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Opening practice thoughts

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DMoney said:
Today is one of the best days of the year. Greentree All-Americans are crowned and we can finally talk football. This is the first practice in shells, so don't call your bookies yet. But here are some first impressions:

- Carson Beck is healthy. At 6'4, 220, he looks the part and the ball jumps out of his hands. He overthrew a couple guys early, but you could tell he felt good.

Based on my first viewing, the biggest difference between Beck and Cam is their pace. Both guys are quick thinkers with quick arms, but Cam takes more time to hunt bigger plays. Beck isn't that kind of improviser but is good at finding his checkdown. It's hard to judge leadership by watching a two-hour practice, but he seemed comfortable with his teammates and excited to be playing.

- North Dakota State RB Marty Brown has been working hard in the weight room. Even without pads he looks like a wrecking ball. Excited to see him in full contact.

- The receiver that caught my attention was LSU transfer WR CJ Daniels. He's still working his way back, but he separated easily and looks full speed after foot surgery. He's another sixth-year senior and brings leadership and grown-man strength (6'2, 205) to the room.

- The defensive back room looks the part. OJ Frederique was wearing the black non-contact jersey, but he still played physical and broke up several passes. I don't see any loss of confidence there. This was my first look at freshmen Bryce Fitzgerald and Jaboree Antoine. Fitzgerald looked big at 187 pounds and lined up mostly at safety. We will find out if he can tackle enough to stay there, but his athleticism is easy to see. Antoine played corner and moved well coming off an ACL. He will have a chance to play somewhere. The safeties (Zechariah Poyser and Jakobe Thomas) have more length and suddenness than our safeties last year.

- Overall, we looked healthy. LB Mo Toure moved well while looking like the Terminator. TE Alex Bauman was a full go. OTs Matt McCoy and Deryc Plazz were back in action. Even WR Chance Robinson was out there. We have a full squad as we head into August.

- The starters on the OL were as expected (Bell, Rodriguez/McCoy, Brock, Cooper, Mauigoa) but Samson Okunlola got a lot of work at both LT and LG. You can tell he's a big part of Mirabal's plans.

- Everybody knows how I feel about Elija Lofton, but I'm excited to watch the rest of the tight end room. Bauman, Brock Schott, Luka Gilbert and Owen Ruskavich are all strong dudes and competitors. That's a battle to monitor.

- Overall, I like the way it looks. It's too early for anything meaningful, but there is no position on the roster as weak as last year's defensive back room. There is length and athleticism at every position, and we have a physical roster.

This version is the radio edit from the media portion of practice. For more specific thoughts, sign up for Canes Connection by using promo code CIS50 and clicking this link to get on the mailing list for tonight's Zoom call at 7. That code takes 50% off the first month.

I will be having a call every week to provide practice information for the donor community. Let's be part of the sixth championship.

www.canesconnection.com

Exclusive Offer For Canes Insight Members

Canes Connection, the official NIL Collective of Miami Hurricane Athletics, was founded in 2022 to assist Hurricane athletes in cultivating and securing name, image, and likeness opportunities. Leveraging the strength of the Canes Family, we connect fans, alumni, and corporate partners with...
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The ball was exploding out of Beck’s hands, that arm is live and as healthy as it’s ever been. I’m going to say it now, my biggest gripe with Cam was his inability to take the check down and that cost us the Georgia Tech game. We will not have that problem with Beck and I truly believe our offense will be far more efficient with him this year and I think he will have just as good a year as Cam did last year, that’s how good he looked up there today and it’s only day one. Plus with Beck, you can utilize play action pass, and when it’s done right, it’s devastating!
 
NicKane said:
The ball was exploding out of Beck’s hands, that arm is live and as healthy as it’s ever been. I’m going to say it now, my biggest gripe with Cam was his inability to take the check down and that cost us the Georgia Tech game. We will not have that problem with Beck and I truly believe our offense will be far more efficient with him this year and I think he will have just as good a year as Cam did last year, that’s how good he looked up there today and it’s only day one. Plus with Beck, you can utilize play action pass, and when it’s done right, it’s devastating!
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i'm out game of thrones GIF by Amanda
 
DMoney said:
Today is one of the best days of the year. Greentree All-Americans are crowned and we can finally talk football. This is the first practice in shells, so don't call your bookies yet. But here are some first impressions:

- Carson Beck is healthy. At 6'4, 220, he looks the part and the ball jumps out of his hands. He overthrew a couple guys early, but you could tell he felt good.

Based on my first viewing, the biggest difference between Beck and Cam is their pace. Both guys are quick thinkers with quick arms, but Cam takes more time to hunt bigger plays. Beck isn't that kind of improviser but is good at finding his checkdown. It's hard to judge leadership by watching a two-hour practice, but he seemed comfortable with his teammates and excited to be playing.

- North Dakota State RB Marty Brown has been working hard in the weight room. Even without pads he looks like a wrecking ball. Excited to see him in full contact.

- The receiver that caught my attention was LSU transfer WR CJ Daniels. He's still working his way back, but he separated easily and looks full speed after foot surgery. He's another sixth-year senior and brings leadership and grown-man strength (6'2, 205) to the room.

- The defensive back room looks the part. OJ Frederique was wearing the black non-contact jersey, but he still played physical and broke up several passes. I don't see any loss of confidence there. This was my first look at freshmen Bryce Fitzgerald and Jaboree Antoine. Fitzgerald looked big at 187 pounds and lined up mostly at safety. We will find out if he can tackle enough to stay there, but his athleticism is easy to see. Antoine played corner and moved well coming off an ACL. He will have a chance to play somewhere. The safeties (Zechariah Poyser and Jakobe Thomas) have more length and suddenness than our safeties last year.

- Overall, we looked healthy. LB Mo Toure moved well while looking like the Terminator. TE Alex Bauman was a full go. OTs Matt McCoy and Deryc Plazz were back in action. Even WR Chance Robinson was out there. We have a full squad as we head into August.

- The starters on the OL were as expected (Bell, Rodriguez/McCoy, Brock, Cooper, Mauigoa) but Samson Okunlola got a lot of work at both LT and LG. You can tell he's a big part of Mirabal's plans.

- Everybody knows how I feel about Elija Lofton, but I'm excited to watch the rest of the tight end room. Bauman, Brock Schott, Luka Gilbert and Owen Ruskavich are all strong dudes and competitors. That's a battle to monitor.

- Overall, I like the way it looks. It's too early for anything meaningful, but there is no position on the roster as weak as last year's defensive back room. There is length and athleticism at every position, and we have a physical roster.

This version is the radio edit from the media portion of practice. For more specific thoughts, sign up for Canes Connection by using promo code CIS50 and clicking this link to get on the mailing list for tonight's Zoom call at 7. That code takes 50% off the first month.

I will be having a call every week to provide practice information for the donor community. Let's be part of the sixth championship.

www.canesconnection.com

Exclusive Offer For Canes Insight Members

Canes Connection, the official NIL Collective of Miami Hurricane Athletics, was founded in 2022 to assist Hurricane athletes in cultivating and securing name, image, and likeness opportunities. Leveraging the strength of the Canes Family, we connect fans, alumni, and corporate partners with...
www.canesconnection.com www.canesconnection.com
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D: Can you explain what you mean by Daniels is still working his way back?

Is it a physical thing where he doesn’t appear 100% recovered? Or more mental? Conditioning?
 
OrangeBowlMagic said:
He’s not a check down merchant. He’ll throw the ball down the field plenty. But when he’s at his best the ball is out quick and as I’ve said, it’s dotting people. Look at this tape from 2023. How many of these balls were thrown high? Low? Behind a receiver? Not many.

He finished this game 23/33 for 313, 1 TD and a pick, on the road in the SEC. Had a 91.5 QBR. Cam Ward let the country last year with a QBR of 88.

He can make plays off-platform, he can make plays outside the pocket. But where he’s at his best is when the ball is coming out from a clean pocket, and he’s decisive. There isn’t much sitting around and waiting here. Man open, ball out, it hits the kid right in the hands, next play.

Click to expand...

My issue with Ward was that he had above average short-mid yardage accuracy, but Ward was unbelievable on long distance accuracy. Beck seems to be slightly better on 10-15 yard accuracy, but Lad and Bowers made great plays on these passes. Ward also looked for the big plays and would rather put pressure on himself to run around and the OL to block rushers long enough to get the big play. This caused some bigger issues with Cal, VT, and GT, along with a defense that couldn't stop a nosebleed.

For reference, I am not at all saying Beck will be, or is, better than Ward, but that the OL is better (or at least as good) with Beck over Ward.

My hope is that the OL is better (even without Rivers) if it doesnt need to block as long. This UGA team had a very good OL that could hold on for a few seconds while Beck could spot the ball.
 
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DMoney said:
Today is one of the best days of the year. Greentree All-Americans are crowned and we can finally talk football. This is the first practice in shells, so don't call your bookies yet. But here are some first impressions:

- Carson Beck is healthy. At 6'4, 220, he looks the part and the ball jumps out of his hands. He overthrew a couple guys early, but you could tell he felt good.

Based on my first viewing, the biggest difference between Beck and Cam is their pace. Both guys are quick thinkers with quick arms, but Cam takes more time to hunt bigger plays. Beck isn't that kind of improviser but is good at finding his checkdown. It's hard to judge leadership by watching a two-hour practice, but he seemed comfortable with his teammates and excited to be playing.

- North Dakota State RB Marty Brown has been working hard in the weight room. Even without pads he looks like a wrecking ball. Excited to see him in full contact.

- The receiver that caught my attention was LSU transfer WR CJ Daniels. He's still working his way back, but he separated easily and looks full speed after foot surgery. He's another sixth-year senior and brings leadership and grown-man strength (6'2, 205) to the room.

- The defensive back room looks the part. OJ Frederique was wearing the black non-contact jersey, but he still played physical and broke up several passes. I don't see any loss of confidence there. This was my first look at freshmen Bryce Fitzgerald and Jaboree Antoine. Fitzgerald looked big at 187 pounds and lined up mostly at safety. We will find out if he can tackle enough to stay there, but his athleticism is easy to see. Antoine played corner and moved well coming off an ACL. He will have a chance to play somewhere. The safeties (Zechariah Poyser and Jakobe Thomas) have more length and suddenness than our safeties last year.

- Overall, we looked healthy. LB Mo Toure moved well while looking like the Terminator. TE Alex Bauman was a full go. OTs Matt McCoy and Deryc Plazz were back in action. Even WR Chance Robinson was out there. We have a full squad as we head into August.

- The starters on the OL were as expected (Bell, Rodriguez/McCoy, Brock, Cooper, Mauigoa) but Samson Okunlola got a lot of work at both LT and LG. You can tell he's a big part of Mirabal's plans.

- Everybody knows how I feel about Elija Lofton, but I'm excited to watch the rest of the tight end room. Bauman, Brock Schott, Luka Gilbert and Owen Ruskavich are all strong dudes and competitors. That's a battle to monitor.

- Overall, I like the way it looks. It's too early for anything meaningful, but there is no position on the roster as weak as last year's defensive back room. There is length and athleticism at every position, and we have a physical roster.

This version is the radio edit from the media portion of practice. For more specific thoughts, sign up for Canes Connection by using promo code CIS50 and clicking this link to get on the mailing list for tonight's Zoom call at 7. That code takes 50% off the first month.

I will be having a call every week to provide practice information for the donor community. Let's be part of the sixth championship.

www.canesconnection.com

Exclusive Offer For Canes Insight Members

Canes Connection, the official NIL Collective of Miami Hurricane Athletics, was founded in 2022 to assist Hurricane athletes in cultivating and securing name, image, and likeness opportunities. Leveraging the strength of the Canes Family, we connect fans, alumni, and corporate partners with...
www.canesconnection.com www.canesconnection.com
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Oh yeah here we go again

IMG_6842.jpg
 
cway313 said:
Its not about who we can't beat. Its about beating the teams we should beat.
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The mental gymnastics it takes for some poRsters to poRst "yOu CaN'T eXpEcT uS tO rEcRuIt WeLl AfTeR 20 yEaRs Of MeDiOcRiTy"

And then turn around and poRst "I dOn't SeE hOw We CaN'T cOmPeTe WiTh BaMa, UgA, oSu, AnD tExAs On ThE fIeLd."

It's truly astounding.
 
RealRussellPumps said:
Listen, I know we all love Cam and he was incredible for us last year. All time great Cane without any question.

With that said, the bolded part here is why I think we sneakily could be a harder to defend/ more well rounded offense this year than last. We may not put up 40 a game, but I think we will be able to shorten games, extend drives and score potentially more efficiently than last year. So often Cam looked for the big plays and wouldn't take the check downs wide open resulting in drive ending plays or even turnovers. Beck taking the check down and the easy 4-10 yards is going to be huge this year.
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We may not score as many points, hold the ball as long, have as many explosive plays, have as many yards, and, overall won't be as good of an offense as last year but it will be better, MORE EFFICIENT, and more balanced!

@JHallCanes @OrangeBowlMagic

Here We Go Again GIF
 
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nvlahos said:
2 takeaways from that. **** Auburns defense made everything tough, who is their DC?

That was more of a highlight of Brock Bowers than Beck. Who can be our Bowers? JoJo,Lofton?
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I will give you one Schott at this -- same first name is the hint.
 
Jedi Master Cane said:
I'm usually impervious to D Money's hype.

But THIS is the year....and I really believe it's true. This is a significantly better overall team than last year's squad, even if the QB isn't as good. This defense is going to surprise both nationally and within our own fanbase.
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I hope you’re right. As cool as it was to watch a $exy offense last year, I miss our bone crushing Canes Defenses’ of the past
 
OrangeBowlMagic said:
He’s not a check down merchant. He’ll throw the ball down the field plenty. But when he’s at his best the ball is out quick and as I’ve said, it’s dotting people. Look at this tape from 2023. How many of these balls were thrown high? Low? Behind a receiver? Not many.

He finished this game 23/33 for 313, 1 TD and a pick, on the road in the SEC. Had a 91.5 QBR. Cam Ward let the country last year with a QBR of 88.

He can make plays off-platform, he can make plays outside the pocket. But where he’s at his best is when the ball is coming out from a clean pocket, and he’s decisive. There isn’t much sitting around and waiting here. Man open, ball out, it hits the kid right in the hands, next play.

Click to expand...

I wasn’t saying he’s a check down merchant bro, and I wasn’t insinuating that he isn’t an improviser, just saying from what I know and have seen of him that’s not what he wants to do, and im completely happy with that, I think he’ll blend in perfectly with our style of play, the strength of our oline is pass blocking, I’d like to see more of West coast style with Beck anyway.
 
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