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

[JZCane0825]

Agreed. And this isn’t 1989. This “state of Miami” **** doesn’t hold the same weight. But this kid is a BALLER, period. IDGAF about bell cow. This kid makes your football team better and helps you win football games, full stop. You can’t let him go to ******* Texas. You’ve been recruiting him for 3 years. It’s not the pure impact of smiff, again I agree. But we’ve lost “this kid” for years now. You can’t let this happen. It’s a colossal whiff on the field and an even bigger one optically.

Again, supremely talented player, but I don't think a RB of any caliber makes or breaks your roster like a QB or WR does. To me, Calvin Russell is the bigger whiff as of now, but I also know that's a really odd situation all round.

Not trying to make any excuses or play the result, but having 2-3 really good backs in your room is just as important as having a single, elite back.

 

[Cane6]

Again, supremely talented player, but I don't think a RB of any caliber makes or breaks your roster like a QB or WR does. To me, Calvin Russell is the bigger whiff as of now, but I also know that's a really odd situation all round.

Not trying to make any excuses or play the result, but having 2-3 really good backs in your room is just as important as having a single, elite back.

Agreed.

Save the money for an elite, difference making: DT, QB, WR

I don’t consider Calvin Russell elite. He’s really really good, but there’s something about him that has me questioning if he’s worth the money that he’s rumored to be commanding

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

I blame you for supporting all the nonsensical ones ...

We’ll that would mean I support you and I don’t

 

[BeastMode]

Soooo yall watching at 7pm

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

Derreks mixed with the state of Texas have not been kind to us

Don’t get me started on Jerricks …

 

[bdcane4eva]

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

Not sure what the point is as there are only 4 conferences, & many of the coaches currently at P4 schools spent majority of their time at G5, Independent programs or are 1st yr HCs, but sure I’ll oblige.

Active Coaches:
Day
Dabo
Smart
Riley
Whittingham
Rodriguez (Big East)
Ferentz
Bielema
Kelly (Big East)
Jones (Big East)

Nice try though.

That’s a **** good list of coaches there

 

[passitback]

Soooo yall watching at 7pm

No

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

This post becomes written in permanent ink in December, but if Cooper doesn’t sign here it’s a reprehensible whiff and honestly very telling to the overall trajectory of the program.

And I’m not one for hyperbole, so I’m not saying this is some death knell or something, it’s one kid at the end of the day. But the reason I wanted Mario here was to win exactly these. This will now have been 2 straight classes the lead-pipe top kid in the area got out of town. I’ll never be cool with Taint getting Smiff, but I understand that one, for reasons discussed ad nauseam.

Derrek Cooper going to Texas would be flat inexcusable and unacceptable.

The future of our program lies in the hands of Derek Cooper

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

How is USC overcoming their slide the past 10-15 yrs?

Are they just paying out the *** for HS recruits this cycle? They’re paying a “suck tax” just like Miami, but I’m guessing having an extra $20-$30 mill per year in tv money, they can afford it a bit easier than us

Their class will most likely fall apart once games are being played

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

Would like to be wrong but d$ and Pete already said before he pushed the commitment back it wasn’t going to be miami then and that it was looking like uga. And now it’s Texas. So at best maybe miami is 3rd in the recruitment.

Weird recruitment. The national guys and everybody was all basically saying the same thing that he was likely ending up at miami. Then after he postponed his commitment then it comes out Miami wasn’t going to be the pick then and now Texas has all the momentum with no ov

Money talks bull**** walks with this particular recruitment, if you really want him make him an offer he can’t refuse or else he’s a Dawg or Longhorn pretty simple

 

[Cane787pr]

This post becomes written in permanent ink in December, but if Cooper doesn’t sign here it’s a reprehensible whiff and honestly very telling to the overall trajectory of the program.

And I’m not one for hyperbole, so I’m not saying this is some death knell or something, it’s one kid at the end of the day. But the reason I wanted Mario here was to win exactly these. This will now have been 2 straight classes the lead-pipe top kid in the area got out of town. I’ll never be cool with Taint getting Smiff, but I understand that one, for reasons discussed ad nauseam.

Derrek Cooper going to Texas would be flat inexcusable and unacceptable.

Three classes* with Brandon Innis the year prior

 

[Angry Ibis]

We’ll that would mean I support you and I don’t

Saying a University employee doesn't have to prove their value because of what they did over 4 years ago at a different place is less sensible than anything I posted in this thread.

 

[Canes Legacy]

The only question about this commitment is does he add salt to the wound by doing a hat fake out/toss?

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

Saying a University employee doesn't have to prove their value because of what they did over 4 years ago at a different place is less sensible than anything I posted in this thread.

he accomplished what he did in the past at other schools, ight cool kudos to him i don’t give 2 *****…I personally only care about Miami football & I would love for our upward trajectory to continue this year, can’t wait till AUG 31 go canes

 

[NC_Canes_11]

I get having these conversations when he first got here. It mattered then.

It’s like the “elite” recruiter thing. I don’t care what he did elsewhere anymore. His 2022 class is horrible and the 2023 class is on life support

I think we are getting better each year that goes by in both areas but I couldn’t care less about his time at Oregon anymore

And before that gets lumped in for mopery he’s also positively changed certain things

Like MariBro ball. Being a “qb killer” etc etc

I understand what you’re saying and it’s right. My point is the hype around him for what he did at Oregon was fan fiction. He did what just about every coach before him did. He was handed a sports car and kept it between the ditches. Nothing more nothing less.

 

[skeeter]

This post becomes written in permanent ink in December, but if Cooper doesn’t sign here it’s a reprehensible whiff and honestly very telling to the overall trajectory of the program.

Very disappointing, definitely a whiff

But it isn't telling at all to the trajectory of the program…It is simply an indication of Cooper's interpretation of the direction of the program, or him deciding other factors what it is important to him... What if we go 11-1, make the playoff and don't sign Cooper? Still looks like a pretty good trajectory to me (and it may not happen, I just don't see how not signing Cooper is an indication of any type of direction of the program nonsense)

And I’m not one for hyperbole, so I’m not saying this is some death knell or something, it’s one kid at the end of the day. But the reason I wanted Mario here was to win exactly these.

The problems is that in between Mario taking this job and now, the rules of recruiting has changed…Old school recruiting aces like CMC are becoming devalued. But he is still plowing away and doing pretty well, time will tell if it's good enough.

This will now have been 2 straight classes the lead-pipe top kid in the area got out of town.

Malachi Toney has to at least be in the convo for "top kid" in one of the two classes right? I agree with you it's disappointing on Hanks and Cooper 100%, but we've gotten our fair share before this year. We signed what 16-17 South Florida kids last two cycles? Including Blount, Toney, Trader, and a kid who was a top 75 players on many lists Patterson. CMC also flipped Kelly and closed the deal with Bain couple weeks after hiring.

And if we are going beyond rankings, he's signed Frederique/Lyle/Fletcher…And now has Lucas on his roster as well.

 

[Confidence1000]

I eight at Southern Soul BBQ in St. Simons yesterday. Excellent. Meat was perfection. Beach Comber BBQ in St. Simon’s has better sides and sauce.

Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ in Charleston is good but for BBQ in Charleston, I prefers Swig & Swine.View attachment 330633

Leave dat poke alone brother

 

[JZCane0825]

I'm reading lot of hyperbole as far as this particular recruitment being indicative of the direction of the program is going in, especially when you're talking about potentially going from the 10th ranked class to the 8th ranked class if he were to somehow commit.

Zooming out a big further for prospective - I know they had Henderson but Ohio State's leading rusher last season was a 3 star recruit in Judkins who was outside of the top 50 rated RB's in the country out of high school. Michigan the year before had Blake Corum (low 4 star) taking the majority of the reps, and UGA the year before was winning a national championship with two backs that combined for less than 1300 yards.

Obviously it has to come together in other places but you 100% can win at a high level of CFB with a room full of low to mid 4 star backs, assuming they complement each other the right way and you can of course block for them.

 

[ST26]

I understand what you’re saying and it’s right. My point is the hype around him for what he did at Oregon was fan fiction. He did what just about every coach before him did. He was handed a sports car and kept it between the ditches. Nothing more nothing less.

When Mario came to Miami, he was handed the Keys to Ricky’s ****mobile. Now we have the most talented team we’ve had in 20 years. The off the field results need to catch up