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2026 Derrek Cooper 5* RB/ATH from Chaminade Commits to Texas

Page305 said:
With a quick search.... I see Texas last 3 recruiting classes has finished in the top 5. Ain't no ******* way we're on any level with them.
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When you're saying on the same level what exactly do you mean? Are we saying simply the results of recruiting classes? Or the optics that go into those recruiting classes? Like for instance how our entire fan base seems to believe the world is collapsing right now because before the season is started we haven't got everybody that we wanted. In Texas is doing the same thing they always do loading up early and dominating in that aspect. So is that what you mean by we're not on the same level the optics or the actual end results of classes people that sign go to their schools etc?
 
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supersaiyanshel said:
Ill die on the hill that we have not had a decent DL coach since Mario got here.
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Personally I definitely don't think JT is that coach. If you're saying simply as a coach which is separate from a recruiter I think Joe was far better for us as a d-line coach than JT. But if you don't think we've had a good one since Mario got here who is the last good d line coach you think we've had? This should be interesting. I wanna see how many people are honest with themselves. To clarify since you're saying since Mario got here than you're saying you don't think Damion is a good COACH either?
 
Brooklyndee said:
Personally I definitely don't think JT is that coach. If you're saying simply as a coach which is separate from a recruiter I think Joe was far better for us as a d-line coach than JT. But if you don't think we've had a good one since Mario got here who is the last good d line coach you think we've had? This should be interesting. I wanna see how many people are honest with themselves. To clarify since you're saying since Mario got here than you're saying you don't think Damion is a good COACH either?
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Trumpycane thinks Jethro Franklin was amazing















Ly bad
 
Calinative said:
Terrible? No. He was actually good last year in time management and when to go for it decision making last year.
By far my biggest gripe with the gameday management last year was like the depth chart management at RB.
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No excuse for kicking the late fg against Cuse

I honestly don’t know how he sleeps at night after that
 
OrangeBowlMagic said:
We all beat this one to death in the week/weeks after that game, but I had no issues at all with Mario's strategy in the GT game. You had the literal #1 offense in America and a terrible defense. It was the 10th game of the season, Mario knew what he had at that point. The strength of your team, BY FAR, is your offense.

4th and 3 on the GT 23, you're getting the ball out of the half and there's about 2:30 left, I'm fine putting the ball in your Heisman candidate's hand in a 14-10 game.

Coming out of the half, you've got a 4th and 1 from the GT 39, that's a 100.0% go situation, it's just the call was awful. That's on Dawson, we were I think 100% conversions running the ball on 4th and 1. Smash Martinez in there and keep the drive going, but the go/kick decision was 100% correct.

4th and 6 from the 12 with about 10 minutes to go, down by 12. That's a clear "go" as well. You can't kick a FG to make a 2 score game a 2 score game. We'd have killed him, and rightfully so.

I also think he deserves credit for the 4th down on the last TD drive, we had a 4th and 8 from our own 25, and he went for it down 12 with 8 minutes left. Not every coach would do that IMO, and more importantly, Mario Cristobal a few years ago probably wouldn't have.

But for all this, the one that was wrong was kicking the FG against Cuse. Like we all said, it really wouldn't have mattered because they were just playing against air that whole game, so even if we go and don't get it, we're not getting a stop, but you have to realize your best chance is with the ball in #1's hands, and not with your defense anywhere near the field.

So I was totally in unison with him on GT, Cuse was not good. But IMO for the entire season, overall, he was a much better gameday coach than we've seen previously. He's definitely learning. Finally, but it is happening.
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He's learning to delegate better in my opinion. He still involves himself in game plans etc obviously. But he's not micromanaging. To me it's a lil bit wild. Cause if he was micromanaging and we simply played smash mouth all the time we'd never hear the end of the fizzical crap. But when we open it up all season and he allows the game and the offense to be called by dawson to its strengths he gets zero credit for that. Can't just put everything negative on him and nothing positive. That's showing your hand. It's fine that he takes the blame at safety and corner last year I guess due to the portal. Knowing just a tad bit about defense I'd say it's a whole different story last season if our d line even comes close to living up to expectation. But that's what happens when you allow individuals that don't know about the sport to set those expectations. I'm pretty sure just about anybody that actually knows the game stated last season before everything I started our only way we're going to be fine is if the d line matures quickly. Obviously that didn't happen thank God Barrow played above his head otherwise it would have been even worse. For me our corners last year were far less of an issue than our safety play but I get it as a whole RDB group sucked *** and it hurt us as a result. But how different would things have been if Caleb downs sticks to the reason he went in the portal in the first place and comes to us instead of Ohio State hearing oh s*** Caleb downs is getting in the portal let's throw a crazy number at him cuz we're all in this season. Is news flash you put Caleb downs to go with meesh Powell last season and I guarantee the talk is very different. But I get it nothing's guaranteed and results is all that matters. But that's what was orchestrated last season a powell and downs combination at safety. BIG DIFFERENCE
 
Cribby said:
After that game I was as furious as I was after the last GT abortion the previous year. I couldn’t believe they used the oldest strategy in football to win with a qb with no arms . We literally knew when it was a run and pass by the qb. On defense they played bend but don’t break and dared Miami to hit them underneath and run the ball.

We called this making a team play in quicksand . Thats when you play a more taleand with a powerful offense and shorten the game. Every third and forth down conversion they converted was another 3-4 minutes off the clock. Which then forces the offense to make every possession count. Then they start pressing , giving up on the run and forcing ball deep even though that’s what they want.

It was an actual corching clinic by Mario and his staff. Saying they were out coached is nowhere strong enough to describe that game. It’s one of the reasons Mario is viewed as a dufus nationally.
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Saved by Ward in 2 games from pure corching: cal, vt. This is why we say Mario needs 110% talent a more capable coach needs.
 
Gocanes1990 said:
Saved by Ward in 2 games from pure corching: cal, vt. This is why we say Mario needs 110% talent a more capable coach needs.
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To be fair, and I am going to catch a lot of **** for this but it needs to be said, Cam was part of the problem with our 2 losses. The defense is and was the biggest reason we lost those games but Cam changed a lot of plays that shouldn’t have been altered. He fell for GT and Cuse’s trap. It’s something you live and die with when your defense is swamp ***.
 
Brooklyndee said:
He's learning to delegate better in my opinion. He still involves himself in game plans etc obviously. But he's not micromanaging. To me it's a lil bit wild. Cause if he was micromanaging and we simply played smash mouth all the time we'd never hear the end of the fizzical crap. But when we open it up all season and he allows the game and the offense to be called by dawson to its strengths he gets zero credit for that. Can't just put everything negative on him and nothing positive. That's showing your hand. It's fine that he takes the blame at safety and corner last year I guess due to the portal. Knowing just a tad bit about defense I'd say it's a whole different story last season if our d line even comes close to living up to expectation. But that's what happens when you allow individuals that don't know about the sport to set those expectations. I'm pretty sure just about anybody that actually knows the game stated last season before everything I started our only way we're going to be fine is if the d line matures quickly. Obviously that didn't happen thank God Barrow played above his head otherwise it would have been even worse. For me our corners last year were far less of an issue than our safety play but I get it as a whole RDB group sucked *** and it hurt us as a result. But how different would things have been if Caleb downs sticks to the reason he went in the portal in the first place and comes to us instead of Ohio State hearing oh s*** Caleb downs is getting in the portal let's throw a crazy number at him cuz we're all in this season. Is news flash you put Caleb downs to go with meesh Powell last season and I guarantee the talk is very different. But I get it nothing's guaranteed and results is all that matters. But that's what was orchestrated last season a powell and downs combination at safety. BIG DIFFERENCE
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Everyday we are reading a synopsis of every class and coaching from the last 20 years and yet we are *****ing about the best year we have had in forever. It's nuts. We just had the #1 draft pick in the NFL draft who, again, gave us the best season in forever. In addition to it being our best season, it was our best draft in forever. That's all thanks to Mario. He, like ever other coach, has his warts and his brain farts. But he is our last, best chance. So let's give the program ALL of our support.
 
Brooklyndee said:
When you're saying on the same level what exactly do you mean? Are we saying simply the results of recruiting classes? Or the optics that go into those recruiting classes? Like for instance how our entire fan base seems to believe the world is collapsing right now because before the season is started we haven't got everybody that we wanted. In Texas is doing the same thing they always do loading up early and dominating in that aspect. So is that what you mean by we're not on the same level the optics or the actual end results of classes people that sign go to their schools etc?
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Well I personally think there's nothing we can say we're on the same level with when it comes to Texas. Optics, end results, whatever. They're just a tier above us as a program.
 
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Hurracanes said:
To be fair, and I am going to catch a lot of **** for this but it needs to be said, Cam was part of the problem with our 2 losses. The defense is and was the biggest reason we lost those games but Cam changed a lot of plays that shouldn’t have been altered. He fell for GT and Cuse’s trap. It’s something you live and die with when your defense is swamp ***.
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GT is the one game he did not play to his own standards. Compared to our season averages the defense held them to less points than normal which is not saying much but it was an off game by him and he shouldn't have had to be perfect for us to win but it is what it is. He also dug the hole in the Cal game. Wouldn't trade him for the world last year I already know what will be said. Sometimes it's not just one reason why you lose a game and not one reason why you win a game.
 
Brooklyndee said:
When you're saying on the same level what exactly do you mean? Are we saying simply the results of recruiting classes? Or the optics that go into those recruiting classes? Like for instance how our entire fan base seems to believe the world is collapsing right now because before the season is started we haven't got everybody that we wanted. In Texas is doing the same thing they always do loading up early and dominating in that aspect. So is that what you mean by we're not on the same level the optics or the actual end results of classes people that sign go to their schools etc?
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Two things:

1. "World is collapsing..." seems like a purposeful exaggeration of legitimate criticisms intended to diminish those criticisms via a strawman rather than actually addressing them headlong. So let's address the known truths: we were prioritizing DL c/o 2026 and have missed on most of our major targets, we lost a local 5* WR to Fran Brown, and it looks like we are about to lose the local, No. 2 RB in the class to Texas. We went from "Wow" threads about how UM was about to **** off the entire world to an "insider" forced into early retirement due to excess butthurt. So while the world isn't collapsing, those are significant recruiting Ls and UM's current recruiting ranking is nowhere near where most of the people who "report" on UM football were claiming it would be going into the summer.

2. It's not just this recent recruiting "before the season is started..." that's created this negative perception. The class of 2025 did not meet expectations. Full stop. But all last season we were told to "watch the finish" and everyone was on "flip watch". Heaven forbid anyone comment on the status of the recruiting class last season... they'd get downvoted to oblivion followed by a chorus of disparaging comments about Mario closing or how clearly the "mope" didn't pay attention to c/o 2024. Then signing day came and the finish was poor and the flips did not meaningfully materialize. Now, we are once again being told the staff is looking to play the flip game -- in a recruiting cycle where some believe it will be more difficult to flip recruits than last year because of the House settlement and establishment of the NIL clearinghouse. I can understand why people would be down on that. If that was not enough, we can't forget the finish on the field, either (trust me... I tried... with a lot of bourbon... but it only worked for a few hours). We lost 2 of our last 3 games, missed the ACCCG, missed a 12-team CFB playoff, and lost our (weak) bowl game against a runner-up program from a conference some people in this thread are clowning. The on-field finish was somehow worse than our recruiting close.

So if the fanbase is particularly negative right now, it shouldn't be difficult to understand why that's the case.
 
Hurracanes said:
To be fair, and I am going to catch a lot of **** for this but it needs to be said, Cam was part of the problem with our 2 losses. The defense is and was the biggest reason we lost those games but Cam changed a lot of plays that shouldn’t have been altered. He fell for GT and Cuse’s trap. It’s something you live and die with when your defense is swamp ***.
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I think you are right about GT, but I can't blame Cam for squandering a 21 point lead to Syracuse. Coaching was misery that day.
 
No_Fly_Zone said:
Two things:

1. "World is collapsing..." seems like a purposeful exaggeration of legitimate criticisms intended to diminish those criticisms via a strawman rather than actually addressing them headlong. So let's address the known truths: we were prioritizing DL c/o 2026 and have missed on most of our major targets, we lost a local 5* WR to Fran Brown, and it looks like we are about to lose the local, No. 2 RB in the class to Texas. We went from "Wow" threads about how UM was about to **** off the entire world to an "insider" forced into early retirement due to excess butthurt. So while the world isn't collapsing, those are significant recruiting Ls and UM's current recruiting ranking is nowhere near where most of the people who "report" on UM football were claiming it would be going into the summer.

2. It's not just this recent recruiting "before the season is started..." that's created this negative perception. The class of 2025 did not meet expectations. Full stop. But all last season we were told to "watch the finish" and everyone was on "flip watch". Heaven forbid anyone comment on the status of the recruiting class last season... they'd get downvoted to oblivion followed by a chorus of disparaging comments about Mario closing or how clearly the "mope" didn't pay attention to c/o 2024. Then signing day came and the finish was poor and the flips did not meaningfully materialize. Now, we are once again being told the staff is looking to play the flip game -- in a recruiting cycle where some believe it will be more difficult to flip recruits than last year because of the House settlement and establishment of the NIL clearinghouse. I can understand why people would be down on that. If that was not enough, we can't forget the finish on the field, either (trust me... I tried... with a lot of bourbon... but it only worked for a few hours). We lost 2 of our last 3 games, missed the ACCCG, missed a 12-team CFB playoff, and lost our (weak) bowl game against a runner-up program from a conference some people in this thread are clowning. The on-field finish was somehow worse than our recruiting close.

So if the fanbase is particularly negative right now, it shouldn't be difficult to understand why that's the case.
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Good luck on your journey!
 
skeeter said:
No excuse for kicking the late fg against Cuse

I honestly don’t know how he sleeps at night after that
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No excuse? smfh

Yall keep just showing that you basically ONLY look at the end result to determine whether something in the moment was a good or justifiable decision. I don't completely remember whether I preferred to go for it or kick in that moment - I'd guess I was more in the line of go for it - but It absolutely MAKES SENSE why you would kick in that situation, because odds of succeeding on 4th and goal from the 10 aren't very good. I mean at best what would we hope for converting 1/3 there? I mean I absolutely think this is a decision that many people can have differing opinions on - which is why I said a coin flip decision. But to say no excuse for kicking is just straight stupid to me. There is a perfectly valid jusitification.

4th and goal at the 10 down 7 with 3:42 remaining in the game that syracuse had just scored on 5 of their last 7 posessions and a fumble for a TD on one of ours. In that situation and how Syracuse was playing on O/we were playing on D, Imo you can confidently predict that they would likely pick up enough yards to at least get a FG and at the very least only leave us with 1:30 mins max? I mean they ended up getting 42 yards with ease and ending the game at our 33 on a 2nd down (started with it at the 25. So not like the 15 yard difference likely mattered at all if we failed that 4th down attempt). Regardless what decision we made on that 4th down, it's very very likely we were going to give up 3 points on Syracuses' posession.

**But here is the likely most important factor imo - if you have a tie game Syracuse is playing to score and leave 0 time left. They are absolutely going to be more aggressive in their decision making. Whereas if they are already winning by 4 after our FG, they are mostly just playing to run out the clock, which changes their gameplan to be more conservative. Chances are MUCH greater our defense gets a stop when trailing by 4 in that situation than when tied, period. Especially considering they were throwing on us at will. Again this is probabilities we are talking here. I'd much rather our defense be in a situation of probably having to stop a more run-heavy drive than pass heavy drive. Basically you make it easier on your defense but harder on your offense by choosing to kick the FG there. Which when you have the #1 Offense in the country, I'd argue is a perfectly valid decision to make.
 
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No_Fly_Zone said:
On that list, it’s No.2 that offended me the most. Probably because by then everyone already knew No.1.
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I had been *****ing about the RB rotation all last year. That and LB rotation and DLine stunts were really infuriating. We will see, I think this year the RB rotation will make a LOT more sense given you have Fletcher and Lyle as the 1-2 who work complementary with eachother. Martinez and Fletcher just never gelled with me because they are both similar types and Martinez was clearly a far superior runner...

But If we do point 2, point 3 is likely limited in its negative impact. Some of those 3rd/4ths were short yardage that were incomplete passes, that we likely pick up just running behind Martinez. Especially towards this time when he was really hitting his stride...
 
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No_Fly_Zone said:
I think you are right about GT, but I can't blame Cam for squandering a 21 point lead to Syracuse. Coaching was misery that day.
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That 87 minute drive by GT was brutal

And then I think as others have mentioned I’ve thought we play down to our opponents sometimes instead of keeping our foot on the gas

GT wasn’t Cams best game but it wasn’t out of character either. You win with it you gotta go down with it

As far as Syracuse I don’t remember anything about Cam. He didn’t put Martinez on the bench or make X fumble but maybe I’m just forgetting
 
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