On Josh Horton...

[DMoney]

So if no “impact” player in the staffs “eyes” enters they just going to stand pat with what we got knowing we need two had not 1 but possible two DTs?

I can almost guarantee we will bring in a DT. I’d be shocked if we don’t.

 

[cway313]

How would you rank your top priorities in the Portal?

Assume that, even as a top spender, we don’t have the money to get the top player at every position just because we want to upgrade.

Slot WR
WR
Safety
LB
K
DT
DE
RB

 

[grover]

Thats like blaming them for not turning emory into a capable P2 qb. You can only work with the clay you have. And, from everything I've heard from people i trust, that LB room needs a full reboot outside a few guys and the DT room is suspect. Im not worried about recruiting right now. Im worried about how do we position this roster to take advantage of carson beck like we failed to with ward. You very likely wont get a 3rd chance if you miss the first two.

TRUTH. Anyone with any experience with this program can see the holes, could see them a year ago for the 2025 season. Mario filled some already. Good on the staff. Now go fill the 4 remaining. Do not waste your shot!

 

[cway313]

TRUTH. Anyone with any experience with this program can see the holes, could see them a year ago for the 2025 season. Mario filled some already. Good on the staff. Now go fill the 4 remaining. Do not waste your shot!

Lol.

 

[grover]

I can almost guarantee we will bring in a DT. I’d be shocked if we don’t.

No criticism directed at you, you are just reporting the facts as you know them.

But if this staff wasn’t back channeling for a WR, DT and S transfer starting last September and an LB transfer midway through last season, whoever was in charge of 2025 roster management failed. We got Daniel, Poyser and Blay. Nice job. Not sure any of them were back channeled. And clearly not enough.

 

[Canesfan1993]

Those OTs are 2026 and don't really impact this year's Portal budget.

I agree we haven't recruited DT well enough. It's been well-documented, especially pre-2024. That's why we paid big for Barrow and paid big for Blay. It's also a reason why we have a new DT coach. We will add another transfer.

But we can't wish guys into the Portal. The top Portal DT last cycle (Keeshawn Silver) has 3 career TFLs in four years. The second-best guy was David Blay. I don't think either is as talented as Justin Scott.

If an impact guy jumps in at DT, I expect us to inquire. But my guess is the market is closer to Ahmad Moten-types getting huge deals.

I dont disagree with most of this but lets not pretend schools dont entice guys into the portal to fit their needs. Horton (WR) already had a deal with bama before he entered and they would have got lyle had we not upped. Ott had a deal done with OU before he entered. Mateer was a done deal to OU through back channeling. Downs last year to OSU. I could go on. Yes its more expensive to get guys in portal vs developing your own but your holes in your roster dont go away because you dont want to pay the fee for past mistakes. I just think the staff thought they had some larger fish on a hook before they were in the boat and are now trying to reassess.

 

[DMoney]

Slot WR
WR
Safety
LB
K
DT
DE
RB

I agree with your list, although I’d merge WR at the top. Don’t see us going after a DE but you never know.

 

[TRick72]

I dont disagree with most of this but lets not pretend schools dont entice guys into the portal to fit their needs. Horton (WR) already had a deal with bama before he entered and they would have got lyle had we not upped. Ott had a deal done with OU before he entered. Mateer was a done deal to OU through back channeling. Downs last year to OSU. I could go on. Yes its more expensive to get guys in portal vs developing your own but your holes in your roster dont go away because you dont want to pay the fee for past mistakes. I just think the staff thought they had some larger fish on a hook before they were in the boat and are now trying to reassess.

Impossible as I’m told Mario stands on Bidness!!

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

He’s very correct. IMO DT is just one notch below this. You can find them in the portal more than OTs, but these are the positions that MUST be prioritized (aka paid for) in HS recruiting.

 

[The Sphinx]

I dont disagree. We have one of the top collectives in the country and many would be shocked to see where our roster spend lines up with the "blue bloods". My point is: whoever is evaluating and deciding how to allocate that $ has failed this program because you are a top 10 spender and yet have glaring holes and dont achieve at a top 10 level. You can't spend for two of the top OTs in HS this cycle and then say you cant get a top DT cause they're expensive. That HS class will contribute nothing to carson beck this fall. If you had taken care of business in recruiting those spots the last two cycles then you wouldn't need to overspend in portal. Same with LB. We do not have a big time run stopping NT on this roster and, you're right, those guy are expensive. But moving a DE like bain or messidor inside doesn't change that and takes a strength and weakens that too.

THIS ALL **** DAY! Thank you!

 

[cway313]

I agree with your list, although I’d merge WR at the top. Don’t see us going after a DE but you never know.

I put slot first because that is the most important position in Dawson's offense. Beck also played his best with Mcconkey so it seems important.

 

[Hurracanes]

I dont disagree with most of this but lets not pretend schools dont entice guys into the portal to fit their needs. Horton (WR) already had a deal with bama before he entered and they would have got lyle had we not upped. Ott had a deal done with OU before he entered. Mateer was a done deal to OU through back channeling. Downs last year to OSU. I could go on. Yes its more expensive to get guys in portal vs developing your own but your holes in your roster dont go away because you dont want to pay the fee for past mistakes. I just think the staff thought they had some larger fish on a hook before they were in the boat and are now trying to reassess.

For the last 3 years, this staff has leaned on the phrase “we have a plan” to justify repeated failures and ****** decisions. It has become such a company slogan that some coaches even use it with fans on social media. Yet here we are in year 4 with a roster that does not reflect the massive budget being spent, especially on defense. Either the plan never came to fruition or it was not a good one.

There is no big name wide receiver in the portal, despite months of Miami media being told by certain staff members that a #1 receiver was on the way into this portal. We all know what Miami is doing behind the scenes. With DT, they believe Blay and Scott are enough. They already whiffed on a LB. Let’s see what happens with the safety. This is all starting to feels like deja vu with the secondary all over again where we are one Damari injury away from panic mode and possibly another season slipping away. The linebacker room looks the scariest. Recently, someone whose opinion I really value said that after the season, you will hear people saying, “Nobody knew the linebacker room would be that bad” when many of us knew. This could all be avoided if our $ was invested better and our evaluations were hitting more.

It is still early in the portal window, but my confidence in this staff to fix the defensive roster and actually follow through with a solid plan (example landing the WR) is shrinking by the day.

 

[Gables Cane]

For the last 3 years, this staff has leaned on the phrase “we have a plan” to justify repeated failures and ****** decisions. It has become such a company slogan that some coaches even use it with fans on social media. Yet here we are in year 4 with a roster that does not reflect the massive budget being spent, especially on defense. Either the plan never came to fruition or it was not a good one.

There is no big name wide receiver in the portal, despite months of Miami media being told by certain staff members that a #1 receiver was on the way into this portal. We all know what Miami is doing behind the scenes. With DT, they believe Blay and Scott are enough. They already whiffed on a LB. Let’s see what happens with the safety. This is all starting to feels like deja vu with the secondary all over again where we are one Damari injury away from panic mode and possibly another season slipping away. The linebacker room looks the scariest. Recently, someone whose opinion I really value said that after the season, you will hear people saying, “Nobody knew the linebacker room would be that bad” when many of us knew. This could all be avoided if our $ was invested better and our evaluations were hitting more.

It is still early in the portal window, but my confidence in this staff to fix the defensive roster and actually follow through with a solid plan (example landing the WR) is shrinking by the day.

Is Simpson the LB that we whiffed on or was it the Army dude?

 

[Calinative]

I agree with your list, although I’d merge WR at the top. Don’t see us going after a DE but you never know.

0. Move Lucas to Safety

1. Portal WR, Outside preferred, but Inside if its the best available. Trader can play in Slot no problem, with Toney getting reps as the primary backup slot

2. Top Run-Stuffing Fat NT we can buy. This can be a DT3-4 in terms of actual snap count. But You want to spend 2nd/3rd most money this portal period on one NT for sure.

3. Top MLB on the market.

---------------

4. Kicker. Though This is cheap, so doesn't particularly matter where on the list it is.

5. Rotational Quality Safety

6. Another WR or 2... Seriously Move Fitzgerald to WR and Add a 2nd WR without question. Our Depth at WR is complete garbage.

7. Another DB (If moving Lucas to S, and Fitzgerald to WR, get another CB, CB is only position actually pretty good in portal right now)

8. Depth RB

 

[Hurracanes]

Is Simpson the LB that we whiffed on or was it the Army dude?

All I’ll say I’m sick and tired of this staff whiffing behind the scenes because players use us to up their bag with their current team then we chose to get outbid by them. This staff thinks they determine what a player is worth but in the real world it’s the market that makes that determination. It’s a strategy that only works when you can identify lower tier talent and develop them. Given Mario’s history here and our mediocre coaching, I’m very skeptical.

 

[Gables Cane]

All I’ll say I’m sick and tired of this staff whiffing behind the scenes because players use us to up their bag with their current team then we chose to get outbid by them. This staff thinks they determine what a player is worth but in the real world it’s the market that makes that determination. It’s a strategy that only works when you can identify lower tier talent and develop them. Given Mario’s history here and our mediocre coaching, I’m very skeptical.

Understood. It seems like the initial or anticipated answer to our LB problems did not materialize because the player used us to leverage more money from his existing team.

I’m not mad. That’s the nature of today’s game where the player has all of the leverage. Heck, that’s what many are saying Lyle just did.

I will be mad if there was no legitimate Plan B. We cannot head into the season without a stronger middle defense (just like baseball). We need a Mike and we need to reinforce the DTs.

 

[bobbydigius]

All I’ll say I’m sick and tired of this staff whiffing behind the scenes because players use us to up their bag with their current team then we chose to get outbid by them. This staff thinks they determine what a player is worth but in the real world it’s the market that makes that determination. It’s a strategy that only works when you can identify lower tier talent and develop them. Given Mario’s history here and our mediocre coaching, I’m very skeptical.

It’s dangerous when you are lead by someone that thinks they can routinely outsmart or know better than the market.

 

[Hurracanes]

Understood. It seems like the initial or anticipated answer to our LB problems did not materialize because the player used us to leverage more money from his existing team.

I’m not mad. That’s the nature of today’s game where the player has all of the leverage. Heck, that’s what many are saying Lyle just did.

I will be mad if there was no legitimate Plan B. We cannot head into the season without a stronger middle defense (just like baseball). We need a Mike and we need to reinforce the DTs.

Agreed. Unfortunately, our plan B’s usually mean JAGs. In the 25’ recruiting class, they had no plan B’s and whiffed on countless blue chippers, at the end.

With the LB room, this should have been addressed in recruiting and the first portal, imo. It is a desperate need. Unfortunately, we move incredibly slow in firing and hiring people and missed opportunities with the best portal to upgrade your roster seriously. The majority of the Spring portal are JAGS.

For months, i have been told we would be “aggressive “ and bring in 2 WR’s, 2 LB’s minimum, 1 Safety and a depth piece at DT (which I don’t agree with). “We have a plan” is what I and several people been told. I have a strong reason to think the plan isn’t going accordingly.

 

[BCntyCane]

Agreed. Unfortunately, our plan B’s usually mean JAGs. In the 25’ recruiting class, they had no plan B’s and whiffed on countless blue chippers, at the end.

With the LB room, this should have been addressed in recruiting and the first portal, imo. It is a desperate need. Unfortunately, we move incredibly slow in firing and hiring people and missed opportunities with the best portal to upgrade your roster seriously. The majority of the Spring portal are JAGS.

For months, i have been told we would be “aggressive “ and bring in 2 WR’s, 2 LB’s minimum, 1 Safety and a depth piece at DT (which I don’t agree with). “We have a plan” is what I and several people been told. I have a strong reason to think the plan isn’t going accordingly.

man ain’t lying with last paragraph

 

[grover]

For months, i have been told we would be “aggressive “ and bring in 2 WR’s, 2 LB’s minimum, 1 Safety and a depth piece at DT (which I don’t agree with). “We have a plan” is what I and several people been told. I have a strong reason to think the plan isn’t going accordingly.

First part was definitely the consensus of all the social media "insiders". Second part is news to me given the level of secrecy this staff operates under. If true, unacceptable. Not only fans, but players and NIL investors should be ****ed if true. We have all this talent and staff can't close on the clear positions of need? I really hope you're wrong. They still have some time.

p.s., Was thinking it goes without saying that we need more than a depth piece at DT. But it needs to be said again and again, so adding this postscript.