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As I'm reading one of the posts regarding our remaining 2013 targets and the stockpile of local 2014 talent, I'm starting to wonder if the Cristobal and Coley hires reflect a shift in philosophy by Golden.
I think his initial staff was comprised of both recruiters and teachers, and some that do both well. It was, I think, a good mix. But then we lose arguably our top position coach, who, by all accounts, was a good technician and teacher, and we replace him with a dominant recruiter (especially locally), who, admittedly, is probably not a superb technician with TEs and we shift Carroll over to WRs, a position he has never coached. Overall, this is, I think, a fantastic move, though I would, with the addition of Cristobal, prefer a teacher at WR coaching spot.
Then, we lose our offensive coordinator--by all accounts, not a major recruiter (besides QBs)--and our first and only target is Coley, a recruiting juggernaut--again, especially in SoFla--with marginal playcalling experience (at FIU). Again, I believe a very good move, given how well-received it's been and, most important, that I trust AG and that this was his only target. But again, the recruiting impact here is maybe the bigger splash.
Has Golden perhaps realized that there is national caliber talent within Dade and Broward--the kind of talent that only requires us to leave the state for a few select spots--but that we haven't been doing a good enough job in coralling all that talent and keeping it here? Is he employing a Jimmys and Joes over Xs and Os philosophy, after seeing the abundance of local talent? Has he realized we didn't have enough local ties in recruiting to secure the top local kids, and were these hires--of monster recruiters in SoFla--his amazing way of fixing this problem?
I think this is the case. I think Golden sees that the talent here is off the charts, and that so long as he keeps the best kids at UM, we can compete for a BCS bowl year in and year out. Maybe once Golden has entrenched himself down here with the local schools, he doesn't need to focus on the recruiting angle as much in the future, but for now, I think he's staging a massive assault on the local recruiting scene as his central priority.
He may not have realized the effort it would take to lock down So Fla. And the sanctions plus FSU's hype and Alabama's success haven't helped.
But IMO it's not that simple. There is a ton of talent next year in So Fla. With Olson on board, and Treon Harris a likely next year's QB, it's two years before he needs a QB coach. Kehoe may not have that much time left. Carroll may move on. I'd expect a couple new coaches a year from now.
As far as Xs and Os vs. talent generally, I doubt AG thinks there's more talent here than he originally expected -- he had to know the talent level. And I doubt he thinks Xs and Os don't matter.
IMO Coley's a very well regarded rising star in coaching. Cristobal is a no brainer. Neither hire reveals much to me other than a best athlete approach to hiring by AG.
I think many of these comments are spot on, but I'll add that this strategic shift may also be largely motivated by the recruiting rule changes that will be taking place next year.
