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The Bank (10/16)

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Ready for some unpopular opinions? (And I promise I am not a full panic sky is falling type when it comes to recruiting)

- In college football, mobility is the name of the game. Only a select few elite guys (Ewers, Beck) are able to be super successful without the threat to run. Nickel is fine but he better be an A+ processor if he's going to be the guy.

- Absolutely need to bring in a proven portal guy at QB for next year if we are going to build real momentum.

- Our WR recruiting stinks out loud. Moore is a nice player. Upshaw is fine assuming he sticks (he might not). But we were supposed to go "big game hunting" this year and guys like Wilson, French are trending away.

- We talk about stacking elite talent, especially in the trenches and this DL class ain't that.

- Our linebacker commits are too **** small.

- I'd feel a lot better about the DB class if there were 1-2 true studs in the mix. Right now the class is good not great.

At the end of the day, if we keep winning, I trust Mario to do his thing and have us in a good spot when the dust settles.
 
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RVACane said:
If you and Cway were Maude’s I think you two could clean thinks up here pretty quickly. I’d literally just sit back with the 🍿
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Excited Word GIF by Desus & Mero
 
TheOriginalCane said:
Who is Underwood? Luke Nickel is going to be a **** good one.

Taken as a whole, if you are saying that the entire Class of 2025 for all of college football is not as good as the Class of 2024, I'm not sure there's a response for that. I thought we were just talking about UM recruiting.
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I'm assuming Bryce Underwood, LSU commit from Michigan
 
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DMoney said:
It's been a while, so it's time to empty the recruiting notebook for the Bank. Let's go position-by-position:

- Luke Nickel (Alpharetta, GA) is locked in at quarterback and is having a good senior season. I continue to expect Miami to monitor the Portal and potentially add a proven signal caller.

- RB Girard Pringle (Seffner, FL) is committed and wowing the staff with his combination of speed, quickness and toughness. As we've been reporting, I don't see a second back in the class unless something changes.

- WRs Josh Moore (West Broward) and Daylyn Upshaw (Phenix City, AL) are committed and Miami is happy with both. Malachi Toney (American Heritage) decommitted but remains in play. The biggest name is Vernell Brown III (Orlando) and Miami will continue to push there.

- The staff is ecstatic with the senior film for Brock Schott (Leo, IN) and Luka Gilbert (Cincinnati). They believe they have an elite haul there.

- One name drawing particular buzz on the OL- SJ Alofaituli (Las Vegas). After watching his senior film, some in the building believe he is the best OL in the entire nation. You don't know for sure until he gets here, but I get the sense he is in the Rueben Bain, Francis Mauigoa, Elija Lofton category as an instant impact player.

- DE Herbert Scroggins III (Savannah) is locked in and Miami loves what he brings at JACK linebacker. Strong, productive, bendy, and plays hard with high-end intangibles. DE Hayden Lowe (Los Angeles) is considered a first round-type talent and Miami feels good about its momentum with the USC commit. Keep an eye on that one.

- The Canes are very happy with the senior film for DT commits Mykah Newton (Newberry, FL) and Donta Simpson (Chaminade). The primary target for a flip is Ohio State commit Jarquez Carter (Newberry). He is a major priority. I expect Elijah Griffin (Savannah) to commit to Georgia, but Miami will keep working there.

- Gavin Nix (IMG) and Ezekiel Marcelin (Central) are leading their respective defenses as expected. The Canes would like to add one more. The names to watch: Kellen Wiley (Seffner, FL) and Ohio State commit TJ Alford (Vero Beach, FL).

- The two biggest names to watch, at DB and in general, are DJ Pickett (Riverview, FL) and Ben Hanks (Miami). The Canes are pushing hard for both and there is movement. Jaboree Antoine (New Iberia, LA) suffered a season-ending injury, but should recover fully. He is visiting in a couple weeks and was having an outstanding senior year.

- There are a few names I wanted to highlight on the current team. One guy who isn't talked about externally but is considered a big-time player inside the building is Matthew McCoy. Some feel he is the best NFL prospect on the line. Some young names who are starting to emerge: JoJo Trader, Ny Carr and Armondo Blount. Elija Lofton and Jordan Lyle already have big roles, but those roles will increase. And keep an eye out for a guy who has been out with injury but is finally cleared: S Isaiah Thomas (Clearwater, FL). Excited to see what he looks like now that he's healthy.

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@DMoney Is there a chance Thomas plays this season?

Also, I had no idea who he was and learned he is #37. No one with that number has ever made a non-special teams tackle so we’re into rarified air here folks.
 
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OrangeBowlMagic said:
Miami's class rank in 2023 was 284.64

Miami's class rank in 2024 was 291.52

Miami currently stands at 264.48 on 10/16.

What do you need to add to get to at least 284? Well, adding some combination of DJ Pickett, Vernell Brown III, Ben Hanks, and Jarquez Carter would help.

IMO, when all the ink dries, this class will be somewhere between 6-9 (it is currently ranked #12 as I write this today, but really only 1 decent recruit away from getting to #10). Which is great. When you sign the #7 class, back it up with the #4 class, and back that up with a class between 6-9, you are recruiting in the top 5% of the sport. That's how you create championship depth. Go reel em i
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OrangeBowlMagic said:
Miami's class rank in 2023 was 284.64

Miami's class rank in 2024 was 291.52

Miami currently stands at 264.48 on 10/16.

What do you need to add to get to at least 284? Well, adding some combination of DJ Pickett, Vernell Brown III, Ben Hanks, and Jarquez Carter would help.

IMO, when all the ink dries, this class will be somewhere between 6-9 (it is currently ranked #12 as I write this today, but really only 1 decent recruit away from getting to #10). Which is great. When you sign the #7 class, back it up with the #4 class, and back that up with a class between 6-9, you are recruiting in the top 5% of the sport. That's how you create championship depth. Go reel em in, Mario.
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The next step for this program is to get back to winning natties. Finishing 6-9 isn’t enough to get us there.

I’m not betting against Mario in recruiting but as the class stands right now it’s not enough. If everything from The Bank comes true, it’s not enough.

We need a top 3 class. Math problem or not. We need more difference makers. Stack talent like Georgia Texas Alabama Ohio State.

Top 10 isn’t enough IMO to compete for what we’re trying to compete for
 
RightSaidFred said:
The next step for this program is to get back to winning natties. Finishing 6-9 isn’t enough to get us there.

I’m not betting against Mario in recruiting but as the class stands right now it’s not enough. If everything from The Bank comes true, it’s not enough.

We need a top 3 class. Math problem or not. We need more difference makers. Stack talent like Georgia Texas Alabama Ohio State.

Top 10 isn’t enough IMO to compete for what we’re trying to compete for
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Disagree. If you recruit the #9 class every year, maybe. But we went 7th, 4th, and then let’s say 8th this year? If you evaluate well, that’s enough talent to beat anyone you need to beat. But you’re gonna need a quarterback to do it.
 
OrangeBowlMagic said:
Disagree. If you recruit the #9 class every year, maybe. But we went 7th, 4th, and then let’s say 8th this year? If you evaluate well, that’s enough talent to beat anyone you need to beat. But you’re gonna need a quarterback to do it.
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I don’t think it is though. I would illustrate that with a simplified version of the problem…let’s say class rank just goes by the number of 5 stars to keep it simple.

Say the top 3 classes has 5 of them. Say the #7 ranked class has 2.

Then in 4 years, Ohio State / Georgia etc will have 5+5+5+5 = 20 five stars. We would have 2+2+2+2= 8 of them. That’s a pretty big gap in difference makers.

The point is it’s cumulative. Top 10 classes would be fine IF NOT FOR THE FACT that the same couple teams finish top 3 every season. Then the gap between those teams and us gets wider every year even with our good classes.

Point is we need more difference makers and y’all will come around to that way of thinking once we’re in the playoffs and matched against a Georgia or Texas. You’ll see it then.
 
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I see no mention of Stubbs, Fitzgerald, Ewald, Merritt, Buchanan, Campbell, Muex or Wilkerson.

Presumably some of the omissions are implicitly a way of saying that they may be on the way out?
 
RightSaidFred said:
I don’t think it is though. I would illustrate that with a simplified version of the problem…let’s say class rank just goes by the number of 5 stars to keep it simple.

Say the top 3 classes has 5 of them. Say the #7 ranked class has 2.

Then in 4 years, Ohio State / Georgia etc will have 5+5+5+5 = 20 five stars. We would have 2+2+2+2= 8 of them. That’s a pretty big gap in difference makers.

The point is it’s cumulative. Top 10 classes would be fine IF NOT FOR THE FACT that the same couple teams finish top 3 every season. Then the gap between those teams and us gets wider every year even with our good classes.

Point is we need more difference makers and y’all will come around to that way of thinking once we’re in the playoffs and matched against a Georgia or Texas. You’ll see it then.
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You are launching yourself to conclusions. Nowhere did I say, or even insinuate, that Miami has equal talent to UGA or Texas. These classes I’m talking about are all first or second year players. As you said, the other teams are cumulative, they have been stacking classes for years and years.

Also, if you wanna get really real about it, check out Texas’s class rankings for the past 5 cycles:

9th
15th
5th
3rd
6th

They’ve had 1 top 3 class. They’re a pretty good football team. Do I want the #1 class every year? Of course. Can you compete for national championships recruiting classes in the neighborhood of 4th and 7th in back to back years? You sure can.
 
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RightSaidFred said:
I don’t think it is though. I would illustrate that with a simplified version of the problem…let’s say class rank just goes by the number of 5 stars to keep it simple.

Say the top 3 classes has 5 of them. Say the #7 ranked class has 2.

Then in 4 years, Ohio State / Georgia etc will have 5+5+5+5 = 20 five stars. We would have 2+2+2+2= 8 of them. That’s a pretty big gap in difference makers.

The point is it’s cumulative. Top 10 classes would be fine IF NOT FOR THE FACT that the same couple teams finish top 3 every season. Then the gap between those teams and us gets wider every year even with our good classes.

Point is we need more difference makers and y’all will come around to that way of thinking once we’re in the playoffs and matched against a Georgia or Texas. You’ll see it then.
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Do @OrangeBowlMagic a favor and look at Oregon's rankings since 2019 and reevaluate.

Now, that's not to say it's foolproof (Texas 8-4 is right in that range too). Taking the limiter off the transfer portal and NIL also change things drastically. However, if you have a 4-5 year span of putting multiple top 9 classes along with a 3rd or 4th ranked class and combine with a strong NIL program, there is absolutely no excuse not to have a strong roster and a team that should be sniffing the playoffs+.

Miami does not currently have the clout nor the NIL to consistently have top 3 classes. Top 8, though? Definitely. Throw in a playoff run or two and you start to see more top 5 finishes.

Also the difference between Ohio St and Texas (the team many on here think is the most "complete" team) is a couple of very good to great QBs (Texas) vs decent to maybe semi-good (Ohio St).
 
TheOriginalCane said:
Uhhhh....

Yeah...but the reality is, when you "fix a position group" over the last couple of years, you land an amazing class that is likely better than the previous one and at least one or two of the subsequent ones.

Thus, when we "fixed" the OL group 2 years ago or the DL group a year ago, then for the next year or two, you might be "a little down". That's just natural.

So think about this.

QB - this is definitely UP from the last couple of years, at least for HS recruiting. Who knows what will happen with Portal recruiting.
RB - we are only taking one (barring injury) and I think Pringle is as good as any INDIVIDUAL high school recruit we've had under Mario.
WR - still a work in progress, and on this one I will wait to see the finished product.
TE - the pair we have look pretty **** good as seniors, so I'd have to put this on a par with QB as being "UP".
OL - the Samoan is fantastic, but I can acknowledge that 4 of our 5 lowest-rated recruits currently are OLs (and I've heard this is an area where we could see a couple of upgrades and/or drops)

DL - we need to beef up here, this one I will grant you as being "DOWN", even if we had not just fixed the DL last year.
LB - we need to land one more, so this is similar to WR above
DB - this is the group that we are "fixing" this year with big numbers and talent. We've got 5 guys at the 4-star level, though one is injured. We finished "second" with a couple of guys who may flip, so I will reserve full judgment until Signing Day.

Now, you can say "yes, WR and DB are the reasons I'm saying the class might be a little down", but I think the quality is there, even if the quantity needs to be increased by Signing Day.

You know who our targets are. You know we are swinging for the fences. We are not just lurching to some uncommitted guys at the last minute, the way that Florida has recruited for the past several years.

We need to close strong with guys on defense and/or Portal.
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I like the Buchanon kid from Seminole at OL. He should become a very good OG.
 
RVACane said:
lol. Just one weekend in the off season with these guys as Maude’s hearing your presentations would be a lot of fun.

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Please let me know what you’re courtroom scheduling is looking like as soon as possible so I can prepare my brief regarding the gross negligence of our currently appointed Bored Mauderaturs in their lack of pursuit of the identity of the Delaware Chicken Farmer.

Edit: quoted two
 
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