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Just played for Natty and haven't even scratched the surface...NEED SPEED

theuksu

theuksu

Redshirt Freshman
Joined
Jun 15, 2012
Messages
305
To take us over the top we desperately need to bring SPEED back to Miami. In the "Big Three" speed positions: RB, WR and CB we have struggled mightily. Once Mario fixes this issue adding to those 5 rings will be an annual expectation and probability.

We need a homerun SPEED threat at RB. ND figured this out after getting their *** whooped by Christian McCaffery and Bryce Love and have done a good job of recruiting elite speed at that position. We need to do the same. Pringle offers us the best hope on the current roster, especially if he can add more bulk to his frame and maintain his speed. Curious to hear @Lance Roffers thoughts on our team speed.

Looking at the starting RBs in the NFL confirms speed is a kills.
De'Von Achane 4.32
Jahmyr Gibbs 4.36
Isiah Pacheco 4.37
Kenneth Walker III 4.38
Jonathan Taylor 4.39
Breece Hall 4.39
Saquon Barkley 4.40
James Cook 4.42
Chase Brown 4.43
TreVeyon Henderson 4.43
Ashton Jeanty 4.45
Bijan Robinson 4.46
Omarion Hampton 4.46
Christian McCaffrey 4.48
Derrick Henry 4.54

It’s been over 20 years since we’ve had a RB drafted in the 1st or 2nd round. Willis McGahee 1st rd in 2003 and Portis went in the 2nd rd in 2002. Our last starting NFL RB drafted was Lamar Miller in 2012. Duke was drafted in the 3rd but I wouldn’t consider him a full-time starting NFL RB; he only started 21 games over 8 years.

The last true starting WRs we had were Reggie Wayne, retired in 2014 and Andre Johnson who retired 2016. Hankerson started 14 games but that was over a 5 year season.

Josh Moore might be our next hope at WR. Wingo also seems to have ‘it’ factor. But it’s been a long time since we had a dominate true #1 WR. We need a speed and size infusion at the position.

Tyreek Hill 4.29s
DK Metcalf 6'4 235 4.33
Ja'Marr Chase 6'0 201 4.34
Garrett Wilson 6'0 192 4.38
Justin Jefferson 6'1 202 4.43
Nico Collins 6'4 215 4.43
A.J. Brown 6'1 226 4.49
CeeDee Lamb 6'2 200 4.50
Mike Evans 6'5 231 4.53
Davante Adams 6'1 215 4.56

It felt like Hetherman didn’t trust our CBs the way we played off coverage this year. With our elite pass rush, playing tight man coverage and jamming WRs at the line of scrimmage would have made it difficult to move the ball on us. In the Louisville game and against Indiana they used quick throws to negate our pass rush. @Coach Macho @DMoney can comment more on this but I would have loved to see us blitz on both 4 down plays against Indiana and had CBs play tight man. Hopefully with our incoming class and another year of developing for Lucas, Brown, Frederique, etc we’ll play a more aggressive press man.

Our last CB drafted in the 1st rd was Artie Burns in 2016. Tyrique Stevenson has found a role in the NFL with his size and speed. We need to recruit and develop more players elite size and speed profiles.

This program is just getting started. Our future is extremely exciting!!
 
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The program is going to be built on size and strength. It's a physical, LOS-driven program in Mario's image.

When you compare the team speed to other elite P4 programs it's probably below average overall if you lined up all the position groups and raced them.

That said, it's a pretty big ask to have a program that is bigger, stronger, faster than everyone else. Rather than focus on laser times, they have tried to fill out the groups with athleticism overall. Markell Bell wouldn't win an OT race but is a freak of nature athletically when you consider size and length plus ability to slide. Bain is a freak of nature at his size, but won't run a 4.5 as an edge rusher. Lucas and OJ are long and athletic, but probably run in high 4.4's/4.5's respectively.

The blueprint they've used works in college. I tend to be a convert on this style built for late seasons. As they continue to build out more 5-star athletes in recruiting, you'll see more high picks from Miami and get what you're hoping for in OP.
 
Lance Roffers said:
The program is going to be built on size and strength. It's a physical, LOS-driven program in Mario's image.

When you compare the team speed to other elite P4 programs it's probably below average overall if you lined up all the position groups and raced them.

That said, it's a pretty big ask to have a program that is bigger, stronger, faster than everyone else. Rather than focus on laser times, they have tried to fill out the groups with athleticism overall. Markell Bell wouldn't win an OT race but is a freak of nature athletically when you consider size and length plus ability to slide. Bain is a freak of nature at his size, but won't run a 4.5 as an edge rusher. Lucas and OJ are long and athletic, but probably run in high 4.4's/4.5's respectively.

The blueprint they've used works in college. I tend to be a convert on this style built for late seasons. As they continue to build out more 5-star athletes in recruiting, you'll see more high picks from Miami and get what you're hoping for in OP.
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Yeah, we will need to be more physical at the end of the season to wear down the good to great teams. That being said, even the 72 Dolphins had Paul Warfield. We could use someone to stretch the field from time to time so our size and strength can get a little more push not having 8 guys in the box to account for.

I love what we saw this year, but we do need some speed as well. A QB that is confident with his deep ball will do wonders as well.
 
I dont think the skill positions on offense are majorly lacking speed, but its been a long painful process to get the defensive backfield where it needs to be so thats where I am focused. This 2026 class guys like Campbell, Portis, Dunnigan, Wyman, and Waters really fit the bill athletically in the back 7.
 
I think we are fine with bigger athletic guys. But we still can balance out the roster with some speed guys at RB , CB and WR. Its one thing you cannot coach. I think it will come, them bringing in the WRs they did is a move to address some of that. We had already moved in that direction since Cristobal came because we were turtle slow in 2022.
 
ThomasM said:
Yeah, we will need to be more physical at the end of the season to wear down the good to great teams. That being said, even the 72 Dolphins had Paul Warfield. We could use someone to stretch the field from time to time so our size and strength can get a little more push not having 8 guys in the box to account for.

I love what we saw this year, but we do need some speed as well. A QB that is confident with his deep ball will do wonders as well.
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72 Dolphins also had Mercury Morris as a speedy back. Good change of pace for csonka and kiick
 
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dukebeeasy305 said:
We had speed. We just don't trust them enough to get on the field. 0 was plenty fast at WR he was just under thrown a lot
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My pushback is that you should never overthrow a deep ball. The default should always be underthrown vs. overthrown in my view.

I think is just **** for fans, when functional speed is really what matters a lot more. The ability to track the ball deep is quite underrated for receivers. Miami is bringing in two receivers who can help vertically and neither is a 10.2 guy.
 
Lance Roffers said:
My pushback is that you should never overthrow a deep ball. The default should always be underthrown vs. overthrown in my view.

I think is just **** for fans, when functional speed is really what matters a lot more. The ability to track the ball deep is quite underrated for receivers. Miami is bringing in two receivers who can help vertically and neither is a 10.2 guy.
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There are people who can both though. We’ve seen and had it before.
 
Is this a **** way back Time Machine talking about the ‘72 Dolphins? Listen to Lance, folks. Size & physicality has shown us it works. Can always infuse speed, but don’t need to reinvent what works,
 
Funny way back when on shadow board I used to be the Oline guy.. always complaining about our weak *** trenches..

But years ago when it was just embarrassing how slow we were and how we scared absolutely NOBODY.. I was SCREAMING we were slow AF and getting tons of Cane Circle jerk hate.. It was really bad for soo many years, Especially at DB.. I was creating hashtags #NEEEEEEEEEEDSPEEEEEEEEEEEEED #SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

Wondering why we stopped having football players run track.. Asking for verified track times #VerifiedSPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED.. It was bad..

On defense we have gotten much better, I wouldnt complain too much about our DBs, LB can be better to increase defensive team speed overall but from a prototype standpoint, ALL our DBs is how you would want them to look, Both Safeties were 6'2 and closed well (#7 is fast he just cant break down and wrap up when he get there, hopefully he can clean that up)

Offense is where we can have room for improvement but I think with this year recruiting class we have made speed more of a priority with the kids we have bought in. All have good speed numbers and look fast on film. Wingo looks good, The Cali slot kid has verified speed, The Tall Ohio kid was like 6'5 with verified 4.5 speed, those dimensions are great to work with and the kid from NC is also a 6'5 frame, not sure on speed numbers tho.. I think next crop of kids will continue to increase the talent level of the room. Its been a grind but we will get the skill guys there .

Also I think you can be a large trench driven team and still have elite speed at skill positions, I dont think one affects the other.. or you only have to pick one. Mario will get it built out..
 
I don't give a **** it you're fast bring me guys who can WIN. We have had 4.3 guys on the roster In the past and it didn't equal nattys just give me players who win. No looking at a stupid stop watch being like ohhhhhhhh he ran a 4.33 with no pads on. I don't give a crap that's what's wrong with the NFL draft too many nerds looking at spreadsheets instead of turning on the film. Plenty of deep shots wide open this year missed on guys who run a 4.4/4.5. Mensah will hit the deep ball better than Beck coming off that surgery. We need him to work on being efficient and taking what they give him and not playing hero ball all the time.
 
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I felt we built the O for Carson this season. Condensed sets, quick throws etc. if we get Mensah hopefully we can increase the number of explosive plays, sprinkled in with long time consuming drives. That's how you get a top 5 offense IMO. Would like to be efficient on 3rd down and in the red zone, but get some quick scores as well. 40 ppg next year and <14 against would be the goal.
 
skyman said:
Funny way back when on shadow board I used to be the Oline guy.. always complaining about our weak *** trenches..

But years ago when it was just embarrassing how slow we were and how we scared absolutely NOBODY.. I was SCREAMING we were slow AF and getting tons of Cane Circle jerk hate.. It was really bad for soo many years, Especially at DB.. I was creating hashtags #NEEEEEEEEEEDSPEEEEEEEEEEEEED #SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

Wondering why we stopped having football players run track.. Asking for verified track times #VerifiedSPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED.. It was bad..

On defense we have gotten much better, I wouldnt complain too much about our DBs, LB can be better to increase defensive team speed overall but from a prototype standpoint, ALL our DBs is how you would want them to look, Both Safeties were 6'2 and closed well (#7 is fast he just cant break down and wrap up when he get there, hopefully he can clean that up)

Offense is where we can have room for improvement but I think with this year recruiting class we have made speed more of a priority with the kids we have bought in. All have good speed numbers and look fast on film. Wingo looks good, The Cali slot kid has verified speed, The Tall Ohio kid was like 6'5 with verified 4.5 speed, those dimensions are great to work with and the kid from NC is also a 6'5 frame, not sure on speed numbers tho.. I think next crop of kids will continue to increase the talent level of the room. Its been a grind but we will get the skill guys there .

Also I think you can be a large trench driven team and still have elite speed at skill positions, I dont think one affects the other.. or you only have to pick one. Mario will get it built out..
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I agree 100%, we need elite speed at the skill positions. Our starting WRS couldn’t get much separation this season. And we won in spite of that.

@DMoney There are 64 starting NFL WRs and 32 starting RBs and not one is from The U. That needs to change. Do people forget we had a former Cane score at least 1 NFL TD for 149 consecutive weeks. It ran from Week 15 of the 2002 NFL season through Week 10 of the 2011 season (spanning about 9 years and involving over 600 total touchdowns from 34 different Hurricanes alumni). The streak ended in Week 11 of 2011.

We need to return to getting elite skill players and I’m confident Mario will get it done.
 
I understand what the OP is saying but out of curiosity what are the speeds of the IU WR's, RB's, CB's.

Like @AK_Cane said we need football players who can win. Lingard was the perfect example of elite speed but wasn't a football player.

We do have ELITE speed coming in at the WR position. 🤷‍♂️
 
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