Missed opportunities

[jerzeycane]

I've tried not to think about the FSU game the past few days, because life is too good to ruin the mood. But when I do think about it, and the season, the same two words come to mind: missed opportunities.

The failure to adjust on offense against Louisville. The failure to adjust on defense against Nebraska and Georgia Tech. The failure to close the deal against Florida State. This had the chance to be a special season, but there were just too many missed opportunities.

On one hand, it's hard to ignore the rising talent level, the improvement within the system, and the superstar under center. That bodes well for the future.

But this year should have been the year. The one question mark (Kaaya) turned into an exclamation point. We have legitimate stars. A Heisman candidate at tailback. An NFL left tackle. The best linebacker in the country. Possibly the best tight end in the country. The best deep threat in the country. All relatively healthy.

We might lose all of those studs this year, with nothing to show for it. That's what hurts. This wasn't a year of blowouts. Miami belonged in every game. But they didn't win any of the close ones, and in a way, it feels even worse.

Two words that nobody around here really wants to hear, that are completely applicable in every way imaginable for the entire infrastructure of the football program.

Maturation Process.

 

[Deleted User]

I'm actually not that worried about losing most of those guys. Obviously Duke and Denzel will hurt, but other than that I think the guys on the roster and the guys coming in will pick up the slack. The way this offensive line has stepped up with guys like Linder and Darling filling holes and playing well, plus Isadora's improvement and the return of McDermott, Gadbois and Gall from injury makes me feel pretty good about the oline. Gadbois started the season off rough, but he had never played before and he was actually improving every week until he got hurt. In my opinion, the development of the young guys on the line is the most surprising part of this season. Kehoe gets knocked a lot, but his oline shuffle has produced probably the best unit on this team despite losing so many guys.

Dobard showed he can play and is a already a decent blocker, and I think Herndon and Njoku will be ready to go. WR is still going to be pretty deep with the return of Scott from injury, plus Berrios, Brady, Coley, Waters and the incoming freshman. As of right now, even losing Duke, the RB spot should finally be deeper and more talented from top to bottom than it has been in a while. Yearby, Gus, Tucker, Gray doing some wildcat and the guys coming in have the potential to make this one of the best positions on the team. Thats not to say Duke leaving wouldn't hurt, but replacing Duke with Scarlet, Dexter and Walton is HUGE.

Losing Pierre and Chickillo shouldn't be too bad with guys like Heurtelou, Wyche, Jenkins, Chad, DJax, Moten and some new recruits. AQM will be back and guys like McCord. Owens, Young, Mike Smith, Kirby and Grace should pick up the slack with Armbrister and Denzel leaving. All these guys played significant snaps and should continue to improve. Depending on what happens in the secondary, Gunter and Fentress might be the only ones gone, plus Gayot should be ready to go and whoever else signs.

As great as Duke has been, I think Denzel is the one that is going to be the hardest to replace. There's going to be talent at RB, though young, and I think Kaaya takes the leadership reins on O. Replacing Denzel's production, instincts, ability, knowledge and leadership isn't going to be easy for a defense that hasn't been that good. But hopefully the amount pf experience returning coupled with leaders like Bush, McCord, Howard, Carter, Grace and even AQM, can help ease that transition.

I'm actually more concerned with who and whats coming back off the field than on it. There needs to be coaching changes and philosophy changes, both major and minor, for this team to get over the hump and avoid the disappointment that is this season. Knowing that this team was better than it performed this year is the worst ******* part about this season. The last few years, it was obvious that some teams were just better than the Canes. Teams like ND, KSU, and FSU just man handled this team the last couple years. This year I went in to every game like I have the past several years, thinking the Canes were the better team. But this year, I actually still felt that way at the end of every game, and it's why I'm so ****ed off at this coaching staff. FSU is not a better football team, they are a better coached football team with a ******* HC who's nuts don't run up into his stomach at the first sign of adversity against a good team.

Sorry for the rant, but I don't post often I prefer to get it all out at once when I do post.

 

[weownfsu]

It is the worst coaching job I have ever seen at UM.

 

[Jetsandcanes4life]

But bro we had to play 5 games at night!

 

[NVA CANE]

It is the worst coaching job I have ever seen at UM.

This and only this.

 

[jerzeycane]

I've tried not to think about the FSU game the past few days, because life is too good to ruin the mood. But when I do think about it, and the season, the same two words come to mind: missed opportunities.

The failure to adjust on offense against Louisville. The failure to adjust on defense against Nebraska and Georgia Tech. The failure to close the deal against Florida State. This had the chance to be a special season, but there were just too many missed opportunities.

On one hand, it's hard to ignore the rising talent level, the improvement within the system, and the superstar under center. That bodes well for the future.

But this year should have been the year. The one question mark (Kaaya) turned into an exclamation point. We have legitimate stars. A Heisman candidate at tailback. An NFL left tackle. The best linebacker in the country. Possibly the best tight end in the country. The best deep threat in the country. All relatively healthy.

We might lose all of those studs this year, with nothing to show for it. That's what hurts. This wasn't a year of blowouts. Miami belonged in every game. But they didn't win any of the close ones, and in a way, it feels even worse.

Two words that nobody around here really wants to hear, that are completely applicable in every way imaginable for the entire infrastructure of the football program.

Maturation Process.

fvck you!

Check this.

Two years before they won the National Championship, the Florida State Seminoles were what?

I'll tell you what, they were an immensely talented football team that couldn't seem to put it all together. They had a Junior QB that would go on to be a 1st Round Pick in EJ Manuel. Brandon Jenkins (people don't remember now, but he was a monster his first couple of years there) and Bjoern Werner were the bookends. Xavier Rhodes and Greg Reid were in the defensive backfield. Lonnie Pryor, James Wilder, and Devonta Freeman in the backfield to go along with Jermaine Thomas. An OUTSTANDING linebacking core that would later lay the foundation for the best defense in college football.

You know what that team did? They lost at home to an Oklahoma team that went on to finish 4-3 in their final seven games and then in back to back weeks against Clemson and Wake Forest, Mark Stoops' defense (The one littered with the first round talent), gave up 35 in back to back games. They lost 3 straight games to teams who combined to lose FIFTEEN regular season games that year. Let me repeat that...FIFTEEN GAMES. They lost to a Wake Forest team that lost 5 out of their last 6 and a Clemson team that got absolutely run out of the gym against West Virginia in the Orange Bowl.

Jimbo was being called a baffoon left and right. He would soon have 3 seasons with a 1st Round QB at his disposal and 10 losses on his resume to show for it, with the following recruiting classes on his roster:

2008: 13th
2009: 11th
2010: 7th
2011: 2nd

If that ain't underachieving with the talent you have on your roster, I don't know what is. The year before, in 2010, after they waxed the crap out of a talented Miami team (granted poorly coached), they lost consecutively to NC State and a Carolina team that lost 5 times on the season. They went on to lose 4 games that year as well.

It is a trying and often times painful experience going through years like this one, but there is something to be said for going through these very difficult times and learning how to win games like the ones we've lost. I say all that to say this, players and the coaches alike are learning on the job. Regardless of what anyone around here says, it's far better to finish this season strongly, than it is for them to go belly up, because as much as that would say about the coaching staff, I believe it would say just as much about the players if they go out and lose to two teams that they should absolutely pummel.

The only way that Golden gets fired is if they lose to Virginia this week and then coals get really hot under his feet. Outside of that, Mark Stoops, Gary Patterson, Butch Davis, or whatever other grand hires you have dancing in your head are not walking through that door.

I'm hoping that the coaches and players can continue to improve, because with what will be on our roster next year, and who we will have under center, next season could very well be a special season. Granted, if the coaches remain the same stubborn and inflexible that they've been thus far, we will experience another underwhelming season, but changes were made on the staff and certain people improve their craft, the talent on the team might be able overcome our coaching mishaps.

 

[WhatTheHell]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

 

[jerzeycane]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

 

[RiDLer80]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

You're talking about maturation process when our roster is littered with upperclassmen and massive amounts of experience.

Besides QB, who would you say has a lot of maturing to do? Mind you Kayaa is extremely mature and poised for a true freshman QB.

Our RB is an all-american junior RB who's been getting major minutes since he was a freshman.

Same goes for our LT who will be drafted in the first two rounds next year. Feliciano and McDermott have massive amounts of experience. Yes, Linder, Isadora and Darling are young, but they held their own.

Senior, possibly all-american TE.

Senior, deep threat WR in Dorsett. Waters, a junior. Lewis, a 3rd year player, who's 100% after is bad injury two years ago. I agree Coley and Berrios have a lot of developing to do still.

On defense, Pierre and Chick are both seniors with massive amounts of PT. Heurt is a JuCo transfer who's played well for us all year.

DP and Thurston are seniors. McCord is a junior. Kirby is a junior who's finally put it together. Grace is a sophomore with great instincts.

Gunter, a senior. Howard a junior who's played since he stepped on campus. Crawford is a junior. Burns, a high-school all-american sophomore.

Bush, has played since he stepped on campus. Crawford, is a 3rd year player (?) back at DB after a year at RB. And our coaches are set on playing Fentress, and I feel like he's been at Miami forever.

So again, where do you see us maturing?

 

[JefeGringo]

Our 99 team was better and they finished 9-4, generally underperformed based on talent level and people wanted Butch fired because he was 0-5 against VT, 0-5 against FSU, and 0-2 against ECU etc..., we'll be ok, but we need some recruiting mojo at DT and quit missing on the true elite athletes of South Florida.

 

[jerzeycane]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

You're talking about maturation process when our roster is littered with upperclassmen and massive amounts of experience.

Besides QB, who would you say has a lot of maturing to do? Mind you Kayaa is extremely mature and poised for a true freshman QB.

Our RB is an all-american junior RB who's been getting major minutes since he was a freshman.

Same goes for our LT who will be drafted in the first two rounds next year. Feliciano and McDermott have massive amounts of experience. Yes, Linder, Isadora and Darling are young, but they held their own.

Senior, possibly all-american TE.

Senior, deep threat WR in Dorsett. Waters, a junior. Lewis, a 3rd year player, who's 100% after is bad injury two years ago.

On defense, Pierre and Chick are both seniors with massive amounts of PT. Heurt is a JuCo transfer who's played well for us all year.

DP and Thurston are seniors. McCord is a junior. Kirby is a junior who's finally put it together. Grace is a sophomore with great instincts.

Gunter, a senior. Howard a junior who's played since he stepped on campus. Crawford is a junior. Burns, a high-school all-american sophomore.

Bush, has played since he stepped on campus. Crawford, is a 3rd year player (?) back at DB after a year at RB. And our coaches are set on playing Fentress, and I feel like he's been at Miami forever.

So again, where do you see us maturing?

It's not about the year next to their name. It's about playing in big games against good competition and learning what needs to be done in close games to win them. I'm not saying that this is 1999, but a junior Santana Moss, a junior Dan Morgan, a Junior Damione Lewis, and a junior Reggie Wayne lost close games as well to good competition.

If even they had to go through this stage, where it seemed that the talent was there, but the results didn't add up, what makes you think that a team that is nowhere NEAR as talented as that team was, can simply skip over this stage in their development?

It's not about them being great players individually. They've done the work required to improve themselves and become technically sound football players, it's about learning how to apply that to WINNING. Everything that is available to read from any successful coach is that winning is just as much a skill as shooting a basketball or cut blocking or hitting a baseball. It's a learned exercise.

I think that's why there was an outpouring of love and understanding from the Cane Alumni after the game. There are a lot of guys who have been at that point where it isn't adding up and even though they themselves are great players, they were still losing games. Mel Bratton, Zo, Jerome, and the rest of those boys lost 5 times in '84 and most of them in wretched fashion whether it be a Hail Mary or blowing a massive lead.

Standish Dobard is a talented kid who is probably going to go on to be a whale of a player here, but as of right now, he's young. Standish has probably been told time and again by coaches on the staff about protecting the football and the importance of securing and on numerous occasions, he has probably thought to himself, "I got it, I wish they would stop talking about that dumb ****" or just out and out ignore it. He wet the bed on National Television for the whole wide world to see. Most lessons are all lessons learned through experience. I'm sure he understands now. That pain the he felt in the locker room after the game, will push him to be better, to be more fundamentally sound, to be more accountable to his teammates...TO "REFUSE TO LOSE." Same goes for Braxton Berrios, Sunny Odogwu, Michael Wyche and HOPEFULLY Al Golden, James Coley, and Mark D'Onofrio.

There is no consoling in the praise of moral victories, but to not acknowledge where these guys have come from is ignorant. Do you guys remember K. State? Notre Dame? Where they were just some little punk kids gettin mushed about the field? They're a long way from that and the hope is that they finally put it all together.

 

[bobbydigius]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

Because while Jimbo has been HC he has always finished the season strong as he did in 2011. If and when we win our last two games and win our bowl game then your long post will in fact have a point. The thing is that under Golden we have limped into the post season every year under Golden. FSU under Jimbo has won every bowl game they have played in. So yes the results can be, if certain things go our way to be similar to what FSU did but the difference is in between the lines. FSU would start out with hype, then they would tank at the beginning only to close strong, the exact opposite of us. Here is the thing also, at this point Kaaya is a true freshman is already better than EJ Manuel. Could you imagine what Jimbo would have done with a player like Kaaya starting instead of EJ in 2011? I do, we kinda got a taste of that with what he did with a RS freshman in Jameis…...

 

[jerzeycane]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

Because while Jimbo has been HC he has always finished the season strong as he did in 2011. If and when we win our last two games and win our bowl game then your long post will in fact have a point. The thing is that under Golden we have limped into the post season every year under Golden. FSU under Jimbo has won every bowl game they have played in. So yes the results can be, if certain things go our way to be similar to what FSU did but the difference is in between the lines. FSU would start out with hype, then they would tank at the beginning only to close strong, the exact opposite of us. Here is the thing also, at this point Kaaya is a true freshman is already better than EJ Manuel. Could you imagine what Jimbo would have done with a player like Kaaya starting instead of EJ in 2011? I do, we kinda got a taste of that with what he did with a RS freshman in Jameis…...

I feel you, thus my intrigue as to what happens in these final 3 games this year.

Intrigued is honestly the best word to describe it at this point for me, because I have NO idea what is about to happen in these next three games. Don't believe we've closed the year on at least a 3 game winning streak since the same amount of time as every other meaningful stat to mark our mediocrity...a decade.

Winning these final 3 games wouldn't make up for the opportunities lost and I don't even think we could go as far as to say it would be a big step in the right direction, but I think it would be an important one. It would give the clear sign of a team that got better throughout the season and is going into the following season with momentum and a jumping off point, not a team that gradually regressed.

 

[ProjectMKUltra5]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

Because while Jimbo has been HC he has always finished the season strong as he did in 2011. If and when we win our last two games and win our bowl game then your long post will in fact have a point. The thing is that under Golden we have limped into the post season every year under Golden. FSU under Jimbo has won every bowl game they have played in. So yes the results can be, if certain things go our way to be similar to what FSU did but the difference is in between the lines. FSU would start out with hype, then they would tank at the beginning only to close strong, the exact opposite of us. Here is the thing also, at this point Kaaya is a true freshman is already better than EJ Manuel. Could you imagine what Jimbo would have done with a player like Kaaya starting instead of EJ in 2011? I do, we kinda got a taste of that with what he did with a RS freshman in Jameis…...

I feel you, thus my intrigue as to what happens in these final 3 games this year.

Intrigued is honestly the best word to describe it at this point for me, because I have NO idea what is about to happen in these next three games. Don't believe we've closed the year on at least a 3 game winning streak since the same amount of time as every other meaningful stat to mark our mediocrity...a decade.

Winning these final 3 games wouldn't make up for the opportunities lost and I don't even think we could go as far as to say it would be a big step in the right direction, but I think it would be an important one. It would give the clear sign of a team that got better throughout the season and is going into the following season with momentum and a jumping off point, not a team that gradually regressed.

I agree with everything you've said in this thread but I feel like we need to beat somebody good in the bowl game. I would hardly call UVA and Pitt a test, we're just hoping golden doesn't **** the bed. If we can beat a legit team in the bowl game then I'll believe in progress.

 

[jerzeycane]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

Because while Jimbo has been HC he has always finished the season strong as he did in 2011. If and when we win our last two games and win our bowl game then your long post will in fact have a point. The thing is that under Golden we have limped into the post season every year under Golden. FSU under Jimbo has won every bowl game they have played in. So yes the results can be, if certain things go our way to be similar to what FSU did but the difference is in between the lines. FSU would start out with hype, then they would tank at the beginning only to close strong, the exact opposite of us. Here is the thing also, at this point Kaaya is a true freshman is already better than EJ Manuel. Could you imagine what Jimbo would have done with a player like Kaaya starting instead of EJ in 2011? I do, we kinda got a taste of that with what he did with a RS freshman in Jameis…...

I feel you, thus my intrigue as to what happens in these final 3 games this year.

Intrigued is honestly the best word to describe it at this point for me, because I have NO idea what is about to happen in these next three games. Don't believe we've closed the year on at least a 3 game winning streak since the same amount of time as every other meaningful stat to mark our mediocrity...a decade.

Winning these final 3 games wouldn't make up for the opportunities lost and I don't even think we could go as far as to say it would be a big step in the right direction, but I think it would be an important one. It would give the clear sign of a team that got better throughout the season and is going into the following season with momentum and a jumping off point, not a team that gradually regressed.

I agree with everything you've said in this thread but I feel like we need to beat somebody good in the bowl game. I would hardly call UVA and Pitt a test, we're just hoping golden doesn't **** the bed. If we can beat a legit team in the bowl game then I'll believe in progress.

I'm with you. I mean the bowl game too when I say the last 3. VA, Pitt, Bowl Game is the task and it's an important one.

I would disagree about UVA not being a test.

-On the road
-In the cold
-Off of an emotional loss against a rival

This will challenge their preparedness and intensity. Can they gear it up again?

Also, being that the competition level is lesser than what we saw last week, I'm not interested in a knockdown drag out. Execute as you're supposed to and get these dudes out of here. They don't belong on the field with you and you should go out and prove that. They've had a couple weeks to prepare, so I expect some wrinkles from them, but at the end of the day, they aren't as good as we are and we haven't won in Charlottesville since Jacory lobbed one to Bird.

****...that was THAT long ago?

 

[bobbydigius]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

Because while Jimbo has been HC he has always finished the season strong as he did in 2011. If and when we win our last two games and win our bowl game then your long post will in fact have a point. The thing is that under Golden we have limped into the post season every year under Golden. FSU under Jimbo has won every bowl game they have played in. So yes the results can be, if certain things go our way to be similar to what FSU did but the difference is in between the lines. FSU would start out with hype, then they would tank at the beginning only to close strong, the exact opposite of us. Here is the thing also, at this point Kaaya is a true freshman is already better than EJ Manuel. Could you imagine what Jimbo would have done with a player like Kaaya starting instead of EJ in 2011? I do, we kinda got a taste of that with what he did with a RS freshman in Jameis…...

I feel you, thus my intrigue as to what happens in these final 3 games this year.

Intrigued is honestly the best word to describe it at this point for me, because I have NO idea what is about to happen in these next three games. Don't believe we've closed the year on at least a 3 game winning streak since the same amount of time as every other meaningful stat to mark our mediocrity...a decade.

Winning these final 3 games wouldn't make up for the opportunities lost and I don't even think we could go as far as to say it would be a big step in the right direction, but I think it would be an important one. It would give the clear sign of a team that got better throughout the season and is going into the following season with momentum and a jumping off point, not a team that gradually regressed.

I feel in general you are reaching. I think you want to believe that we are gonna be ok with Al because he aint going anywhere. Ill play the whole glass is half full thing, I can still hold out hope that maybe Coley becomes a great OC, but I just don't see anything happening with our defense under Dorito or Al turning the corner as a HC. They have been at this in their respective jobs for 9 years now and its the same ole same ole. Al just can't win a game against a team with a pulse, that is what my eyes and the numbers say.

 

[jerzeycane]

I can't believe this dude just typed that

Let ME know where I'm wrong. I'm down to be wrong and completely off base.

Because while Jimbo has been HC he has always finished the season strong as he did in 2011. If and when we win our last two games and win our bowl game then your long post will in fact have a point. The thing is that under Golden we have limped into the post season every year under Golden. FSU under Jimbo has won every bowl game they have played in. So yes the results can be, if certain things go our way to be similar to what FSU did but the difference is in between the lines. FSU would start out with hype, then they would tank at the beginning only to close strong, the exact opposite of us. Here is the thing also, at this point Kaaya is a true freshman is already better than EJ Manuel. Could you imagine what Jimbo would have done with a player like Kaaya starting instead of EJ in 2011? I do, we kinda got a taste of that with what he did with a RS freshman in Jameis…...

I feel you, thus my intrigue as to what happens in these final 3 games this year.

Intrigued is honestly the best word to describe it at this point for me, because I have NO idea what is about to happen in these next three games. Don't believe we've closed the year on at least a 3 game winning streak since the same amount of time as every other meaningful stat to mark our mediocrity...a decade.

Winning these final 3 games wouldn't make up for the opportunities lost and I don't even think we could go as far as to say it would be a big step in the right direction, but I think it would be an important one. It would give the clear sign of a team that got better throughout the season and is going into the following season with momentum and a jumping off point, not a team that gradually regressed.

I feel in general you are reaching. I think you want to believe that we are gonna be ok with Al because he aint going anywhere. Ill play the whole glass is half full thing, I can still hold out hope that maybe Coley becomes a great OC, but I just don't see anything happening with our defense under Dorito or Al turning the corner as a HC. They have been at this in their respective jobs for 9 years now and its the same ole same ole. Al just can't win a game against a team with a pulse, that is what my eyes and the numbers say.

In my heart of hearts, I feel like we're going to lose on Saturday and all of this will be much ado about nothing...and yes, I do truly hope and halfway sorta believe they could get on a run here to end the season and pick up the bowl game, but we've all been provided far too much evidence to the contrary to say that it will happen with any certainty.

It will be interesting to watch either way.

I still want Stoops

 

[Gatorhater]

DMoney nailed it good. We should have won this game. We have better talent, **** I think we have the better QB-- not just better person but better QB. But ok we loss to the NC and Heisman winner. It is the other three loses that are the nightmare. There is no way that those should have happened. We have much better team than all of those. Not ever close. We win those an Saturday would have been for all the marbles. That is what Golden cost us and himself. This could indeed had been the year. I can't stop thinking that if both teams had to play without coaching staffs Saturday night, we would have beat them like a frigging drum. Not taking anything away from the great plays some noles made, but FSU beat us on the sidelines not the field. No coaches, we win.

 

[marshallrc13]

I've always said good teams find a way to win and bad teams find a way to lose.

 

[grover]

D$, I half buy into your argument. I believe you have to accept that UL was Kaaya's first game and if we were going to go with a TF, we couldn't run the full playbook on offense. I also believe while we had equal talent to FSU in our first team, they had a 1st-round Heisman-winning QB and better depth. We should have won based on our team's performance that night, but we only win 3 of 10 games we play against them. We're still not quite as them good this year. Next year we should and will beat them.

Where I strongly agree with your is with Nebraska and GT. Both those games were lost by our defense, and the only reasonable explanation is defensive coaching failure. I don't know how much Golden got personally involved, but we have changed dramatically the past 4 games, and I don't believe D'O's DNA is to be as aggressive as we have been. So someone else was at least setting the strategy, if not play calling. No matter how this season ends, Golden should replace D'O with someone who embraces the So Fl style of downhill, smash-mouth defense.

To Jersey's point, this team was rotten to the core when Golden took over, and even though Golden has rebuilt the talent, it's not that simple to resuscitate a corpse. The foundation is in place now, the flywheel looks to be gathering momentum. That means coaches and players can start to focus on the subtleties that separate good teams from champions. Yes we're losing Perryman, Feliciano, Walford, Dorsett, Gunter, probably Duke and possibly Flowers, among others. But our talent will be better, deeper and more experienced next year. A Kaaya-led offense, an AQM & Thomas-led pass rush, with Kirby, Grace and McCord behind them, and stacked at DB. And the system will be fully installed.