forums

The struggle at defensive back

View as article
DMoney

DMoney

D-Moni
Administrator
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
19,929
Before I get into it, let me start with a disclaimer: this not a thread about Guidry's coaching, nor is it an excuse for him. Our defense has many issues that go beyond talent. But I wanted to focus on this specific problem, since it's plagued us for almost a decade now.

The last time Miami played great pass defense was from 2016-2018. We finished 12th, 20th and 4th nationally in pass efficiency defense over those three seasons. There are a lot of reasons why those groups played well, but...

Continue reading...
 
Advertisement
IMG_2435.gif
 
Advertisement
Golden has turned into an incredible, Butch Davis like evaluator of talent. He losses Ben Morrison and next man up. He has a pile of 3/4 star kids at all 3 levels ready to produce in year 1 or 2. We have failed at recruiting and developing all 3 levels. If this staff didn’t have a huge pocket book they would be on their way to being fired in 25 or 26. Take notes from Mirable on how he evaluates. First, look the part. These great defenses have one thing in common, they all look the part thru the 3 deep.
 
@DMoney good note and I want to ask this question regarding this?

Last year OJ was in some respects like a Tier 2 or Tier 3 CB recruit for us. He wasn't someone a lot of folks were talking about, wasn't high profile or even the top guy in South Florida. What about OJ did everyone miss? He's played tremendously and out performed many guys ranked ahead of him. Did folks internally think he was this good? I have to assume folks watched him in HS play so curious what clicked for him. He's surpassed everyone on our roster who was higher ranked. Granted Damari is hurt but he might as well there.

Secondly, who are those guys this year? Each year we are after the top 2 or 3 guys down here but looking at your list above there are a number of guys ont there that were #4 or #5 or even #6 in South Florida rankings. Why do we keep missing.
 
You can also add receiver.
Love Berrios. But considering the sofla receivers in the last 10 years that have produced and ended up in the nfl and you start realizing it’s both bad recruiting or plain lack of interest from local kids.
 
Advertisement
pacusmc said:
You can also add receiver.
Love Berrios. But considering the sofla receivers in the last 10 years that have produced and ended up in the nfl and you start realizing it’s both bad recruiting or plain lack of interest from local kids.
Click to expand...

Mario just signed, at worst, a Top 5 WR recruiting class nationally. Over the past 10 years, sure I agree with you. But we're in the situation we're in right now at DB because that is the one spot Mario hasn't succeeded with since his arrival. Or at least, it's the worst one of all position groups.

But in Mario's 2 classes, he has signed:

Robby Washington
Ray Ray Joseph
Jojo Trader
Ny Carr
Chance Robinson

Every single one of those kids was a Top 200 overall player in the country. 5 true blue-chip players, with Trader and Carr flirting with 5-star status.

At the same time, we've only signed three blue-chip DBs (Patterson, Brown, Stafford). And the DB group was in much worse shape when Mario arrived than the WR group, so really these numbers should be flipped, at worst. Mario inherited Restrepo and George, and Horton was already committed when he was hired.

Mario has done a very good job flipping the roster, as evidenced by how much better this team is overall than it was in 2022. But we all shared the same concerns coming into the year, and they've come true: Where is the talent in the secondary? They MUST find plug and play starters for 2025, and they better hope they sign the best DB class in the country, which they're probably in the running for. There is plenty to like about what Mario has done since he's been here, but the DB recruiting has been by far the most glaring issue.
 
pacusmc said:
You can also add receiver.
Love Berrios. But considering the sofla receivers in the last 10 years that have produced and ended up in the nfl and you start realizing it’s both bad recruiting or plain lack of interest from local kids.
Click to expand...
Good point. WR might be worse. The last receiver we signed who made the NFL was Braxton Berrios, Class of 2014.

But that one has turned around lately. Still no first rounder, but Restrepo, George and Horton are part of a very good group.
 
Advertisement
would agree the D.Backs are not great but tackling is not an issue of "talent"
also take the right pursuit angles!!!! I was at GT game and we seemed to never take the "angle" in pursuit
 
DMoney said:
Good point. WR might be worse. The last receiver we signed who made the NFL was Braxton Berrios, Class of 2014.

But that one has turned around lately. Still no first rounder, but Restrepo, George and Horton are part of a very good group.
Click to expand...
We sure it is a recruiting issue and not a development issue? At WR and DB.
 
Advertisement
jdg3158 said:
@DMoney good note and I want to ask this question regarding this?

Last year OJ was in some respects like a Tier 2 or Tier 3 CB recruit for us. He wasn't someone a lot of folks were talking about, wasn't high profile or even the top guy in South Florida. What about OJ did everyone miss? He's played tremendously and out performed many guys ranked ahead of him. Did folks internally think he was this good? I have to assume folks watched him in HS play so curious what clicked for him. He's surpassed everyone on our roster who was higher ranked. Granted Damari is hurt but he might as well there.

Secondly, who are those guys this year? Each year we are after the top 2 or 3 guys down here but looking at your list above there are a number of guys ont there that were #4 or #5 or even #6 in South Florida rankings. Why do we keep missing.
Click to expand...
Not d$ but he grew a few inches before his senior year.. wasn't d1 size prior and became that late, his coach on here mentioned in past
 
Guidry's personal choices in back 7 are a problem.

Damari is an NFL talent. Damari (if healthy) and OJ are a good starting combo. Injuries to Isiah Thomas hurt us, that kid is a legit starting safety at peak health.
 
Advertisement
Back
Top