FL Cane
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- Joined
- Aug 26, 2018
- Messages
- 3,752
Much like the last fifteen years, Miami's regular season ends in the worst imaginable scenario. Point blank, this is the type of loss that invalidates an entire season's progress. Any progress made before tonight's game was just erased in its entirety. Our best wins were against an 8-3 NC State, and a 6-5 Pitt team. Better than last year sure, but last year was as bad as it got.
Moving forward, there are a few points that need to be addressed for this program to have any chance whatsoever at viability in the future. There are as follows:
Moving forward, there are a few points that need to be addressed for this program to have any chance whatsoever at viability in the future. There are as follows:
- Win Our Bowl Game - Miami had an opportunity to take a 9-1 record into an NY6 bowl with major momentum. Now we're looking at a mid-tier level bowl game against a Big 10/SEC Team. Miami has won two bowl games since 2006, so getting another win would be progress, especially if we can finish the season with a win against someone with a pulse. For our returning players this will be big for confidence. For the fans, this game doesn't really matter. This season will be defined by our huge losses to Clemson and UNC. Nevertheless, a bowl win will be important moving forward, being that we've done it once in fourteen years.
- Finish Strong in Recruiting - Despite tonight's mediocrity, we have a chance to finish strong with a Top 10 recruiting class. I agree with CMD that there will be plenty of opportunities for recruits to come in and play immediately. Recruiting has been trending in a positive direction, it's important to close out strong.
- Address Personnel Issues - Recruiting is one of two components here, there is also our existing roster to contend with. Recruiting will fill urgent needs on the OL, at WR, etc. However, this staff needs to make clear that some pro-eligible players will be welcome to come back next year, while others won't. Bringing back King, Brevin Jordan, Bubba Bolden (played terrible tonight, I know), Boregales, etc. will be crucial to next year's success. However, we can't afford to waste spots on guys who have been here for years and haven't panned out. Use the transfer portal as well, there are some great guys out there who can compete immediately.
- Dismiss the entire Defensive Staff (MOST IMPORTANT ACTION) - The measure of a good coaching staff is three-fold. 1) What is a coach's record in developing players? 2) What is a coach's record in recruiting? 3) If a coach were not on our staff, would they be employed by a comparable P5 school? Right now, on the defensive side of the ball, the answer is a resounding NO for the staff. Mike Rumph should have been dismissed last year. Blake Baker has always been inconsistent at best here, and tonight showed he cannot compete at the P5 Level. Banda, Patke, and Stroud are not P5 coaches. None of these coaches would have a comparable position at any other P5 program. Like with the offense last year, Diaz needs to clean house on the defense. Spend $1 - $1.5 Million on the best proven DC available right now. Tonight was a career-ending loss, and it's within CMD's power to make sure it isn't ultimately career-ending for him.
- Recognize the Path Forward - Miami is not an elite football program, nor has it been close to elite for sixteen years. Miami is not on the cusp of being elite. Miami is not on the cusp of being very good. Ultimately, Miami is an above-average football program right now, that is a fringe Top 20 Football Team. We were a horrendous team last year, so it's a step up. The goal now is to win back-to-back 9/10 win seasons and bowl games. It would be a massive upgrade to the past sixteen years and would give us the momentum to start competing for the ACC Championship and hopefully a playoff spot a few years down the road. Despite what CMD said when he was hired, this was an at best 3-4 year rebuild. It still is, barring he takes the actions above.
