DAILY DEBATE: Who was your biggest disappointment in Miami history?

[Felonious Monk]

If we're talking about after their football career, there's already a thread on that.

Otherwise, this list could go on until spring practise.

 

[bacane]

Always wondered about direction of program if we had more coaching stability - if Howard, Jimmy, Dennis and Butch had stayed around.

 

[canesdogo]

Always wondered about direction of program if we had more coaching stability - if Howard, Jimmy, Dennis and Butch had stayed around.

Hindsight is all of 20/20.....no more no less

 

[FL Cane]

Kyle Wright, hands down. I’d also add Arthur Brown. Kid was the best LB prospect we’d signed in forever and he completely whiffed here. Will add that our staff was a big part of him whiffing. He excelled at KState.

 

[NJshoreCane]

Williams and Wright are 2 of the usual suspects.
Going back a bit more, I'll throw in Jammi German as well.

 

[SCarolina Ibis]

Kyle Wright. Josh Gattis.

If Wright had just been decent:

There is no Kirby Freeman.

We finish the regular season unbeaten in 05 and the BCS is picking between us vs Texas for the national championship game against USC.

We finish 06 unbeaten and get a rematch with OSU in the championship game, which means UF/Meyer/Tebow doesn't.

If Wright had been as good as advertised..? Who knows what happens in 04.

Gattis is a *****.

 

[canes1996]

Honorable mention from recent history: James Williams. He could have been a beast at linebacker here.

 

[FL Cane]

Always wondered about direction of program if we had more coaching stability - if Howard, Jimmy, Dennis and Butch had stayed around.

Howard would’ve won another one at minimum. Jimmy could’ve been our Bear Bryant, but he was always destined for the NFL. I have mixed feelings on Dennis, because he ultimately left us the **** show that Butch inherited.

Butch is the biggest what if. It’d keep me up at night if I was him. If he’d stayed I think he’d have won 2-4 natties. His talent evaluation and recruiting skills were elite. He’d have gone down as a Top 5 CFB coach over the past 25 year span. Program would’ve entered a downturn around 2010 though, since we’d still be cheap and have even less incentive to change.

 

[HurricanesR1]

Willie Williams for me. I thought he was Lawrence Taylor.

 

[Hold My Beer]

Joe Yearby
bc I was told on here MULTIPLE times by MULTIPLE slurpers that he was better than cook

Watched a number of Central games when Joe and D Cook were doing their thing.

Both were elite.

Joe was a legit difference-maker at 185-190 pounds, but he muscled up to 200+ by his second year in college and lost that burst. Probably ran in the mid-4.6's at that weight

 

[Gables Cane]

Taint stealing the title in the desert. We started celebrating after the incomplete and the fireworks went off only to find out Porter threw a **** flag.

 

[Hold My Beer]

Who was your biggest disappointment in Miami history

With the benefit of 35 years' worth of hindsight, Sam Jankovich for not convincing Edward Foote that UM needed to accept the SEC's invitation.

Our program would be in a totally different place had we done so

 

[caneULM]

I would not say he would be considered a disappointment, but I feel Yatil Green could have had a great career if not for injuries and a decent QB while at UM

 

[Hegemon]

****

 

[Brains]

I would not say he would be considered a disappointment, but I feel Yatil Green could have had a great career if not for injuries and a decent QB while at UM

This is my "injury" pick.

 

[Shooter McGavin]

You all know I’m a big Jeff Thomas fan…I gotta say him. Wasn’t all his fault tho. OC sucked and the QBs he played with absolutely sucked too. Then add in Jeff being a headcase as well. I really thought he was going to be the next great WR out of here.

 

[jsy]

Watched a number of Central games when Joe and D Cook were doing their thing.

Both were elite.

Joe was a legit difference-maker at 185-190 pounds, but he muscled up to 200+ by his second year in college and lost that burst. Probably ran in the mid-4.6's at that weight

I always felt cook was the elite one
And yearby was good but not elite
Just copium to say otherwise

 

[JTKoval]

Willie “The Predator” Williams is the credited response.

Brock’s second half comeback against Fla in 2003 and the then throat slash gives him a pass on flaws for me. Fla kids were planning on beating on Brock.

 

[JD08]

This is my "injury" pick.

Mine would have been Ahmmon Richards.

 

[FuriousStyles]

All of the obvious answers have already been said, so I'll go in a little different direction with an Honorable Mention:
Randy Shannon

He was undeniably a fantastic DC, the definition of a "Miami Guy." He appeared to be a disciplinarian but was also loved by the players. I thought he would be the guy who was going to stop the slide to mediocrity.
A serious and stoic figure on the sidelines.....

But man was I wrong, he was completely clueless. Way in over his head. Simply was not qualified to successfully run a major college football program.

He hired bad OC's (Maybe except for the one who famously called him a dumb mother f***er).
I might not be remembering this correctly, but is it true that he boasted about never stepping foot in Miami Central to recruit? But I do remember watching that Wisconsin TE get what felt like 1000 receiving yards in the Champs Bowl.

And then finally, he went on to coach at both UF and FSU. Gross.


Radio might not be the biggest disappointment in (recent) Miami history, but IMO he's certainly in the conversation.

When I opened this thread he was the first name to pop in my head for all the reasons you listed. 15 years later and he hasn’t been a HC since. Might be by his choice but it’s still odd.