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

NC_Canes_11 said:
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.
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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
 
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We talkin bout a running back dog.

Not a DT

Not an OT or OG

Not a WR

A running back. Literally the most replaceable position in football. I could care less about missing on Cooper. I'm still stinging from missing on BOTH Brown and JJ at DT. That's a position you moan and whine about whiffing on. Wanna cry about Russell, have at it.

But a running back? Give me a freaking break guys.
 
Rellyrell said:
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.
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It would have been a good point if you didn’t try to pad the numbers with Big East championship coaches. There’s nothing P5 about post realignment Big East football.
 
NC_Canes_11 said:
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.
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Not necessarily true. If anything, Mark Helfrich was handed the sports car from Chip Kelly and was basically Larry Coker by year 4 (4-8 in 2017) Mario took over and won 9 and 12 games respectively his first two years at Oregon.

Again, Mario is not an elite coach by any means, but let's also not make like Oregon was in great shape either when he took over.
 
Jedi Master Cane said:
We talkin bout a running back dog.

Not a DT

Not an OT or OG

Not a WR

A running back. Literally the most replaceable position in football. I could care less about missing on Cooper. I'm still stinging from missing on BOTH Brown and JJ at DT. That's a position you moan and whine about whiffing on. Wanna cry about Russell, have at it.

But a running back? Give me a freaking break guys.
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It’s more the optics from missing on so many local players. But yes I agree he doesn’t really change anything for us. Our running back room is good. I would rather land Keys at WR.
 
AtrainCane said:
Mario won the conference twice, period. Stop dancing around the facts because it doesn’t fit your narrative.

It’s the truth no matter what fan im a team of.
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This literally made me lol.

U think SC fans r pouring honey on themselves, doing pirouettes championing what Riley did at OU? U think they r trying to perform the transitive property that Riley at OU = SC? Lol

U know what’s funny? Riley pre-USC:
55-10 (.846 win%)
4 conference titles
3 CFP appearances
1 NY6 Bowl Victory
All in the 2nd hardest conference per win%

Vs.

Mario’s:
35-13 (.729 win%)
2* conference titles
0 CFP appearances
1 NY6 Bowl Victory
All in the weakest conference per win%

But, do u think USC fans r saying: “Ooooo, but look at what Riley did at OU, though?!”

TF! What Riley did at OU is giving him some grace b/c of what happened at OU, but don’t conflate grace for satisfaction…mind u, Riley has gone to a conference title game at SC.

But go off, homie. Lol I just see a fundamental difference in the mindset of fans, & we by far praise mediocrity. Did the same chit w Richt, too, to keep it 💯; but, at least w Richt he was on his last legs, & still got us to a title game by year 2. Lol.
 
joeB954 said:
It’s more the optics from missing on so many local players. But yes I agree he doesn’t really change anything for us. Our running back room is good. I would rather land Keys at WR.
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I could care less about optics, but I hear you.

Football, like life, is about taking a finite set of resources (in this case NIL) and allocating it in the best way that leads to the best possible roster construction.

I'm completely ok with Mallory being the only RB in this class, especially when you consider that if Cooper had chosen Miami today, it would have likely led to Mallory eventually decommiting. This doesn't even take into account the fact that Cooper looks flaky and could eventually end up open up his recruitment down the road.

Save the money on RB and go get another stud DT or WR. Even Kolojay makes more sense than an RB.
 
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skeeter said:
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)




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.



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.
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Just talking strictly ceiling. We’re likely not reaching our ceiling as a program if you’re letting the best kid from the most fertile HS football area on the planet walk year after year.
 
DTP said:
It would have been a good point if you didn’t try to pad the numbers with Big East championship coaches. There’s nothing P5 about post realignment Big East football.
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There was a P6, then P5, the P4. I don’t need to pad anything. The Big East was still considered a power conference until it collapsed in 2013. R u really going to pretend Syracuse, Louisville, West Virginia, Pitt weren’t power teams? Lol

I don’t need to pat stat to make a point
 
Jedi Master Cane said:
We talkin bout a running back dog.

Not a DT

Not an OT or OG

Not a WR

A running back. Literally the most replaceable position in football. I could care less about missing on Cooper. I'm still stinging from missing on BOTH Brown and JJ at DT. That's a position you moan and whine about whiffing on. Wanna cry about Russell, have at it.

But a running back? Give me a freaking break guys.
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I get the point but with that said, some RB are absolute game changers.

Just look at the last few championship. Michigan and OSU RB’s carried them to championships.

Derrick Henry, Dalvin cook etc… there are levels to this. Not sure cooper is on the level of those guys. We will see in 3 years .
 
Jedi Master Cane said:
I could care less about optics, but I hear you.

Football, like life, is about taking a finite set of resources (in this case NIL) and allocating it in the best way that leads to the best possible roster construction.

I'm completely ok with Mallory being the only RB in this class, especially when you consider that if Cooper had chosen Miami today, it would have likely led to Mallory eventually decommiting. This doesn't even take into account the fact that Cooper looks flaky and could eventually end up open up his recruitment down the road.

Save the money on RB and go get another stud DT or WR. Even Kolojay makes more sense than an RB.
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I know Texas dropped a ton for Cooper. I think he will be good but that’s really an unknown at the college level. The portal has really changed the game. If you have a position of need you can get a proven player out of the portal. Running back is not anywhere near an area of concern for us. Mallory is a stud. There is a whole senior season to be played and I’m sure there will be some other surprising players pop up by December. Long way to go til signing day. I just want to see us keep progressing on the field and upgrading the roster.
 
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