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

Two things can be true at the same time:

Mario made things worse when he got here

Mario has us getting better each year

I deal with marketing agencies and vendors every day that feed me the same line of **** trying to twist and turn numbers to fit an agenda. I get how it’s done.

Mario wins the ACC this year and/or makes noise in the playoffs while showing the 2024 recruiting class is legit…then I’ll be the first person to say I was wrong
Sometimes, change makes a situation worse BEFORE it gets better. You have to accept that the state of the program WAS worse than anyone knew to start with. Coaching, expectations, discipline, the level of talent (who cares what the talent level looked like on paper; reality is a different animal), culture in the locker room, support from the community and local schools, etc.... are just a few of the areas with serious problems. It wasn't and continues not to be an overnight fix... Mario made the tough decisions, some of which DID ultimately make the results on the field less than the fan base expected. The record is what it is. There are plenty of things to criticize about Mario and his staff; weeding out those who aren't willing to pull in the same direction is not one of them...

That's something I don't think many people on this board want to believe. It doesn't fit into what they believe SHOULD have been the path to winning big again.

I think you have to also factor in all the changes within CFB in the past couple of years and evaluate the state of the program for where it is.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who won't agree and that's their perogative.

Personally, I don't think the schedule is all that favorable this season. I think Miami got screwed as far as bye weeks and travel. Thankfully Bethune Cookman is sandwiched between ND, USF and UF. Some of the hardest games are going to fall in those last 7games - Louisville, NC State, Pitt, Syracuse, SMU and Va Tech- the last two on the road at Va Tech and Pitt.
 
Advertisement
Sometimes, change makes a situation worse BEFORE it gets better. You have to accept that the state of the program WAS worse than anyone knew to start with. Coaching, expectations, discipline, the level of talent (who cares what the talent level looked like on paper; reality is a different animal), culture in the locker room, support from the community and local schools, etc.... are just a few of the areas with serious problems. It wasn't and continues not to be an overnight fix... Mario made the tough decisions, some of which DID ultimately make the results on the field less than the fan base expected. The record is what it is. There are plenty of things to criticize about Mario and his staff; weeding out those who aren't willing to pull in the same direction is not one of them...

That's something I don't think many people on this board want to believe. It doesn't fit into what they believe SHOULD have been the path to winning big again.

I think you have to also factor in all the changes within CFB in the past couple of years and evaluate the state of the program for where it is.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who won't agree and that's their perogative.

Personally, I don't think the schedule is all that favorable this season. I think Miami got screwed as far as bye weeks and travel. Thankfully Bethune Cookman is sandwiched between ND, USF and UF. Some of the hardest games are going to fall in those last 7games - Louisville, NC State, Pitt, Syracuse, SMU and Va Tech- the last two on the road at Va Tech and Pitt.
We have 8 home games. There really aren't any excuses this year.
 
Sometimes, change makes a situation worse BEFORE it gets better. You have to accept that the state of the program WAS worse than anyone knew to start with. Coaching, expectations, discipline, the level of talent (who cares what the talent level looked like on paper; reality is a different animal), culture in the locker room, support from the community and local schools, etc.... are just a few of the areas with serious problems. It wasn't and continues not to be an overnight fix... Mario made the tough decisions, some of which DID ultimately make the results on the field less than the fan base expected. The record is what it is. There are plenty of things to criticize about Mario and his staff; weeding out those who aren't willing to pull in the same direction is not one of them...

That's something I don't think many people on this board want to believe. It doesn't fit into what they believe SHOULD have been the path to winning big again.

I think you have to also factor in all the changes within CFB in the past couple of years and evaluate the state of the program for where it is.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who won't agree and that's their perogative.

Personally, I don't think the schedule is all that favorable this season. I think Miami got screwed as far as bye weeks and travel. Thankfully Bethune Cookman is sandwiched between ND, USF and UF. Some of the hardest games are going to fall in those last 7games - Louisville, NC State, Pitt, Syracuse, SMU and Va Tech- the last two on the road at Va Tech and Pitt.
Most focus on coaching and talent when in reality there’s many layers to a successful program many of which you described. Fact of the matter is Miami was so far behind the other successful programs a quick fix was not going to happen.

The jury’s still out on whether or not Mario can get it done. This year’s schedule is not very favorable but we can compete with any team on it.
 
Most focus on coaching and talent when in reality there’s many layers to a successful program many of which you described. Fact of the matter is Miami was so far behind the other successful programs a quick fix was not going to happen.

The jury’s still out on whether or not Mario can get it done. This year’s schedule is not very favorable but we can compete with any team on it.
Yea, the foundations at Arizona State, SMU and Indiana were far superior.
 
Miami is +200 to make the playoffs right now, FWIW.

So, not even money, but not some massive underdog. I think we can all agree this is the goal this year and there are a million ways to dissect the season after it’s over but really making the playoffs is a win and missing is a loss. Don’t really know how much more simple that can be.

If you disagree with that, I’d love to hear your logic.

Yes, it’s a harder schedule, but that will be considered when examining the resume. And really, it’s only considered harder because we play ND and what many expect to be an improved UiF. We still don’t play Clemson, who’s the odds on favorite to win the league. I still believe 10-2 with 1 non-con loss and 7-1 in the league gets you to Charlotte, and I still believe a 10-2 season and even losing in Charlotte gets you in. So, make the playoffs, or the season is a failure. I can’t imagine that’s crazy to any of us.
Beck’s health is the only thing that scares me & the only reason I’m not betting +200. Our QB room in year 4 of Mario is a mess.
 
Indiana got smoked in their first real game. SMU has the weakest p4 schedule in America. it was a Mac schedule.
It still really annoys me that both Clemson and SMU didn’t have Cuse or GT on their schedule, on top of obviously none of the top 3 playing each other.
 
Advertisement
Beck’s health is the only thing that scares me & the only reason I’m not betting +200. Our QB room in year 4 of Mario is a mess.
People think losing out on ONE recruit from our state is "unacceptable".........

This!(our QB room in year 4)....now THIS is unacceptable.


Man... next year will be our 4th different QB in 4yrs. Kinda crazy to me.
 
People think losing out on ONE recruit from our state is "unacceptable".........

This!(our QB room in year 4)....now THIS is unacceptable.


Man... next year will be our 4th different QB in 4yrs. Kinda crazy to me.

It's a new era.

Ohio State is probably the best program in the country right now, they're on 3 years in a row with a new starter, and you'd think Sayin will be the guy next year too but who knows? If they go 9-3 or some **** they'll throw him out with the bathwater too. It's pro sports at this point, but the QBs don't get long-term contracts like the pros do.

Yeah, I wish we had a room full of studs as well, but last year we had a Heisman finalist at QB. This year we have a kid who many projected would be the #1 overall pick, let's see how he does. What if he balls out, goes to NYC, is a high pick and we win the ACC? I'd say the model is working, no? Much TBD this season.
 
Indiana got smoked in their first real game. SMU has the weakest p4 schedule in America. it was a Mac schedule.
Yea I like cway his post always make me laugh but he wrong on that one. Teams like that come and go. A bYU will have 10 wins once in like a ten year span then it will be someone else and then someone else. That sh always happens. The build is to be tier one and sustainable. And that comes from elite recruiting and evals. Which we are tier two, far and away from tier one, there is a huge gap, pause
 
Advertisement
Brother we have been in the darkness for nearly 25 years. I don't give a **** about sustaining. Give me some relevancy for once and then we can worry about other ****.
We are pretty relevant now, we are known for paying recruits. Which is supposed to look bad through media only when we do it. And we are tier two, OSU and Texas about to run cfb for a good while. We will be good but always falling short until we land the prospects they land. Unless some miracle comes about and our lower rated guys play above their ranking. And we need a lot of them to like Cole at DE, Simpson at DT. They have to play passed their ranking.
 
We are pretty relevant now, we are known for paying recruits. Which is supposed to look bad through media only when we do it. And we are tier two, OSU and Texas about to run cfb for a good while. We will be good but always falling short until we land the prospects they land. Unless some miracle comes about and our lower rated guys play above their ranking. And we need a lot of them to like Cole at DE, Simpson at DT. They have to play passed their ranking.
Our relevancy stems from being underachievers. I think Mario agrees with me because he has signed a 5th year senior at QB 2 years in a row. He is looking year to year to win. We aren't getting closer to building an osu, Texas Bama, Georgia style roster.
 
They will be trash and if they did win ten they won’t be heard from again when they get destroyed in the playoffs. And Mendoza is cheeks

Projected to finish 5th in the conference. Cignetti is a great program builder and NIl with a solid roster this year plus a weak schedule. They won't be in the CFP again but 10 wins is doable with who they play.
 
Back
Top