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Some thoughts on the Duke game after rewatch

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DMoney said:
This Canes season has been so exciting that our three-touchdown humiliation of FSU last week seemed boring. The drama was back this weekend, and the Canes came out on top. My thoughts, from an in-person view and rewatch, our below:

- This is one of the best offenses of the past decade. Below is a list of the top offense every season, with some key players and coaches in parenthesis:

2024 Miami- 46.3 PPG
2023 LSU- 43.3 PPG (Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas, Jr.)
2022 Tennessee- 44.5 PPG (Josh Heupel, Hendon Hooker, Jaylin Hyatt)
2021 Ohio State- 45.7 PPG (CJ Stroud, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave)
2020 Alabama- 48.5 PPG (Mac Jones, Najee Harris, Devonta Smith)
2019 LSU- 47.2 PPG (Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, Jamarr Chase)
2018 Oklahoma- 48.4 PPG (Kyler Murray, Lincoln Riley, Hollywood Brown)
2017 UCF- 46.2 PPG (McKenzie Milton, Scott Frost, TreQuan Smith)
2016 Oklahoma- 43.9 PPG (Baker Mayfield, Joe Mixon, DeDe Westbrook)
2015 Baylor- 46.6 PPG (Art Briles, Russell/Stidham, Corey Coleman)
2014 Baylor- 46.4 PPG (Art Briles, Bryce Petty, Corey Coleman)

Miami is up there with the loaded, trend-setting offenses we all remember. The key -- along with having the best player in the country taking snaps -- is the balance. We are strong and deep at every skill position, we have a mammoth OL, and we can play with both finesse and power. All of that was on display in the second half against Duke.

- Nine games in, the defense is what it is. It's an average to below-average P4 group. In weeks prior, it looked like we were doing too much in the secondary and struggling to communicate. This week, it seemed we kept it very simple and gave Duke a very clear picture of what our safeties were doing. Duke, like California, is a middling offense with limited explosiveness. We made them look comfortable for most of the game.

- An obvious issue is the lack of playoff-caliber talent in the secondary. This is the direct result of poor high school recruiting during the Addae Era. When you get a guy like OJ Frederique or Zaquan Patterson, they look different physically. It is easy to see in the way Frederique moves or the way Patterson strikes. It's hard to get those physical tools in the Portal at defensive back unless you are taking a big character risk. We'll work the Portal hard this offseason, but we really need to solve this problem in high school recruiting.

- Guidry looks to me like he's having trouble adjusting to the lack of talent in the secondary. At Marshall, he had really good corners (relative to the league) and put a lot of responsibility on them. He has to play differently here. The lack of a nickel (which was the only major Portal miss) hurts you at two spots, since Daryl Porter is much more comfortable outside.

- Manny Diaz and Duke's coaching staff did a good job having his team ready to play. They surprised us with tempo down 14-0, they got to favorable matchups (Mauigoa one-on-one with a RB with no safety help), and they played with confidence. Duke is a good spot for him- less pressure, self-starting players, more room to experiment. If he can find a niche recruiting undersized, fast smart guys, I could see him sticking there a while.

- We have the best tight end room in the nation. Elijah Arroyo will be a high pick, Riley Williams is a specimen (watch his inline block on the Fletcher TD and his catch on the next drive), Elija Lofton does everything, and Cam McCormick is proving doubters wrong as a valuable role player.

- Not much more needs to be said about Xavier Restrepo. He's an all-time great. One thing I did want to highlight is his short-area burst- he's much more like a running back than your average slot receiver. His cut upfield on the third TD was an explosive move.

- Restrepo deserves the attention, but Jacolby George played one of his better games. He's the best example of Mario's player development. I don't think he makes it under the prior culture.

- I feel terrible for Jadais Richard. Hoping for good news and, if not, a clean rehab process.

- It's hard to know the full story without being in the building, but it sure seems like Kiko Mauigoa is playing downhill less this year. On a per game basis, his TFLs are down almost 40% and his sacks are down 61%. He's at his best creating havoc.

- True freshman LB Bobby Pruitt got into the game early on third down. I love the move- we need to get faster there and better in coverage. Pruitt has a nose for the ball and is one of the best athletes on defense.

- RT Francis Mauigoa was dominant in the run game. There just aren't ACC teams that can handle his size, movement and power. He and Markel Bell will be one of the best tackle duos in the nation next year.

- The crowd wasn't what it needs to be, but it was better than it looked on television. Hope Wake Forest is not another noon game.

- Rueben Bain causes a lot of problems that don't show up in the box score. He caused the Meesh Powell INT with pressure, and he forced a fumble in the fourth by clubbing the OL into Maalik Murphy.

- Booker Pickett looked like he was at a different speed on the fourth quarter sack. Miami feels it hit a home run with the 2024 defensive line class.

- We're 9-0. Florida and FSU are a combined 5-12. Life is good.

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I wanted to moan about the Defense but DMoney your comment about 9-0 and FSU/FL 5-12 Life is very thanks for post I now understand Guidry better. He is a bit handcuffed.
 
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MikeyCanez said:
I am not Addae defender, but I really respect tossing him right under the bus here. The Addae "era" lasted two seasons and the recruiting at that position is hardly better. Buck stops with Mario here.
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So 2/3rds of the time Mario has been here and you don’t think Addae is at fault?

Mario only has so many hours in the day and energy. Man can’t recruit the whole roster. He had a ton of **** to clean up cause of lispy manny.

Addae is to blame for this Cb room. Mario is at fault for not finding a way to get more than hill in the portal. Guidry is partially to blame as well he has been here two years.
 
put Powell at nickel because he mostly played the star position at Washington. Start Patterson at safety and kick porter back outside. That way porter is back comfortable and Powell is. I’ll take the freshmen mistakes by patterson
 
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Crowd was pretty good.
 
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ristwasdown said:
I've played football into college and I played on team where this what the case. Long story short, our team wasn't smart enough to take on a new complex game plan designed to stop the other team. It ended up making us play slow as everyone was thinking about film study or the new wrinkles. At half, we would get back to some of these base blitzes and things installed in fall camp and we would route.

I have no clue if this is the case, but I think our backend is green. They struggle getting lined up. They're thinking to much. Some of our better plays in the secondary yesterday was when guys were bailing in zone.

I think guidry can improve but he's got his hands tied behind his back. His d line isn't doing him any favors. He needs to simulate pressure and/or stunt to get home. Opening big lanes. If they don't get home, we have a secondary who can't process the game getting torched. Man is the easiest thing to teach, yet these guys can't figure out how to get lined up.
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I think you're right over the target.
 
brock said:
Consistent pass rush, gap integrity and not being pushed around
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Yup he's been pretty good when he hasn't been asked to stunt. He's especially struggled when he's stunted with the DE and is asked to set the edge. We did a bunch of early down DT/DT stunts yesterday too that make no sense to me. Just opens up alleys inside for the running back. He's been out there with #57 next to him a bunch too, which does him no favors.
 
DMoney said:
We’re getting a lot of pressure but not converting sacks. I think it’s a combination of things. Quarterbacks are comfortable challenging our secondary, Bain missing time, Baron being a little tight at the hips as a finisher, and Mauigoa not repeating his pass rush production from last year.
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The number 1 way to negating a good Dline is the quick passing game and having them run sideline to sideline. That's exactly what teams are doing. Duke average time to pass is 2.6sec. One of the highest in the nation. Your not going to get home a lot with the ball coming out that fast.
 
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Mauigoa looks 10 lbs heavier at LB this year compared to last. Seems like he needs to slim down a bit. Looks more like a 3-4 LB-type right now.
 
DMoney said:
We’re getting a lot of pressure but not converting sacks. I think it’s a combination of things. Quarterbacks are comfortable challenging our secondary, Bain missing time, Baron being a little tight at the hips as a finisher, and Mauigoa not repeating his pass rush production from last year.
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Why isn’t markeith Williams do you know if there is or was a plan to put jaduis at safety. He might thrive there instead of corner
 
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DroCane said:
Crowd was not good at all for an undefeated team with a Heisman candidate. No need to sugarcoat it.
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It was raining all day.

It was a noon game.

Last week's game was boring af.

The average local Miami fan is tailgating or late.

It was a distinctly above average showing.

And the crowd was loud too.
 
Ghandi said:
+ Hold the point of attack (win your 1v1)
+ Push the pocket on passing downs.
+ Get off blocks and limit runs in your gap.

He did all of that on Saturday.

What do you want from the guy? A pick 6?
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That would be nice. ... I saw him getting washed out on one play and stopped looking for him. I did not see what you two saw which is why I asked. If he did those things, then I am very happy. I was expecting him to be more impactful, a rich man's KJ Cloyd. But that hasn't happened. May it's coming together for him now.
 
grover said:
That would be nice. ... I saw him getting washed out on one play and stopped looking for him. I did not see what you two saw which is why I asked. If he did those things, then I am very happy. I was expecting him to be more impactful, a rich man's KJ Cloyd. But that hasn't happened. May it's coming together for him now.
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He’s only getting 10-15 snaps a game. He’s playing well in 10-12 of them (doing his job).

If he got more snaps, he’d probably stick out more.
 
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