was our litmus test in last year's ACC title game and proved we didn't belong on the same field as them, has been to the playoffs 4 straight years virtually unchallenged in our conference.

Actual depth is stacking your roster so that there's four-star or higher competition across the board. When there's a bust, a poor evaluation, or a drug suspension, there's another stud at the same position kicking their *** day in and day out to take their job. You don't build depth by having to resort to Plan D, low three-star options because our staff's misguided arrogance, lethargic complacency, and embarrassing incompetence resulted in us frisbee-ing out more last-minute offers than retail chains before Christmas after whiffing on so many top targets and neglecting quality fallback options.

Which leads me to this...



No one gives a dam about the Coastal. If the focus of the program is on simply winning the most embarrassingly pathetic subdivision within the Power 5, then we'll just be a poorer version of McElwain's Gators with Clemson annually doing to us what Bama did to them.

First off, I never said be satified with winning the Coastal. My point is that we should own the Coastal and we don't!!!! Until we own the Coastal, forget about any ACC or National title.

Secondly, You can't get to the championship without winning the Coastal. Maybe you should start caring about it because there is NO ACC tile and NO National Championship without winning the division. That should be goal #1, the ACC title #2, and National Championship #3. That doesn't mean be satisfied with a division title. Until that happens on an annual basis, forget about anything else.

Too many delusional fans thinking championship or bust. Crawl before you walk and walk before you run. Stop trying to ice skate up hill.

 

[Number1CanesFan]

I agree with that on O-Line. I think we're saying the same thing in different ways. I was saying we shouldn't have to be relying on freshmen to come in and start for us, but we've been in that position the past two years (Donaldson, Scaife) with guys that really weren't all that ready. We just had no other options/depth. I was saying we need to get to a point where a freshman walks in and starts because he's just that good that he blows everyone else away, not because we have literally nobody else.

Thanks for clarifying. I misunderstood you point. We are both saying the same thing.

 

[423Hurricane]

At this rate, that's not happening. Not with this staff and recruiting at this level. You are dead right, of course.

Stef, you do a great job. It kills me listening to the pod when you talk about the issues with recruiting and how they could so simply be fixed with just a little bit more effort... and then you stop yourself and say, "I don't want to say there's a lack of effort, it's just we need to...". What's wrong with just saying what you see, man? I know you're trying to be an objective reporter, but what other reason is there than a lack of putting in the time and the effort to recruit more than just the very few top targets on your board? As I see it, there's two things going on here, a lack of effort in recruiting, and a lack of proper staffing. And in this case, I'm not even criticizing the coaches. I'm saying we are competing with programs that have entire back offices staffed with 100 people who do nothing more than keep contact up with recruits. We don't appear to have that.

I guess my point is, there is so much you leave unsaid. Part of covering a team is criticizing when it is fair to do so. The false hope is also extremely tiresome. You did make a great point about a couple of guys like Dent, and how if Alabama doesn't have room for him, we are in a great spot, except that programs like Clemson and UGA, etc, will swoop in now that they get to consolidate and review their boards for remaining needs. We all know it's a slim chance we end up winning these battles, especially right now after a 7-5 season.

To your point about leaving things unsaid MD, I would imagine that Stefan and the rest of the staff have to walk a very fine line being a smaller fish in a big pond (ie print, radio, tv) or risk losing the access they’ve worked diligently to establish. I’ve noticed on several occasions when a staffer has been critical but in a way that’s not offensive. The print reporters are chickenchits probably for the same reason. The only one I’ve seen or heard that asks direct questions is Joe Rose. I’ve often wondered if the hesitation by all the reporters is a result of a culture created by the coaches.

 

[gatorsSUCK!]

Nice podcast, thanks