- Joined
- Dec 28, 2018
- Messages
- 17
I've had an unused account for more than a year, but that deflating performance yesterday was enough to drive me to sit down and make my first post on here (instead of doing my job). I apologize in advance if it seems like I don't know what I am doing on here.
I am not going to wildly overreact to a glorified exhibition game where we were missing a number of defensive starters and where we started a third-string quarterback who clearly wasn't ready for primetime. But like most of you, I came away from that game yesterday with LOTS of questions about Mario's acumen as a gameday coach and this staff's ability to make important in-game adjustments. I will also admit that when we fired Manny Diaz, I badly wanted Lane Kiffin so that we could finally enjoy a competent, innovative, and new-age offense.
But with all of that said, here is why I remain (sort of) hopeful:
The Trenches:
For all of Mario's faults this season, one thing he deserves credit for is the improvement of the OL. Miami hasn't fielded an above-average OL since the Romberg, McKinnie and Gonzalez days (apologies to my guy Jon Feliciano, but he is only one man). The big reason for is that we were always physically overmatched. I am not a football expert, especially when it comes to the offensive and defensive line, but size matters more than athleticism and skill. One thing that has become clear from watching Bama and Georgia is that if your line doesn't average 300 lbs., you aren't going to be pushing anyone around.
Mario recognized this and immediately went out and flipped that unit, making it way larger and way more physical. He went out and snagged Cohen (305 lbs), Mauigoa (315 lbs) and Lee (295 lbs) and what happened? Miami had the best offensive line we've seen in at least a decade. The result was a much better offense both on the ground and through the air. If you takeaway the turnovers (and yes, I realize that's a ridiculous hypothetical), this was a Top 20 offense even without top end talent at wide receiver (X and Colbie Young excluded).
Fast-forward to last night and I think we can all agree that the defensive line got absolutely abused yesterday. They got pushed around on the line of scrimmage from the jump and even though the coaching staff made absolutely zero adjustments to stop a team that clearly couldn't throw, there is only so much the staff can do when all the interior lineman are sub-300 pounds.
Again, look at Georgia or Alabama. Those teams average 320 pounds across the interior. Meanwhile, Miami is starting Deen (285 lbs), Harrison-Hunte (285 lbs) and subbing in Gore (275 lbs), and Lich (who cares, see ya later). The Rutgers OL was MUCH larger and with all due respect to our guys, it is impossible to compete at the highest level of college football without more physicality, especially since we are still turning over the linebacker room as well.
The good news is that I think Mario knows that.
He put a huge emphasis on defensive line recruiting this year and look what we got. Justin Scott is already over 300 lbs, Artavius Jones can easily get there, CJ Clark is over 300 lbs and Marley Cook is close. I'd love another road-grading defensive tackle from the portal, even if he just eats space. But I think Mario is finally building an OL and DL room that can at least look the part, but you can't flip those rooms overnight.
Yes, of course Miami needs better quarterback play and a few more difference-makers on the outside. But Rutgers literally just proved last night that if you can own the opponent at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, you don't really need a star QB or wide receivers to win football games, especially in college.
One of the main reasons Miami has always played down to its competition over the past 6-7 years has been that physically, they have never really set themselves apart from the Dukes and NC States and Georgia Techs.
Change that and Miami at least will have a foundation to build around. Adding impact skill players is easier than adding impact offensive lineman and defensive lineman, especially with the speed and skill in South Florida.
How'd I do?
I am not going to wildly overreact to a glorified exhibition game where we were missing a number of defensive starters and where we started a third-string quarterback who clearly wasn't ready for primetime. But like most of you, I came away from that game yesterday with LOTS of questions about Mario's acumen as a gameday coach and this staff's ability to make important in-game adjustments. I will also admit that when we fired Manny Diaz, I badly wanted Lane Kiffin so that we could finally enjoy a competent, innovative, and new-age offense.
But with all of that said, here is why I remain (sort of) hopeful:
The Trenches:
For all of Mario's faults this season, one thing he deserves credit for is the improvement of the OL. Miami hasn't fielded an above-average OL since the Romberg, McKinnie and Gonzalez days (apologies to my guy Jon Feliciano, but he is only one man). The big reason for is that we were always physically overmatched. I am not a football expert, especially when it comes to the offensive and defensive line, but size matters more than athleticism and skill. One thing that has become clear from watching Bama and Georgia is that if your line doesn't average 300 lbs., you aren't going to be pushing anyone around.
Mario recognized this and immediately went out and flipped that unit, making it way larger and way more physical. He went out and snagged Cohen (305 lbs), Mauigoa (315 lbs) and Lee (295 lbs) and what happened? Miami had the best offensive line we've seen in at least a decade. The result was a much better offense both on the ground and through the air. If you takeaway the turnovers (and yes, I realize that's a ridiculous hypothetical), this was a Top 20 offense even without top end talent at wide receiver (X and Colbie Young excluded).
Fast-forward to last night and I think we can all agree that the defensive line got absolutely abused yesterday. They got pushed around on the line of scrimmage from the jump and even though the coaching staff made absolutely zero adjustments to stop a team that clearly couldn't throw, there is only so much the staff can do when all the interior lineman are sub-300 pounds.
Again, look at Georgia or Alabama. Those teams average 320 pounds across the interior. Meanwhile, Miami is starting Deen (285 lbs), Harrison-Hunte (285 lbs) and subbing in Gore (275 lbs), and Lich (who cares, see ya later). The Rutgers OL was MUCH larger and with all due respect to our guys, it is impossible to compete at the highest level of college football without more physicality, especially since we are still turning over the linebacker room as well.
The good news is that I think Mario knows that.
He put a huge emphasis on defensive line recruiting this year and look what we got. Justin Scott is already over 300 lbs, Artavius Jones can easily get there, CJ Clark is over 300 lbs and Marley Cook is close. I'd love another road-grading defensive tackle from the portal, even if he just eats space. But I think Mario is finally building an OL and DL room that can at least look the part, but you can't flip those rooms overnight.
Yes, of course Miami needs better quarterback play and a few more difference-makers on the outside. But Rutgers literally just proved last night that if you can own the opponent at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, you don't really need a star QB or wide receivers to win football games, especially in college.
One of the main reasons Miami has always played down to its competition over the past 6-7 years has been that physically, they have never really set themselves apart from the Dukes and NC States and Georgia Techs.
Change that and Miami at least will have a foundation to build around. Adding impact skill players is easier than adding impact offensive lineman and defensive lineman, especially with the speed and skill in South Florida.
How'd I do?
![crossover22[]_[]](https://data.canesinsight.com/avatars/m/2/2075.jpg?1518149361){kind=avatar}
