Some thoughts on the season

[kyle_schick]

One absolute ****-ride of a season and I'm grateful to the team for proving me wrong!

From here on out the MINIMUM expectation is a playoff berth every year.

The staff is going to have to adjust their mindset on special teams. Our guys don't block properly. Our guys consistently run into each other. Our guys don't block kicks. We had notably better returns this year, but that was SOLELY due to Toneys inherent abilities.

Same thing with the blocked punt. Teams should have analysts up in the booth self-scouting. Our special teams analysts should have noticed that our punter was beginning to outrun his protection-lane, and that Indiana excels at blocking punts. It should've been a simple call down to the sidelines.

Same thing as dropping 6 INTs including 2 pick-sixes across the last two biggest games of the year.

I could continue to nitpick but we were essentially a higher horsepower car that wasn't tuned properly. Indiana was a less capable sports car in every aspect but they were tuned perfectly.

They dont have a #23 on special teams who contributes more to the other teams success through 16 games than his own team. They have their starting WR future NFL draft pick running down and making tackles.

If the staff wants to win it all, they have to pay attention to these small things across the board.

They have to increase the attention to detail on every seemingly insignificant aspect of the game.

 

[NC_Canes_11]

Indiana went 16-0. They were the best team in the country because they had zero flaws. There is a reason we were a 7.5 under dogs.

Yes, we had a chance to win the game. But Indiana made every single play they needed to down the stretch in order to win. That’s what championship teams do. Sometimes you lose to the better team. I’m confident we will be back.

We were/are the better team. I say that with 100% confidence. We were the best team in the country. But on that Monday they did what they needed to do and we didn’t. That’s the beauty and agony of football, it’s 60 minutes. Not best of 7. They got the trophy bc their worst is head and shoulders better than everybody else’s worst, and their best is really really ******* good too.

I actually believe OSU is better than them. Day just couldn’t get out of his own way and their kicker shanked a gimme.

Final poll based on playing their best game:

1. Miami
2. OSU
3. Indiana
4. Ole Miss
5. UGA
6. Oregon

 

[Jiren]

Indiana went 16-0. They were the best team in the country because they had zero flaws. There is a reason we were a 7.5 under dogs.

Yes, we had a chance to win the game. But Indiana made every single play they needed to down the stretch in order to win. That’s what championship teams do. Sometimes you lose to the better team. I’m confident we will be back.

Where did I say they weren’t the best team?

I said more talented team. If Miami played with Indiana’s discipline and execution this isn’t the convo.

 

[Genghis Cane]

We were/are the better team. I say that with 100% confidence. We were the best team in the country. But on that Monday they did what they needed to do and we didn’t. That’s the beauty and agony of football, it’s 60 minutes. Not best of 7. They got the trophy bc their worst is head and shoulders better than everybody else’s worst, and their best is really really ******* good too.

I actually believe OSU is better than them. Day just couldn’t get out of his own way and their kicker shanked a gimme.

Final poll based on playing their best game:

1. Miami
2. OSU
3. Indiana
4. Ole Miss
5. UGA
6. Oregon

I hear what you’re saying.

The problem is, this sport rewards consistency.

Were we the most talented team in the country? Perhaps. We definitely were not the most consistent. You don’t lose to Louisville and SMU if you are. That’s the bottom line.

Indiana was the best team in the country because they were the most consistent. They played their best football 90% of the time. That’s why they went 16-0. That’s why they demolished teams like Oregon and Bama. And that’s why they are national champions.

 

[Kansas Cane]

Reflection is no longer reduced to yearning for the past.

Reflection can now include projection.

We are no longer “wishing” for 10 wins and postseason relevance.

We can confidently expect it.

GO CANES!!!

 

[JHallCanes]

My personal favorite season including the early 2000s

Probably because of the **** we had to put up with for 20 years to get back

I said that Mario would give us a good competitive team each year but I thought that our window for championships was closed (when he was hired)

After the loss to Indiana part of me felt that was likely our mountaintop

It was such a perfect storm of veterans and young guys and it felt like a true team in every way

That’s just so rare

After what we just did in the portal, I have changed my mind

Mario will win a championship here, and it will be just as much about the support of the fans, the donors, every single human being that gave SOMETHING to the program

It feels ******* great to be a Miami Hurricane man

 

[Ohio Storm]

Saw the Canes win the '83 natty at 14 years old. Been hooked ever since. This reminds me of the Butch teams. He learned from JJ. We are built inside out, and front to back. However, in my opinion this time we have a coach that isn't leaving us. Enjoy the times . . . it's GREAT to be a Miami Hurricanes fan.

 

[Combo]

While we’re able to mask our deficiencies with the amount of talent we had on the field, the truth remains.

This programs #1 opponent is itself.

Although I was impressed with Indiana, Miami was clearly the most talented team in the country.. Penalties, which most would attest to discipline remains a major factor. With the talent identification, acquisition and development the program is currently at, that would be the only thing stopping from them from winning one in the next 2-3 years.

No we weren't. Virtually every observer out there thought OSU was the most talented team (and the NFL Draft will likely reinforce this). And a few other teams likely had as much or more talent than us - Georgia, Oregon, ATM.'

I will agree that if we were as disciplined as Indiana was, we would have won the NC. But you could say that about a few other teams also.

 

[stormsurge13]

First, what a phenomenal season and more than anything else—I’m just sad the run is over. I’m ready to spot the ball again. That extra month to watch the games with friends was so awesome and I’m pumped to do it again and again—because that’s where this is going.

The Championship Game is not a loss you ever get over. Felt like after Fletch popped that run we dragged them into our end of the pool. They didn’t have the guys to play with us but they didn’t make the mistakes through all 16 games.

What I might remember most this season is that game one against Notre dame it came down to our defense getting a stop, in a weird way right where you want to be. And they stomped them out.

Onto Stanford. 16-0.

 

[JL 2014]

If Miami played with Indiana’s discipline and execution this isn’t the convo.

What gets lost in the narrative is that Indiana had 2nd & 1 with 2 minutes left and could have run the clock out with a first...the game was pretty much over. And then they had a false start, which let us hold them to a FG and get the ball back.
1. We were very lucky to even get the ball back at the end.
2. It's very amusing that Indiana almost lost the game due to a lack of discipline.

 

[Manfred_Cane]

You forgot something D....

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[305407cane]

Epic write up. Thanks for everything you guys do.

 

[johnumcanes]

It’s been a two-month sprint. We went from Selection Show to Signing Day to the Playoffs to the Portal to the Courthouse. There were no breaks. Thanks to all of you, CanesInSight is about to hit 8 million posts (and counting). Now that things are more settled, I wanted to reflect on the 2025 Canes.

This season was about the wins. Miami won a school-record 13 games. We beat four Top 10 teams and seven ranked teams. We beat every single rival possible- Notre Dame, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech. And in each game, we were clearly the better team.

We also buried narratives. There was no November swoon. We killed the Fiesta Bowl curse. Two decades of SEC dominance? Dead and buried. We beat their two best teams with our C+ game. There are no more ghosts.

This run validated the Cristobal Era in three ways. First, it validated his roster-building. We played all the best teams and stacked up physically. When we played our in-state rivals, the talent gap was demoralizing. We're in the top weight class again.

Second, this run validated Mario's core values. As it turns out, the 12-team playoff is a lot like the past 150 years of championship football. Run the ball, play defense, win in the trenches. We're built to win in Winter.

Finally, this run validated Mario’s culture. Our game tape is littered with violence. Skill players blocked and linemen ran to the ball. We pushed piles like a rugby scrum. Everything he preached showed up on the field in the biggest moments. That’s culture, and it goes beyond talent acquisition.

This team restored the feeling we lost in the 2005 Peach Bowl. How many times have we gotten stomped since then? Now, we always show up to fight. We’re 23-6 over the past two years, and those six losses are by a combined 25 points. No matter how we're playing, we're always going to be physical.

My kids don’t understand why I wasn’t angrier after the Indiana loss. It’s hard to explain because they haven’t lived through the past two decades. Probation. Bryan Pata. Sean Taylor. 48-0 in the Orange Bowl. Shreveport. El Paso. Blue fields. Halfback passes in a blizzard. FIU. Middle Tennessee State. After all that, I can't get too mad about losing to a deserving champ in an instant classic.

More than anything, this run cemented Miami’s place in the new age of college football. The sport is moving fast and we're at the forefront. The old SEC Era is done. Our game against Indiana was the highest-rated, non-NFL sporting event in a decade. We got 8 million more viewers than Ohio State v. Notre Dame last year. The Hoosiers brought viewers, too, but there’s a reason Saturday Night Live was running skits about us. Miami football is the biggest show in town again.

It's hard to overstate the buzz in the city. When I go to my son's baseball practice, every kid is asking me about Malachi Toney like he’s LeBron James. People who never saw a great Canes team (and that's everyone under 30) finally understand what it looks like. You don't have to watch a documentary to see our logo on ESPN. For the next generation of recruits, we're a blue blood with no asterisk.

It's always great to be a Miami Hurricane, but it's never felt better than right now. Good things come to those who wait. And the wait is finally over.

I feel exactly the same way. Great post.

 

[ZuCrew]

Mans NEVER gonna live down HB pass in the snow.

 

[NC_Canes_11]

I hear what you’re saying.

The problem is, this sport rewards consistency.

Were we the most talented team in the country? Perhaps. We definitely were not the most consistent. You don’t lose to Louisville and SMU if you are. That’s the bottom line.

Indiana was the best team in the country because they were the most consistent. They played their best football 90% of the time. That’s why they went 16-0. That’s why they demolished teams like Oregon and Bama. And that’s why they are national champions.

Agree. Most consistent without a doubt. If you take out the teams that flat out, out-talented everybody (Bama, LSU, UGA) they’re probably the most consistent team that I can remember.

 

[Caneofcanes]

It truly is GREAT TO BE A MIAMI HURRICANE.

 

[Jiren]

No we weren't. Virtually every observer out there thought OSU was the most talented team (and the NFL Draft will likely reinforce this). And a few other teams likely had as much or more talent than us - Georgia, Oregon, ATM.'

I will agree that if we were as disciplined as Indiana was, we would have won the NC. But you could say that about a few other teams also.

Sure they may have more draft picks, but watching the game Miami looked like it had more talent than OSU

 

[Gocanes1990]

It’s been a two-month sprint. We went from Selection Show to Signing Day to the Playoffs to the Portal to the Courthouse. There were no breaks. Thanks to all of you, CanesInSight is about to hit 8 million posts (and counting). Now that things are more settled, I wanted to reflect on the 2025 Canes.

This season was about the wins. Miami won a school-record 13 games. We beat four Top 10 teams and seven ranked teams. We beat every single rival possible- Notre Dame, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech. And in each game, we were clearly the better team.

We also buried narratives. There was no November swoon. We killed the Fiesta Bowl curse. Two decades of SEC dominance? Dead and buried. We beat their two best teams with our C+ game. There are no more ghosts.

This run validated the Cristobal Era in three ways. First, it validated his roster-building. We played all the best teams and stacked up physically. When we played our in-state rivals, the talent gap was demoralizing. We're in the top weight class again.

Second, this run validated Mario's core values. As it turns out, the 12-team playoff is a lot like the past 150 years of championship football. Run the ball, play defense, win in the trenches. We're built to win in Winter.

Finally, this run validated Mario’s culture. Our game tape is littered with violence. Skill players blocked and linemen ran to the ball. We pushed piles like a rugby scrum. Everything he preached showed up on the field in the biggest moments. That’s culture, and it goes beyond talent acquisition.

This team restored the feeling we lost in the 2005 Peach Bowl. How many times have we gotten stomped since then? Now, we always show up to fight. We’re 23-6 over the past two years, and those six losses are by a combined 25 points. No matter how we're playing, we're always going to be physical.

My kids don’t understand why I wasn’t angrier after the Indiana loss. It’s hard to explain because they haven’t lived through the past two decades. Probation. Bryan Pata. Sean Taylor. 48-0 in the Orange Bowl. Shreveport. El Paso. Blue fields. Halfback passes in a blizzard. FIU. Middle Tennessee State. After all that, I can't get too mad about losing to a deserving champ in an instant classic.

More than anything, this run cemented Miami’s place in the new age of college football. The sport is moving fast and we're at the forefront. The old SEC Era is done. Our game against Indiana was the highest-rated, non-NFL sporting event in a decade. We got 8 million more viewers than Ohio State v. Notre Dame last year. The Hoosiers brought viewers, too, but there’s a reason Saturday Night Live was running skits about us. Miami football is the biggest show in town again.

It's hard to overstate the buzz in the city. When I go to my son's baseball practice, every kid is asking me about Malachi Toney like he’s LeBron James. People who never saw a great Canes team (and that's everyone under 30) finally understand what it looks like. You don't have to watch a documentary to see our logo on ESPN. For the next generation of recruits, we're a blue blood with no asterisk.

It's always great to be a Miami Hurricane, but it's never felt better than right now. Good things come to those who wait. And the wait is finally over.

D than you brother! Well said, we’ve come a long way since our first coffee in the grove. Hope the kids have years of exciting football ahead. Wish we go this one bc as @JHallCanes said it felt like a perfect storm. Indy also felt like a team of destiny, when Messidor stripped Mendoza and he caught it in his arms I just shrugged and said oh ****. But to get this playoff ride with my old man and my little guy refusing to take off his Mali jersey from dawn to dusk. It’s a special time, grateful amigo!

 

[Jiren]

What gets lost in the narrative is that Indiana had 2nd & 1 with 2 minutes left and could have run the clock out with a first...the game was pretty much over. And then they had a false start, which let us hold them to a FG and get the ball back.
1. We were very lucky to even get the ball back at the end.
2. It's very amusing that Indiana almost lost the game due to a lack of discipline.

So one false start makes a team undisciplined?

Was it a crucial mistake 100%, doesn’t mean the team undisciplined

 

[bacane]

No we weren't. Virtually every observer out there thought OSU was the most talented team (and the NFL Draft will likely reinforce this). And a few other teams likely had as much or more talent than us - Georgia, Oregon, ATM.'

I will agree that if we were as disciplined as Indiana was, we would have won the NC. But you could say that about a few other teams also.

Ok, we beat Ohio State, Ole Miss & TAMU. Would have beat an Oregon team that laid down & got drilled by Indiana. We had an offensive & defensive line that dominated supposedly more talented teams. Any talent advantage - only Ohio State can make the claim - was negated by our lines & overall physicality.