2024 OL Isendre “Papa” Ahfua

[TRick72]

to be those schools? you'll need consistent 10 wins PLUS consecutive drafts over years sending kids into the first two rounds. kids want to win and get to the league. we haven't done either. those four schools do both consistently

I agree wholeheartedly which is why I don’t subscribe to the notion that recruiting will just be fine if we were just to win 7-9 games this season and manage to look “competitive” in our losses. Especially with Cribby saying we’re not even willing to “overpay” for our top targets.

 

[Meast21]

I thought D$ said the good thing about Stewart going to SC was that it cleared up bag dollars. Seems like we should have money to spend.

This. We whiffed on a ton of 5 and high 4 star guys that would have cost major $$$. How is there no money left to overspend on other guys.

 

[Odin]

If you aren’t willing to over pay for top guys you‘ll be sitting at number 18 in August with your board thinning like Lebrons hairline.

Would love to know how Mario feels about the people who begged him to leave a great situation at Oregon now are not willing to spend enough to get him top talent.

 

[Brooklyndee]

We didn’t over pay last year. I posted that with Rashada , CM and others.

That's what people are missing out on because they believed the reports that were being released by individuals with huge agendas. Those numbers were GROSSLY EXAGGERATED.

 

[Odin]

Ruiz was a $10M NIL guy. We'll be lucky to simply find replacement dollars for that $10M hole.

Ruiz had a ton of money last year to spend on commercials when he sold his stock at $10,now at a few cents there is no more money.

 

[RVACane]

I’m really curious to know how many programs are outbidding us or can easily outbid us with NIL.

We lost that WR to Nebraska - a Miami-Dade kid. I get that different schools prioritize kids differently but if we’re not arming Mario with the NIL this year to compete, like last year, then he can only do so much.

 

[bdcane4eva]

when you go 5-7 the WAY we went 5-7 after spending what we spent to get to that record....unless you want to continue to go 5-7, you have to at least ENTERTAIN the thought of "overpaying"

 

[nvlahos]

I’m really curious to know how many programs are outbidding us or can easily outbid us with NIL.

We lost that WR to Nebraska - a Miami-Dade kid. I get that different schools prioritize kids differently but if we’re not arming Mario with the NIL this year to compete, like last year, then he can only do so much.

It seems like a ton of money was spent on a few things last year:

1. Mario
2. The "Superstar" Staff Mario took forever to put together last year
3. A top recruiting class and transfers

The on-field results were terrible, and the staff Mario put together and we overpaid for....SUCKED

So in year 2; Ruiz and others are pumping the breaks on cash flow and NIL investment, for example:

1. Under the radar or "cheaper" staff hires were made. Guys coming from non P5 or smaller programs (OC, DC, Tim Harris at RB, Kevin Beard, new TE coach, etc.)
2. Not willing to pay as much for the recruiting class until results show on the field

And I don't blame them. It's time for Mario to do what we paid him for, which is show significant progress on the field, especially in the Win column (need to have 9 wins this year)

And theres no excuses. We have a Senior veteran and top QB in the country with NFL talent. A massively talented and Veteran OL with way more depth behind it. RB and TE rooms are now loaded and the Defense has most guys returning from last year as well. It's put up or shut up time

 

[calinative umstudent]

So how many wins do you think we need to have this year to get recruits to completely forget last year (and the previous 20) to treat us like UGA, Bama, OSU or Clemson and come here for fair market value? What’s your prediction for wins this season??

I'm not going to put all the weight in the world on one recruiting class, when this is a multi year rebuild trying to erase 20 years of being bad.
I think of rebuilds as 1) Lose big but reset the foundation 2) Lose Close setting the culture up long-term 3) Win Close 4) Win Big.
And that's not just W/L that I'd be looking at. I'm talking how we win or lose. It's possible we only win 8 but look good doing it (blowing out lesser teams, and maybe loosing close to good teams).. And if we win 10, maybe we don't look as good, and shouldn't expect a linearly increasing W/L% the following year....

I think we will be good this season. I'm very confident in the direction this program is heading. But will 8 wins or 9 or even 10 make recruits completely forget about 20 years and us suddenly be in top 3 recruiting class territory? Not imo. I think the two year average of how last years OLine+POrtal class and this years class is shaping out is NET GREAT, and right where we should expect/want to be. I think for the next year or two stacking 5 star after 5 star at the same position, is an overexpectation, particularly when they are players that should be 2-3 year starters. We just aren't at that Bama/UGA/ or even tOSU level of success yet. Its just the reality. I expect us to win and lose recruiting battles against top programs. But overall I think there is a CLEAR upwards trajectory, that will see us going from a fringe top 20-25 program over the last 2 decades to a clear top 15 program, and then from there we move our way into clear stable top 10-5 range by 2026.

The only thing I am concerened about and the aspect that I believe can turn this rebuild into a quick or long one is what happens at QB. Is Jacurri going to become decently accurate? Is Emory the guy? Are we going to land an elite transfer next year to give those guys another year?... If we land an elite long-term QB I think we will be able in CFP sooner than later.

However I still don't think we're going to consistently be a top 3 Recruiting program. We're going to get a lot of 3 star developmental guys along the way. I think most years will be 7-10, with a couple sprinklings of top 5 and maybe just top 13 if the class is smaller...

 

[Odysseus]

If you aren’t willing to over pay for top guys you‘ll be sitting at number 18 in August with your board thinning like Lebrons hairline.

Post of the year, now we might as well lock this entire recruiting thread

 

[Fawk_U Haters]

So how many wins do you think we need to have this year to get recruits to completely forget last year (and the previous 20) to treat us like UGA, Bama, OSU or Clemson and come here for fair market value? What’s your prediction for wins this season??

You can sell 8-9 wins with a bowl game win.

Also, style matters. If you can win against atm and pull out a W against **** school up in the panhandle or keep it really close you can sell the future. You can say you can compete in the future if you sign with us to kids.

 

[Gables Cane]

We’re not just not overpaying…

We aren’t paying at all. We’ll be stuck in the same boat next If we don’t adapt.

That is unacceptable, if accurate.

 

[Odysseus]

Recruiting 2024 is closed until future notice

 

[Odysseus]

 

[calinative umstudent]

I’m really curious to know how many programs are outbidding us or can easily outbid us with NIL.

We lost that WR to Nebraska - a Miami-Dade kid. I get that different schools prioritize kids differently but if we’re not arming Mario with the NIL this year to compete, like last year, then he can only do so much.

Lets say we have a Recruiting budget where we want to spend $1M on a WR.
School B has a budget where they spend $500K, School C has a budget of $1.2M, school D has a budget of $350K, School E has a budget of $600k.

We want 3 studs, School B is going all in for 1 stud, School C wants 2, School D only wants 1, and School E wants 3 as well but where they spend 50% on one, and 25% on the remaining two... . Lets say there are 7 Elite WRs in this recruiting class.

On average if each school got 3 WRs, We would be spending $333k/player, B would be spending $166k/player, C spending $400k/player, D spending $116k/player, and E spending 200k/player.

But where do those players actually go? It isn't based on the average, which would have us as far and away 2nd in this example.

The top 3 guys would choose School B and C. While school B is spending $500K all on one guy, School C is spending say 60% of their $1.2M budget on top guy and 40% on second guy ($480k).
4th best is going to be a tough choice between US and School D who is going all in with their $350k on one guy, whereas we're trying to offer $333k...
5th-7th best will be a competition between US and School E Who is offering slightly less at $300k for their top guy...

See how us at even 2nd best NIL fund could lost out not just to teams with the higher fund, but the teams with the lower fund choosing to go all in for less players. If WE DID that, it would be non-stop complaining on here about how many 3 stars we are taking - oh wait there already is all that. Keep in mind as it currently stands in real life we have an elite WR already committed, another very highly rated one, and are currently going after another 2 5star WRs...

 

[RVACane]

It seems like a ton of money was spent on a few things last year:

1. Mario
2. The "Superstar" Staff Mario took forever to put together last year
3. A top recruiting class and transfers

The on-field results were terrible, and the staff Mario put together and we overpaid for....SUCKED

So in year 2; Ruiz and others are pumping the breaks on cash flow and NIL investment, for example:

1. Under the radar or "cheaper" staff hires were made. Guys coming from non P5 or smaller programs (OC, DC, Tim Harris at RB, Kevin Beard, new TE coach, etc.)
2. Not willing to pay as much for the recruiting class until results show on the field

And I don't blame them. It's time for Mario to do what we paid him for, which is show significant progress on the field, especially in the Win column (need to have 9 wins this year)

And theres no excuses. We have a Senior veteran and top QB in the country with NFL talent. A massively talented and Veteran OL with way more depth behind it. RB and TE rooms are now loaded and the Defense has most guys returning from last year as well. It's put up or shut up time

It doesn’t work that way. This is an arms race. And conference affiliation will matter too.

We lost a battles last year as it relates to games and staff - Mario’s doing, notwithstanding injuries. We won a recruiting war last year with money.

He hired a new staff and there’s changes in scheme. He flipped the roster significantly. They can’t cut off his arms funding in year two of the war because he lost battles in year 1. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way, especially on a 10 year contract. Napier won 6 games and he’s got funding up the Yang and all of a sudden he’s the second coming. They need to stack talent and pay for three years regardless. If they don’t pay, he won’t stack. And he will fail because he didn’t have the weapons needed for the war.

 

[Gables Cane]

Respectfully, that’s crazy talk. We’re trying to exit the ACC and get into the BiG or SEC. Whatever Mario did last season is irrelevant. We need to show we can play at level. Besides, he’s overhauled the roster and staff since then. Go big or go the **** home.

Crazy talk? I beg to differ.

It’s rationale and prudent. Look…I get that there is an element of over exuberance when it comes to sports. And there is a win-at-all-cost mentality that most fans and some boosters employ. But many boosters are unlikely to double-down on their investment when the return after Year 1 is a big fat negative number. It’s illogical to think otherwise at a place like Miami especially when our most publicized booster is being shown to be exultant and a used car salesman. Many of our boosters strike me as local businessmen (and women) who love the Program and University but are not blinded by homerism or an SEC-like fandom.

Keep your investment at the same level as last year (not a bad thing, is it?). Let Mario show you what he is capable of (minimum 7 wins, preferably 8). And, once Mario demonstrates that improvement (not too much to ask, is it?), then increase your contribution to get the Program to the next level. Your approach (respectfully) has us shooting our wad this year and praying that if we throw enough money at the problem, good things will happen. Well, Year 1 under Mario proves that is not always the case.

Here’s hoping I’m wrong. It’s not my money so I want you to be right. In a perfect world this Program would have multiple boosters with so much money to burn they don’t care how much it takes or how long it takes. However, this year shows that isn’t exactly what’s goin on.

I want nothing more than to win. I was fortunate to attend the University during our rise to the top (‘82 - ‘86). I know what greatness looks like. I’d like to see it again.

 

[Gables Cane]

Shouldn’t it be understood though (given that this program has been a dumpster fire for two decades but also understanding what it can be when right) that this needed to be a longer term investment (4-5 year window)? I don’t excuse Mario for last year but to suggest a swift change in investment off one year misses the point of the plan to begin with.

If you’re pausing already, you shouldn’t have invested to begin with because scared money won’t sustain high level results in the future. Same can be said if they’re arrogant enough to believe they set the market (which has obviously changed).

I agree that Mario needs to win now…..get the same results this year or limited improvement by year 3 with plenty of time and resources……it’s a different discussion. UNTIL THEN, it’s not fiscally irresponsible if the task at hand was clearly understood.

We are basically saying the same thing. I am not advocating for spending less money. I am simply saying I understand why boosters are only willing to pay market value and not overpay for recruits given our performance last year.

Nobody (not even Cribby, I believe) has said we are paying less than last year. We just refuse to pay more than a player’s worth. Said differently, we (by “we” I mean the NIL collective) are unwilling to overpay. Big difference.

 

[nvlahos]

It doesn’t work that way. This is an arms race. And conference affiliation will matter too.

We lost a battles last year as it relates to games and staff - Mario’s doing, notwithstanding injuries. We won a recruiting war last year with money.

He hired a new staff and there’s changes in scheme. He flipped the roster significantly. They can’t cut off his arms funding in year two of the war because he lost battles in year 1. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way, especially on a 10 year contract. Napier won 6 games and he’s got funding up the Yang and all of a sudden he’s the second coming. They need to stack talent and pay for three years regardless. If they don’t pay, he won’t stack. And he will fail because he didn’t have the weapons needed for the war.

Great point. So I guess my next question is, maybe the staff is over prioritizing and throwing money at players they don't have a real shot at (Simmons, Stewart, Stone, Ellis Robinson, etc.) instead of giving more to the ones they do ie. Barney, Mccoy, Chris Cole, someone like Jamari Howard, etc.

Or are we just not paying, period?

 

[Damiencane86]

I agree wholeheartedly which is why I don’t subscribe to the notion that recruiting will just be fine if we were just to win 7-9 games this season and manage to look “competitive” in our losses. Especially with Cribby saying we’re not even willing to “overpay” for our top targets.

Months ago Cribby told CiS to temper expectations with recruiting. He just provided no more further context but we now know there are obviously complications behind the scenes. I just wanna see progress on the field and everything else should fall into place.