Every **** year we have this same stupid *** financial conversation, led by those that apparently can't be bothered to look at basic numbers. Every **** year, we hear "Well, Miami should spend more", with ZERO indication on where that money is supposed to come from(Lord knows it's not going to come from our pathetically cheap fanbase, the small alumni base can't carry the weight on our own). Every **** year, we hear this theory about "If Miami spends it, the money will come back" never mind the fact that throughout the history of the program, that has never been the case. The football program funds the rest of the athletic department, and even though we have a bare bones athletic department, it has to paid for somehow.
Say it with me: If Miami continues to aspire to be Alabama off the field, WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET BLOWN OUT BY THEM ON THE FIELD.
WHY? SIMPLE MATH
Revenue(Numbers provided by the Department of Education)
Alabama(94.6 Million)
Miami(56.0 Million)
That's without considering all the dark money that surrounds the Alabama program. It's extremely easy to surmise that Alabama is outspending Miami by AT LEAST a 2.5-1 margin, if not more.
Miami has to think like an insurgent program. Miami cannot afford to play ball the same way Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State do. That said, Miami can be competitive, but it requires a unique outlook. You have to identify market inefficiencies and maximize the resources you do have. That's what Howard did, that's what Jimmy did and that's what Butch did. Manny, to his credit did identify a market inefficiency early on with the transfer portal. The transfer portal does give Miami a chance to supplement the talent available. The problem is that Miami has done a poor job of maximizing this market inefficiency. You look at the guys Miami has gotten out of the portal combined with the talent on the roster, you'd think that Miami would be coming off of consecutive 10+ win seasons, but that isn't the case. Why? Because Miami has had glaring gaps on the coaching staff. Miami has to get the most out of the staff, because you don't have legions of analysts to pick up the slack. You have to have guys on the staff that can do something. Miami had 3 defensive assistants last year that didn't do much of anything, but collect a paycheck. You can't afford to have that here, because the margin for error is so incredibly small.
If Manny is going to make it, he has to establish a culture in which guys are free to not only be creative, but are held accountable for each and every single thing under their watch. Miami can't afford to be undisciplined, Miami can't afford to miss opportunities on the recruiting trail nor on the practice field. Miami has to get every single ounce of talent out of the guys on the roster and then find a way to identify and successfully recruit kids that can be developed within the structure of the program. It's a lot difficult to find the Santana Moss types today(They aren't secrets anymore), but it can be done.
To use another sport as a case study, look at the Oakland A's and the Tampa Bay Rays. They are in a league where richest team wins more often than not. However, those two franchises have done a pretty solid job of establishing a culture in which they can maximize what they do have and create a relatively competitive product. Miami must become a program that gets themselves in the hunt, and let the law of averages take over. Miami most likely can't put together a run like Alabama, but this program can and should be a solid 8-11 win per year program that consistently dominates their division and are one win over Clemson away from the CFP. You keep doing that, you're going to get some CFP appearances, you're going to be in the hunt at the end. That's all we can ask for, unless the NCAA gets serious about creating some competitive balance..
