Offensive Line is a Weakness

[Canes1968]

No. But it is getting really really old. "We want kids who WANT to be Hurricanes" They all WANTED to be Hurricanes. They signed. That rule applies to those who are recruits IMO. Miami has 74 scholarship players. They have depth concerns in the secondary and the offensive line. But the last 3 guys who left were at those positions.

Miami is not Clemson or Alabama. They haven't been. They need to stop pretending they are something they aren't. They need to think about changing their tune. They need to keep the expectations realistic, genuine and honest.

Miami by pounding on their chest, (not winning) and doing what they have been are letting astronomical numbers of players walking out the door. They put themselves in a situation where they are one cycle of miss or a couple of injuries away from starting true freshmen at the offensive line.

Just like this year. And our senior class? 2016?

only
4 start
1 just redshirted
1 barely plays
2 got hurt with career ending injuries
2 left for the draft
and
NINE left the program

You talk a big game, and I really like your video analysis, but you really have no idea what is actually happening behind closed doors within the program. Everything you are saying in this thread is pure conjecture, and some of it is not even factually correct.

 

[NicKane]

A lot of reflection for me on the bye week. My inescapable haunting trigger are the two consecutive plays late in the second half vs Central Michigan where Zion Nelson got beat clean twice in a row. Then you add the first game vs. Florida where he is inexplicably stuck in his stance while the pass rush casually passes him bye like a statue.



Then there was John Campbell. His spacial awareness and feel for the position was so critically not in tune that he stuck out on film like a sore thumb. He thus graded out lower then any other Miami offensive lineman on Pro Football Focus vs UF and was replaced the following game. Two Freshmen. I get it.

A deep dive will show Miami ranks tied for 125th in the nation in sacks allowed (with only four games played) There are only five teams in the country who average over four sacks given up per contest:

• Old Dominion 4.0
• Tulsa 4.0
• Miami 4.5
• Akron 4.6
• USF 5.0

Not necessarily the who's who in college football and Miami is the ONLY P5 team on the list. Conversely for reference I listed the top 3 ACC schools in protecting the quarterback and it may be a surprise for some. You would figure the defending national champ would be on the list (they are) but two teams you are killing in recruiting are doing a fine job keeping their QB upright. (Duke by the way started off the year facing Alabama)

• Duke .25
• Boston College .6
• Clemson .8

Sacks allowed isn't the only metric that defines offensive line greatness but when you consider Miami is 82nd in the country in yards per rush, the offensive line is not the strength of this team. Not even close. It is not even average. But why?

So many aspects that are hard to digest but ultimately the coaching staff needs to take a little heat here for their decisions along the line thus far. Say what you will, but announcing Campbell would remain a starter after a porous week zero and wrapping it up in a bravado cape of "We are building a monster" was inexplicably tone deaf. You supplanted him the very next week and the only thing that was monstrous was the claim.

You sold the collective fan base on this year's starting left tackle being a Butler transfer that the Oklahoma Sooners wanted in Tommy Kennedy. I honestly don't think I have even seen an episode of MTV's Catfish that was this outlandish because Kennedy can't even crack the three deep at center.

Continue the miss parade as Cleveland Reed, who was once applauded by former head coach Mark Richt as a starter of the future, left the program. Currently my numbers show Miami with 74 scholarship players. 11 below the 85 scholarship mark. I have to ask though, are these sanctions self imposed? I just don't get it.

This program needs to get a sense of itself because the statement "Zion is the best we have out there" should not be true. Four games in he is playing like a true freshman who needs a couple more years in this system before he makes any kind of steadfast impact. Which is fine because I believe in his ability long term. But after last week I don't see how this staff continues to march him out there. They shouldn't be in the position that they needed him to be.

That is the reality this current coaching staff faces. You knew what you had on the roster. You tried to fix it in the transfer market and you got catfished. You let some young develop-able talent walk off under the often default guise of "We only want guys who want to be Hurricanes." This mind you is after the countless sales jobs you employ in promising kids a chance at early playing time. You are 11 under the scholarship cap and lastly, you continue to march those kids out there.

This doesn't matter what offensive system you run this time. We cannot just chip and block with tight ends or spread them out of this mess. Eventually you need to put offensive linemen on an island and expect them to do their job. An offensive system change is just masking the more systemic issue that is deep rooted in the program less visible.

This offensive line is playing like a program who is dependent on freshman. And they have proven with 33% of the season now behind us, that is exactly what they are. Manny Diaz, I am not impressed. Butch Barry, I am not impressed. Yeah as a fan I expect better roster management and a team over a 50% blue chip ratio to be much more competitive. Especially along the offensive line.

Cold hard facts Roman! Thank you sir and if you or anyone else has the emails of the BOT, admin and that ticket sales rep we have pretending to be our AD Blake, please email this extremely well written article by Roman to all of them. With the hope that by law of average someone in the admin will have the conscious to do there ******* job and March down stairs and hold diaz, Enos and Barry accountable. I’m so sick of one corch after another here, this is corch number five for us and If we don’t get stuff corrected within this program ASAP I fear we might have gone so far down we’re past the point of return. Smh

 

[Silentobserver]

No. But it is getting really really old. "We want kids who WANT to be Hurricanes" They all WANTED to be Hurricanes. They signed. That rule applies to those who are recruits IMO. Miami has 74 scholarship players. They have depth concerns in the secondary and the offensive line. But the last 3 guys who left were at those positions.

Miami is not Clemson or Alabama. They haven't been. They need to stop pretending they are something they aren't. They need to think about changing their tune. They need to keep the expectations realistic, genuine and honest.

Miami by pounding on their chest, (not winning) and doing what they have been are letting astronomical numbers of players walking out the door. They put themselves in a situation where they are one cycle of miss or a couple of injuries away from starting true freshmen at the offensive line.

Just like this year. And our senior class? 2016?

only
4 start
1 just redshirted
1 barely plays
2 got hurt with career ending injuries
2 left for the draft
and
NINE left the program

Sounds like your issues stem from 15 years of frustration and not providing a rational approach to what Manny is doing and trying to build. You talk about the 2016 class and those who left or didn’t pan out, but shouldn’t that be evidence of the ****show Manny is trying to correct more than Manny is mishandling the situation? Now, Manny has made some mistakes as first time HC do, but does he not get to make them? Or, because his predecessors were so bad at many things he must be perfect or **** him? Seems like a ridiculous standard to hold.

***** about admin for not going with a seasoned and proven leader fine, because that makes sense. But, to go after Manny for what his predecessors did and did not do seems like you’re allowing your frustrations to cloud your objectivity making you look like a more eloquent CIS porster.

 

[Hegemon]

A lot of reflection for me on the bye week. My inescapable haunting trigger are the two consecutive plays late in the second half vs Central Michigan where Zion Nelson got beat clean twice in a row. Then you add the first game vs. Florida where he is inexplicably stuck in his stance while the pass rush casually passes him bye like a statue.



Then there was John Campbell. His spacial awareness and feel for the position was so critically not in tune that he stuck out on film like a sore thumb. He thus graded out lower then any other Miami offensive lineman on Pro Football Focus vs UF and was replaced the following game. Two Freshmen. I get it.

A deep dive will show Miami ranks tied for 125th in the nation in sacks allowed (with only four games played) There are only five teams in the country who average over four sacks given up per contest:

• Old Dominion 4.0
• Tulsa 4.0
• Miami 4.5
• Akron 4.6
• USF 5.0

Not necessarily the who's who in college football and Miami is the ONLY P5 team on the list. Conversely for reference I listed the top 3 ACC schools in protecting the quarterback and it may be a surprise for some. You would figure the defending national champ would be on the list (they are) but two teams you are killing in recruiting are doing a fine job keeping their QB upright. (Duke by the way started off the year facing Alabama)

• Duke .25
• Boston College .6
• Clemson .8

Sacks allowed isn't the only metric that defines offensive line greatness but when you consider Miami is 82nd in the country in yards per rush, the offensive line is not the strength of this team. Not even close. It is not even average. But why?

So many aspects that are hard to digest but ultimately the coaching staff needs to take a little heat here for their decisions along the line thus far. Say what you will, but announcing Campbell would remain a starter after a porous week zero and wrapping it up in a bravado cape of "We are building a monster" was inexplicably tone deaf. You supplanted him the very next week and the only thing that was monstrous was the claim.

You sold the collective fan base on this year's starting left tackle being a Butler transfer that the Oklahoma Sooners wanted in Tommy Kennedy. I honestly don't think I have even seen an episode of MTV's Catfish that was this outlandish because Kennedy can't even crack the three deep at center.

Continue the miss parade as Cleveland Reed, who was once applauded by former head coach Mark Richt as a starter of the future, left the program. Currently my numbers show Miami with 74 scholarship players. 11 below the 85 scholarship mark. I have to ask though, are these sanctions self imposed? I just don't get it.

This program needs to get a sense of itself because the statement "Zion is the best we have out there" should not be true. Four games in he is playing like a true freshman who needs a couple more years in this system before he makes any kind of steadfast impact. Which is fine because I believe in his ability long term. But after last week I don't see how this staff continues to march him out there. They shouldn't be in the position that they needed him to be.

That is the reality this current coaching staff faces. You knew what you had on the roster. You tried to fix it in the transfer market and you got catfished. You let some young develop-able talent walk off under the often default guise of "We only want guys who want to be Hurricanes." This mind you is after the countless sales jobs you employ in promising kids a chance at early playing time. You are 11 under the scholarship cap and lastly, you continue to march those kids out there.

This doesn't matter what offensive system you run this time. We cannot just chip and block with tight ends or spread them out of this mess. Eventually you need to put offensive linemen on an island and expect them to do their job. An offensive system change is just masking the more systemic issue that is deep rooted in the program less visible.

This offensive line is playing like a program who is dependent on freshman. And they have proven with 33% of the season now behind us, that is exactly what they are. Manny Diaz, I am not impressed. Butch Barry, I am not impressed. Yeah as a fan I expect better roster management and a team over a 50% blue chip ratio to be much more competitive. Especially along the offensive line.

Interesting

You are not impressed with the depth of our OL? How can you blame Diaz for this?

Furthermore how can you blame Diaz considering the offensive "keys" were handed to Enos and Barry. Blame Diaz for his staffing choices. Blaming him for OL as if the DC had say in recruiting OL makes no sense. Blaming him for the scheme makes no sense.

Sorry this is one of your worst posts in that regard.

The groupthink is sinking into the staff of CIS.

 

[Canes1968]

Cold hard facts Roman! Thank you sir and if you or anyone else has the emails of the BOT, admin and that ticket sales rep we have pretending to be our AD Blake, please email this extremely well written article by Roman to all of them. With the hope that by law of average someone in the admin will have the conscious to do there ******* job and March down stairs and hold diaz, Enos and Barry accountable. I’m so sick of one corch after another here, this is corch number five for us and If we don’t get stuff corrected within this program ASAP I fear we might have gone so far down we’re past the point of return. Smh

This is laughable. You just took his post at face value, completely ignoring the blatant factual inaccuracies and the obvious logical fallacies.

Here's the reality. Our OL is **** and the OL talent on the roster is ****. That's entirely the fault of Richt and Searles. Are Manny and Enos doing anything to mask the issue or are they making it worse? Hard to say, but there isn't an OL coach or OC in the world that could turn this garbage into anything even remotely close to average.

 

[252cane]

Herbert is a Guard, they play him at Tackle out of necessity but he's never had the footwork, technique nor toughness needed to ever be a proper Tackle at the college level.

Hillery has been the most shocking let down due to his size, seems like he should've been a legit RT since he's been here but he's been moved back forth between G & T because he just lacks the strength to hold up.

Zion has been terrible no doubt, but seriously bro the others are far worse.

Smfh. Looks like rivers going to be starting day 1 next year.

 

[Roman Marciante]

As someone already pointed out, Richt was recruiting Kennedy. Also, there was no downside to taking a grad transfer LT that other programs were looking at. We kept recruiting the GT transfer also, just didn't land him.

Again who are we going to bench zion for?

I agree with Reed. I don't like him, D Smith, and Bethel leaving the team.

You talk a big game, and I really like your video analysis, but you really have no idea what is actually happening behind closed doors within the program. Everything you are saying in this thread is pure conjecture, and some of it is not even factually correct.

Some opinion sure but the thread is pure conjecture? Those stats are as factual as factual gets.

 

[Canes1968]

Some opinion sure but the thread is pure conjecture? Those stats are as factual as factual gets.

Have you acknowledged yet and corrected the factual inaccuracies in your statements about Kennedy?

Sure, the stats are accurate, but they don't really support the premise of your argument. You are putting an awful lot of blame on Manny here and the only things you bring to support that are factual inaccuracies (Kennedy) and conjecture.

 

[MIA42178]

 

[NicKane]

Couple important things you missed here in blaming the staff. First, Kennedy was recruited by and catfished the previous staff prior to Manny taking the HC job. Second, if these are the best guys we’ve got, what is this staff supposed to do about it? That’s the hand they’ve been dealt.

How about starting with calling plays to mask and protect our oline issues. You know kind of like Mullen has done at UF. How about going out of the gun more, rolling out more, actually chipping which shockingly there’s been little to none of. But no our O coordinator thinks it’s a good idea to go play actions over half the time with 7 step drops. Dudes trash, the guy that hired him is trash and the admin that hired him is trash. This program thanks to our admin ineptness has become a bottom feeder in a bottom feeder division, in a bottom feeder conference. Facts!

 

[OldhamA]

I've never played or coached OL, but surely the cause of these problems is Searles.

Our upper classman OL aren't worth **** - that's both a recruiting and development fail. I've no idea how good Barry is, but surely it takes more than one Fall camp to have a major impact on the technique / play of the Oline.

As I've said before, Enos needs to swallow his pride on this one and take the Oline out of the game as much as possible.

The Reed thing, I suspect he saw the writing on the wall - he's unathletic and the offence is moving away from that type of Olineman.

 

[Roman Marciante]

This is laughable. You just took his post at face value, completely ignoring the blatant factual inaccuracies and the obvious logical fallacies.

Here's the reality. Our OL is **** and the OL talent on the roster is ****. That's entirely the fault of Richt and Searles. Are Manny and Enos doing anything to mask the issue or are they making it worse? Hard to say, but there isn't an OL coach or OC in the world that could turn this garbage into anything even remotely close to average.
[/QUO

Have you acknowledged yet and corrected the factual inaccuracies in your statements about Kennedy?

Sure, the stats are accurate, but they don't really support the premise of your argument. You are putting an awful lot of blame on Manny here and the only things you bring to support that are factual inaccuracies (Kennedy) and conjecture.

I didn't make an argument. I said I am not impressed that after 4 games (one in which Miami averaged 1.5 yards a rush vs. a central Michigan team and gave up 4 sacks) are in a group of bottom feeders in the country along the offensive line. Akron, Toledo? USF? etc.

Now Searels is a big issue and the way he recruited. Agreed. He and Richt might be the biggest culprits. But my guy, Despite that, there is no reason this staff should be 126th in sacks given up or 81st in yards per rush. That is when I looked at Manny I said I am not "impressed" I am not impressed by his decision to start John Campbell and say WE WILL BE MONSTERS we are building for the future...etc etc only to change him out the next game. I honestly anticipate a change at Left Tackle too at some point. And once again those initial decisions to start them should be questioned.

So this all conjecture and blame thing, that's your narrative. I just think my narrative was this, MIAMI, the program....should not be in this position where it starts freshmen project offensive linemen.

 

[Canes1968]

How about starting with calling plays to mask and protect our oline issues. You know kind of like Mullen has done at UF. How about going out of the gun more, rolling out more, actually chipping which shockingly there’s been little to none of. But no our O coordinator thinks it’s a good idea to go play actions over half the time with 7 step drops. Dudes trash, the guy that hired him is trash and the admin that hired him is trash. This program thanks to our admin ineptness has become a bottom feeder in a bottom feeder division, in a bottom feeder conference. Facts!

Wasn't really the point I was making, considering the OP acknowledged that schematics changes can only do so much given how big the issue is.

 

[Silentobserver]

How about starting with calling plays to mask and protect our oline issues. You know kind of like Mullen has done at UF. How about going out of the gun more, rolling out more, actually chipping which shockingly there’s been little to none of. But no our O coordinator thinks it’s a good idea to go play actions over half the time with 7 step drops. Dudes trash, the guy that hired him is trash and the admin that hired him is trash. This program thanks to our admin ineptness has become a bottom feeder in a bottom feeder division, in a bottom feeder conference. Facts!

Emotional rhetoric aside, you make much more valid points than Roman did. OL issues will be corrected with time (hopefully), but Enos hasn’t helped as a result of his play calling. His play calling doesn’t look like what he did at Arkansas, which I’d imagine was what Manny thought he was getting. Still time for Enos to change his approach and he must and I hope Manny has pushed him some on that.

 

[Canes1968]

I didn't make an argument. I said I am not impressed that after 4 games (one in which Miami averaged 1.5 yards a rush vs. a central Michigan team and gave up 4 sacks) are in a group of bottom feeders in the country along the offensive line. Akron, Toledo? USF? etc.

Now Searels is a big issue and the way he recruited. Agreed. He and Richt might be the biggest culprits. But my guy, Despite that, there is no reason this staff should be 126th in sacks given up or 81st in yards per rush. That is when I looked at Manny I said I am not "impressed" I am not impressed by his decision to start John Campbell and say WE WILL BE MONSTERS we are building for the future...etc etc only to change him out the next game. I honestly anticipate a change at Left Tackle too at some point. And once again those initial decisions to start them should be questioned.

So this all conjecture and blame thing, that's your narrative. I just think my narrative was this, MIAMI, the program....should not be in this position where it starts freshmen project offensive linemen.

You still haven't acknowledged that you incorrectly blamed Manny for the Kennedy catfish. It's pure conjecture that they should have started somebody else over Zion and Campbell. Seriously, tell me who you think should be starting and how you have any confidence that would be any better than what we've got.

 

[252cane]

Diaz still should have hit the portal hard for o-line. Osu starting left guard came from rutgers. His transfer ranking was a 95. Drew richmond former 5 star from tenn is the starting RT at usc. Pitt starting RT came from michigan.

 

[OldhamA]

Shouldn't have given Enos carte blanche in hiring the offensive staff.

Why not? If he wants to succeed here he'll hire the best guys he can get (for the money we have available). He'd be hamstringing himself if he hired anything less.

 

[NicKane]

This is laughable. You just took his post at face value, completely ignoring the blatant factual inaccuracies and the obvious logical fallacies.

Here's the reality. Our OL is **** and the OL talent on the roster is ****. That's entirely the fault of Richt and Searles. Are Manny and Enos doing anything to mask the issue or are they making it worse? Hard to say, but there isn't an OL coach or OC in the world that could turn this garbage into anything even remotely close to average.

Are you serious? You must know about has much about football as the Raccoon currently in my back yard. Really, you think it’s hard to say if manny and Enos are doing things to mask or make it worse? I’ll answer that question for you sir, there doing everything possible to make it worse! You know why, because they suck at there job. Plain and simple! You think running play action over half the time with seven step drops is helping our oline? No it’s not! You think the fact that Enos and Barry leave there tackles on an island like 90% of the time with no help from chipping or block downs is helping the oline? No it’s not! You think keeping Jarren in the pocket from under center is helping our oline? No it’s not! And lastly you think barely letting Jarren run out of the gun or do roll outs/bootlegs is helping our oline? Surprise, no it’s not! So basically it’s crystal clear our corches are do everything possible to not protect our weaknesses instead of masking them like they should have been doing. But do go on sir exhibiting your lack of knowledge of the game by defending this staff as we all need a good laugh on here with the way this season has started and i guarantee you will finish, which is in the dumpster.

 

[Silentobserver]

You still haven't acknowledged that you incorrectly blamed Manny for the Kennedy catfish. It's pure conjecture that they should have started somebody else over Zion and Campbell. Seriously, tell me who you think should be starting and how you have any confidence that would be any better than what we've got.

Scaife should have started at RT, but I can understand the thought process for UF: solidify (or they thought) the interior which would limit the interior pressure on the young QB (the thinking has some merit) and take chances on the edge using chips and double teams. The opening drive was successful, but that was due to the quick passing game. Once Enos moved away from that approach everything fell apart. The initial theory has merit and could work, but the play calling has to support it; these slow developing run plays and PA pass plays don’t help. If Enos wants to go under center then go with no more than a 3 step drop, but he hasn’t done that.

 

[Roman Marciante]

Interesting

You are not impressed with the depth of our OL? How can you blame Diaz for this?

Furthermore how can you blame Diaz considering the offensive "keys" were handed to Enos and Barry. Blame Diaz for his staffing choices. Blaming him for OL as if the DC had say in recruiting OL makes no sense. Blaming him for the scheme makes no sense.

Sorry this is one of your worst posts in that regard.

The groupthink is sinking into the staff of CIS.

I did not blame Diaz for the depth of the the OL. (Richt Searels)
Diaz handing the keys to someone is his choice. But his ultimate responsibility as head coach
I appreciate the honesty. I have the capability of a bad take here and there......but I promise you I didn't succumb to the pomposity of group think lol

I just know when I said Manny Diaz I am not impressed, people assumed that I blame Manny for the offensive line woes. No, I did not. I just am upset at the departures, the recruiting misses, the overall lack of development there what seems like it has been going on for a very long time now.