2024 Zaquan Patterson - Safety, Chaminade

[WeBallinBoyz]

You’d have to think that if we perform this year, we go big game hunting for flips with massive nil deals

That’s my problem though. It’s contingent on a myriad of things going right - I’m mostly just having fun in the meme I posted above, but there’s truth to it.

If Mario is a savant recruiter, why does it take winning 9-10 to flip the narrative already?

At some point, it’s not the coach. It’s the program. Maybe it’s because we went 5-7 and everyone said “it’s the same ‘ol Miami”. And it’s supposed to be different this time around…this class currently looks like a Manny or Golden class, make no mistake about it. Evals my a$$.

Good thing it’s technically late August and pen doesn’t meet paper til December, but boy the way things are trending, we need a lot to bounce our way in order to do what everyone is/was alluding to with this class.

 

[JD08]

That’s my problem though. It’s contingent on a myriad of things going right - I’m mostly just having fun in the meme I posted above, but there’s truth to it.

If Mario is a savant recruiter, why does it take winning 9-10 to flip the narrative already?

At some point, it’s not the coach. It’s the program. Maybe it’s because we went 5-7 and everyone said “it’s the same ‘ol Miami”. And it’s supposed to be different this time around…this class currently looks like a Manny or Golden class, make no mistake about it. Evals my a$$.

Good thing it’s technically late August and pen doesn’t meet paper til December, but boy the way things are trending, we need a lot to bounce our way in order to do what everyone is/was alluding to with this class.

Because last year was the mother of all cluster****s and anyone we're competing with for a recruit will say that Mario is a great salesman but he caught lightning in a bottle at Oregon and they'll go to Miami and be just another forgotten player who'll never develop before they transfer out.

Only one way to take away their only bullet.

 

[htownkidd]

View attachment 252539

Perfection

 

[P-Tizzle]

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[01Canes]

One thing I assumed and hoped this new regime would do was prioritize more rangy, ballhawking FS types in the mold of Kinchens after several years of seeing us instead load up on SS/LB hybrids who lacked the speed and cover skills necessary to be difference makers on the backend. Kinchens was seemingly the only true FS prospect we took in a several-year span under Diaz (as both DC and HC), who loaded up on slow, physical strikers with zero ball skills whose Hudl clips had many fans excited because they were filled with big hits and would-be targeting penalties.

Patterson was the only Top 100 overall recruit we were assumed to be in a prime spot to land at DB, and he looks like someone capable of playing either FS or SS. Considering how much more impactful a top FS is compared to traditional box safeties in the modern game, it's alarming how we much this program keeps neglecting this glaring need in the backend. Especially when we've seen firsthand the type of impact a Kinchens-level FS can have.

Spencer (last year's class) and Thomas (this year's class) are nice prospects, but they're both LB/SS hybrids. The biggest reason Mack was taken as a CB was to help us land both Trader AND Patterson, but it looks like the latter isn't happening. Day is an "eval" prospect who's seen as a nickel. Runs 11.33 in the 100m and lacks the range to be a true FS. How you fare at the premium positions matters far more than an overall class ranking and QB/DB recruiting are looking utterly disastrous right now.

 

[Angry Ibis]

No one is really implying that but people are wrong that our db recruiting woes would be different if he was here

People throwing blame around - away from one specific direction. Do I think DVD would change recruiting at DB this year? No. Do I believe the standard of hiring and recruiting should be DVD and Addae? No. Not when everyone wants to coach with Mario and he has a rolodex of coaches...

 

[RVACane]

Or how about FSU is recruiting with a ton of momentum coming off a 10 win season? I swear, some of ya'll are blaming bags when we literally just came off our worst season (optically) since Randy's first year.

No one’s saying that 5-7 for us and 10-2 for FSU doesn’t matter. It matters. What also matters is under the table, unreported cash being paid up front to targets of ours. You’re uninformed about what’s going on.

 

[TemplarCane]

I don’t get how some people on here still can’t separate the difference between legal NIL and non-reported bags.

These are the same people thinking NIL money is the school‘s money.

 

[Brock Berlin]

You’d have to think that if we perform this year, we go big game hunting for flips with massive nil deals

We are losing the NIL battles right now with id imagine offers that aren’t matching our competitors. Without Ruiz to throw big $$ offers out where do u think we’d all of a sudden get the dinero for these massive NIL deals to go searching for flips?

 

[WeBallinBoyz]

I took off the orange and green glasses and looked at it objectively.

I’ll be the first one to say Mario exceeded all expectations with the ‘23 class (even with the departures of Cormani and Antoine) and the ‘23 portal. We got off to another slow start with ‘24, we were told it’s the same as ‘23. Then June kinda went by with just Riley, we were told July was huge. June OV’s = July dubs. Then July started rocky and we answered with a stud edge rusher. Then we whiffed a couple more times and responded with back-to-back massive wins with Trader and Artavius. Then we fizzled the rest of the month and were told August was the month to watch. And if we go 0-2 this weekend, the excuse will be that Miami isn’t playing the dirty game and that watch what happens after the season + December.

Is 7-5 or 8-4 enough to have this astronomical amount of flips that everyone is perceiving? Is 9-3 even good enough? One season of success on the field? I’m not completely certain. That’s why you need kids now.

Now we’ve gone 6 weeks with plenty of whiffs, fake almost commits with Ahfua and Mincey, one flip that while carries a blue-chip status and is absolutely a good prospect, he’s a project and isn’t instant-impact material…and staring down the barrel of a borderline 20th-ranked class before the season gets underway. It’s already outside the top 20 in national average per recruit.

 

[01Canes]

Flips can and do happen, obviously. But if the accusations about rival programs making dirty/illegal payments to recruits already exist in August, what would make anyone assume those dirty tactics will just suddenly stop after the season? Like these programs are paying to secure early commitments and then just holding onto their butts hoping to get across the finish line without continuing to pull out all the stops?

FSU's alleged payments for early commitments has been compared by some here to what UF did last year when their class imploded a bit, but it's been said countless times this cycle how much other programs have clearly caught up with Miami on the NIL side of things. Those programs seem to have their **** together now with whatever tactics have them currently positioned in the Top 5 while we're the program in the Top 20 with the lowest average rank per recruit.

Being in a position where you have to flip a boatload of whales at the 11th hour to salvage your class is a very dangerous game, to say the least. That's not to say it can't work out. But when you're competing against annual CFB title contenders (UGA, Bama, OSU) and top-tier spenders, their NIL and alleged dirty tactics aren't going anywhere.

 

[JD4]

I took off the orange and green glasses and looked at it objectively.

I’ll be the first one to say Mario exceeded all expectations with the ‘23 class (even with the departures of Cormani and Antoine) and the ‘23 portal. We got off to another slow start with ‘24, we were told it’s the same as ‘23. Then June kinda went by with just Riley, we were told July was huge. June OV’s = July dubs. Then July started rocky and we answered with a stud edge rusher. Then we whiffed a couple more times and responded with back-to-back massive wins with Trader and Artavius. Then we fizzled the rest of the month and were told August was the month to watch. And if we go 0-2 this weekend, the excuse will be that Miami isn’t playing the dirty game and that watch what happens after the season + December.

Is 7-5 or 8-4 enough to have this astronomical amount of flips that everyone is perceiving? Is 9-3 even good enough? One season of success on the field? I’m not completely certain. That’s why you need kids now.

Now we’ve gone 6 weeks with plenty of whiffs, fake almost commits with Ahfua and Mincey, one flip that while carries a blue-chip status and is absolutely a good prospect, he’s a project and isn’t instant-impact material…and staring down the barrel of a borderline 20th-ranked class before the season gets underway. It’s already outside the top 20 in national average per recruit.

FSU was trash and is relevant because of one good season. 9-10 wins is way enough to bring serious excitement back for us

 

[Canesbro31]

But if he commits there and they win like 10 games this year why would he flip when he already getting a ton of money plus get to play with Bolden & Lester

This is why I said hopefully Miami can close

 

[NJshoreCane]

Sorry if someone already explained this, but why would he be giving his verbal to FSU if he is ultimately planning on signing with UM? It's just a money grab? Seems to me if a kid takes under the table money, it's going to be really hard to flip him later as the bag school can use that as leverage.

Actually less leverage, no?
It's not like they can scream foul after doling out cash.

 

[gogeta4]

Maybe you’re right but i don’t think coaches would force him to commit if he wasn’t ready, what I think it is he wants to take officials during the season and they’re probably against that

This...is more likely.

This isnt Coach Jones and thats staff first go round. If u see chaminades early schedule its a murderous row.

Their first games are these:

LAST Week- MIAMI NORTHWESTERN (BLOWOUT)
This Saturday- ST Frances Academy, Baltimore Powerhouse

Fri, 9/1 7:00pm		Cardinal GibbonsFort Lauderdale Away • Non-District	Preview
Fri, 9/8 7:00pm		Bergen CatholicOradell, NJ Home • Non-District	Preview
Fri, 9/15 7:30pm		American HeritagePlantation Away • Non-District	Preview
Thu, 9/21 7:00pm		CentralMiami Away • Non-District

I think this is one of the most difficult schedule in the entire country. Dillard and Lakewood out of ST PETE is also on the schedule.

I dont even know if they are so much against it or the times he would want some officials would be difficult to line up with the scheduling.

Just my theory. This isnt a kid that hasnt already been to all the schools he is considering numerous times. I know he wants those officials though for the game day atmosphere etc and i dont blame em. I always told em b4 it was a unlimited amount that you have like 5 of them...take em all.

 

[RealRussellPumps]

No way around it. If we lose out on him to FSU, regardless of the reason, it's a failure of the highest degree. Canes fan, in our backyard, mom's in our corner, position of need, can sell early PT, can offer good NIL (from what we are told), and desperately in need of some momentum. If we let him commit to FSU, even if people think he may flip down the road, it's a huge slap in the face. In this NIL world, there's no guarantees of getting someone to flip once they're committed.

 

[Calinative]

I'd rather be the best offer in August AND December, following a great season that exceeded expectations.

Best offer in August then December is bidding up ourselves at a time everyone on here is *****ing about us not having enough NIL though. There are factors we have to consider when making these offers.

Maybe majority of players you want to be highest bidder in August. But there are certainly some you don't want to be. And if it's JUST for a bag drop with zero strings attached....that's even worse

 

[Canesbro31]

Flips can and do happen, obviously. But if the accusations about rival programs making dirty/illegal payments to recruits already exist in August, what would make anyone assume those dirty tactics will just suddenly stop after the season? Like these programs are paying to secure early commitments and then just holding onto their butts hoping to get across the finish line without continuing to pull out all the stops?

FSU's alleged payments for early commitments has been compared by some here to what UF did last year when their class imploded a bit, but it's been said countless times this cycle how much other programs have clearly caught up with Miami on the NIL side of things. Those programs seem to have their **** together now with whatever tactics have them currently positioned in the Top 5 while we're the program in the Top 20 with the lowest average rank per recruit.

Being in a position where you have to flip a boatload of whales at the 11th hour to salvage your class is a very dangerous game, to say the least. That's not to say it can't work out. But when you're competing against annual CFB title contenders (UGA, Bama, OSU) and top-tier spenders, their NIL and alleged dirty tactics aren't going anywhere.

I think you’re missing the point, Miami can compete with NIL when signing day comes closer. But what UF did last year and what FSU, Auburn etc. seem to be giving bags to guys just to commit and we are not doing that.

So no the dirty tactics won’t stop but when we come in with our NIL package it’ll stack up with theres. It seems the expectation is that there will be a lot more flips across the country this year compared to previous years.

 

[skeeter]

Going to take a stab here that is complete speculation and might rub some of you the wrong way, apologies in advance.

FSU either didn’t do this with Trader, or it was an amount not substantial enough to override his desire to commit to Miami. What that price is, I’m not sure. Now, Patterson has been alleged to be on the receiving end of a substantial pre-enrollment bag (from people on here, and elsewhere).

Miami’s whole push here with kids from the Ravens is to play together again and bring the U back, right? We were told securing commitments of kids like Ryan Mack, Shavers and Frédérique would prove essential stepping stones in securing the main prizes from that baller youth team: Patterson, Trader and Smith. While the aforementioned “stepping stone” recruits aren’t atrocious prospects in their own right, they’re verifiably projects and outside the top 600.

For the 900th time..Patterson didn't play for the Ravens…Per go, he is friends with those kids though. Also you conveniently leave out Chance Robinson.

 

[NJshoreCane]

Flips can and do happen, obviously. But if the accusations about rival programs making dirty/illegal payments to recruits already exist in August, what would make anyone assume those dirty tactics will just suddenly stop after the season? Like these programs are paying to secure early commitments and then just holding onto their butts hoping to get across the finish line without continuing to pull out all the stops?

FSU's alleged payments for early commitments has been compared by some here to what UF did last year when their class imploded a bit, but it's been said countless times this cycle how much other programs have clearly caught up with Miami on the NIL side of things. Those programs seem to have their **** together now with whatever tactics have them currently positioned in the Top 5 while we're the program in the Top 20 with the lowest average rank per recruit.

Being in a position where you have to flip a boatload of whales at the 11th hour to salvage your class is a very dangerous game, to say the least. That's not to say it can't work out. But when you're competing against annual CFB title contenders (UGA, Bama, OSU) and top-tier spenders, their NIL and alleged dirty tactics aren't going anywhere.

If we get Stone, our class will be floating around the low teens(?) during the season and it wouldn't take a boatload of flips to get us into the top-10.
Actually 1 or 2 key flips would do it. You have to consider other team's loss along with our gain.

Now you may respond by saying "just top-10 doesn't cut it".
Actually, for now, and given last season, it does IMO. There are only a handful of teams (other than the usual suspects) who've had back to back top-10 classes.
Hopefully, after a successful season or two we can reserve one of the top-5/7 spots at the heavyweights table.