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- Dec 22, 2011
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I'm using Mario's words here. I overheard him on Hurricane Hotline very recently claming how his desire is to build the program through recruiting and development. He should want to improve the team with transfers but we should not be trying to assemble a national championship team in 2024. The eyes of the program should be looking ahead to 2025 and beyond. It shouldn't be all that different than NFL free agency. Teams that are building calculate and wait until the time is right to spend big on FAs.
Also, from a culture standpoint it makes sense to build the team through recruiting. Culture has been a major bugaboo at Miami and patching holes everywhere is detrimental in that aspect imo. There's no guarantee that the recruits brought here by Mario will want to stay at Miami for 4 years, but we have a better chance at owning a good retention rate by allowing recruits to grow up on the field in certain spots.
OK, all of that is true.
But also consider the reality.
If your team wins 11-12 games every year, you are probably not "missing" on many of your HS recruits and also not having to rely on the Portal as much.
And if your team wins 8-9 games every year (or fewer), then you probably ARE missing on more of your HS recruits AND having to rely on the Portal more.
It's not always a "strategic choice". It can very well be a necessity.
That's why I questioned all the F$U-fellating Norvell fanboys who were drooling over Prison Mike's "Portal Strategy" a couple of years ago. Strategy? It was more like a Portal Necessity.