Indulge me for a moment.
I frickin hated the Manny hire. I really tried to be nice those first two years, especially during Covid. But I was totally disgusted. I actually rooted for FSU to beat us in 2021 I wanted him gone so badly. So I get it. It's time for Mario to deliver on his promise. I'm just more forgiving than you because I was in such a dark place pre-Mario, lol. I also think the program's NIL supports and the university leaders expect progress but will continue to indulge him as long as the record keeps improving. And they're the smart money backing the program's revival.
Now that you know why I will give Mario one more hall pass even if he goes 8 wins, I want to be clear. This roster should go to the playoffs. I am 100% in agreement with you that it would be a tragic waste of talent if we won only 8 games, even 9 games. There is not a team on our schedule who has as much talent as we do across the board. Maybe FSU if they hit on every one of their transfers.
I personally don't think our DTs are playoff caliber. I don't think our safeties are playoff caliber. And I don't think our CBs are playoff caliber. That's a lot of areas of potential weakness on the defense. But our Offense is definitely playoff caliber across all position groups. And we have lights out DEs and LBs. So as a team, we have enough talent to make it to the playoffs, and even win a couple playoff games. So, yeah, I'm with you it's time that Mario delivers on his promise.
3 hires I loathed, & I know I didn’t join CIS until late 2013, but I was on other platforms that discussed CFB:
1. Shannon
2. Golden (I specifically said “Who” out loud while in my office)
3. Diaz
I vehemently disapproved of all 3 hires. I was “OK” w/ the Mario hire, although I had my concerns just b/c being out West; & b/c I’m heavily involved in football, I have various connections to UO’s program. I watched them a lot just b/c, again, I’m out West. I figured w/ Mario’s recruiting abilities, he’ll be able to overcome some coaching deficiencies.
I wasn’t gravely concerned about yr 1. Concerned? Yes, but not gravely concerned. I even battled w/ many posters explaining the how’s & y’s we had a 5-7 start. My concerns came yr 2, as I was certain, based upon empirical data of coaches we consider good-elite, that a coach of Mario’s reputation developed at UO would take a roster thats better than the rest of the ACC sans FSU & Clemson to at least 9 wins.
After discussing the GT game w/ a former UO alum + NFL vet, that’s when I was turned on to the fallacies of Mario’s coaching while there, & was admonished to examine the PAC-12, as a whole, during Mario’s tenure. When I discovered how watered down the league was from 2019-2021, and re-watched **** near every loss UO had to inferior teams on paper, ? marks raised. So it’s something I took notice of, & as the 2023-4 season unfolded, some things just reared itself.
Now, here’s y I’m hopeful this season: When Mario inherited Justin Herbert, he went 21-6 including 2-0 in bowl games. Mario hasn’t had a NFL level QB since Herbert. W/o Herbert, He’s 26-20 at the P5/4 level, which is no bueno, BUT now he has a NFL caliber QB, & arguably the best QB in the ACC.
W/e deficiencies that may exist can be glossed over by Ward. Ward + Martinez r the sole reasons y the vast majority of media outlets r bullish on us. It’s y I’m like this is a 10+ win roster. All I can go by is data & history. I agree we have some holes on the roster, particularly in the 2ndary, but there’s not enough holes to deter us from 10+ wins, imho, or should I say “it should not deter us.”