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On Caleb Downs Hitting The Portal

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cway313 said:
I think we could all argue what our biggest need is. I do not see a clear cut answer. The bigger issue is why are we limited on spots? Are we against pushing kids out? Are we allowing kids to stay that won't ever contribute? Do you think those are systematic mistakes?
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WR1 is the biggest need by far. We have some promising talent, but Ward needs a guaranteed proven WR1. It's more important this year than ever because Ward decided against the NFL and picked UM to up his draft stock. If the opposite happens and his draft stock goes down, then we're never getting another top QB transfer and it may affect transfers at other positions. If this was year 1 for Cristobal, he'd have more leeway on who to target in the portal. This will be year 3, and we're coming off 2 terrible seasons. A WR who can force a defense to adjust to him will open up the run lanes, which means UM will be able to control TOP. That will help the defense a lot.
 
Handsome Squidbum said:
WR1 is the biggest need by far. We have some promising talent, but Ward needs a guaranteed proven WR1. It's more important this year than ever because Ward decided against the NFL and picked UM to up his draft stock. If the opposite happens and his draft stock goes down, then we're never getting another top QB transfer and it may affect transfers at other positions. If this was year 1 for Cristobal, he'd have more leeway on who to target in the portal. This will be year 3, and we're coming off 2 terrible seasons. A WR who can force a defense to adjust to him will open up the run lanes, which means UM will be able to control TOP. That will help the defense a lot.
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I'm in the same boat with WR. Ideally someone from these last 3 classes steps up and we finally have a WR1(Trader being my vote) but that is a lot to ask with a 1-year rental at QB. I think that position can add us wins.
 
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cway313 said:
I'm in the same boat with WR. Ideally someone from these last 3 classes steps up and we finally have a WR1(Trader being my vote) but that is a lot to ask with a 1-year rental at QB. I think that position can add us wins.
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I think with the current roster and the easy schedule, we can get to 10 wins. Safe to say an elite WR is worth an additional 1-2 wins. An 11 win UM team is basically a playoff lock. Making the playoffs will be bring in additional millions in revenue (season ticket sales for following season, tv revenue, merchandise, etc). Even if a WR1 costs 2-3 million, the math shows that it will more than pay for itself. That wouldn't necessarily be the case if we had a 7 win roster, an additional 1-2 wins wouldn't help all that much revenue wise. But with what we have now, a proven WR1 get UM into the playoffs. Hopefully someone at UM has some business sense and runs the numbers.
 
Handsome Squidbum said:
I think with the current roster and the easy schedule, we can get to 10 wins. Safe to say an elite WR is worth an additional 1-2 wins. An 11 win UM team is basically a playoff lock. Making the playoffs will be bring in additional millions in revenue (season ticket sales for following season, tv revenue, merchandise, etc). Even if a WR1 costs 2-3 million, the math shows that it will more than pay for itself. That wouldn't necessarily be the case if we had a 7 win roster, an additional 1-2 wins wouldn't help all that much revenue wise. But with what we have now, a proven WR1 get UM into the playoffs. Hopefully someone at UM has some business sense and runs the numbers.
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I've been on the WR train longer than anybody here. Would be amazing.
 
Handsome Squidbum said:
WR1 is the biggest need by far. We have some promising talent, but Ward needs a guaranteed proven WR1. It's more important this year than ever because Ward decided against the NFL and picked UM to up his draft stock. If the opposite happens and his draft stock goes down, then we're never getting another top QB transfer and it may affect transfers at other positions. If this was year 1 for Cristobal, he'd have more leeway on who to target in the portal. This will be year 3, and we're coming off 2 terrible seasons. A WR who can force a defense to adjust to him will open up the run lanes, which means UM will be able to control TOP. That will help the defense a lot.
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Not even close, I’d take a top outside CB right now over a top WR. WR we can scheme guys, and we already have a lot of talent. Maybe we don’t have any elite guys or guys that you’d be begging to stay, but we got guys to throw to lol. Thats not going to be an issue. Like I would trade Jacolby George for a different WR, but like I don’t feel that would need to happen before Spring really.

If we landed a top outside CB though imo it would completely unlock our defense. We’d be able to slide Damari Brown or Porter into Nickel depending on situation (Brown for better run presence, Porter when full on pass situations going against shifty guys). And it would really unlock an even bigger competition at safety. Guys like Jadais Richard would be able to fill in there as well. And it would make a guy like Powell only need to focus on safety knowing Nickel/CB is covered.
 
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Brooklyndee said:
Not a matter of what's in the portal at this exact second. The portal is all about back channeling. The point was we've got one spot. Wr isn't our biggest issue at all. That misconception exists because we had a qb who refused to integrate his numerous options that would run wide open. Not because they weren't valid options but because he wasn't capable of scanning the field.
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I know some of us have said this for months now, but this is why some of those marginal, developmental takes at the bottom of the class should have been given a handshake and a heartfelt "good luck" instead of NLI paperwork. I'd rather have 3 more spots for kids who can contribute in 2024 than a developmental guard with slow feet (Minaya), a DB coming off back-to-back season-ending knee injuries (Thomas), and a productive but undersized DT who you're hoping can contribute in 3 years (Russell).

Then we'd be able to get another DT, CB, WR, and a RB in the portal to contribute in 2024 (when we have Ward at QB).
 
No_Fly_Zone said:
I know some of us have said this for months now, but this is why some of those marginal, developmental takes at the bottom of the class should have been given a handshake and a heartfelt "good luck" instead of NLI paperwork. I'd rather have 3 more spots for kids who can contribute in 2024 than a developmental guard with slow feet (Minaya), a DB coming off back-to-back season-ending knee injuries (Thomas), and a productive but undersized DT who you're hoping can contribute in 3 years (Russell).

Then we'd be able to get another DT, CB, WR, and a RB in the portal to contribute in 2024 (when we have Ward at QB).
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Anyone saying that has a "loser mentality" apparently. Obviously everything is fine and no reason to voice opinions or concerns stating otherwise.
 
No_Fly_Zone said:
I know some of us have said this for months now, but this is why some of those marginal, developmental takes at the bottom of the class should have been given a handshake and a heartfelt "good luck" instead of NLI paperwork. I'd rather have 3 more spots for kids who can contribute in 2024 than a developmental guard with slow feet (Minaya), a DB coming off back-to-back season-ending knee injuries (Thomas), and a productive but undersized DT who you're hoping can contribute in 3 years (Russell).

Then we'd be able to get another DT, CB, WR, and a RB in the portal to contribute in 2024 (when we have Ward at QB).
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I agree with 2 of those you mentioned… Miata or any “developmental” OLine I’m not ever really gunna demand they be pushed out though. OLine is just a position I don’t care all that much about stars. Like yeah you want elite guys, but that’s really only gunna happen every few years cause those types should be 2-3 year starters which makes it difficult to keep getting those types the following year And a guy like Minaya is much more likely to be impactful in 3 years and happy we took him than a guy like Thomas/Russell/etc. especially in the type of class OLine was after we got an Elite OT haul last year.
 
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No_Fly_Zone said:
I know some of us have said this for months now, but this is why some of those marginal, developmental takes at the bottom of the class should have been given a handshake and a heartfelt "good luck" instead of NLI paperwork. I'd rather have 3 more spots for kids who can contribute in 2024 than a developmental guard with slow feet (Minaya), a DB coming off back-to-back season-ending knee injuries (Thomas), and a productive but undersized DT who you're hoping can contribute in 3 years (Russell).

Then we'd be able to get another DT, CB, WR, and a RB in the portal to contribute in 2024 (when we have Ward at QB).
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Agree completely. Still, even those lower ranked prospects are important to some here as our number 4 class is largely based on it being a big class. Ultimately there's always going to be *****ing.

Thomas, always hope it works out well, but it reminds me of the double knee amputee (joking, but WR we took out of Bama with 2 season ending issues like him) a few years back. It didn't make sense then and didn't work out, Worsham name just popped in my head. Some here still celebrated that like we stole him from the Tide.

I don't like calling out commits though. I don't know them like that and a few will surprise. Even if they aren't big time contributors come gameday, they stick around for years, they'll contribute off the field and in practice. Takes more than starters to field a quality team.
 
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Brooklyndee said:
Not a matter of what's in the portal at this exact second. The portal is all about back channeling. The point was we've got one spot. Wr isn't our biggest issue at all. That misconception exists because we had a qb who refused to integrate his numerous options that would run wide open. Not because they weren't valid options but because he wasn't capable of scanning the field.
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This is a lie. In order to be a WR1 you have to have played at another school, in another conference, and with a max of 600yds. Stop with the bias 🤷‍♂️
 
cway313 said:
I've been on the WR train longer than anybody here. Would be amazing.
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You have been on the WR train forever and I thinks it’s a little short sighted IMHO. OL, DL, and QB can mitigate or enhance the value of a receiver. Their impact on WR1 production is much greater than you give credit for based on your posting history. As you said, this is a message board about opinions and such. My opinion is that Brooklynn D is correct in that DT is more important than WR.
 
Brooklyndee said:
Not a matter of what's in the portal at this exact second. The portal is all about back channeling. The point was we've got one spot. Wr isn't our biggest issue at all. That misconception exists because we had a qb who refused to integrate his numerous options that would run wide open. Not because they weren't valid options but because he wasn't capable of scanning the field.
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I would’ve said safety before Mischel but I am confident in our WRs with Ward. I would take a good Cb over Wr right now
 
hesskilla said:
You have been on the WR train forever and I thinks it’s a little short sighted IMHO. OL, DL, and QB can mitigate or enhance the value of a receiver. Their impact on WR1 production is much greater than you give credit for based on your posting history. As you said, this is a message board about opinions and such. My opinion is that Brooklynn D is correct in that DT is more important than WR.
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We already grabbed 2 DT. We also have 2 DT returning from last years portal "haul". That brings our current total to 11 DT. That is already an extremely high number. Ideally we wouldn't keep taking mediocre to ok players at the position but the answer isn't to keep adding more of the same.
Meanwhile at WR we have 2 guys that have double digit catches on the entire roster. That is frightening going into the season with a high caliber QB. Hoping someone puts it all together is a wasted opportunity. Especially while one of those WRs is not dependable on or off the field. That is a top 3 position in terms of importance.


Edit: Horton has 13 catches lol
 
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