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Mark Richt. What did he really do for Miami

MedleyCane said:
Lou Saban won nothing at UM except, I think, a nice upset at Auburn where OJ Anderson ran crazy against the Tigers.
However, he took over a program which was in the dumps, which had people wondering if it would last at all, and showed
that one could recruit with the big boys, which up to that time it was never done.
He also recruited some great local coaches like Joe Brodsky (HML), Christ Vagotis (Killian), and Jerry Anderson (Carol City) who helped
him lure some of the country's best local talent who otherwise would have ended up at OSU, Oklahoma, Pitt, Michigan, USC, Alabama, ND, etc
which were the national recruitng superpowers of this era.
He also nabbed Fred Marion from Gainesville HS who later became an NFL Safety standout for many years with the Pats.
In addition to Marion, the '78 Class had players like Mark Richt, Jim Kelly, Lester Williams, David Jefferson, Mark Cooper, Tony Chickillo,
Clem Barbario, John Canei, Bob Nelson, Larry Brodsky, Mark Rush,etc.
The players from this class plus other guys he brought in his first makeshift class the prior year like Jim Burt, formed the basis of our first great super team which in 1981 was as good as any team in the country.
So, like Richt, one could argue that they didn't win big, but they undoubtedly set the stage for what was to follow.
Saban proved that UM could recruit against anyone locally and nationally, Richt proved that UM could this again if the school
wanted and were willing to commit to excellence (again).
Saban (and Richt) may not have earned the proverbial on-campus statute, but they deserve recognition.
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Question for anyone who would know, although i think you prob do Medley, why did we go to a bowl game in 1980 but not in 1981 or 1982?
 
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
Unpopular take and I’m sure I’ll get dragged: I think the level of reverence Mark Richt is paid is not commensurate with what he achieved here.

To be clear, this is not disrespect. I didn’t say he deserves no reverence. I simply think a LOT of our fans and alumni act as if he brought us championships when in reality he brought us one overachieving season and a few other mediocre seasons. Yes he added (temporary) credibility. Yes he was incredibly generous. Yes he stepped down when he needed to. He is a humble and kind man by all accounts. Those are all admirable acts and traits and deserve to be recognized. At the same time, those things have nothing to do with on field achievement.
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I think that it’s safe to say that he built the base that was lacking. He’s the one that started repairing the broken relationships and showing that you needed the community. Our whole recruiting staff I believe are made up of SFL guys and he’s the one that started stretching out the olive branch.

In my opinion, that’s why his name needs to be carried with the rest of our future success.
 
Yoyo423 said:
my sons were born in 2008, 2009, 2011. That 2017 season and the turnover chain is the reason they're fans of the team... my 8 year old son MADE his own turnover chain and a case for it....

took 2 of my sons to the cotton bowl last year and stayed in the team hotel..

took 1 son to the national title game...

so now they're fans for life..

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Coach Mark Richt and Malachi Toney will go down in history for the University of Miami. 30 for 30 part 3!
 
Zbrod95 said:
I think that it’s safe to say that he built the base that was lacking. He’s the one that started repairing the broken relationships and showing that you needed the community. Our whole recruiting staff I believe are made up of SFL guys and he’s the one that started stretching out the olive branch.

In my opinion, that’s why his name needs to be carried with the rest of our future success.
Click to expand...

I'm not dragging his name.

The base that was lacking was the financial commitment from the administration and that didn't change until Herbstreit called out the admin on national tv in 2021....three years after Richt was gone. Stepping into the community, repairing relationships - that part is true. If you want to put your finger on the timeline of when that lacking base got fixed, go to the day Herbie called us out.
 
cookies said:
Question for anyone who would know, although i think you prob do Medley, why did we go to a bowl game in 1980 but not in 1981 or 1982?
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1981 - Probation for recruiting violations under Lou Saban
1982 - Weren't invited for whatever reason.

There also weren't as many bowl games during that era. There were like 15 or 16 then total. Making a bowl game was a big deal. There's more than double that now.
 
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
Zbrod95 said:
I think that it’s safe to say that he built the base that was lacking. He’s the one that started repairing the broken relationships and showing that you needed the community. Our whole recruiting staff I believe are made up of SFL guys and he’s the one that started stretching out the olive branch.

In my opinion, that’s why his name needs to be carried with the rest of our future success.
Click to expand...

I'm not dragging his name.

The base that was lacking was the financial commitment from the administration and that didn't change until Herbstreit called out the admin on national tv in 2021....three years after Richt was gone. Stepping into the community, repairing relationships - that part is true. If you want to put your finger on the timeline of when that lacking base got fixed, go to the day Herbie called us out.
Click to expand...
I actually think that if that wasn’t made a focal point first that we wouldn’t have the same success in recruiting. Would it have gotten there? Probably but I really think it benefitted Mario that Richt started taking steps to repair the broken relationships.
 
cookies said:
Question for anyone who would know, although i think you prob do Medley, why did we go to a bowl game in 1980 but not in 1981 or 1982?
Click to expand...

We got hit with NCAA sanctions after 1980 season which if I recall included bowl ban -something to do with assistants paying Wendy's lunches to players.
I don't recall if bowl sanction stretched 1982 season. We had issues on field after Jim Kelly was hurt at VT and later after Mark Richt got suspended, so we where down to QB3 and QB4 (Testaverde who had to play at Maryland). Keep in mind this was an era where there weren't alot of bowl games.
 
What’s fascinating is to look at that those 6 weeks in-between Golden’s firing and Richt’s firing. The alternative names were not enticing.

Justin Fuente was the hottest name on the block, and he would end up taking the VT job two days after Richt was dismissed; and one day after the Richt to Miami momentum started. We didn’t pursue Tom Herman after his 13-1 year at Houston iirc.

Schiano was a serious contender, and there were multiple reports about Mario making inroads into the search. Mario obviously wasn’t ready yet and didn’t even make the Final Cut despite trying to get in there. People still hated the guy after going to Alabama.

Butch Davis, Dan Mullen, Greg Schiano and Mark Richt were the 4 guys universally linked to the position; and the former 3 all interviewed late November according to reports at the time. I think Schiano was the runner-up iirc but not sure.

& we’re better off for it because Willie Taggart’s decision making made all of this possible (hiring Mario as co-OC @ Oregon then Taggart replacing Jimbo leading to the series of events that has FSU hopeless right now). FSU won 10+ games from ‘87 to ‘00 and Bowden would only win ten games once more in the 21st century (2003). Jimbo wins 10+ 6 outta 7 years, 9 in year 2 as the exception, before an awful 5-6 record in his last year pre-A&M.

Starting with the 2017 season, they’ve only won 10+ games twice in the last 9 seasons. In the post Jimbo-world, they’ve only finished over .500 twice in the past eight seasons. By the time he gets to Miami, he has a #1 pick, Penei Sewell, many other developed pros, and an electric quarterback in Herbert all in the league. Also challenged himself in a league he was unfamiliar with, but would provide down the line benefits (LA/CA recruiting).
 
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MedleyCane said:
We got hit with NCAA sanctions after 1980 season which if I recall included bowl ban -something to do with assistants paying Wendy's lunches to players.
I don't recall if bowl sanction stretched 1982 season. We had issues on field after Jim Kelly was hurt at VT and later after Mark Richt got suspended, so we where down to QB3 and QB4 (Testaverde who had to play at Maryland). Keep in mind this was an era where there weren't alot of bowl games.
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Roger that, appreciate the reply. And **** i cannot imagine richt doing anything to get suspended even as a youngin lol.
 
Get Up What GIF by ESPN

looking for the lie in the op ... can't find one
 
Zbrod95 said:
I actually think that if that wasn’t made a focal point first that we wouldn’t have the same success in recruiting. Would it have gotten there? Probably but I really think it benefitted Mario that Richt started taking steps to repair the broken relationships.
Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not. It surely didn't hurt.
 
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
Unpopular take and I’m sure I’ll get dragged: I think the level of reverence Mark Richt is paid is not commensurate with what he achieved here.

To be clear, this is not disrespect. I didn’t say he deserves no reverence. I simply think a LOT of our fans and alumni act as if he brought us championships when in reality he brought us one overachieving season and a few other mediocre seasons. Yes he added (temporary) credibility. Yes he was incredibly generous. Yes he stepped down when he needed to. He is a humble and kind man by all accounts. Those are all admirable acts and traits and deserve to be recognized. At the same time, those things have nothing to do with on field achievement.
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Would have been interesting to see what he could have done if he'd come to Miami instead of UGA after FSU.
 
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
Unpopular take and I’m sure I’ll get dragged: I think the level of reverence Mark Richt is paid is not commensurate with what he achieved here.

To be clear, this is not disrespect. I didn’t say he deserves no reverence. I simply think a LOT of our fans and alumni act as if he brought us championships when in reality he brought us one overachieving season and a few other mediocre seasons. Yes he added (temporary) credibility. Yes he was incredibly generous. Yes he stepped down when he needed to. He is a humble and kind man by all accounts. Those are all admirable acts and traits and deserve to be recognized. At the same time, those things have nothing to do with on field achievement.
Click to expand...
You know I can understand what you're saying. CMR brought 0 titles to Miami, not even an ACC title, so you got me there. I guess you can say, probably what I should have said when I created this thread is that CMR had a bigger impact off the field than on. 2016 & 17 were still special years if nothing showing what Miami was, should be and will be with the right leadership and $$$ backing.
 
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
I'm not dragging his name.

The base that was lacking was the financial commitment from the administration and that didn't change until Herbstreit called out the admin on national tv in 2021....three years after Richt was gone. Stepping into the community, repairing relationships - that part is true. If you want to put your finger on the timeline of when that lacking base got fixed, go to the day Herbie called us out.
Click to expand...
I dont think you are "dragging" his name but I think you are making a point to be the salmon going upstream just for the sake of it.

From what I glean, you are a-ok on Richt getting this amount of recognition for him as a person, what he did behind the scene and making us relevant but feel is coaching was overrated. I dont think anyone disagrees with you. I dont think anyone at UGA would disagree with you. A++++ as a human being. As a coach, he likely left some meat on the bone at both UM and UGA.

This is the line you said that stuck out to me: "I simply think that Richt is revered at a level for his coaching that I don’t think is warranted based upon what he achieved on the field here. " Now I agree if every post in here was saying how he was an x and o guru and only talking about coaching, sure make this comment. But I dont see anyoneeee in this thread solely brought up his coaching until you did to be the salmon. Lots saying he returned us to being relevant, that is true, that 17 season was fun, had a lot of buzz, he created the hype even if he didnt construct the perfect roster and call the perfect plays. Give that man his halo. You are arguing against shadows and ghosts.
 
caneULM said:
You know I can understand what you're saying. CMR brought 0 titles to Miami, not even an ACC title, so you got me there. I guess you can say, probably what I should have said when I created this thread is that CMR had a bigger impact off the field than on. 2016 & 17 were still special years if nothing showing what Miami was, should be and will be with the right leadership and $$$ backing.
Click to expand...

He deserves all the sunshine he gets and then some for what he's done off the field. A+ character. 2017 was a fun season for sure.
 
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