Finally Admit Lanning > Mario

[RVACane]

It was rough for a bit there. Everyone saw it. But Mario changed and we have been full steam ahead so far.

If someone is still complaining about where we’re at, they’re hopelessly miserable. If we never win the title again, I’m fine, I literally just wanted to be a respected, competently run, competitive program again and we are that and much more.

I would love a title for the younger loyal fans who weren’t around for the title runs but who became fans when we were putrid and stuck by the Canes.

 

[dantheman349]

It was rough for a bit there. Everyone saw it. But Mario changed and we have been full steam ahead so far.

If someone is still complaining about where we’re at, they’re hopelessly miserable. If we never win the title again, I’m fine, I literally just wanted to be a respected, competently run, competitive program again and we are that and much more.

I would love a title for the younger loyal fans who weren’t around for the title runs but who became fans when we were putrid and stuck by the Canes.

I want a **** natty tho!!!

 

[Pearson704]

Since you quoted me before deleting me, this is just more revisionist slurper spin. Plenty of people acknowledged the good and criticized the bad fairly on the “mopes” side but the slurper bros wouldn’t have any criticism when it was warranted, particularly with staff hires in the first two seasons, game management, play calling….

How bout the dead horse beaters who consistently start the same **** own the truth - that it wasn’t good enough in years one and two but got better. The “mopes” complaints are now things Mario fixed. The mopes were right about the issues needing to be fixed, and they were eventually fixed so at this point, there isn’t a reason to mope.

Remember last season when Mario went back to the prevent offense and we lost the SMU and other games that we had no business losing? Read the comments- people were calling it out. Then what they were calling for was put in place and we got to the playoffs.

Let's not make this personal.

I removed the quote precisely because this isn't about you or any one specific poster—it’s about the broader, emotional overreaction and how valid fan critiques from the early stages of a program rebuild can fall flat when they're expressed as justifications for premature conclusions.

Acknowledging that Years 1 and 2 weren't perfect isn't some exclusive insight (no pun intended); everyone saw the issues. The difference is that one side viewed those growing pains as proof of a fundamental failure on Mario's part, while the other side recognized them as the messy, necessary groundwork of a massive cultural overhaul.

There is a huge difference between warranted criticism and premature declaration of coaching superiority as reflected in the title of this thread (Lanning > Mario). Coaches don't self-correct because of fan forum commentary. Elite program builders constantly evaluate performance to address what isn't working—like moving on from Gattis immediately—and adjust accordingly. That’s the entire point of the progression: Lose big -> Lose close -> Win close -> Win big.

Trying to retroactively frame a premature 'Lanning is better' take as just 'fair criticism that Mario eventually fixed' is wild. Mario didn't fix the program because people on a forum complained; he fixed it because that's what he (a relentless program builder) does. This thread was a reactionary, half-baked take two years ago, and trying to use Year 4 success to validate that nervous energy now is just pure revisionist history.

The 'mopes vs. slurpers' framing is reductionist waving of the white flag and signals surrender or an unwillingness to engage on the merits. Some people were dead wrong about the trajectory of this program under Mario, and it's okay to just own it.

 

[Negro-Wan Kanobi]

Lol I would’ve said Brandon Harris is better than Patrick Johnson back then. Not bc I actually believe it but bc when I start seeing too many ppl or posts on this board glazing players at other schools it ****es me off.

I hate the constant Jeremiah smith glazing on this board just the same. So did I really believe Joe Yearby was better than Dalvin Cook?... no. But Cook chose to play for FSU so it was **** him. I’m riding with the one who chose to play for Miami .

We past that, and we can't even fault you for that.

I just remember Josh ***** *** Gattis. And of course, Mario got blame for that.

Mario got us within 44 seconds of #6, and he gets credit for that, too.

Old **** is stuff we laugh about now on the road to #6, and when we get 6, man, takes like ours are nothing but faded stories.

 

[RVACane]

Acknowledging that Years 1 and 2 weren't perfect isn't some exclusive insight (no pun intended); everyone saw the issues. The difference is that one side viewed those growing pains as proof of a fundamental failure on Mario's part, while the other side recognized them as the messy, necessary groundwork of a massive cultural overhaul.

This right here is an example of the cap/spin/whitewashing on here. There’s nothing necessary about hiring multiple bad assistants. They were just bad hires who Mario chose.

Changing over the roster is a different issue that fits the meaning of necessary growing pains. Letting go of game management is another growing pain I accept as MTSU and GT showed Mario needed help there.

Lanning flipped Mario’s roster though the Mario players who stayed are no doubt better than the Manny players who stayed, overall. Lanning was better the first two seasons. Now that’s changed. Mario’s killing it.

The same people looking to reignite divisions in here. Literally, every one of the respectable “mopes” have acknowledged the job Mario has done and the improvements made, however, that doesn’t change how things began and it all wasn’t simple growing pains. Some of it was just bad decisions.

 

[Dwinstitles]

No **** the rankings are not perfect lol. But the rankings are just a part of it! If Al blades went to Bama or UGA where he would have top of the line coaching, strength and conditioning, and culture, he would have turned out a better player. Our evals look better now because we have all of those things in place. Blades had everything required to be a good player. Talent, bloodlines, height, weight, and he was a vocal guy who was a leader. Give that to Saban or Smart, they have a higher chance of molding buddy into a better player. We didn’t just accidentally pick all the 4-5 star busts like we were doing a challenge NCAA football 27 lol. We just didn’t have what we needed to give the players we got their highest chance to thrive! While other ACC teams have been doing more with less for decades.

And speaking on Dawson, he ain’t out schemed anyone since he been here lol. He’s got the players, not the skills. If you give him wakes team he would have like 2 wins. He ain’t creative or innovative. Name me 1 game where he out schemed another coach! And don’t say A&M last year. Because it was windy and we ran the ball. Nothing earth shattering about that

I will respectfully disagree, cause if they thought that they would of gotten him at those schools. Blood lines is batting a low percentage in numerous sports throughout the years and yes Bronny counts.

 

[Dwinstitles]

Lol I would’ve said Brandon Harris is better than Patrick Johnson back then. Not bc I actually believe it but bc when I start seeing too many ppl or posts on this board glazing players at other schools it ****es me off.

I hate the constant Jeremiah smith glazing on this board just the same. So did I really believe Joe Yearby was better than Dalvin Cook?... no. But Cook chose to play for FSU so it was **** him. I’m riding with the one who chose to play for Miami .

If Joe Yearby went to Bama he would be better and have better wights and no McDonalds.

 

[OldhamA]

Say what you want, but the roster he had was still better than all other ACC teams outside of Clemson and maybe FSU. Full of 4 star and high 3 star players. And a few 5 star guys. Most ACC teams were in the 30’s and beyond in recruiting yearly. The numbers don’t lie. Mario needs a team of 5 star guys and high 4 stars to win. He’s an oline coach ffs. He’s not going to out scheme anyone. That’s why even last year we lost to two teams that had far less talent (SMU with many Miami rejects ). Those two teams completely out schemed us. Now the talent gap between us and the rest of the league is much wider! But the biggest difference (and kudos to Mario for this) is that the mindset and leadership of this organization is light years away from where it was when he first got here! Hopefully this is the year we finally not take an L to less talented teams we should blow out.

Are you always this miserable?

 

[OldhamA]

If Joe Yearby went to Bama he would be better and have better wights and no McDonalds.

Yearby was maxed out in High School. He had the feet and the vision, but he never had the athleticism to be a top tier College RB.

 

[Dwinstitles]

Acknowledging that Years 1 and 2 weren't perfect isn't some exclusive insight (no pun intended); everyone saw the issues. The difference is that one side viewed those growing pains as proof of a fundamental failure on Mario's part, while the other side recognized them as the messy, necessary groundwork of a massive cultural overhaul.

This right here is an example of the cap/spin/whitewashing on here. There’s nothing necessary about hiring multiple bad assistants. They were just bad hires who Mario chose.

Changing over the roster is a different issue that fits the meaning of necessary growing pains. Letting go of game management is another growing pain I accept as MTSU and GT showed Mario needed help there.

Lanning flipped Mario’s roster though the Mario players who stayed are no doubt better than the Manny players who stayed, overall. Lanning was better the first two seasons. Now that’s changed. Mario’s killing it.

The same people looking to reignite divisions in here. Literally, every one of the respectable “mopes” have acknowledged the job Mario has done and the improvements made, however, that doesn’t change how things began and it all wasn’t simple growing pains. Some of it was just bad decisions.

I felt like it was fair to say Lanning was better early but to believe that Mario longer term would be better. To me that’s fair

It’s ok to say I think long term Mario will be better but right now Lanning is better because of the situation